Hyeonu climbed the mountain with light steps. He was even humming a song. His body was feeling lighter than ever. It was inevitable for him to be like this as he wasn’t in the Balder Mountains but the Hejin Great Mountain Range. His behavior was natural because he hadn’t come here to hunt but to obtain treasure.

‘What options are there?’

Hyeonu had high expectations for the item, even more so because he knew Edchan’s skills well. Edchan was a Golden Hammer; he was a talented dwarf who wouldn’t lose to anyone when it came to making battle gear.

‘I wish that it’s a unique rated set…’

Hyeonu was greedy. Still, it was possible because of the materials Hyeonu had handed to Edchan. Caruso—the powerful drake still had an impression on Hyeonu’s mind. It was enough if the equipment was made using the drake’s heart and leather. There was just one thing that worried him.

‘As long as I’m not affected by the stats restriction…’

If the item was too good, it could very well have stat restrictions he couldn’t meet. If this were the case, Edchan’s set items would just be a pie in the sky. Hyeonu entered the Red Anvil Tribe in a slightly subdued manner compared to before. He hoped his concerns would turn out to be groundless. On the way to Edchan’s workshop, Hyeonu met a very familiar dwarf.

“Human? What are you doing here?” It was Edchan’s little brother, Tresha. He seemed to be glad rather than wary to see the human Hyeonu.

“It has been a while, Tresha. I have something to receive from Edchan and came to get it.”

“Something? Are you the owner of the leather?”

Tresha’s eyes grew wide at Hyeonu’s answer. He couldn’t believe it. This human was the owner of the leather his brother Edchan had been working on recently. In one glance, Tresha had seen that it was a drake’s leather, and he couldn’t believe it.

Hyeonu saw Tresha’s face and smiled. “If you’re referring to the drake’s leather, then it is what I gave him.”

“You should’ve brought that to me if you had it. How can you only give it to my big brother? Aish…” Tresha was disappointed. His skills weren’t lacking in comparison to Edchan’s. It might be different if it was metal, but he could say that he was one step ahead when it came to leather.

‘How long has it been since I touched such high quality materials?’ Tresha lamented inwardly.

Just then, Hyeonu spoke the right words like he knew of Tresha’s regrets. “I will ask Tresha to make me something if I obtain something good next time. Of course, I will pay a lot of money.”

“Really? I’ll be waiting. Then go ahead. I will guide you to the workshop.” Tresha was delighted by Hyeonu’s words and led Hyeonu to Edchan’s workshop.

“Brother!” Tresha roughly pushed open the door of the workshop.

Hyeonu frowned at the heat that flowed through the open door.

“What else do you want… You’re finally here?” Edchan wanted to speak bluntly when he saw Tresha open the door fiercely but changed his words the moment he saw the man behind Tresha.

“Yes, I came to get what I asked for,” Hyeonu said.

Edchan dropped the black-red objects in one corner of the workshop in front of Hyeonu. Then he quickly waved his hands. It was a gesture to bow down.

‘What?’

Hyeonu didn’t know Edchan’s intentions, but he followed Edchan’s will anyway. He bowed his head down to Edchan’s eye level. Edchan whispered in Hyeonu’s ear, “Quietly take out the alcohol once he leaves. You should never take it out in front of him. He is a ghost. One smell and he will feel stifled.”

Hyeonu nodded with a smile. 

“Check them. They came out good,” Edchan urged Hyeonu.

He was curious about Hyeonu’s reaction. His work had always been evaluated by dwarves, so this was the first time his work was being evaluated by a human.

Edchan thought to himself, ‘It’s not that I’m trying to get the alcohol quickly, okay…’

Hyeonu picked up the top armor piece, the most prominent one. The design wasn’t glamorous, but it had the strange power to attract people’s attention.

‘Item information.’

[Tyrant Caruso’s Shirt]

[A leather shirt made from the leather of the tyrant of the Balder Mountains, Caruso. Part of Caruso’s heart was added during the tanning process, and the performance of the item has improved.

Rating: Unique

Restrictions: 1,000 strength, 1,700 magic power, and 900 physique.

Durability: 3,200/3,200

Defense: 2,050

Effect: All stats +75, ‘Tyrant’s Heart’ can be used (cooldown time: 48 hours.)

Tyrant’s Heart: If your health drops below 30%, half the total health will be recovered.]

“Wow…!!” An exclamation emerged from Hyeonu’s mouth. It was unique rated. His jaw-dropping imagination had become a reality.

‘It has high defense and good effects.’

The top armor piece wasn’t just good; it was very good. He felt sorry to compare it to previous items. Other players who saw the item specs would call it a scam.

‘Anything else…?’

Hyeonu felt his heart beating rapidly as he carefully laid down the shirt and picked up the shoes.

[Tyrant Caruso’s Shoes]

[Leather shoes made from the leather of the tyrant of the Balder Mountains, Caruso. Part of Caruso’s heart was added during the tanning process, and the performance of the item has improved.

Rating: Unique

Restrictions: 900 strength, 1,500 magic power and 800 physique.

Durability: 2,400/2,400

Defense: 1,450

Effect: All stats + 50, ‘Tyrant’s Steps’ can be used.

