148. Rune Setup (2)
Another two days passed.
In the end, only after using all 13 Top-grade Rune Selection Tickets was he able to complete every setup.
"Hwaaaah."
With his fist clenched tight, Baek Jinwoo let out a breath of deep emotion.
It reminded him of the old days.
'Back then, I was free-to-play.'
Just to complete a single endgame rune, he had hunted like a madman...
Carefully conserving every single material, struggling desperately to grow somehow...
But now?
Everything could be solved with money.
'Spending money really is nice.'
He had simply searched the entire world like hunting down rats, then beaten the problem to death with cash.
'Money really is the best. Seriously.'
[Wind Fairy - Light-Speed Rune]
[Training Instructor - Trinity]
[Explosive Dragon Sorcerer - Flame Emperor]
[Little Giant - Will]
[Dampir - Exploitation]
[Gale Slayer - Annihilation]
[Rune Dwarf - Master Craftsman]
[Aso - Trinity]
Like this.
Not only had he completed every endgame setup, he had even used Omnipotent Polish to fully polish all their stats.
It had taken 156 Omnipotent Polishes alone, but that did not matter.
He had accumulated 259 of them up to now.
Even after using them all, he still had 103 left.
Naturally, he had also raised all rune levels to Max.
Then, for the first time in a while.
Shall we check each rune status one by one?
[Rune]
[Grade: Top-grade (Rare)]
One of only 100 limited runes in the world.
[Set Effect: Light-Speed Rune]
When 6 are equipped, attack speed increases by 300%.
If the summon uses a staff, attack speed additionally increases by 200%.
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Strength +36%, Intelligence +36%, Vitality +36%, Agility +36%, Critical Chance +10%, Critical Damage +40%
This was Lamba's Light-Speed Rune.
A 500% attack speed bonus!
He had been using this one since long ago, so he decided to move past it lightly.
[Rune]
[Grade: Top-grade (Unique)]
One of only 10 limited runes in the world.
[Set Effect: Trinity]
When 6 are equipped, all stats increase by 1,000%, HP increases by 20,000.
2 additional stat options.
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Strength +48%, Intelligence +48%, Vitality +48%, Agility +48%, Critical Chance +20%, Critical Damage +60%
Next was the Trinity Rune!
This was the one Aso and HunGyo used.
It was supposed to be a rune of which only 10 could exist in the entire world, but thanks to Rund's fraudulent ability, 12 had been created.
It could simply be called the strongest rune in both name and reality.
Especially.
HunGyo had been extremely satisfied when Aso completed this rune set.
It seemed like the slight sense of regret he had felt had finally been resolved, and in a way... he really was a kindhearted guy.
Next!
[Rune]
[Grade: Top-grade (Unique)]
One of only 10 limited runes in the world.
[Set Effect: Flame Emperor]
When 6 are equipped, fire attribute attack power increases by 1,200%, HP increases by 15,000.
If the summon uses a staff, skill cooldown is reduced by 20%.
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Intelligence +60%, Vitality +60%, Critical Chance +20%, Critical Damage +100%
'Wow.'
So this was that Explosive Dragon's endgame rune!
It was Flame Emperor.
It could truly be called a completely insane rune.
If all 6 were equipped, the critical chance alone would reach 120%, already surpassing the 100% threshold.
And the critical damage was a whopping 600%.
On top of that, the damage of the Explosive Dragon Wave, which was already strong, increasing by 1,200%...
'This isn't Flame Emperor, it's Flame God, isn't it?'
Even if it had been plastered over with Omnipotent Polish, the effect was so ridiculous he had no words.
Shall we keep going?
[Rune]
[Grade: Top-grade (Unique)]
One of only 10 limited runes in the world.
[Set Effect: Annihilation]
When 6 are equipped, damage increases by 2,000% in PVP mode, and by 1,000% in normal mode. HP increases by 10,000.
Maintains 'Stealth' status during combat.
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Strength +48%, Vitality +48%, Agility +48%, Critical Damage +120%
Kyaaaah!
This was Gale Slayer's endgame rune, Annihilation.
An absurdly broken rune limited to PVP!
2,000% damage was simply among the highest values of all existing runes.
And because it continuously maintained stealth, critical chance was not even necessary.
When attacking from stealth, it was originally a 100% guaranteed critical hit.
It would not be an exaggeration to say Gale Slayer had been isolated because of this rune.
It dealt splash damage while in stealth, and that damage ended up being far stronger than that of single-target damage summons... Even S-grade summons had been cut down in a single strike!
'And on top of that.'
It was great even when used as-is in the Tower of Trials.
The bonus damage increase in normal mode was crazy too.
Up to this point, these were the Unique runes that had worked him to the bone.
Next?
Let's look at Rund's Master Craftsman first.
[Rune]
[Grade: Top-grade (Rare)]
One of only 100 limited runes in the world.
[Set Effect: Master Craftsman]
When 6 are equipped, crafting success rate increases by 25%.
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Strength +134%, Intelligence +98%
This one was simple.
The stats were also just the two he needed.
It was an endgame rune for life professions, and a revered rune used for the 25% increase in crafting success rate.
'Next!'
Let's endure just a little more.
Now only 2 were left.
'Will and Exploitation.'
Those were the runes Olivia had brought.
The runes that made Jaggeo and Dampir broken beyond broken!
Shall we first look at Jaggeo's "Will"?
[Rune]
[Grade: Top-grade (Rare)]
One of only 100 limited runes in the world.
[Set Effect: Will]
When 6 are equipped, HP increases by 100,000, MP increases by 100,000.
If the possessed skill is passive, its effect increases by 100%.
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Strength +48%, Vitality +48%, HP +60%, MP +60%
At a glance, it was a traditional HP-bloating tank rune.
