Chapter 97 - Chapter 99

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 99

Chapter Title: Reinforcement Scroll

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'There are many ways to reinforce gear during the Selection Process.'

Raising the grade, like with [Giant Slayer].

Imbuing it with attributes.

Or seeking help from a blacksmith for reforging and modifications.

There are all sorts of methods, but if you had to pick the absolute best, it would undoubtedly be the [Reinforcement Scroll].

The reason is simple.

'It's incredibly rare.'

The [Reinforcement Scroll] only starts appearing in earnest during the latter half of the Selection Process.

You can get one before then, but it's like trying to pluck a star from the sky.

Not only that, but whether it's a weapon, armor, or accessory, reinforcing it boosts the performance of one of its special options—so anyone who's drawn good gear wants one of these consumables.

'And she handed over five of them.'

I could feel Noktaviel's determination to somehow resolve this incident.

'Can't blame her.'

-Our shop has no extensions. All debts and responsibilities must be settled on the spot. That's the rule set by ■■, who established this place. Even guests are no exception.

No exceptions for guests, and none for employees either.

That's why, even in the first round, Noktaviel had been forced to hand over one of these items due to someone's protest.

Word spread, and everyone tried to exploit it, but of course, she didn't make the same mistake twice.

In short, it's a trick you can only pull off once.

'This is only the third Rest Area. No one before me would've used this method.'

Still, there was one part that made me a little anxious: the time Noktaviel was threatened was during the mid-to-late stages of the Selection Process.

By then, players' stats were ridiculously overpowered.

It was a time when a group could stage a violent protest and make it stick.

'But we're in the very early stages, so armed resistance isn't an option for us.'

I'd even worried a bit that they might just crush us with force instead, but fortunately, Noktaviel was a staff member who valued dignity.

She understood etiquette and was sensitive to my Resident status.

"...Guest, has your mood improved at all?"

She was being extremely polite to me even now.

Treating me almost like a lord—it was a moment that really drove home the value of a Resident's position.

And yet, part of me still didn't get it.

'She's so polite now, so why did she stab right through my chest without hesitation earlier? And without a second thought.'

...It was utterly baffling, but since there was more in the Selection Process that I couldn't understand than could, I shook off the curiosity.

There were plenty of other things worth thinking about.

"Guest...?"

"Fine, we'll let it slide this time."

"Th-thank you."

Noktaviel let out a sigh of relief. Her very human-like reaction made her feel a bit more relatable.

"But you! What were you planning to do with Oppa's heart?!"

"That is..."

"Sera, let's go."

"Huh? Aren't you curious, Oppa?"

Nothing good comes from knowing. Monsters aren't the only ones who like players' flesh. Ancient gods... especially those that could be called evil gods... love cooking it up.

High-stat players' flesh in particular.

They say it tastes special. I don't know if they actually eat it since I've never seen it.

What I do know is that this place is an altar. An altar for offering tributes to ancient gods.

To us, it's traps of curses, diseases, dismemberment, and skewers—horrific stuff. But to the ancient evil gods, it's just fun cooking time.

Seasoning it, marinating it, skewering it...

In simple terms, that's what humans are in this world. Not noble, but common and insignificant.

"Alright, everyone, let's head out."

As I soothed the group and turned to Noktaviel, she hurriedly opened the exit. A bluish portal. The moment the way out appeared, the group's expressions softened, and they began filing out one by one.

Of course, not without a parting shot each.

"Hmph, I'll let it go this time because Min-jun saw it."

"I'll be watching your service next time too."

"Sera won't forget what happened today."

"Watch your back at night."

Noktaviel responded to each with sweat beading on her brow and a practiced business smile. Service jobs are tough. Well, she brought this on herself.

Once the group was out, I started to leave but paused and turned back.

"Oh, right. My clothes are in this state."

She froze at that, eyeing my blood-soaked top and bottom and the torn, ragged shirt. Forcing a smile, she summoned a piece of clothing from thin air.

"...Please take this."

It was a long coat.

Stylish, but simple and a bit plain.

But as I looked closer, the fabric seemed to rustle and shift on its own—like it was alive.

'Void material?'

The Selection Process is full of various materials, each with pros and cons and different grades.

The pitch-black fabric with a subtle purple sheen radiating a gloomy aura was definitely void material—an EX-grade special fiber, if you had to rank it.

It has high inherent resistance and the advantage of self-repairing damage. The downsides? It's rare and incredibly hard to work with.

Even at a glance, you could tell it cost a fortune. On the back, like a uniform, some lettering was embroidered.

