Became a Mechromancer - Chapter 19
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 19
Different (3)
Tap tap tap.
I organized the transaction details on my smartwatch.
『Total Deposits
Cobalt Scale 280: 27,600,000
Drake Runner 200: 24,000,000
Total: 51,600,000 Coins』
Looking at the total sum, a broad smile spread across my face unbidden.
Wow~.
“I only sold half, and it’s already fifty-one million coins.”
With experience accumulated and faces now familiar, my transactions with the shops flowed far more smoothly.
Of course, there was the effort of splitting up the sales.
Isto’s voice came through.
-I’ve been walking around, and everyone’s been buzzing about the ghost. The atmosphere was that everyone was looking for you, sir.
“It’s not me—the ghost is you.”
-Huh? Why is that?
“Who caught the beast?”
-I did.
“Then you’re the ghost.”
-Pardon?
The truth is.
‘Because of you two and your world conquest and robot liberation, I’m not stepping forward.’
I walked through the streets searching for a leather merchant.
And took the opportunity to sightsee the commercial district as well.
Walking like that.
I ended up at the far edge of Yeouido Zone 3.
‘I’ve come too far. I should head back….’
A worn metal sign caught my eye.
『Moru Workshop』
I felt oddly drawn to it.
Seeing the “Welcome” sign affixed to the workshop’s metal door, it seemed I was allowed to enter.
“…Might as well take a look.”
Just as I was about to open the door.
Tap tap tap.
Someone rushed past me.
I instinctively turned my head.
A man ran past, blood streaming from his neck.
And then….
“Where, where are you hiding~? Should I hide here, or over there~?”
A woman’s humming reached Duho’s ears.
She was a silver-haired woman with a balanced figure, draped in a black long coat.
She passed by Duho without sparing him a glance.
A foreigner….
‘She’s singing hide-and-seek in Korean?’
Was she a broadcaster?
No, she was almost certainly a Hunter.
This was Yeouido, the city of Hunters after all.
So.
‘I shouldn’t get involved. Let me just go inside.’
“Excuse me….”
Upon entering the workshop, I found an inner door.
‘Why is it set up like this?’
Opening the inner door revealed the reason.
The smell of metal and heat washed over my face.
Clang—! Clang—!
Sparks erupted.
An old man with white hair stood before a furnace, methodically striking a sword upon an anvil.
His sweat-soaked white hair clung to his forehead, and his forearms bore countless burn scars.
A striking sight I had never witnessed before.
I stood transfixed, watching the sword take shape.
How much time had passed?
Clang—!
The old man finished his hammering and turned his head.
“A customer?”
He set down his hammer and fixed me with a steady gaze.
I noticed a yellowed paper on the wall with writing on it.
『We purchase hides』
“I’ve come to sell hides.”
“Let me see them.”
The old man wiped his sweat with a towel and approached.
I retrieved one hide each of Cobalt Scale and Drake Runner from my inventory and placed them on the table.
Since some Hunters possessed subspace storage, the old man thought nothing of it.
The problem was.
“Sorry, but we don’t accept single pieces.”
“Pardon?”
The old man pointed at the wall with his thick index finger.
Only then did I notice faint lettering beneath the worn paper.
『We only accept bulk purchases.』
Hmm….
“Then that works out well for me.”
Just as Duho was about to speak.
The old man spoke first.
Hmm….
“As you know, Abyss Layer 1 disappeared not long ago. So these hides will soon run dry.”
“I see.”
“Before long, these two types of hides will be imported from overseas.”
Other nations’ Abyss Layer 2 is overflowing with them.
So once imports begin, prices will certainly plummet.
In other words.
‘Now is my window to sell.’
Duho studied the old man.
I was grateful for his honest counsel, and watching him work earlier had earned my trust.
Even though our fields differed, the shared passion for working with materials resonated deeply with me.
The old man examined the hide carefully.
“The cut surface is smooth. No fiber damage either… did you do this yourself?”
“No. An acquaintance did it for me.”
“Your acquaintance is quite the professional.”
-Ahem~ Thank you so much!
Isto’s proud voice rang out.
Of course, only Duho could hear it.
The old man spoke.
“In District 2, you’ll get around 80,000 for Drake Runner and 120,000 for Cobalt Scale. They prefer individual pieces there.”
Then he handed the hide back to Duho.
The old man’s gaze seemed to say, ‘Don’t take a loss here—go there and get more.’
Oh! Oh!
-Let’s go right now~ Duho.
At Isto’s words, Duho shook his head.
