Level Up Machine

Chapter 76 “I accept that proposal (4)”

“What is this?”

Tiria and Han-seong looked at the bottle Yeong-sik had taken out with puzzled expressions. Yeong-sik introduced the liquid in the bottle with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.

“This is an item obtained from defeating Lekras. If you consume this, you should be able to fight him adequately.”

“Heh, if it’s an item dropped by an S-grade boss monster…”

“An S-grade rare item…”

Han-seong and Tiria looked at Yeong-sik with expressions of amazement. From A-rank items and above, the drop rate from monsters drastically decreased. This meant that even if you killed tens or hundreds of S-grade boss monsters, S-grade rare items would hardly ever drop.

“Wow. Congratulations, Yeong-sik!”

Tiria clapped her hands, genuinely happy that he had obtained an S-rank item. Yeong-sik looked at her with an awkward smile.

“I’m sorry. Originally, it would be right to share the reward with you since you also helped defeat the boss monster, but I’m not sure what might happen if I just give it away.”

“No, it’s fine. I can’t even handle all the power I have now, so mixing in another power would be problematic. And you were the one who dealt the fatal blow to Lekras, right? Don’t feel burdened and just use the item.”

Yeong-sik nodded as he looked at Tiria, who spoke with a gentle voice and a bright smile.

“But… Even with the Archangel’s Blessing, you can’t fully control the power of an angel?”

“Yes… It seems I was born with an exceptionally large amount of power.”

“Hmm. It’s hard to understand. Do any of your family members have the same power as you, Tiria?”

“No. My father, mother, and even my younger sibling have only very weak powers, almost nonexistent.”

At her answer, Yeong-sik’s eyes sharpened.

“But… It’s strange that such a level of power has been passed down in the Erman family. Since when?”

“That, I don’t know either. All I know is that our family moved from the Ingrim Empire a long time ago… Almost no records from before that time remain.”

“I see.”

Yeong-sik nodded, seeing her complicated expression. He then turned to Han-seong and spoke.

“Then Han-seong, could you please manage the reward money?”

“Yes. We have a lot to buy right away. The guild house, various potions, magic scrolls… Ah, is there anything else you need, Yeong-sik?”

“There is something I’d like you to get for me.”

Saying that, Yeong-sik handed him the vast amount of gold he had gathered from hunting ogres over the past month and from killing Lekras.

“Please purchase as much iron ore, saronite, and mithril as possible with this amount.”

“Huh… All of this?”

Han-seong looked at Yeong-sik with a dumbfounded expression. The gold Yeong-sik handed him was nearly 40,000 gold.

Yeong-sik nodded without hesitation.

“Yes. All of it.”

“Don’t think it’s a waste. It will all be useful later.”

“Ah, it’s Yeong-sik’s money anyway, so I don’t think it’s a waste. It’s just that it might take some time.”

“How long do you think it will take to get it?”

“Hmm… with this amount, it’ll probably take about a month.”

“Then let’s ask the Leviathan Guild for help after we win the match. They have connections with dozens of merchant guilds.”

Han-seong, who was talking with Yeong-sik, closed his mouth firmly. He sighed deeply and asked Yeong-sik.

“…Are you really confident you can beat Cheon Tae-hwang? What’s your current level, Yeong-sik?”

“73.”

“73?”

Hearing his words, Han-seong had a complex expression. Considering Yeong-sik was a 61st-round summoner, it was an impressive level.

But the problem was that the opponent had become strong at an astonishingly fast pace, beyond such ‘impressiveness’.

“I know you’re strong for your level, Yeong-sik. But… that man, Cheon Tae-hwang, is not normal.”

Han-seong spoke seriously, recalling his past battles with the Lizardmen.

Nimble movements that couldn’t be expected from a beginner summoner. An overwhelming presence that didn’t just rely on level and stats but truly mastered the ‘sword’ to slaughter enemies. A warrior with a genius talent in combat that seemed unmatched.

That was Han-seong’s impression of Cheon Tae-hwang.

‘That’s a monster born for battle.’