Otherworldly script—I couldn't read it without translation skills—but it was probably a god's name or this rift's title.

'...Tharadras? So this rift belongs to Tharadras?'

There are many rifts, and thus many altars.

I'd assumed this was just some minor god's, but Tharadras-owned? Wow.

For reference, Tharadras is also the owner of that 100 million-point item I saw earlier.

Of course, this being staff uniform means it isn't that powerful, but...

'No. Items that boost physical and magic resistance by percentage are among the top ten options across the entire Selection Process.'

They straight-up nullify that much damage—huge gains.

'Damn, this is busted.'

I tried it on. The attached stats were so high that energy surged through my whole body.

I looked at Noktaviel and said something I didn't mean.

"I'll return it next time I come."

"...No need. If you meet any other esteemed guests, please put in a good word for us then."

"Got it. You want me to promote the shop?"

No big deal. I smiled and told her not to worry.

"Oh, hand over that paper too. I'll write a review."

She flinched.

"Relax. After all this, you think I'd write a bad one?"

Feeling generous for a moment, I wrote a glowing review and handed it over. Noktaviel clearly wanted to check it but didn't in front of me.

Probably thought it undignified.

"See you next time."

"Thank you."

No, thank you.

I'd planned to squeeze out the remaining balance on the [World Tree Branch] too, but since she gifted me nice clothes, I let that slide.

Taking everything would've made her pop a vein for real.

'Alright, made a nice profit. Time to head back to the real world.'

When we stepped out, we were seated in an omakase restaurant. Even the chopsticks in our hands were right where we'd left them—it felt like we'd just dozed off and dreamed the whole thing.

"Ugh, I'm still pissed."

"We should've pushed harder."

"Should've shoved this up there. Such a shame."

"..."

But having gone through it, no one could focus on the meal. I beckoned to the Saintess.

"Ha-na, give everyone a heal, please."

"Pardon? Oh, right!"

Only then did the group start blinking, calming down.

"Auntie."

Lee Sera, who recovered first and snapped out of it, spoke up.

"What?"

"Oppa called you."

"Huh?"

Shin Seo-yeon turned to me. In that moment, Sera's quick hands snatched the tuna from Seo-yeon's plate.

"Hey!"

Seo-yeon reached for it, but Sera's plate had been empty for ages.

"You're kidding?! Spit it out! I said spit!"

That kicked things off again—the group laughing, chatting, and eating. The Saintess said wistfully,

"But we didn't get a refund in the end."

"Yeah."

"Such a shame."

"Calm down, everyone. It wasn't a losing deal."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

I shook my new outer coat. The women, noticing the long coat a beat late, lit up.

"You got that as service too?"

"Whoa, Min-jun, you look cool! Matches your black hair perfectly!"

"Suits you great, Oppa. But the color is so unique."

The fabric of the floor-length coat was black at the top, gradually shading to white toward the hem like marble.

"The color changes when it moves?"

Void material has chameleon-like effects like this. Per the lore, it coexists everywhere in the world, which is why we rarely notice it.

In other words, it's that expensive.

"Ooooh!"

Flutter flutter. Fascinated by the changes, Sera grabbed my coat's hem and played with it.

I chuckled softly at her childlike antics and pulled out the [Accessory Reinforcement Scroll], waving it in front of Shin Seo-yeon.

"What's up? Not asking for it today?"

"..."

"Huh? Seo-yeon?"

"..."

...What's this? The mood feels off.

She hasn't looked my way since earlier, and except when Sera was messing around, she hasn't said much.

'First time something like this since kindergarten.'

I'd ignored her tantrum over wanting to play with my toy out of a bunch, and she'd sulked like that all day.

Oh, she did it a few times in elementary school too, now that I think about it.

"Why so quiet? You sick?"

"...Shut up. You idiot. You got it while you were dying—think I'm so shameless I'd covet that too?"

"..."

Weird. In the first round, she totally would've.

Seo-yeon in the first round and second round really are becoming different people.

Often defying my expectations, you could say.

Anyway, since she said she didn't want it, I used the item without hesitation. I already knew what to use it on.

No reason to reinforce other accessories. I can snag better ones in the next Trial. But growth-type items are different.

Especially ones bound with Binding that I have no plans to swap.

'The issue is the success rate.'

True to this screwed-up world, the odds here are brutally low. Even with scrolls flooding the late game, they're always in short supply.

80% for +1? That says it all.

Still, up to +7, failures don't reset—so the key is how many I can chain without slipping.

'Just need +3.'

I pressed confirm, and dazzling effects accompanied the notification.

Huh?

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