All‑Master Who Regressed to Bronze - Chapter 53

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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All Master Who Regressed to Bronze Episode 053

 

The group led by Sung-hun soon arrived at a massive rest facility located on the middle floor.

 

An extremely ordinary rest facility.

 

Of course, it was impressive enough to be too perfect to believe it existed in just one building, but with not a single person around, it gave off an eerie atmosphere instead, making Shin Hyeok tilt his head in confusion.

 

“Is Baek Hyo-rin here?”

 

“…To hide a person, you must hide them among people. Above all, not many people would think there’s a secret space in a place like this.”

 

“That’s certainly true. Until you told me, I couldn’t even imagine that Baek Hyo-rin would be here. So that’s why the middle floor seemed smaller than it looked.”

 

“I had to position Hyo-rin not too far from where I am.”

 

“Yes, I heard the story about how you imprisoned your own daughter and used her as an alchemy slave.”

 

“Kuk…”

 

Surprisingly, this rest area was the space where Hyo-rin was hidden.

 

Well, Sung-hun, who had imprisoned Hyo-rin and made her do nothing but alchemy, didn’t look particularly pleased, so when Shin Hyeok threw a sharp rebuke at him, Sung-hun soon approached a wall with expensive paintings and tapped around the objects near the paintings.

 

Whirrrr! Whirrrr! Clank clank clank!

 

Before long, the sound of mechanical devices turning and meshing could be heard from beyond the wall, and soon the wall split apart, revealing a door.

 

“It’s a mechanical device.”

 

“A mechanical device indeed.”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“Since the birth of Dimension Arena, many mana-related security items have appeared. So conversely, you can think of it as creating security facilities using analog methods to avoid being caught by mana-related detection abilities.”

 

“Wow… That’s really elaborate…”

 

“…Hmm.”

 

Su-a looked at Sung-hun with half-closed eyes at the fact that he had prepared something that only those knowledgeable in this field would recognize, all to imprison his own daughter.

 

Though she said nothing, Sung-hun, feeling guilty on his own, hurriedly approached the door.

 

Separate from hiding the room with a mechanical device, the door itself was covered with various high-tech devices.

 

Iris recognition, mana pattern, voice recognition, and so on.

 

Watching Sung-hun quickly go through all sorts of security procedures, Shin Hyeok clicked his tongue briefly.

 

“You really locked her up thoroughly. No wonder we couldn’t find her. Could Secretary Hong have found her if he had been determined?”

 

“…It would have been difficult. The analog method filters out the first layer, and even if you found that, you’d be blocked by the second barrier, the door. And above all, that door. If you try to open it wrong, it will definitely explode.”

 

“That matches my thoughts. That man would never have easily let Hyo-rin go.”

 

A fortress created by harmoniously mixing analog and high-tech methods.

 

It was ridiculous that it existed just to confine a daughter, but that wasn’t what mattered.

 

‘The door is open. I’m finally going to meet Baek Hyo-rin.’

 

The castle gate that was made never to open was now being opened by the hands of the one who created it.

 

What Shin Hyeok encountered beyond the wide-open door was a terrible contradiction.

 

‘It’s filthy. But it’s also terribly clean. How can one space be used like this?’

 

The place that was both where Hyo-rin was imprisoned and her alchemy workshop was strange and bizarre.

 

As if the entire workshop had been split exactly in half, one side was full of various food scraps and alchemy waste, while the opposite side boasted terrible cleanliness.

 

It seemed to show that she displayed terrifying obsession with things she was interested in, but became indifferent to anything even slightly outside that scope.

 

Within that space, a woman absorbed in her own world, concentrating on alchemy, caught his eye.

 

Tall with a frail body.

 

Skin so pale from not seeing light.

 

In contrast, long ebony-like hair.

 

And dark circles that put a period to it all.

 

All of this combined to make Hyo-rin’s image gloomy.

 

When four people entered her space, Hyo-rin, who had been absorbed in alchemy, tilted her head and looked at the group.

 

“Hm? Dad? Are those your friends?”

 

“Th, that can’t be. These people are, well…”

 

“We’re people who came looking for Baek Hyo-rin. To take her away from Baek Seong-hun, who imprisons you and uses you as a machine that only does alchemy.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Hyo-rin, who had been calmly conversing while shaking beakers and flasks containing alchemical reagents, put down the beakers and flasks and scratched her chin with her long, white fingers.

 

“I’m satisfied with this situation right now… They bring me food when it’s time… The alchemy equipment is sufficient and the materials aren’t bad either…”

 

An incredibly languid voice.

 

At her strange attitude of not caring whether she was imprisoned or used as an alchemy machine, Sung-hun brightened up.

 

“Yes! So let’s leave together with this dad! I’ll make a workshop just for you. Bigger than this! More splendid! Furthermore, instead of trashy food like this, I’ll prepare delicacies for you every meal, every day!”

 

“Eh. That’s a bit.”

 

“…What?”

 

“Leaving is bothersome. I just want to live here for the rest of my life like I have been…”

 

“No, what do you mean… I can give you better things!”

 

“It’s bothersome…”

 

Of course, his joy didn’t last long.

 

Hyo-rin’s response, dismissing all of Sung-hun’s proposals for the single reason of it being bothersome.

 

Sung-hun shouted angrily at this, but that didn’t change Hyo-rin’s answer.

 

Finally, when Sung-hun, bursting with frustration, reached his hand toward Hyo-rin.

 

Grab!

 

“I tolerated laying groundwork before the game started, but physical violence is not acceptable. Anyway, Baek Hyo-rin. Unfortunately, you must choose one of us – me or Baek Seong-hun – and leave.”