Thinking about Cheon Tae-hwang, Han-seong thought so. And upon hearing his words, Yeong-sik,

“Not normal?”

laughed as if mocking.

Yeong-sik placed his hand on his right arm.

Clack.

With the sound of gears meshing, his right arm ‘detached’. The cross-section of the detached arm was filled with intricately complex mechanical devices that replaced bones and blood vessels.

“Do you think he’s less normal than me?”

Yeong-sik twisted his lips, looking somewhat amused.

After the distribution of rewards to the summoners who participated in the subjugation squad, which seemed more chaotic than war, the Salvator Guild visited the Leviathan Guild.

The Leviathan Guild headquarters was located near the now-collapsed northern border.

Looking at the northern border being rebuilt with the help of many summoners and natives, the Salvator Guild knocked on the door of the Leviathan Guild headquarters.

“…It’s huge.”

Ara marveled at the Leviathan Guild headquarters, which had as many as five five-story guild houses.

“It’s so grand, it makes me feel uneasy about whether we belong here.”

Gil-soo looked up at the enormous buildings with a restless expression. Yeong-sik chuckled at his reaction and responded.

“Uncle Gil-soo, you’re a member of Salvator too. There’s no reason you can’t come.”

“Ugh, I know that… but I’m not used to places like this.”

Gil-soo looked around, much like someone who had just arrived in Seoul from the countryside.

“Ah, it’s Yeong-sik’s money anyway, so I don’t think it’s a waste. It’s just that it might take some time.”

“How long do you think it will take to get it?”

“Hmm… with this amount, it’ll probably take about a month.”

“Then let’s ask the Leviathan Guild for help after we win the match. They have connections with dozens of merchant guilds.”

Han-seong, who was talking with Yeong-sik, closed his mouth firmly. He sighed deeply and asked Yeong-sik.

“…Are you really confident you can beat Cheon Tae-hwang? What’s your current level, Yeong-sik?”

“73.”

“73?”

Hearing his words, Han-seong had a complex expression. Considering Yeong-sik was a 61st-round summoner, it was an impressive level.

But the problem was that the opponent had become strong at an astonishingly fast pace, beyond such ‘impressiveness’.

“I know you’re strong for your level, Yeong-sik. But… that man, Cheon Tae-hwang, is not normal.”

Han-seong spoke seriously, recalling his past battles with the Lizardmen.

Nimble movements that couldn’t be expected from a beginner summoner. An overwhelming presence that didn’t just rely on level and stats but truly mastered the ‘sword’ to slaughter enemies. A warrior with a genius talent in combat that seemed unmatched.

That was Han-seong’s impression of Cheon Tae-hwang.

‘That’s a monster born for battle.’

Thinking about Cheon Tae-hwang, Han-seong thought so. And upon hearing his words, Yeong-sik,

“Not normal?”

laughed as if mocking.

Yeong-sik placed his hand on his right arm.

Clack.

With the sound of gears meshing, his right arm ‘detached’. The cross-section of the detached arm was filled with intricately complex mechanical devices that replaced bones and blood vessels.

“Do you think he’s less normal than me?”

Yeong-sik twisted his lips, looking somewhat amused.

After the distribution of rewards to the summoners who participated in the subjugation squad, which seemed more chaotic than war, the Salvator Guild visited the Leviathan Guild.

The Leviathan Guild headquarters was located near the now-collapsed northern border.

Looking at the northern border being rebuilt with the help of many summoners and natives, the Salvator Guild knocked on the door of the Leviathan Guild headquarters.

“…It’s huge.”

Ara marveled at the Leviathan Guild headquarters, which had as many as five five-story guild houses.

“It’s so grand, it makes me feel uneasy about whether we belong here.”

Gil-soo looked up at the enormous buildings with a restless expression. Yeong-sik chuckled at his reaction and responded.

“Uncle Gil-soo, you’re a member of Salvator too. There’s no reason you can’t come.”

“Ugh, I know that… but I’m not used to places like this.”

