Chapter 190

There was a group of Players who were comparable in ability to the 8 Heroes, but hadn't clashed with the Demon King. In other words, they had silently walked their own paths, and their own paths only.

Particularly famous among them was the Divine Archer Hyun Junghwa.

'The item she used in her early days.'

There was an item in my hand, an item that had been given to me by the future Master, Pedro.

"I need to earn my keep too, right? Since I'm a man."

"..."

"A man's gotta earn their keep. That's the way of a manly man."

[Sylphid's Wing]

A weapon made by Sylphids, wind spirits, to honor the soul of a departed Sylphid. It is said that a part of the fallen Sylphid's soul is imbued within.

Grade: Unique

Attack power: 34-55

Effects:

Create Distance

Consecutive Shots

Hyun Junghwa revealed that this was the bow she acquired in her early days. She said that Sylphid's Wing was the item that 'made me who I am today'.

If I had to guess, there were only a few items of this level at this point in time worldwide. This bow was extremely precious. Its attack power alone was a whopping 34-55.

The transcendent artifact Isabel's attack power was 72-84. Transcendent items were things of legend, to the point that I hadn't even known for sure that they had existed. It was already an incredible feat for an item to reach half a transcendent artifact's attack power.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"Because I'm a man."

Pedro took out the Tomb-Pilfering Shovel.

"It's only natural to give you that much after receiving such an amazing item. A trade between men should be fair, no?"

I grinned. "Are you sure it's fair? I don't think the two are quite comparable."

This was an unexpected trade, but since Pedro was giving, I figured that I might as well take everything he had to offer.

"Ah, of course. I acknowledge that. It's true the Tomb-Pilfering Shovel is a far better item."

"..."

"But I would imagine Sylphid's Wing won't fall behind in terms of usefulness."

He was right about that. The Tomb-Pilfering Shovel was an item only 'thieves' could use. Strictly speaking, I could use Sylphid's Wing with no restrictions despite not having the archer class.

'I am thankful, yes.'

The item to which the Divine Archer attributed her later success had landed in my hands. This was an extremely good thing for me. I was also planning on coaxing the Tome of the Divine Archer Physique from the Night of Shooting Stars.

"I'm grateful for the thought, but…"

I returned the bow. Of course, it was just an act. I didn't intend on giving back this item.

"...Huh?"

"I don't think it matches the Tomb-Pilfering Shovel. Usefulness can't make up for the gap between a legendary and unique grade. Especially if it's an item that is useful to you like the Tomb-Pilfering Shovel."

"..."

Pedro took Sylphid's Wing. He closed his eyes in thought.

"What you say is true, Hyukjin." He returned Sylphid's Wing to me. "But it's hard for me to give you an item better than this one for the time being."

Excellent. This was what I had wanted to see.

"Let me balance the scales at a later time. You are the one who called me and gave me an item out of nowhere, so this much should do for an initial trade, right?"

The Merchant of Venice answered in my stead.

[The 'Merchant of Venice' nods at your negotiation acumen.]

[The 'Merchant of Venice' gifts you a 'Wind Element Enhancement Crystal'.]

Yep, getting free extras on top was better than just receiving something. In return, I gave the crossdressing Pedro the words he wanted to hear, free of charge.

"Manly men really are built different."

Pedro straightened his shoulders, looking very happy.

* * *

With Vela doing some Playing of his own, I went to Piazza Navona with Pedro. I saw the fountain.

'He's here again.'

It seemed he hadn't learnt his lesson yet. Like last time, Beratto had rigged his authority over the gate and was collecting tolls. Many people now knew that the fountain was a gate connected to the 'Forest of Dwarfs'.

'Though there probably aren't many who come back from that place alive.'

Even so, people wanted to go inside the gate. They were driven by their belief that there had to be treasures within.

'If there were any treasures, the dwarfs would have already collected them.'

For ordinary Players, nothing good would come of going into the Forest of Dwarfs. As time went on, the Players would realize that as well.

I stopped.

"Hyukjin?" Pedro asked in puzzlement.

"I can't help but think it's going to be a pain if we go there," I said, pointing my chin at Beratto. A direct clash was also an option, but a fun thought occurred to me. "It's the perfect time to test my new item."

