Chapter 18: Shinaga’s Hidden Ace

No matter how busy you are, there are some things you just can’t skip.

“Huh….”

There was also a promise I made with my father, and even if I wanted to skip it, I never missed out on working out.

Even though it was rehab, the memories of living as Baek Jun-su remained in my body, so it was easy to slip right back into the routine of my amateur days.

After finishing exercises for my back, chest, lower body, and shoulders, I finally pulled the rowing machine’s cable, signaling the end of my workout.

As I returned to the proper posture, Yeo-hyeon’s fitness coach, Seokdu Jeong, spoke up.

“That’s enough, let’s stop here for today. It’s not good to overdo it.”

Yeo-hyeon immediately grabbed a cold bottle of water from the nearby fridge.

After intense movement and exhausting physical labor, the best reward isn’t encouragement or praise, but above all—

A sip of water.

He cracked open the bottle without hesitation and boldly took a swig.

Gulp—

As the ice-cold water slid down his throat and into his overheated body, a shiver of ecstasy ran through him.

“Ahh, that’s the stuff.”

While he was savoring the lingering afterglow of that thrill, someone spoke up beside him.

“Good job today.”

“You too, hyung. I’ll see you again on Thursday.”

Since Jeong Seokdu had been with him not just during rehab, but also before that, their relationship was close and comfortable.

They exchanged greetings and were about to part ways.

Normally, Jeong Seokdu would have left first, but for some reason, he lingered and asked a question.

“Hey, Yeo-hyeon, has your family had any good news lately?”

“Nothing’s happened… Why do you ask?”

“No, it’s just—the Chairman and Madam, their mood was way up! They were totally different from a few days ago, so I thought maybe something good happened.”

If it was good news for the whole family, it would have included his older brother and sister too.

But if only his parents were in high spirits, there was only one reason he could think of.

“Ah… I think it’s because of the present I gave them.”

Seokdu tilted his head.

“Present? What present all of a sudden?”

“Well, it just happened that I made some money in ASA. Since it was my first income, I really wanted to give my parents a gift.”

“You made money in ASA? You mean you cashed out? Oh, so you’re around level 100 like me?”

I responded to Seokdu’s wild guess with a wry smile.

“I’m nowhere near level 100. I haven’t even left Shinaga yet.”

“So you made money at level 10? Did you get lucky and catch a Golden Monster or something? Wait, did you say Shinaga?”

As he spoke, Seokdu’s eyes widened in shock.

I had no reason to lie, so I nodded and answered honestly.

“Yeah, Shinaga. The city in that late zone.”

Seokdu, who had been zoning out, suddenly fumbled with his phone and pulled up a video on I-tube.

“Then, have you seen this user?”

I focused on the video playing to figure out who Seokdu was talking about.

The clip was barely a minute long, and the camera was far from the subject, but even so, Yeo-hyeon could instantly tell who the user was.

No, it was impossible not to know.

Hunting methods far beyond the norm, summoned creatures’ corpses, and even hunting the Amorfo Palus.

There was only one person who could do all that.

“That’s me.”

“This is you?”

Instead of answering, I just nodded, and Seokdu’s jaw dropped and didn’t seem like it would close anytime soon.

“Unbelievable…”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“You call that ‘not a problem’? Of course there’s a problem…”

Hunting and watching someone hunt were definitely different things.

Yeo-hyeon honestly wondered if there really was a problem and listened intently to Seokdu’s words.

“You’ve become a Super Player popular enough to make the trending videos, and you didn’t even get my autograph!”

Seokdu was rummaging around frantically, searching for a pen and paper, when I grabbed his wrist.

“Wait, this video actually made it onto I-tube’s trending list?”

If it really made the trending list, then it was as big a deal as Seokdu said.

It was so hard to become a hot topic there that some said it was easier to debut as an idol.

“I’m telling you, it did! Here, see for yourself!”

Seokdu couldn’t hide his excitement as he handed over his phone.

Caught up in the mood, I took it and checked with my own eyes.

He wasn’t lying.

Ranked 10th in the trending videos—barely making the cut, but it was definitely there.

“This kind of video is in the top 10?”

In the Future, Merchen’s Shinaga, and the Amorphophallus hunt had also made the trending list before, but those were carefully planned videos made by professionals.

Those clips had perfect strategy guides, content, and showmanship, which made them possible. But this one was just a blurry, distant recording of someone hunting, and it still made it.

Seokdu spoke again, amazed.

“This kind of video? I don’t mean to brag, but when I hit level 30, I got scout offers from big guilds and was called talented, but seeing your video—you’re just on another level, really, another level!”

“Come on, don’t flatter me too much. I’ll start believing it.”

Getting compliments face-to-face from someone you know made my face flush, so I tried to laugh it off, but Seokdu was dead serious.

“Flattering? So you haven’t even seen the Interview?”

I just looked clueless, so Seokdu clicked on an article on his phone and showed me.

The Guild Master Yeon Riji of the 5th-ranked guild, Bik Yeon-ri, offered a contract fee of 1 billion and invited the Shinaga Super Player to join their guild house.

“Bik Yeon-ri offered a contract fee of 1 billion?”

That was an offer that far surpassed the usual practices in the professional scene.

Normally, getting a contract fee from a 100th-ranked guild made you a rookie, up to 50th was a senior rookie, and above that was called a super rookie.

And only world-famous Super Players and Pro Players like Eve, ranked 9th, or Spelen, ranked 13th, had ever joined a top-tier guild with more than 1 billion in contract fees.

‘Am I really at Super Player level?’

I rolled my eyes and looked at my fitness coach, wondering if this was just a joke.

A gaze filled with admiration and envy.

It was the same look people gave Super Players.

