Transferred to an SSS-rank Production Class

“Well then, let’s begin.”

I put on the monocle gifted by Kalia. The prickling sensation of eyes boring into the back of my head was intense.

Originally, I had planned to sneak out and repair the circuit before receiving the hidden quest. But Choi Kwon-young caught me leaving a bit earlier than the others.

As a result, I ended up putting on a show in front of everyone. It wasn’t all bad, though; it was an opportunity to showcase my abilities.

“Still, it’s quite nerve-wracking.”

Unlike Enchant, circuit repair doesn’t benefit from skill buffs. My palms felt sweaty, even underwater.

Choi Kwon-young handed me a magic stone from his inventory. He called it an admission fee.

‘An A-rank magic stone for something like this…’

I was struck anew by his immense wealth.

I infused mana into the magic stone. The once-hard mineral transformed into something akin to soft clay.

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

“Mr. Kim, you’ve got some extraordinary skills there!”

I summoned a scroll in the hand not holding the magic stone. I unfurled the transparent scroll on the lake bottom. You’re my only hope!

I stretched the mana cluster into a thin, thread-like form.

‘Let’s see. Should I start from the outside?’

[If it were me, I’d start here instead of there.]

Just as I was about to place my hand on the edge of the circuit, a clear, tinkling voice echoed in my mind.

[Hey, if you keep doing it that way, you’ll develop bad habits. Even if it’s difficult, you need to start from the center to avoid defects. Here, like this!]

A familiar voice chided me.

‘This voice… Kalia?’

As if demonstrating, a blue line traced across the central part of the circuit. It was exactly as I had seen in books. It was incomparably more perfect than my amateurish attempts.

“Yun Gaho, is there a problem?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

It seemed my companions couldn’t hear this voice. They were all staring at me blankly as I gazed at the circuit.

So this is what it meant for the monocle to contain a fragment of Kalia. The blue line flickered dramatically, as if urging me to hurry. I put the scroll back into my inventory.

I don’t need that anymore. Not with Kalia here.

How should I express my gratitude? A monocle that allows me to tap into Kalia’s database, accumulated over decades, perhaps centuries. For a production-type hunter like me, there could be no greater treasure.

“Thanks to this, I’ll be able to save face.”

With this, I wouldn’t make a fool of myself by confidently claiming I could repair it and then messing up.

The anxiety that had been gnawing at a corner of my mind vanished completely.

I began the repair from the center of the circuit, as Kalia had instructed.

[Yes, that’s it. Be mindful of the circuit calculating the required mana amount right next to it.]

As I repaired the circuit using the mana cluster, Kalia’s voice explained the circuit as if giving a lecture.

[Did you know? The teleportation formula used underwater always includes this character…]

Unlike Kallos, who was all about demonstrations due to his lack of eloquence, Kalia was a skilled orator. If magical engineering were a college entrance exam subject, she’d undoubtedly be a star lecturer.

Since becoming a hunter, I had distanced myself from books, but I felt I could listen to this kind of lecture endlessly. The vague ideas I had when analyzing circuits alone finally became proper principles.

[Tut-tut, Gaho! That connection is sloppy. You need to be more precise!]

Sharp criticisms flew as well.

Such feedback was always welcome. I try my best, but sometimes my body doesn’t keep up with my intentions. At times like these, having someone correct me is invaluable.

“Hmm, if it develops this way, perhaps we could change this part like so…”

Listening to Kalia’s lecture, my creativity began to flow.

The existing circuit required constant mana infusion. If we added a circuit to accumulate the mana dispersing into the water, wouldn’t it be easier for someone like me to activate the circuit?

[Oh my, that’s a good idea. You’ve got talent, don’t you? Ah, if that’s your intention, this method would be better than that…]

As my confidence grew, my hand movements became more fluid. My companions seemed to be saying something, but I couldn’t hear them. Right now, what mattered was figuring out how to make this circuit function properly.

[Alright, time to wrap it up?]

When I came to my senses, the circuit repair was nearing its end.

The old circuit had regained its former clarity.

The original indigo-colored circuit intertwined with the newly drawn white circuit, emitting a mysterious light. Finally, I gathered the magical power and tied it off.

[You have restored an ancient formula.]

[Your Dexterity increases by 3 due to perfect restoration.]

“I did it!”

[Well done!]

Kalia’s voice faded away, and the sounds around me became clearer.

I stretched my body, which had been hunched over while repairing the circuit.

“Mr. Kim, are you finished now?”

“Unni, how did you do that? The ground beneath our feet is sparkling!”

“Hunter Yun Gaho, you’re quite talented. I wonder how far you can go.”

“Don’t touch it.”

Atera and Cha Taeyang held hands and danced across the glowing circuit. At the same moment, Yun Su-ho swatted away Choi Kwon-young’s hand as it reached for my shoulder.

“When you said you were going to the workshop, I was skeptical…”

“It’s all thanks to Kalia’s wisdom. This should last at least 100 years now.”

“I’m in your debt.”

The sea spirit gazed at me with an enigmatic look. His eyes, which initially lingered on the monocle, soon fixed on my pupils.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I averted my gaze but then remembered the subquest and addressed him.

