AECS 34

Chapter 34

Hyperspeed Rune (2)

Enhancement Workshop.

If the Synthesis Workshop consumes summons, the Enhancement Workshop consumes runes.

[Welcome to the Enhancement Workshop!]
[Try enhancing or polishing your runes!]

The place looked similar to the Synthesis Workshop.
A whole building near the Trial Tower served as the Enhancement Workshop, managed by headquarters.

Waiting for his turn, Baek Jin-woo entered the room and placed the Hyperspeed Rune in the main slot.

“Materials… should be enough.”

He had accumulated leftover runes that wouldn’t sell while grinding the weekday dungeons.
If the options rolled poorly, they wouldn’t sell anyway.

“Rune enhancement materials are needed too.”

He emptied the junk runes into the material slot, enough to upgrade to level 10.
Luckily, he had plenty of materials.

[Do you want to enhance?]
[Y/N]

“Okay.”

A light shone from the main slot, and the enhancement began with a flash.

[Level 2!]
[Intelligence +12% → Intelligence +24%]
[Level 3!]
[Agility +12% → Agility +24%]
[Level 4!]
[Intelligence +24% → Intelligence +36%]
[Level 5!]
[Agility +24% → Agility +36%]

For reference, stats like Strength, Intelligence, Stamina, and Agility have a max increase of 12% per level and a minimum of 4% per level.
Normally, the enhancement would randomly roll between 4–12%, but since this was a Rare Rune, every upgrade hit the maximum.
It didn’t even add flat Intelligence or Agility.

“Nice, nice!”

The upgrades were a joy to watch.

[Level 6!]
[Intelligence +36% → Intelligence +48%]
[Level 7!]
[Agility +36% → Agility +48%]
[Level 8!]
[Intelligence +48% → Intelligence +60%]
[Level 9!]
[Agility +48% → Agility +60%]
[Level Max!]
[Intelligence +60% → Intelligence +72%]
[Enhancement has reached maximum!]

“Wow.”

It maxed out all the way. Baek Jin-woo checked the rune’s stats:

[Rune]
[Grade: Highest (Rare)]

Limited to 100 worldwide.
[Set Effect: Hyperspeed]
6 equipped: Attack speed +300%
For staff-using summons: Additional attack speed +200%
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Intelligence +72%, Intelligence +30
Agility +60%, Agility +30

“Insane…”

A one-of-a-kind, over-the-top rune was born.
Just imagining the performance of Lamba with six of these was thrilling.

But this wasn’t the end.

“Time to polish.”

Normally, to polish that “Intelligence +72%,” he would need a “Top-tier Intelligence % Polishing Stone.”
From the top-tier Tuesday dungeon, he’d have to grind endlessly to reach maximum.
But with a “Universal Polishing Stone”?
It could instantly max out a stat in one go.

Baek Jin-woo placed four Universal Polishing Stones into the material slot.

[Polish?]
[Y/N]

And polished all the options to perfection.

[Rune]
[Grade: Highest (Rare)]

Limited to 100 worldwide.
[Set Effect: Hyperspeed]
6 equipped: Attack speed +300%
For staff-using summons: Additional attack speed +200%
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Intelligence +84%, Intelligence +60
Agility +72%, Agility +60

The ultimate, maxed-out rune was complete.
Nothing better could be made or found for Lamba.
Baek Jin-woo repeated the process on the remaining two runes, completing all three “graduation runes” and left the Enhancement Workshop in high spirits.

Arriving at the open field, he called:

“Lamba.”

Jinwoo! You’re back? Cream bunsss!

Lamba, exhausted from repeated training with Hunkyo, ran over with pleading eyes.

“Of course I brought it. But first, try these on.”

Baek Jin-woo removed the three Swift Runes and equipped the three Hyperspeed Runes.

Woah! What’s happening?

Lamba was shocked.

My body feels so light!

Ping, ping! Lamba’s flying speed was incredible.
Agility increases both attack speed and movement speed.

“Swing your staff once.”

Okay!

Whish, whish, whish!

Kyaa! So fast! This is insane!

Even without the full set bonus of six, the effect was already immense.
If he obtained the remaining three, the stacked effect would be absurd.
Hunkyo would be overwhelmed by the stacking from Lamba’s wind pressure.

Speaking of, there was another summon meant to take that wind pressure:
The former A-rank, Asso.
Until obtaining Asso, Hunkyo would take the stacks.
Once Asso joined, Hunkyo would purely serve as the trainer.
Of course, that didn’t mean Hunkyo was weak—he’d still be strong enough to tear through anything solo.

