Awakened as a Money-Spending Genius Enhancer - Chapter 51

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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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Episode 51

Chapter 51. Activating the ‘Streaming’ Skill

What is the foundation of the young man named Park Kang-hoon?

It’s diligence.

The foundation of business is the same!

“Don’t postpone today’s product sales until tomorrow!”

He meticulously recorded all the options of the freshly made items.

And uploaded them all at once.

Twenty-four new products!

“Hmm hmm hmm~!”

If he hadn’t used up his enhancement attempts on ‘bath salts’ early in the morning,

he would have crafted a whopping twenty-six +3 enhanced items.

“Twenty-six items in one day. That’s incredible, isn’t it?”

Though it was a shame to waste attempts on disposable bath salts,

he had no regrets.

Thanks to that, Kang Hoon’s body still emanated a warm, pleasant fragrance.

The same went for Lucky, who was rolling around on the workshop floor.

Moreover,

even after spending hours doing nothing but enhancement, he didn’t feel tired.

‘It feels like all the fatigue accumulated over a lifetime has been expelled from my body.’

Even the fatigue from his baby days when he struggled with milk bottles.

All of it.

“It really feels like being reborn.”

Nodding his head repeatedly, Kang Hoon muttered.

“Oh my… Whether it’s Yamyeong 909 or bath salts, consumable items really have direct effects.”

Now what should he do?

At a moment when his overflowing stamina was becoming a concern,

Kang Hoon called Seri, the fastest source of information.

However, it was her younger brother, Ji-seong, who answered the phone.

– Hello? Kang Hoon hyung, could you call back later? Noona is filming right now.

“Filming?”

– Yes, a Hunter documentary. She’s also doing some promotion for Cheongjeong.

“Ah.”

Indeed, she’s ‘Cheongjeong’s ace.’

As a late-blooming awakener, Kang Hoon still felt awkward about others’ attention.

But Seri and Ji-seong were siblings who had lived like quasi-celebrities since childhood.

“Oh, I see. Broadcast filming, that’s impressive.”

– Ack! You must be getting tons of love calls too, hyung!? Gil-ma hyung is probably blocking them for you though.

Ji-seong clicked his tongue as he said this.

– You’re currently the most famous person in the Hunter industry, Kang Hoon hyung.

“Come on. Don’t exaggerate.”

Kang Hoon let Ji-seong’s sincere praise

go in one ear and out the other.

– Anyway, hyung. Noona’s filming will end soon, so should I tell her to call you back in 10 minutes?

“Huh? No. I think I can just talk to you about it.”

– Oh… Just with me instead of noona?

Then he hesitated.

– Noona’s going to hit me if she finds out…

He muttered to himself.

Kang Hoon thought Ji-seong’s incomprehensible mumbling was just whining.

Seri didn’t seem like the kind of bad sister who would resort to violence just for taking a phone call.

From Kang Hoon’s perspective, she was quite kind.

She was even interested in helping others.

Whether it was moving or Defense Dungeons,

she had taught Kang Hoon about various things.

“It’s nothing big. I was just curious about what Hunters usually do… after coming back from dungeons.”

To Kang Hoon’s question, Ji-seong said exactly the same thing as his sister would.

– Right, Kang Hoon hyung. You’re S-rank but still a newcomer…

Then he answered with an “Umm.”

– Usually! After going to a dungeon once, they rest for at least a week. Not just for stamina, but mana recovery takes quite a while. Even Rankers who recover quickly rest for about that long.

“Ah, I see.”

This was information Kang Hoon didn’t know.

After all, Kang Hoon hadn’t even looked at his own status window.

Kang Hoon’s only skill, ‘Enhancement,’ didn’t consume much mana.

‘It might be different later on, but for now it’s plenty.’

On the other hand, what about Dealers who attack with mana?

They’re likely to collapse after completing missions.

Healers who use mana to restore vitality are even less efficient.

One mission and they’re practically dead.

– Even if that wasn’t the case, we’re risking our lives doing Hunter work. Rest is absolutely necessary for mental and physical relaxation too.

“Oh ho…”

– It’s not like this now, but in the early days, there were Hunters who went crazy from going to dungeons too often. They lost their sense of reality.

“That makes sense too.”

Nodding his head, Kang Hoon ended the call with his goodbyes.

Then he tossed his mobile phone onto the couch

and leaned back deeply into his chair.

“Ahhhh! Healing time~!”

Thanks to Lucky doing all the fighting,

Kang Hoon had nothing that needed healing.

Even that had been completely recovered with [Nourish Bath Salt +3], leaving him in perfect condition.

Still, he somewhat agreed with Ji-seong’s words.

