Chapter 63

The training grounds of Yubaek City.

CLANG, CLANG!

The sharp, rhythmic ringing of a hammer striking an anvil resounded across the area.

“Is the work progressing well?”

Hearing Baek Jinwoo’s inquiry, the Rune Dwarf offered a broad, cheerful grin.

• Hahahat! You’ve arrived, youngster! Well, as for it progressing well… I am running a bit low on necessary items. Even so, simply being able to swing my smithing hammer fills me with joy! Heoheohut!

Strewn all around his workstation were piles of fractured runes and discarded crafting elements.

His skill development?

• Craft (Lv.1): Utilizes a variety of raw items to forge a specific rune based on a set probability.

The skill remained at Lv.1.

Hmm.

This was short of his expectations.

More than seven days had passed since their contract with the leading guilds had been finalized, yet the smith had not managed to reach Lv.2.

The players clearly hadn’t grasped the potential yet.

They weren’t seeing the value in it.

It made sense.

A success rate of a mere 0.1% for the Rune Dwarf’s crafting definitely discouraged them.

To put it more accurately, they simply lacked the vision to utilize his talents properly.

“Take these raw materials for the time being.”

Thud-thud-thud!

Baek Jinwoo accessed his inventory space and emptied out the hoard of monster spoils he had been keeping from the Saturday dungeon.

He had been accumulating these items since the days he spent grinding in the lowest ranks, refusing to trade away even a single piece.

• Wh-whaaaat?! Wh-what is the meaning of all this?!

The Rune Dwarf cried out in absolute astonishment and delight.

“Use these to attempt the creation of some supreme-grade STR runes. Ensure the attributes are tailored to STR, AGI, Crit Rate, and Crit Damage.”

STR runes.

These were the specific runes designed to maximize the core physical attribute that dictated a summon’s offensive power. Among the final-tier runes accessible to summons at this stage, they represented the most balanced choice.

Even so, STR runes carried a specific limitation.

The standard STR runes acquired from Day Dungeons never naturally generated with the Crit Damage attribute attached.

However, our Rune Dwarf possessed the ability to integrate it directly.

This unique trait was not restricted to STR runes alone.

The Rune Dwarf possessed the capability to embed any preferred attribute into any given rune without a single restriction.

• Ooh, with a supply of materials this vast, I ought to successfully forge at least ten pieces! My skill level is going to skyrocket as well!

“Indeed, I will ensure a steady supply of items for you.”

Moving forward, the Rune Dwarf stood as the absolute priority.

If the collective strength of Baek Jinwoo’s summons resembled a vehicle, the Rune Dwarf served as its core engine.

The quicker the Rune Dwarf’s Craft level advanced, the faster their overall capabilities would expand—advancing at an exponential rate.

After a brief conversation to conclude their exchange, Baek Jinwoo made his way straight toward Yu Jia.

He intended to verify whether the prominent guilds were submitting a proper volume of requests to the Rune Dwarf.

Yu Jia shook her head in disapproval.

“The response has been quite slow. A few higher-ranking members have submitted commissions here and there, but it feels… more like they are doing it purely out of professional courtesy to you, Jinwoo.”

“Hmm, that is unacceptable.”

Faced with this, Baek Jinwoo reached a conclusion.

If the high-ranking players failed to grasp the true worth of the Rune Dwarf?

He would take charge of marketing the service himself.

“Inform them that any player who submits a rune commission will receive a one-on-one professional consultation from me.”

“Wait, is that a good idea? Your schedule is already packed—are you certain you want to commit to this?”

“There is no alternative. They likely just lack the insight to know which specific runes offer the highest efficiency for their particular summons. Make it clear that this advisory offer is valid for one week only.”

“Understood! I will contact the guild leaders and executives immediately!”

“Oh, and there is one more matter.”

“Yes?”

“Regarding the runes that Baek Ajin has been selling. I intend to launch a separate commercial venture.”

“What sort of venture?”

“We are going to introduce premium runes to the market. Not the ordinary items people casually label as ‘premium’ nowadays—but runes that truly earn that distinction.”

Baek Jinwoo provided a concise summary of the business model he had designed.

The initial item to debut would be STR runes featuring the Crit Damage attribute—frequently referred to as crit damage—fully integrated!

The strategy revolved around offering runes that could only be sourced through Yubaek, commanding a premium price tag.

“An arrangement like that is genuinely achievable?”

“Yes. That is precisely why the Rune Dwarf’s abilities are so overpowered…”

In truth, he felt a bit amazed.

If I were in the position of the Big Three, I would have been transporting wagonloads of materials like a person possessed just to get these orders in…

This indicated that the player community within South Korea simply had not attained that tier of tactical comprehension yet.

Well, that was perfectly fine.

Since they lacked the knowledge, he would guide them.

