Chapter 58 : Weapons
Chapter 58: Weapons
“This much is enough, hmm—”
Kim Hana, who had been muttering to herself, soon nodded as if she had made up her mind.
“Come with me for now. There’s a place we need to go.”
“Understood.”
After returning the used wooden swords to their original place, Baek Woohyun followed behind Kim Hana.
They left the training ground, crossed through the interior of the Otherworld Management Bureau, and finally arrived at an office with a sign that read ‘Support · Auxiliary’.
Inside, awakeners and non-awakeners were mixed in roughly a 2:8 ratio, but regardless of which group, none of them looked remotely related to combat.
Well, that was exactly why they were in Support · Auxiliary.
“Here is…”
“The Support · Auxiliary team office. It’s where the people who handle all sorts of miscellaneous tasks for us agents are stationed.”
“Miscellaneous tasks?”
“Yes. They dispose of loot obtained from clearing Reverse Worlds for us, or act as proxies to purchase items we need as agents.”
“Ho—”
Baek Woohyun let out an admiring exclamation.
Disposing of loot was indeed an extremely tedious task for agents who were already busy clearing Reverse Worlds, so the existence of the Support · Auxiliary team seemed very useful.
Over ‘there’, comrades who didn’t participate in combat handled loot disposal and purchases through the trading lines of the general store, but that wasn’t possible here, making the team even more valuable.
“Even though Otherworld Management Bureau agents are civil servants with low pay, the welfare benefits like this are solid.”
“I see.”
Yet on Kim Hana’s face as she mentioned one of the few advantages of being a Bureau agent, a faint bitter smile lingered.
The reason was simple. Compared to the benefits corporations offered to lure awakeners, even this was nothing more than a drop in the bucket.
The viewers in the studio were already mocking it with comments like ‘This is… welfare?’, ‘And you still don’t go to a corporation? So stubborn!’, ‘Escaping the Bureau is pure intelligence’—what more was needed to be said?
“The reason we came here is to get you a proper weapon.”
Kim Hana continued after brushing off the unpleasant feeling.
“I know you already have weapons you’ve been using. But there’s no need to keep using weapons with no abilities attached.”
Unlike ‘over there’, in the game Reverse Planet, it was standard for equipment to come with special effects.
Just look at the gear Baek Woohyun had taken from the Hunting Dogs.
Weapons like 「Sharp Dagger of Return」 that increased cutting power and returned when thrown existed—there was no reason to keep using weapons with zero effects.
If he had attachment to his current weapons, that would be one thing, but they were merely things he had grabbed while escaping the research facility.
As the two entered the Support · Auxiliary office, a man who had been sitting on one side shot to his feet.
He appeared to be in his mid-forties. Abandoning whatever he was doing, he quickly walked toward them.
It couldn’t have been because of Baek Woohyun, whom he was seeing for the first time, which only proved how strong Kim Hana’s position was within the Bureau.
‘Well, that’s how she eventually rises to vice-captain of Team 2.’
“What brings you here, Hana-ssi?”
“I need equipment for a new agent.”
Kim Hana answered the man’s question lightly, then glanced at Baek Woohyun.
“Woohyun-ssi. This is Team Leader Kim Hyeonu of the Support · Auxiliary team. You’ll see him often once you start working as an agent, so it’s good to get familiar.”
“Nice to meet you. Probationary agent Baek Woohyun.”
“Ah, hello! I’m Team Leader Kim Hyeonu of Support · Auxiliary! If you ever need anything, feel free to ask anytime!”
After the brief introductions and greetings, Kim Hana got straight to the point.
“Please open the armory.”
“The… armory?”
Team Leader Kim Hyeonu asked back with a puzzled expression.
It wasn’t reluctance or difficulty—it was pure curiosity.
Something like ‘Why the armory of all places?’
“Yes, the armory.”
“U-Understood. Please wait a moment. I’ll go get the key.”
Watching Team Leader Kim Hyeonu leave, Baek Woohyun asked Kim Hana.
“Why did he react like that when you mentioned the armory?”
“Because very few agents who already have supernatural abilities want to carry weapons. Naturally, the armory rarely gets visited, so it seems unusual.”
Kim Hana shrugged as she answered.
“Most agents at best keep a self-defense weapon. Firearms are the mainstream for that. Not weapons with special effects.”
“So there are no firearms in the armory, I take it.”
“They’re not Otherworld-related items, so there’s no need to store them separately in the armory, right?”
“Ah, that does make sense.”
“Agents keep firearms personally, or if they really have nowhere to store them, they put them in the gun lockers in the building used by the Bureau’s special forces.”
Although it was said that Otherworld Management Bureau agents were naturally allowed to possess firearms in a country where civilian gun ownership is illegal, it wasn’t particularly special.
After all, agents already carried supernatural abilities—weapons far stronger than any gun—so there was no need to restrict firearms.
Moreover, soldiers and police were allowed guns anyway; banning them for Bureau agents who risked their lives fighting would be the stranger choice.
“Still, management is strict. Handing firearms to non-agents results in severe punishment, so be careful.”
“Has that happened before?”
“Very rarely. The person who lent the gun didn’t actually use it themselves, so the agent didn’t serve prison time.”
While Baek Woohyun and Kim Hana were chatting, Team Leader Kim Hyeonu returned with the armory key.