Jinwoo! This feels like the old days!

Back in Battle of Summoners, Lamba’s runes had never been fully optimized.
The period was too short, and it was still early days.

“Not yet. Wait a bit; you’ll go even faster.”

What? Even faster than this? Can I handle it?

He glanced at Hunkyo, who wore a sly, knowing smile.
Lamba nervously laughed, sweat dripping.

Haha… I guess I can handle it… though it’s insane…

Baek Jin-woo patted Lamba’s head, amused.
“Work hard for now; later, it’ll be easier.”

Late at night.

A logistics center.

Baek Jin-cheol, Jin-woo’s father, sat joking with his same-age friend while handling deliveries.
Today, he wasn’t doing manual labor.

‘The golem does all the work anyway.’

A Diamond Golem, a gift from Yujia!
Its performance was outstanding—faster, stronger, and more precise than conventional golems.
It could handle the work of about fifty people efficiently.
He’d even negotiated higher pay with the courier company thanks to it.

“I’ve always wondered…”

His friend Park Jeong-hoon asked.

“What?”

“Why’s a guy with flashy summons doing delivery work?”

“Then?”

“Shouldn’t he be playing the game or selling them? Especially that Diamond Golem. Don’t you know how useful it is on construction sites?”

“…Honestly, I didn’t.”

Park Jeong-hoon was shocked.
Someone who doesn’t know their summon’s value?

“It was a gift. I’m just satisfied because it’s better than my old pebble golem.”

Baek Jin-cheol admired Yujia.
Even as a chaebol granddaughter, she was kind, soft, and respectful toward commoners.
How could anyone ignore such a gift and sell it?

‘Unacceptable.’

So he hadn’t investigated.

“This crazy guy… using a 1 billion won summon for this?”

“Huh?”

Baek Jin-cheol’s eyes widened.

“1 billion?”

“Don’t tell me…”

Park Jeong-hoon gave him a knowing look.

“You’re not using it without knowing the price, are you?”

“Uh…”

1 billion won.
For commoners, an enormous sum—enough to buy a rundown house or make life more comfortable for the family.

‘A gift, and he’s using it instead of selling?’

Of course, he should sell it!
1 billion completely changes the situation.
Even if a chaebol, gifts like this were massive.

“Wait a second.”

Baek Jin-cheol couldn’t resist and pulled out his phone to search.

Diamond Golem
Construction-specific summon, highly sought after by every construction company
No listings available; price keeps rising
Average market value: 1 billion won

‘They gave me something this rare?’

Even as a chaebol, that’s generous beyond belief.

“And another thing…”

Park Jeong-hoon asked again.

“Do people even gift this kind of thing? Who? Chaebols?”

Baek Jin-cheol flinched.
Park Jeong-hoon’s intuition was sharp.

“No way. Someone with chaebol connections wouldn’t do delivery work. It must’ve been some random guy gifting you without research.”

Ah. Not that generous after all.

“Enough, enough.”

Baek Jin-cheol shook his head.
“I think I’ll just work until today.”

“Selling it? Good call.”

Though they hadn’t known each other long, their bond felt genuine.
Especially after Baek Jin-woo had been sick, and they’d been given money for hospital fees—Park Jeong-hoon had been moved.

“Jeong-hoon.”

“Yeah?”

“You used to fry chicken, right?”

“Don’t remind me. I messed up a bit. I even got a PhD in it from Chicken University.”

“Stop joking.”

“Still funny though.”

Baek Jin-cheol laughed.
Though he had a passion for chicken in the past, he was also an impressive friend, capable of blind-testing brands and ingredients.

Whatever the reason he did delivery work…

‘Good. Our bond is lucky.’

Baek Jin-cheol had always dreamed of a simple life: frying chicken in the neighborhood and living peacefully with family.
With 1 billion? Totally possible.
With loans, he could even expand further.

“How much are you earning now?”

“20 per day.”

For reference, Baek Jin-cheol’s current wage was 40 per day, recently increased—but still a bargain compared to using the Diamond Golem.

Still, he’d saved a decent amount from working hard.

“You want to fry chicken with me?”

“Are we selling that?”

“Yes.”

“Huh…”

Park Jeong-hoon hesitated.
Though always cheerful, his eyes seemed to come alive.

“Can we really do this?”

“Of course, but I’ll research a lot before starting. I won’t franchise; I’ll do it myself.”

“Research… so lots of chicken tasting?”