Chapter 220 – God-Grade Shoes
“Mandrake’s Magic Stem, Adamantium Iron Plate, new-material leather, Wind Spirit’s Feather, Magic Core, and two Black Iron Powder—correct?”
Ryu Min checked the materials Hymer had brought and nodded.
“That’s right. How much is it for everything?”
“Umm, one moment, I’ll calculate…”
Hymer worked the abacus, then hesitated at the higher-than-expected amount before speaking.
D-don’t be alarmed. For all seven materials, the total comes to 5,932,900 gold, but…”
At nearly six million gold, it was Russell—who wasn’t even the one paying—who turned pale.
“W-what kind of materials cost that much?”
“They’re materials that are that hard to obtain. We only barely managed to get them.”
“Still… over 800,000 gold per item…”
Russell stared in disbelief, and then outright looked at Hymer like he was a con artist.
Hymer, who’d been demoted from master craftsman to scammer in an instant, wore an utterly wronged expression.
Of course, Ryu Min trusted Hymer and didn’t think he was being price-gouged.
‘This is a fair price. They’re materials used for God-grade gear, after all.’
If each piece is under a million gold, it’s not a bad deal.
Besides, Ryu Min had around 65,000,000 gold.
After he started killing angels, it piled up exponentially until it became this.
‘For now, it’s not useful for much besides buying materials, but later I’ll have plenty of uses for it.’
Especially because it would be useful in Round 17, the more gold the better.
“It’s an unreasonable amount, isn’t it? Perhaps you should think it over a little more—”
“I’ll buy them.”
“You’ve made a wise decision. Then we’ll pretend this never—pardon?”
“I said I’ll buy them. The materials.”
Hymer’s eyes widened, then his face turned into one that asked if it was truly possible.
“Even the Hormos Merchant Union cannot readily pay an amount like this, but…”
“I’ve got plenty of gold. Let’s just trade.”
A trade window appeared before his eyes.
[Please freely visualize the items or gold you wish to give to the other party.]
<Trader: Black Scythe>
└Items to trade: None
└Gold to trade: 5,932,900G
☞Trade☜
<Trader: Hymer>
└Items to trade: Mandrake’s Magic Stem, Adamantium Iron Plate, new-material leather, Wind Spirit’s Feather, Magic Core, 2 Black Iron Powder
└Gold to trade: 0G
☞Trade☜
[After placing items, press the ‘Trade’ button.]
[The trade will be completed only if both sides agree.]
When he pressed the Trade button, gold drained away with a clinking sound, and the materials were delivered into his inventory.
Ryu Min’s lips twitched upward.
‘With this, I’ve gathered all the materials needed to craft God-grade shoes and a weapon. Ah—except one.’
Since even Hymer wasn’t selling the key material, Condensed Ether, he had no choice but to obtain it himself.
‘At least I have one Ether I got from killing Sariel, so I can make the God-grade shoes right away.’
He wanted to craft the God-grade weapon first, but the weapon required two Condensed Ether.
‘If I kill two archangels like before, will they drop?’
He didn’t know if an archangel would even appear this Round, though.
“Heh-heh… To think you truly purchased them. How does an advanced one possess such wealth…”
“Good luck,” Ryu Min answered simply.
Leaving Hymer laughing heartily behind, Ryu Min waved.
“I’m done with my business, so I’ll be going now.”
“It was an honor to meet you, advanced one.”
“I’m glad to meet you too, Blacksmith Hymer. And Russell—learn diligently beside him. I’ll come back in three hours, so see you then.”
“You’re coming back? Why?”
“Because I want to see Russell’s improved abilities.”
“Understood. I’ll work hard and wait.”
“Good. Then I’m off.”
“Travel safely!”
Nodding, Ryu Min stepped out of the forge and kicked off the ground.
Flap—
Wings of darkness surged behind him and carried his body up into the sky.
While Russell worked on his quest, Ryu Min wondered where he should spend the time.
‘The Round’s already cleared, and everything I needed to do is done.’
Still, he couldn’t just laze around, so he planned to do a sub-quest.
Thinking about what would be best for the future, he reached a conclusion.
‘If I’m doing a quest, the mercenary corps is best.’
Ryu Min’s current mercenary rank was Veteran.
If he reached the next rank, Master, he’d gain the qualification to hunt a dragon.
‘I have to kill a dragon. Considering the items, title, and rune it drops.’
Killing a dragon yields a God-grade accessory.
It also drops one of the eighteen runes he must obtain, and a title—there was no reason not to hunt it.
‘But I can’t hunt it right now. That unprecedented barrier is blocking 접근.’
Even if he knew the dragon’s nest, he couldn’t go hunting immediately.
Just like he couldn’t smash open Elsorium’s treasure vault through brute force, forced entry was impossible.
The only way in was to raise his mercenary rank to Master.
‘Nothing to worry about. It’s just one more step.’
If he did a few suppression quests through the mercenary corps, he’d raise it quickly.
As a Veteran, the rewards were generous compared to other sub-quests too—no reason to hesitate.
‘We’re here.’
Tap—
Ryu Min landed on the ground.
After flying for about ten minutes, he’d arrived at the Kingdom of Alvitz.
Since the Golden Eagle Mercenary Corps had branches in every city, there was no need to go far.
‘Then before I take a mercenary quest…’
Ryu Min opened the combination window.
[Main Material]
-High-quality leather boots
[Secondary Materials]
-Condensed Ether
-Black Iron Powder
-Mandrake’s Magic Stem
-new-material leather
-Wind Spirit’s Feather
‘Should I try making a God-grade item first?’
