NSE-Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Buying

When he came out of the Middle Zone, a familiar sight came into view.

The inside of his own room.

‘Toasty.’

It was hard to believe that until just a moment ago he’d been battered by the ice-cold winter wind.

‘They’ll defend well, I trust.’

He thought of the Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves.

He recalled the last order he had given. I’ll be away for three days, so just act as usual.

It was nothing difficult.

‘Time to move.’

There was a lot to get on this outing.

He opened his smartphone and made a call.

“Father. It’s me.”

―Did you clear the Gate?!

“No. I’m just making use of the Middle Zone for a bit. There’s a lot I need to buy, and I’d like you to get it for me. I’ll pay back the money spent.”

―What do you need?

“I need food.”

―How much?

“More than you can imagine. The kind doesn’t matter, so sweep up everything. For now, things that come in large amounts and are filling.”

―Will do. But do you have something to carry it in? One Spatial Ring won’t cover it, will it?

“I’ll borrow some spares from the company. High-Grade ones, nine of them.”

High-Grade Spatial Rings were items that almost never had any listings.

So borrowing was better.

Perhaps only then having roughly grasped the scale of the food to be carried, the Chairman fell silent for a moment.

―……The Middle Zone means three days, right?

“Yes.”

―Understood. Your old man will do his best. Anything else?

“Bones.”

―……Bones?

“Yes. Please put out a notice. That we’ll buy up the entire supply of Hexar skulls, Iron Knight chest bones, Cockatrice leg bones, Long-Armed Gorilla arm bones, Mutonka spines, and Elephant Man pelvises. The price is 50 per part. If the company buys them, I’ll deposit the amount to match.”

What the monsters he’d just named had in common.

Every one of them was around Level 200.

They were also specimens famous for the exceptional bones of each part.

At 50 per part, it was an amount too good to just kill and walk away.

Even if it took some time, they’d dig them out and take them.

Because running a Gate once, they’d easily collect fifty each.

That made 2,500.

A tidy fixed income for a single lap of a C-rank Gate.

He planned to use the bones bought this way to swap parts of the Skeletons.

‘Any part will do.’

Because of Capacity, only about one part could be replaced.

For the Skeletons right now, swapping in a single bone from a monster around Level 200 was the best they could do.

―……Everybody and their dog will try to dig up bones. Can you handle it?

“I’ll only buy for a set period anyway. Roughly two weeks should do.”

He’d buy a fair amount before going in to raise the Skeletons’ combat strength a bit, and.

Afterward, upon returning, he could swap in the bones he hadn’t been able to replace.

If bones were left over, he could just keep them stored and swap them in one by one when the Capacity rose.

―Is it because of a Skill, by any chance?

“Yes. I think I need to stock up before going in. Besides these, I need some bones from high-level monsters…….”

―Heh heh…… how high-level?

“A dragonkin of Level 500 or above would do. For this one, just post a notice. And let me know if anyone gets in touch.”

They were bones exclusively for Cedric.

The number of Gates where dragonkin appeared was very small. They didn’t even appear in a fixed manner.

Since they were tricky to catch and popped out at random, their whole bodies could be considered gold bars.

To buy them, he had to bid hard.

―I’ll look into it. Level 500 or above means the higher the better, right?

“Yes.”

―Anything else?

“D-grade Skill Books, maybe? There’ll be listings at the Auction House, so I think a bit of help would do.”

―Heh heh, have you already reached Level 101?

“Hidden Gates really are good. There’s quite a bit that’ll help you too, Father.”

―Hoo…… I’m curious what.

“I’ll tell you after I get back.”

―Understood. Oh, by the way, your mother and the kids are all coming this time. It happens to be winter break, after all.

“Ah, right.”

He nodded. Thinking about it, at this time, Kim Min-woo’s younger brother, Kim Hyeong-seok, was.

‘Studying abroad, right.’

He was studying abroad at Harvard in America.

