My Catastrophic‑Level Summon Devours Gates - Chapter 16
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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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Episode 16
Since we defeated the boss monster.
It’s time for the fun loot settlement.
I glanced back slightly.
“Please take everything.”
“Are you sure that’s okay?”
“We already received the SSS-rank clear reward.”
Well, alright then.
Offering out of courtesy is only done once.
I’m lucky to have met such considerate people despite being a last-minute addition.
There were two items obtained from defeating the Twin Living Armor.
The first one was.
The axe that it had been using.
[Grudge-Laden Axe]
Grade: Magic
Type: Weapon
Durability: 341/400
An axe abandoned on the battlefield that became imbued with the resentment of the dead.
It provides powerful strength, but there’s a low chance of being consumed by grudges.
*Slash Lv 34
*Low chance to inflict Fear Lv 10 on target when hit.
*Very low chance to inflict Rage Lv 6 on user when swinging the weapon.
Oh.
The Slash amplification effect is at rare grade level.
It has the drawback that you might lose your mind while swinging it.
But it should fetch a decent price if sold.
【There’s one more.】
Sir Isra held out a yellow stone.
“Oh. It’s a lottery ticket.”
“Lottery ticket?”
“The official name is Fragmented Soul Stone, but everyone calls it that.”
When used on regular items, it apparently produces enhancement effects.
The Hunter who had been laughing while saying ‘Usually it’s a dud though’ glanced at me.
Hmm.
It seems like.
I guess you guys can’t see this option.
[Fragmented Soul Stone]
Grade: Magic
Category: Catalyst
Durability: 10/10
A stone containing fragments of souls.
Something good might happen if used on ordinary items?
*Binds when acquired.
*Can enhance ordinary items.
―Destruction probability: 60%
―Magic item: 39%
―Unique item: 1%
*Part of a soul dwells within this item.
This thing.
It’s not an ordinary lottery ticket.
An item with part of a soul dwelling within it!
Like the option written on the Corpse Byproduct, this must be visible only to me.
Kehehehe.
How lucky!
Right.
I should sort out the traffic before leaving.
“Everyone. You caught a ride thanks to me, right?”
“Y-yes.”
“It’s going to be noisy outside about an SSS-rank appearing.”
“We don’t know anything.”
There’s no need to turn pale like that.
Anyone watching would think I’m about to commit murder or something.
I have no intention of hiding my abilities.
However.
Sir Isra’s performance improvements.
The possibilities of Bone Metallurgy.
Upgraded skills and such.
It’s not too late to enjoy fame after understanding the true value of my enhanced abilities.
If these Hunters keep the secret, it reduces troublesome matters.
Even if they don’t, it’s not a big loss.
“So we’ve become secret friends?”
“Yeeees.”
Everyone smile.
Anyone would think I threatened them or something.
* * *
[Domain of Challenge] is a fairly famous Gate.
Instance-type.
And five patterns.
It’s a good training ground for building capabilities as a Hunter.
The rewards are also quite generous, so many people frequent the place.
That said.
“An SSS-grade clear came out?”
Achieving the highest grade wasn’t something that could be done easily.
Less than an hour after Min-ho conquered the Domain of Challenge.
All the major guilds were able to receive news of the SSS-grade clear.
For example.
[Director Baek Seong-hyeon]
Like the high-ranking official of Chilseong Guild, one of the Domestic Big 5.
“The Domain of Challenge was a place where one of five patterns appears randomly, right?”
“Yes. This SSS-grade clear is said to be the Corridor Type.”
“If it’s the Corridor Type, isn’t that the most troublesome pattern?”
Baek Seong-hyeon raised his gaze upward as if recalling something.
“Living Armor. The boss is Twin Type. Right?”
“As expected of you, Director.”
“I’m also from the Human Resources Department. I should naturally know that much.”
Baek Seong-hyeon dismissed it as nothing special.
The HR Manager gulped and swallowed.
‘It’s strange that someone who’s been promoted to executive level for several years knows the field like someone still working on-site.’
There are hundreds of Fixed Gates in Seoul alone.
Is it normal to know the patterns of one D-grade Gate among them by heart?
Maybe if you were a new hire in Human Resources.
But recalling such minor details quickly without even looking them up was difficult even for the HR Manager.
After reading the hastily written report several times, Baek Seong-hyeon slowly parted his lips.
“It can’t be a coincidence.”
“Pardon?”
“Tower of Ascension S-rank. And this SSS-grade conquest.”
The two Hunters are highly likely to be the same person.
No.
It would be better to think of them as the same person and act accordingly.
“Director. That Gate is a place that requires five people to conquer.”
Baek Seong-hyeon frowned.
“I trust you’re not trying to tell me that all five of them are possibilities.”
“I’m, I’m sorry.”
“Did you find any witnesses?”
“We’re still investigating.”
“So you haven’t found any.”
“It’s a place with heavy foot traffic…”
The HR Manager was struggling.
Baek Seong-hyeon let out a short sigh.
“The Human Resources Department needs to be more alert.”
At his sharp words, the HR Manager clamped his mouth shut.
How many years had it been since an S-rank emerged from the Tower of Ascension!
He had been promoted from E-rank to D-rank.
It was obvious he would enter D-rank Gates.
Wasn’t monitoring all the D-rank Gates across the nation basic protocol!
“In my day, getting nosebleeds from monitoring was standard.”
Baek Seong-hyeon clicked his tongue in disapproval.
The HR Manager was sweating profusely.
That “back in my day” talk was very common among office workers.
But the person in front of him was a bit different.
A non-awakened.
And a regular employee at that.