He felt like he’d be seeing zombies in his dreams for a while.

“Right. Finding a sense of reality is important too. It’s not like I’m part of a dungeon conquest team.”

‘Dungeon conquest team.’

Among Hunters who perform dungeon missions,

it refers to battle maniacs who focus intensively on dangerous dungeons.

Extreme Hunters who literally risk their lives fighting.

Kang Hoon had zero desire to become like that.

The life Kang Hoon pursues is the complete opposite.

“Alright. I should relax today too~! Relax!”

And so, while pushing back on his perfectly fine chair,

Creak, squeak…

He had barely leaned back for a moment.

Creak, squeak…

Creeeak…

Creak, creeeak…

“…What should I normally do when resting?”

Only those who’ve experienced being unemployed and playing around know how to do this well.

Having lived a struggling life all along.

Just doing nothing and ‘relaxing’ feels quite awkward.

Rather, it feels uncomfortable and boring.

After staring at the ceiling for just a moment.

Kang Hoon thought of the second most enjoyable thing after enhancement.

“Ah! I should draw and have some fun!”

While at it, he also remembered the Huntreamer he met in the Defense Dungeon.

Whether it was Harullara or Lululala or whatever.

“That streaming skill that person used. It looked really convenient, didn’t it?”

So, Kang Hoon also searched for ‘Streaming’ in the basic skill tree.

Of course, the content he’d broadcast wouldn’t be dungeon fights or his own face.

Drawing aggro to beg for attention or selling his face to become famous was something different from Kang Hoon’s nature.

There was exactly one reason why Kang Hoon wanted to do ‘streaming’ broadcasts.

For ‘drawing’.

“My main job is being an artist after all!”

Far from doing broadcast filming like Seri and Ji-seong.

Even in his own streaming, he was reluctant to reveal his face.

“Let’s see. I’ll turn off third-person face exposure. I should only turn on first-person viewpoint sharing.”

He efficiently finished the skill settings like that.

“Come to think of it, I heard there are artist VTubers across the water in Japan too….”

VTuber.

It refers to YouTubers who don’t reveal their actual faces.

Then what do they reveal?

Animation characters.

When a real person moves and speaks, they use a program that recognizes those movements.

Then instead of the actual YouTuber, an animation character in the program gets exposed instead.

Kang Hoon had once envied such ‘VTubers’ too.

When his drawings weren’t getting recognition.

While watching popular VTubers who did drawing broadcasts.

‘Would my drawings become somewhat popular if I became a VTuber?’

He had thought such things.

“Well. When I looked into it, I couldn’t do it because it required a lot of money.”

Now he had become rich enough to buy animation, programs, and dedicated equipment.

And still have money left over.

But now, being a VTuber didn’t really appeal to him.

Since Kang Hoon had the ‘Streaming’ skill today.

Using that skill to connect ‘streaming’ data to his drawing broadcast channel.

That was sufficient.

“Start streaming.”

【 Network connection complete. Activating ‘Streaming’ skill. 】

He turned ON his drawing broadcast for the first time using a skill.

“Okay. This is really convenient.”

Kang Hoon, with his own field of vision intact.

After checking the screen shared in first-person view, he turned on his LCD tablet.

For the first few minutes, the viewer count was 1.

Then it became 2, then 5.

When it increased to 10.

[Huh???? What. Isn’t this person… the Stamina Merchant??]

Chat messages recognizing Kang Hoon started appearing.

Though denying chat messages were immediately added.

[No way. Look at the state of that LCD tab.]

[Oh right; what kind of junk is he using]

Following the chat, Kang Hoon also examined the ‘LCD tab’ in front of him.

That is, the LCD tablet.

[Is that scotch tape stuck on it?]

[Wow that model still works]

[Doesn’t seem like the Stamina Merchant…?]

Kang Hoon stroked the tape wrapped around the corners of the LCD tablet.

“What’s wrong with this? It still works just fine.”

He doesn’t easily throw away things he’s attached to.

That’s Kang Hoon’s innate temperament.

Pat, pat.

Especially this LCD tablet. Though it may look like junk on the outside.

It had been Kang Hoon’s means of earning money for a long time.

And it was also the first precious item he enhanced.

…Though the LCD tablet seemed to be screaming ‘Kill… me… please….’

[The Stamina Merchant would use something like that?????]

To such chat that didn’t understand him.

“That nickname ‘Stamina Merchant’, I really can’t get used to it.”

Kang Hoon replied.

Then, the chat became even more active.

[Wooow]

[It’s really the Stamina Merchant!!!]

[Are you doing Huntreamer too??]