‘So I really am a Super Player with legendary talent…’

Suddenly, yesterday’s conversation with my father came to mind.

The popularity of the 5th guild rose by the day, and the Super Players’ annual salaries and incomes went without saying; their popularity and fame soared as well.

If you had this much talent, it would be natural to make it your profession.

“Even though I’m a bit behind the frontrunners, it doesn’t seem impossible to catch up…”

In fact, there were cases where latecomers rose to become top rankers.

“Wilhelm of the Domain of One, Immortal Emperor, and even Nazarik all started a bit late but still stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the rankers.”

Of course, that was only possible when you had both the capital and the talent, but I had all those factors.

No, on top of that, I had the added bonus of knowledge about the Future.

“If I don’t just play for fun like now, but draw a big picture and systematically build myself up…”

I cautiously ran the numbers in my head.

The calculation wasn’t hard.

“If the frontrunners are hunting dogs, then right now, I’m…”

A cheetah.

Even if the hunting dogs started first—

‘A cheetah can always smile.’

Before I knew it, a smile crept onto my lips.

“Yeo-hyeon?”

Maybe it was strange to see me suddenly grinning after looking so serious, but Seokdu was approaching cautiously with a bewildered look.

But now wasn’t the time to explain.

Once I had a plan, there was no point in hesitating.

“Hyung, thank you so much! I’ll treat you to a meal later! See you!”

I hurriedly wrapped up the conversation, jumped up, and dashed out of the gym.

***

As the saying goes, well begun is half done.

One of the most important reasons for a good start is that the first step determines the success of the whole project.

Of course, Yeo-hyeon had laid out his plan as the first step, but it actually took him quite a while to log back into ASA.

It wasn’t because he’d wasted time.

He needed to carefully organize all the memories, events, and information about ASA that were jumbled in his mind, and then plan a systematic growth strategy to match.

In fact, it was a very productive use of time.

He couldn’t be sure yet, since it was all just planning, but it was definitely worth the challenge.

‘In theory, it’s perfect. Unless something unexpected happens, this growth method is the best. If I can just follow through.’

With a heart full of anticipation, and perhaps a bit of anxiety, he pushed the door handle forward.

Creak—

As he entered, Shazam, sitting at the round table in the office, greeted him with a bright smile.

“Welcome! Have you already finished the task I asked for?”

I nodded at Shazam’s question and answered energetically.

“I’ve taken care of the Amorphophallus you requested and brought back 50 ‘Silver Wing of Amorphophallus’ as proof of the hunt.”

The 50 Silver Wing of Amorphophallus listed in the quest item inventory disappeared, and Shazam expressed his gratitude without reservation.

“Thank you so much for handling such a difficult request. As the city’s protector, I can’t thank you enough.”

“Please, don’t mention it. Someone had to do it anyway. In fact, I’m grateful you entrusted it to me.”

“As expected! You’re destined for greatness, I tell you! Hahaha!”

[Shazam’s favorability has increased by 15.]

[For showing courage and spirit in the face of danger, Shazam’s favorability has increased by an additional 15.]

[You have earned the achievement ‘Iron Will of Stone Wall’ by gaining high favorability with Shazam.]

[Your reputation in Shinaga increases by 10.]

[You have gained 15,000 experience points.]

The unexpected achievement and reward window made me smile without realizing it.

‘Jackpot.’

The more achievements, the better, since they could stack.

Especially for those aiming to become Super Players or Pro Players, achievements were like treasure.

‘And I haven’t even received the real reward yet.’

Shazam spoke up again.

“These intangible rewards aren’t enough to properly reward your service. I’ll let you choose one item from the military supplies.”

Shazam strode noisily in his leather shoes and opened the warehouse door in the corner of the room.

[Shinaga Military Supply Warehouse has been unlocked.]

[As a reward for the quest “Backlogged Work,” you may choose one item from the military supply warehouse.]

As soon as the message window popped up, Dahav jumped up from his seat and strode over.

“It wouldn’t be polite to refuse, so I’ll accept it gratefully.”

“Good, now I can save face too. Our Shinaga military supplies are so renowned for their quality that even the Palestine Kingdom imports them directly. I’m sure they’ll be useful to you. Rather than standing here, why don’t you go in and have a look yourself?”

After nodding, I stepped into the military supply warehouse.

Shinaga’s military supply warehouse.

In the Future, the leveling route through Shinaga was even called the ‘Revolution.’

If you just wanted to level up fast, it wouldn’t have been called a revolution.

It was thanks to the equipment and supplies you could get from Shinaga’s military supply warehouse that it earned that name.

‘Shazam wasn’t exaggerating.’

Though classified as rare, their performance was good enough to be considered unique-grade.

They were the best equipment you could get from a level 10 quest.

Out of curiosity, I picked up a piece of heavy armor from the shelf.

[Top-grade Shinega Military Iron Sword]

• Grade: Rare
• Type: Superior
• Equip Level: 15 or higher
• Crafted by master blacksmith Do-Young for the safety of Shinaga. Made from iron ore, a specialty of the blacksmith’s city, Wonya, resulting in a highly finished weapon.
• Attack Power: 80~100
• Additional Options: Strength +15 / Stamina +15

‘No wonder they call it a revolution.’

Though the equip level requirement was a bit high, its stats were about twice as good as a regular iron sword of the same grade.

That kind of difference was usually the gap between rare and unique.

Even without picking up every single item on the shelf, it was obvious that everything here was of this caliber.

“It’s all good, but if I want to move according to my plan, what I need most is still…”

Dahav began to stride forward without hesitation.

Step—step—

He kept moving forward, passing all the shelves lined with weapons and armor.

And only when he reached the ‘consumables’ section did he finally stop.