Since he couldn’t craft the weapon yet, he decided to craft the shoes first.
[Combining a God-grade item.]
[It will be converted into an item suitable for your current job.]
[Combination Success!]
[You have created ‘Thanatos’ Boots’.]
[Thanatos’ Boots]
-Category: Shoes
-Grade: God
-Defense: 1,200
-Effect: All stats +50, Movement Speed +100%, can walk on empty air in darkness.
-Durability: 20,000/20,000
-Use Restriction: Master rank or higher
-Description: Shoes made using the divinity of Thanatos, the god of death. Grants additional effects when worn as a set item.
-Thanatos Garment Set Effect (4/5)
-2-set effect: Resistance +20%
-3-set effect: Skill damage +10%
-4-set effect: Damage received reduced by 30%
-5-set effect: ?????
Thanatos’ Boots had great stats, but what was really good was that you could walk on empty air.
‘As long as it’s dark, I can step on empty air as much as I want, without any restrictions.’
You could jump into the air, then use empty air as a foothold and spring back down toward the ground.
You could also zigzag through the sky however you wanted.
It was practically a whole new field—useful in all sorts of ways.
The added set effect—30% reduced damage received—was also fairly good.
‘That makes four. Now if I just get the weapon, I’ll have all the God-grade gear I can craft.’
As for other God-grade accessories, you could obtain them by hunting boss monsters.
Like a dragon.
‘I need to raise my mercenary rank as soon as possible.’
Ryu Min quickened his steps toward the Golden Eagle Mercenary Corps.
[Hmph.]
[Wipe that face off, Raguel.]
Rank 5, Raguel—an archangel of justice, fairness, and harmony.
But now, unlike a title fitting those words, his face was twisted into all kinds of displeased expressions.
[No, Uriel-nim! Isn’t this a bit much? Two of us have to move just to catch one human? What’s so scary about a human that’s like an insect?!]
The reason Raguel was fuming was simple.
Coming down to the Otherworld with two archangels to catch a single human had bruised his pride.
In blunt terms, it gave him a reality check.
[I’m a bit puzzled too. Even if a human is strong, how strong can they be?]
[Right? There was no need for even you to come, Uriel-nim.]
[But what can we do? They told us to go. I can’t say I won’t do it when even Gabriel-nim—and Raphael-nim—agreed.]
[What on earth are they thinking, making us waste steps like this…]
[In the eyes of those above, sending two probably seemed safer.]
[It’s not that you don’t trust me to go alone, is it?]
[I can’t say it isn’t.]
[Hah… Do they not know how much I contributed in the last Celestial-Demon War…?]
He might be the lowest-ranking now, but Raguel’s combat power was on a different level than the rank 6 and 7 beneath him.
Two hundred years ago, in the Fifth Celestial-Demon War, Raguel slaughtered countless demons with his distinctive sense of justice.
As if remembering that merit, Uriel nodded with an expression of acknowledgement.
[I know. I know, and those above know too. You were recognized for your achievements back then—that’s why you, a 1st-rank angel, rose all the way to the archangel seat.]
[Then why…!]
[They probably just wanted to finish it for sure. There’s always a ‘just in case,’ you know?]
[Even knowing my skill, they do this? An insect like that is more than enough for me alone!]
[And what happened to the ones who were that confident? Everyone’s gone silent—no one knows where they’re hiding.]
[……]
[If we send only you, it’s a 99% success rate. If we send two, we can wrap it up at 100%. That’s why those above told me to go with you even though there was no need for me to come.]
[But still…]
[We kept sending just one and it turned into this mess. Considering the ‘just in case,’ it was a wise judgment.]
Uriel persuaded him with gentle but logical words, but Raguel still looked sulky.
[Still… an insect like that is enough for me alone…]
Since it wasn’t hard to understand Raguel’s feelings, Uriel made a suggestion.
[Then how about this? I’ll give you the first chance to fight. I’ll just watch from behind.]
At that, Raguel’s crumpled face smoothed out instantly.
[Really?]
[But if it looks dangerous, I’ll step in immediately. You can’t complain if I join in mid-battle, understood?]
[Hey! That won’t happen, so don’t worry! A situation where you need to step in won’t appear, Uriel-nim. I can handle it myself!]
[Then do that.]
[Thank you for yielding. Heehee!]
[No need to thank me.]
Watching Raguel shout confidently, Uriel wore a benevolent smile.
But unlike his expression, he held a sneer inside.
‘Letting that b*tch Raguel fight first will let me gauge what kind of ability this human called Black Scythe actually has.’
From what happened to Remiel and Sariel, Black Scythe was definitely not a “normal human.”
Even in the Record Room, looking through the Round tally results, he was an extraordinary human who consistently took Rank 1.
If they dismissed him as some common insect, they were bound to get burned.
‘At least the good thing is he’s not Max Level yet.’
A max-level Player’s combat power is comparable to a 6th-rank combat angel.
And yet Black Scythe killed an archangel.
Two of them.
‘I know level doesn’t mean everything, but Raguel should be able to handle him alone. And if not, I can step in. That’s all.’
It was humiliating that two archangels had to move against a mere human, but what could they do?
The situation was urgent, and they had to finish it for sure.
‘Don’t let your guard down. I’ll let Raguel test him first, then step in.’
If—though it’s unlikely—he’s at a level even Uriel can’t handle?
‘Then I run without looking back.’
Whether Raguel dies or not is none of Uriel’s concern.
Even for archangels, life was precious.
[Shall we go now, Uriel-nim?]
[Yes. Track Black Scythe’s location. Let’s go catch him.]
The two angels smiled thinly and began to beat their wings.