[No way. What would Kang-hoon Hyung lack]

[He’s the great Stamina Merchant after all]

“Seriously. I said I can’t get used to it.”

In such a cheerful atmosphere.

After exchanging a few words of small talk back and forth.

As expected, this is Kang Hoon with a capital I.

He quickly thought that today’s ‘communication’ was done with this.

“Alright, enough small talk. I’ll start the drawing broadcast now. What should I draw? Is there any drawing you want to see?”

Then the chat window became even faster.

There were many requests for ‘Spirit Dog’ and ‘cute puppy’ too.

But the keyword that came up most enthusiastically was definitely Gate.

It was ‘Dungeon’.

[How was this dungeon?]

[I heard you got 1st place]

[What did the dungeon monsters look like??]

[Explain the dungeon please]

[Please please]

[Cute puppy ㅠ]

At that, Kang Hoon opened a white canvas.

And recalling his memories, he began sketching the scene he had witnessed.

From atop the high wooden palisade, on Lucky’s back that was even higher.

That very moment when he had witnessed the zombie wave pouring in like a flood.

“It’s been a while since I’ve drawn, so please understand if it looks a bit strange.”

That’s how he started the work, but.

‘Huh?’

What was this?

Kang Hoon’s hand moved rapidly without any hesitation, as if it had a motor attached.

It was only because the view was fully shared that he could see his hand.

Otherwise, he would have thought a machine was printing it out.

‘I’m drawing really well?’

This wasn’t just being in good condition.

It was good enough to be featured in any movie’s concept art book.

No, even higher quality than that.

Truly a masterpiece.

It was being drawn incredibly well!

‘Wow, what’s this? Everything I think of gets drawn. By leveling up… have my senses been maximized!’

Moreover, this workshop that supported all of Kang Hoon’s creative abilities.

was amazing too.

Come to think of it, from the lighting to the desk, chair, and computer.

Hadn’t he enhanced everything?

“Defense Dungeon. I’ll draw everything, everything about the interior scenery for you!”

Lucky’s valiant movements.

The cold aura extending beneath him.

The zombie hordes being torn apart by the sharp icicle tips.

Some hunters falling, gargoyles flying through the sunset.

The wide-open mouth of a red zombie that had approached close, its intense eyes!

Freely depicting all of that in his own artistic style.

“At this level, I should change jobs from S-rank Enhancement Specialist to S-rank artist, shouldn’t I? Viewers, you agree, right?”

Swish swish, swish swish! Tap! Tap!

Kang Hoon’s hand swept across the large LCD tablet.

A masterpiece was born from its tip in an instant.

[Wow why are you drawing so well???]

[The zombie drawing is scary as hell]

[What is this, I went to make ramen and came back to this. Almost pissed myself.]

He received more praise for his drawing in just a few minutes than he had received in his entire life.

“Ahem! Don’t call me Stamina Merchant, please call me the God of Drawing.”

In his good mood, even such joke-like serious remarks flowed out smoothly.

“…At least during drawing broadcasts.”

At that, the four characters ‘Stamina Merchant’ filled the chat window.

[Stamina Merchant]

[Stamina Merchant]

[Stamina Merchant]

[Shout it out~~~!!!!!]

[Sta! Mi! Na! Mer! Chant!]

[If you say don’t do it, we won’t do it~~]

Such as laughing while overusing “ㅋㅋㅋㅋ”.

Kang Hoon’s broadcast as an illustrator proceeded

harmoniously as if riding the current.

* * *

Kang Hoon’s drawing broadcast chat window, the Hunter Community, Hogang No-nop’s real-time reactions, etc.

Though the sites were different, the viewers’ reactions were consistent.

For instance, trying to get involved with Kang Hoon somehow.

Like Harullara, who was casting aggro by ‘streaming’ his ‘streaming’ broadcast.

“That Stamina Merchant… was he incredibly good at drawing too?”

He was gaping in admiration at the incredible drawing skills.

On the other hand, Harullara was dumbfounded.

Wasn’t Kang Hoon someone born with the tremendous talent of being an ‘Enhancement Specialist’?

If Harullara himself had that talent?

He would have filmed commercials daily, received tons of sponsorships, and focused on broadcasts showing off his abilities.

But what about Park Kang-hoon in reality?

‘Drawing pictures and fooling around!’

Staring blankly at the drawing that filled the monitor.

Harullara let out a hollow laugh.

“Park Kang-hoon. He’s really a strange person…”

An eccentric.

That’s how Harullara evaluated Kang Hoon.

A strange person, an ‘eccentric’.

Not knowing that he was gradually being drawn into that eccentric’s charm.

—————
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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