Fl——ash——!
Our vision was momentarily engulfed in white as if a flashbang had gone off.
Even after the light faded away, Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in remained dazed for a while.
Such occurrences were exceedingly rare so I too found myself slightly taken aback.
I gathered my wits and checked to see what kind of item had appeared.
It was a large cushion with a simple design.
Unfortunately, it was another daily life item just like the wooden cup Go Hyeon-woo had just drawn.
However, the rank of this daily life item was no ordinary matter.
[Feather Cushion (B)]
A cushion, of all things… is ranked B?
While it’s possible for C and B-rank items to emerge from a D-rank random box, the chances are so slim that they’re practically negligible.
Yet Seo Ye-in actually did overcome those miraculous odds to draw this cushion.
The B rank was typically reserved for items worn by third-year students and is precious items such as the [Invisible Ghillie Suit] that Seo Ye-in used or the [Cloudstepper] I received as a gift previously.
That such rare equipment shared its rank with the cushion meant its value was similarly significant.
As if to prove that fact, there were a lot of effects available.
[Feather Cushion (B)]
A cushion filled with feathers from an unknown mystical creature.
▷ Accelerates fatigue recovery
▷ Recovers from mental status ailments
▷ Slight increase in resistance to mental status ailments with long-term use
…….
….
The acceleration of fatigue recovery meant, in simple terms, that one hour of sleep could alleviate two hours’ worth of fatigue.
The benefits of recovery from and increased resistance to mental ailments were also very good.
Moreover, it offered numerous beneficial effects to aid a good night’s sleep, such as alleviating insomnia and easing neck disc problems.
Judging solely by its performance, it was comparable to equipment dropped in deep dungeons, but…
It’s a shame it’s something you only use when sleeping.
The effects of daily life items were geared towards facilitating “a comfortable and affluent lifestyle”.
Being someone who prioritizes combat and growth and is obsessed with extreme efficiency, I found about half of these features somewhat unnecessary.
Given that I spent most of my free time at the training center, there was little use for a cushion in my routine.
Of course, even considering only the combat and growth-related features, it would be somewhat beneficial.
However, it seemed more practical to sell it and secure other items instead.
A B-rank daily life item would likely attract many buyers.
I wonder if I should hand it over to the errand center, or perhaps put it up for auction.
While I was pondering over various options, my gaze fell on Seo Ye-in.
“……”
She was intently staring at the cushion.
As always, her expression was unreadable but her gray eyes sparkled with interest.
It was clear that she really wanted it.
“Do you want it?”
“……”
When I asked, she immediately nodded her head in confirmation.
Normally, her reactions tend to be a half-beat delayed but this immediate response was a first.
Was this the power of the cushion?
Setting aside emotional aspects like “we’re friends, after all”, I tapped into my mental calculator to weigh my options.
The most pressing question at the moment was:
Would it be better to sell it?
Or should I give it to her?
Perhaps giving it to her might be the better choice.
I had no way of knowing exactly how much Seo Ye-in slept each day, but it was clear she needed a lot of rest.
Using the cushion’s fatigue recovery acceleration feature could significantly reduce her resting time.
If her rest became more efficient, she would naturally have more waking hours, which, in the grand scheme of things, could lead to increased training time.
Of course, there was also a definite possibility that the outcome might not meet my expectations.
Still, it’s worth a shot.
Considering the potential time saved if successful, it seemed like a fair trade to part with a B-rank daily life item.
Having thought this through, I subtly pushed the cushion towards Seo Ye-in.
“Alright, it’s yours.”
“Really?”
When I readily offered it, she seemed incredulous as if she couldn’t believe I was giving it to her or perhaps she wasn’t accustomed to receiving things from others.
I took the cushion and firmly placed it into Seo Ye-in’s arms.
“Here. A gift.”
“…Thank you.”
Seo Ye-in silently gazed at the cushion in her embrace for a moment before hugging it tightly.
***
Since I swiftly dealt with the strategy battle for Monday, I found myself with ample time to dedicate solely to training.
[Using ‘Rank Up (E)’.]
[The target’s ‘Amplification’ rank increased. (E->D)]
[Duration 2:00->3:00]
[Cooldown 50 minutes->40 minutes]
The E-rank Rank Up from the random box was used to upgrade [Amplification].
Because it was a skill with a short duration and long cooldown, it was only used at really critical moments, but upgrading its rank in the future will likely free me from such limitations.
The following was the trait copied from the Feathered Serpent Priest, known as [Priest].
The main reason for prioritizing this trait was the increase in mana sensitivity.
This enhancement positively affected all magical actions, especially accelerating the rate at which [Core] was amassed.
The related item, [Priest’s Black Bracelet], doubled this mana sensitivity effect.
And if I were to add the [Black Mithril Band] I acquired previously, the efficiency achieved was quite satisfying, even if it didn’t match the Special Training Room.
I’ll rush to C-rank with this momentum.
As the levels of my skills increased, relying solely on D-rank [Core] became increasingly difficult.
It was essential to advance to the next stage to avoid mana shortages during battles.
I planned to resolve this before entering the depths again within a few days.
I dedicated myself to mana training from dusk until dawn.
***
The next day,
After school, Shin Byeong-chul called me out.
The purpose was obvious.
“Hey, about that deep dungeon you mentioned before.”
“How did it go?”
Shin Byeong-chul seemed somewhat perplexed.
“The thing is… it’s gotten a bit complicated. You should meet Noonim first.”
“Alright, now?”
“If you can come now, that’d be great.”
“Let’s head over.”
