The Support Ate it All

Chapter 102: Durable Pen

Go Hyeon-woo sat motionless with his legs crossed and his eyes closed in a full lotus position.

A light breeze blew along with waves of energy around him, and the densely concentrated mana of the special cultivation room rippled like waves.

Time passed.

Eventually, the fluctuations of internal energy calmed and the breeze settled.

Slowly, Go Hyeon-woo opened his eyes.

Its morning.

Thus began Go Hyeon-woos day in the special cultivation room, where he had been cultivating his energy through the night until he woke up.

He tossed a handful of Byukgokdan Pills into his mouth and downed a protein shake in one gulp before heading to class.

For him, building knowledge was just as important as cultivating skills so he never missed a class.

Learning about monsters, dungeons, skills, traits, and various items felt incredibly beneficial to him.

After class, he would practice under the guidance of his mentor who was a senior expert and carry out the assigned practical assessments.

By this time, about half the day would have already passed.

But it would still be too early to rest.

He would spend his free time sparring with Han So-mi with wooden swords.

Han So-mi seemed reluctant at first, but once the sparring began, she engaged seriously and did not slack off until the end.

After a bout of swordplay, Go Hyeon-woo would smile broadly and say,

Miss Seo, you worked hard today as well. Until next time.

Hmph, I wont do it once I run out of sweets.

Han So-mi would always leave with a snort.

But according to Kim Ho, he had given her quite a lot of sweets. Enough so that it would be a while before they ran out.

Next, Go Hyeon-woo sat alone in a quiet place and entered meditation.

Classes, mentoring, strategy battles, sparring

He took the time to reflect on and organize everything he had learned and experienced.

Once he felt he had sufficiently organized his thoughts, Go Hyeon-woo opened his eyes and the Dharma statue he had placed in front of him came into view.

This unnamed Daruma statue was carved by an unknown person.

Kim Ho had acquired it from the Black Death dungeon and had generously lent it to him.

Even a brief examination had previously given him insights that helped him withstand the test of the Three Strikes of the White Serpent.

Observing it over time might reveal even more.

Go Hyeon-woo stared intently at the smiling face of the Dharma statue.

Some days, he ended up wasting time without gaining anything significant,

but on other days, he managed to catch a glimpse of the very edge of the martial philosophy.

On some days, he gained so much that, unable to contain his excitement, he would suddenly rise from his seat and break into a sword dance.

After a long staring contest with the Dharma statue, he would come to his senses only to find that the night had deepened and it was completely dark outside.

From then on, he would settle in the center of the special cultivation room and begin his meditative breathing exercises.

This would continue until dawn broke again.

Endless training followed by more training.

Even the students of Dragon Slayer Academy who dreamt of becoming future heroes would see it as an extremely tough regimen.

However, Go Hyeon-woo found these days to be the most enjoyable.

Had he ever felt so distinctly day by day that he was becoming stronger?

The term remarkable progress was truly fitting.

If these days continued, he would be able to endure the pains of training with a smile.

I must thank Kim-hyung.

As much as he enjoyed this rapid growth, he was also very grateful to Kim Ho who laid the foundation for that growth.

Looking back, there was nothing that had not benefited from his help.

The special cultivation room season pass, the Durable Clip, the magic sword, mentoring, the Dharma statue, sparring with Han So-mi

Kim Ho had said that these were all done in a fair compensation.

As a trustworthy ally who would enter dungeons with him and fight at the risk of his life, this was considered fair compensation for Kim Ho.

However, Go Hyeon-woo did not see it that way.

To him, extending a hand when a friend needed help was a matter of course.

Moreover, as a warrior, one should be willing to risk life and limb in a fight against the strong.

It wasnt about receiving compensation; rather, he felt gratitude towards Kim Ho for providing these opportunities.

So, excluding all these taken-for-granted acts, what had he actually done for Kim Ho?

It always seemed that he received more than he gave.

I must repay this debt over time.

Go Hyeon-woo vowed to himself once more.

A disciple of the Heavenly Wind Gate never forgets a debt of gratitude or resentment.

***

Take this.

Go Hyeon-woo reflexively caught the item that Kim Ho suddenly tossed to him.

After receiving it, he checked it and found that it was a small thin box the size of a palm.

Whats this?

Its yours.

Kim Ho answered nonchalantly and gestured with his eyes to open it quickly.

Go Hyun-woo was wondering what else Kim Ho would give him this time but he opened the box because he was also curious about its contents.

Inside was a pen that was evidently luxurious at first glance.

The lid was of the flip-open type and the whole object held a subtle black sheen.

Oooh.

Go Hyeon-woo was a warrior by nature and was not the type of person to value things like school supplies but when he saw this ballpoint pen, he couldnt help but let out a small exclamation without realizing it.

It was immediately apparent that this was no ordinary item.

As Go Hyeon-woo stared blankly at the pen, he suddenly realized something.

He had thought it was made of some other metal because of its overall black color, but

Isnt this made of Millennium Iron?

The [Bleak Leaders Chest] obtained after enduring countless hardships in the Black Death dungeon.

And the tremendous luck of Seo Ye-in had drawn out the Millennium Iron Ignot.

This pen was made precisely from that Millennium Iron.

Kim Ho nodded his head and revealed a staff with a similarly subtle ink color.

It seemed to be a newly crafted weapon.

I had some material left over after making this. It seemed a waste to throw it away, so I asked a senior blacksmith to make something special.

Uhm.

His tone was casual, but Go Hyeon-woo knew it wasnt as simple as that.