 

“Do I really have to choose? Can’t I just keep living here?”

 

“Of course not. I can’t leave Baek Hyo-rin in a place like this. But I’ll make you one promise. A better space, better environment, and better materials will be waiting for you.”

 

“What does that mean…?”

 

“You just need to bring yourself. Pretty simple, right?”

 

“Hmm… Really?”

 

Shin Hyeok intervened to stop Sung-hun’s hand and immediately began his PR.

 

The conditions were similar to Sung-hun’s, but the difference was that instead of Hyo-rin leaving, a place for Hyo-rin would come to her.

 

When Hyo-rin brightened at this fact, Sung-hun became anxious and started watching Shin Hyeok’s expression.

 

Watching him fidget like a dog that needed to pee, Shin Hyeok let out a snicker.

 

“Why are you watching my expression? Try everything you can. Hypnotist.”

 

“H, how do you know my villain name…!”

 

“Does that matter? Once PR time is over, it’s immediately time to choose.”

 

“Kuk…!”

 

Villain name, Hypnotist.

 

Sung-hun’s eyes shook like aspen leaves at the fact that Shin Hyeok knew his occupation, but with time ticking away, Sung-hun gritted his teeth and began earnest self-promotion toward Hyo-rin.

 

“Hyo-rin, let’s go to the Villain Union together with dad. There, there will be plenty of bodies willing to be test subjects for you. There, your alchemy skills will advance to the next level. Our Hyo-rin just needs to trust dad. Then you can do all the alchemy you want. The people who came with you now? Yes, they’ll give you many things too. But think about it, Hyo-rin. I’m your dad. That means family. There’s nothing more precious in the world than family. So Hyo-rin, let’s go together with this dad. Okay?”

 

“…Mmm.”

 

Words that poured out like a machine gun.

 

But what was truly important was the power contained in those words.

 

‘Villain name, Hypnotist. Trait is gaslighting. This combination of two is an ability that will definitely work on players below Gold rank. Maybe even Platinum.’

 

The combination of Occupation: Hypnotist and Trait: Gaslighting.

 

With this combination, Sung-hun had committed countless crimes.

 

He had enchanted countless people with that ability and sold them to the Villain Union, and forced lower-level alchemists from the Alchemist Korean Branch to work.

 

Naturally, this was something that had been done to Hyo-rin since she was a child.

 

‘That ability is more powerful when used on children or the elderly. Additionally, the longer the time invested, the greater the effect. In that regard, Baek Hyo-rin, who has been consistently subjected to hypnosis and gaslighting from childhood until now, can be considered to be perfectly under Baek Seong-hun’s control.’

 

A situation that was inevitably advantageous to Sung-hun.

 

Even knowing all this, Shin Hyeok had proposed the game to Sung-hun.

 

Meanwhile, Sung-hun finished all his work and stepped back with a smiling face.

 

Watching him confident that things would go his way, Shin Hyeok took a step forward, opposite to Sung-hun, and began his earnest PR.

 

“You don’t know that a legendary-grade craftsman was born in Korea, do you?”

 

“Uh, huh? There’s someone like that?”

 

“There is. He’s the owner of the workshop under my command. If you follow me, you’ll be able to use alchemy items made directly by him. Aren’t you excited? Something that’s the only one in the world. You’ll be able to use custom products made only for you, Baek Hyo-rin.”

 

“…Wow.”

 

First, custom alchemy product creation exclusively for Hyo-rin.

 

“That’s not the end. I’m the third generation of a chaebol from Shinwha Group and have the president of Shinwha Distribution as my father. Thanks to that, I can perfectly supply materials distributed in the market. I’m confident I can show you what an inexhaustible spring means.”

 

“…Really?”

 

Second, support for alchemical materials that surpasses even the Alchemist Korean Branch.

 

“Lastly, regarding the item you’re currently crafting. You seem to be struggling with the material combination, so I’d recommend trying a mix of mixed horn tree roots and Nemetas horn powder.”

 

“…You, do you know what I’m making?”

 

“I wouldn’t know the name since it probably doesn’t have one yet. However, looking at the ingredients used, it’s a mana-related elixir. And it’s an ultra-high-end elixir for Players of Diamond tier or above, isn’t it?”

 

“…Wait a moment.”

 

Third and finally, future knowledge advice that only Shin Hyeok, who had regressed from the future, could provide.

 

Having consumed so many elixirs, he could identify the ingredients and additional materials needed for most elixirs just by glancing at them, which made this possible.

 

Above all, it was even easier because Shin Hyeok had mastered alchemy skills in the past to consume various elixirs without side effects.

 

Having received Shin Hyeok’s advice, Hyo-rin frantically swept through her workshop with her ebony-black hair flying wildly, filled with madness.

 

Not long after finishing the production, Hyo-rin looked at the pill-shaped elixir with its brilliant light in her hands and caressed her cheek with an ecstatic expression.

 

“Ahh, ah, ahhh!”

 

“Is it a success?”

 

“It’s a success! Of course it’s a success! What I’ve been struggling with for weeks feels like a lie. You, what exactly do you do?”

 

Admiration, astonishment, excitement, and more.

 

Shin Hyeok looked at her pupils mixed with chaos from various emotions, then glanced once at Sung-hun who was watching this situation with a dumbfounded face, let out a chuckle, and answered.

 

“Someone who will bring you to the pinnacle of alchemy.”

 

“…!”

 

Hyo-rin’s face as she looked at Shin Hyeok crumbled like that of someone who had tasted ecstasy.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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