The Automatic Rooting Range Is Too Wide - Chapter 174

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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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Auto Looting Range Too Wide Episode 174
Chapter

Episode 174: Higher-ups (4)
“But why are you trying to include me?”
This Hidden Stage entrance ticket was so rare that even Seol-aeng had only managed to obtain a single one.
Moreover, the group that Park Du-nam belonged to, Bungwon Gangjilgeun, was quite large in scale.
It wasn’t as though they lacked personnel, so it felt odd that they would invite an outsider like me to participate.
-Butcher: I heard that only five people can enter per ticket. Is it really okay for me to join?
-Romantic Adventurer: Ah, you don’t need to worry about that. Our Teacher decided that we should recruit skilled individuals, even if they’re outsiders.
-Butcher: Your Teacher?
-Romantic Adventurer: This Hidden Stage is quite unusual. While multi-entry Hidden Stages themselves aren’t particularly special, this is the first time tickets have been distributed to an unspecified number of people, as far as I know.
-Romantic Adventurer: Because of that, rumors say that not only Large Guilds but even Mid-sized Guilds are all planning to participate.
-Romantic Adventurer: It’s somewhat embarrassing to admit, but our group’s Awakened are inferior in overall strength compared to guild Awakened.
-Romantic Adventurer: Our group is no exception. We can’t help but fall behind against Large Guilds, let alone Mid-sized ones.
-Romantic Adventurer: But we can’t just throw away such a rare opportunity either.
-Romantic Adventurer: So our Teacher decided to hire mercenaries to bolster our combat strength.
I see.
I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
Bungwon Gangjilgeun seemed far more flexible than his straightforward image suggested.
-Butcher: Still, with your Teacher’s connections, couldn’t you fill five slots with skilled people without needing outside help?
-Romantic Adventurer: Would just him be enough? He’s not even a match for promising prospects from Large Guilds. And he’s even faced Kang Ung-hyeok!
-Romantic Adventurer: Above all, this Hidden Stage allows participation up to the 50th floor.
-Romantic Adventurer: Even if we mobilize all of our Teacher’s connections, it’s difficult to fill five slots with truly skilled Awakened who are close to the 50th floor level.
So it seemed my turn had come.
-Butcher: How are you planning to distribute the rewards?
-Romantic Adventurer: It will depend on what rewards we obtain, but we’re thinking of dividing them by percentage!
-Romantic Adventurer: There’s also room for the percentage to vary based on each individual’s performance!
In other words, you get what you earn through your contributions.
Thinking it over again, this was a proposal with no downside for me.
If I could obtain even a single Unique Skill Enhancement Token, it would be an enormous gain.
-Butcher: I’ll participate.
-Romantic Adventurer: Really? Then I’ll contact you again in two weeks!
And so my conversation with Park Du-nam came to an end.
***
Before participating in the Mega Hidden Stage, I had something I needed to do.
It was to acquire new equipment.
“Wow, it’s cut so cleanly.”
I gazed down at the hand axes broken into pieces and spoke.
They had all been destroyed by Hisolikan’s slash.
Though my newly acquired weapons had been damaged overnight, I didn’t feel particularly regretful.
Since they were cut so cleanly, I could simply have them remelted and remade.
The problem was the Volcano’s Wrath.
Its surface had been deeply gouged while blocking Hisolikan’s slash.
“The function is fine, but… if I keep using it like this, it’ll break eventually, won’t it?”
That was something I absolutely wanted to avoid.
The Volcano’s Wrath was a weapon that performed its role excellently in both close and ranged combat.
There was one more problem on top of that.
“Where am I supposed to get armor now?”
I let out a deep sigh while staring at the leather armor that had become rags.
I needed to acquire new armor before participating in the Hidden Stage, but I had no clear method.
How was I supposed to obtain a Unique-grade armor, of all things?
“Should I just bring Rare-grade armor instead?”
I immediately shook my head.
