I Became an Almighty All-Master with EX-Rank Spirits - Chapter 36

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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 36
36
Dark circles hung heavily beneath Jin A-rin’s eyes.
They were the result of working without rest, though she harbored no regrets.
Far from it—she felt nothing but joy.
Her hard work had finally borne fruit.
She held the worn tome in both hands, lifting it like a trophy.
“I finally have the Alchemy System book!”
She’d thought she’d die searching for it.
She’d scoured every place she could think of.
Even so, it had eluded her for so long.
Alchemy was difficult, but if one could master it, one could live comfortably for three generations.
Every time a related skill appeared, those in the know would quietly intercept it and sell it for exorbitant prices.
Even someone from a chaebol family like her found it nearly impossible to acquire.
She’d thought her first deal would fall through, but her connections had proved invaluable.
The president of an alchemy-related company her family occasionally dined with apparently had one in his possession.
She’d incurred a modest debt in the process, but in the end, she’d obtained it.
‘A debt like this is nothing if it’s for Chan-yeong, the Awakener!’
The smile on her lips showed no sign of fading.
There was no reason to delay.
Jin A-rin rose from her seat, eager to leave at once.
She’d been about to contact him, then paused.
“This time, I’m definitely scoring points!”
She pulled out the finest whiskey from her liquor cabinet.
Since he enjoyed food, he’d surely enjoy drink as well.
Macallan 18 Year, Glenallachie 21 Year—those would make fine gifts too.
‘That’s too much. For a moment like this, Blue Label is the way to go!’
Something even ordinary people know of!
With her heart full of joy, she set off toward his home.
* * *
“Roulette time!”
The moment I woke, I started preparing breakfast and spun the roulette.
The two blanks were surely the result of spinning too quickly.
The roulette’s arrow slowed gradually.
“X! Another blank?”
Three blanks in a row.
Now it was certain.
I’d used up far too much luck on the first spin.
It wasn’t even a blank with monsters or a Gate.
Just nothing.
Maybe I should raise the odds.
“Is there a luck stat among the Hidden Stats? If there is, things might get better.”
-… No comment.
“So there is? Okay, confirming~.”
-…..
Not saying there isn’t, but “no comment” means there definitely is.
I need to level up Water hard.
The day I gain a luck stat is something to look forward to.
-Mew? Yawn.
[Fire (EX) yawns and asks what’s for breakfast today.]
A beggar-bellied spirit emerged from the Spirit’s Rest, scratching at its stomach.
Like a pig spirit, really.
Hanging from my neck was a drunken water spirit who’d been blowing its horn since morning.
-Mew! Mew!
[Water (EX) giggles happily.]
[Water (EX) says that drinking inside the Spirit’s Rest means it can drink without getting drunk!]
The empty soju bottles were carefully stored in the corner of the house.
One bottle was worth a hundred won.
Why throw away money?
It drinks so much.
This morning it was Western-style breaded pork cutlet.
After breakfast, I plan to climb what may well be the last Poison Gas Floor.
“Time’s flying. Tomorrow makes fifteen.”
-An impossible record, Human. I suspect you’re the only one in the world clearing a floor per day.
“That’s true. Most people prepare for days, sometimes years per floor.”
How long can I keep climbing one floor a day?
The current world record stands at the ninety-fourth floor.
If I maintain this pace, I’ll reach that height in eighty days.
‘If I just keep climbing one floor at a time.’
Tomorrow, the nature of the trials will change.
“Right, what was it? Finding some strange goblin?”
-The Golden Goblin, you mean.
“Yes, that’s it. The Golden Goblin. Didn’t you say people who can’t find it get stuck here for years?”
-Because it’s extremely difficult to locate, Human.
Finding the Golden Goblin.
That’s it.
Literally, I just need to find the Golden Goblin.
The environment isn’t particularly unusual.
No poison gas, no labyrinthine mazes, no hordes of monsters.
Nothing but a dense forest to search through, hunting for the Golden Goblin.
Compared to the floors I’ve conquered so far, it sounds almost trivial.
You might think finding the Golden Goblin couldn’t possibly be harder than the last floor.
‘But this creature is a master of concealment.’
Even S-rank Skills can’t pierce its hiding. That says everything.
Most Awakeners who clear the fourteenth floor give up by the fifteenth.
-There’s no special method. You simply have to search persistently.
“We’ll figure it out when we get there. For now, let’s climb the tower.”
