“What the heck is this?!”
I thought I was getting used to dealing in hundreds of millions. Well, not really—I’d only seen the money hit my account, nowhere near adjusted to it.
But this wasn’t just a neat billion—it was a staggering 2.7 billion won.
Not long ago, my bank account didn’t even have a million won. A kitchen knife I listed sold for 100,000 won. Then a longsword fetched a few million. Flickering Ember went for hundreds of millions.
And now, a colossal 2.7 billion for the Ring of Crimson Blood. Add the other rings I sold, and I’d made over 3 billion won.
“Is this real…?”
It didn’t feel real. It wasn’t some novel titled 30 Billion in the Account of a Shut-In Loser. But if I had to compare, SSS-Class Shut-In Blacksmith fit perfectly—it was exactly who I was now.
“Phew…”
Trying to calm my racing heart, I took a deep breath and checked the buyer messages. The messages for the rings were varied.
-Greetings, this is Blue Dragon Guild.
-To introduce ourselves, Blue Dragon Guild is one of the top 50 guilds in South Korea…
Some, like Mir Guild, were recruitment pitches. Others were vaguer:
-Vulcanus-nim, can we contact you sometime?
-I have a specific request…
Since I’d listed a variety of items, the messages were diverse. But having recently dealt with Mir Guild, one of South Korea’s top five, I wasn’t fazed. Or so I thought—until I saw the buyer of Ring of Crimson Blood.
“Park Kangchul?”
Even I, someone uninterested in the hunter world, knew his name. Park Kangchul, Korea’s third-ranked hunter, a berserker.
My impression of him wasn’t exactly positive—his name often came up in news, particularly YouTube news, for demolishing buildings while “handling” monsters. So, the mystery of who paid 2.7 billion for the ring was solved.
“But isn’t a rank 3 hunter super high-level? Why buy this?”
The message continued:
-The ring is excellent.
-I’d like to request a cloak next. Accept my commission.
Park Kangchul wanted a cloak crafted. Checking my page, I saw his commission listed, but his tone rubbed me the wrong way—demanding, almost commanding.
“Well, that’s just his personality, I guess.”
His attitude controversies on YouTube weren’t news for nothing. A rank 3 hunter could probably offer a fortune for a cloak, but there was a problem.
“Cloaks are tricky.”
Accessories are one thing, but cloaks are armor, limited by level-based defense caps. No matter how good a cloak I made, it wouldn’t meet Park Kangchul’s expectations.
I needed to decline, but—
“Ugh, why him? This makes me nervous.”
It was unsettling because it was Park Kangchul. This was the guy who once stormed the Blue House, demanding more compensation after clearing a gate for the government. Who knew what he’d do if I refused?
As a former shut-in gamer, I felt uneasy, but—
“Screw it. What’s he gonna do?”
No one knew my identity. I’d never revealed personal info, and the only contact I’d had was with Mir Guild, which I’d rejected without sharing details. Even Park Kangchul couldn’t track me down.
“I’ve been screwed over by rankers before. No big deal.”
No reason to be scared. What could a rank 3 berserker do? I decided to respond boldly.
-This is Vulcanus. I’m afraid a cloak isn’t possible.
If this happened again, I wouldn’t cower just because the requester was a ranker. I’d stick to my path.
***
After sending the reply to the berserker, I felt a wave of relief and flopped onto the floor to rest. It was just one line, but the recipient’s identity drained me. Then, my worn-out pajamas caught my eye.
“Can I even call these pajamas?”
As a shut-in who rarely left the house, these pajamas were practically my skin. They were perfect until recently, but now, compared to my freshly made workwear, their wear and tear stood out.
“Maybe it’s time for new ones.”
I considered online shopping, but—
“Why buy when I can make them?”
I remembered the fibers I’d already decomposed. I’d used a lot for the workwear, but there was enough for pajamas. Making custom pajamas, like my workwear, would beat shopping for ill-fitting, subpar ones.
“Crafting!”
The decision was quick.
[Crafting skill activated.]
It was early morning, but for me, bedtime was approaching. Making pajamas now and sleeping would cap a perfect day.
[Please select the item form.]
“Pajamas!”
[Please specify the detailed form of the pajamas.]
I wanted something simple, distinct from the workwear, so I avoided blue. I envisioned a design similar to my current pajamas.
[Please select the material for the pajamas.]
