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Chapter 212: What Equipment Means to a Hunter

To a hunter, equipment is like a life partner, a companion… sometimes even akin to a beloved pet.

If you manage to get your hands on some good gear, it can stick with you for a lifetime, so that description is not too far off.

Take for instance the famous case of a Chinese “suicide seeker” who named his dual pistols “Judgment” and “Hatred,” or Kim Hyun-soo, who is well-known for wielding an indestructible mace for nearly a decade.

Such perceptions naturally turned hunters into gear hoarders. In fact, just acquiring decent equipment could make hunting multiple times easier, prompting people to narrow their eyes and search fervently for fine gear.

As a natural consequence, simply relying on loot from dungeons and gates couldn’t satisfy the demand. This caught the attention of support-type hunters who picked up on the scent of money. Thus, the guild specializing in crafting was born… “Brand.”

The hunter industry is filled with numerous brands. In the field of alchemy, you have the top-tier “Emerald Tablet.” While not exclusively made by hunters, “Golden Desire” deals solely with items found in gates or dungeons, and if it’s armor crafting, there’s “Hephaestus Workshop”…

As expected, they function as businesses. Anyone with enough financial means can trade with them.

However, the best in certain fields… notably the “Swordsmith” who only handles swords is famously known for being beyond reach, no matter how much money you throw at them.

He creates swords based solely on his personal standards. The legendary sword “Swordmaster” Pillar is one such individual.

“I’ve never seen something like this in my life! How could I not be excited!”

Choi Yeon-woo exclaimed, excitement bubbling in his voice as Nea looked at him with a subtle expression. It was a gaze similar to watching a child gleefully celebrate a new toy, tinged with a hint of jealousy.

“I understand you’re happy about acquiring your own weapon, but could you perhaps temper your enthusiasm? Aren’t you being a bit too much?”

“Ah, um… I see. Alright.”

Yuri offered a gentle reminder with a warm smile, understanding his feelings. It reminded her of reactions like Shar’s and Tae-oh’s when they first got Momo.

As those thoughts drifted in her mind and she gazed at the kids, she noticed Momo sprawled lazily beside a group of children playing with Legos, looking towards her with half-closed eyes.

The puppy’s unique languid gaze seemed to regard Yeon-woo with a hint of disdain, causing the heat in his head to cool.

After taking several deep breaths and calming his racing heart, Yeon-woo slowly picked up the shimmering white sword lying tranquilly in the box.

It was so long it might as well be called a great sword, exuding a chilling aura typical of steel.

The design clearly prioritized functionality over flamboyant decorations, so polished it was nearly reflective, the blade flowing with a hint of crimson along its edge.

Even though it aimed for practicality, it was a sword so beautiful it could easily be called a work of art.

After picking up the sword, he twisted his wrist to give it a light spin. The weight felt just right. Thanks to the steel’s nature, it was remarkably light for its size.

In contrast to the Doppelganger weapon, which felt awkward due to its lack of weight, this finally felt like a proper sword. That said, he had no intention of stopping using the Doppelganger weapon just yet.

“Should I learn dual swordsmanship or something?”

“Hmm, if you’re interested, I could teach you a thing or two.”

“Oh, really?”

“Since you’ve trained to handle both hands, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to utilize that skill.”

Seeing Yeon-woo joyfully holding the black-and-white swords, Nea noticed something unusual. The sword’s crossguard was enveloped in mana even though Yeon-woo had not intentionally applied it.

“What’s this? The blade is flowing with mana; what’s that about? It doesn’t seem harmful….”

“Oh, this?”

In response to Nea’s question, Yeon-woo grinned and held the hilt tightly with both hands, channeling mana through his right hand into the crossguard, pushing it upward with a strong surge.

Then, something astonishing happened. The blade vanished at his touch, and as he pushed it further, the crossguard folded, turning the sword into a spear tip.

