Chapter 24: A Dream Manifesting Reality

The Fourth and Fifth Consecutive Perfect!

The news of Lee Tae-sung’s success spread quickly through the surrounding area via Section Chief Song Sang-yeop, who was on the phone.

Beside him, Department Head Han Kyung-jin kept pressing, asking, “What did he say? Really, two in a row? Are you sure they’re Perfects?”

As Section Chief Song busily multi-tasked and confirmed the news, it spread in an instant.

The atmosphere at the Association heated up.

They were an independent organization that had halfway departed from being a public institution, but they still operated under the pretext of working for the nation.

Naturally, they wanted to see Korea succeed and always hoped for an outstanding Hunter to emerge who could represent their country.

Lee Tae-sung was the perfect fit for their desires.

Up until the tutorial, they had wondered, “Could it be…?” but now they knew for certain.

He was a Special Rookie.

“Department Head Han! What happened?”

“Executive Director!!”

At that moment, Executive Director Choi entered the office.

Beside him were other employees and Lee Ye-ji.

They had been in a meeting, but upon hearing the news that Department Head Han was waiting for the results of Lee Tae-sung’s Mission, they had paused and come down together.

Executive Director Choi and Lee Ye-ji were just as curious about the results.

“He succeeded!”

“Oh?”

“Yes! It’s even his fourth and fifth consecutive clears. Both were Perfects!”

“!!???”

Executive Director Choi’s eyes widened.

Even though he had heard it with his own ears, it was hard to believe.

The other employees standing beside Executive Director Choi shook their heads in amazement and let out exclamations.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a rookie like this.”

“Isn’t this… even more impressive than the Blue Dragon Siblings?”

Expectations were burning hot.

Watching quietly from the side, Lee Ye-ji’s eyes sparkled.

She realized that the bet she had placed on Lee Tae-sung last time was correct.

Slipping back slightly, she immediately called her older brother and Guild Leader, Lee Jung-woo.

-Yeah. Why?

“Hot news just dropped. You said it last time, right? That you’d take a mat, go find him, and plead with him.”

-No way?

“Yeah. That ‘no way’ was right. In fact, it’s even a bigger hit than we expected.”

Lee Ye-ji explained what she had just heard.

Lee Jung-woo remained silent for a while.

Then he spoke.

-Ye-ji.

“Yeah.”

-A mat won’t cut it.

I’ll prepare a tent.

Ask for Hunter Lee Tae-sung’s home address.

Let’s camp out in front of it until he accepts us.

Lee Jung-woo’s voice burned with longing.

The Blue Dragon Guild was always thirsty for talent.

“Leave me out of it. You do it.”

Lee Ye-ji replied with a frown.

No matter how much she wanted him, she didn’t want to sleep outside.

To make matters worse, she’d have to share a tent with her brother.

She hated that even more.

The Association was turned upside down.

Even Lee Tae-sung, who was on the phone with Section Chief Song Sang-yeop, could hear the faint sounds of cheering on the other end.

‘Wow. It’s total chaos.’

Thinking that all that commotion was because of him made his face turn slightly red.

Back when he only worked at small, struggling companies, he never received this kind of attention, so he had no immunity to it.

However, he would have to adapt now.

“Anyway, Section Chief. What would be the best way to use this Score?”

For now, Lee Tae-sung’s primary goal was a Han River view apartment.

And the best, most luxurious one at that!

Therefore, his priority was making money.

-Buying specific items is good, but the market price for Mana Stones is quite decent today.

It’s the highest it’s been in the last three months.

So, considering the purchase of Mana Stones would be a good idea.

Unless he was commissioned to find a specific item like last time, Mana Stones were the easiest to convert into cash.

“Understood. I’ll do that then.”

Now, he didn’t have to look at Lower-grade Mana Stones or intermediate ones; he could aim higher.

He could even afford to buy a High-grade Mana Stone, which cost 10,000 SC.

-Ping!

『You are purchasing 2 High-grade Mana Stones.』

『20,000 SC has been deducted.』

At the current time, the price of a single stone was approximately 149 million won!

For two, it was a huge sum of money, just shy of 300 million won.

‘Now that I think about it, I realize how well Hunter Lee Ye-ji treated me before.’

Back then, she had bought a recipe for 300 million won that he had purchased for about 8,000 Score.

It was even an item she already owned and found useless.

Lee Tae-sung knew well that it was an investment in him.

Since she had given him her business card and told him to contact her, he needed to treat her to a meal sometime.

Lately, he hadn’t had any time because he was constantly repeating Dream World and reality Missions as soon as he opened his eyes.

Still, he couldn’t just let it slide.

He would have to make time to contact her soon.

“Thank you. I’ve purchased the High-grade Mana Stones, so I’ll head over to the Association soon with them.”

-I could come to you instead…

“No. I want to go there myself.”

Inviting people to this cramped little house over and over was a bit much.

Maybe later if he moved, but for now, he wanted to go himself to become more familiar with the Association headquarters.

With that, he hung up the phone. And in that moment!

-Ping!

『The total accumulated Score used has exceeded 30,000 SC.』

『The skill ‘Dream’ is activated.』

『The Dream Shop has been unlocked.』

「Make your dreams a reality.」

“…What?”

A sudden notification appeared.

Lee Tae-sung was startled.

These kinds of reality notifications had only popped up when he learned a skill in the game or participated in a Mission.

To have a notification appear while he was just standing still?

Moreover…

“Dream Shop?”

