On a Saturday morning.
Hajoon woke up early, aiming to get his tasks done quickly.
"Yawn~"
Still, he wished he could relax on weekends...
After a quick wash and getting dressed in his casual wear, Hajoon made his way to the principal's office. After all, he needed a ticket to visit Del Her and planned to ask Principal Choi Jungwon for one.
He knocked lightly on the door, and upon entering the office, he was t with a familiar face.
"You're here?"
Sitting on the office's sofa, sipping tea, was a face he hadn't seen in a long ti. Hajoon looked quizzically at her, no, at Riella Harnis, and asked, "Where's Principal Choi?"
"He had so matters to attend to, so I'm here in his stead. It seems you're not too pleased to see , considering you're imdiately asking for Choi Jungwon."
Scratching his head, Hajoon replied, "It's just been such a long ti since we last t."
"Where have you been all this ti?"
"I'm not the idle sort, nor is Choi Jungwon. I've been handling the principal's duties in his absence."
Hajoon pondered this for a mont. Such a situation was unusual...
Regardless, he didn't dwell on it. Those in high positions had their personal affairs, after all.
"So, what brings you here?"
"Well... I ca to get a ticket to Del Her."
"Ah, is that so? Take mine, then. Here, have it."
With that, Riella handed over a bundle of Del Her tickets. By Hajoon's estimate, there were at least 50. He knew that these tickets were rare and quite valuable.
"You're very generous."
"The creator of Del Her gave them to , insisting I visit anyti. But I've never gone."
Either way, it wasn't a bad deal. Hajoon wouldn't need to continuously seek out tickets anymore.
Riella added, "If you need anything else, co to instead of Choi Jungwon. I can provide anything."
"Got it. I'll be on my way then."
With that, Hajoon imdiately tore a ticket. The scenery around him shifted from the principal's office to Del Her.
"Now, then."
Without delay, Hajoon headed toward the Hers Guild.
After arriving at the Hers Guild, Hajoon imdiately had a brief conversation with Lorelei and then t with the Broker who had been staying there for a while.
"It's been quite so ti."
The Broker, seeing Hajoon after such a long gap, looked surprisingly well. With a neatly grood beard and hair, and dressed relatively well, he looked far removed from the old beggar-like man Hajoon rembered from before.
It seed the Hers Guild had been taking good care of him at Hajoon's behest.
Hajoon responded to the Broker with a light chuckle. "Have you been well, sir?"
"Thanks to you, I've been living quite comfortably in my old age. Looking at you now, you've grown a lot. You're a sight for sore eyes compared to before. I bet it's all thanks to the potion I gave you, hehe!"
At that, Hajoon scratched his cheek awkwardly. From the Broker's perspective, Hajoon's rapid growth might indeed seem due to the potion.
Na: Kim Hajoon
Level: 10 ( 2)
Job: Novice
Title: None
Fa: 300
HP: 28( 5)
MP: 0
Strength: 40( 3)
Agility: 20( 5)
Stamina: 48( 5)
Defense: 0
Magic Resistance: 999(Max)
Spirit: 999(Max)
Comparing to before, he indeed had grown significantly. Not enough to compare to the current elite players, of course, but Hajoon was well aware of the ga's growth system.
The higher the level and stats, the harder it becos to increase them. He'd probably hit a limit soday. That made the Broker's potion all the more essential.
"So, have you co to get another potion? Want to make one for you?"
The Broker said with a sly grin. His actions made him seem kind-hearted, but there was sothing sinister about his smile, maybe because he was portrayed as a villain in the ga.
Hajoon cut straight to the point. "Sir, I apologize, but I have a favor to ask."
"Hmm? The only thing this old man can do is make potions, you know?"
"Yes. First, can you make just one potion? I need to check sothing."
At that, the Broker promptly crafted a potion and handed it to Hajoon. Hajoon, after glancing at the small bottle containing the potion, put it in his pocket and spoke.
"Sir, there's soone I'd like you to et."
"Huh? ?"
"Yes. I'll get in touch with them first, would you be willing to et them later?"
"Well... if it's a request from you, why not? After all, my current comfortable life is all thanks to you."
To Hajoon's words, the Broker surprisingly nodded in agreent. He must still believe Hajoon to be the son of so wealthy family.
"Yes, I'll get in touch later."
With that, Hajoon slowly rose from his seat.
"Heh, if you ever need the Spirit Potion again, feel free to co by."
"Yes, take care."
With that, Hajoon nodded slightly and left the room.
Without hesitation, he headed straight for the guildmaster’s office where Lorelei was.
"Oh, are you done with your talk?"
At her question, Hajoon simply nodded and took a seat on the sofa.
Lorelei cast a subtle smile in Hajoon's direction.
"Hehe, so what are you up to? Isn’t it about ti you shared?"
In response, Hajoon handed over the Spirit Potion he just received from the Broker and began to speak.
"You know what this is?"
"Hm? Oh... this is the Spirit Potion? But why?"
"You might not know the details, but you're aware this has the power to enhance a superhuman's abilities, right?"
"But the side effects are quite severe, to the point of making it unusable, right?"
"Yes. The side effects are a result of its unique mana properties."
"But then... if that’s the case, it's practically unusable. Unless you can remove the mana’s unique trait..."
