Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 170

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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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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (170)

Not Number 19

Lee Si-hyeok looked at the opening door with a surprised expression.

The door that had been firmly closed with what seemed like a sealing formula opened easily.

“It’s not just one.”

But then the doors behind it also began opening one after another in succession.

In other words, a free pass.

Lee Si-hyeok let out a groan as he looked down at the artifact in his hand.

[〈Remnant of Optimism〉 – Origin Artifact / Destruction]

[The only light born from a collapsed sky. The reason it could survive alone even in collapse is because this light was the very culprit of that collapse. Wicked and tyrannical energy surges within.]

[You have taken a step into the concept of spatial collapse.]

[‘Ring of Circulation’ will aid your inspiration.]

Red nebulae swirled around the dark sphere. Just looking at that energy sent chills throughout his body.

‘An artifact far beyond expectations has been born.’

It was too profound an achievement for something meant just to pass a test.

Lee Si-hyeok put the 〈Remnant of Optimism〉 into subspace with a satisfied smile and slowly began walking.

“Let’s go. I should at least check what problem 49 is.”

His head throbbed from consuming too much energy.

Even if he didn’t pass the test immediately, he planned to at least take a look.

Below the dark ruins.

He crossed through passages lit only by quietly burning torches.

After walking for quite a while, he reached a room with a massive door blocking the passage.

“That must be the door leading to the 50th test.”

He suspected problem 50 might be the last one. When he detected mana, there was only one room beyond this door.

Lee Si-hyeok approached the altar located in the center of the room.

Each test had slightly different room structures, usually with materials or tools needed for the test prepared in advance.

“An altar…”

After climbing the stairs to reach the altar positioned quite high up, a message appeared before his eyes.

[Problem 49]

[Create the corresponding artifact.]

“…?”

Lee Si-hyeok’s head tilted in confusion.

‘Create the corresponding artifact?’

The problem was much more concise than expected.

Since the test was nearly at its end, he had expected quite complex and difficult problems that would make one’s mind reel just from reading them.

‘But what artifact am I supposed to create?’

It was at the moment he felt puzzled.

Clank.

With the sound of some device operating beneath the altar, white light began streaming onto the previously empty platform. White mana.

Soon the thin streams of mana began intertwining with each other, and before long they formed what looked like a blueprint.

The forms of two massive hand axes flickered dimly on either side of the platform.

‘…It seems like I’m supposed to make these.’

After a moment of confusion, Lee Si-hyeok regained his composure and examined the blueprint.

What he could roughly understand was that each axe possessed different properties.

The left hand axe had powerful flames.

The right hand axe had explosive lightning.

Not only that, but each axe was also different in size.

The left hand axe was about elbow to fingertip length. If it was a typical hand axe size, the right one reached from shoulder to fingertip… almost as large as a regular axe.

However, since two were prepared to be held one in each hand, it would be correct to call them hand axes.

“Hmm.”

Lee Si-hyeok wore a troubled expression.

Looking at it so far, it seemed like something he could solve without much difficulty, but there were quite a few blocking points that were more troublesome than expected.

‘The blueprint doesn’t show specific forms. Except for the properties and rough appearance, all the detailed specifics are omitted.’

It was like being told to make a smartphone directly, but not being told what components go inside it.

Of course, he could give some credit for providing the properties and appearance.

But even that was like only being told that a smartphone is ‘a small computer you can carry and use,’ while what you can actually do with that small computer remains a mystery.

It was an utterly overwhelming situation for Lee Si-hyeok.

“What should I do about this.”

Well, if he wanted to make it right away, he could.

Flames and lightning. Through 『Origin Forging』, he could sufficiently incorporate those properties.

But like problem 27, this probably didn’t require such a simple solution either.

Approaching it carelessly might make things more complicated.

‘Let me examine it more first. There might be parts I haven’t discovered yet.’

Lee Si-hyeok, having calmed his mind, took another step closer to the blueprint.

He activated 『Eyes that Pierce the Essence』 to examine it.

The hand axes’ appearance he had already grasped.

And the properties of flames and lightning surrounding them.

However, since those details weren’t implemented, they remained a mystery.

Then he would have to find clues from the only given ‘properties.’

He concentrated his mind while carefully observing the flames.

They weren’t real flames. However, they were implemented almost identically using traces of mana, and he could feel the heat just by approaching.

He had the illusion of hot sparks flying.

‘Orange, yellow… rather than those colors, it’s closer to red. And pure red without other colors mixed in.’

If one were to embody the concept of fire itself, would it feel like this?

At this moment, Lee Si-hyeok gained enlightenment.

“This is an element.”

Element.

The source of all things, an unchanging component.

Something that exists purely as itself without containing other properties…

‘Origin.’

The element Lee Si-hyeok knew was ether.

A substance that contained only ‘destruction’ and no other properties.

That tyrannical energy that Pyo Jae-hwan had summoned at Eterion Magical Engineering Academy.

Lee Si-hyeok swallowed his saliva and carefully took Blackie out of his front pocket, gently placing it on the altar.

“Mang?”

Then Blackie wiggled its bottom as if asking what was going on.

