Chương 68: GAINS

Artifacts were a rare type of item, found in the Rifts. They were divided into grades, instead of ranks. Starting from Rare, then Epic, Unique and lastly Legendary. They generally had better stats and effects than normal gear, which were more diverse and unique than gear. Jimin had already come in contact with a few artifacts during his appraisal work. Needless to say, they were extremely rare cases. But all of them were of Rare grade.

Nonetheless, he had the chance to witness an Epic grade artifact in the 'Golden Scale Hall of Commerce', while training his 'Treasure Hunter's Sense'. Which he could surprisingly appraise.

And now- Jimin was holding something of the same tier. He was lost in thought, standing in the middle of the room, the black metal headband still in his hand. A grin slowly spread across his face, his eyes wide. Damn. This really is an Epic grade artifact. It's worth at least 250 million won. His grip tightened slightly. But what's the point? It's a match made in heaven type of artifact for me. Too good to sell… His gaze sharpened. The increased psychic energy consumption is kind of a bummer.

But the effects are too good… It gives 10 psyche stats on top of that. And it's a bound item on top of that! His lips curled into a wide grin.

"Hell yeah!" he muttered. I better use it myself. Without wasting another second, Jimin immediately took off his mask. And placed the headband on his forehead. The moment it made contact, it reacted. A faint glow radiated from the purple stone. Then, the artifact started turning transparent… and then, became completely invisible. At the same time, Jimin felt that the headband had instantly become almost weightless.

"Whoa…" he murmured. He instinctively raised a hand to touch his forehead. It was there. He could feel its presence by touch. But couldn't feel its weight. And then, a notification popped up suddenly.

Artifact 'Crown of the Mentalist' - Bound to the User.

He started grinning with excitement. He turned immediately and walked toward the mirror mounted on the wall. His reflection stared back at him. But there was no headband visible on his face. He leaned slightly closer, inspecting carefully from different angles.

"Damn… It really turned invisible," he muttered. And then, another notification appeared.

[First Bound Artifact] Reward: +80 LP Total LP: 614 Jimin blinked.

"There's LP for this too?" It's only 80… but it's better than nothing. He shrugged. He stretched his arms slightly before walking back toward the center of the room. One by one, he stored the remaining gear into his inventory. And once everything was stored, he leaned back onto the bed.

"It's been exhausting," he murmured, staring at the ceiling. Then, he closed his eyes. Damn this bed is soft. Maybe, I'll get one like this. He spread his arms fully, letting his body sink into the mattress. For a brief moment, he felt completely relaxed. Just a minute. That's all. Then, he suddenly sat up. There's no point in wasting time here. It's getting late. He stood up and started adjusting his clothes and putting his mask back on. I should just sell the gear and call it a day. I've a Rift to raid tomorrow.

Suddenly, a realization hit him. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Wait… Exchanging these here can be a problem. Especially right after I took part in the event. He thought for a moment and then shook his head. I'll just go to Golden Scale. He took a step forward. But then- Wait… His eyes narrowed slightly. I have quite a bit of spare LP right now. Maybe, I should create a changing skill. It's been a real hassle.

Without wasting another second, Jimin opened his skill creation window. But he didn't fill in anything. He couldn't. Now… How do I describe it? Just changing clothes won't do. Something systemically correct... After a few minutes of contemplation, an idea eventually came across his mind. He filled in the name and description, without wasting any time. Finally, a window with the full details appeared.

[Skill: Quick Change] Category: Active Type: Utility Rank: Custom Description: Allows the user to instantly swap their currently equipped clothes and gear with a pre-saved set from their 'Inventory'. Upon activation, a thick cloud of black smoke envelops the user; during this moment, the current set is stored and replaced by the chosen set before the smoke disperses. Duration: 1. 5 Seconds Cooldown: 10 Seconds Cost: 5 MP Required LP: 180 【Create】 【Edit】 [Draft] 【Delete】

"Exactly how I wanted," he muttered. But I shouldn't be too sure. Better check it first. Jimin immediately created the skill.

[Skill Successfully Created]'Quick Change' – Acquired. Total LP: 434 Now, it's testing time. Jimin immediately activated 'Quick Change'. A new window appeared with 'Quick change', written at the top. And Set-1, Set-2, Set-3,... written over blank spaces.

"Woah…" he murmured. He immediately selected Set-1. Another window appeared, containing detailed options like Torso+, Legs+, Face, Right hand, etc. It's really detailed! But how do I choose the items? He pressed Torso+. And the moment he did, his world darkened and he found himself inside his inventory. It felt similar to the first time he had activated his inventory. It looked the same, but the space had actually expanded. Items floated in organized clusters.