A pig and a drunk dispatched in the blink of an eye.
No matter how many times I see it, the speed never stops catching me off guard.
[You have arrived at Trial Tower, Floor 14.]
[Find fifteen Jewels and insert them into the door to return safely.]
[Jewels: 0/15]
The number of Jewels has nearly doubled.
It didn’t matter to me how many there were.
Spirit Jump and Spirit’s Eye would find them all.
First, though, purification.
[Water’s retained skill, ‘Divine Baptism (EX)’, activates.]
The poison gas, cleanly neutralized.
Everything that followed was always the same.
I’d find the Jewels using Fire’s skill, slot them into the door, and proceed.
[You have cleared Trial Tower, Floor 14!]
[Jewels: 15/15]
[Orc Cutter: 4,500/4,500]
[Destruction Troll: 1,000/1,000]
[Predatory Troll: 2/2]
[Giant Ant: 650/650]
[Black-horned Ant: 2/2]
[Bomb Slime: 7,000/7,000]
[Ghoul: 10,000/10,000]
[Elite Goblin: 11,000/11,000]
[You have completely conquered Trial Tower, Floor 14’s Poison Gas terrain!]
[New record achieved!]
[Trial Tower, Floor 14 world ranking updated to 1st place!]
[Clear time: 4 minutes 11 seconds]
[You have dominated Trial Tower, Floor 14 with an overwhelming clear!]
[Orc Cutter’s Cutting Axe × 597 have been awarded!]
[Destruction Troll’s Thick Blood × 235 have been awarded!]
[Predatory Troll’s Sturdy Fang × 1 has been awarded!]
[Giant Ant’s Sturdy Shell × 211 have been awarded!]
[Bomb Slime × 2,231 have been awarded!]
[Ghoul’s Old Equipment × 4,115 are granted to you!]
[Elite Goblin’s Necklace × 6,021 are granted to you!]
[Lowest-grade Mana Stone (F) × 2,405 are acquired!]
[Low-grade Mana Stone (E) × 1,501 are acquired!]
[Mid-low-grade Mana Stone (D) × 969 are acquired!]
[Mid-grade Mana Stone (C) × 714 are acquired!]
[Mid-high-grade Mana Stone (B) × 412 are acquired!]
[High-grade Mana Stone (A) × 121 are acquired!]
[Highest-grade Mana Stone (S) × 59 are acquired!]
“Ah! Sweet! So sweet!”
Mana Stones—the more the better.
Not just Fire, but Water’s potions need them too.
Since I’ve already cleared the Tower I needed to today, all that’s left is to wait for Jin A-rin.
She said she’d finally found a way to obtain the Alchemy Skill.
“You work well. Fast, too.”
While waiting, I tackled the chores I’d been putting off.
With Water around, there was no need to run the washer myself.
I had her float water into the air and toss the dirty laundry in.
She scrubbed away the grime.
-Uh, chirp?
[Water (EX) asks if this is the right way to do it.]
“Yeah. And sweep the floor clean too.”
After Water cleaned everything thoroughly, Fire dried it all.
The perfect combination.
The apartment gleamed in an instant.
In the now-spotless home, I set about cataloging the materials the Shades had mined through the night.
Ding-dong.
“It’s here! Chan-yeong!”
The Alchemy Skill had finally arrived!
The moment I opened the door, I couldn’t help but be flustered.
“Here’s the book for learning the Alchemy Skill! And this is a gift! Since you enjoy food, I thought you’d like liquor too!”
“……Ah.”
Blue Label.
A considerably expensive whisky.
I hurried to take it and hide it in my inventory, but it was already too late.
-Uh, chirp?
[Water (EX) says she smells alcohol!]
Two tiny eyes locked precisely onto the Blue Label.
The heavy whisky Jin A-rin had been holding.
“Huh? Where’d it go?”
It vanished without a trace.
Glancing back, I caught Water, eyes sparkling bright, holding the Blue Label.
True to the King of Water Spirits, her speed was remarkable.
She opened it straight up and poured it down her throat.
The 80-proof whisky disappeared rapidly, and her tiny eyes glazed over with rapture.
Damn it. This was bad.
Her expression suggested she’d already discovered a taste for alcohol.
I hurried Jin A-rin back out the door.
Not before thanking her warmly and assuring her I’d put it to good use.
My only hope was that the whisky wouldn’t suit her palate.
-Chirp! Chirp!
[Water (EX) says this is delicious!]
[Water (EX) asks you to buy more!]
That hope was not to be realized.
* * *
“I get it. We’re busy today, so let’s go buy some tomorrow. You understand?”
-Chirp!
[Water (EX) says you need to put on the Ring of Promise!]
[Water (EX) says this is a token of promise between a spirit and a contractor!]
“Okay, okay…. I promise. There—satisfied?”
He’d hooked his little finger through the ring, which meant he really did commit to the promise.
Why on earth had he brought liquor as a gift?
Dwelling on it wouldn’t change what was already done.
I decided to focus on the present instead.
The method of use was straightforward.
All I had to do was place my hand on the alchemy tome while thinking the word “learn.”
[You use Alchemy Reference Material (B+)!]
[You acquire the skill ‘Alchemy System (B)’!]

