Chapter 010…..
Treasure (1)
Since ancient times, humans have sought rare treasures.
Gold and silver, world-saving swords, rings imbued with immense magical power—sometimes even people themselves were considered treasures.
But these treasures all had one thing in common—
“There is always someone guarding the treasure.”
What looks precious to my eyes will also appear precious to others.
The rarer the treasure, the more people covet it—and the stronger its owner becomes.
In that sense, Shinwoo was sweating profusely.
[This item is imbued with magic.]
[Would you like to send it to the tower for research?]
After completing enchantment research, Shinwoo saw this message along with a description of the item, “Memory.”
At that moment, the G Shelter seemed like a massive treasure warehouse to him.
He had to check it, of course, but the idea that he could obtain magical abilities that would otherwise be difficult through the tower’s research was incredibly enticing.
“The problem is that the treasure’s owner is the massive corporate giant, G Shelter.”
Even the employee in charge of “Memory” who had been joking just moments ago, and all the other staff smiling at Shinwoo, were terrifying guardians.
In fact, there was only one way to win against them!
“Thank you for your purchase~!”
“…Yes.”
“Please come back safely!”
‘I still don’t think my wallet will forgive me.’
Shinwoo sighed over his now-thin wallet and left the store, cradling “Memory” in a luxurious box.
The large G mark printed on the box felt annoyingly defiant.
This grudge… when I visit the store again, I’ll make sure to sweep all the items off the shelves!
“Hmm, well… at least I bought it.”
Shinwoo looked proudly at the box containing “Memory”, glanced around, and slipped into a nearby alley.
He found a blind spot not covered by CCTV and then said:
“Transfer.”
[Transferring item.]
Pop!
“Memory” vanished, leaving the box dramatically lighter.
When Shinwoo checked the tower’s system, he saw A looking flustered while holding a teddy bear.
Before Shinwoo could even give any commands, A seemed to notice that magic was already embedded in the bear and examined it carefully.
[“Memory” has been added as a new research subject.]
[Would you like Mage A to undertake this research?]
“Of course.”
Of course, it was A.
The icon of trust and reliability—an A-grade employee who could handle everything without needing step-by-step instructions!
[Mage A has begun researching “Memory.”]
[Research time is increased due to lack of foundational technology.]
[Estimated time: 17 hours]
“Apparently I can obtain a mental stabilization spell, so this is nothing.”
The research time was longer than expected, but still reasonable.
Enchanting relied on the foundational skill of “psychokinesis to manipulate the mana within objects.”
Mental stabilization, by contrast, had almost no connection to Shinwoo’s existing magic, so the delay was understandable.
“Even if it took longer, a mental stabilization spell is necessary.”
Why had Shinwoo chosen “Memory” from countless items?
“Even if it was unavoidable with the harpies, having no way for mages to counter mental attacks is a problem.”
Even the orcs and imps on his hunting list could each cause mental status disorders—through “War Cry” and “Demonic Presence” respectively.
And unlike the harpies, these enemies didn’t discriminate by gender, so the meditation room trick wouldn’t work.
“But I can’t avoid hunting them if I want to strengthen the facilities.”
Shinwoo didn’t have that short temper. When it was time to act, he would do so decisively.
“Ah, just now I looked pretty cool.”
Shinwoo puffed up his shoulders in pride and prepared to go home, glancing at the empty box in his hands.
It was big and cumbersome—should he just discard it on the way?
“Wait, no. Surely the price I paid included part of the box cost.”
G Shelter boxes were rumored to be incredibly sturdy, so he could surely find some use for it.
If not, he could even use it as a ramen tray.
Use it well. Once it’s in your hands, make the most of it. That was Shinwoo’s motto.
“Hmm… but it feels like a shame to go home just like this.”
Was he just in a good mood today? Even a homebody like Shinwoo felt it was a waste to leave.
He paused, then saw the G Shelter box and remembered something he had forgotten.
“If I go a little further from here, there’s the artisan district.”
The artisan—or enchanter—district.
As the name suggests, it was a bustling area of enchanters and craftsmen, full of clanging metal and lively activity.
If G Shelter was accessible to the public, hunters often visited these streets for custom gear.
Shinwoo had peeked around a few times before his awakening but had completely forgotten. This was a perfect opportunity to revisit.
Above all, these streets gave the feeling of…
“Treasure hunting. I’m excited.”
There’s a special thrill when you find something genuine among all the fakes and shams.
He wanted to experience a different kind of thrill than G Shelter.
It only took a few bus stops to reach the artisan district.
Clang! Clang!
“Passing by, hunters! How can you resist making custom gear here!? Come and get it cheaply!”
“Only the top hunters have passed through here—luxury gear stores!”
“Bring monster byproducts for a discount. But don’t try to pass off low-quality materials!”
After the relatively tame G Shelter, this wild, unrefined district made Shinwoo’s ears ring.
But the wilder the environment, the greater the joy of discovering a treasure, so he moved enthusiastically.
