Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

Chapter 15

TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader

Galaxy Agora (3)

“Handmade recovery potions for sale! We’ve got everything from intermediate to very basic!”

“We buy all kinds of junk items. We’ll match the price to the market rate of the last five days!”

“Various scrolls for sale. Made by players certified by the Production Association!”

It looked like a bustling marketplace you’d believe existed.

This was a scene unfolding on one corner of the Free Square on the third floor of Galaxy Agora.

Normally, such a sight would belong on the fourth floor, a nexus of trade.

But stalls had spilled down to the third floor, squeezed out by the auction house occupying more than half of the floor space and the stores owned by various factions.

And at the exit where the stalls ended.

“We’ve got enough now.”

“Come on, alchemists always need more materials. Let’s look a little longer.”

A handsome man with distinct features and a pure-looking woman were squabbling.

“I’ve already bought more than I’d expected. This is enough.”

As Kim Shimun firmly shook his head, Yujeong clicked her tongue in disappointment.

“Then, orabeoni, at least take this with you.”

Worried that she might get dragged around the market even more.

“I said we’ve got enough. My inventory is about to explode.”

Kim Shimun quickly waved his hand.

Fortunately.

“Don’t say that. I really want to give you something.”

It wasn’t about shopping anymore.

Kim Shimun breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Yujeong opening her inventory.

‘Shopping with someone else can be so terrifying.’

Yujeong was exceedingly meticulous, checking every detail like size or color differences even among items of the same grade.

It was understandable for an alchemist to be picky.

‘For me, as long as the grade matches, I don’t care about the rest.’

A level 1 alchemist who survived on Earth in his past life.

Now, Kim Shimun was someone who could even refine the Philosopher’s Stone and mythic-grade artifacts, so these details meant little to him.

“Here you go.”

Yujeong handed something to the introspective Kim Shimun.

“This is…….”

Kim Shimun’s eyes widened at the sight.

A pair of 3D goggles.

“It’s an Arena access device, right?”

“Exactly. The very latest model made by Holy Trinity. It’s not yet released. Hehe.”

Arena access device.

From helmets to capsules and the goggles right in front of him, these access devices were offered in various forms.

Astonishingly, those were the result of Galaxy Arena directly contacting governments worldwide to manufacture them.

Initially, only strong countries like the United States and China were capable of production.

However, due to the monopolization and unfair practices of these two countries, Galaxy Arena took matters into its own hands by contacting governments worldwide.

Plus, Galaxy Arena’s warning against the monopolization was a bonus.

The method was simple.

‘They threatened to revoke the qualifications of all players from China and the United States.’

The event, which was even broadcasted live as news, remains a humiliation for both powers.

Of course, it was a warning, so the humiliation was short-lived.

The title and authority of being Earth’s two great powers remained uninterrupted until Earth was on the verge of destruction.

“An unreleased access device? Are you sure I can have this?”

“All the top players of Holy Trinity guild and myself are already using it. It’s just not commercialized yet.”

“What I mean is, it’s alright for you to give this to an outsider like me?”

“So what? I want to give it to you.”

Looking to do what with them?

Yujeong shrugged with a bright smile.

“Ah! If Holy Trinity comes looking for it for some reason, you must tell me, okay?”

A faint murderous intent flickered in Yujeong’s eyes as she spoke.

“Got it, orabeoni?”

Unfortunately.

Kim Shimun, focused on the access device, failed to catch her murderous intent.

“Even so… wouldn’t it be better if I just bought a suitable one from the Holy Trinity store?”

“Jeez! Running in the Arena without a proper device could harm your body!”

Yujeong’s cheeks puffed up in dissatisfaction.

“If it really bothers you, think of it as compensation for the rudeness the store manager showed earlier.”

“Well, if you put it that way.”

Upon seeing Yujeong bite her lip, a sign of her determination, Kim Shimun quickly nodded.

Biting her lower lip was a habit that showed when Yujeong was about to be stubborn.

No need to confront her bullheadedness unnecessarily.

Especially since.

‘It works out. I was thinking of getting an access device anyway.’

Considering starting an Arena broadcast, it was even more pertinent for Kim Shimun.

Putting the goggles in his inventory, Kim Shimun checked the time on his player watch and said.

“It’s gotten quite late. Yujeong, I should be going now.”

“Alright! It’s about time I went to visit mom in the hospital too.”

Yujeong nodded in satisfaction as Kim Shimun packed the access device.