Gil-soo looked around, much like someone who had just arrived in Seoul from the countryside.

“…Ha. If that’s the opinion of the Salvator Guild Leader, I can’t say anything against it.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Park Si-a and Kang Ha-rin led the Salvator Guild towards the training ground located inside the guild. The training ground, situated among the five headquarters buildings, was so large that it could be compared to a soccer field.

In the center of the training ground stood Cheon Tae-hwang, who had come out early and was waiting.

With a sculpted face that exuded masculinity and a towering height, the young man looked like he could be modeling for a photo shoot just by standing there. He had five swords strapped to his waist.

Rumors of Yeong-sik and Cheon Tae-hwang’s duel seemed to have spread within the Leviathan Guild, as summoners who appeared to be guild members gathered around the training ground.

“Tae-hwang, are you ready?”

Kang Ha-rin waved energetically and shouted when she spotted Cheon Tae-hwang. He let out a short sigh and gave her a slight glare.

“Ha-rin, you’re the one who spread the rumor about the duel, right?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? Someone as tight-lipped as me would never do that.”

She avoided his gaze with a sly expression. Cheon Tae-hwang, realizing it was her obvious lie, groaned and looked around.

“Kyaa! Tae-hwang oppa! I’m looking forward to seeing you in action!”

“You know I only have eyes for you, Tae-hwang oppa!”

As he turned his head, the female summoners gathered around the training ground screamed. Even among them, many women clearly in their thirties were also shouting and calling him oppa.

His popularity was akin to that of an idol.

Cheon Tae-hwang frowned as if he had a headache, looking at those women.

“Alright, shall we get ready? Do you need anything?”

Kang Ha-rin stood between Yeong-sik and Cheon Tae-hwang, looking back and forth between them. Both Yeong-sik and Cheon Tae-hwang shook their heads simultaneously.

“Hmm? Oh, come to think of it, Yeong-sik… right? I haven’t heard about your level. What level are you now?”

“73.”

Yeong-sik replied with a calm expression.

Hearing his words, the Leviathan Guild members gathered around had surprised expressions but also faint smirks on their faces.

“Oh. That’s quite a high level.”

Kang Ha-rin nodded with a deep smile.

Reaching level 73 as a 61st-round summoner was certainly impressive.

Even with support, it would require considerable talent and effort to reach that level.

‘So that’s why you were so confident.’

Kang Ha-rin chuckled and nodded. She looked at Yeong-sik and spoke in a mocking tone.

“Since you shared your level, our Tae-hwang should share his level too, right? Our Tae-hwang is…”

“Level 95. Level isn’t everything, so let’s have a good match.”

Cheon Tae-hwang interrupted Kang Ha-rin and extended his hand towards Yeong-sik. Yeong-sik trembled with a shocked expression.

“9, 95 level? What, what? How can a 61st-round summoner already be…”

“Hah. I told you, our Tae-hwang is strong.”

“W-wait a minute. This is invalid! You didn’t tell me he was this high level!”

Yeong-sik shouted urgently at Kang Ha-rin.

Kang Ha-rin looked slightly deflated as she scratched her ear with her pinky finger.

“You’re the one who accepted the proposal, right? How can you back out now?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Then let’s do this. If you beat Tae-hwang, I’ll give you 300,000 gold along with protecting the Salvator Guild for a year. How about it? Honestly, isn’t this a bet worth trying?”

Kang Ha-rin patted Yeong-sik’s trembling shoulder and suggested.

And then,

“Good. 300,000 gold. I’ll accept it.”

Yeong-sik accepted the proposal in his usual calm tone, as if he had never been afraid. Kang Ha-rin’s expression turned to one of astonishment.

“What? What are you? C-could it be…”

“Shall we start now?”

Yeong-sik ignored the flustered Kang Ha-rin and looked at Cheon Tae-hwang. He was watching with a look of interest.

A deep smile spread across Yeong-sik’s face.

“Blade.”

– Click.

With a sharp metallic sound, a silvery-white blade emitting a menacing aura extended from the back of his hand.