Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 87: Ignis Guild Field Trip (4)
"This is the Mana Stone Weapon Workshop."
At Secretary Kim's guidance, the children burst out in admiration of 'Wow!' once again.
As they exited the glass tunnel corridor, a wide space filled with weapons and equipment production facilities unfolded.
Automated arms moved like lightning to join metal parts, and beyond the welding lines where sparks flew, a piece of armor floated in the air, undergoing a continuous impact test as if being hammered.
"It's like a movie set."
"Wow, that armor is moving by itself!"
The wide-eyed students approached the devices closely.
The twins had already gone to the weapon testing area and were picking up a freshly made axe and gauntlets.
"Whoa, the axe is quite heavy? Is it made from minerals inside a dungeon?"
"The gauntlet fits perfectly. So this is why martial artists wear gauntlets a lot."
The children who were watching from afar moved to the twins' side one by one.
The latest weapons and armor being created in real-time.
The place where they could actually experience the latest self-producing artifacts was enough to excite the children's hearts.
"Wow, holding a weapon makes me feel like a real Hunter?"
"I don't feel any weight from this armor. It's like a feather."
As the children who secured the front row, including the twins, giggled, the sound of the children in the back urging that they wanted to try it too filled the place.
"Don't make a fuss. Everyone can just take turns."
Even at the voice of the class president, Kang Tae-wook, the noise of the students gathered at the weapon testing area did not decrease.
"Ha… They aren't kids."
"They are kids, you know?"
Before he knew it, Yoo jin had approached Kang Tae-wook's side.
"Don't you see their eyes sparkling? You should go over there and play like that too."
"What play. And what's the use of touching them like that when they aren't even artifacts that fit them……."
At that moment, Yoo jin pushed Kang Tae-wook's back strongly.
He barely avoided falling, but Kang Tae-wook stumbled quite a bit forward from where he was just a moment ago.
That is, right up to the front of the weapon testing area.
Kang Tae-wook looked at Yoo jin with eyes that clearly showed his annoyance.
Not caring about Kang Tae-wook's gaze, Yoo jin laughed loudly.
"What does it matter if it fits or not. You can just try wearing them all once, and look around."
"No, why bother with things we can't even use directly when fighting…."
"You have to try even the useless things. You guys."
"……."
Kang Tae-wook's eyes wavered.
"You're a kid. Touch everything, look around, and try wearing them. You have to try everything to know what fits you and what doesn't. Are you some kind of Dr. Know-all? You think you can know everything just by looking with your eyes?"
"Ugh, boomer…… When was the term Dr. Know-all used……."
"Shut it. You go and look too. Weapons, armor, artifacts. Even if you think they don't fit your current standards, there will definitely be times when they are needed depending on the situation and usage."
"……."
"So, active duty hunters also pay expensive money to fit items like that. And bluntly speaking, if you can do it even with things like that…… you should reduce the probability of dying even a little bit."
He was speaking lightly, but what was contained in Yoo jin's words was education that was by no means light.
As if he felt that, Kang Tae-wook did not open his mouth easily.
Well, his eyebrows were still drawing sharp diagonal lines.
"You'll get wrinkles, so smooth out that expression and go touch some weapons, you rascal."
After saying that, Yoo jin turned slowly.
Toward the group of students on the side.
How many steps did he walk like that?
"But, Teach."
Kang Tae-wook's voice flowed from behind.
"If you have overwhelming power, you don't need things like artifacts, right?"
"What?"
"I want to reach that place. That's why I'm receiving training from you, Teacher."
"Last time you said you wanted to become strong because there was something you wanted to protect."
"It's the same thing. My own complete power. I want to possess overwhelming skill. Only then can I protect…… in any situation."
Kang Tae-wook's face, showing firm determination, entered his vision.
He could tell with what intention the words were spoken.
That there was no bad intention.
It wasn't about discussing clumsy strength while drunk on arrogance like before either.