It was an incredibly intuitive transformation, and Yeon-woo beamed with pride. The great swordsmith had created exactly what he desired. Seeing this, Yuri nodded in approval.

“Oh, a sword that can also transform into a spear? No wonder it looked so elongated.”

“I thought it might have been a bit of a stretch to ask, but it turned out great! It even has two attributes attached to it.”

“Hmm, if that old man did it, it makes sense… I suspect he probably gave it his all.”

Hearing concern in Yuri’s voice, Yeon-woo turned to look at her. Yuri was stroking her smooth jawline with a subtle expression that said something was off.

“Do you know that since Claire took the shield sword, the emblematic weapon of the Great Kingdom has changed?”

“Oh, right. I know about that. You mean the founding sword Arkim?”

Though he had never seen it in person, he was aware of its existence. It was the emblematic weapon of the Elven Kingdom, following the legendary shield sword Aurum.

It symbolized a shift in the state’s policy of not being cooped up in the forest focusing on defense but actively fighting back.

“Actually, the concepts of the weapons are quite similar, aren’t they? The spear, sword, and arrows of Arkim and the sword you’re holding now, that is. Unlike Arkim, it wouldn’t be feasible to use it as an arrow, so it might seem like a lower-tier version of Arkim if you compare them strictly by category?”

“Well… I think each has its pros and cons, but for someone who doesn’t know better, I guess that could be a perspective?”

“That old man is the type who can’t accept that there’s a sword better than one he created naturally. It’s undoubtedly an impressive weapon to look at, but he probably has some tricks up his sleeve.”

“…You’re saying there’s a gimmick he hasn’t told me about?”

“Without a doubt.”

As if the possibility of anything else didn’t exist, Yuri wore a face full of conviction. Just what kind of image did the legendary swordsmith have in Yeon-woo’s thoughts?

At Yuri’s words, Yeon-woo gazed at the colossal white sword in his hand. Feeling slightly uneasy, he focused his mana to activate his dragon eye, but still, there was nothing to see.

Even with a vision that should see everything, if he couldn’t find anything, just what level did that swordsmith’s skills reach…?

As Yeon-woo skeptically eyed the spear, without finding any peculiarities, he infused mana into it, causing the crossguard to pop out, transforming it back into a sword.

“Well, this is what I have. Since I made the proposal myself, I’m getting attached to it. Should I give it a name?”

“Wait, hold on!!”

At Yeon-woo’s suggestion, Nea hurriedly interjected. Surprised by the proposal for a name, Yeon-woo stared blankly, sensing Yuri’s disapproving glare at his cluelessness.

“Is it really that necessary to get so attached…!? I think a tool is just fine as a tool!”

“Um… is that so? But many hunters name their equipment, you know?”

Nea’s exaggerated reaction bewildered Yeon-woo, prompting her to look around as if confused. What was up with that?

[Ah, disciple of mine, can you really be that oblivious?]

Yuri’s voice echoed in Yeon-woo’s ear. It was a mental communication. Startled, but he didn’t show it.

‘No, Master. How can I be oblivious? I’m someone who lives by my wits. Are you somehow aware of why Nea is acting this way…?!!’

[How absurd it is to claim one lives by their wits while being this clueless!]

‘Please enlighten me, Master…! Guiding a foolish disciple is a Master’s duty, right…?!’

[Why do my disciples only ever emphasize my role when they need something? But I must stop the destruction of the family. Listen well, foolish disciple.]

With a slight nod and a gulp, Yeon-woo listened intently as Yuri’s slowly spoken words penetrated his ear.

[Your granddaughter-in-law is feeling jealous right now.]

‘…Huh?’

What on earth did that mean? How could Nea possibly have anything to feel jealous about in this conversation?

He thought to himself she might be going senile, but Yuri shook his head as he continued.

[You did ramble on about equipment being a life partner, companion, soulmate, didn’t you? How do you think someone still getting acquainted with the outside world like your granddaughter-in-law would take that?]

