I Became an Almighty All-Master with EX-Rank Spirits - Chapter 4

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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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Episode 4
Episode 4
On the bus heading to Namdaemun.
I checked Fire’s status window.
❰Fire (EX) Lv. 2❱
❰Possessed Skill: Hellfire (EX)❱
❰Hunger: (620/2,000)❱
……New skill unlocks at Lv. 5
……Lee Chan-yeong unlocks new skill at Hunger 2,000
‘So the conditions stay the same, but it looks like Hunger increases the progression.’
I’d heard that the harder the achievement, the greater the reward.
On top of that, there are apparently other growth conditions needed besides Mana Stones.
But that’s still a long way off—no need to worry about it now.
What I need to focus on right now is Namdaemun.
I’d heard it was a pretty inconvenient place for beginners.
People often try to con you, and when they sell, they drive hard bargains.
It would be better to go to an official sales shop instead.
‘But that takes too long.’
Just the sales process alone takes days minimum.
The Mana Stone purchase procedure is complicated too.
I had no choice but to accept the risks.
I pulled out my phone to read the manual, when something squirmed in my chest.
-Waa!
[Fire (EX) is expressing dissatisfaction about being uncomfortable!]
It was Fire.
With arms crossed, the spirit popped out with a snap and glared at me sharply.
Clearly unhappy, Fire started pounding my chest repeatedly.
Ow! That hurts, you little brat.
For something so small, this spirit sure packs a punch.
A Fire Spirit King acting this childish was beyond ridiculous.
I’d kept Fire tucked away in my clothes because I didn’t want people staring.
Even for a spirit, visibility was still an issue.
Especially for an unusual spirit with a humanoid form.
But clearly Fire didn’t like that arrangement.
“Alright, stay still.”
-Waa!
[Fire (EX) is saying this is unbearably uncomfortable!]
“I told you I’d find you a better Mana Stone. You want me to stop? If you come out now, it’ll all be for nothing. No Mana Stones, no anything.”
-Waa.
[Fire (EX) is asking if we’re almost there.]
“Yeah. We’re almost there, so eat your Mana Stone and hold on just a bit longer.”
I managed to strike a deal.
I was already exhausted.
It looked like Fire grew larger with each level up.
What would happen if it got any bigger?
It seemed like it would be quite the handful.
I tucked Fire back into my chest and returned to reading the manual.
Even in a place inconvenient for beginners, there were shops that were honest and popular.
Places that carried both Mana Stones and byproducts.
‘Jin Hee Sangho.’
That shop was supposedly the most honest and had fair prices.
Far from conning people, they apparently even added extra value.
That’s why they had so many regular customers.
‘That’s where I need to go.’
-The next stop is Namdaemun.
I arrived at Namdaemun.
It was completely different from five years ago.
All manner of Mana Stones, items, and byproducts everywhere.
The market’s original form had vanished without a trace.
Instead, it was packed entirely with things that came from Towers and Gates.
“An F-grade Mana Stone for seventy thousand won? Come on, that’s too steep. Could you knock the price down a bit?”
“Ha! If you’re not buying, don’t touch anything. Knock the price down? I’ll knock your head clean off!”
The place still had that edge to it.
There was nothing worth seeing up front.
I headed straight inside.
“Right turn here, left after three blocks, then straight ahead. Here it is.”
Jin Hee Sangho
The signboard confirmed it, but the real magic was what surrounded the shop.
“Wow! Are you sure you’re being fair like this? I’m the seller and I’m starting to worry about your margins!”
“The quality is absolutely top-notch. I’ll take it today, thanks!”
“Oh my, grandmother. Please stop giving away these bargains. You’re going to run the shop into the ground. You’ve got to make a living too, you know.”
Every dialect in all of South Korea seemed to pour out of that place.
Even Jeju dialect was making an appearance.
“If you give away the goods like that, what’s left to make?”
“…… There it is.”
Exactly as the guide and the reviews had described.
The shop was packed wall to wall with customers.
Once the crowd thinned out a little, it was my turn.
The owner was a grandmother with a kind face.
She ran the shop under her daughter’s name and was always honest about it, or so people said.
“Haven’t seen you before, young man. What brings you here?”
“I need to sell some Goblin Byproducts and pick up some Mana Stones.”
“You’ve come to the right place. Show me what you’ve got.”
“Goblin Byproducts, and there’s quite a lot of it. Do you have somewhere spacious?”
“Of course. Over there.”
It was a wide room with an enormous scale.
Junk items like Goblin parts were apparently calculated by the kilogram.
