Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 6

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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 (6)

Only I Can Do This

Additional development support for the Termion Hex-9.

The day after accepting Department Head Yoon Seo-jin’s proposal, Lee Si-hyeok headed straight to the research lab after finishing his transport duties.

 

[Room 305 / First Research Department Head Yoon Seo-jin]

 

Knock knock.

“Come in. I left the door open.”

When he entered, she was alone, busily maintaining the research equipment.

“You’re here?”

“Yes. But you’re alone?”

“Ah, I sent the other employees home early. Since they’re all strangers, I thought you might feel uncomfortable. Besides, we don’t need many people just to add modifications.”

“That’s true.”

He could feel her subtle consideration. It was surprising that the prickly Yoon Seo-jin had such thoughtfulness.

“I’ve prepared all the materials you mentioned. Three B-grade Magic Stones and one B-grade Gate Core. Right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Plus all the small parts. Ah, but why did you say you’d make it from scratch? Wouldn’t it be much easier to just modify the existing prototype?”

Yoon Seo-jin sat down in her chair after finishing maintenance and tilted her head.

It was a natural question.

They could just apply a few modification steps to the artifact produced at the factory, but Si-hyeok had insisted on making it from scratch.

“Well, it’s not for any grand reason. It’s just more comfortable for me that way.”

“…Comfortable?”

“Yes. When I take over someone else’s work, it somehow breaks my immersion. I can’t concentrate properly.”

This was related to Si-hyeok’s usual working method. Until he became an Awakener, he had only done ‘copying’ – mimicking others’ work.

However, no matter how much they collaborated, if that routine was suddenly broken, there was a high possibility that the quality of the result would be unsatisfactory.

“Interesting. Then it’ll take longer too. And why did you tell me not to prepare the blueprint? I haven’t memorized it yet either.”

“I’ll know when I see it. Let’s just start quickly.”

Why so many questions? Si-hyeok ignored the barrage of questions and put on his work gloves.

 

[『Mimicry』 is activated.]

[Assisting user’s thinking.]

[Assisting user’s movements.]

 

Since he had done this process once before, it wasn’t too difficult.

Following the suggestions of his expanded thinking through the 『Mimicry』 skill, he ground the Magic Stones and connected the parts. His hand movements were faster than ever.

“…How is this possible?”

Yoon Seo-jin, who had been quietly observing from the side, widened her eyes.

She wanted to grab his shoulders right away and bombard him with questions. How could he work without a moment’s hesitation? What would he do if he made a mistake?

“…”

She couldn’t do it. His usually indifferent black pupils were now shining vibrantly, like a fish in water.

The concentration radiating around him and the atmosphere that couldn’t be easily disturbed. Yoon Seo-jin found herself even being careful with her breathing as she just watched Si-hyeok.

“It’s finished.”

“G-give it here.”

And…

The moment the completion of the first stage was announced, she snatched away the pistol-shaped artifact.

“…Department Head?”

Regardless of what he might say, Yoon Seo-jin activated her mana to inspect each circuit one by one. Slide, trigger, magazine, spring…

“Ha, haha…”

Not a single flaw could be found. Wait a minute. How much time had passed? She checked her smart watch.

5 minutes.

How could this be possible? Even factory production would take longer than this, wouldn’t it?

Not to mention if it was handmade. Even dedicating half a day to it wouldn’t produce this quality.

Now she understood why Si-hyeok had insisted on making it himself from scratch, without even a blueprint.

“Really… really amazing, Si-hyeok.”

“Thank you. But could you give that back?”

“Ah, right.”

She returned the artifact to him.

“It’s not over yet. The real work starts now. We need to modify it.”

“Yes. Go ahead. Quickly.”

Yoon Seo-jin sat close beside Si-hyeok. Her focused gaze sparkled with anticipation.

Feeling that burdensome stare, Si-hyeok moved his hands again.

Just as 『Mimicry』 had suggested last time.

He connected the magazine’s circuit with the barrel’s circuit.

This would be a new concept for Yoon Seo-jin, but he didn’t bother adding explanations.

She was a leading figure in South Korea’s artifact industry. She would understand just by watching the process.

“Wow. You solved it like this? Just interconnecting the two circuits and it’s done?”

“Simpler than you thought, right?”

“Yes. Really. Why couldn’t I think of something this simple?”

“When you’re focused on big projects, it’s easy to miss the small things. It can’t be helped.”

At those calm words, she looked at him with surprise.

“What’s with you, Si-hyeok? You’re not even a researcher, yet you’re saying things only researchers would say.”