That made Kim Shimun stop for a moment.

‘Come to think of it, Aunt was suffering from an Arena-related disease too.’

Since the opening of Galaxy Arena, there have been various status abnormalities, like the magical inability he had suffered from, showing up in the status windows.

Known as ‘Arena diseases’ that appear only in Awakeners.

‘I’m not sure exactly what Aunt’s diagnosis was…’

Being a player who was once chosen by the Constellation Seat,

She’d probably hang on.

‘I need to start working on a cure as soon as I grow stronger.’

Owing to the Philosopher’s Stone and his knowledge in human alchemy,

Progress and the creation of a cure wouldn’t be an issue.

‘I owe Aunt too.’

Recalling Yujeong’s mother, who always treated him kindly despite him being a bastard child, Kim Shimun turned to leave.

“Then, Yujeong. I’m off. Take care on your way back.”

“Okay. Oh! Big Oppa.”

Yujeong caught the sleeve of Kim Shimun.

“Why?”

She hesitated for a moment, then struggled to speak.

“That… you need to reply to me?”

“Reply?”

Kim Shimun tilted his head at her words.

Eventually.

“Ah. A message?”

Realization seemed to strike, and Kim Shimun softly exclaimed.

At that, Yujeong’s lips protruded slightly in a pout.

“Sheesh. You wouldn’t believe how much Shihyuk bragged when you replied to him.”

“Bragging? Why brag about something like that?”

“Exactly! It was so annoying!”

So why are you annoyed too?

Before you talk, do you even know how old you are?

Though these thoughts surged to his lips, he chose not to voice them.

“Fine. I’ll send a message when I arrive.”

“Yay! Really?! You promise?”

Yujeong smiled brightly, just like when we were young.

At that, she called out, “You.”

Swiftly.

“…?”

Instinctively, Shimun found himself stroking Yujeong’s head.

Naturally, Yujeong froze in an instant.

‘Ack! I forgot girls really hate it when someone messes with their hair.’

Yujeong now was not the Yujeong from those days.

Reminded of their childhood and having touched her hair out of habit, Shimun quickly withdrew his hand.

Of course, by then her hair was somewhat tousled.

“Um! Well, then, be careful on your way home.”

Worried about potentially awkward situations,

Shimun quickly vanished.

And as Yujeong remained frozen, a woman in an H-line skirt approached her.

“That man has no manners.”

Kang Dayoung came closer.

“Even if you know each other, to just mess up styled hair with his hand…”

While fixing Yujeong’s hair with familiar movements, Kang Dayoung blinked.

‘Why isn’t she moving? Is she mad?’

Usually indifferent about her appearance like a hired help,

But maybe because she is a woman?

Kang Dayoung’s eyes quickly scanned the surroundings.

‘It would be troublesome if there’s a scene here…’

Too many eyes were watching.

Especially since everyone here was a player, it would be difficult to silence them even using Holy Trinity’s name.

Kang Dayoung hastily soothed the motionless Yujeong.

“Ah, miss. Don’t worry too much. I’ll fix it in no time…”

And then, she stopped moving abruptly.

“Huh?”

Upon seeing Yujeong’s face, Kang Dayoung’s eyes widened.

But that was it.

“Unnie, let’s pretend that just now never happened.”

“Uh, okay? Oh! Yes.”

With a hurried wash of the face, Yujeong quickly returned to her original state.

Upon witnessing this, Kang Dayoung stiffened her back.

After Shimun had left, Yujeong, who had been gazing in the direction he went, asked with a calmed voice,

“By the way, unnie, what happened with that matter?”

“What are you referring to…”

“Unnie, it’s just the two of us here. You can speak freely.”

“What matter? What are you talking about? Oh! That?”

Kang Dayoung exclaimed as she clapped her hands.

She quickly took out her phone and started tapping on it.

Then she said, “If you’re talking about the incident 10 years ago… surprisingly, there’s not a single thing figured out yet.”

Confidently, she answered.

“Unnie, you know your tone doesn’t match the content of your report, right?”

“There are things that have been figured out.”

“Now you’re saying something that doesn’t even match your previous report.”

At Yujeong’s teasing, Kang Dayoung let out a smirk.

She glanced around and then whispered in Yujeong’s ear.

“Literally, there isn’t a ‘single thing’ figured out.”

Kang Dayoung emphasized a particular part, causing Yujeong’s eyes to gleam coldly.

