Chapter 79

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Aargh!”

The manager, writhing their body in pain, merely let out a scream.

Whoosh.

“Ugh!”

As the grasped arm was thrown away, he lost his balance and fell on his butt.

“You crazy bastard! Do you want to get reported!”

“Is that the only thing you know how to say.”

The repeated curses seemed almost stupid.

Turning his head, Han-bit looked at Kim Jae-ha.

“Are you okay? Your hand looks like it hurts.”

“…Ah.”

Flustered by the unexpected situation, he looked down at his own hand.

His still-clenched fist had fingernails digging into the flesh.

“I apologize, Black Dragon-nim. I showed you a disagreeable sight.”

“Black Dragon? By any chance, that guy?”

At that time, the manager who was rubbing his arm raised his eyes.

“Hey, Kim Jae-ha. You should have said something, kid. I almost misunderstood.”

Avarice dwelled in his eyes that were full of anger.

It seemed he was under the delusion that this current situation would help the company somehow.

“There seems to have been some misunderstanding between us, but let’s shake that off. I wonder if the boss is somewhere nearby.”

Taking out a smartphone, the manager moved a few steps away.

He seemed to be making a call to the boss.

“You were working under a guy like that?”

“…….”

At Han-bit’s question asking as if it were absurd, Kim Jae-ha closed his mouth.

Glancing at the manager, he turned his gaze.

“By the way, who are these people?”

“Ah, let me introduce you. This is Loafer, and this is the streamer Avant-garde-ssi.”

“Hello. I am Loafer.”

“Nice to meet you. I am the streamer who loves RP, Avant-garde.”

Following Han-bit’s introduction, the other two exchanged greetings with Kim Jae-ha as well.

At that time, the manager quickly approached.

“The boss unfortunately has his phone turned off. Shall we go upstairs and talk for now? Even with my authority, there’s fully enough…”

“Mr. Kim Jae-ha, would you like to come to our company?”

“Yes?”

Yeon-woo’s question thrown while cutting off the manager’s words.

Not only Kim Jae-ha but Han-bit was also somewhat surprised.

“Your final decision is now?”

“A person with desperation and passion is absolutely necessary for the company, you know.”

Yeon-woo nodded his head with a face full of conviction.

At that time, the manager who had frozen opened his mouth again.

“…What did you just say?”

“Mr. Kim Jae-ha, I’m saying we are scouting you.”

“Ha.”

The manager let out a sigh with a lamentation.

Then he shouted in a voice tinged with annoyance.

“Do you punks really think this is a playground! Even trash like that gets 2.5 million stuck into him a month. Do you understand?”

“If you come to our company, we can give you at least 5 million as a base salary alone. The incentive system or benefits are too numerous, so I will tell you the details later. It will be much better than working under a human like that.”

“Fuck, these bastards really…!”

The manager, whose anger exploded, rushed in with a reddened face.

A fist swung emotionally towards Yeon-woo.

Watching the timing, Han-bit grabbed his younger brother’s arm right before the fist touched.

“Uargh!”

As the point of impact vanished, the manager stumbled and lost his center of gravity.

Falling flat as is, the manager grimaced in pain.

His anger transferred to Kim Jae-ha.

“Hey, Kim Jae-ha! Why the fuck are you making a contemplating face! Do you think you can do anything if you leave here?”

“…I suppose so.”

Initially flustered, Kim Jae-ha did not stop contemplating for a brief time.

Looking down at his hand, he lightly clenched his fist once again.

Then he raised his head and looked at Yeon-woo.

“If you would accept me, I would definitely like to work for you.”

“Hey!”

At that answer, the manager raised his voice.

Kim Jae-ha, with a face hardened in resolve, shifted his steps.

Meeting the gaze of the collapsed manager, he spoke with an expressionless face.

“I will quit, as you routinely suggested.”

“What?”

“You said if I was pissed I should leave the company. I will tell the boss myself. Since I’m trash who can’t even work, he’ll likely process the resignation right away.”

“No…”

At an attitude he had never seen before, the manager was flustered and could not continue speaking.

Watching that sight, Kim Jae-ha straightened his back and stood up again.

“You don’t have to worry about the miscellaneous projects you shoved onto me, manager. They all looked like failed plans anyway.”

“What? What did you just say! Kim Jae-ha! Aren’t you going to stop there? Hey!”

The red-faced manager let out a roar towards him who was getting further away.

Moving his steps, Kim Jae-ha slightly looked back and said.

“It’s been fucking shitty, and let’s never see each other again.”

***

“To think a day like this would come.”

The four people who moved to a meat restaurant near the station settled in a corner.

Kim Jae-ha’s expression as he drank cola was refreshing, but somewhat complex.

“It looks like you want to drink alcohol. Are you okay?”

“I have to assist Black Dragon-nim when we return, don’t I. This is fully enough.”

At Han-bit’s question, Kim Jae-ha shook his head.

Watching that figure, Avant-garde spoke while opening another cola bottle.

“Quitting dopamine is indeed the best. Since you only have to focus on RP now, you will be happy! Please accept a glass!”

“Ah, thank you. I’ll give you a glass too.”

The sight of the two exchanging cola was quite hard to get used to.

Picking up some meat, Han-bit looked at Yeon-woo and said.