Si-hyeok smiled slightly and spoke again. There was something he had to tell her.

“Actually, I didn’t come up with this entirely on my own from start to finish.”

“What?”

“The paper ‘Improving Mana Accuracy in Small Artifacts’ published by a research lab in America. I got the idea from there.”

“Ah, that one? I saw that too.”

“…You saw it?”

Si-hyeok put on a deliberately flustered expression.

Then why didn’t she utilize it after seeing that paper? It was published as ‘open access,’ so it should be freely usable.

“Of course I saw it. The first thing I do when I get to work is search through paper sites. But I find it even stranger that you could come up with this idea just from that material.”

“…?”

“I mean, you’re right. That paper was dozens of pages long but had no clear content, just vague nonsense. I almost sent an email to give them a piece of my mind but held back. How on earth did you reach such an innovative idea from seeing that content? You’re a real genius.”

She held up the completed Hex-9.

“That paper was at best a tiny hint, like a mouse’s tail? I never could have imagined this, really.”

“Huh…”

“Si-hyeok, you don’t need to be that modest. Anyway, setting that aside, what kind of skill do you need to awaken to have this level of ability? Have you taken the awakening grade test at the Association?”

“No. Not yet.”

“Do it quickly and let me know the results. What grade will you get? A-rank… no. I think you might even get S-rank.”

Even while receiving praise, Si-hyeok somehow felt his insides twisting.

This was Yoon Seo-jin, one of the 11 researchers selected by the Awakener Association.

She was also someone running at the cutting edge of the artifact manufacturing industry.

Yet this amazing person was saying such things to him without hesitation. It was both moving and confusing how to respond.

“…Ahem. Anyway, we’ve achieved results, so let’s call it a day.”

In the end, he brushed it off vaguely and left first.

 

* * *

 

For several days afterward, he maintained a similar schedule.

After transport duties ended, he would stop by Yoon Seo-jin’s research lab to participate in development and check for problems.

And finally, with two days left until the deadline.

“Wow… we’re already done.”

Yoon Seo-jin stretched and spoke with a satisfied tone.

Lee Si-hyeok nodded while keeping his gaze fixed on the artifact.

“That’s right. We finished earlier than expected.”

“I thought we’d run out of time. But we have two whole days left. Si-hyeok, are you insane?”

“…Is that a compliment?”

“Of course. You’re a monster, a monster. Fast hands and quick thinking. Why don’t you just join the First Research Department? I’ll even put in a special incentive for you.”

“I’ll have to decline.”

“I figured you’d say that. I wasn’t even expecting it.”

At Si-hyeok’s firm tone, Yoon Seo-jin pouted her lips.

“Sigh… Oh, Si-hyeok. Do you have any plans? We have plenty of time left, how about taking a walk?”

“Sounds good. May I choose the location?”

Si-hyeok asked while thinking of a particular place in his mind. A place he’d wanted to visit for a long time.

“Where?”

“Basement 4th Floor.”

“That’s… the floor with the Special Storage. Where the company keeps artifacts under special custody.”

That’s right.

As a member of the Transportation Team, Si-hyeok had never been there.

The place for delivering and storing Gate byproducts was from Basement 1st to 3rd Floor, so he’d never been below that.

However, he knew about it from what he’d heard a few times.

From Basement 4th Floor down, there were ‘special artifacts’ that Termion Corporation guarded thoroughly.

“Hey. Si-hyeok. Didn’t I say a walk? What kind of walk goes to a warehouse?”

“I’ve wanted to see it ever since I joined the company. Couldn’t you make it work somehow?”

“This guy really… Fine. Si-hyeok helped me a lot this time. Normally the Transportation Team is prohibited from entering, but if I speak up, it should work out.”

“Thank you, Department Manager.”

Si-hyeok finished organizing the research lab and followed her down to the basement.

Even the elevator was quite unique – you had to authenticate your employee ID for the Basement 4th Floor button to work.

―Basement 4th Floor.

Yoon Seo-jin, who got off first, strode forward and opened the security door.

Bulletproof glass cases displaying artifacts were lined up in rows.

Inside them, equipped with mana sealing devices, blue-glowing artifacts pulsed quietly.

“Where do you want to start looking? I recommend starting from here…”

Yoon Seo-jin, who was giving directions, stopped speaking.

Si-hyeok was already walking ahead.

Captivated by the sight of the sleeping artifacts, he moved forward with an entranced look, not even glancing back.

“I knew this would happen…”

There was no time to stop him. No need to either.