So, I found myself back in the thieves’ club room with Shin Byeong-chul.
The room was cluttered with even more used furniture than before that was seemingly picked up from who knows where.
The interior felt more chaotic than ever.
The fact that the clubroom was crowded with club members also contributed to the chaos.
The atmosphere was closer to a tavern than a club room.
Several men, including the pair of twins, were hunched over on a worn leather sofa and were engrossed in a game of cards, while a girl in a corner busily tapped away at a tablet.
And there was Dang Gyu-young, just as before, sitting in the same position on the same wooden table.
She had the air of someone with nothing to do yet there was an unmistakable charisma about her.
Sensing our presence, dark eyes slowly shifted in our direction.
At the same time, Shin Byeong-chul spoke up.
“I’ve brought him, Noonim.”
“Ah, you’re here.”
Dang Gyu-young started to greet us warmly but then she was conscious of the gaze of those around her and composed her facial expression.
One of the twins glanced up from their card game to examine my face.
“Is this the person? The one Noonim has been ‘working on’ lately?”
The “working on” he referred to was the effort to recruit me into the thieves club, following the proposal made after the break-in at the storage room.
While the statement was true, Dang Gyu-young frowned as if she didn’t like the way it was said.
“Working on? Your choice of words could be better, no?”
“Ah, that’s not right. Considering the trouble we had with the magical engineering club, you should really keep your hands off this junior.”
The other twin chimed in with a follow-up jab.
“Exactly. Ever since she made Bong Jae-seok owe her a favor, Noonim seemed thrilled. Never seen her like that in all my life—”
However, their conversation was abruptly cut short.
Because a large shadowy hand rose from below and grabbed their faces in a firm grasp.
The Iron Claw found its mark perfectly.
Crrrrunch,
A gruesome sound, too harsh for human skulls to make, echoed as the twins ceased their struggles and slumped down.
The shadowy hand extended its index finger before pointing toward the door.
“Everyone out.”
The members of the thieves’ club hastily rose from their seats.
The girl with the tablet also attempted to leave but Dang Gyu-young called out to her.
“Da-bin stays. Byeong-cheol as well.”
The club room fell into sudden silence.
The shadowy hand kindly pulled out a chair for me.
Leaning comfortably in the chair, Dang Gyu-young cleared her throat softly and spoke.
“Ahem, ahem, pay no mind to what was just said.”
“Yes, senior-nim.”
“…Do give it some thought though.”
“I’ll consider it.”
When I responded vaguely, Dang Gyu-young pursed her lips.
Actually, I’ve wanted to join the thieves’ club for a long time! Perhaps she wanted this kind of answer.
Of course, that was far from the truth.
Let’s go straight to the main issue at hand.
“I’ve heard things have gotten complicated.”
“Yes, there’s been a bit of a problem. An external issue.”
Before delving into the specifics of dungeon strategies or fees, it was necessary to discuss whether she could take on my request.
And without addressing the “external issue” Dang Gyu-young mentioned, the request couldn’t proceed.
If it was an external problem related to the underground levels, it was almost certainly about,
“Bidding, I assume.”
“That’s right.”
“Is it an open bid, or a preferential bid?”
“Preferential bidding.”
Bidding.
Once the core of an underground dungeon is destroyed, it becomes inaccessible until it regenerates over time.
A good example of this was when Go Hyeon-woo and I tackled the [Feathered Serpent Altar], after which the portal turned gray and was blocked.
Given this, the number of people who can challenge a specific dungeon within a certain period is limited, and there’s always competition for dungeons that drop valuable rewards.
To manage this competition in an orderly manner, Dragon Slayer Academy introduced a bidding system.
This system collects data on the combat strength of bidding parties, their previous success rates in dungeon raids, and the expected duration of the raid, then assigns turns starting with the most suitable party.
This is the usual bidding process.
Each club holds a certain number of [Preferential Bidding Rights].
Just as using a [Crafting VIP Ticket] allows one to skip the queue and place a crafting request at the top of the list, using a preferential bidding right allows a party to ignore all conditions and gain the right to challenge the dungeon first.
And now, these preferential bidding rights are at stake for the [Black Death] dungeon.
The involvement of preferential bidding rights indicates that a particular club is exerting its influence over that dungeon.
And so what if I ignore this and just go in?
A conflict will arise.
A conflict was inevitable in this case.
For this reason, the client preferred to steer clear of such dungeons, and the thieves’ club had summoned me to gauge my intentions.
“What will you do? Shall we look elsewhere?”
However, the issue at hand was the pressing need for me to conquer the Black Death.
Specifically, it was about a particular reward that could be obtained only within the Black Death.
Waiting for another opportunity was problematic since dungeons filled with immense energy like deep dungeons, take a very long time to regenerate once their core is destroyed.
And the challenge of finding another dungeon offering similar rewards was far greater due to the higher difficulty levels.
So, I expressed my willingness to even risk conflict with the opposing club.
“No, I would prefer to proceed.”
Dang Gyu-young slightly furrowed her brow.
“So, despite there already being a bid, you want me to break through?”
“Yes, is that not possible?”
“……”
While she generally preferred to avoid such situations, it wasn’t impossible if the compensation was sufficient.
And I had already demonstrated that I had the means to pay her adequately.
Yet, Dang Gyu-young still seemed reluctant.
This implied one thing.
The force that had placed the bid was powerful enough to make even the thieves’ club hesitant.
I asked again,
“Which club is it?”
“…A big one.”
I couldn’t help but nod my head at Dang Gyu-young’s reply.
“The swordsmanship club.”
…. A big one indeed
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