“…”

When he just watched quietly, it tilted its head in confusion.

But that was only for a moment.

“Mang? Mang… Mang?! Mang! Mang mang!”

Behind them, sensing the flames from the blueprint, it hopped and ran toward that place. The sight of it running with a “todododot!” sound felt incredibly adorable.

Soon Blackie climbed onto the blueprint and slowly lay down.

As if it had found a comfortable nest.

As if the warm energy felt very pleasant.

It made such an expression and gently closed its eyes.

‘So it really was an element after all.’

Blackie was a creature that contained an enormous amount of ether.

Now, having grown so accustomed to it, it might just look like a cute cotton ball, but inside it was a creature that harbored the terrifying element of destruction.

And having contained it for such a long time, its very nature must have assimilated with the ether to some degree.

Finding the same element, it was unconsciously feeling comfortable.

“Good work.”

Lee Si-hyeok brought the soundly sleeping Blackie back to his front pocket. No matter how comfortable that element was, it wouldn’t be as stable as here.

It was the pride he felt as an owner who had carried the creature around for a long time.

Eventually, after examining the right axe as well, he was able to confirm that the nature of lightning was also an element.

Only then did light seem to enter the path that had seemed hopeless.

‘I can create artifacts using elements. I’m already somewhat familiar with ether, so I can fill in the detailed parts based on that.’

However, if there was a problem…

Lee Si-hyeok didn’t have the elements of fire and lightning.

Elements were fundamental substances that couldn’t be created directly, so even he couldn’t manufacture them.

But since he had a hunch, Lee Si-hyeok came down from the altar, left the ruins, and headed to the headquarters on the ground.

* * *

The place Lee Si-hyeok headed to was the medical center of Mukshiseordan Village.

What he learned after coming up was that the time he had spent underground was already three days.

He finally opened and ate the bread Kim Jin-seok had brought him while opening the door to the medical center. Due to being left alone for so long, the bread’s texture was extremely tough.

“Oh! Lee Si-hyeok sir has come!”

“Lee Si-hyeok sir! We missed you!”

“Waaaaaaah!”

But as soon as he entered, thunderous cheers erupted.

He stopped in his tracks with a start and looked inside to see the Hunters he had rescued a few days ago and their families looking at Lee Si-hyeok with eyes filled with emotion.

“…”

Lee Si-hyeok just bowed his head briefly and walked over to Aurelie del Lumiere, who was quietly smiling in the corner. Finding something amusing, she looked at Lee Si-hyeok and chuckled softly.

“You’re here? Is the exam going well as you thought?”

“…Yes. Actually, I came because I have something related to ask about.”

“Oh my. To me?”

“Yes. To you, Leader.”

The people who had been cheering lowered their voices. They noticed that the two were trying to have a conversation. It was truly a scene that could be called overflowing with consideration.

“Wait. Before that. How many problems have you passed? I was so curious about that.”

“Hmm. How far did the Apocalypse Order originally get?”

“16th. It’s the record set by my husband… that is, the Master. He was always stuck at the 14th, but after years of research, he passed the 14th problem above the required level.”

She straightened her shoulders proudly and tapped her chest.

“So the 15th problem was just passed and he went straight to the 16th. He’s been stuck at the 16th for a while, but once the Master returns after the operation ends, he’ll pass it quickly. He said he seemed to have found the answer before leaving.”

“…”

“How about you? How far did you get? From what I heard from my daughter, maybe around 21st? She said you’re incredibly smart.”

Lee Si-hyeok pondered for a moment.

‘Is it okay to tell her this?’

They’re this happy about just reaching the 16th, so if he said he went to the 49th, wouldn’t they collapse from shock?

“…It’s the 49th.”

“Huh? What? 19th?”

Aurelie del Lumiere’s eyes sparkled.

“Wow. You already reached the 19th in just a week? At this rate, you might even reach the 30s in a few months…”

“The 49th. Not the 19th, but the 49th.”

“…What, what did you say?”

Did I hear wrong?

While Aurelie del Lumiere blinked, Lee Si-hyeok continued in an indifferent voice.

“I was stuck at the 27th once before going to the demon lair, but I succeeded in solving it a few days ago with the clue I got there. But the result was better than expected, so I jumped straight to the 49th. The doors opened all at once.”

“No, no. What do you mean.”

“I was lucky. Actually, if I had solved them one by one, it would have taken months to reach the 49th. The Leader deserves much credit too. Thanks to your support of Kim Jin-seok, conquering the demon lair was much easier.”

“I didn’t do anything though…?”

Kim Jin-seok, who was also in the medical center, muttered blankly.

Aurelie del Lumiere’s expression was a sight to behold.

With her mouth wide open, she slowly blinked her large eyes repeatedly, and all kinds of emotions flashed through those pupils in an instant.

He felt gazes from around him.

The others in the medical center were staring blankly at Lee Si-hyeok, enveloped in silence. They all didn’t understand what he was talking about, but they clearly understood that Lee Si-hyeok had succeeded in doing something insane.

“Why are you even being humble about this…”

It was the one sentence that Aurelie del Lumiere barely managed to utter after a long silence.

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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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