“So the company is really starting now?”

“Yes. Business registration and necessary procedures are all finished.”

“Really? What’s the company name?”

“DD Studio.”

“DD? What does it mean?”

“Dark Dragon, of course.”

“What?”

His brow furrowed at the story that made him wonder if he misheard.

“Did you by any chance name it after my character name?”

“Dark Dragon looks stronger than Black Dragon, doesn’t it… is a joke. It’s most effective to put you up as a signboard, Hyung. I am unconditionally going to make the company succeed.”

“…….”

Han-bit, who was about to get angry, could not say anything.

Yeon-woo’s expression, serious unlike usual.

Ultimately, he who will run the company must bear the responsibility on both his shoulders.

Since he has brought in a new employee now.

“…What should I do?”

Kim Jae-ha, who had been listening to the conversation, carefully brought up his words.

The verbal abuse he committed against the manager due to his emotions reaching a limit.

He doesn’t regret it, but now he must face reality.

Because even if Black Dragon and Loafer said they would accept him, he had no way to prove his worth.

“I will tell you about that.”

Yeon-woo took out his smartphone and looked for something.

Then, showing the screen to Kim Jae-ha, he continued his words.

“This is the actual contract content.”

“Are you saying it’s a contract?”

“I’ve kept thinking about it after hearing the story from Hyung. Please take a look.”

“…Understood.”

Surprised, Kim Jae-ha turned his gaze to the smartphone’s screen.

Neatly organized items were listed there.

A clearly stated full-time employment status.

Below it, the contents necessary for the labor contract were visible.

“….?”

Reading through, his gaze stopped at the wage section.

Kim Jae-ha asked Yeon-woo with a flustered expression.

“Is the salary… were you speaking sincerely?”

“The 5 million base salary is fixed. Due to the nature of RP-related work, there will be more incentive opportunities, though.”

The base salary alone was twice that of the company he had attended until now.

Incentives are a matter for later, but the minimum guarantee is 50 percent of the base salary.

Even crazier was the structure where he would be given a portion of the income if he produced results himself.

“What exactly do you gain by doing this?”

“Don’t worry. I will extract that much worth from Mr. Kim Jae-ha. You see the job description, right?”

“I do see it, but….”

The job description items written in the middle were exactly three.

1. Broadcasting appearance and assistance while playing RP with Black Dragon.

2. Market research and diverse information gathering of items circulated within RP.

3. Exclusive blacksmith for DD Studio.

He had the confidence to somehow manage item 1 and 2.

Regardless of the broadcast itself, he just had to assist playing according to Black Dragon’s directions.

Market research and information gathering were tasks he was used to from doing them alone at Taeyul Company.

The problem was the last item, blacksmith.

Although he was walking that path, compared to artisans of other companies, he was absurdly lacking.

It’s not something that can be achieved with will and effort alone.

“I apologize, but it seems it will be difficult to meet expectations.”

Kim Jae-ha handed back the smartphone with an apology.

Even though he was tempted by the awfully good conditions, he didn’t want to deceive the two.

Reading that expression, Han-bit firmly spoke.

“You’ll be able to meet expectations. Because in the future, you will become the greatest blacksmith among players.”

“…Yes?”

It wasn’t a word of encouragement or the like.

A conviction leaving no room for doubt.

That could be felt in his voice and expression.

“Mr. Kim Jae-ha is the most important element for the Dwarven Metallurgy. Because an opportunity is given to the first person who achieves the achievement.”

“Me? I couldn’t find it before either, though….”

“That’s because the conditions were lacking. It’s related to the second episode, too.”

“Yes? Are you saying it’s related to the main story?”

Kim Jae-ha opened his eyes wide at the story he heard for the first time.

“To be precise, an NPC is entangled in between. We will use this to advance the timing.”

“To think there was such an NPC…! Could it be a person I haven’t seen?”

Avant-garde jumped up from his seat.

The existence of an NPC he had seen for the first time.

Even if he hadn’t progressed the main quest, there was no place he hadn’t visited in Ifrit.

“You probably haven’t seen him. But I suppose I cannot tell you detailed information.”

“Yes? Why the sudden change! I haven’t done anything….”

“It’s not that, it’s because this will be a skill that becomes the company’s asset. I’m saying there is some burden in revealing it.”

Dwarf Goric.

Camon’s close friend, and a figure who helped him produce magic tools.

To meet him, a specific condition had to be fulfilled.

It isn’t that he doesn’t trust Avant-garde, nor is it greatly dangerous.

He just didn’t want to create even a small variable.

To that extent, the Dwarven Metallurgy was important to Han-bit.

“I will absolutely not tell anyone! No, I won’t meet anyone until the Ifrit episode is over!”

Avant-garde was desperate.

In a situation where he had finally gained a chance to be with Han-bit, he didn’t want to miss a single thing.

“I’ll share it later anyway, so it’s just moving separately for a day or two. The episode itself will be completed together.”

“But….”

Avant-garde searched for a breakthrough with an almost crying face.

A look that transparently revealed how sincere he was.

“Ah!”

At that moment, Avant-garde’s expression changed as if something had occurred to him.

Turning his head to Yeon-woo, he voiced a solution.

“Needn’t I simply join DD Studio?”