Right after the barbecue party ended.
"I'm so sorry!"
I bowed my head to Jin Yunho.
The holy sword had shattered into pieces with a single swing.
Even if it wasn't as rare as the Dark attribute, holy weapons were still worth a considerable amount.
"It's fine. This happens sometimes. And the Player Hunter Agency has a professional repair team. You don't need to worry."
"That's a relief."
I took a bundle out of my inventory and unfolded it.
The holy sword... no, the remains of what used to be the holy sword.
Jin Yunho's eyes shook violently.
What the hell did you have to do to make a sword shatter like this?
This wasn't a repair job — they'd need to forge a new one.
"No problem."
Jinhyuk accepted the bundle calmly, trying not to make things awkward for me.
I'll sort it for recycling on the way home.
"Wow, this is a first. Stats going up this much outside of leveling up or bonuses."
Cheon Seyeon checked her status window again.
Even seeing it with her own eyes, she could barely believe it.
All she'd done was eat meat, and her stats went up this much?
"Same here. I moved all those boxes in the warehouse and didn't get a single point of Strength. I feel like my biceps got bigger."
Yoo Suyeon raised her arm.
A cute little bulge of muscle popped up.
"Momo too!"
The bob-cut Momo raised both arms, showing off her Doraemon muscles.
That was impressive in its own way.
How did she dismantle a black dragon with arms like that?
I popped open a beer can and leaned back in my chair.
A glass of beer after a full meal.
There was no heaven better than this.
"Seyeon, what's all this about the Tower site going crazy? I was going to check it out later, but I'm curious."
"Oh, that. Do you know about Crown Jackpot, Jinhyuk?"
"That famous gambling site? I heard they take bets on everything — from sports to election results."
"Right. And they have quite a few Runner-related categories."
"Wait... me?"
"Yeah. Things like how long the Runner will maintain SSS+ rank, when their Tower climb will hit a wall, stuff like that."
"Oh."
I rubbed my chin and nodded.
I could roughly guess why things were in an uproar.
"I skipped the climb, so there must be a lot of people who lost money."
"Exactly. From what I heard, it was a real upset. Since he'd been going strong from Floor 1 to 70, most people assumed it would continue. Anyway, people who lost their money are flooding the Tower site and causing a mess."
"I don't think I need to read the details. Sounds like a lot of people got their lifespans extended."
"Probably a ton. You might be the longest-living person here."
As Seyeon smiled playfully.
Jin Yunho, sipping his beer, spoke up.
"The Player Hunter Agency is also paying attention to security. It's never been officially confirmed, but Crown Jackpot is known to be connected to various criminal organizations."
"Right. I heard they handle insane amounts of money. And there's nothing scarier than someone who's lost their money."
"Yes. People tend to become irrational."
Jin Yunho nodded and let out a low hum.
Honestly, one or two gamblers showing up wasn't really a concern.
Because I couldn't imagine anyone thinking they could do anything to the Runner, Yoo Jinhyuk.
But Crown Jackpot itself making a move was another story.
Rumors said they could mobilize not just major criminal organizations but even the armies of small nations.
If they set their sights on Jinhyuk, it would be a danger I couldn't ignore.
"I'll just lay low for a while. Until their anger cools down."
Jinhyuk said cheerfully, chugging his beer.
Seeing that, Jin Yunho wore a strange smile.
The system kept broadcasting news about the Runner almost every day.
I wasn't sure if "laying low" was even possible.
*Creak.*
Everyone turned their heads.
Jin Seohui walked out with a face pale as death.
Seyeon's lips curled slightly.
"Is it because she was raised pampered? Weak, weak."
Following Jinhyuk's advice, the four of them had only downed the drink after the barbecue party ended.
Their first reactions were all the same.
The conversation had dwindled until it stopped completely.
The first to recover was Yoo Suyeon.
*Wow! That was close!*
Then Cheon Seyeon and Jin Yunho also let out sighs of relief.
They said it was really dangerous, that they barely made it through.
But one person — Jin Seohui — couldn't speak for a long time.
She'd made a complicated face and run into the house.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm getting there. But wow. This potion is incredible."
Jin Seohui plopped down and smiled faintly.
"The taste is awful, but a stat boost like this? How did you even get something like this?"
The other three people's eyes also turned to Jinhyuk.
Especially Yoo Suyeon, a natural-born merchant, whose eyes sparkled intensely.
"Trade secret. Even mass production isn't possible — the structure only allows for two or three bottles at best."
Whenever she had time, Elia continued her alchemy in the Star Workshop.
Her alchemy was diverse, and so were the results.
Sometimes she made potions that boosted stats or magic resistance like the one they just drank, but sometimes she made deadly poisons that killed you instantly.
Occasionally she'd synthesize chimeras from monster parts, but most of them ended up being turned back into materials before long.
"So you gave us something so precious."
"No wonder the effect was insane."
"It was worth enduring."
Everyone nodded as if they'd agreed beforehand.
The potion consumption must have been almost as intense as combat.
"Then how about a toast to celebrate our victory?"
They gathered in the middle and clinked their beer cans together.
Beer spilled onto their hands, but that was fine.