‘…Um, no, geez…!!’

Despite thinking it sounded ludicrous, surprisingly, all signs supported Yuri’s absurd claim. Nea’s glance at the sword in Yeon-woo’s hand, her anxious hands neatly clasped at her chest.

Seeing how she responded to talk of naming, the most likely candidate in this situation seemed to be that…!

At that moment, Yeon-woo’s mind began racing like an overworked engine. The best way to resolve this situation was…!!

“Why would a weapon need a name? Who do you think would demand such a thing? Bold kid!!”

“Phew, thank goodness…!”

Nea sighed in relief at Yeon-woo’s awkward but earnest tone, while he felt a mix of satisfaction and inner turmoil.

‘I’m so sorry I couldn’t give you a name, goohlunova or Eternal Force Blizzard…!!’

Intending to pass it down as his heirloom, the strongest sword for generations to come. But family harmony was more important than traditions. Yeon-woo had to scold the sword as if he were Zhuge Liang cutting off the neck of a demon.

[Regardless of how things play out, I genuinely feel relieved that you didn’t name it.]

‘? Why does that sound cool to me?’

Hearing Shar, who was playing with a mine-type block toy alongside Tae-oh, remark that it helps with childlike creativity development, Yeon-woo flared up.

*

Eventually, when dinner rolled around, Yuri left. As usual, after the four of them finished the meal Nea had prepared, each would enjoy their own time, which had become the routine lately.

Of course, “each their own time” didn’t mean the whole family engaged in different activities. Shar and Tae-oh had recently taken to leisurely strolling around with Momo, while Nea often enjoyed cultural events on TV, like movies or dramas.

As for Yeon-woo, what he did varied from day to day. Sometimes he’d join the kids for a walk, sometimes he’d sit with Nea to watch TV, or perhaps he would log on to the internet to gather information.

But today, he decided to watch TV with Nea. The reason was simple. He couldn’t very well take a sword out for a walk.

Cuddling the beautifully sheathed sword almost like a bamboo mat, Yeon-woo sat beside Nea. Luckily, Nea was uninterested in taking the sword away as long as he didn’t name it.

On TV, a man, both an archaeologist and treasure hunter, was scouring for artifacts, displaying significant whip skills that Yeon-woo had once referenced when he used a whip.

While Nea marveled at the show, her exclamations of excitement drew no particular thoughts from Yeon-woo who casually watched until a gleaming artifact appeared on screen, radiating a brilliant light.

“…Ah, right.”

What came to mind was the stone fragment Kai had given him. The item referred to as the Fragment of Light.

Thinking back, he realized he probably should have dealt with this first, but when you’re mentally exhausted, memory tends to slip. Plus, being preoccupied with his new weapon didn’t help either—he comforted himself with that logic.

“Wow, it’s an artifact of tremendous power, huh…! Hmm? What did you say?”

Seeing Nea exclaiming in awe at a Christian relic, Yeon-woo couldn’t help but smile wryly. Indeed, at a glance, it indeed looked like an artifact. Could the gap in their common sense play a part here?

“Um, can I ask about work-related matters?”

Yeon-woo first sought approval. After all, she might not want to hear about work after clocking out. However, Nea nodded nonchalantly, as if it didn’t matter.

“Could you take this to the lab tomorrow and interpret it for me?”

“…Oh, what’s this…?”

As Nea stared at the stone fragment Yeon-woo handed her, she gasped in awe. Did she find an answer straight away without needing to interpret?

Of course, Yeon-woo had checked it with his dragon eye right after receiving it, but aside from sensing divinity, there wasn’t much else to discover. Did this mean seasoned dragons are just on another level?

“What is this? I sense divinity from it!”

Anticipating her next words with a strange excitement, Yeon-woo affectionately ruffled Nea’s hair as she responded with a bright smile. So cute.

(To be continued in the next episode)

 

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