Unlike the tough, sturdy workwear made to withstand pickaxe debris and thread golem attacks, these needed to be comfy for deep sleep. I used soft fibers from Soft Thread Bundles and other cozy materials.
[Crafting initiated.]
Points appeared instantly. Since these weren’t for sale or combat, I swung the hammer relaxedly.
“Pretty easy.”
Compared to repairing level 100 armor or crafting SS-grade weapons, this was a breeze—partly thanks to my improved skills.
I lightly tapped thin points with wrist snaps, struck wide points firmly, and smashed multiple points quickly.
Clang, clank, clang!
[Progress: 89%…]
The progress bar rose fast. The refined fibers from the decomposition skill melded, forming the pajamas. Usually focused on points and hammering, I hadn’t noticed how materials came together in real-time—it was almost magical.
Clang!
[Crafting complete.]
[Obtained ‘Vulcanus’s Pajamas.’]
The pajamas were done. The name felt odd—Vulcanus’s Pajamas sounded like it’d have a volcano graphic or something. But who cares? They were for me alone.
Vulcanus’s Pajamas
Form: Clothing
Grade: S
Restriction: Level 10 or higher, Hephaestus’s Descendant
Description: Restful pajamas crafted by Hephaestus’s Descendant from soft, fluffy premium fibers.
Defense: 1
Abilities:
Rest – Increases health, mana, and vitality regeneration speed by 500%.
Sleep – Increases health, mana, and vitality regeneration speed by 2,000% during sleep.
Deep Sleep – Cures all status ailments (muscle pain, dizziness, poison, petrification, etc.) during sleep.
Good Morning – For twice the sleep duration after waking, health, mana, and vitality regeneration speed increases by 100% even without equipment.
“Not bad at all!”
Made with basic fibers, they didn’t reach SS-grade, but the abilities were incredible. With only 1 defense, they weren’t for combat, but every ability was tailored for rest.
They boosted regeneration massively, cured status ailments during sleep, and even provided a post-sleep buff. Best of all—
“The feel is unreal. This is it.”
The texture was phenomenal, rivaling my old, worn pajamas. It felt like wearing nothing—or better, like being cradled in a mother’s embrace.
“Should I make a few more?”
The comfort was too good to stop. Standing in these pajamas made my bare feet feel empty. Grabbing the hammer again—
[Crafting complete.]
[Obtained ‘Vulcanus’s Sleep Socks.’]
[Crafting complete.]
[Obtained ‘Vulcanus’s Eye Mask.’]
Using the remaining materials, I completed the pajama set.
“Another hard day’s work!”
Flopping onto the bed, I sank into a deep sleep. The blanket felt rough compared to the soft pajamas—maybe I’d craft a new one soon. Or why stop there? Maybe craft all my furniture?
“These pajamas are no joke.”
***
Waking up, I felt light as air—an S-grade pajama effect. The Deep Sleep ability cured status ailments like muscle pain, leaving my body as fresh as if I’d just been born.
I’d enjoyed the slight muscle soreness from recent activity, but feeling none now was even better.
“I need to remake everything.”
Bed, blanket, pillow, chair—everything should be handcrafted. No matter how expensive store-bought items were, they wouldn’t have the item effects my creations did.
“What to order today?”
Not long ago, I’d scrimp on every meal. Now, money wasn’t an issue—I was debating which food would make the best impression.
“Let’s go with Chinese.”
Jjajang, jjamppong, and a mini tangsuyuk set. But these weren’t ordinary—premium three-seafood jjajang and spicy beef jjamppong. I considered adding fried rice but noticed the “dishes” section.
“Whoa, they have this at a Chinese place?”
I’d only ever tried tangsuyuk from the dishes menu, but there were so many options. I couldn’t resist.
Back then, I’d have held back, but not now. I ordered plump kkanpunggi shrimp, vibrant gochujapchae, yusanseul, and palbochae. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could eat it all—but I ordered anyway.
Ding-dong!
“Heh, that’s a lot.”
The food piled up like a feast fit to break the table. Starving from sleep, I grabbed chopsticks.
“Oh, yeah!”
Cool beef jjamppong, sweet three-seafood jjajang, and new dishes—they were divine. I’d worried about finishing it all, but—
“Phew, has my calorie burn spiked since awakening?”
I ate everything. Alone, in one sitting. Given my recent activity—four hours of pickaxing and scissoring in the mine, then hours of hammering for decomposition and crafting—it made sense.
Just as I finished cleaning up—
Ding.
A reply from the berserker arrived.