He started by checking out a shop that claimed to have served a truckload of popular hunters.
“They must be confident in what they sell to say that.”
However, the completed items left out for display were…
“Dragon-Slaying Sword (E)”
Description: A sword with a grand name but lackluster performance.
Enchantments: Fire Lv.2, Fire Resistance Lv.1, Mana Accumulation Lv.1
Improvement: “If the metal cannot withstand fire, the outcome is inevitable.”
“…Of course the metal would melt.”
This sword would catch its wielder before it caught any dragon.
What a ridiculous sword.
He quickly checked another shop.
“Victorious Sword (C+)”
Description: A sword embodying its creator’s belief that a flying sword is every man’s dream.
Enchantments: Flight Lv.1, Acceleration Lv.1, Mental Link Lv.1
Improvement: “The human brain often does more when told not to.”
“This isn’t the Victorious Sword, it’s the Vengeful Sword.”
Using it would create bloodshed at the mere thought of stabbing an enemy.
Still, aside from the lack of safety features, it was a rare weapon with the unusual skills Flight and Mental Link.
“Phew, at least there are some decent items here.”
The problem was that skill-based deception was rampant—shops falsely labeling items with rare skills to scam customers.
Even with regulation attempts by the association and police, it was still bad.
“Merchants really have no conscience,” Shinwoo muttered.
If he weren’t the “Master of the Tower,” he might have been fooled completely.
Annoyed, he reported all the shops that had written false item descriptions to the Hunter Association’s anonymous board.
Afterward, he felt a quiet satisfaction.
“If even one person avoids being scammed, it’s worth it.”
Shinwoo had no idea what ripple effect his posts would cause—he just smiled contentedly.
“Now for the remaining shops…”
He had visited most of the main shops. Only a few on the outskirts remained.
He considered leaving, but decided to check all of them since he had come this far.
The outskirts shops were…
“All closed.”
It was no surprise. The fact that these shops were unpopular was obvious.
One shop hadn’t announced its closure, but being closed at this hour made it predictable.
“Well, at least I’ve covered the artisan district, so time to head home…”
Rrreeek—
Hearing a shutter rising behind him, Shinwoo turned sharply. Weren’t they closed?
A muscular man in work clothes emerged from the shutter, and Shinwoo’s eyes widened.
“Uh… the neighboring shop?”
“Hm?”
The neighbor recognized Shinwoo too, raising thick eyebrows as if to ask why he was there.
Shinwoo stared blankly at the shop sign:
[Cheoljin Workshop]
“So the hunter-related shop that does everything by hand is a proper workshop?”
He had imagined a darker, seedier place, but this neighbor’s shop seemed respectable, making him feel a pang of conscience.
“What misunderstanding could someone have of such a hardworking person…?”
So, he asked:
“Your shop looks modern and stylish—may I look around?”
“Uh… sure.”
Shinwoo became the rare customer for what seemed like this nearly defunct (he guessed) shop.
Enchanter Kang Cheoljin quietly rubbed the back of his neck at the unexpected visitor.
“The coffee is good. You must use something high-end.”
“…It’s just instant mix.”
“Of course! Rich yet familiar taste! Haha…”
Clearly, both of them looked awkward.
Cheoljin, as blunt as his name implied, was terrible at easing the atmosphere.
“…You’re Sung Shinwoo, right? From the box, it doesn’t look like you came to buy items—so what brings you to the artisan district?”
“Oh, this? I bought some things earlier, and thought I’d check out the artisan district.”
He casually shook the G Shelter box in his hand.
Cheoljin immediately realized Shinwoo didn’t care about other people’s gazes.
“Many here blame themselves for being ruined by corporations like G Shelter.”
Yet Shinwoo carried the box without concern, appearing completely natural.
“He’s very nonchalant. Although, he seems not too bold either, since he avoids eye contact with me.”
Still, as a customer, Cheoljin needed to explain some shop rules.
“I mainly do custom orders, so I don’t have much to show.”
“So you show nothing to first-time customers?”
‘Honest face… no wonder the shop looks like this.’
Cheoljin rubbed the back of his neck and explained:
“Usually, I show appraisal sheets with other customers’ items… but the exclusive appraiser quit recently.”
In reality, it had been a unilateral contract cancellation that caused trouble, but he didn’t share that with the customer.
Customers only cared about their own items, not the shop’s troubles.
“Ah, but I’d still like to see them!”
“…Well, if that’s the case.”
A rare request, so Cheoljin pulled out a blue bracelet while rubbing the back of his neck.
Shinwoo’s jaw dropped upon seeing it.
“Blue Wind (B+)”
Description: Shoes made from wyvern scales and harpy feathers, designed for a customer who wanted to arrive at the scene on time even if the alarm sounded late.
Enchantments: Acceleration Lv.6, Mana Barrier Lv.3, Mana Accumulation Lv.5
Improvement: “If you wish to become the wind, you must flow with it, not resist it.”
“Found it.”
The treasure of the artisan district.
