Episode 231 Octopus Legs
As soon as I left the Thieves’ Club, I called out to Jang Mu-geuk and Wang Chun-sam.
Without further ado, one word was enough.
[Kim Ho: Ghostly Mooyoung]
The two assassins who put everything aside and run out.
Their eyes were blazing with longing.
“… … Kim Ho.”
“Oh, you’re here.”
“Is it true?”
“Why would I lie?”
There’s no benefit to lying.
Wang Chun-sam asked.
“Do you have it now?”
“No, I’m going to pick it up this week. I called you because I had something to coordinate in advance.”
“Listen.”
I have briefly summarized the conversation that took place in the Thieves’ Club’s office.
We are going to be entering a B-rank dungeon, and one of the hidden pieces we will be recovering there is [Ghostless].
Also, there is currently one empty spot.
Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Chun-sam exchanged glances.
If there are two people who called but only one seat, it is right for the seat to go to the one with better skills.
Wang Chun-sam’s skills are slightly below my standards.
So Jang Moo-geuk opened his mouth.
“Are you telling me to participate in the attack?”
“okay.”
“What do I gain by doing that?”
“I give you priority in trading.”
“… … !”
[YooRyungMuYeong] is a plan left by the Illusionist among the Unaesama.
Its identity is a very special and powerful skill, and at the same time, it is a kind of enlightenment.
It has the disadvantage of being extremely difficult to find and obtain, but it also has tremendous advantages that outweigh it.
‘It’s not a one-time thing.’
Items that allow you to acquire skills or traits usually disappear once used.
The skill books and quest scrolls used by calligraphers are good examples.
On the other hand, although the number of Ghost Dances is limited, the opportunity is shared equally among many people.
My proposal was to give priority to the members of the thieves’ club that had been decided on in advance, and to Koh Hyun-woo, who would still have two or three uses left.
Jang Moo-geuk’s eyes deepened.
“It certainly sounds appealing. But I guess it’s better to listen to it till the end before deciding.”
“You are right.”
“You said you would give us priority in the deal. Even if we get priority, it would be meaningless if the deal itself doesn’t go through.”
So, to avoid any further controversy later, I’m saying that I will accept the mercenary offer only after the deal has been finalized.
I nodded, as the conditions were sufficiently convincing.
“Of course I won’t ask you to do anything unreasonable. I think it won’t be difficult for you two.”
Rather, it is an item that is easier to obtain because it is black.
As I put my demands into words, a strange look appeared in both their eyes.
“It won’t be easy, but it won’t be impossible. It’s a ghost-less world, so it’ll be worth paying that much to balance it out. But where do you plan on using it?”
“Does it matter?”
“… … No. It doesn’t matter.”
What matters is not the purpose, but the fact that I want it as trading material.
Jang Moo-geuk nodded without digging any further.
“Okay, I’ll take your offer. Did you say Friday?”
“That’s right, Friday. And read this in advance.”
I gave him the strategy book too.
Of course, compared to the summary given to Go Hyun-woo, Dang Gyu-young, and Chae Da-bin, it is very thin.
‘I don’t need to know anything else.’
What I need is the power of Jang Moo-geuk.
Because it’s okay to leave the handling of emergencies to the rest of the party.
Jang Mu-geuk asked, holding the strategy book in his bosom.
“I understand. Is this all for now?”
“Oh, it’s over.”
“Then I’ll get up now. I came in a hurry.”
The two people who came running, saying they were doing something else, immediately got up and left.
I was looking at their backs when something suddenly occurred to me, so I asked a question.
“But do you guys still use aliases these days?”
“Of course I will.”
“What is it?”
Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Chun-sam glanced at each other and then answered.
“Jang-o.”
“Wang Gon.”
“… … .”
Whenever I see it, your naming sense is terrible.
There was no progress at all from Jang Sam-Wang Pil, Jang Cheol-su-Wang Min-su.
Since I was not saying anything, Jang Mu-geuk asked cautiously.
“… … Not so good?”
“Guys, if it’s obvious the moment you hear it, is there any point in using a pseudonym?”
“That’s true. I’ll keep that in mind next time.”
“So Jang-oh, whose idea was Wang-gon?”
At that question, Jang Mu-geuk and Wang Chun-sam were silent for a moment, and then simultaneously started swearing at each other.
“This guy built it.”
“He said this was good.”
* * *
The next day.
As I was leaving the classroom after class, the atmosphere outside the classroom was more chaotic than usual.
In most cases this meant that someone from another class or grade had come looking for them.
I took a quick look outside and, sure enough, there was a familiar redhead in the middle of the chaos.
“… … .”
This is the angry fighting dog, Hong Yeon-hwa.
Because of its striking appearance and its fame, it is impossible not to attract the attention of passersby.
However, he felt uncomfortable with other people glancing at him, so whenever he was focused on someone, he would shoot combative glances in all directions.
But even if you take your eyes off those students, other students will pass by and glance at you, so the staring contest showed no signs of ending.
“Hello, Miss Hong.”
Then, Go Hyun-woo showed his characteristic sociability and approached her.
Hong Yeon-hwa kept a half-frowned face, but perhaps because they were somewhat familiar with each other, she nodded her chin slightly in response.
Go Hyun-woo opened his mouth with a friendly smile.
“It was a good match the other day. I learned a lot.”
