Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 60

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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 (60)

Utilization

Ray Wen looked at the man standing in front of the platform and twisted his lips into a sinister smile.

‘Kehehehe…’

What was his name again? Choi Hyeok?

That damn brat from a small nation who had humiliated him on the first day of the seminar.

Displeased with that presumptuous attitude, he had completely ruined the artifact blueprint that would be provided to that guy’s team.

He had twisted the design of what should have been a simple healing-type artifact into something extremely complex.

On top of that, he had added fatal errors that could never be discovered.

‘It seems to have gone according to plan.’

Indeed, seeing that the guy had only just arrived, it seemed to have worked as intended.

Ray Wen’s gaze turned toward the guy’s nape.

Beads of sweat dotting his neck as if he had rushed here.

He had even come to the presentation wearing his research coat, so perhaps he didn’t even have time to change clothes.

‘What a pathetic sight!’

Of course, it was slightly different from his expectations.

Originally, he had thought the guy wouldn’t come at all.

He had predicted that the guy would realize his place and fall into despair, then disappear entirely out of fear of others’ gazes.

Still, this wasn’t bad.

No, it was actually better.

Since the guy had shown himself like this, he would end up being humiliated even more.

Of course, others would be able to figure out that this was his doing.

But in that situation, what would draw more attention would obviously be the researcher’s ‘lack of ability’ in not being able to overcome such a simple trick, rather than Ray Wen’s wrongdoing.

‘They all have tremendous pride, after all.’

Originally, people tend to focus more on results than on others’ circumstances.

They believe they could overcome such a situation if they were in that position.

Moreover, this first session.

There was a new rule that had been added starting from the second day.

‘After all presentations are finished, participants will vote among themselves, and rewards will be given based on those results?’

In simple terms, it meant they would rank everyone and give out prizes.

Since it was a suddenly added rule and everyone present was quite accomplished, there was strong opposition at first, but after a little time passed, everyone realized it wasn’t actually that bad.

These were rewards provided directly by the Awakener Association.

Korea’s Association wasn’t particularly powerful compared to other countries, but it was still an Association. There was a high probability they would give something that even the participants gathered here couldn’t easily obtain.

‘…And that belongs to me.’

Since all the other guys’ presentations were worthless, it would obviously be his.

That meant he would already be getting two gifts.

That brat’s despair and this session’s reward!

‘Kahaha! For such a small nation, there’s quite a lot to gain!’

Ray Wen put strength into his lips to suppress the laughter that was about to spill out, and watched Lee Si-hyeok who was finally starting his presentation.

“First, I apologize for the delay. I was a bit late due to personal circumstances.”

Lee Si-hyeok opened with those words.

“Since I’m late, I’ll try to convey only the necessary content.”

Next came a brief explanation about the artifact.

It was similar to the other teams’ presentations. What type of artifact they were assigned, who the opposing team was, and so on. It was a kind of opening part before the actual presentation began.

‘…What’s this.’

While listening quietly, Ray Wen’s eyebrows furrowed.

It was because the presentation was cleaner than expected.

Despite what should be a desperate situation, there was no trembling in his voice. Clear content explanation. Breath control at important points. Even though it was very basic content, the immersion was quite strong.

Looking around the auditorium, those great figures were holding their breath and looking up only at the platform.

Ray Wen felt uncomfortable with this unexpected skill. He quickly snorted and shook off that thought.

‘Well, presentation skills are nothing special.’

After the basic introduction ended, Lee Si-hyeok moved to the next part.

This time, the prepared material screen appeared as well. When he pressed the remote control, a blueprint appeared on the huge screen.

“This is the blueprint shared by the opposing team. It’s the healing-type artifact our team will be working on in this session.”

People’s gazes shifted from Lee Si-hyeok to the blueprint.

However, they couldn’t show an immediate reaction and tilted their heads in confusion.

“I know what you’re thinking. It’s complex, right? You probably can’t understand it at a glance. I felt the same way. So did my team members. That’s natural.”

Lee Si-hyeok chuckled.

“Because it was ruined on purpose.”

At that moment, sighs erupted from various parts of the auditorium.

Their suspicions had become certainty.

That blueprint wasn’t a cutting-edge, high-difficulty artifact design.

It was merely the product of malicious tampering.

“…”

Ray Wen’s lips twisted.

Sharp gazes poured in from all directions. Since that guy had come out to present, he had expected this level of reproachful looks, but he hadn’t expected such a direct mention.

Still, it was fine. In the end, only that guy would be remembered as a failure.

“So, have you all confirmed it?”

Lee Si-hyeok waited briefly for people to examine the blueprint.

When everyone had taken in the ruined design, he pressed the remote control once more.

The screen that appeared this time was very different from before.

The blueprint that had been incomprehensible just moments ago was now reconstructed in a considerably more readable form.

“This is my analysis of the previous blueprint.”

He snapped his fingers.

“The method is simple. Untangle the mana circuits that were woven like thread and rearrange them. Rearrange the other devices as well. I completely dismantled all 42,813 structures.”

“…All of that?”

Such a murmur was heard from somewhere. It probably wasn’t meant to be answered, but Lee Si-hyeok nodded.

“Yes. There’s a saying that the more complex something is, the more you should take a detour, right? It’s a similar approach. Whether it becomes mimicry or new creation, dismantling the design must be the foundation for finding an efficient method.”

“Wow…”

What’s so surprising about that? Looking at another participant who was expressing admiration, Ray Wen sneered.

Because it was obvious.

Even though he said he had analyzed it in his own way, it was impossible to know for sure without proper verification. He might just be displaying some plausible-looking material. That was much more likely.