Yoon Seo-jin shrugged her shoulders once and slowly followed behind Si-hyeok.

Artifacts that had been completed in development but not yet revealed to the world.

Most of the cases contained such things. Since there were many technologies Si-hyeok was seeing for the first time, he activated 『Eyes that Pierce the Essence』 and examined them one by one analytically.

This entire process was growth and development for Si-hyeok.

As Si-hyeok continued step by step, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

It was a display case storing something much more thoroughly than the other artifacts.

‘This is…’

―Legacy Artifact.

In the drastically changed present Earth, there exist two types of artifacts in total.

General Artifacts and Legacy Artifacts.

The biggest difference between them is whether humans can directly create them or not.

General Artifacts can be made as much as you want when crafting-type awakened individuals use mana to weave circuits and embed magic stones. Like the Termion Hex-9 that Si-hyeok had been working on.

On the other hand, Legacy Artifacts cannot be made by humans.

Weapons that can only be obtained as rewards from Gates, operating on a completely different level of power than General Artifacts.

Therefore, they are extremely rare.

While demand is high due to their ability to tremendously amplify a Hunter’s capabilities, supply is severely lacking since so few are discovered.

Researchers naturally attempted mass production of Legacy Artifacts. Couldn’t advanced magical engineering create such weapons too?

They failed.

While they were clearly made with mana circuits and magic stones just like General Artifacts, they couldn’t imitate even a fingernail’s worth in terms of complexity or technological prowess.

Humanity still doesn’t understand even the design structure of Legacy Artifacts.

That’s why major corporations that mass-produce General Artifacts dominate today’s Earth.

If the popularization of Legacy Artifacts succeeded, that balance of power would be completely overturned.

“…”

Si-hyeok stared at the display case, even forgetting to blink.

An old longsword discovered in a mere C-rank Gate.

While C-rank is considered quite low in difficulty, that longsword found there would outperform most General Artifacts.

Five A-rank Hunters with General Artifacts.

Versus one B-rank Hunter with a Legacy Artifact.

The latter would win overwhelmingly.

That’s how far ahead Legacy Artifact technology was, beyond what current humanity could catch up to.

This was Si-hyeok’s first time seeing a Legacy Artifact in person.

Even major corporations like Termion kept them in ‘special storage,’ so ordinary people had virtually no chance to encounter them. Even in this warehouse, there weren’t many.

‘…Wait a moment.’

Si-hyeok, who had been observing with pure awe despite not understanding.

A thought struck him like lightning.

『Mimicry』. Humanity’s only EX-rank skill.

Would such an incredible skill stop at merely copying General Artifacts? That was something that could be done sufficiently even without the skill.

Perhaps, couldn’t he mimic artifacts of an even higher tier?

―For instance, Legacy Artifacts.

Thump, thump, thump… curiosity transformed into anticipation and surged.

Si-hyeok felt his rising heart rate and activated his skill.

 

[『Eyes that Pierce the Essence』 activates.]

[Examining artifact information.]

[Anomaly detected! Target is not ordinary.]

 

He frowned at the red warning message window for only a moment.

 

[…]

[Recognition successful. ‘Legacy Artifact’ confirmation complete.]

[『Eyes that Pierce the Essence』 resonates! Confirming artifact information.]

[〈Dusk Sword〉 – C-rank / Longsword

A weapon carried by ancient shadow soldiers. It was completed by absorbing dark mana in their final battle. The Shadow Queen is still fighting the last war.]

 

Si-hyeok lost his balance and swayed momentarily.

Countless pieces of information were flooding into his mind like a tide.

A deluge of knowledge. Magical engineering approaches he had never conceived of heated up Si-hyeok’s mind.

―Ding!

 

[You can mimic 〈Dusk Sword〉.]

[First Achievement!]

[You have succeeded in making a discovery that will greatly advance human progress.]

[EX-Rank, 『Blooming』- A flower blooms.]

[Accordingly, skills will grow.]

 

Messages appear in a stream before Lee Si-hyeok, who is clutching his head.

 

[「Mana Sensitivity」 grows! E-Rank → D-Rank]

[「Mana Control」 grows! E-Rank → D-Rank]

[「Mana Conduction」 grows! E-Rank → D-Rank]

[「Mana Amplification」 grows! E-Rank → D-Rank]

 

‘…It works.’

Si-hyeok panted softly.

Mimicry of a Legacy Artifact.

Si-hyeok had reached that distant realm that no one else could approach.

Only Si-hyeok could.

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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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