I was curious about whether I could break the authority planted on that gate with the bow I had just gotten.

"You mean Sylphid's Wing?"

"Yes."

I took out the bow. People were used to Players now. No one paid much attention to me even after I pulled out a bow in the middle of the square. Such things were everyday occurrences.

'I have ten arrows.'

Unless you had an artifact like the Blackfire Bow, arrows were inevitably a consumable resource. I had to use them sparingly.

'Is the Night of Shooting Stars watching?'

It would be great if he was, and it couldn't be helped if he wasn't. I drew the bowstring.

"Y-You're going to shoot it here? Y-You're not going to kill Beratto, are you?"

"Of course not."

I had no intention of killing Beratto. I focused.

'I'll break it.'

The authority cast by Beratto.

I released the bowstring. That moment, a wisp of wind rose from Sylphid's Wing. It kind of felt… like Sylphid's Wing's innate energy was resonating with mine.

'One more time.'

I drew and fired once more.

'And again.'

I fired again. With every shot, I felt the intangible force behind each arrow grow.

'One more time.'

I drew the bowstring.

"Wh-Which one of you crazy bastards was it?!" Beratto roared. The next moment, he fell to the ground with a strangled shriek, terrified. "Hiik!"

That was because an arrow whistled over his head. It thudded into the fountain and melted into nothingness.

Arrows shot by Sylphid's Wing were 1-time use. They couldn't be picked up and reused because they melted and disappeared like that.

'I'm sure of it now.'

Sylphid's Wing wasn't just a unique-grade item. Like Isabel, there was some kind of ability sealed in Sylphid's Wing. I could feel it, and Hyun Junghwa must have known it as well.

'What should I call this?'

Inherently attuned?

'The feeling that our wavelengths are perfectly matched.'

For a moment there, I felt like I communed with Sylphid's Wing.

[You have successfully communed with Sylphid's Wing.]

I instantly realized. Sylphid's Wing was a weapon created to honor a fallen Sylphid. It was imbued with a soul.

It is said that a part of the fallen Sylphid's soul is imbued within.

That soul appeared to be extremely compatible with me.

[A hidden quest related to 'Sylphid's Wing' has been unlocked.]

[You have received the quest 'Find the Complete Sylphid's Wings'.]

I opened the quest window.

[Find the Complete Sylphid's Wings]

The current 'Sylphid's Wing' is not in its complete state. Find the Complete Sylphid's Wings and make what is incomplete, complete.

*Complete Sylphid's Wings is slumbering in the 'Wind Temple'.

*'Blessing of the Wind Temple' is required to find the Complete Sylphid's Wings.

I was struck speechless.

'The Wind Temple?'

It was a familiar name. I remembered exactly what Jo Sunghyun said after we cleared and left the Hill of Blowing Wind.

–There was a notice saying the Clear Crystal's energy melted into my body, and if I satisfied a certain condition, I could activate the 'Wind Temple'.

Since then, Sunghyun never said anything about the 'Wind Temple' to me again. It wasn't because he was hiding it from me, but that he hadn't been able to find any clues about the Wind Temple. He was also busy keeping up with my agenda.

'And—'

*'Blessing of the Wind Temple' is required to find the Complete Sylphid's Wings.

This condition was already fulfilled. In the Hill of Blowing Wind, I received the 'Blessing of the Wind Temple' and fulfilled a hidden piece.

[Granting the 'Blessing of the Wind Temple'.]

[Confirming that you have 6 Blessings.]

[The Hidden Piece '6 Blessings' has been fulfilled.]

From this, I acquired the 'Tome of the Divine Wind Physique' and gave it to Sunghyun.

'I had the Blessing of the Wind Temple, and thanks to that, I fulfilled a hidden condition of Sylphid's Wing.'

It wasn't intentional, but in any case, the path ahead was unfurling very smoothly.

'It might even be… that Sunghyun has a clue about the Complete Sylphid's Wings.'

Pedro's voice pulled me away from my contemplation.

"Hyukjin?"

"Ah. Yes. Sorry, I was thinking about something else for a moment."