“That means…”

“Yes. As if someone erased it on purpose.”

Kang Dayoung glanced around as she continued,

“Isn’t it strange? Not just you but when Korea’s elite suffered a terror attack, to have no information like this.”

It was a hot topic at the time, but just like a lie, the fervor cooled down.

Now it’s as if it never happened at all.

Quite the joke, isn’t it?

“For a small scandal, the media rushes like moths to a flame, yet they’ve been silent ever since, right?”

“Shocking, isn’t it? Just a while ago, ST Group’s son trolled on a personal broadcast, and the media went insane.”

Even though he was merely a third-generation chaebol with a golden spoon.

In comparison, the uproar caused by just one troll was certainly surreal, considering the scale of an attack on the upper class.

“It sounds like someone with a lot of power is intentionally covering it up. Isn’t it?”

“You’re smart. That’s why it’s convenient to work with smart ones. So, what will you do?”

Kang Dayoung asked in a calm tone.

“You can feel it, right? Digging deeper into this will undoubtedly lead to trouble.”

Yujeong’s lips curled slightly.

“Why, are you scared?”

“Look who’s talking! I’m asking if you’re okay, you fool. You have a lot more to lose than me.”

From the background of being Holy Trinity’s only daughter to her image.

Not to mention, it was more than just that.

As a player as well,

Yujeong, along with Kim Shihyuk, was receiving international attention.

However, she didn’t seem to care much.

“unnie, I have nothing more to lose.”

She simply replied, flatly.

Then,

“No.”

She glanced once more in the direction Shimun had disappeared.

“Something just came up. So, I need to find out even more.”

“Right, as if you’d do otherwise,” Kang Dayoung shook her head.

She dialed a number and rested her finger on the call button.

“Are we starting the operation? Once we begin, there’s no turning back.”

“Yes, start it. Bring any available data, and if an Awakened is involved…”

Yujeong nodded, her eyes shimmering,

“Even if you have to slice off necks to bring information. I recently picked up quite an interesting item.”

Her voice was cold as ice.

* * *

“Phew, I’m tired.”

Was it because it had been a while since he last went out?

Kim Shimun threw off his coat and flopped onto his bed, feeling the fatigue wash over him.

“Home really is the best.”

Though it was a small room with a cheap bed,

lying there felt incredibly relaxing.

As Kim Shimun was resting, his chest vibrated.

-Oppa. But that kid earlier, are you close?

“Earlier? Ah, you mean Yujeong?”

Blinking, Kim Shimun nodded.

“Yeah, we’re close. Though there was a gap recently, we’ve known each other since we were five.”

-Hmm… Really?

A mysterious tone in the philosopher’s stone’s voice.

“Why? What’s up?”

-Nothing. Just that,

she seems like an incredible person, hiding more than meets the eye.

The philosopher’s stone swallowed the rest of her thoughts.

‘If they’ve been close since childhood, there’s no use in me saying anything…’

I’ll just help when it’s absolutely necessary.

With that thought, the philosopher’s stone changed the subject.

-Anyway, let’s quickly prepare the potion. Making it is quick, and it’ll help recover fatigue faster.

“That sounds good. Alright! Let’s get to it.”

Kim Shimun opened his inventory.

From it, various flasks amongst other items emerged.

They were alchemy tools bought from Galaxy Agora.

Kim Shimun casually laid them on the bed and looked towards a corner of his small room.

The room was cramped, but besides a computer and a clothes rack, it was empty.

“This size should do.”

He took out a thick wooden plank from his inventory.

It felt quite heavy to hold with just one hand, but after applying [Ogre’s Tissue Alchemy], it felt as light as a child’s toy.

Kim Shimun, holding the plank, flicked his finger.

With a tap, the plank, wrapped in his power, expanded into a wide rectangle.

It continued to expand until it perfectly fit the corner of the room,

then began to form four legs below.

Kim Shimun nodded, satisfied.

“Just the right fit.”

-Indeed.

In an instant, Kim Shimun had crafted a wooden table.

Even though he lived in a humble shack in his past life.

It was exactly because of this ability.

‘One of the few advantages of alchemy.’

Creating necessary furniture or tools on the spot.

Of course, specific processes required for special items like potion crafting tools were a bit too much. Making a table was entirely possible as long as he had the main component, the solid wood.

-“Oppa, since we’re at it, can’t we change the furniture in this room too? I want to see what an alchemist’s room should really look like.”