Suddenly, her previously smiling eyes widened in realization.
"...You don’t an?"
Hajoon responded with a composed expression, as if to affirm her suspicion.
"Yes, there is a way."
"You an that alchemist?"
"We’ll have to see for sure, but I think there's a possibility."
The alchemist, Lee Gayeon.
A year into the future, she develops a unique mana called Cold Fire and becos an authority in mana trait combinations.
That’s why Hajoon thought of her.
If she can combine them, can't she also separate them?
"I have a favor to ask."
"Hm? Okay, I’ll help."
Surprisingly, she agreed easily, nodding in assent.
The gleam in Lorelei's eyes suggested intrigue and excitent.
She probably guessed what I was aiming for.
"Just hand this Spirit Potion to her?"
Upon her question, Hajoon nodded.
Lorelei, her lips curving into a mischievous smile, reassured him.
"Leave it to . This kind of thing is my specialty."
It was 1 in the afternoon.
Inside an old brick building in Del Her, a woman with round glasses and black hair sat behind the counter, heaving a deep, despondent sigh.
Her na was Lee Gayeon.
She had bravely opened a store in Del Her a year ago, investing all her wealth. But the problem was that no custors ca.
"This is really bad..."
At this rate, she would have no choice but to close her shop for good.
She recalled her plan from before she had opened her store.
After garnering popularity with the magical tools she had created, she hoped to secure a contract with a major guild or company, receive their sponsorship, and spend her lifeti researching and crafting.
It was perhaps the most dream-like plan any alchemist could conceive.
But it remained just that – a dream.
A foolishly naive dream.
"I'll give it one more year... then I'll really close the shop," she murmured, resting her head heavily on the counter.
Just then, the jingle of the doorbell rang.
"Ah! Welco!"
From a previously despondent deanor, she quickly transford into a radiant smile and greeted the incoming custor.
Two tall n in black suits, wearing sunglasses, entered the shop.
Taken aback by their imposing appearance, Lee Gayeon hesitated for a mont before asking, "Can I help you with sothing?"
"Are you Miss Lee Gayeon?"
"Yes, that's . How can I assist you?"
One of the n pulled out a phone from his pocket, briefly spoke to soone, and then presented her with a small bottle containing a green liquid.
Shortly after ending his call, he handed her the phone, saying, "Please take this."
"Pardon? Who is it?"
"The Guild Master of the Hers Guild."
At that revelation, Lee Gayeon's eyes widened in shock, but she took the call nonetheless.
Still stunned, she heard a woman's voice from the other end.
"Hello~ Is this Miss Lee Gayeon?"
"Yes, it is. May I ask what this is regarding?"
"I have a favor to ask of you. Did our employees show you a green potion?"
"Yes, they did."
Her gaze shifted to the green potion. She was certain it was a potion crafted from magic.
Imdiately, her expression turned to one of surprise. "Oh my! This has a distinct magical attribute, doesn't it?"
She quickly recognized that the potion contained a unique magic property. The voice, belonging to Lorelei, replied with a hint of amusent, "You recognize it?"
"Yes... but why have you brought this to ?"
"I'd like you to decompose one of the attributes of this potion."
"Decompose its attribute?"
"Specifically, one of its attributes has severe side effects. Do you think you can handle it?"
Upon hearing those words, Lee Gayeon stared at the potion in a daze for a mont before opening her mouth.
"I'll need so ti, but I'll give it a try."
-If you succeed, I'd like to discuss a contract regarding you and the potion...
"Ah!"
At that remark, her eyes sparkled with realization.
Because she imdiately understood what Lorelei ant.
This was a golden opportunity that had co her way.
Quite literally, it was like a golden egg had rolled into her lap.
"Please give just a week. I'll find a way."
Her response this ti wasn't uncertain as before but filled with confidence.
Hearing her words, Lorelei replied with a smile.
-All right. I'll see you in a week then.
anwhile.
After leaving everything to Lorelei, Hajoon returned to the academy's dormitory.
Of course, he could've done it himself, but he found it botherso.
Well, even without ntioning it, his intentions seed clear enough, and since Lorelei appeared interested in the task, she would likely handle it on her own.
Finishing things sooner than expected, Hajoon imdiately lay down on his bed and checked his status window. Now that he had reached level 10, there were things to review.
Na: Kim Hajoon
Level: 10 ( 2)
Job: Novice
Title: None
Fa: 2500
HP: 28( 5)
MP: 0
Strength: 40 ( 3)
Agility: 20 ( 5)
Stamina: 48 ( 5)
Defense: 0
Magic Resistance: 999(Max)
Spirit: 999(Max)
"Hmm... Level 10, huh?"
When reaching level 10, a new skill window must have been unlocked...
Without delay, Hajoon checked the additional skills.
Skill 1. Anchor Release: 500P (Available at Level 5)
Ti Stop Storage: 2000P (Available at Level 10)
And the second unlocked skill was nad "Ti Stop Storage".
Ti Stop Storage...
To be honest, just by hearing the na of the skill, it was hard to guess what its capability was.
"Well, I'll understand once I use it."
Hajoon promptly purchased the skill. As the skill description followed, he read it with keen interest.
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