They gulped it down, enjoying the breeze.
This was happiness.
---
* * *
---
I went down the stairs at the sound of the doorbell.
When I opened the door, Yoon Miri from the Player Hunter Agency greeted me.
"Wow, smells like meat."
Yoon Miri glared at Jin Yunho, who was standing next to Jinhyuk.
"Eating all that by yourself and then calling me to drive. You're a total tyrant of a team leader."
"Want to say something that'll get me misunderstood? You said you were coming. To pick up meat."
Yoon Miri took the icebox and bowed her head once more.
"Jinhyuk-nim, I'll enjoy this. I was actually running low on food."
"Glad I could help with supplies."
"Oh, and... come here for a second."
Yoon Miri pulled Jinhyuk into a corner.
"This is fresh news that even the team leader doesn't know. I submitted the paperwork a while ago, but the procedures were pretty strict, so approval just came through today. As of today, Jinhyuk-nim's annual salary is 100 billion won."
I covered my mouth.
It hadn't been long since it went up to 60 billion, and now 100 billion?
Maybe because the unit had changed, it felt even bigger.
"As you know, you need to keep this confidential. Even among players affiliated with the Hunter Agency, only rankers receive over 100 billion. No matter how much of a Runner you are, if rumors spread that an unaffiliated player is getting 100 billion, it'll cause chaos."
"Don't worry. I'll take it to the grave."
I made a zipping-my-lips gesture.
"Same as last time, this is after-tax. It's illegal. No, let's call it a loophole. So I don't look too bad."
It was to minimize things as much as possible.
The chance that tax agencies like the National Tax Service would start paying attention to the Runner.
"Thank you."
"We're always the ones who should be grateful. Well, I'll take the drunkard with me. Team leader, get in quickly. I'll drop you off at the Agency and clock out."
"Thank you for the meal. I'll see you again."
"Take care."
I waved my hand.
The luxury SUV quickly disappeared into the distance.
I kept waving for a while, then turned to look beside me.
Seyeon was standing next to me, also waving.
If she hadn't been there, I would've thrown an uppercut into the air.
100 billion annual salary achieved!
"Weren't you going to ride with them?"
"I called a taxi. But, Yoo Jinhyuk."
"Yes?"
"I'm a little disappointed. You were rushing me to leave."
"You could stay over."
Seyeon stared at Jinhyuk.
She always felt this way — he said things like that so casually.
Though she knew he meant sleeping in the guest house with Jin Seohui.
"I need a lot of things to sleep somewhere else."
"Oh come on, you've already shown me your bare face."
Seyeon swallowed dryly.
Anyone overhearing that would get the wrong idea.
But on the other hand, it was a relief.
That he thought it was her bare face.
Just as she'd intended.
"I'll come visit properly later with a housewarming. Oh, the taxi's here. I'm going."
"See you."
After saying goodbye, I went up the stairs.
Lights and small statues were placed along the stairs.
Things I hadn't seen before.
'Look at that attention to detail.'
I'd only asked for an interior renovation, but they'd gone this far.
I'd have to treat them even better next time.
As I headed to the garden, Momo was walking from the other side.
"Unnis are totally in dreamland!"
Yoo Suyeon and Jin Seohui had gone into the guest house dead drunk.
Jin Seohui had asked me to look at her swordsmanship while she was staying, but I'd have to postpone that.
"Ohhh, really?"
I quickly cleaned up the things that had been spread out.
Then I set up a new grill.
I took out meat, alcohol, and drinks, and lit the charcoal.
After a while, my friends began to manifest one by one.
"I wanna eat more dragon meat!"
"I'm a bit hungry."
"It was torture smelling that from the rooftop!"
I'd been sending them some here and there, but it must not have been enough.
Let's properly grill and eat this time.
"Odongtong, aren't you tired? I'll grill."
"No way! If Elia grills, we'll have to throw the meat away!"
"Ugh."
Cold, but not wrong.
Last time with the Korean beef, she'd turned it into crispy crackers.
Momo, the master griller, picked up the tongs again.
Every time, she cooked it to perfection — almost machine-like.
"Kancho. Did you put the cuckoo clock Elia gave you in front of the guest house?"
"Perfectly, sir. Unless Grandma's cuckoo clock is broken, it'll ring right away."
"My cuckoo clock isn't broken! It's alive."
I'd placed it there just in case.
Though if Jin Seohui or Yoo Suyeon woke up, I'd sense them early with Presence Detection anyway.
"Chief."
"Yeah?"
"Did you return the gun, sir?"
"Not yet."
"Can you modify it, sir? I need one that fires faster, sir."
I'd been thinking about it anyway.
What kind of gun Kancho could use.
With the unique trait he'd gained from this Epic promotion, *Clay Rides the Wind*.
Since explosive power amplified in proportion to speed, he needed a weapon that could launch the clay quickly.
No matter how fast the gas gun he'd been using was, it couldn't compare to a real gun.
"Just wait a bit. I'll find something that suits you soon."
"Thank you, sir! Loyalty!"
As Kancho saluted proudly.
"Master."
Renza, who I hadn't seen in a while, manifested beside me.
"It's Rakshasa."
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T/N:
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