Chapter 51: New Class, New Gear

Kim Seokju checked the information on the necklace with a troubled expression.

<Crimson Ruby Necklace [Special] >

He looked over the options and hesitated.

Should I use it? Or sell it?

The Crimson Ruby Necklace’s option of +6000 HP wasn’t bad at all.

Besides, Kim Seokju currently wasn’t wearing any necklace.

“Looks like I’m a bit short on Gold…”

Even though he didn’t have a necklace equipped, the reason for his hesitation was, of course, Gold.

Kim Seokju had saved up plenty of Gold since he didn’t have much to spend it on, but he had poured a huge amount into buying materials to raise his Crafting Skill.

“Alright, I’ll sell it. I need to make a Hero Grade Accessory!”

Considering the Gold needed to craft a Hero Grade Accessory, he had no choice but to sell it rather than equip it.

Having made up his mind to sell, Kim Seokju closed his inventory.

The Workshop, fully equipped with all the gear needed for crafting, wasn’t a place he could use for free.

Renting it cost 200 Gold per hour.

That was for a Lower-Grade Workshop; a Mid-Grade Workshop required 500 Gold, and a High-Grade Workshop, a whopping 1000 Gold.

I can make one more in 20 minutes.

The remaining rental time was 20 minutes.

That was enough time to craft one more Special Grade accessory.

Kim Seokju opened the Skill Window and checked the information on the ‘Crafting’ Skill.

My proficiency will go up too.

His current proficiency in Crafting was 97%. Making just one more Special Grade item would raise it.

Kim Seokju activated the ‘Crafting’ Skill and the crafting window appeared.

Having already decided what to make, Kim Seokju scrolled down the list.

[Beginning production of Vitality Necklace]

Sssshk.

When he pressed the craft button, the materials and necessary equipment appeared on the table along with a message.

“Hmm hmm… hmm. Good.”

Was it because he would soon be able to make a Hero Grade Accessory?

Kim Seokju hummed a tune as he began assembling the parts.

***

Training Room.

!!!

Kang Juho, who had been relentlessly swinging his Hammer at the Training Dummy, finally stopped.

“Hahh…”

He let out a deep sigh.

It’s finally over.

At last, it was time to say goodbye to the Training Dummy.

Kang Juho checked the Quest ‘Guardian Warrior 5’.

<Job Change – Guardian Warrior 5>

Rojan chose Endurance as the fifth and final ability needed to become a Guardian Warrior.

Train by striking the Training Dummy in the Training Room for 5 hours!

[Training Time: 5 hours / 5 hours]

[Training Dummy Strikes: 5000 / 5000]

[Quest Reward: Sub-Class – Guardian Warrior]

Good thing this is the last one.

Yesterday, he hit the Training Dummy for 6 hours; today, he’d spent a whopping 13 hours at it.

It was virtual reality, so his arms shouldn’t get numb, but he felt a tingling sensation all the same.

What if the fifth trial hadn’t been the last?

Just imagining it was terrifying.

Kang Juho shook his head and closed the quest window.

He then left the Training Room and headed toward Rojan.

“Good work. And congratulations.”

As Kang Juho arrived, Rojan greeted him with a smile.

At the same time, messages appeared one after another.

[You have completed the Job Change Quest ‘Guardian Warrior 5’.]

[You have acquired Sub-Class – Guardian Warrior.]

[You have received a Job Combination Bonus.]

[All Resistances increase by 15%.]

Kang Juho couldn’t help but be surprised at the message.

‘15%!?’

Originally, if he had chosen Blacksmith as his Main Class and Guardian Warrior as his Sub-Class as planned, his Resistance would have increased by 20%.

But Kang Juho had given up the 20% Resistance bonus to become a Battle Blacksmith.

Fortunately, the Battle Blacksmith’s job abilities were excellent, so he could let go of that 20% Resistance without regret.

And he had hoped that the Job Combination Bonus wouldn’t turn out to be trash.

But 15%?

There was only a 5% difference.

Kang Juho immediately checked his Resistances.

Wow.

The moment he saw his Resistances, he couldn’t help but be impressed.

“If I wear the Helm of Poison Resistance now…”

The Helmet he was currently wearing was the Helmet of Passion, which increased Physical Resistance by 5%.

If he equipped the Helm of Poison Resistance instead?

His Poison Resistance would become 42%.

That meant poison damage would be reduced by a whopping 42%.

“I want to see the Skills I can learn.”

Kang Juho closed the window and spoke to Rojan.

The Skill Window appeared, and Kang Juho was able to check the Guardian Warrior’s Skills.

Currently, Kang Juho’s level was 200.

But as a Guardian Warrior, he was only at level 1.

There weren’t many Skills he could learn yet.

“Just Provocation and Shield Technique, huh.”

The only Skills he could learn right away were ‘Provocation’, which could draw Aggro from all Monsters within range, and ‘Shield Technique’, which increased the shield’s physical attack and damage reduction.

[You have acquired the Skill ‘Provocation’.]

[50 Gold has been consumed.]

[You have acquired the Skill ‘Shield Technique’.]

[60 Gold has been consumed.]

Fortunately, both Skills could be learned just by paying Gold, so Kang Juho learned them immediately.

“Goodbye.”

After acquiring the Skills and saying his farewells, Kang Juho left Rojan’s training hall.

