Laborer Mr. Kim Reaps Sweet Rewards with Auto-Hunting - Chapter 16

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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 16

When a unique skill’s grade rises?
Everything changes.
First, the skill’s performance.

[Worker Summoning (Grade – Silver)]
[At the current grade, all entities classified as Superior or Intermediate rank can be summoned.]

When it was Bronze, the summoning range.
Superior, Intermediate, Inferior.
Well, no.
Truth be told, Inferior ranks made up nearly everything.
Superior, I summoned twice.
Intermediate was…
Maybe six times, at most?
Everything else was Inferior rank.

“Hmm… Supreme rank isn’t in the range yet.”

So, what about Robin’s summoning cooldown?

[Fixed Team Summoning]
1. Arthur (Superior)
2. Robin (Supreme) : Available for summoning in 05 days 17 hours 27 minutes
3. Orc Squad (Inferior)
4. Rani (Superior) : Currently summoning
5. Empty

Still a week away.
Frustrating.
I wonder if raising it one more grade would do it.

“The orcs — must be because I added them to the fixed team beforehand. Looks like I can summon them after all.”

That’s good news.
Those orcs?
They’d grown stronger than Intermediate rank, whether from training or what.
I’ll have to call them often and put them to good use.
I’ll be counting on them going forward.

And what else has changed?
The daily summon limit.

[Daily Summon Limit 4 → 5]

It’s gone up to five.
Now even if I fill the fixed team completely, I’ll still have one summon left over each day.
And finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for.

[New Feature Unlocked : Worker Training Facility Now Available]

A Worker Training Facility.
The name alone gives off the right impression.
Let me take a look.

[Worker Training Facility – A place for enhancing the abilities of workers. High-grade workers, or the personnel manager can participate as instructors in training sessions.]

Me?
I don’t think I’m suited for it….
I’ll send Arthur instead.
Arthur will be pleased.
He was already fond of training the lower-grade workers anyway.
But isn’t that what we’ve been doing all along?

[Training efficiency increases when workers are trained at the Worker Training Facility.]

Ah, I see.
Reading further, it’s different.
That’s good though?
We’ve been doing this the whole time, and now the efficiency goes up too?
Like a fish finding water.
The problem is….

Ding!
[Insufficient space to open the Worker Training Facility.]

“…….”

It’s because I live in a basement studio apartment.
This is really too much.
The room’s already cramped as it is!
This won’t do.
There’s no getting around it.

“I need to move.”
“Move?”
“Get a bigger place.”
“A bigger place, yes!”

Money?
I have enough.
I’ve been converting Mana Stones little by little, just in case.

[Current Balance: 67,230,000 Won]

I can find a two-room monthly rental.
If I sell the high-grade Mana Stones I got today too?
I’d have enough to buy an apartment outright.
But no.
I want to choose my own place more carefully.

For now, I’ll just look for a two-room rental.
I’ve already scouted a few places.
I should go check them out today.

* * *

In front of the Hwaran Guild Building in Seoul.
Usually only guild members passed through here….
But today the place was bustling and crowded.

“They say they’ll definitely clear the 53rd floor today, think it’s possible?”
“You think? Probably just wishful thinking.”
“I bet they’ll end up failing and then go with the ‘they fought well’ spin.”

Reporters from numerous broadcasting networks — KBC, SBC, MBS, and more.
The reason they’d gathered?
The Hwaran Guild Master’s declaration to conquer the 53rd floor.

“Even if he clears the 53rd floor, won’t he still fall short of Lee Bo-jun?”
“Come now. You’re a journalist—is that really what you should say? If Lee Bo-jun is underperforming and Baek Hwa-rang succeeds in the conquest, the picture changes entirely.”
“Well, that’s a barrier we’d have to break through either way.”
“That’s fair enough….”

Baek Hwa-rang’s declaration?
I don’t trust it particularly.
If he could clear it now, why would he have stalled for six months in the first place?
He’s stuck because he can’t advance.

“Ah! Did you happen to find the materials he was searching for?”
“Apparently he didn’t find them.”
“Hmm…. Then there’s no way forward.”

What’s this.
He didn’t acquire new equipment either?
Then there really is no way….
The odds are nearly zero now.
But what can you do.
If you want to write even one article, you have to wait.

“It’s been about four hours since he went in?”
“It’s now exactly four hours and thirty-one minutes.”