Description: A system that teaches alchemy. Simply follow the instructions and you’ll create the product, though some proficiency is required.
“Perfect!”
This was a skill that didn’t require specialized knowledge or traits.
For now, it was exactly what I needed.
I tried it right away.
No specialized equipment was necessary.
All I needed was a large pot, fire, water, and materials.
Fortunately, I’d gathered enough supplies to make several batches.
Following the skill description, I added each ingredient in order, one by one.
Water temperature and heat control were also essential.
After five hours of careful work—
[Using the skill ‘Alchemy System (B)’, you successfully create ‘Twisted Yellow Spring Water (F-)’!]
[Manufacturing Lowest-grade Health Potion (F) has failed!]

Description: A poison made with clumsy craftsmanship. Drinking it is not recommended.
“This is harder than I thought.”
I followed the instructions exactly, yet it didn’t work.
So this is why alchemy is so difficult.
What I’d created wasn’t a potion—it was garbage.
But it wasn’t entirely bad.
Failure is the mother of success, after all.
Besides.
……When I acquire Burning Stone Tree (0/80), Purification Stone (0/50), Delicious-scented Ghost Grass (100/100), and Twisted Yellow Spring Water (0/1), I’ll be able to craft the Delicious Sealing Pan (D+)
Set Effect +1
Description: A Delicious Sealing Pan crafted by skillfully blending Burning Stone Tree, Delicious-scented Ghost Grass, Purification Stone, and Twisted Yellow Spring Water together! The negative aspects of the Twisted Yellow Spring Water are purified and burned away, leaving only the delicious aroma. Through the Set Effect, hunger saturation increases by 1.3 times merely by inhaling the scent!
I could even craft a piece of furniture.
There was no reason not to.
[Burning Stone Tree: (80/80)]
[Delicious-scented Ghost Grass: (100/100)]
[Twisted Yellow Spring Water: (1/1)]
[Purification Stone: (50/50)]
[Conditions met successfully!]
[Delicious Sealing Pan (D+) crafting complete!]
A sealing pan now hung from the ceiling of the Spirit’s Rest.
With the hunger-filling rate increased, Fire would be able to level up soon.
Learning from the failure, I tried once more.
[Using the skill ‘Alchemy System (B)’, you successfully create ‘Lowest-grade Health Potion (F)’!]
[Manufacturing Lowest-grade Health Potion (F) has succeeded!]

Description: Restores a minimal amount of health. It has an intensely bitter taste, being made by someone without skill.
“I did it!”
It was slightly cloudier than the one I’d been given, but for a first attempt, I was satisfied with this.
The only real problem was the production time.
I’d made just one bottle, and when I looked outside, the sky had already grown dim.
Creating a single Lowest-grade Health Potion had taken ten hours in total.
“Maybe I should just buy it instead?”
A wave of harsh reality crashed over me.

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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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