Episode 210 Berserk Charm (4)
“Let’s go with this one.”
He immediately expressed his intention to purchase it. He liked the options attached to the talisman, and it was flawless in every way.
He glanced at other talismans one last time, but none of them could compare to this one at the same price.
'Finally, I’ve acquired a Legendary Artifact. Purely through purchase.'
He felt a renewed sense of emotion.
Even after spending a massive 625 billion won, he still had 102.2 billion won left in his balance.
This amount was the sum of the 10 billion won he received as a settlement after clearing the Ashtaros Dungeon earlier.
His financial sense was becoming slightly clouded.
However, Sanghyeon had never once thought this amount was too much. Nor did he consider it inflation.
This is because as a player’s level and skill increase, the required specs rise.
From the moment one starts skimping on expenses, the gap with other players widens to an absurd degree.
For the players forming the lower tier, this is their world and a story from another country, of course.
Considering the world Sang-hyun aspired to climb higher, he was actually short of money right now.
There were more than enough players who had fully equipped themselves with the lowest possible Legendary-grade artifacts.
Just looking at China alone, the number of players was comparable to the population of South Korea.
Therefore, it was only natural that artifact prices were steadily rising overall.
'Work hard, and spend hard. Don't get carried away by the amount of money.'
Sang-hyun sorted out his thoughts.
Ultimately, the pinnacle a player pursues is filling every slot with Almighty-grade artifacts.
Until then, Sang-hyun had no intention of becoming lazy or settling for the present. He would simply keep pushing himself.
Han Hyun-jung confirmed the arrival time while conveying her final purchase intention to the seller of the Berserk Charm.
Then, through a separate intermediary guarantee system, she received the payment from Sang-hyun in advance.
Although it was structured so that she was acting as the intermediary, the final payment would not be made unless Sang-hyun accepted it.
Thus, there was no risk of the money being intercepted—so-called "eat-and-run" scams. It was a system where the money was released only after acceptance was confirmed.
The transaction preparations were complete.
Since there was still time left, Han Hyun-jung brewed another cup of tea and brought it out.
I thought the business matters were over, but it seemed she had more to say.
After quenching her dry throat with a sip of cinnamon tea, Han Hyun-jung continued the conversation.
“Sang-hyun, from now on, there will be just as many things to worry about as there are expectations.”
“I know. I also think it won’t be easy.”
“I’ll be completely open. The Korea Players Association is deeply interested in you.”
“You mean Scout Team 4?”
“No. The Association President is planning to make a move personally.”
“Huh…? Are you talking about that faceless VIP? The one whose face even the Association staff have never seen?”
“That’s right. It is that person.”
It was unexpected.
Judging by the fact that Han Hyun-jung brought this up, she must have met with the Association President.
My name must have come up in conversation at that meeting, and the competition must have been ignited. This
clearly explains why I felt Han Hyun-jung was particularly aggressively pursuing me.
“I’m not saying you should take offense at the Association President’s interest. Just the fact that the Association is making moves makes it highly likely that you will receive more attention, Sang-hyun.”
“I suppose so.”
Sang-hyun didn’t take Han Hyun-jung’s words at face value.
She certainly wasn’t speaking with 100% good intentions. After all, she was in a position to compete with the Association President.
Whether intentional or not, she was bound to frame the President in a negative light.
So, Sang-hyun decided to take only half of what Han Hyun-jung said and filter the rest out on his own.
He appreciated her consideration, but he didn’t need to be unconditionally grateful. There was clearly an objective.
However, listening to her, it seemed the Association intended to move very actively.
If their previous approach had been merely testing the waters, they now appeared to be changing their strategy.
“I experienced this in a past life, but the Association is a really terrible place. It’s stifling and restricts too much freedom.” This
wasn’t the first time he had heard this.
The Association does offer the justification that they want to nurture their affiliated players more closely.
But ultimately, every change takes place in a place where it cannot escape the Association’s sight.
He could not escape the unpleasant feeling that his every move and stats were being exposed.
It might be different for a player who values a sense of belonging, but Sang-hyun did not want to live a life with a leash like that.
This feeling stemmed not from agreeing with Han Hyun-jung, but from thoughts Sang-hyun had held for a very long time.
“And just the fact that Mystery arranged the match means you have already become a target of Mystery’s interest.”
“I am aware
of that.” “Although there is no physical evidence, Mystery is always on the list of suspects for numerous player disappearance cases.”
“I heard that even the World Player Association hasn’t been able to figure out the Mystery’s face or name.”
“That is correct. That is why you must pay even more attention to personal security and protection. Being alone is truly dangerous.”
Han Hyun-jung’s expression was serious.
It was evident that she was genuinely worried about this, at least.
Her gaze was different from their earlier conversation. She added,
“I want to speak to you as a player, separate from the concepts of sponsor or investor. Sang-hyun, you are a talent among talents.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t want to lose you. Even if you aren’t my sponsor or contractor. Please, take good care of yourself.”
Her earnest plea struck a deep chord in Sang-hyun’s heart.
It wasn’t the tender affection between a man and a woman, but rather words imbued with the worry of not wanting to lose a valuable talent.
He felt a strange sensation.