He looked around briefly, then spotted his casual clothes. So, he touched his t-shirt. And as soon as he did, it got selected.

"Cool! So, that's how…" he exclaimed. He then finished creating his first set. After completing the set and saving it, the system pulled him back instantly. He was back in the room again. This is the moment. Jimin selected Set-1. Suddenly, a thick black smoke emerged out of nowhere, engulfing Jimin into it. And within 2 seconds, the smoke dispersed abruptly. As Jimin appeared out of it, wearing the set of casual clothes. He gave it a quick look in the mirror. And a grin spread across his face.

"Damn… It really worked. Even better than I imagined." But he didn't stop there. He then created the Masked Appraiser set and tried it too. And it was successful as well. This proves it. It works perfectly fine.. He exhaled slowly. Then turned toward the door. Now, it's time to leave. After adjusting his clothes, Jimin exited the room. As he went back to the reception to check-out, he found out that Ji-hye wasn't there. So, Noona has left.

For a brief moment, he paused near the desk, glancing at the empty space where she usually stood. I should catch up with her soon. His expression sharpened slightly. And with him too. After all, the entrance exam is in 10 days… The thought lingered for a second, but he didn't dwell on it. There was still work to do. Jimin completed the checkout process quickly with a different staff member and left the Headquarters without wasting any more time.

The night air greeted him the moment he stepped outside. Cool. Quiet. Refreshing. He took a deep breath, letting the lingering tension finally settle. After moving a short distance away, he slipped into a nearby alley, changing into his casual clothes. He glanced down at himself and smirked faintly. Yeah… this is gonna be useful. Without wasting time, he made his way toward the Golden Scale Hall of Commerce.

Jimin changed back to his Appraiser form again, before entering the hall. He walked straight toward the exchange counter. The staff recognized his presence immediately and greeted him politely.

"Good evening, Sir. What would you like to exchange today?" Without a word, Jimin began taking out the items one by one. The crimson blade, the bow, the axe, the armor. Each item drew a subtle shift in the staff's expressions as they were placed on the counter. Even without appraisal, their quality was obvious.

"Please proceed," Jimin said calmly. The appraisal process began. Time passed. Finally, the total value was revealed. He had earned a total of 1. 5 billion won from the deal. As soon as he saw the numbers in his account, emotions began to overwhelm him. It was a strange, complex feeling. He already expected the amount. But actually seeing the number… It was different. His mind drifted. Just over two months ago, he was working part-time at a fast food chain for a monthly wage of just 700, 000 won.

He remembered standing behind the counter, counting coins, worrying about every expense. And now, he was a billionaire. He clenched his fist. It's only the beginning. The first major step. [+50 LP] This time, he didn't react much. He took a deep breath. Now that I don't need to save every bit of money, I can buy the gear I've been eyeing for so long. Jimin didn't waste any time. He immediately went to the 2nd floor.

He bought his third dagger.

Name: Nightshade Dagger Category: Weapon Type: Dagger Rank: D Description: A black blade that is exceptionally balanced for quick, silent strikes, favored by those who strike from the darkness. Stats: AGI +8 Damage: 42 - 48 Effects: Increases movement speed by 10%. Extra +10%, while using stealth type skills. Ignores 15% Physical Defense. Durability: 100/100 A new black hooded cloak.

Name: Shroud of the Nameless Category: Armor Type: Cloak Rank: D Description: A tattered, charcoal-grey cloak with low physical and magic defense. It is incredibly light and makes it easier to blend with the environment. Stats: END +4, AGI +2 Physical Defense: 9 Magic Defense: 9 Effects: Increases the effectiveness of stealth type skills. Increases movement speed by 5%. Durability: 100/100 —------------------------------------------------- And a new pair of boots.

Name: Whispering Treads Category: Accessories Type: Boots Rank: D Description: Lightweight, soft-soled boots for silent movement. Stats: AGI +3, END +1 Effects: [Silent Step] - Eliminates the sound of footsteps. Increases movement speed by 10%. Durability: 100/100 A grin formed on his face. Alright. The stealth and agility build is complete. Jimin completed the purchase without hesitation. The total came to 22. 3 million won. Barely a dent in his pockets now. Then, he left the hall.

Outside, the night had deepened. He slipped into an alley again, changing back into his casual clothes. Then, he stopped at a nearby shop. After purchasing some choco pies, he headed to his orphanage.