Blacksmiths arent exactly sitting around with time on their hands; a few casual requests wouldnt normally result in additional creations.

There must have been some kind of deal involved.

But even that was not the end.

Kim Ho pointed to a clip tucked into Go Hyeon-woos front pocket,

[Durable Clip (D)]

Weapon Durability Protection

Automatic Weapon Durability Recovery

Then he pointed back at the pen.

Try attaching those together.

?

Out of curiosity, Go Hyeon-woo checked the ballpoint pen closely and found that the cap had a very small and elaborate groove.

As if bewitched, he fitted the clip into place and it clicked as though it was made specifically for it.

Had combining the two items always been intended?

Go Hyun-woo admired Kim Hos design and checked the item description.

And he was compelled to exclaim in astonishment once again.

This is incredible!

[Durable Pen(A)]

Very High Mana Conductivity

Damage Protection (A) Applied

Weapon Damage Protection (C) Applied

Automatic Weapon Durability Recovery

This was something he expected to some extent since Millennium Iron was used as a material.

But it was an A-rank item.

It was the highest grade among the items Go Hyeon-woo saw after coming down the mountain.

The Weapon Durability Protection option of the [Durable Clip] seemed to offer some assistance, but it was not significantly felt.

He could only vaguely guess that it somehow complemented the high durability of the [Feathered Serpent Magic Sword].

Now, that Weapon Durability Protection had changed to Weapon Damage Protection(C).

It was clearly marked as a C-rank.

Considering that C-rank was by no means a low rating, it seemed unlikely that Go Hyeon-woo would see the magic sword destroyed, even if he used powerful techniques consecutively in the future.

Moreover, though it was a pen, it was a pen made from Millennium Iron.

Given the strength of Millennium Iron, it was certainly enough to crush someones skull, so it seemed suitable to use as a secondary weapon.

However, performance aside

For Go Hyeon-woo who was gradually feeling a growing sense of debt toward Kim Ho this Durable Pen was not entirely a welcome gift.

Go Hyeon-woo let out a wry smile.

Im always grateful to you, Kim-hyung. However, its not easy on my mind to keep receiving like this.

At that, Kim Ho furrowed his brows in puzzlement.

Keep receiving? Why do you think that way? We entered the Black Death dungeon together, so you should have a share too.

Thats not the case. I believe that even just the Dharma statue alone is more than my share.

Why would you say its more than enough just because I lent it to you for a while?

The Dharma statue was a loan, but didnt you actually give me an opportunity to gain a fortunate encounter? Its definitely worth risking my life for.

Hmm. Is that so?

When Go Hyeon-woo showed no sign of relenting, Kim Ho fell silent for a moment, then his lips curled into a smile as if he had found a simple solution.

Think of it as an advance then.

The term advance implied that Go Hyeon-woos share of whatever they would gain next could be considered as already paid for by the pen.

That something would most likely be dungeon rewards, which meant they would soon be entering a dungeon.

That is indeed good news. Are we going underground?

Yes. Theres something we need to retrieve.

Good. If you need my sword, just let me know.

Really?

Kim Ho looked at Go Hyeon-woo and grinned.

Then tonight.

***

Late at night.

Go Hyeon-woo and Kim Ho made their way toward the dungeon building.

By the time they reached the meeting place, Shin Byeong-cheol was already waiting.

He was usually quite annoying but he performed his tasks thoroughly.

Almost at the same time that Shin Byeong-cheol felt that they were here, Go Hyeon-woo greeted him.

Shin-hyung.

My dear customers, how was your dinner? Now, take these.

Shin Byeong-cheol rubbed his hands together and flashed a salespersons smile.

Then he distributed the [Anonymous Badge] and a second-year tie pin to each of them.

This was to avoid the suspicion of any seniors they might encounter through perception-blocking magic.

After Kim Ho attached the badge to his uniform, he asked,

Surely were not going to have to report in three times to the seniors again this time, are we?

Oh no, certainly not. What seniors? Ill make it smooth as silk. Not a rat in sight will bother us.

Didnt you say something similar last time?

Ayy, trust me, this time its for real. Just give it a chance.

After his bold promise, Shin Byeong-cheol led the way before gesturing for them to follow.

Following Shin Byeong-cheols lead, the group entered a circular staircase and occasionally changed directions through various passageways as they descended deeper underground.

While walking and looking at his buzz-cut head that looked almost bald, Go Hyeon-woo started to talk.

Shin-hyungs guidance seems to have improved significantly. Its quite different from before.

When Shin Byeong-cheol had first led them down to the underground levels, he had often hesitated, sometimes stopping and wondering whether to take the right passage or the left stairs.

In contrast, there was hardly any hesitation now and the speed of descent was as fast as a light run.

Flushed with pride at Go Hyeon-woos compliment, Shin Byeong-cheol boasted,

Recently, Ive been guiding not just one or two teams down here. Wouldnt you say Im quite the veteran by now?

Hahaha,

However, one regrettable aspect remained. Once again, they were relegated to going on foot.

Since he didnt have amazing hiding skills like Dang Gyu-young or the ability to neutralize magical engineering equipment like Chae Da-bin, they couldnt use the elevator.

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for; hiring a first-year guide inevitably meant lower quality.

Of course, both Kim Ho and Go Hyeon-woo were the type who would gladly endure minor inconveniences just to get into the dungeon, so they simply continued their steadfast walk downward.

And finally, Floor D.

Upon reaching their destination, an ominously gaping portal greeted them.

[No.353] [Feathered Serpent Temple]

********

TN: This is not the same dungeon. Last one was Altar. This one is Temple.

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