“For the moment, coordinate with Baek Ajin to establish the foundations. This venture is going to yield massive results. If anything, it will likely gain traction in international markets before it fully catches on here.”

“Oh, I see.”

The exact instance where Yubaek secured an additional stream of wealth!

Yu Jia’s eyes shone with focus as she hurried off to execute the plan.

Kim Cheolsu was a fresh member belonging to the Arirang guild.

He had recently been notified via a private notification on the internal guild communications network.

Utilize the artisan dwarf and Baek Jinwoo will grant you a direct consultation? A special offer restricted to just one week?

He was already aware that the Rune Dwarf existed.

The guild administration had circulated an internal memo regarding the matter previously.

They had gone so far as to mandate non-disclosure agreements for everyone, reinforcing that this was top-secret data that could never be shared externally.

Provide the components and the entity will construct any rune of your choosing, it claimed.

He had felt a spark of curiosity initially, but as he analyzed the details further, the proposition seemed less enticing.

A success rate of only 0.1%? And on the off chance it actually succeeds, a high-grade summoning scroll must be surrendered as payment?

Wasn’t that essentially asking him to throw his hard-won Saturday dungeon drops straight into a void?

Furthermore, judging by the commentary from veteran members, the material requirements weren’t merely high.

They were outright extortionate.

Looking at it that way, simply purchasing a pre-existing, decent rune from the public trade markets felt like the wiser choice.

However.

The prospect of a direct consultation with Baek Jinwoo, though—that completely shifted the calculation.

The man was already a living legend among the player population.

Even the top-tier members of the national squad maintained a singular perspective on him.

• Baek Jinwoo operates on the level of a deity. It defies simple explanation.

• The experience completely alters your understanding of the game. Honestly? Prior to meeting him, I wasn’t even playing properly.

• If he advises you to adopt a specific rune? Make the change immediately! The shift in performance is night and day!

• His mastery of core mechanics resides on an entirely different plane. Even when using identical summons, his execution is leagues ahead.

Just how extraordinary could a single individual truly be?

A handful of materials?

He resolved to sacrifice a portion of his assets, secure a seat at the consultation session, and evaluate the truth with his own eyes!

Holding fast to that determination, he stepped into Yubaek City.

Buzz buzz.

Huh?

The gathering line was remarkably substantial.

Over in a section of the main entrance plaza, a dwarf was persistently hammering away at an anvil, while positioned right next to him was an elongated desk where Baek Jinwoo and Baek Ajin had set up their station.

Wow, that really is Baek Jinwoo.

Kim Cheolsu’s eyes dilated in surprise.

The prominent figure of this era, the warrior he had consistently admired from afar, was seated right before his eyes!

In front of him in the queue, a significant number of high-ranking veterans were already patiently awaiting their names to be called.

Roughly half an hour ticked by.

It was finally Kim Cheolsu’s turn to step forward.

“Greetings.”

“Oh, a very good day to you, sir!”

Kim Cheolsu offered a profound, respectful bow.

“Which specific summon require my analysis today?”

“A summon?”

“You have come to receive a customized rune configuration, have you not?”

“Yes, indeed sir!”

Having momentarily drifted off due to intense trepidation, Kim Cheolsu pulled himself back to reality and manifested his primary summon.

A B-rank Crimson Bear!

It was far from a commonplace creature, and because its physical traits bore a strong resemblance to the C-rank Scarlet Grizzly, a great deal of individuals frequently misidentified the two species.

“A Crimson Bear, I see.”

With a singular look at its physical form, he identified the beast unerringly.

It got even better.

“There are three distinct markings on its hide—indicating it remains at level 30. You have only recently acquired its contract, correct?”

“Wow, that is completely accurate. How could you tell?”

He was perceptive enough to catch even the most minute characteristics.

Not even our own guild leader possessed that depth of knowledge.

So this was the caliber expected of the national team captain?

This undeniable demonstration of deep knowledge caused his confidence in the expert to surge dramatically.

“Naturally I would know. What value would an adviser possess if they could not accurately read the state of a summon?”

“You truly are remarkable.”

“Would you mind displaying your Summon Info to begin?”

“Right away!”

Kim Cheolsu granted access to his summon’s analytical profile.

From the specific abilities it had mastered to the exact runes currently slotted into its grid—Baek Jinwoo was now capable of auditing every single detail.

“Hmm, utilizing a Berserker Rune on a Crimson Bear… It possesses inherent defensive capabilities, so your strategy was to sacrifice protection in pursuit of elevated offensive output?”

“Spot on! I was advised that such a setup represented the ideal configuration.”

“An inefficient choice. While the damage output is elevated, have you not observed that its movement capabilities and striking velocity are excessively compromised?”

“To be completely honest, I have noticed that. Because of that issue, I was contemplating utilizing a support-class unit to—”

“No, rather than dedicating a support unit exclusively to balance out one Crimson Bear, it would be far more efficient to simply alter the rune setup.”