“How much can you offer, sir?”
“I can’t pay premium prices. Most of our workshop’s customers are hunters with light pockets.”
In other words, he ran the place to accommodate the circumstances of poor hunters.
And somehow, that appealed to me even more.
Well….
‘If District 2 prefers individual pieces, I’d have to make the rounds constantly. Then I could never build a regular customer base.’
So.
I opened my inventory.
I boldly pressed the slot containing the hides.
Whoosh.
Drake Runner and Cobalt Scale hides piled up in abundance.
The old man’s sharp eyes widened in disbelief.
“This… you caught all of this yourself?”
“How much can you offer?”
Jang Moon-seo alternated his gaze between me and the hides.
‘To bring this quantity from Layer 1…?’
Good heavens.
‘Is this young man a phantom…?’
The old man swallowed hard and spoke.
“I’ll take Cobalt Scale at 100,000 coins per piece, and Drake Runner at 70,000 coins per piece. If you’re not satisfied—”
“That works for me.”
-Two-ho, sir?! That’s not right!
‘Isto, I think it’s best to go with him.’
-Why is that?
‘Securing a reliable buyer is important.’
Recalling Isto’s hunts so far, situations like this would likely arise again in the future.
A short while later.
79 million coins were deposited into my account.
I learned the old man’s name was Jang Moon-seo from the deposit receipt.
More importantly.
‘I didn’t expect him to be able to handle this volume.’
Today’s earnings came to 130 million coins.
-Sold all at once! So that’s why securing a buyer was so crucial!
‘Not bad, right?’
-Love it! Hehehehe.
Jang Moon-seo returned after stepping away briefly.
His expression as he looked at me seemed different somehow.
“There’s nothing special I can do for you. If you ever need to sell hides in bulk again, come see me.”
“I’m grateful for that.”
I tilted my head slightly at his words.
‘Nothing special he can do?’
He must feel apologetic for buying at a lower price.
Hmm…
‘I’ve really met a good person.’
I gazed quietly at the pile of hides.
Then, suddenly.
“Actually, boss, I’m working on an auxiliary device.”
“An auxiliary device?”
“A support system to reduce strain on the waist and legs.”
“Why bother? There are implants available. And you wouldn’t need something like that anyway, would you?”
“…It’s for my Father.”
Oh my.
“A dutiful son, I see. …So?”
Duho activated a hologram on his smartwatch.
The auxiliary device rotated in 3D.
Jang Moon-seo examined the device.
Hmm…
“Quite well crafted. Though I’m concerned about skin irritation from prolonged wear in this area.”
‘To identify the flaw immediately.’
He was indeed an extraordinary individual.
“Boss, that’s actually why I’m here. If we line this area with leather, the wearing comfort would improve significantly. What do you think?”
“You’re right—Drake Runner leather would be perfect for this. It’s durable and flexible.”
“Then, would you perhaps teach me the processing method…?”
“I’ll teach you.”
Jang Moon-seo agreed without hesitation.
“But you’ll need to learn properly. Beast leather isn’t something you master in one or two sessions.”
“I can only come in the evenings. Would weekends be alright too?”
“No problem. I work late into the night anyway.”
Duho quickly offered his thanks.
‘I spend plenty of time wandering the streets, but where else would I find such fortune?’
That was the moment he thought it.
-Macromancer, that problem can be solved by that Hawkeye kid.
Duho quickly asked for permission.
Um…
“Could I use the restroom for a moment?”
“It’s through the back.”
Duho headed toward the back of the workshop.
As he entered the Garage, Hawkeye spoke immediately.
-I can use my ability, ‘Save Point’.
“Save Point?”
-I can store coordinates at scouted locations and teleport instantly without physical movement.
-Wait?!
Hawkeye snatched the laptop Isto had been using and displayed a map on the screen to explain.
-I can set Save Points near the workshop and at the Hunter Management Bureau. Of course, your base camp is also possible.
Duho’s eyes widened.
“That’s an insane ability.”
-Currently, I can handle three locations.
Meaning I could expand it later.
Duho organized his thoughts.
“You can deactivate locations too, right?”
-Of course. Once you leave the workshop, let’s set a Save Point in the area around here.
“Okay.”
* * *
An alley between buildings.
Tap, tap, gasp, gasp!
Footsteps echoed alongside ragged breathing.
Fear flickered in the Drug Dealer’s eyes.
Turning back, I saw Susan in a black long coat, her silver hair gleaming as she pursued me.
“How do you keep finding me?!”