I opened my Inventory and dumped everything out.
“How much could there possibly be to need a scale like that……”
Crash—crash—crash!
The owner’s jaw dropped open.
The amount pouring out was the kind that should come from guilds or large operations—not from a single person.
No wonder she was shocked.
Still, she quickly composed herself as if such things weren’t entirely unheard of, and began calculating the price.
“Total is 146.6 kilograms. Normally it’s ten thousand won per kilogram, but since you’ve brought so much, I’ll give you a special rate of 1.5 million won.”
“That works for me.”
I’d heard from what I’d read that the standard rate was around 9,600 won per kilogram.
I’d been worried she might quote me lower, but since she was being generous, I’d accept her offer.
A thick stack of cash landed in my palm.
A full 1.5 million won.
When was the last time I’d held money like this?
Every time I worked part-time jobs, most of it slipped through my fingers, leaving me with just tens of thousands.
Of course, I had no intention of spending this money on leisure.
‘Time to invest.’
Now that I’d sold all the Byproducts, it was time to buy Mana Stones.
“How do you handle Mana Stone sales?”
“F-grade five stones, E-grade ten, D-grade thirty.”
The prices were steep.
Though they were cheaper than the place I’d seen earlier.
‘I can’t afford a lot.’
I decided not to spend it all—I’d hold back 300,000 won.
Since I’d quit my part-time job, if I found something decent at Namdaemun I could pick it up and use the rest for living expenses.
Though it was rare, people said that with a good eye, you could find real bargains there.
“Give me nine E-grade and one D-grade.”
She placed them in a clean paper envelope and handed it over to me.
Along with a business card tucked inside.
“You strike me as someone with real talent, young man. Call and come by again, and I’ll give you an even better rate.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you.”
Now I understood why the guide and the reviews recommended this place so highly.
My business here was finished.
He’d almost headed straight home when he decided to drop by Namdaemun instead.
He hadn’t visited since his awakening, and as he’d mentioned, there was always a chance of finding something worthwhile.
-Chirp!
[Fire (EX) is pestering you to hand over a Mana Stone at once.]
First things first—he handed a Mana Stone to Fire.
The creature had been showing its discomfort openly, but now the crumpled expression vanished.
With an almost angelic face, it devoured the Mid-low-grade Mana Stone.
It savored the stone, though it didn’t take long to consume.
Three hundred thousand won gone in an instant.
Still, judging by the creature’s expression, it had been worth every penny.
Mid-low-grade and Low-grade stones were in entirely different leagues.
The regret lasted only a moment.
❰Hunger: (1,030/2,000)❱
‘Oh, a hundred-point jump.’
The reason to climb the tower had become crystal clear.
He’d have to think seriously about entering a Gate as well.
‘At this rate, I’ll be spending money faster than I earn it.’
The problem was Fire’s expensive palate.
But then again, it came with skills that were nothing short of extraordinary.
He tucked Fire back into his arms and ventured deeper into Namdaemun.
“Wow, quite the selection of items.”
The further he went, the more he felt like he’d stepped into another world.
Armor and weapons were the standard fare, but there were also accessories and all manner of peculiar things.
Like a Minotaur’s teat or something.
Why on earth did anyone stock such things?
Never mind—he’d just ignore them.
Countless shops came into view.
Among them, his eye was oddly drawn to an antique dealer’s stall.
And for good reason—an old Jewel Box was sitting there.
‘It’s glowing?’
Brilliantly, at that.
Was it the enhanced Skill’s doing?
As he drew closer, the impression crystallized.
[You have discovered an Unknown Jewel Box.]
[If you clear the Trial inside, perhaps a generous reward awaits?]
More than anything, Fire went wild.
-Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
[Fire (EX) says there’s a delicious scent coming from over there!]
[Fire (EX) is crying out that you need to buy it before someone else does!]
“All right, all right. Calm down.”
What luck!
Fearing someone else might snatch it away, he hurried to find the shop owner.
* * *
Back at his apartment.
He set the remaining 250,000 won on the table.
“Fifty thousand won for an old, unadorned Jewel Box? That’s highway robbery.”
The owner had fleeced him, plain and simple.
Seeing a young customer willing to buy, he’d probably thought it was his chance.
Under different circumstances, he would have haggled hard.
‘But someone could buy it before me.’
Still, he harbored no regret.
The 50,000 won investment would pay for itself many times over.
He decided against entering the box right away and rested instead.
Better to recover his stamina while waiting for the next Skill to unlock.