How could I enter a Hidden Stage wearing Rare-grade armor when I didn’t know what would happen?
That was exactly what happened this time.
After stopping Ramakan, Hisolikan had burst out without warning.
If it hadn’t been for the Black Drake armor, I would have died in a single strike.
After experiencing such a dangerous situation, I couldn’t help but be cautious.
After pondering for a moment, I opened my friends list.
I stared intently at the username “Olttetiramisu” in my friends list.
“I need to contact them anyway to repair the hand axes… should I ask?”
I immediately sent a message to Olttetiramisu.
-Manwolsang: Hello, Olttetiramisu. I have quite a few favors to ask of you.
***
South Korea’s first and finest Awakened-exclusive blacksmith workshop.
The Bulgasal Forge rang with the sound of hammers striking steel day after day.
Iron chunks were thrust into furnaces stoked with mana stones and various materials, then quenched in specialized solutions.
Blacksmithing was grueling work, so the workshop was populated almost entirely by burly men.
Yet among them stood one solitary woman—a splash of color in a monochrome world.
“Phew.”
Yun Ga-yeong set down her hammer and wiped the sweat from her brow.
She felt like she might die from the heat, but she couldn’t simply turn on the air conditioning.
Tower materials were far too delicate—even the slightest temperature fluctuation could ruin them.
*Sip.*
She was taking a sip of her iced americano when it happened.
-Manwolsang: Olttetiramisu, hello. I have quite a few favors to ask of you.
A message arrived without warning.
Yun Ga-yeong jumped and cried out.
“Wow, they’re here! I got a message from Manwolsang!”
At her shout, all the blacksmiths dropped their tools and crowded around her.
“Manwolsang? The one who brought in a fortune in platinum ingots last time?”
“Ga-yeong, switch to group chat mode right now. We need to see this too.”
At her Teacher and Seonbae’s request, Yun Ga-yeong changed the message settings.
The message that had been visible only to her eyes now appeared to everyone else as well.
-Olttetiramisu: Oh my, Manwolsang! You reached out so quickly this time! Were you satisfied with the weapons you ordered last time?
Yun Ga-yeong sent the message on the spot.
The Seonbaes who read it burst out laughing.
“Wow, our Ga-yeong… you actually know how to put on airs with strangers.”
“I thought you were a different person. Are you really our Ga-yeong?”
Yun Ga-yeong’s face flushed crimson.
“If you keep this up, I’m ending the conversation!”
“Ooh, she’s mad, she’s mad. Who was teasing our Ga-yeong!”
“Aren’t you all going to get those platinum ingots? Hurry and cheer Ga-yeong up!”
Yun Ga-yeong trembled with her fists clenched.
This was exactly why she hadn’t wanted them to find out.
-Manwolsang: I was extremely satisfied with the items. But a slight problem has come up.
-Olttetiramisu: A problem?
-Manwolsang: It would be faster to show you with photos.
Moments later, a photo arrived. Yun Ga-yeong opened it without much thought, only to be struck with shock.
The photo showed hand axes broken into fragments.
“….”
“….”
Not just Yun Ga-yeong, but all the senior blacksmiths’ faces went rigid.
“Weren’t those weapons made from platinum ingots?”
“Ah… right. It was a Unique-grade weapon, wasn’t it?”
“The craftsmanship is simple, so among Unique-grades it’s on the lower end….”
“But still, how does a Unique-grade weapon get sliced clean through like that?”
While everyone was bewildered, Manwolsang sent another message.
-Manwolsang : As you can see, the hand axes are damaged. I’d like to have them reforged. And would it be possible to repair this weapon as well?
A second photograph arrived.
In the image was a red side sword with its surface gouged.
The moment the blacksmiths saw the side sword, they couldn’t help but marvel.
“Wow, the balance is absolutely perfect, isn’t it?”
“Balance isn’t the issue. Look at the surface. It’s been ages since I’ve seen such delicate tempering.”
It was the kind of item that could be called a premium piece even among Unique-grades.