“Alter it to what…”

“A Double Attack rune.”

“A Double Attack rune?”

A specific modifier that provided a percentage-based chance to deliver an additional strike with each basic attack.

By adopting that configuration, it would generate higher sustained damage while simultaneously mitigating the deficient attack speed to a certain degree.

Nevertheless.

“That particular rune is incapable of rolling a Crit Rate modifier, meaning the difficulty of balancing the remaining rune stats is—”

“Not in this case.”

Baek Jinwoo offered a confident smile.

“Our companion, the Rune Dwarf, is not bound by such restrictions. He is fully capable of imprinting Crit Rate onto a Double Attack rune.”

“Is such a feat truly possible?”

“I meant what I said. Any rune type, any specific modifier you desire—he holds the power to forge it.”

“Oh, I comprehend perfectly! I will dedicate myself to this path!”

This advice originated directly from Baek Jinwoo—what rational player would dare disregard it?

It was time to liquidate every single resource at his disposal and commit entirely to this endeavor!

“Please step over to the next station for your material assessment.”

Seated directly adjacent, Baek Ajin was entirely focused on reviewing stacks of ledgers.

These documents meticulously cataloged the precise crafting ingredients mandated for each variation of rune.

When Kim Cheolsu stepped up to inquire:

“A Double Attack rune configuration? Give me just a brief moment.”

Flip!

She methodically turned the pages of her records and isolated the necessary manifest.

“For each individual rune, the requirement stands at 1,000 Fairy Wings, 1,000 Dice of Fate, 2,000 Firefly Stones, and 1,000 Golden Dragonfly Wings. Additionally, a single high-grade summoning scroll is required as the manufacturing fee.”

“…”

An absolutely staggering volume of wealth.

When he cautiously inquired as to why the quantities were so immense, he was informed that the operating guidelines had undergone a revision.

Given that the independent success probability was a mere 0.1%, they had transitioned to collecting materials based on the statistical average required for a guaranteed outcome, thereby ensuring the delivery of one completed rune.

Every single one of those items represented a rare, low-probability reward obtained from the Saturday dungeon.

“I will gather as many as humanly possible.”

He bowed.

Kim Cheolsu lowered his head respectfully and took his leave.

He possessed a clear objective now.

Amass those components and secure a complete set of six matching Double Attack runes!

Following that achievement, upgrade them flawlessly to reach absolute pinnacle performance!

He lacked any certainty regarding whether the reinforcement process would proceed smoothly, but to even stand a chance, he would need to farm the necessary dungeons as though his entire future depended on it.

Concurrently, every single unit of those turned-in resources would directly translate into invaluable mastery points for the Rune Dwarf.

Later that evening, once the day’s advisory sessions concluded.

“My goodness…”

Baek Ajin looked on with genuine awe.

“Observe the sheer volume of crafting materials we have accumulated here.”

The Rune Dwarf was still persistently striking his anvil without showing the slightest hint of fatigue.

The expression painted across his features was one of unadulterated, absolute rapture.

• Bwahahahahat! This is magnificent! This is beyond belief! A sufficient bounty of materials has piled up such that I could not exhaust them even if I labored through the entire night! I could never have anticipated a superior master! You have my gratitude. That sentiment comes from the deepest depths of my spirit!

“Brother.”

“Yes.”

“Did you foresee that this many individuals would flock to the city?”

“Naturally.”

Whose analytical expertise did she think they were marketing?

He had fully anticipated that this massive quantity of resources would accumulate as well.

The proof lay right before him.

• Craft (Lv.2): Utilizes a variety of raw items to forge a specific rune based on a set probability.

In the span of a single working day, the Craft utility had successfully advanced to level 2.

The new success probability: 0.5%.

Where it previously demanded an average of 1,000 attempts to yield a single finished rune, it now required a mere 200.

Despite this development, Baek Jinwoo refrained from making the improved success probability public.

He persisted in demanding the full quota of 1,000 materials per rune without exception.

For starters, I will levy the fee based on the original statistical requirement and utilize the surplus items to generate additional stock.

He felt a measure of sympathy for the players, but that surplus represented the premium for his advisory services.

The immediate objective centered on accumulating proficiency rapidly to propel the Craft skill to its absolute maximum tier of 10.

As for the resulting manufactured runes?

They would be formally branded with the premium designation and distributed to buyers globally.

It would serve as one of Yubaek’s primary pillars of wealth generation.

If the terms cause them frustration, they retain the freedom to decline our services.

Every commercial exchange across the world operates strictly on the principles of availability and demand.

The solitary entity in existence capable of engineering these specific runes was under Baek Jinwoo’s control, and gaining access to that luxury required yielding the appropriate compensation.

This was by no means an act of unfair treatment—it constituted a mutually advantageous arrangement.

In this manner, the intensive grind for the Rune Dwarf’s skill progression commenced in earnest.