Had he ever heard such words in a past life?
Never. He was an existence that had no impact on the team even if he were absent, and he was not a shining presence even when he was present.
In his past life, Sang-hyun was not a player whose value was evaluated by others.
He was a player who had to constantly appeal to others with his own words and act as a salesperson.
However, in this life, even if you just stay still, many people worry about you and hold you in high regard.
So, he felt anew grateful to the late-blooming, model student constellation, whom he presumed had brought him back to life.
Where on earth was he, and what was he doing now? He desperately wanted to hear at least a word from him.
The conversation, which had been flowing quite seriously, shifted back to the business side.
This was because Sang-hyun still hadn't received a settlement from Han Hyun-jung.
It was for the sale of the strategy for conquering the Labyrinth of Serenity, which they had tackled together in the past.
Since they had decided to sell it to Hyun-jung Corporation rather than externally, her valuation was crucial.
Initially, intending to trade directly, Han Hyun-jung had even offered to handle the transaction herself immediately after the raid.
“Sorry for the late reply. We had an internal meeting at the Corporation, and they said I was over-investing.”
“Finding a reasonable price won’t be easy, I suppose. I understand the process. Have you reached a conclusion?”
“How about 50 billion won? The condition is that the information collected back then will be used only internally within our Corporation and will absolutely not be shared outside.”
“So, the structure is such that only you, Hyun-jung, will know the core information.” “That is correct
. I will make sure this is a strategy I participate in unconditionally, and I will ensure that I hold the key.”
“Good. Let’s do that.”
Since the amount did not differ significantly from what Sang-hyun had expected, he immediately accepted her proposal.
After all, the labyrinth is a place where the mysteries gradually unravel as time passes.
The price valuation is bound to drop tomorrow compared to today, and the day after tomorrow compared to tomorrow.
Therefore, it is only natural to sell it today, when the price is highest.
Of course, Han Hyun-jung will also pour her heart into conquering the Labyrinth of Serenity to match the amount she paid him. Since
recovering investment is her specialty, there is no need to be overly nosy and worry about that part.
And so, the sale of the strategy guide—the only unsettled product(?)—was concluded. The
strategy transfer contract was immediately signed, and 50 billion won was deposited from Han Hyun-jung in a flash.
Balance: 152.2 billion won.
It is unlikely that it is just his imagination that spending and earning money feels easier than usual today.
* * *
Afterwards, the seller arrived.
Under Han Hyun-jung's mediation, the transaction for the Berserk Charm was concluded.
In the past, whenever I tried to wear an expensive artifact, I used to tremble from my hands to my whole body.
Now that trembling has subsided somewhat, I finished equipping it immediately with a sense of anticipation and excitement.
Han Hyun-jung discreetly stepped aside so that Sang-hyun could carefully examine the talisman's options.
"Really… this is insane."
「Berserk Charm」
■ Artifact Grade: Legendary
■ Artifact Introduction: A talisman that specializes you in more frenzied, mad combat.
Upon equipping, the following effects are applied as a passive skill.
When HP drops below 75% of Max HP, damage increases to double the base attack damage.
The following is a simplified notation.
50% or less, 3x.
25% or less, 4x.
10% or less, 5x.
■ Agility +250
■ Evasion +250
■ Defense +250
■ Special Skill – Madness
■ Special Skill – Radiance
■ Special Skill – Berserk
■ Special Option – Talisman Integration
. It contained so much information that it was impossible to see it all at a glance.
The threshold for stats had risen to the point where one could obtain the "Versatile" title by raising Agility by just 15.
Achieving 1,000 in all stats was within reach.
And the Talisman Integration listed as a special option on the last line was a highly useful option.
With the Talisman Consolidation feature, up to 10 talismans could be absorbed into the Berserk Charm without any loss of stats or abilities. While
there is no limit to the number of talismans one can hold, carrying too many is known to cause mental fatigue.
In fact, there have been instances where players fell into mysterious shock or exhaustion during combat after carrying an excessive number
of talismans. Therefore, it was time to reduce the amount of talismans carried, and the Consolidation option has neatly resolved this
issue. This allows one to enjoy all the stats while consolidating the total number of talismans into just one.
“The expected damage formula is insane… If I enter the Frenzy state, I go berserk with 5x damage.”
This talisman perfectly embodies the Berserker’s characteristic of becoming explosively stronger as their HP decreases.
Since Upper Ranks possess the Awakening skill "Frenzy," the return value upon HP depletion was significant.
Furthermore, the stats are focused on Defense and Evasion, which increase the evasion rate against skills and status ailments.
Given that it was a stat difficult to obtain easily through artifacts, it was a charm that truly scratched that itch.
The gift box hadn't been fully opened yet. Three special skills equipped on the charm were waiting to be verified.
Although I had already checked them when looking at the list before purchasing, seeing them with my own eyes felt like a new experience.
And then.
『Madness』
■ Skill Level: Tier 1 (0.0%)
■ Skill Description: Recovers HP from any corpse that has not lost its warmth.
The maximum HP recovery per corpse is 50, and there is no limit on the number.
The first skill of the Berserk Charm, packaged under the name "Madness," had revealed itself.