The problem was the gouges carved into its surface.
For now it posed no immediate threat, but continued use would eventually render the weapon catastrophically damaged.
“What kind of person destroys Unique-grade weapons like this?”
When one of the blacksmiths voiced the question, everyone nodded in agreement.
-Manwolsang : Can this sword be repaired as well?
At Manwolsang’s inquiry, everyone expressed their difficulty.
Repairing a weapon damaged to this extent would require major work.
The problem was that weapons discovered in the Tower each had vastly different manufacturing methods.
So even the most skilled blacksmiths couldn’t handle them carelessly.
If there was anyone who could repair it….
All eyes turned to the Teacher.
The Teacher simply stood with his arms crossed, saying nothing.
“Repairing it isn’t difficult. But first, there’s something I need to confirm. Ask him about the spear.”
Yun Ga-yeong hesitated, then looked at the Teacher with resentment.
“Do we really have to do this? The one in a hurry isn’t them—it’s us.”
The reason the Bulgasal blacksmiths were interested in the conversation with Manwolsang was because of silver ingots.
Silver ingots were so rare that even the Bulgasal Forge hadn’t found a stable supply source.
So they wanted to secure a steady supply of silver ingots through Manwolsang.
“It’s a rule of our Forge. If you want to be treated as a guest, you must prove your worth.”
Yun Ga-yeong sighed, then sent a message to Manwolsang.
-Olttetiramisu : By the way, how did you like the spear? Were you satisfied with it?
-Manwolsang : Ah, you mean Silver Wing? It was truly magnificent. The moment I held it, I could feel it was an extraordinary weapon.
Praise poured in, but the Teacher showed no particular joy.
Silver Wing wasn’t made by Yun Ga-yeong—it was made by the Teacher.
It was crafted by South Korea’s greatest artisan, so it had to be extraordinary.
So hearing praise for something so magnificent brought him no joy whatsoever.
“As expected, he didn’t notice the craftsman had changed. I’ll classify this one as lower-tier.”
It was a rule unique to the Bulgasal Forge.
Since so many customers came seeking them out, they had assigned importance rankings.
And they treated customers differently based on their importance.
Lower-tier was the lowest rank. As such, even Bulgasal Forge didn’t consider them particularly important.
Of course, becoming a lower-tier customer at Bulgasal Forge was like plucking a star from the sky.
That was when it happened.
-Manwolsang: I hope this isn’t a rude question, but did someone else make this?
Everyone’s attention shifted to the message.
Yun Ga-yeong quickly typed a response.
-Olttetiramisu: That can’t be. I made Eun-ik as well, you know.
-Manwolsang: Is that so? The style changed so much, I had to wonder.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the Teacher.
The Teacher’s lips curled up slightly.
“Still, it’s not like you lack a discerning eye. I’ll promote you to mid-tier.”
Yun Ga-yeong exhaled in relief.
Mid-tier was a rank that Bulgasal Forge paid considerable attention to.
At this level, I could craft items that would satisfy even Manwolsang….
-Manwolsang: I actually prefer the previous style a bit more.
A new message appeared.
Yun Ga-yeong couldn’t help but be taken aback.
Eun-ik was made by none other than the Teacher himself.
Compared to that, the spear I made was nothing but pathetic trash.
Yet they preferred the original style?
Yun Ga-yeong thought it must be flattery and typed a message.
-Olttetiramisu: You don’t need to flatter me! Eun-ik is a masterpiece I’m confident about!
-Manwolsang: It really was an impressive spear. But I found the dark, elongated one more distinctive and appealing.
A second compliment.
Now it was clear this wasn’t mere flattery.
Yun Ga-yeong’s lips curved into a smile.
“Did you all hear that? They liked my spear more than the Teacher’s.”
Yun Ga-yeong laughed, running her hand over the back of her head.
The senior blacksmiths looked at her with expressions of disbelief.
“Look at this reckless girl. She’s happy hearing she’s better than the Teacher.”