“……me too.”
It seems to be referring to the Cloud Stairs Battle.
Hong Yeon-hwa’s expression softened as I praised her, saying, “You can’t spit in a smiling face.”
A few more words were exchanged about the last match, and Go Hyun-woo asked.
“Hyung Kim, did you come here because you had business?”
“……huh.”
“Just wait a moment. I’ll call you right away.”
But there was no need for Go Hyun-woo to call.
Because I’ve already heard it all.
I just watched without getting involved because it was a new combination that I was seeing for the first time.
As I approached, Hong Yeon-hwa’s anger management skills improved rapidly.
The combative gaze disappeared and the world changed into an innocent and gentle expression.
Go Hyun-woo looked back and forth between Hong Yeon-hwa and me and smiled meaningfully.
“Interesting… … .”
“what?”
“Nothing much, I hope you have a good time.”
After saying that, Go Hyun-woo left the place, stepping on the Cheonpungmanribo.
I don’t think that’s the method you’ve learned.
I turned my head and looked at Hong Yeon-hwa.
“So, why did you come?”
“Oh, that’s… … . I have something to give you… … .”
A long box and a small box came out of Hong Yeon-hwa’s inventory.
You can guess the contents just by looking at the box.
‘It’s finished.’
Following the root, the second weapon commissioned to the blacksmith chief has been completed.
The processing of the kraketite was completed on schedule without difficulty.
Since I didn’t want to show off my new weapon to the neighbors, I took Hong Yeon-hwa and moved to a less crowded place.
When I opened the long box, there was a short stick inside.
It is overall black with a slight blue tint.
At both ends, the joints are barely visible.
I dug out the deep roots right away.
Detach the F-grade horizontal bar that was used for simple lengthening, and connect the bar you just obtained in its place.
Then, a window was completed that fit perfectly as if it had been one from the beginning.
[Deep-Rooted Seedling (A+)]
▷Very high mana conductivity
▷Apply damage prevention (A)
▷Automatic durability recovery
▷Jiseon
▷Octopus legs
▷Upgradeable
▷Upgradeable
▷Upgradeable
The item name has changed from [Deep Roots] to [Deep-Rooted Sapling], and the overall grade has also slightly increased from A-Rank to A+.
In addition, a new trait has been added, [Octopus Legs].
‘I didn’t know I’d get this already.’
I got this fraudulent option quicker and easier than I thought.
It was a very generous reward for offering a few words of advice to the Magic Engineering Club.
‘It’s all thanks to Bokdeungi.’
I bowed deeply in my heart to the calligrapher who was still taking a deep nap in the classroom.
[octopus]
▷You can cast skills n times simultaneously.
▷ Depending on the number of castings, a cost/penalty of n^2 is applied.
For example, in the case of Wind Barrier, you would normally have to recite the spell, complete the magic, cast it on one person, then do the same process to cast it on the next person, and then cast it on the next person.
However, if you use the octopus legs, you can put a wind barrier on three people at the same time.
The same goes for skills that have a cooldown.
Normally, you would have to use it once, wait for the cooldown, use it again, and wait for the cooldown again, but with Octopus Arm, you can cast it as many times as you want at the same time.
‘Of course the penalty is quite hefty.’
If you cast a skill ‘n’ times simultaneously with an octopus leg, the cost or penalty increases by ‘the square of n’.
When Wind Barrier is cast 3 times simultaneously with Octopus Legs, the mana consumption is 9 times higher.
If you cast a skill with a 1-hour cooldown 5 times simultaneously with the octopus leg, the total cooldown will be a whopping 25 hours.
Inferno Fist and Hyun-Eum-Ok-Maji are barely able to overcome the elemental penalty, so they won’t be usable at all with Octopus Leg.
‘But the uses are endless.’
There are times when you have to use your skills in a rush, even if it means incurring a penalty, during a tense battle.
The number of trump cards increased.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa was still watching me.
He asks cautiously as I take my eyes off the sapling.
“……how is it?”
“I like it. You were chosen well this time too.”
I answered like that and then asked back.
“Do you have anything else to say?”
“Ah, yeah… … .”
Hong Yeon-hwa came to see me on an errand, but in reality, the main topic is about to start.
Although the Ruby Tower and the Blacksmith Club have a close relationship, they are not at the level of using promising young talent as errand boys.
I wasn’t directly involved in the production, like when I melted the Eternal Iron alloy.
I guess Hong Ye-hwa must have ordered it.
I guess he told me to ask him subtly while giving it to him.
‘It actually turned out well.’
I was planning to contact you today or tomorrow anyway, but it saved me the trouble since you came to see me.
What Hong Yeon-hwa said next also did not deviate greatly from my expectations.
“I wonder… … whether I’ll be entering the dungeon this week… … ?”
Hong Yeon-hwa is in a situation where she has to conquer the Ice Theme dungeon for the Aqua Flame rank.
However, Ruby Tower’s 2nd and 3rd year students are said to have been tied down for the time being for some reason.
And as an alternative, the one Hong Ye-hwa chose was me.
From my perspective, there was nothing wrong with it, so I accepted and gave it some time.
‘I do have time.’
This week’s strategy battle is to clear the Herb Garden on the first day.
And the gathering of the wicked is on Friday, so my schedule is empty until then.
I nodded and asked.
“How about today or tomorrow?”