Accordingly, the Chairman’s wife and youngest daughter were also in America with him. Since it happened to be winter break, it seemed they were returning.

―Clear some time sometime. I know you and your younger brother had a falling-out, but family still needs to see each other’s faces.

“Did we? I’ve already forgotten it all. When they come, I’ll make time.”

―Right. Go do your work.

The call ended.

‘That settles the food problem, and.’

To buy it alone, he’d have to run around in all directions, so using the family’s power was best.

Now the second thing to resolve was precisely the Elixirs.

* * *

Inside the cafe.

Kim Min-woo, seeing the familiar sight, stepped inside.

“It’s been a while, Ms. Choi Yu-na. Almost three weeks?”

“Yes. I came because you called, but what’s it about…….”

“What else would it be but Elixirs. Mid-Tier Elixirs. How many have you made?”

“Uhh…….”

Her eyes rolled around.

“Well, in the meantime, Mr. Si-woo? I had to produce Elixirs for him too, so…….”

“So how many have you made now?”

“About a hundred and fifty…….”

“Hm. That’s too few.”

“I-I didn’t know you’d come already…….”

The last time he’d bought Elixirs was about 3 weeks ago.

Even assuming he’d been Level 51 then, she’d figured it would take another three months until his next purchase. Because even a super rookie had a limit to level-up speed.

And yet he’d come already and asked for the stock?

“If you’re, by any chance, buying in advance, if you could wait a bit…….”

“I need them right now. You know Elixirs lose their utility as Level rises.”

“……You’re Level 101?”

“Yes.”

“Wait, what on earth did you do to level up that fast?”

It had been, what, a bit over a month since the Level 1 record?

In other words, it meant he’d raised 100 Levels in a month.

A level-up speed beyond common sense.

Because the time it had taken Isabella in the past to hit Level 49 and challenge the record was a month.

Three months after that, she’d hit Level 101. The top-tier Awakened had taken four months, yet he’d raised that much in a mere month?

‘This is just a monster.’

Her mouth dropped open.

“I’d rather buy directly from you, Ms. Choi Yu-na, if I can. But if it’s like this…… it might be a bit difficult.”

“Uh, by when do you need them?”

“Three days. Is it possible?”

“Eight hundred, right?”

“Yes. That much should do.”

650 in 3 days.

If she pulled all-nighters, it wasn’t impossible.

Because crafters tended to show superhuman strength as deadlines approached.

“I’ll make them.”

“You have to deliver on time.”

“I won’t sleep. I can take stimulants.”

As expected. People only give their all if you whip them a bit. Kim Min-woo nodded in satisfaction.

“And, you know?”

Kim Min-woo raised a finger to his own lips. Choi Yu-na nodded frantically.

“Y-Yes! This is a private order anyway, so only my dad and I know who requested it. Don’t worry. Secrecy guaranteed!”

“Reassuring.”

“Um, but, you know.”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t heard that you entered a Gate, so where on earth did you level up so much? Could it be the Hidden Piece you found in the tomb last time?”

“Well, something like that.”

“Wow…… so jealous…….”

Envy was dripping from her eyes.

Crafting Classes could raise their Levels by attempting crafts.

That didn’t mean they never entered Gates at all.

At High-tier Gates, the required party size also gradually increased.

As that happened, Classes other than combat ones would also join parties.

Because many factors beyond force became necessary.

Along the way, crafting Classes, too, could stumble on fortuitous encounters.

Like finding forgotten ancient crafting methods, recipes, or meeting a being like a special teacher. Find just one of those and your life takes off in an instant.

‘He’s probably enjoying such a Hidden Piece to the fullest by now, right?’

Envious.

If she had her way, she’d want to join in.

Of course, she wasn’t crazy enough to say it out loud.

‘Well, still, I’ve learned something good…….’

Kim Min-woo, who had been quiet for a while after setting the record.

It was only natural that every kind of community had been speculating on his movements.

Even so.