“I think we need to teach her a lesson.”
The Teacher gazed silently at the message.
His expression was blank, but internally he was genuinely surprised.
‘To think someone would recognize this child’s true potential.’
To be frank, Yun Ga-yeong had the weakest skills at Bulgasal.
Of course, that was only within Bulgasal. If she went to another blacksmith, she could receive the highest treatment.
But the Teacher was certain that when it came to talent and unique ideas, Yun Ga-yeong was the best at Bulgasal.
‘To think she’d already meet a Champion who recognizes her worth.’
There is an old saying called “a friend who understands music.”
It is rare to meet someone who truly understands you.
Similarly, for the Blacksmith, a Champion who recognized his worth was a treasure beyond compare.
“I’m classifying him as a premium client.”
“Pardon?”
Everyone’s expression shifted to one of surprise at the Teacher’s words.
Premium client status was a rank even upper-tier Awakened ones rarely received.
It meant the Teacher held this person called Manwolsang in exceptionally high regard.
“Tell him to send all the items that need repairs. I’ll handle them personally.”
Everyone’s faces registered shock once more.
The Teacher was a man for whom time was literally money.
There was a backlog of people waiting to commission him for crafting work.
It was already astonishing that he’d created the Silver Wing, and now he was offering repairs as well?
-Manwolsang: By the way, I was also hoping to commission armor crafting. Would that be possible?
“I’ll take it on. Have him state his desired specifications.”
Had he been a lower or mid-tier client, the Teacher would have refused.
But now Manwolsang was a premium client.
Fulfilling a request of this magnitude was naturally expected.
-Manwolsang: Ah, regarding the armor I’d like to request.
Manwolsang had written out the specifications densely, as if he’d been waiting for this moment.
“So you need freedom of movement and lightweight construction, correct?”
“He’s not the type to prioritize defense.”
“Given how detailed these conditions are, he must have considerable experience.”
The senior blacksmiths read through Manwolsang’s specifications and theorized about him.
Meanwhile, Yun Ga-yeong turned to the Teacher and asked.
“Will you be crafting the armor yourself, Teacher?”
“What are you talking about? You’ll be making it.”
“Eh-eh-eh?”
Yun Ga-yeong cried out in surprise.
Crafting armor was extraordinarily difficult.
Especially light armor of the type Manwolsang desired.
“I’ll teach you. Use this opportunity to learn properly.”
“L-learn? But I have a backlog of work already?”
“Then don’t sleep. Don’t worry. Just drink fatigue recovery potions like water while you learn.”
“Ugh….”
Yun Ga-yeong let out a groan of despair.
But the Teacher had no intention of hearing her out.
Given that he’d destroyed a Unique-grade item, this Champion called Manwolsang was no ordinary warrior.
He was clearly the type who relished combat and never shied away from formidable opponents.
It was obvious he would continue destroying equipment in the future.
To properly support such a Manwolsang, Yun Ga-yeong needed to elevate her skills as a Blacksmith to the next level.
“Don’t show weakness.”
At the Teacher’s firm words, Yun Ga-yeong’s shoulders sagged.
***
While the armor was being crafted, I wasn’t idle either.
I made frequent trips to the Machine Empire, gathering and selling silver ingots.
It was to obtain high-grade magic stones to fill Ramakan’s fuel tank.
‘Of all times, the prices had to spike right now.’
Currently, high-grade magic stones were being traded at 230 million per piece.
To fill all fifty slots, I needed to earn 11.5 billion.
The saving grace was that silver ingots were in high demand—they sold the moment I listed them at the Auction House.
While selling silver ingots, I researched the newly acquired item.
But no matter how much mana I poured into it or how I threw it, nothing remarkable happened.
It was literally just an ordinary spike—just absurdly oversized.
‘What on earth is this thing for?’
I examined the bumpy spike, lost in thought.
‘Since it’s a spike, maybe I’m supposed to drive it somewhere? But where exactly?’