He was someone who joined with unremarkable specs and climbed his way up to director with his bare hands at Seven Stars, a leading Guild.
His eye for identifying Hunters with outstanding potential!
His persistence in using any means necessary to win over targets!
Even if.
He failed to recruit someone to the Guild.
He would maintain contact consistently to win their hearts and ensure they helped the Guild’s operations directly or indirectly.
‘That’s how he got promoted from regular employee to director.’
The legend of regular employees!
Being such a person.
Even when he talked about the old days in front of the HR Manager, one had to be careful.
“Manager Kim.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s pay a bit more attention.”
“Understood.”
“D-rank Gates. Focus monitoring on the metropolitan area.”
If he had his way, he would have wanted to tell them to search through every Gate in the nation.
Baek Seong-hyeon held back his itching desire to say more.
He knew all too well that today’s staff members didn’t work until their eyes turned red like he used to.
His fingers were itching.
He desperately craved the cigarettes he had quit three years ago.
“Manager Kim.”
“Yes, sir.”
“The Hunter who achieved SSS-rank. If we find him, the entire Human Resources Department will get incentives.”
“…!”
“So please do your best.”
“Understood.”
After wielding the whip, you had to offer the carrot too.
‘This should make him nervous enough.’
Baek Seong-hyeon tilted his head back and leaned it against the chair.
Despite the soft sensation that should have relaxed his mind, his thoughts spun tensely.
‘It’s been five years since we had an S-rank promotion in the country.’
Hunters who achieved S-rank had all distinguished themselves in their respective fields.
Even the Hunter who received S-rank before Min-ho was like that.
Low grade?
That wasn’t a flaw.
Rather, it meant infinite growth potential.
If there was a lottery ticket that guaranteed a win when scratched.
Wouldn’t it be stupid not to buy it?
So.
‘We need to find him before the other guilds do.’
For Seven Stars’ future.
This was a Hunter they absolutely had to recruit.
Even if negotiations didn’t go well.
They had to consistently care for him so he wouldn’t harbor ill feelings toward Seven Stars.
Since being promoted to executive level.
He had tried to avoid stepping forward when possible, only providing overall direction.
This case was an exception.
‘I can’t just leave this to Manager Kim alone.’
When was the last time he had personally gone out to recruit a single Hunter?
This person was worth it.
By now.
The other Domestic Big 5 would also be busily moving to recruit the unknown S-rank promotee.
From now on, it was a race against time.
Who could move faster.
How quickly they could prepare stronger cards.
That would determine whether they could recruit the S-rank promotee who appeared after five years as an ally.
‘The notable characteristic would be that he seems uncomfortable with being known, I suppose.’
S-rank promotion.
On top of that, a D-rank Gate SSS-rank clear.
Achieving just one of those would be enough to boast about for a lifetime.
Just revealing that he had achieved those records would be enough for major guilds to roll out the red carpet and welcome him with open arms.
However.
The fact that it’s still quiet means he either dislikes fame or is being cautious.
‘That’s fine. He’s bound to stand out somewhere.’
Like an awl in a bag.
Even if an outstanding Hunter tries to hide their traces, they’re bound to show eventually.
The Hunter who was promoted to S-rank 5 years ago was the same.
It was Baek Seong-hyeon who brought that Hunter into Seven Stars’ fold.
It was also the decisive achievement for his executive promotion.
‘Let’s start by finding out who the new S-rank promotee is.’
A flame flickered in Baek Seong-hyeon’s eyes.
* * *
After coming out of the Gate.
I headed straight to the Hunter Market.
“95 D-rank Magic Stones.”
“The commission is 10%.”
“Yes.”
[KM Bank – 47,920,170 won has been deposited.]
Magic Stones change in market price at set intervals like gold.
D-rank average is around 500,000 won.
Considering the commission, I got a slightly higher price.
“Kehehehehet!”
【I would appreciate it if you could refrain from that vulgar laughter.】
“Are you nagging me about how I laugh?”
【As befits the lord of I, Isra, one must have dignity.】
What’s with this dignity nonsense.
I let Sir Isra’s complaints go in one ear and out the other.
【Are we going back now?】
“I want to do some shopping.”
Corpse Crafting’s rank had risen to D.
The variety of undead I could create had increased.
And higher-tier byproducts could also be used as materials.
【What would happen if you used parts from strong monsters without being bound by rank?】
“It won’t perform properly.”
It’s not that I hadn’t thought about the point Sir Isra raised.
I had tried making undead by buying ogre muscle with money I’d saved for several months.
[Material exceeds user’s capabilities.]
[Performance decreased by 90%.]
The Ogre Thigh Muscle I bought for over 100 million.
When I saw it perform similarly to an orc, I gave up.
“Since I got promoted, higher grades should be fine now.”
【Are you going to enhance this body too?】
“That’s on hold.”
【Huh.】
“Don’t misunderstand.”
Undead Creation isn’t just about slapping on strong parts.
It’s quite delicate work.
“Modifying you will have to wait until my skills improve more.”
【Hahaha. I look forward to it.】
When did he throw that sharp question again.
Really.
This knight fellow was too simple.
【So what are you planning to make?】
“Zombie Warrior.”
As my Corpse Crafting grade increased, I obtained Design Plans for several types of undead.
―Zombie Warrior.
―Skeleton Warrior.
―Skeleton Mage.
―Undead Cavalier.
Four types in total.
The first one I’d try was the Zombie Warrior.
【Is there a particular reason?】
“I’m familiar with it.”
With Spirit Eye activated, I bought various things at the Hunter Market.
Now.
Shall I start working.
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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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