As Lee Tae-sung muttered the name in wonder, a new shop he had never seen before appeared.

=========

-Dream Manifestation Rune (Current Stock: 1)

-???

-???

-???

=========

Unlike the Score Shop, there was only one item in the Dream Shop.

The rest were covered in question marks.

It was also an item with only one in stock.

Lee Tae-sung checked the information.

「Dream Manifestation Rune」

「You can bring items from your dreams into reality.」

『However, depending on the level of the item, manifestation may be impossible.』

Required SC: 30,000

『A first-purchase benefit coupon is currently being applied. The price of the first item you purchase will be discounted by 95%.』

『Coupon expiration: 24 hours』

Final Required SC: 1,500

“Ha…!”

Lee Tae-sung let out a sound of disbelief.

It said he could bring items from his dreams into reality.

In other words, it meant he could bring items out of the Dream World!

“This is something that could really cause an uproar.”

Most common items were available in the regular Score Shop, but there were items that were not.

The prime examples were skills.

Everyone wanted to be a powerful Hunter, but they were frustrated by the limits of luck and talent.

But what if he used a Dream Manifestation Rune to bring a skill book from the Dream World into reality?

He might be able to learn in-game skills in reality, just like he had!

“Haha…”

Lee Tae-sung shook his head. He moved his finger.

-Ping!

『You have purchased a Dream Manifestation Rune.』

『1,500 SC has been deducted.』

He was curious, and since the discount coupon was active, he had to buy it now.

At 1,500 SC, it was insanely cheap compared to the item’s effect.

Although he was left with only about 500 Score despite clearing two Missions, he had no regrets.

He had to go to the Association to hand over the High-grade Mana Stones, but before that, Lee Tae-sung logged back into the Dream World.

He wanted to see how to use the newly purchased Dream Manifestation Rune.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you for quite some time.”

However, before he could try anything, the Chief Overseer came looking for him.

“Chief Overseer? What brings you here…”

“Congratulations. A designated request has come in for you.”

A designated request.

Clans like the Flying Dragon Clan sent their members out to various places to perform different requests.

That was how they made money.

And some skilled members gained fame, which led to them receiving designated requests.

When designated like this, the terms were usually better and more money went to the clan, so it was a method that benefited everyone.

“Not many members receive designated requests. I suppose others have seen how flawlessly you’ve handled your missions so far.”

Lee Tae-sung had succeeded in the missions he had been assigned quickly and cleanly.

Such rumors spread surprisingly fast.

This was because there were many people who wanted safety even if it meant paying more.

“I’m grateful. Where is the designated request from?”

“The Red Magic Tower.”

“!”

Serina Eldore, the Responsible Mage.

She was the one who had called for Lee Tae-sung.

Since a designated request had arrived, he had to go accept it immediately.

Lee Tae-sung set off at once.

On the way to the Red Magic Tower, a thought naturally occurred to him.

‘Could I get another skill from this?’

It was a natural thought.

After all, hadn’t he received the Hidden Detect magic book as a ‘gift’ just last time?

Thanks to that, he had met Baek Woon-ho and even learned the Heavenly Net Flame Hand.

Of course, he had been very lucky during that process, but the starting point was Hidden Detect regardless.

Naturally, he couldn’t help but be expectant!

While walking, the thought he had been pondering earlier naturally resurfaced.

It was about the Dream Manifestation Rune.

‘What kind of items in the Dream World would be worth taking to reality?’

Using the rune was simple.

When he focused his mind, a small blue gem floated up before Lee Tae-sung’s eyes.

『Dream Manifestation Rune』

『You can bring items from your dreams into reality. However, depending on the level of the item, manifestation may be impossible.』

The instructions on how to use it naturally surfaced in his mind.

If he placed this rune into a desired item, it would appear in reality.

For now, since he only had one, he would have to use it carefully.

He also had many thoughts about the Dream Shop.

‘The Dream Shop opened because I used thirty thousand Score.’

He hadn’t known the Score system had such a secret.

Seeing as the Association hadn’t informed him, it was likely a unique phenomenon that occurred in conjunction with his ‘Dream’ skill.

‘Then I don’t know what else might happen as I continue to use Score in the future.’

Except for the manifestation rune, the Dream Shop was covered in question marks.

Even then, the rune only had a stock of one, and after Lee Tae-sung bought it, there was nothing left.

However, he couldn’t know what other changes might occur as he continued to use Score.

‘I’ll have to work hard on the Missions, even if it’s not just for the Han River view house.’

Since the fifth mission was very easy, he intended to go on the sixth mission as quickly as possible.

As he pondered various things, he soon arrived in front of the Red Magic Tower.

“Young Brother.”

“?”

On the exterior of the tower’s first floor, there was a space formed into a light walking path.

Jang Xuan, who was there, called out to Lee Tae-sung.

“Ah, Mister Jang Xuan.”

“I had something to say to you anyway, and to think I’d see you like this.”

“?”

As Jang Xuan approached him warmly, Lee Tae-sung tilted his head in confusion.

From what he felt when they met last time, he didn’t think they were this close?

Of course, since he had saved his life at the end, Jang Xuan had said he would definitely repay the favor, but… was that why he was welcoming him so warmly?

“What is it you wanted to tell me?”

“I’m about to leave soon to see you. I was logged in for a moment while I had some time before the plane takes off, and I didn’t expect to see you like this. It seems our relationship is no ordinary fate. I’ll arrive at Incheon Airport in four hours.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Let’s meet and have a meal.”

…What on earth was he talking about?