He immediately said, “Follow me,” and led the way out of the Support · Auxiliary office. The three of them took the elevator straight down to Basement Level 1, where the armory was located.
Unlike the ground floors that had plenty of people, the basement was completely silent—no signs of human presence. It seemed access was strictly controlled because of the armory.
Well, it made sense; a place filled with what could be called deadly weapons couldn’t have people coming and going freely.
If someone got careless and let people in just because it was locked, an accident could spell disaster.
clack.
“I’ll prepare the related paperwork outside. Take your time choosing and come out when you’re ready.”
After unlocking the heavily secured armory door, Team Leader Kim Hyeonu stepped back.
Though his words were polite, a slight discomfort about the armory itself was still detectable—understandable, since the items inside were what they were.
An ordinary person working in Support · Auxiliary wouldn’t want to casually approach weapons when they weren’t a combat agent.
“Go in, Woohyun-ssi.”
“Yes.”
The moment he stepped inside, the armory was literally packed with all kinds of weapons.
This wasn’t exaggeration—every inch was truly filled with weapons.
Despite the armory occupying most of the basement level and being quite large, there wasn’t a single empty display rack.
However, not all of the weapons were in usable condition.
There were weapons far too large for human use, as well as broken or damaged ones mixed in.
Since these were items the Bureau had obtained while clearing Reverse Worlds, that was inevitable.
‘Maintenance isn’t exactly thorough.’
In truth, given the sheer number, it didn’t feel strange.
Trying to periodically maintain every weapon here would require an unimaginable amount of manpower.
Even just wiping and oiling them would take ages for a few people. That would require at least dozens, maybe hundreds—and these weren’t items worth caring for that meticulously.
“Hmm…”
Baek Woohyun walked through the armory, examining the weapons carefully.
Kim Hana, standing behind him, did not rush him and strolled at the same relaxed pace.
Most weapons on display were mediocre—naturally, anything truly good had already been taken—but some still caught the eye.
[「Bloodsucking Spear ‘Dragos’」]
[First effect: Increases the cutting power of the spearhead]
[Second effect: Absorbs blood on the spearhead to recover stamina]
[Third effect: Gains dominion over blood]
**[These effects only apply in PVE content]
For example, the 「Bloodsucking Spear ‘Dragos’」 that Baek Woohyun picked up.
Increased cutting power (without any “slightly” modifier, meaning extremely sharp), stamina recovery from blood, and even dominion over blood.
The effects were solid enough to justify the unique name ‘Dragos’. The spear itself felt good in the hand—nothing to complain about.
‘This is good. Should I go with this?’
Yet even after practically deciding, Baek Woohyun kept looking around the armory.
There was still a chance something better existed deeper inside. He had only reached the middle despite looking for quite a while.
Thanks to that thoroughness, he discovered it—leaning carelessly in a corner, away from the display racks.
“……!”
Baek Woohyun’s eyes widened the moment he saw the greatsword that looked like it had been neglected for a long time.
A two-handed sword nearly 2 meters long—taller than the average person—with a wide blade. Despite its size being its only immediately standout feature, his reaction was intense.
Because it was the exact weapon he had used ‘over there’. The undisputed favorite that had never once dropped from his number-one spot after he obtained it—his absolute cherished sword.
‘Why is this here…?’
Over ‘there’, Baek Woohyun had purchased this weapon on the black market through the general store.
That was why he had planned to buy it later when it appeared on the black market in Reverse Planet as well.
Yet here it was, in an armory he had visited on a whim.
Truly an unimaginable situation.
‘So the reason it appeared on the black market was—’
The Otherworld Management Bureau was a massive organization with authority to match. Being a government body linked to the international Otherworld Response Alliance made it only natural.
An organization that large couldn’t possibly be free of corruption. When so many people gathered, it was easy for one or two to harbor bad intentions.
One of them must have embezzled weapons from the armory and sold them; Baek Woohyun from ‘over there’ had simply bought the greatsword that had leaked out that way.
‘Let’s see.’
Heart racing, Baek Woohyun checked the greatsword’s information.
Over ‘there’, equipment had no visible stats, so he had only guessed at its abilities while using it—this was his first time seeing the real effects.
And the revealed information was indeed extraordinary, as expected of the weapon he had no choice but to cherish.
[「Soul-Extinguishing Sword ‘Soul Eater’」]
[First effect: Can never be destroyed]
[Second effect: Cutting power increases based on the number of souls devoured (Souls currently devoured: 0)]
[Third effect: Recovers stamina equal to a portion of the damage dealt with ‘Soul Eater’]
[(Sealed)]
[(Sealed)]
**[These effects only apply in PVE content]
Even though the fourth and fifth effects were sealed, a weapon with a full five effects.
The 「Bloodsucking Spear ‘Dragos’」 he had thought was pretty good only had three effects—two whole effects more than that.
And those three revealed effects alone were incredible: indestructible, growth-type cutting power, and stamina recovery on hit.
In terms of raw options, it was practically an upgraded version of 「Bloodsucking Spear ‘Dragos’」.
“Are you going with that one?”
Kim Hana, who had quietly approached while Baek Woohyun stared at 「Soul-Extinguishing Sword ‘Soul Eater’」 for a long time, asked.
“Yes. I’ll take this.”
“A two-handed sword, interesting. Alright. Shall we head out then?”