“Astrona-nim, could I possibly see where the deep-sea pearl was?”

“The deep-sea pearl? Why so suddenly?”

“I met something like Kalia’s will at the workshop, and received a suggestion. It said studying the protection formula would be a good learning experience.”

“That one, making decisions on her own…”

“She said you would allow it.”

I thought he might refuse, given it was essentially the core of Badadkkot, but surprisingly, the sea spirit readily granted permission for the tour. He gestured towards my monocle.

“That’s the item Kalin used to sing about giving to a talented junior. If it were just any player, I might refuse, but I can’t deny someone Kalin has acknowledged.”

“Thank you so much!”

“The others can’t come. Just you.”

I nodded quickly, fearing he might change his mind.

Yun Su-ho, who had been listening nearby, was about to interject but closed his mouth upon seeing my expression. Though he kept glaring at me intensely, it seemed he wouldn’t make a fuss as usual.

“If Kalia was confident, it must be impressive.”

The teleportation formula was remarkable, but it paled in comparison to the protection formula encompassing the entire Cradle. Just observing the circuit would be an immense learning opportunity. My heart was already swelling with anticipation.

“Come to think of it, that’s an item I haven’t seen before.”

“I acquired it by chance.”

Noticing Choi Kwon-young’s interest in the monocle, I hastily de-summoned the glasses.

If there’s one complaint about my changed lifestyle, it’s that man. Always observing people like a vase in the corridor.

Here, it’s better to keep your distance. I discreetly moved behind Yun Su-ho, eliciting a laugh from him.

“What’s with that small animal-like behavior?”

“Let’s get moving.”

Perfect timing! The sea spirit clapped his hands to draw attention. The group climbed onto the mana circuit following his instructions. The sea spirit infused magical power into the newly repaired circuit.

Whoosh-

The circuit, where past and present intersected, vibrated softly as if heralding a new beginning. The lake interior filled with a mysterious indigo light.

Then, with a sensation of the ground flipping beneath our feet, the surrounding scenery changed.

[Entering Special Field, ‘Cradle of the Sea People (A)’.]

We swam across the emerald sea towards the pure white tower at the center of Badadkkot. The sea spirit and Akis guided the group to a reception room inside the tower.

After everyone was seated, the sea spirit got to the point.

“First, let me express my gratitude. Thanks to you, we were able to find the children of the delegation whose whereabouts were unknown.”

“We merely did our duty.”

“No need for modesty. You kept your word.”

[Do you want to accept the Hidden Quest ‘Will Spring Bloom? (A+)’?

 – Clear Condition: Rescue Sea People (20 or more), Reclaim Deep Sea Pearl

 – Time Limit: None

 – Reward: ???

 – Penalty: Closure of Special Field ‘Cradle of the Sea People (A)’, ???]

“I’m asking you officially. Please save the children.”

“Thank you for this opportunity.”

I accepted the quest without hesitation. The question marks in the penalty section were chilling, but right now, the sense of achievement overshadowed that concern.

We had finally entered the hidden quest. The efforts that began with Atera’s wish had come to fruition. Everyone in the group wore equally excited expressions.

After Astrona and Akis left, we huddled together to discuss our future plans. Atera, reluctant to part from Cha Taeyang, remained in the reception room.

“With our current numbers, it’s difficult to accomplish both objectives at once. Let’s call in the party members from Eidolon.”

“Is that really necessary? If Yun Su-ho and Guild Master Choi Kwon-young split up…”

“Hunter Yun Su-ho, unfortunately, that’s not possible.”

Choi Kwon-young shook his head gently, hands raised.

Yun Su-ho’s suggestion was reasonable. Why not have the two S-rank hunters act separately?

“I need to return soon.”

“Pardon?”

“Staying here any longer will attract unnecessary attention. Too many places are looking for me. With the scale, things should be fine here.”

Ah, right. This mission was supposed to be carried out in utmost secrecy. It wasn’t suitable for Choi Kwon-young, who attracts all sorts of rumors.

He probably pushed his way in on the pretext of needing a hunter capable of underwater activities, but that excuse wouldn’t work anymore. With his guild leader duties, he couldn’t stay indefinitely.

Remembering Choi Kwon-young’s hunter watch ringing late into the night, I let out a sigh.

Personally, I found him irksome, but setting aside my bias, there was no one more reliable. I felt a tiny pang of regret, like a speck of dust.

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Are you actually expressing regret?”

“…I’ll contact Hunter Han Cha-hyun. I’ll tell him to return to Shella now.”

“Even if Hunter Han Cha-hyun joins us, it will take time. Let’s discuss which task we should investigate first in the meantime.”

As if she had been waiting for this moment, Cha Taeyang’s hand shot up. Does she have a good idea? She and Atera had been investigating Shella separately yesterday, hadn’t they?

It seems she might have found a clue.

“Me! I’ve discovered the whereabouts of the kidnapped children!”

“Really? Where did you go?”

“To Gorgon-ssi’s mansion.”

“What?”

Gorgon was the representative figure of the Shipowners’ Association. She visited his mansion?

Seeing my shocked expression, the children exchanged glances and smiled mischievously. Cha Taeyang quickly composed herself and began her story.

“You see, Atera’s old friend is there.”