“Well, it’s not impossible but…”

As the Philosopher’s Stone spoke, Kim Shimun looked around the room.

Soon after.

“There’s nothing particularly uncomfortable right now, and since we won’t be staying here long, I don’t see the need to exert extra effort.”

-Aww! But who knows when that will be.

“It won’t take long. But even if it did, any inconvenience would affect me, not you. What could possibly inconvenience you?”

-It’s visually uncomfortable. I’m a rather sensitive being, you know.

“I see.”

Kim Shimun answered nonchalantly as he smoothly set up the tools.

Having been an alchemist in his past life as well, he had a general idea of his preferred working environment.

“Let’s place the potion-related materials in the center, and since potions are not urgent, let’s put them aside…”

The table was set up with concoction tools in no time.

Though quite modest when compared to the average alchemist’s work setting.

Since it was necessary to start with the essentials and gradually add more.

Kim Shimun looked at the setup table with a satisfied expression.

-Hmm, well, the level of alchemy tools is acceptable.

“Didn’t I tell you? You can’t ignore the standards of the lifestyle players here.”

Kim Shimun chuckled at the Philosopher’s Stone’s begrudging tone.

The reason was none other than,

‘Oppa, wouldn’t it be better if I made them instead? Just hand over the achievement points! I’ll set everything up nicely!’

Over tools made by strangers, the Philosopher’s Stone was confident that its own creations would be superior.

Of course, Kim Shimun agreed.

After all, he had firsthand experience of the Philosopher’s Stone’s refining ability.

The only issue was,

‘It’s too precious to spend achievement points on that.’

At least 1,000 points.

Or even close to 10,000 points for properly tailored potions or the Elixir, according to the Philosopher’s Stone.

With those points, couldn’t he refine the [Obsidian Tablet] one more time?

‘Growth comes first, for now.’

As an alchemist.

And to properly leverage the production capability, which is a benefit of alchemy, investment was undeniably necessary.

However, ordinary refinement could easily be managed at the fingertips for now.

Thus, instead of creating tools, Kim Shimun chose to purchase them.

-Well, at least this won’t compromise the efficacy of the materials.

“Exactly.”

Kim Shimun took out the materials purchased from the agora and placed them on the vacant spots on the table.

-But Oppa, how are you planning to harness the power of the potion?

“Normally, I would maximize the efficacy of the ingredients but…”

-But?

Holding [Corroded Hobgoblin Serum], Kim Shimun smiled enigmatically.

“This time, I’m thinking of changing the direction.”

-How so?

“Materials related to goblins usually have something to do with paralysis, right?”

-True. The paralysis poison used by goblins is all made from their blood. But first, we need to purify the tainted magic power… Wait.

Did the Philosopher’s Stone guess something?

Its voice became tense.

-Oppa, don’t tell me! You’re trying to gain bonus effects from paralysis toxicity rather than…

“Right. I’m going to focus on the. ‘corroded’ part. After all, the increase in stats as a potion will be similar.”

-…

A moment of silence followed.

Then,

-Oppa! Are you insane?!

A strong ringing echoed in his chest.

-The world! Are you trying to harness magic power? Oppa, you’re not even a demon, and you don’t know basic black magic!

The Philosopher’s Stone was highly agitated.

But what filled its voice was not anger.

-Demonic energy is so belligerent that just harboring it could wreck your body!

…worry.

“I know.”

-You know?

Demonic energy, typically used by demons appearing from standard arenas upwards.

Without a special connection like black magic, harboring demonic energy brings penalties akin to magic disability.

Penalties, and nothing else.

Yet,

-You know this and yet you propose this? You could revert to being magic-disabled!

“Don’t worry. There’s a way.”

‘As long as there’s a technique to handle magic power’.

Demonic energy as a stat becomes incredibly powerful, almost akin to a unique stat.

Indeed, players with demon-related jobs showcase tremendous destructive power, don’t they?

And among those players,

“I know someone who uses demonic energy extraordinarily well.”

Kim Shimun knew of a monster who even beat up demons, the original owners of demonic energy.

-No matter who that person is, they’re different. It doesn’t mean you can handle it.

“You hit the nail on the head. So, you see.”

Kim Shimun opened his status window to look at the achievement points.

9,350 points, just short of ten thousand.

Considering using the achievement points saved for the [Obsidian Tablet’s upgrade,

“Philosopher’s Stone? Let’s do just one refinement.”

Kim Shimun decided to change his plans for a moment.