It was just a pure question, and a conclusion this child had reached after serious thought.
Yoo jin had no intention of denying it either.
Rather.
He wanted to say, 'Yes, that's correct.'
That it is indeed the essence.
Even without things like artifacts, possessing the power and defense to surpass them all.
High awakening rank.
Possessing absolute martial power is focusing more on the essence…….
However.
"Hey, kiddo. The desire to improve is good. But, there is no such thing as overwhelming martial power in the world. Because there is always someone stronger than you somewhere."
And the most important thing.
"Strength isn't what's important. If you die, it's all over. Keep that in mind."
Even if there was no arrogance in the will and words.
From another perspective, it could be dangerous or look like hubris.
Because intention and result do not always match.
"……."
Kang Tae-wook calmed his expression and bowed his head.
It was a short moment.
But many emotions entered.
Shame.
Frustration.
Something like enlightenment.
Emotions he wouldn't have felt at all in the past.
And emotions that wouldn't have resonated no matter who said them.
But because it was that person.
Because it was Teacher Yoo jin.
Now he could hear them properly.
So.
He wanted to ask just this one thing.
"Then… do you also need things like artifacts, Teacher? No matter how strong a Returnee is……."
He wasn't trying to pick a fight.
He wasn't tackling him.
He was just genuinely curious.
Yoo jin, who scratched his chin a few times, made a sound of air escaping through his mouth.
"It's fine. I don't need them."
"No, your words are differen……."
The shouting lips stopped.
And.
Chill!
A cold shiver swallowed Kang Tae-wook's body.
"Because there's no way there's a guy who can kill me."
At Yoo jin's last words, Kang Tae-wook could not make a voice anymore.
***
After the weapon workshop using mana stones, they passed through several places quickly.
At the place for sparring simulation with combat AI, Seong-hyeon threw a tantrum like a young child saying he wanted to fight.
In the facility and artifact section that enhances detection skills, Ye-na tried it out as a representative to see if it could capture her stealth.
And the place they visited next was.
[Teleportation Gate Room]
A giant ring-shaped structure was rotating in front of their eyes, emitting a soft light.
Inside it, the scenery of another place was faintly visible.
"Whoa…… This is open constantly?"
"It looks like a small Gate?"
"Wasn't this something that only appears in games, a portal?"
The Class A students spat out exclamations continuously, staring at the portal as if entranced.
This time, Lee Si-wang, not Secretary Kim, explained calmly.
"It's a test link. It can only connect between officially registered structures, and there is still a limit on distance."
At Lee Si-wang's explanation, the children's eyes became brighter than ever.
It was inevitable.
What was in front of their eyes?
The future device humanity had longed for so much.
In a certain manhwa, that man whose tail gets cut off and grows back moves to another region in an instant.
The secret weapon of civilization that would grant the wish everyone has had the moment they open their eyes in bed.
'Ah, I wish someone would move me to school just like this.'
Teleportation.
A dream device that would accomplish things like in manhwa where you could go to foreign countries, other worlds, or anywhere you wanted just by crossing a door in front of your eyes!
With the thing that only appeared in manhwa or games right in front of their eyes, how could the children's hearts not race?
Furthermore.
It is now the Great Awakening Era.
There were Hunters who awakened high-ranking magic systems.
Or blessed individuals who received teleportation as a Unique Skill.
A very small number.
No, a minority of a minority.
Very few, enough to count on one's fingers.
Although not as good as them.
Even these chicks could tell that if this portal were commercialized, it would be a tremendous help to humanity.
Well, they hadn't reached the point of connecting any desired place to another or using it without distance restrictions yet.
Commercialization is probably a story for the far future.
Since humans haven't even uncovered a perfect understanding of dungeons yet.
Still.
A portal in reality, immediate deployment to Dungeon Breaks, initial response to disaster sites.
If commercialized, it was a dream-like device that could save countless lives.
"How is it, amazing right?"
