I Became an Illegal Cheat User

36 – Ways to Make Money (4)

A mere tap with the bear paw on an empty ammo box, and live rounds gushed out.

Not some magic trick.

“…Is this a skill?”

Asking a transcendent being about talents and skills was almost taboo, an extremely impolite thing to do.

Of course, it wasn’t legally defined, but in the transcendent industry, it was an unwritten rule not to inquire about abilities.

But the curiosity was so unbearable that I couldn’t resist breaking that unwritten rule.

Well, I did commit rudeness, so I glanced at her face slightly.

“A skill? Oh, this?”

…Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be bothered much.

More precisely, she seemed not to care, fitting her carefree appearance.

“Oh, right. It’s a skill.”

The instructor spread out her palm.

Then, a single live round identical to those inside the ammo box appeared on her palm.

Judging from the slight distortion of space when the bullet appeared, it seemed to be a space-time skill.

However…, as far as I knew, space-time skills, unlike magic, required using the ‘hand’ to put in and take out objects.

It wasn’t possible to extract a bullet with the lid closed, as seen with the ammo box just now.

So…, there was only one possibility.

The bear paw the instructor was holding wasn’t an ordinary object but an item.

Scarily, thinking that way, the instructor shook the bear paw and said,

“And this is an item that assists my space-time skill.”

Indeed, my judgment wasn’t wrong.

“…? What’s this? That face as if you knew?”

“Oh, yes. I saw you using spatial skills…”

“…So you’re a chief, and you have experience in crafting as well?”

The gaze of the crafting instructor changed when he looked at me.

It was a greedy and sticky look, as if trying to pull in a skilled student to become a graduate student.

Unfortunately, separate from my knowledge, I have no talent for crafting, so I cannot become a graduate student.

Of course, even without talent, one can gain it through hard work, but for me, it’s too inefficient.

Anyway, let’s recognize that the bear paw is an item. The crafting instructor approached me, shoulder to shoulder, and asked.

“Do you know about this? What magic is engraved on this bear paw?”

“…Since you have spatial skills, it must have the ‘inventory’ magic engraved.”

“Oh, this kid! Clever!”

The crafting instructor, seeming pleased, pinched my cheek and shook his body.

But… can you give me a little space?

“My mood is starting to feel strange.”

Beyond feeling the overwhelming mass from her arms when she became shoulder to shoulder with me.

As her fierce crafting pouch swayed up and down with each shake of her body, my gaze kept going there.

As the short yet seemingly long moment passed.

The crafting instructor, seemingly disappointed, sighed and let go of the shoulder.

“Well, I thought I finally had a clever crafting member, but unfortunately, you have no crafting talent.”

…As expected, there was a reason for becoming shoulder to shoulder.

Like that corrupted devotee who confirmed the presence of alchemy talent.

The crafting instructor also did it to check if I had crafting talent.

Still, there was no regret.

I could feel her vast heart and avoid the path of a crafting member like a graduate student.

“But I still like you.”

The crafting instructor grinned and took a bite of the bear paw.

I felt a heart-pounding sensation at that sight.

“Even though you can’t become a crafting member, if you handle guns and have an interest in crafting, you can come find me anytime.”

Luckily, it wasn’t an invitation to become a crafting member.

I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and nodded my head.

“Then I’d be glad to.”

Not just saying it; genuinely glad.

Usually, when you request an item from the production department, they don’t just make it for you right away like GOAT Baek Youngwoo said.

However, saying that the production instructor is available anytime to help is practically the same as promising to create it regardless of the order.

“Anyway, how many rounds do you need?”

“How many do you have?”

“…How many do I have?”

In response to my question about how many they had, the production instructor seemed slightly flustered.

But that was just for a moment. They realized, perhaps, that I had something like a personal space (inventory) and proceeded to tell me the quantity of rounds they had.

“…I have roughly this much. Will it all fit in your inventory?”

“Yes, it will fit perfectly.”

It’ll fit and there will still be leftovers.

No, not just leftovers, but not even a speck will remain.

That’s how vast the inventory capacity is, almost like an abyss.

The production instructor, unaware of this, exclaimed in amazement, “Is your inventory skill of a higher grade than mine?”

“Maybe, seems like it.”

“In that case, won’t this be insufficient? Should I make more rounds for you?”

“No, it’s fine. With the amount you’ve just mentioned, I think I’ll have enough for a while. I’ll come by next time for more.”

“Really? Then I’ll prepare some in advance, so you can take them when you come next.”

“Yes, I’ll do that. Thank you so much.”

I nodded gratefully, acknowledging her kindness.

“Don’t thank me, I’m doing this for money, you know.”