No matter where I ran, she appeared from nowhere—it was maddening.
I bolted into the basement of a dilapidated building.
Susan hummed at the basement stairs.
“Hide, hide away, where could you be~.”
Whoosh.
She descended the stairs, her song fading.
Creak—.
She opened the basement door and stepped inside.
“Huff, huff, gasp…!”
The Drug Dealer was catching his breath.
Behind him stood Awakened ones and cyborgs.
My gaze shifted.
On one side, illegal drug manufacturing equipment hummed to life.
This was no mere drug factory.
It was a Crime Organization that even most Hunter Guilds wouldn’t dare touch.
The Drug Dealer wiped blood from his neck and sneered arrogantly.
Hah!
“A crazy woman walked right to her death?”
Susan, smiling, addressed the criminals.
Everyone~.
“I’ll just kill this one and be on my way.”
In an instant, they all burst into laughter.
“…Is she completely insane?”
Whirrrr!
A cyborg spun its hydraulic claw arm.
Clang…
Meanwhile, someone locked the basement iron door.
At their reaction, Susan’s lips twisted upward into a grin.
Mmm~.
“Actually, I prefer it this way.”
Whoosh, whoosh.
A fork spun brilliantly in her hand.
“No need to pick and choose who dies anymore?”
Crazy woman!
Crash!
The cyborg equipped with hydraulic pincers smashed through the floor, charging straight at Susan.
Dust and debris erupted like a storm.
But only Susan’s afterimage remained in that spot.
Her target was singular and precise.
The bundle of power cables between the neck and shoulder—the one gap the thick armor plating failed to protect.
Whoosh!
Her slender arm whipped like a lash.
The spinning fork’s blade tip gouged through the cables in one fluid motion.
Crackle!
Blue sparks erupted like a fountain.
Hisssss, shhhhiiiick.
Hydraulic fluid sprayed everywhere.
The cyborg became nothing but scrap metal, crashing to the ground.
Susan vanished again.
Terrified Awakeners and cyborgs scanned their surroundings frantically.
Thunk, thunk! Thunk thunk!
From somewhere, the fork pierced through another cyborg’s knee and elbow joints with a burst of sound.
The steel giant, its main drive shaft ruined, rolled across the ground with a metallic screech.
The remaining people caught in the shockwave collapsed in a chain reaction.
Each time her form vanished.
Boom! Crash! Thud!
Deafening explosions erupted continuously throughout the underground space.
And then….
The only one left was the Drug Dealer who had dragged her into this.
Eek!
“D-Don’t come any closer!”
The Drug Dealer, pale as death, bolted toward the iron door.
Clang, clang!
He shook the handle frantically.
Susan stood directly behind him.
Click—.
She reached out and unlocked it for him.
“…?!”
The Drug Dealer’s face twisted in confusion.
She gestured toward the door with her chin, a knowing smile playing at her eyes.
“Hide, hide away before your hair shows~.”
The Drug Dealer fled, tears streaming down his face.
* * *
A connection with a skilled workshop owner.
My heart felt as full as my pockets were heavy.
And now I could even learn their techniques.
Truly, a day well spent!
Hmm….
‘I just need to set a save point.’
So I wandered the surroundings.
That’s when I discovered a secluded alley.
“Hey… Hawkeye. What do you think of that place?”
-Please feel free to call me casually.
“Oh, really?”
-I will absolutely!!! raise you to S-rank, Macromanser!
The words came out with clenched teeth.
“But what about the alley itself?”
-Dark places are perfect for startling humans.
Certainly….
‘This one isn’t normal either.’
I sighed and stepped into the alley.
Halfway through, I stopped.
Someone suddenly rushed into the alley.
Looking closer, the man was covered head to toe in blood and oil.
But his face seemed familiar.
‘The man who was bleeding from his neck?’
“Move—!”
The moment the man shoved me aside to pass through.
Shwiiing—!
Something flew at us from the alley entrance.
-Two-ho!
I grabbed the man by the collar, hurled him backward, and activated my nanobots to deflect the projectile.
Clang—!
The object clattered to the ground with a metallic ring.
I glanced down quickly.
“A… a fork?”
My gaze fixed on the alley entrance as I muttered in bewilderment.
I Became a Macromanser
Author |
Geon-gang E
Published |
February 25, 2026
Publisher |
Talesyx
Website |
https://talesyx.com
Email |
[email protected]
© Gungang E, 2026
This publication is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without permission.
UCI |
G720:N+A277-20260210015.0019
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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