Now it was time to change his Hammer and Helmet.

Kang Juho walked toward Production Street while opening his Character Window.

Huh, that’s gone up a lot.

During the first Job Change Quest, hitting the Training Dummy for 3 hours raised Strength by 2 and Stamina by 2.

Afterward, he attacked the Training Dummy for a total of 16 hours, raising Strength by 4, Agility by 3, and Stamina by 5.

And it wasn’t just his stats that increased.

The proficiency of the Skills ‘Relentless’, ‘Hammer of Death’, and ‘Hammer of Vitality’ had also gone up significantly.

First, ‘Relentless’ had reached proficiency level 8, so now, with each basic attack, the cooldown was reduced by 15 seconds—actually, with the double effect from ‘Two Birds, One Stone’, it was reduced by 30 seconds each time.

That meant if he activated Hammer of Fury just four times, he could use Hammer of Fury again immediately.

And Hammer of Death had reached proficiency level 7, so now, up to level 400, it had a 50% effect, and up to level 700, it could inflict an unhealable state.

Finally, Hammer of Vitality had also reached proficiency level 5.

<Hammer of Vitality [Passive]>

Proficiency: 5 (95%)

1. 30% chance to recover 2% HP with basic attacks
2. Recover 1% HP when defeating a Monster

Unlike before, not only had the probability increased, but the recovery amount had also been enhanced.

Of course, only the first option’s recovery amount was enhanced, but for Kang Juho, who hadn’t expected even that, it was truly moving.

On top of that, his proficiency would soon reach 6.

That meant the recovery amount could be enhanced again.

After checking his three Passive Skills, Kang Juho then checked the details of the Provocation and Shield Technique Skills he had just learned.

<Provocation>

Now I can worry a little less.

Up until now, he’d always worried during battle that Aggro might go to Kim Seokju.

But now, he didn’t need to worry anymore.

“500 is enough.”

If Aggro happened to be stolen and Monsters headed for Kim Seokju, he could just use Provocation.

Monsters affected by Provocation would turn right back around and rush at Kang Juho as if they’d found their mortal enemy.

Kang Juho then checked the new Skill, Shield Technique.

<Shield Technique [Passive]>

Proficiency: 1 (0%)

1. Increases shield’s physical attack by 10%
2. Increases shield’s damage reduction by 5%

The moment he saw the Shield Technique, a smile crept onto Kang Juho’s lips.

The proficiency was only at 1.

But even so, his physical attack was increased by 10%, and damage reduction by 5%.

I might even be able to aim for 100%!

Kang Juho had several goals.

His biggest goal was 100% Resistance, and the second was to craft a Legendary Grade Shield.

A Legendary Grade Shield had a maximum damage reduction of 90%.

If he added Shield Technique, that became 95%.

And if the proficiency increased, boosting the reduction by 1% each time?

He might even surpass 100%.

If his damage reduction reached 100%, any attack blocked by the shield would deal no damage at all.

Even a boss Monster’s attack would be no exception.

His survival rate would skyrocket.

Lost in pleasant thoughts, Kang Juho soon arrived at Production Street.

The items to switch out were his Hammer and Helmet.

[You have entered Robe’s Forge.]

First, to buy a new Hammer, Kang Juho entered Robe’s Forge.

Hm?

As soon as he entered, Kang Juho headed straight for the display case but was forced to stop.

Bang! Clang!

The owner, Robe, was dozing off in the middle of the forge.

But what was that sound coming from the side?

Kang Juho turned his head toward the source of the noise.

There, a man was swinging a Hammer diligently.

Wait, that guy…

Kang Juho was surprised when he saw the man.

“Isn’t that the User?”

The reason for Kang Juho’s surprise was that he knew the man.

It was the man who had sold the Raging Blacksmith’s Iron Hammer at Toben’s Forge.

“I wonder if he has any good Hammers…?”

Just like with Gold, Users had their own specialties.

And it seemed the man specialized in Hammers.

With a hopeful heart, Kang Juho approached the man.

“Hello.”

“…Yes, hello.”

The man, absorbed in his work, flinched at Kang Juho’s greeting but soon smiled and replied.

“I’m the person who bought a Hammer from you before. Do you have any good Hammers available?”

Kang Juho got straight to the point.

“Huh? Me?”

The man pointed at himself in surprise.

“Yes, I bought the Raging Blacksmith’s Iron Hammer from you.”

“Oh! Right! That was you!”

The man’s memory seemed to return, and he exclaimed in surprise.

“Of course I do! You’re a Blacksmith, right?”

“Yes, I just Job Changed to Guardian Warrior as my Sub-Class, so now I can use warrior-type Hammers too.”

Before, he could only use unrestricted Hammers or Blacksmith-exclusive Hammers.

But now, after Job Changing to Guardian Warrior, he could use warrior-type Hammers as well.

“Huh? You already got a Sub-Class…”

The man trailed off, looking dazed for a moment, then gave a thumbs-up.

“Amazing! As it happens, I just got a level 200 Hammer—would you like to see it?”

Oh!

Kang Juho was a bit surprised at the man’s words.

He had been hoping for a level 200 Hammer.

“Let’s trade.”

Kang Juho immediately initiated a trade with the man.

The trade window opened, and a Hammer was placed inside.

Kang Juho immediately checked the Hammer’s details.