Domestically, only one person has cleared the 53rd floor.
Number one in the rankings—Lee Bo-jun.
His record?
Six hours and twenty-seven minutes.
If this is a clear, it’d take at least that long.
If he fails, it’ll take longer.

“We’ll need to wait at least another two hours.”

I let out a deep sigh—

“Ah, my apologies. I’ve kept you all waiting quite long.”

Baek Hwa-rang came out?
Already?
A failure, then.
My mind reeled with questions.
But like true journalists, our bodies moved reflexively.

Click! Click!
We snapped photos first.

“Baek Hwa-rang, what are the results!”
“Did you fail!”
“You came out faster than expected—is there a reason?”
……
…

A barrage of questions immediately followed.
Questions that naturally presupposed failure, but….
What was Baek Hwa-rang’s answer?

“A failure? No. I succeeded and came back out. I told you. I’d conquer the 53rd floor and return.”
“What?”
“Success…, you say?”

He’d succeeded and come back out.
So he cleared Floor 53 in just four hours?
That doesn’t make sense.

“If any of you reporters are Awakeners, check the Awakener Net. I’ve made my floor count public.”

Right.
Baek Hwa-rang used his real name and disclosed the information.
Could he have actually cleared it?
Several reporters waved their hands through the air with a whoosh.
And then—

“It’s real?”
“Baek Hwa-rang. Current tower floor: 54. Clear confirmed.”
“He cleared it…?”

It was real?
Just like that?
How did he manage it?
Then one reporter asked—

“Wait, Baek Hwa-rang. Your sword looks different. Is that right?”
“Yes, you observed well.”

His sword looked different?
Looking closer, it really was different.
Could that be the reason.
I should ask.

“Did changing weapons play a role in clearing Floor 53?”
“Yes.”

It did?
What kind of options could it possibly have.
I’m curious….

“Would you like me to show you?”

Asking would be impolite.
I was just licking my lips, wondering….
And he’s going to show it?

“Yes!”
“Here, everyone take a look.”

He really is showing it?
The name is….
Hwaryeuk?
An unusual name.
But that wasn’t what caught my attention.

“What… are these options…….”

No.

“These specs—Mystical Grade or higher? No, they’re beyond that.”
“That’s incredible.”
“May I ask where you obtained it?”

The 53rd floor cleared?
Of course that’s good news.
But if we could find out where that sword came from?
That would be the scoop of a lifetime.
All eyes turned toward Baek Hwa-rang.
He opened his mouth.

“The Director of the Worker Training Facility—a most distinguished individual—had it forged for me.”

* * *

At much the same moment.
The Awakener Management Bureau was in complete chaos.

“Who the hell leaked this?”
“What about Lee Bo-jun? What’s he saying?”
“We can’t reach him.”
“Send someone directly. Keep the reporters away from him.”
“I’ll dispatch people right away.”

Lee Bo-jun’s poor performance and slump.
They’d kept it buried for so long, but somehow the rumors had broken free—and spread all at once without anyone able to stop it.
This had to be deliberate.
Someone had orchestrated it.

“So we can’t trace where it started.”
“That’s correct.”
A long sigh.

Finding who was behind this could wait.
Right now?
They had to contain the damage first.

“What about the American side? Didn’t we hear about a major guild there with a craftsperson who specializes in weapons?”
“They turned us down. Said their order book is already full.”
“Damn. Any other options?”
“We’re looking, but so far….”

There was really only one solution.
Get Lee Bo-jun a convincing weapon,
and have him clear the 58th floor.
But…
they had no way to get one.

Another sigh.

The conference room was thick with resignation.
Then—
Click!
Someone burst through the door in a rush.

“We need to ask the Director of the Worker Training Facility right now! We have to!”

What nonsense was this?

“The Director? What are you talking about all of a sudden? What, a dungeon break?”
“No. Look at this. Baek Hwa-rang just cleared the 53rd floor, and apparently the Director of the Worker Training Facility forged that weapon.”

And with that, they thrust a phone forward.

“What?”

What is this….
The head of the Worker Training Facility made that weapon?

“At that level, couldn’t we trust Lee Bo-jun with it?”
“It looks even better than a Mystical Grade Weapon.”

Exactly.

“What are you doing? Contact Lee Bo-jun right now. Actually, have the car ready. I need to go tell him in person.”