‘By the way, were there really 42,813 mana circuits?’

Actually, he had made it so complex that even he couldn’t handle it, so he didn’t remember well.

Still, he would be able to quickly figure out whether that was properly done or not.

He looked at the screen, planning to mock him with all his might.

And a moment later, the expression disappeared from his face.

“…”

…

…

‘What is this?’

Did I see it wrong?

He rubbed his eyes and checked again.

But the screen was the same. No mistake.

‘He succeeded…at that?’

Could there even be a realm of success in the first place?

So what Ray Wen had done was this.

Like a three-year-old child scribbling with crayons on a sketchbook for fun.

He had created a bizarre blueprint that even he couldn’t understand by adding mana circuits to a perfectly good artifact, then adding more and more.

In other words, that blueprint should normally be impossible to interpret.

It’s not because it’s difficult, nor because it’s complicated.

It’s just because it’s a realm that doesn’t exist.

‘But what is this…’

On the screen, the blueprint was rearranged in a very simple form.

Like a tuna dissection show at a high-end Japanese restaurant, Ray Wen’s monstrosity was truly dissected piece by piece.

A three-year-old’s scribble had been given historical significance.

However, that meaning was so insanely accurate and rational that there was no room for rebuttal.

‘Am I seeing this wrong?’

But that wasn’t the end of it.

Lee Si-hyeok, who had been explaining the reinterpreted blueprint, brought up something new.

“And while analyzing the design, I discovered one fact. In a corner hidden by layers of overlapping mana circuits, I saw a module of a form I’d never seen before.”

The place he pointed to with his gesture was a secluded part inside the artifact where the most circuits were located, making it hard to see unless observed carefully.

“Specifically, an ‘Inflammation Amplification Module.'”

“…!”

Ray Wen’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

‘He discovered that?’

The Inflammation Amplification Module. It was a ‘fatal error’ that Ray Wen had secretly planted using a teammate and subordinate employee.

To put it metaphorically, it was like a computer virus.

Instead of healing the user, it would actually cause serious inflammation.

He had planted it thinking it would never be discovered. So that if they succeeded in copying it, it would work like a time bomb.

“I don’t know what intention the opposing team had in designing this. They might have thought this was a better method, or perhaps they had hidden intentions.”

Lee Si-hyeok shrugged his shoulders.

“If it’s the former, it would be a huge mistake, and if it’s the latter, it would be fortunate. I’d rather hope it’s the latter. If they really thought planting this module was a better method, wouldn’t that mean the designer’s ability is only at that level?”

At those words, laughter burst out from the audience seats.

Simultaneously, amused gazes poured toward Ray Wen.

And Lee Si-hyeok’s following words were the decisive blow.

“But there was one thing the opposing team was greatly mistaken about. The Inflammation Amplification Module. They seem to treat it like a virus…”

He lifted up the completed artifact.

“This can be utilized in a new way.”

Lee Si-hyeok’s explanation was easy and simple.

The Inflammation Amplification Module that contradicts healing-type artifacts.

By mixing it together instead, it could be utilized as an ‘awakening potion’ that temporarily draws out a hunter’s power.

“Strictly speaking, it would be an ‘Awakening-type Artifact.’ Awakening potions are one-time use after consumption, but this can be used indefinitely.”

When hunters are injured, mana flows out from their bodies to help with healing.

At this time, if inflammation reactions are continuously generated through the module, mana constantly flows out, inducing a kind of ‘mana rampage.’

The burden on the body can be recovered by using the original healing function of the healing-type artifact.

Of course, it would be an artifact requiring tremendous precision, but compared to existing mana awakening potions, its stability was incredible. No side effects and enhanced power by one level.

If this artifact became widespread, hunters worldwide might all rise one level overall.

Everyone in the auditorium realized this.

Ray Wen was trembling his bear-like body, and someone asked if practical testing hadn’t been done yet.

“We did it, the testing.”

Lee Si-hyeok showed practical test statistics as if he had anticipated even that.

But the amount of mana revealed in those statistics was at an absurd level.

“No. To begin with, for this level of mana output, at least an S-rank hunter would have to directly participate in testing…”

“Do you need more data?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that, but I understand that S-rank and above hunters can’t enter the Magical Engineering Academy interior for safety reasons, so when exactly did you conduct such testing…”

Lee Si-hyeok coughed awkwardly.

“Anyway, this concludes our prepared presentation. Thank you for listening.”

Watching him come down, Ray Wen touched his rigidly stiffened face.

‘This is impossible.’

He couldn’t believe it. That ignorant brat succeeded? It was hard to think of it as reality. His fingertips trembled finely.

He wanted to rush over right now and grab that bastard by the collar.

“Now, next up is Ray Wen’s team. Are you ready?”

…Now wasn’t the time.

Since paired teams had consecutive turns, Ray Wen’s turn had immediately arrived.

‘It’s not too late. I just need to take first place in voting.’

Even if others might already perceive him as someone who pulls petty tricks, there were still plenty of opportunities.

Ray Wen was confident he could do well enough to overturn even that perception.

He calmed his heart that had been beating wildly from the earlier shock and went up on stage.

A strong first impression was important.

It was the moment he thought that and lifted the artifact high.

“Everyone, look! The artifact we’ve prepared this time is…”

Crackle.

“…Huh?”

Crackle crackle.

“Huh huh?”

Suddenly smoke began coming out of the artifact.

Finally, it exploded with a bang!

“Wh-what is this…?!”

Hisssssss…

In the flustered Ray Wen’s eyes, Lee Si-hyeok’s indifferent expression came into view.

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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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