But what was important here?
If the possessed skill is passive, its effect increases by 100%.
This effect right here.
Jaggeo had two skills.
Indomitable: Recovers HP equal to 20% of damage received.
Magic Absorption: Recovers MP equal to 20% of damage received.
These were absurd passive skills that allowed him to accumulate incoming damage as HP and mana, and their effectiveness doubled.
On top of that, he also had a huge HP pool... Jaggeo alone was already broken.
And if you added Dampir wearing the Exploitation Rune on top of that?
It became truly broken.
Let's first examine the Exploitation Rune.
[Rune]
[Grade: Top-grade (Rare)]
One of only 100 limited runes in the world.
[Set Effect: Exploitation]
When 6 are equipped, HP increases by 100,000.
The effects of drain-type skills increase by 500%.
[Level: Max]
[Stat Increase]
Strength +48%, Intelligence +60%, Vitality +60%, Agility +48%
This one was also a tank rune.
A rune that amplified drain-type effects.
And?
The name of the skill Dampir possessed was literally Drain.
Drain: Uses another's MP as the source to restore both the target and oneself.
It used Jaggeo's MP to heal both Jaggeo and Dampir, and since that effectiveness was increased by 500%... just by standing on the front line together, the two of them became a pair of rock-solid, hearty tanks.
The kind of tanks that recovered like zombies unless they were taken down in a single blow.
There was no need to think about it in any complicated way.
You could just assume they would not die to most attacks.
Unless it was the Chaos Demon Dragon's Breath, they would probably endure almost anything.
"Done."
Now all preparations were complete.
He had equipped all eight summons with their endgame runes and fully upgraded them.
As for the one remaining Rune Sealing Scroll?
He just gave it to the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer.
It felt like there would never be a reason in his life for the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer to remove the Flame Emperor Rune.
'Now.'
It was time to keep his promise with Olivia Abernathy.
Tower of Trials, Floor 51.
Before trying it, Baek Jinwoo went to find his lover, Yoo Jia.
* * *
"Don't worry too much."
"....Still, hearing that Rachel couldn't come back..."
There was a trace of concern in Yoo Jia's voice, but beneath it lay unwavering trust.
"Promise me."
She held out her pinky as she spoke.
"You'll only challenge the Tower of Trials when, even taking the worst-case scenario into account, you can come back alive with 100% certainty."
"Of course."
Baek Jinwoo hooked his pinky with hers as he answered.
"Even if you dig through all the past records, the idea of dying on the 51st floor makes no sense. Besides, this time I also got the Ultimate Detonation Scroll and the Scroll of Life, right? And I finished all the kids' endgame runes too. Now there's no possibility of failure at all."
His voice brimmed with absolute confidence.
Perfect certainty!
And a slight sense of puzzlement as well.
A tiny question mark that came from the fact that Rachel had not returned.
"Okay, I'll trust you."
Yoo Jia nodded.
"By the way, did you hand the footage over to PBC?"
"Yeah, they loved it."
"Really?"
Baek Jinwoo handed over the footage as soon as he arrived.
Naturally, the PBC documentary production team reviewed all the footage the moment they received it, and they expressed immense satisfaction to Yoo Jia.
"Yeah, they even asked for the 51st floor to be filmed too. We had originally renegotiated the copyright payment to an additional 30% of profits, you know? But after seeing the footage, they said they'd just raise it to 50%."
"...That's incredible."
Still, it made sense.
Wind Fairy, HunGyo, Aso... and the others.
The kids had cleared it in such a satisfying, spectacular way that it was genuinely thrilling to watch.
"Then just tell them to send the filming equipment again. I'm heading out in exactly one hour."
"Okay."
Yoo Jia nodded.
Since he was leaving soon, if they were told to send the equipment?
They would come running like mad.
"Oh, and."
Baek Jinwoo held something out to Yoo Jia.
It was the Azure Stone Milk they had gotten this time.
"Huh? Why this?"
Yoo Jia asked, puzzled.
Wasn't that supposed to be food for Baek Jinwoo's summons?
"I'm fine now. I heard you've been having a hard time recruiting the second-generation guild members. Either give it out as rewards to those kids, or use it as rewards for the first-generation members. Use it however you want."
"However I want?"
"That's right."
Baek Jinwoo smiled softly.
Yoo Jia was the general manager, and when Baek Jinwoo was absent, she acted as the one with practical authority in his place.
Still, the unfortunate part was that she lacked skill as a player.
If that shortcoming could be supplemented with something like this?
Then naturally, authority would follow.
Just to receive that Azure Stone Milk, they would try even harder to earn her favor.
'Of course, even without something like this, most of the guild members already respect her.'
Still, Baek Jinwoo wanted to raise Yoo Jia's authority even further.
"Then I'll go clear it real quick and come back. See you later."
Kiss.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, Baek Jinwoo lightly kissed her.
Clack!
Then he opened the window of the office and jumped out.
Swaaaaaa!
Watching him fall together with the fierce wind, Yoo Jia shook her head.
"Good grief, I keep telling him not to go in such a dangerous way."
Why was it?
She did not know the reason, but she felt strangely uneasy.
The fact that he was going so hurriedly to a place Rachel could not return from also did not sit well with her...
But what could she do?
He himself was that resolute.
'Nothing will happen.'
Shaking her head, Yoo Jia sat back down.
She had been extremely busy these days as well.
She had to keep dealing with the expansion issue, and above all, the second-generation members would soon be finalized.
Now she had to interview two people a day with the two Mind-Reading Eagles and weed out any suspicious elements.
'Busy, busy.'
Still.
If they kept living like this, would the day come when they could put everything down and live together happily in peace?
The corners of Yoo Jia's lips curved upward gently.