The way to overcome his slump.
I’ve found it.

* * *

Who was the head of the Worker Training Facility?
The snowball that had started rolling from Baek Hwa-rang’s mention grew rapidly.

[The head of the Worker Training Facility was already famous on Awakener Net lol]

Already famous on Awakener Net?
Why? What made him famous?
The view count climbed in an instant.
The post was straightforward.

——-
The head of the Worker Training Facility was already famous on Awakener Net lol

Back in the day, he cleared an F-Rank Dungeon in 13 minutes.
You know that monster who cut the Mixed Tower’s first floor in 2 minutes?
I’m pretty sure that’s him.
Right after that article dropped, he started posting on Awakener Net, so all hunters already knew lol

– Wait? How are you so sure it’s the same person???
└ Look at the records lol The head of the Worker Training Facility finishes any dungeon in under 10 minutes
└ ????????
└ I’m an active hunter and that’s legit.
– I literally cursed him out when I saw him clear an A-Rank Dungeon in 15 minutes a while back lol
└ What are you saying now;;; A-Rank in 15 minutes???
└ The guy just doesn’t make sense
└ You gotta think of him as a monster lol
——-

What is this….
Was that actually true?
It didn’t make sense, and yet I couldn’t dismiss it either.
The evidence was too clear.

– Hello, this is KBC. We’re covering a story about the head of the Worker Training Facility—would you be available for an interview?
– This is MBS.

Starting from the internet.
Reporters.
Even the Awakener Management Bureau and the Five Major Guilds.
They all began searching desperately for one man.

* * *

The protagonist who set all of Korea ablaze with talk.
The Worker Training Facility Director, Yun Ha-jun.
What could he be doing?

[Fixed Team Summoning]
– Arthur (Advanced)
– Rani (Advanced)

“Arthur, come on over.”
“Rani too!”
“Evening, everyone.”

What else?
As usual, I’m summoning the workers and getting ready for a job.
I need to earn plenty if I’m going to move.

“Everyone, take a good look at this place. In a few days, you won’t see it anymore.”

Moving preparations?
Already done.
Contract signed and all.
Now it’s just a matter of packing and moving out.
But I’m not going right away, so….
I might as well work.

“Arthur, ready to head out?”

Our Arthur.
He hasn’t even had his coffee today, but he’s already preparing to leave.
Maybe we should have a drink after work?
I was about to nod when….

“Director! Rani can make a sword!”
“Huh? What sword?”
“The leftover materials from last time! I’m going to make Arthur a sword with them!”

Oh, right.
There were leftover materials.

“Arthur, you’re getting a sword?”
“Sounds like it?”

That’s Rani for you.
She grabs the materials right away and hands them over.
In what feels like no time, she disappears into a corner and comes back with it finished.

“Tada! Pretty, right?”

So, whose work is this anyway.
But Rani….

“You’re supposed to name it this time too.”
“Hmm…. Hwalhwal!”
“Is that right? That’s Arthur’s sword?”

Arthur was staring at it eagerly.
Sorry.
That’s the maker’s call to make, after all.
Hwalhwal it is.
What about options?

[Hwalhwal]
– A masterwork by a highly skilled craftsman.
– Adds continuous fire attribute damage.
– Intense heat reduces enemy defense.
– Automatically counterattacks with flames whenever blocking enemy attacks.
– Enables use of special skill Yeolhwa Sword.
– Increases fire attribute resistance.

No, wait.

“This is better than what you made yesterday?”
“Yeah! I fixed the parts Rani regretted when making Hwaryeuk!”

She made it only once yesterday, yet she refined the flaws?
Is Rani a genius?
At this rate, Arthur won’t have any complaints either.

“Look at this.”
“A sword! Excellent! Even better than the one Arthur used to have!”
“What do you think—is Hwalhwal not impressive?”
“Hwaryeuk! It’s fantastic!”

See?
I told you he’d be satisfied.
Look how much he keeps handling it—he can’t put it down.
Watching him, I’m curious myself.
He was already strong before.
I wonder how much stronger he’ll become now that his sword has improved.

“Arthur, now that you’ve got a new sword, you ought to test it out, right?”

Want to hit the tower with me? It’s been a while.
I’m curious to see just how much stronger you’ve gotten.

—————
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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