Lee Si-wang pushed up his sunglasses once and smiled.
Full of confidence.
"Wow! It's totally cool!"
"It's fascinating! If we have this, we can go back and forth anywhere in 1 second now!"
"If we have this, we can mobilize quickly even where a Dungeon Break explodes."
"If we give this to a wizard-type Hunter who uses teleportation, can't they appear like the Aven*ers?!"
The students pushed Lee Si-wang aside and moved in a throng to the front of the portal.
Lee Si-wang, who became completely sidelined by the children, adjusted his sunglasses and fixed his posture.
"Hey, didn't you guys report your business sector incorrectly? This wasn't a Hunter guild but a group of scientists?"
Yoo jin had approached before anyone noticed.
"Would the 3 Great Guilds be the 3 Great Guilds for nothing?"
Lee Si-wang snorted and retorted.
Then.
"If someone looked, they'd think the Vice Guild Master made it all. It was made in collaboration with another guild specialized in science and technology."
Secretary Kim's cold voice flowed.
"……."
Lee Si-wang moved his gaze to the empty air where there was nothing, and awkwardly lifted the corners of his mouth.
"……."
"……."
Yoo jin staring intently at such Lee Si-wang.
At that hot gaze, Lee Si-wang withdrew his gaze from the empty air and looked at Yoo jin.
"I told you sunglasses don't suit you. What sunglasses indoors."
Lee Si-wang dropped his head.
"There's no one on my side……."
Ignis Guild Master Cho Sang-geun, standing far away, smiled seeing their appearance.
A brief moment passed.
"Then next is……."
Right away.
The awaited and awaited.
"It is lunch time."
As soon as Secretary Kim's voice ended, the students ran fiercely as if doing a 100-meter relay.
Ignis's cafeteria.
That is.
"Wow! It's a buffet!"
"There's beef!!!"
"Hey! There's lobster here too!!!"
Republic of Korea's 3 Great Guilds.
Power and the best reputation.
And
"Is this the power of money……."
"It's overwhelming……."
"My dream is the Ignis Guild starting from today."
The twins and Seong-hyeon were kneeling and praying in front of the LA Galbi(Beef) piled up in a mound.
Yoo jin, watching that appearance, smiled and opened his mouth toward Cho Sang-geun, the Guild Master of Ignis Guild.
"Did you do a buffet just because of us?"
"Originally, the cafeteria is operated by self-service distribution. Well…… I did add a few more types of meat for the growing sprouts."
Cho Sang-geun and Yoo jin, standing side by side, captured the children laughing while filling their plates with food in their eyes.
"Thanks."
At Yoo jin's voice, Cho Sang-geun's pupils trembled violently.
To think such words would come out of the mouth of a monster.
No, a Demon King.
The corners of his mouth went up further without him realizing it.
However.
"No. I am more thankful."
Because the side that should be thankful was this side.
***
Like that, a happy lunch time passed for the Ignis Guild officials and all of Year 2 Class A.
Just before going to the last experience location.
The children were standing in a place that wasn't on the schedule.
"Whoa!!!!"
"This is the Ignis Guild Master's Office!!!!"
"Whoa, it's like a penthouse!"
"Is that gold?"
"Guild Master, you were rich?"
"Is that something to ask, idiot…."
Excited students.
Unlike them.
"……."
Cho Sang-geun making an expression as if his soul had left.
"Wow, this looks somewhat expensive?"
"Really? It's weird to me. What kind of painting is it, anyway?"
A painting worth over 1 billion won at current value.
"Looks like poop?"
"Is it poop?"
That painting became poop.
"What is this pottery?"
"It looks like a chamber pot."
An art piece made by a French master, worth over 2 billion won, became a chamber pot.
Cho Sang-geun showing the whites of his eyes with his soul gone.
Lee Si-wang, who was beside him, politely placed a hand on Cho Sang-geun's shoulder.
"I always…… felt this feeling."
In other words.
There was no right to refuse.