Oh, right.

I came here to buy…

“What, did you think I was just giving these away?”

“No, it’s just… the flow of things…”

I awkwardly chuckled, avoiding her gaze.

As if finding my behavior amusing, the production instructor chuckled softly and began laying out boxes of ammunition on the floor.

And a while later…

Ammunition boxes of various types, such as pistol ammunition, rifle ammunition, and shotgun ammunition, were stacked in front of me like a tower.

The expansive workshop felt narrow, overwhelmed by the immense amount that even my mouth involuntarily sealed shut.

Honestly speaking, if the manufacturer were not present in this place, I would have burst into laughter.

That’s how much my current state of mind was not just satisfied but overjoyed.

But even that was temporary.

“Here, take this.”

“…What’s this?”

The manufacturer handed me a piece of paper.

It was an invoice.

“The cost of a few boxes has been deducted.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“And the discount is quite substantial.”

I looked at the invoice upon hearing those words.

Student discount, top student discount, discount for pleasing me, and so on.

There were definitely various discounts applied.

So, with anticipation, I checked the final price I had to pay.

“…?”

Huh… is this price correct?

“Sir, is this price correct?”

“Hm? Why? Is there a mistake in the price?”

The manufacturer came closer and checked the invoice in my hand.

“…? There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong.”

But, there was no issue with the price.

‘No, really?’

Is this really the price?

“Oh.”

On that day.

I gained abundance.

I lost abundance.

&

&

80% of the money taken from the corrupt devotee had vanished.

But in the midst of misfortune, there was a stroke of luck: with the remaining 20% of the money, I could register copyrights at the Alchemy Workshop.

No, I had to register them.

Realizing the exorbitant cost of the furnace, I knew I had to register all the potion recipes I knew to make money.

Of course, if I could get infinite items, I wouldn’t have to resort to such measures. However, until I obtained the minimum amount of chosen usage rights, I had to save random usage rights.

For this reason, before visiting the Alchemy Workshop, I used the ‘A-grade Talent Selection Right,’ as the corrupt devotee had suggested. After all, to register copyrights at the Alchemy Workshop, one must have the talent for alchemy.

────────────────────

“High Alchemy of the Alchemist (A)”

Alchemy left behind by a renowned alchemist before leaving the world.

– When crafting A-grade alchemy items, the critical success adjustment increases by 10%.

– When crafting B-grade alchemy items, the critical success adjustment increases by 30%.

– When crafting C-grade or lower alchemy items, the critical success adjustment increases by 50%.

– Magic Power +5, Spirit +5

────────────────────

Similar to the ‘Hero’s Skill Management Guide (B)’ obtained earlier, this talent had no derivative skills. However, the ‘critical success adjustment’ stated in ‘High Alchemy of the Alchemist (A)’ was, for an alchemist, akin to a natural talent.

If alchemists knew I possessed such a talent, they would likely try to kidnap me as an apprentice or mentor.

Or worse, I might end up trapped in a factory, becoming a machine that produces potions.

Fortunately, confirming someone else’s talent in this world was extremely difficult. Even if they did find out, they wouldn’t know the exact effects, making the risk very low.

Still… most alchemists were peculiar individuals, so it didn’t hurt to be cautious.

Anyway, I was currently standing at the main gate of the academy, waiting for a call.

The caller was Kang Cheolsoo.

Why was I waiting for his call?

To leave the academy.

Although this place was an academy, it was no different from a training camp. Therefore, to go out on weekdays excluding weekends, I had to get a pass from the assigned instructor.

However, Kang Cheol-su was busy with corrupt worshipper affairs at the moment, so they couldn’t meet.

Instead, through this smartwatch, a fusion of the academy’s science and magic, one could remotely obtain an exit permit.

Standing at the academy’s main gate, wondering… Why hasn’t there been any contact?

Just as he was thinking that, Kang Cheol-su’s call came in.

…They say even a tiger comes when you call.

From now on, I should think before I speak.

– Senior, the issuance of the exit permit is complete; you’re free to go.

“Yes, thank you.”

– Alright then, let’s meet tomorrow.

With that, the call with Kang Cheol-su ended.

And a message arrived on the smartwatch.

It was the exit permit.

“Now that I have the exit permit.”

Shall I go to the Alchemy Workshop now?

Instead of running, I caught a taxi passing by, not far from where I was.

With my stamina, the Alchemy Workshop was too far to run.

&

&

&

Wheee!

Wheee!

– Disaster alert! Disaster alert!

“aaah!”

“It’s a rift! Run!”

“Help! Please, help…!”

Ah.

This is not good.