[Player Choi Shin-hyeok’s Tier is Silver 1.]
“......Does this make any sense?”
Silver 1.
Considering that Gold Tier and above were generally considered true Players, Shin-hyeok had practically stepped onto the same starting line as them from the very beginning.
But there was another, even more important point.
[You are the first person in this dimension to be placed in Silver 1.]
Shin-hyeok’s placement result was the first of its kind in the dimension known as Earth.
And the Dimension Arena never skimped on rewards for firsts.
[First Reward: Consecrated Steel acquired.]
“Consecrated Steel...... It is not Legendary, but it gave me a Unique-grade material item as a reward. The rewards that come with being first are certainly sweet.”
Consecrated Steel.
It was a Unique-grade material item, placing third in the hierarchy of Normal, Rare, Unique, Legendary, and Mythic grades.
Any weapon made from it could be crafted at Unique grade or higher, so a satisfied smile formed on Shin-hyeok’s lips.
But only briefly.
Alongside the message announcing the end of the Placement Exam, a message appeared stating that his stats had increased.
[You recorded the most outstanding result in the Placement Exam.]
[Strength +10, Stamina +9, Intelligence +9, Mana +13 acquired.]
“......That is incredible. Even if it is the early stage, that is a massive number of stats. I suppose the Achievements I earned were not insignificant after all.”
A total stat increase of forty-one.
Even considering that stats rose well in the early stages, Shin-hyeok was delighted by the considerable increase.
[The game has ended.]
[Returning to your original location.]
WHOOSH!
A sensation similar to when he had first entered the waiting room swept over Shin-hyeok, and he returned to his room.
***
BANG!
The instant Shin-hyeok returned to his room, the door flew open and In-gyun pulled him into a tight embrace with a bright expression.
“Shin-hyeok! You really did it!”
“Well, it wasn’t difficult.”
“Do you know how nervous I was when that Lee Ju-ho put a bounty on you at the beginning?”
“Ah, I put one on him at the end too. Is that all right?”
“Hmm, one billion won is a large sum, but I cannot spare it after seeing my son’s successful Placement Exam. I will make the payment immediately.”
“Thank you.”
Shin-hyeok lowered his head in gratitude toward In-gyun, who readily said he would pay the enormous sum of one billion won.
But—
“No, I should be the grateful one. First place in the Placement Exam! Even if it cost ten billion won, it would not be a waste!”
Instead, In-gyun thanked Shin-hyeok.
After marrying a wife from an ordinary family, most support had been cut off from In-gyun, and he had been demoted from Platinum Tier to Gold Tier.
To In-gyun, his son taking first place in the Placement Exam was an overwhelming wave of emotion.
“Honey. Are you only planning to hug him?”
“Hyung! I watched everything on TV! It was incredible from beginning to end!”
“Ahem, it is currently time for father and son—”
“If you want breakfast tomorrow to be nothing but rice and kimchi, then keep doing that.”
“......Shin-hyeok, come give your mother a hug too.”
“Heh, yes. I will.”
At So-yeon’s words, spoken while holding a ladle, In-gyun was thoroughly defeated and let Shin-hyeok go.
After leaving In-gyun’s embrace, Shin-hyeok was soon surrounded by So-yeon and Shin-woo.
‘This is nice.’
It was stifling and warm, but even that felt like the warmth of happiness to Shin-hyeok.
Then his thoughts were interrupted.
BZZZ!
“Someone seems to be contacting you. Go ahead and answer.”
“Ah, yes.”
The vibration of the phone in his pocket was the cause.
Shin-hyeok frowned because the sudden contact had interrupted his happiness.
But the moment he saw who the message was from, he could not help smiling.
[Come to the Pyeongchang-dong estate tomorrow. Grandfather.]
The sender was his grandfather, Choi Cheol-ho.
“It seems I will have to go to Pyeongchang-dong again tomorrow.”
“Could it be a message from Father?”
“Yes. Grandfather probably wants to see his grandson. I cannot refuse, can I?”
“......Haha, I never imagined we would be going to Pyeongchang-dong even when there was no family gathering.”
Leaving In-gyun behind in his hollow disbelief, Shin-hyeok checked the message from Su-a, who had contacted him after Choi Cheol-ho, and turned off his phone.
BZZZ! BZZZ! BZZZ! BZZZZ!
‘They are all strangers. There is no reason to answer them.’
When Shin-hyeok had been called the Useless Jack-of-All-Trades, Su-a had been his only friend.
The people contacting him now were all hyenas.
Knowing that, Shin-hyeok turned off his phone without regret, pushed his parents and younger brother out of his room, and threw himself onto the bed.
“Come to think of it, I still have this.”
But before falling asleep,
he took out the Random Box stored in the Inventory he had gained after becoming a Player.
It looked just like a gift box.
Shin-hyeok placed it in his hand and casually opened it.
“I am not asking for much. Let’s pull a Legendary.”
With the exemplary modesty of hoping only for a Legendary from a Random Box that could yield up to Legendary grade, Shin-hyeok opened its lid wide.
FWOOOSH!
“......Oh.”
At the brilliant light that burst out the instant he opened the lid, Shin-hyeok’s expectations swelled.
Before long, the light faded.
Inside, a single piece of armor remained.
“......What is this? Is it some kind of hidden-camera prank?”
It had an ordinary appearance.
The only distinctive feature was the mouth-like shape on the breastplate.