Tyrant’s Steps: Movement speed is increased by 25%.]

‘Wow!!’

The shoes were different from the previous ones. The increase in movement speed, which had only been available as a set option, was now the unique effect attached to the shoes.

‘I’ll check the rest later.’

Hyeonu felt that his heart could no longer hold on if he kept checking. Even now, Hyeonu’s heart was running like a 12-cylinder engine.

“Thank you so much, Edchan.” Hyeonu thanked Edchan sincerely.

Although Hyeonu had provided good materials, it was a different story for Edchan to be able to present such an amazing result. However, it wasn’t just that. This expression of gratitude was essential for his future relationship with Edchan.

“It isn’t something to be thankful about. These things wouldn’t have come out if it wasn’t for you.”

Edchan looked like he was holding something. After seeing it, Hyeonu realized what Edchan’s gesture meant. Edchan wasn’t holding the Caruso’s leather and heart. He was asking for the alcohol Hyeonu had decided to give Edchan.

‘He is like an alcoholic ghost!’ Hyeonu remarked inwardly. Then he said, “Tresha, I want to talk to Edchan for a bit. Can you leave?”

“Really? Well, I understand. I will go to my workshop.” Tresha nodded and left Edchan’s workshop with arms that appeared to bulge slightly more than when he came in.

Hyeonu confirmed that Tresha was gone and pulled the bottle out of his inventory. “Here it is.”

It wasn’t one bottle but two bottles.

“Two bottles?” Edchan looked surprised.

Hyeonu smiled. “You gave me such great items. How can I only give you one bottle? I’ll buy more the next time I go to the East Continent.”

Instead of taking the bottles, Edchan gripped Hyeonu’s hand tightly. “Definitely come back next time. I’ll make anything as long as you bring the alcohol and materials.”

Hyeonu acquired an additional chance to gain items from Edchan by adding an extra bottle of alcohol.

‘It isn’t just NPCs who trick people with additional rewards.’

Hyeonu’s eyes curved in a half-moon shape as he grinned widely.

*** 

Hyeonu exited the Red Anvil Tribe and changed his items in front of the waterfall. He took off the Great Gorge set and put on the Tyrant Caruso set. His vision was then filled with the system messages.

[The Tyrant Caruso Set (5/5 has been equipped.]

[The five part set effect is applied.

-All stats +250.

-Increase the effect of magic power related skills by 100%.

-The fire attribute is created.

-The Skill ‘Tyrant’s Advent’ is available (cooldown time: 336 hours)

Tyrant’s Advent: Summon Tyrant Caruso for 10 minutes.]

‘The attribute is a bit of a waste.’

The Tyrant Caruso set had gorgeous effects for each part, so Hyeonu wasn’t surprised when he saw the set effect. It was just a shame. One of the set effects, the creation of the fire attribute, was wasted since his attribute was fixed to ‘dark’ due to the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art.

‘Still, the rest is amazing.’

The increase in stats and effect of magic-power-related skills were evidently the best. Nevertheless, they were just inferior in comparison to Tyrant’s Advent.

‘I can summon that monster for 10 minutes…’

That monster who didn’t receive much damage from Hyeonu’s attacks—it was a monster that Hyeonu couldn’t hunt right now. Therefore, it was clear what it would look like to other players.

A peak monster—it was a monster that no player could encounter at this point.

‘I have to check my status window.’

Hyeonu needed to know his precise situation after changing items. He had to know his condition and adapt to it.

“Status Window.”

[Status Window]

[Character Name: Gang Hyeonu

Level: 235

Class: True Knight of Keon

Title: Lebron’s Disciple, Warrior Acknowledged by Khan, New Star Acknowledged by Lebron, First Person to Enter the Imperial Palace, First Person to Meet the Emperor, Achieved 100 Consecutive Wins, Solo Raider, Desert Dragon Slayer, Ruler of the Spider Mine, Viscount Vampire Killer, First Detached Force Member, First Person to Clear Laek, First Player to go Beyond The Limits, First to Become a Viscount, True Knight of Keon, Centaur Slayer, Undefeated Sovereign, Drake Hunter

Stats: Strength: 484 (+2,200)  Agility: 737 (+2,150)  Physique: 351 (+2,250)  Magic Power: 443 (+2,350)  Fighting Energy: 552 (+1,950)  Dignity: 147 (+1,950)

Remaining stat points: 0

Retained Attributes: Dark]

‘Apart from agility, all my other stats went up like crazy.’

His agility stat only rose by 100 while the rest of his stats had risen by 300-400.

‘I don’t think there’s anyone who can be my opponent in PK.’

Both his dignity and fighting energy stats were over 2,000. This meant that the decrease in the opponent’s stats would be huge. He had felt it when he fought with Five Stars and Zenith, but the synergy between dignity and fighting energy was truly great. They raised his stats while decreasing the opponent’s stats. It was a fascinating thing.

‘I should get going now.’

Hyeonu smiled as he stared at the status window for a long time. Then he got rid of it and stood up. He wanted to test out his higher stats.

‘Shall I take a look at Cruise Mountain today?’

After changing his items, Hyeonu felt rather motivated.

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