No one would think he was Level 101 right now.

They were probably guessing mid-to-high 50s at most.

At the intellectual superiority of knowing information others didn’t, the corners of Choi Yu-na’s mouth rose slightly.

Someday, when Kim Min-woo’s true strength was revealed, the whole world might be turned upside down once more.

“I’ll get going. I have Elixirs to make.”

“Yes. Good luck with the work.”

She walked out almost running, clutching her handbag.

* * *

[(Breaking news) Ilseong Group Bulk-Buying Food and Bones? Unusual Movements!]

[(Breaking news) Auction House D-grade Skill Books All Swept Away? Could Kim Min-woo Be Nearing D-rank?]

[(Breaking news) Ilseong Buying Dragon Bones! Expresses Intent to Purchase Bones of Dragonkin at Level 500 or Above! Experts Say It Is Highly Likely All of This Is Because of Kim Min-woo…….]

News poured out.

And no wonder, since Ilseong Group and Kim Min-woo, who had been quiet for a while, had been spotted on the move.

The communities heated up just the same.

―Where did all those guys who bashed Kim Min-woo as a bubble for being quiet go? lolol They’re saying he’s already near D-rank? lolol

―Bullshit lol Is he buying D-grade Skill Books because he’s really Level 101? He’s just buying ahead, quit making a fuss lol

―Even if he’s buying ahead, isn’t he at least past Level 51? There’s no reason to buy D-grade already when you’re F-rank, yeah.

―That much seems possible. Isabella hit that line in roughly a month, so there’s no way Kim Min-woo couldn’t.

―So what Level is Kim Min-woo now? Is he even entering Gates? If so, it couldn’t not be in the news.

―Necromancers buying bones, it’s been a while. Didn’t he get something like a Bound Skill?

―Looks like Kim Min-woo found a Hidden Gate? They said he found some Hidden Piece in the tomb last time. Seems connected to that? The food spending seems to be because of that too. No way he bought it to donate.

―Wow. A Hidden Gate; guess he got the Skill there too;; Damn jealous. When will I ever get to go into something like that?

―Wake up from the dream lol At your skill level, going in is a perfect way to get stabbed in the neck and die lolol

―No but what Level is Kim Min-woo now, damn.

―How would we know lolol Still, roughly 60, probably. At the high end I’d say even 70.

―Yeah, probably about that. Honestly, saying 51 would mean he’s worse than Isabella, which is just groundless bashing. Anyway, the leveling speed is insane. Already mid-E-rank stage;;

―But what’s he doing buying bones? Seriously don’t know.

―Judging by what he’s buying, they’re parts each monster is known for, don’t tell me he’s assembling a Summon out of bones? lol

―Is that it? But if you assemble all those monster bone parts, isn’t it just a Chimera? Can’t imagine them all combined lolol

―Can’t even combine them. The balance doesn’t match at all. It’d just end up a patchwork golem lolol

Just as the community users were diligently discussing Kim Min-woo like that.

A mega-sized piece of news that would shake the community came out.

[(Breaking news!) Sword Immortal Breaks Seclusion and Moves! Destination Is S-rank Gate, Tomb of the Dragon!]

[(Breaking news!) Korea Avengers Formed? Divine Spear, Poison Demon, Fist King, and Others Included as Clearing Members…….]

―Crazy. Isn’t the difficulty at Tomb of the Dragon notoriously famous?

―Yeah. Top of the S-rank range. A high-ranking dragonkin randomly pops out as the boss. Kill one and drag its corpse out and your life takes off lolol

―Don’t tell me he’s moving because of Kim Min-woo? lolol Ilseong is looking for dragon bones lolol

―Wow, the clearing members are insane. Looks like all the previous generation’s top Korean Awakened gathered. Divine Spear, Fist King, Poison Demon shudder, they’re all the Sword Immortal’s friends.

―Grandpavengers class shudder

―Grandpavengers, you lunatic lolol