The Trial inside might not be another simple monster hunt—it could be something entirely different.
There was no harm in being prepared.
The wait was mercifully brief.
[Hunger has reached 2,000!]
[Fire (EX)’s Level has increased by 1!]
❰Fire (EX) Lv. 3❱
❰Possessed Skill: Hellfire (EX)❱
❰Hunger: (0/4,000)❱
……New skill unlocks when reaching Level 5
……Lee Chan-yeong unlocks new skill when Hunger reaches 4,000
“Four thousand? Really?”
-That’s correct. My congratulations.
“Much obliged, Clone.”
-Think nothing of it.
What I’d only theorized had come to pass.
I wasn’t merely considering entering a Gate—I had to. I had to actually do it.
It was too late to go today, so I’d need to prepare carefully.
❰Eyes of Nature (C)❱
Description: Everything that exists in nature becomes visible to your eyes.
“Another Passive Skill! My trait must be quite favorable.”
-Gee-gee!
[Fire (EX) boasts that his contribution is the greatest.]
“You’re right. It’s all thanks to you.”
I’d acquired a solid skill.
All preparations were complete.
The entry method remained identical.
“Trial beginning.”
And yes.
My vision blackened, then gradually returned from the center outward.
It was neither forest nor sky.
An endless plain stretched before me.
Wind swept across the grass and moved on.
There was no goblin stench.
Only the scent of grass filled my lungs.
“There’s nothing here. Just grass and wind. You see it too, right?”
-Gee-gee.
[Fire (EX) says his eyes confirm the same.]
As I tilted my head in confusion, the Trial’s details finally came to mind.
[You have arrived at the Trial of the Unknown Jewel Box.]
[Defeat one Golden Centipede.]
[Golden Centipede: 0/1]
“Monster hunting again!”
Doubly fortunate.
Just one—that should be simple enough.
Straight to Hellfire, then.
[Fire (EX)’s possessed skill, ‘Hellfire (EX)’, activates.]
Crack-crack-crack-crack-bang!
Whoosh!
“Wearing earplugs makes this far more pleasant.”
That should be the end of it.
I was about to leave and check my rewards without looking back.
“Hm? It didn’t work?”
-Gee-gee?
[Fire (EX) asks why the monster wasn’t defeated.]
“I have no idea.”
No response from the system.
I hesitated before firing off another Hellfire.
I’d been thoughtless—there was only one enemy, after all.
‘The goal is to defeat the monster, but when there’s just one, there’s usually a condition. You have to find it hiding somewhere or perform a specific action to make it appear.’
I’d start by searching.
If it’s a centipede, it likely burrowed underground.
If it’s not visible on such an open plain, that much is certain.
The Eyes of Nature proved their worth.
Through my left eye, a faint brown landscape came into view.
Earth.
Looking more closely, I could make out yellow as well.
To be precise, it was a massive golden creature.
The very one I’d been searching for.
Position roughly ten meters ahead, depth around thirty meters?
The depth was considerable, which seemed to have shielded it from the Hellfire.
But now that my eyes had found it, that protection meant nothing.
“One more shot possible? Concentrate the power?”
-Chirp, chirp.
[Fire (EX) is requesting pigs’ feet.]
[Fire (EX) says it won’t do it unless you give them.]
“Fine, I’ll buy you pigs’ feet. And chicken too.”
-Chirp?
[Fire (EX) is asking what that is.]
“Such things exist. Try it and see if you’re surprised.”
The promise of something more delicious got Fire moving again.
A spirit that should be content with Mana Stones or nothing, yet here it was coveting my food like this.
Still, its ability was undeniable.
The widely spread Hellfire contracted, its force concentrating into a narrower beam.
And then came volleys of it, one after another.
[Fire (EX)’s Passive Skill, ‘Hellfire (EX)’, activates.]
[Fire (EX)’s Passive Skill, ‘Hellfire (EX)’, activates.]
Boom-boom-boom-boom-bang!
Boom-boom-boom-boom-bang!
Even buried deep underground, the Golden Centipede couldn’t withstand it.
And so—
[You have cleared the Trial of an Unknown Jewel Box!]
[Golden Centipede: 1/1]
[Golden Centipede Carapace × 1 has been awarded!]
[Lowest-grade Mana Stone (F) × 405 acquired!]
[Low-grade Mana Stone (E) × 74 acquired!]
[Mid-low-grade Mana Stone (D) × 32 acquired!]
[Mid-grade Mana Stone (C) × 1 acquired!]
Mana Stones poured out in abundance.

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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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