"No, it's just that Beratto is coming your way."

From the way he was storming towards me, he seemed to be mad. Apparently, someone saw me shooting my bow and ratted me out.

"As one would expect."

I already knew he was coming.

"Did you know this would happen?"

"Of course."

If I had wanted to avoid a confrontation, I would have used Cognitive Dissonance.

"You're in for it now," huffed Beratto. "You seem to have some kind of special ability, but—" He spat on the ground. "No matter how skilled a monkey is, it's still a monkey."

After saying that, he glanced around. It was obvious he was checking to see if Vera was nearby.

"I've always wanted to erase yellow monkeys like you from this world, you see."

"..."

"How can an archer sit on his thumbs and allow an opponent to get this close?"

"..."

"What? You scared?"

"..."

"I'll do a monkey like you the honor of killing you right here."

Beratto smiled wide. To that, I answered, "Who said I was an archer?"

* * *

"I'm sorry. I won't do it ever again. I'm really sorry. I'm really, really sorry."

Beratto desperately rubbed his palms.

(He dares to call my husband a monkey? What are you doing? Slice his throat open.)

Isabel was so blindsided by rage that she forgot to feel humiliated by my use of her innate ability 'Beat 'em, Beat 'em, Beat 'em Harder'.

(What are you doing? What good would come of leaving such trash alive?!)

Isabel's blade trembled. She was well and truly mad.

'Well, small fry like Beratto is just cute.'

Blocking a gate and extracting tolls was just childish petulance. The racist crap he said about me being a monkey or whatever was irritating, but it wasn't something to kill over.

Beratto was on his knees, rubbing his palms. I said quietly to him, "I'm sure you've earned a lot of Coins through illegal means. Am I correct?"

"Y-You are. I have committed a sin worthy of death."

"No, it's not worthy of death."

There was an item in my hands—the 'Translation Marble' I'd gotten from Senia. This thing was really pricey.

"You have to make up for this thing's price. Since I had to converse with you."

In truth, my fists had done more of the talking. After conversing with my fists a few times, he became this docile. Conversation was such a wonderful thing, wasn't it?

"It's not to the point of death, so I won't kill you. However."

I had to get my money's worth, too. The amount I spent using the Teleport Gateway was no small sum.

"Cough it up. The price for your life."

"Th-That—"

"If you don't want to, then go ahead and die."

I brought the tip of Isabel's blade to Beratto's neck.

"Wait!"

Beratto gave me 10,000 Coins. Goodness, this guy had really collected a lot. It was obvious he hadn't just camped this gate, but others.

"If I shake you and more Coins come out, it'll be ten hits per Coin."

"I-I really don't have anymore. This is my entire life's savings."

"That so?"

I got up. This much was sufficient.

By the way, I got 20,000 Coins from him. The poor sop didn't know, but I had a theft genius with me. Our little theft genius brought exactly 10,211 Coins to me, not leaving a single Coin behind.

So I decided to be nice. I earned 20,000 Coins with a short skirmish, so it was a winning deal for me.

Pedro and I ported to the Forest of Dwarfs. We arrived at the Winter Castle to find Elder Bufafa waiting for us. He said he had sensed the Millenium Lava in advance, or something like that.

(Ah, I'm sleepy. Hubby. I'm gonna go back to sleep. Know you're dead if you cheat on me while I'm—)

Was it hubby, or husband? Or was it bride? Pick one and stick to it, please. I was about to expel an unconscious sigh when Elder Bufafa approached me.

He walked faster and faster, becoming so fast it was almost threatening. Then, he fell into a kowtow.

"Esteemed one."

An individual from an exceedingly prideful race, the dwarfs, knelt at my feet. All of a sudden? What was it this time? I didn't think bringing the Millenium Lava was such a big deal. It wasn't because of the Millenium Lava.

The gatekeeper twins were shocked.

"El-Elder!"

"Elder Bufafa!"

Their reactions mirrored mine. I was shocked, too. I bent to lift Elder Bufafa to his feet.

"Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"

Elder Bufafa got up unsteadily. And then, he said this:

"I did not know I would be honored by Lady —'s presence here."

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