No matter how hard I thought, no answer came.
Two days passed like that.
I was tossing and catching the spike to pass the time when it happened.
As the spike fell back down, its head made contact with my palm.
In that instant, the spike melted into my flesh.
“Huh? What?”
I startled and looked down at my palm. Fortunately, it was unharmed.
“Where did the spike go?”
A strange sensation emanated from my palm.
When I focused on the sensation, the spike shot back out of my palm.
“This function existed?”
In two days of examination, this was the first time.
And I’d tossed and caught it many times before.
I pressed the blunt end against the back of my hand. But nothing happened.
“Could it be?”
I swung the spike rapidly and struck the back of my hand with the blunt end.
The spike sank into the back of my hand.
“It seems to activate only when there’s enough velocity.”
That’s why I hadn’t noticed until now.
“I think I might be able to move this too.”
I focused again on the spike that had sunk into my body.
I felt the spike moving.
Opening my other hand, the spike shot out smoothly.
“Oh?”
Mincheol tested it several more times.
I could pull out the spike from anywhere—not just my hands.
From my instep, forehead, inside my mouth, even from my eyes.
“It’s interesting, but… is that all there is to it?”
No matter what, it was something The One gave me, yet it felt disappointingly meager.
“Still, it’ll be useful for surprise attacks.”
If a spike suddenly shot out from my forehead or mouth during combat, anyone would be caught off guard.
It was a somewhat crude method, but Mincheol didn’t mind at all.
The world of combat is merciless!
And I believed that as long as I survived by any means, that was victory.
“Let me practice a bit.”
Since I couldn’t punch holes in the walls of my apartment, I headed to the Trap Layer.
I swung my right hand and threw the spike I’d absorbed.
Thunk—
The spike embedded itself halfway into the wall.
It wasn’t particularly impressive destructive power, but Mincheol wasn’t disappointed.
I’d already tested the destructive force by throwing spikes on the first day.
The conclusion was that it was no different from a regular spike.
“To inflict a fatal wound with this, I’d need to target vital spots like the eyes.”
As I thought that and reached to pull the spike from the wall, something caught my attention.
“Huh?”
The spike embedded in the wall looked strange. It was hazy, like a phantom.
My hand passed right through it, so I couldn’t pull it out.
“Why is this happening?”
This phenomenon hadn’t occurred when I threw it on the first day.
It seemed the effect only activated when I threw it while the spike was infused into my body.
“Then how do I retrieve it? Does Auto Looting work?”
When I activated Auto Looting, the spike disappeared.
I pulled the spike from my Inventory. Fortunately, I could hold it in my hand.
I absorbed the spike again and threw it.
Just like before, it became a phantom and embedded itself in the wall.
“This is interesting.”
As Mincheol stared at the spike with an amused expression, a thought occurred to me.
“Can I absorb it again while it’s in this state?”
I took my stance and clenched my fist.
Based on what I’d confirmed earlier, I didn’t need to throw and catch the spike—I could absorb it by striking it quickly with my hand.
I extended my fist rapidly toward the spike’s head.
But contrary to my expectation, the spike didn’t absorb into my body.
Instead—
Clang—
With a crisp sound, the massive nail drove deep into the wall.
And in that instant.
【’■■■’ activates.】
Cracks spider-webbed across the entire wall.
No—it wasn’t just the wall. The floor and ceiling were consumed by fractures as well.
Crash—
With a deafening roar, the entire dungeon began to collapse.
“Ugh, ahhhhh!”
Just before being buried in the rubble, Mincheol activated Auto Looting.
【Acquiring all ‘■■■’ within a 1.2km radius.】
【Acquiring all ‘Ancient Maze Power Cores’ within a 1.2km radius.】
Mincheol immediately completed the Quest and returned to Earth.
Thanks to barely making it back to Earth, I managed to avoid being buried under the debris.
Mincheol pulled the massive nail from his Inventory with a dazed expression.
“…What on earth is this thing supposed to do?”

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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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