At the reward’s shabby appearance, so unlike the dazzling light, Shin-hyeok was left dumbfounded.
But only briefly.
“I should identify it first. I can decide whether to melt it into scrap metal afterward.”
With a faint hope in mind, Shin-hyeok began by identifying it.
[Armor of Absorption]
-Normal Grade
An armor that was once imbued with the power of a Greater Demon, but all of that power has now drained away.
-All Stats +5
-This item can grow.
“A Growth Item that starts with All Stats +5 despite being Normal Grade? How powerful was it before it lost its strength?”
Growth Items were said to be extremely difficult to obtain.
And despite being Normal Grade, this piece of armor possessed the absurd option of All Stats +5.
It was a rare treasure that even Shin-hyeok in his previous life had never touched.
“There is no doubt about it. This is an item I will use for the rest of my life. Equip.”
SHWIK!
Shin-hyeok immediately equipped the armor without further thought.
The armor lengthened where it needed to lengthen and shortened where it needed to shorten, fitting Shin-hyeok’s body perfectly.
But the most important thing was his changed stats.
“Every stat, from Strength to Mana, has risen by 5. I can really feel the difference. At this level, I will have no rival in Silver.”
All Stats +5.
Thanks to that effect, Shin-hyeok’s current stats had all risen above 30.
Of course, that only meant he had reached the starting line where others already stood.
But Shin-hyeok did not care much.
“The stat cap in the Silver League is 50. And since no one else will raise every stat evenly like I do, the average should be around 40. A difference of that level can be closed with my Traits and Skills.”
The Trait Versatility.
And the countless Skills derived from it.
“On top of that, I have the new Trait Devouring, so my growth potential will be different as well. From now on, I only need to charge upward like mad.”
Lastly, there was Devouring, the new Trait he had acquired.
It meant Shin-hyeok had completed his preparations to soar.
“Phew, I should sleep now. A schedule even more grueling than the Placement Exam is waiting for me tomorrow.”
Having thought that far, Shin-hyeok immediately drifted into sleep.
The schedule more grueling than the Placement Exam.
It was his meeting with his grandfather, Choi Cheol-ho.
***
The grand estate in Pyeongchang-dong.
A limousine smoothly pulled to a stop there.
“......It has been a very long time since I rode in one of these.”
“You will keep riding them from now on, so do not act as though it is something new.”
“Really...... Thank you so much.”
Shin-hyeok grinned as In-gyun got out of the limousine and ran a hand along its side.
As In-gyun recalled once again what his son had achieved, his eyes began to redden.
“Grandfather will be waiting. Let’s go in quickly.”
“Ah, right. We should. We should not let Father feel uncomfortable about you, Shin-hyeok.”
At Shin-hyeok’s quick-witted words, In-gyun’s tears immediately vanished.
Knowing better than anyone what kind of person Choi Cheol-ho was, In-gyun entered the grand estate in a state of extreme tension.
When Shin-hyeok followed him inside, he saw a scene similar to the one from several days earlier.
“Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, Aunt. Have you all been well?”
“......Yes.”
“Haha, you really are my nephew. To crush Oseong’s Lee Ju-ho like that! You are truly the rising star of our Shinhwa Guild!”
“Hmph, you clearly did not inherit your parents’ blood. Were you picked up from under a bridge somewhere?”
Eldest Uncle Choi In-seok.
Second Uncle Choi In-ho.
Aunt Choi Seon-hwa.
The three were the first to greet Shin-hyeok’s family.
Choi In-seok, as curt as ever, gave a simple reply.
Choi In-ho cheerfully grinned and lavished Shin-hyeok with praise.
But Choi Seon-hwa spoke with barbed words.
At her grumbling as though Shin-hyeok had been picked up from beneath a bridge, killing intent flashed through Shin-hyeok’s eyes.
But—
“What are you all doing over there? I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”
“Yes, Father.”
Choi Cheol-ho emerged from the study at that moment and descended the stairs, causing Shin-hyeok’s killing intent to vanish in an instant.
As their representative, Choi In-seok slightly bowed his head and headed toward the dining table.
The table was long and large enough to seat more than ten people.
Shin-hyeok intended to sit beside his father, who was seated near one end.
The hierarchy at this table represented one’s standing in reality.
But—
“Shin-hyeok, eat beside me. I should have a meal with my grandson’s achievements as my side dish.”
“......!!!”
At Choi Cheol-ho’s casual words as he picked up his spoon, that hierarchy was shattered.
Shin-hyeok, who should have occupied the lowest position, had instantly risen several ranks.
Most of all, the expression on Choi In-seok’s face, now that he would lose his seat, was quite a sight.
His jowls trembled.
But In-seok, too afraid of Choi Cheol-ho to say anything, remained silent.
Shin-hyeok snickered inwardly at the sight and stepped forward, dropping into the seat beside Choi Cheol-ho.
Shin-hyeok acted as though it had always been his seat.
Even Choi Cheol-ho’s eyes widened for a moment.
“Let’s eat.”
Then Choi Cheol-ho spoke in a leisurely voice and lifted a spoonful of rice to his mouth.
“Shin-hyeok, tell us what happened during the Placement Exam.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
And Shin-hyeok became a phonograph, reciting everything that had happened to him.
But that alone was enough.
Enough for the stagnant, rigid Shinhwa family to realize that a storm had struck.