I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 20

Chapter 20

“Please make the gloves open-fingered rather than fully enclosed. Instead, I’d appreciate it if you could use expandable craftsmanship on the wrists so they can stretch elastically.”

“Haha…”

“The texture should be soft, so please make the suit out of Mameli raw materials imported from L’Aquila, Italy.”

“Sir, excuse me, but may I ask you something?”

After Shin-hwa’s storm of requests ended, Hwang Seok-cheol finally took a breath and asked a question.

“Haha, I seem to have been doing all the talking. Yes, go ahead.”

“How do you know such detailed crafting methods? Unless you’ve made it yourself, you wouldn’t know such detailed techniques.”

“I’ve heard a lot.”

Shin-hwa smiled.

A Regressor [someone who has returned from the future] spouting future knowledge required a lot of effort to make the other person understand.

Even he had always been negative about Nicholas’s Regression in his past life, hadn’t he?

So, Shin-hwa had thought of Nicholas not as a Regressor but as a seer. Someone who could see the future.

“Amazing. You even know about the shock-absorbing cushion that I’ve been developing alone without revealing it to the outside world.”

“Master Hwang Seok-cheol, known as a master craftsman, can make the impossible possible. I was just presumptuously blathering on, hoping it might work.”

“First of all, let me tell you that all the craftsmanship you requested is possible. But the cost will increase exponentially.”

“How much are we talking about?”

“It will easily cost 2 billion won [approximately $1.5 million USD].”

“Start the production right away, then?”

“Aren’t you worried about the price?”

“You can’t put a price on life.”

Shin-hwa shook his head.

Considering the large sums of money he would earn in the future, the 2 billion won investment in the suit was a pittance.

It was a problem that could be solved with the value of two top-grade magic potions, which he could make without forgetting for two days.

“Alright. Shall we take your measurements right after you pay the deposit?”

“Let’s do that.”

The deal was made.

Hwang, an old man of sixty-six this year.

He would show off his vigor until the age of ninety-two, making suits for many Awakened [individuals with supernatural abilities].

Shin-hwa planned to visit Hwang often in the future to order various types of enhanced suits.

He also planned to pass on some tips for suit production.

‘If I apply future technology to suit production much faster than before, the sacrifices of talented Awakened will be reduced a little more.’

It was his own way of looking out for things.

Rather than preparing for other people’s futures out of nosy concern, it was more to make his own actions more comfortable later on.

If capable Awakened people died a little less, wouldn’t he be bothered less after retirement?

If two people who were going to die only had one die, and one person who was going to die had no one die…

If these virtuous cycles accumulated, there would come a time when it would benefit him.

Besides, it wasn’t like he was creating invincible suit-making future technology, but rather knowledge that would increase safety compared to now.

This level wouldn’t be considered leaking secrets of heaven.

“This way. Let me tell you in advance, it’s still an undeveloped form that hasn’t been commercialized yet, so it may be incomplete.”

“Don’t worry. If any problems are found during the production and measurement process, I’ll tell you first.”

Shin-hwa smiled and replied.

Dealing with the technology of 2020 with the memories of 2052 was beyond easy; he could recite it with his eyes closed.

That’s how the production began.

Time flew by.

For half a day, Hwang Seok-cheol put all his effort into meticulously crafting Shin-hwa’s suit.

And whenever there were parts that differed from his memories during the process, Shin-hwa gave advice to Hwang Seok-cheol.

“If you do the micro-stitching from the inside instead of the outside, it has the effect of increasing elasticity by about 20%.”

“You’re crafting the dimensional stone as a built-in for aesthetic reasons, but there’s no need to do that. If you make it external, the dimensional stone utilization efficiency increases by at least 15% or more.”

‘Where on earth did this young man collect and learn this knowledge? Is he perhaps affiliated with the World Awakened Association or a hidden master?’

Hwang Seok-cheol clicked his tongue in admiration.

What Shin-hwa had said were things that he had somewhat calculated in his head but hadn’t been able to experiment with properly due to the flood of production requests.

The level of inherent expertise was quite high to be considered just boasting.

When he mentioned the materials and the dynamic relationships between the materials along with those words!

Hwang Seok-cheol, known as a master craftsman, was also surprised. It surpassed what he knew, going beyond it.

“If you don’t think what I’m saying is just hot air, feel free to apply it to the production. Prove it yourself, and let me know if there’s anything wrong.”

“Is that alright?”

“I wouldn’t have even mentioned it if it wasn’t.”

Shin-hwa looked at the almost completed custom-made enhanced suit with a satisfied expression.

He had given Hwang Seok-cheol knowledge that was no different from an answer sheet, so his production skills would greatly improve in the future.

‘It turned out well.’

He looked at the suit from side to side.

As expected of a master craftsman, a perfect enhanced suit was made without a single mistake.

‘With this, I can withstand being run over by a 10-ton truck a couple of times.’

At least with this, he wouldn’t be ‘crushed to death’ by monsters in the dungeon because of the poor quality of the suit.

That alone was worth the 2 billion won investment.

Among the causes of death for Awakened, being crushed by monsters was more common than expected.

Large and intelligent monsters target the gaps and weaknesses in Awakened armor in that way.

Anyway, after going through the final inspection process for about 10 minutes to measure the fit and finish the final touches.

Hwang Seok-cheol’s suit production with all his might came to an end.

Shin-hwa was already preparing to put on the suit and go outside.

He was planning to head straight to the K-911 dungeon in Uijeongbu Station.

According to Shin-hwa’s taste, the entire suit was shiny and glossy.

In particular, a pleasant golden light flowed from the elaborately crafted external dimensional stone.

‘This is why it’s good to have suits custom-made by hand.’

He was satisfied.

“I’ll come again.”

Shin-hwa left the workshop, smiled at him, and disappeared.

“…”

Hwang Seok-cheol stood in place.

As if time had stopped, he pondered for a long time about the place where Shin-hwa had stayed and the words he had left behind.

“Who is he?”

An extraordinary young man.

“Kang Shin-hwa.”

Hwang Seok-cheol, after checking his name left in the guestbook, made a phone call somewhere.

“Hello? It’s been a while. I have something to say…”

It was Hwang Seok-cheol contacting an ‘acquaintance’ in Japan after a long time.

* * *

“I’m so busy moving places today. After I get my leg modification later, I’ll have to fly over buildings. Moving by taxi also has its limits.”

After leaving Hwang Seok-cheol’s suit workshop, I stopped by an open market where the artifact I wanted was and finished the purchase.

Unlike Awakened exchanges, open markets were exchanges run by ordinary Awakened, and the quality and composition of artifacts varied depending on the manager’s capabilities.

That’s how I finished purchasing the artifact gauntlet.

The price was 1 billion won [approximately $750,000 USD].

Considering that the price soared to 10 billion won in the past due to supply not keeping up with demand.

It was a C-rank artifact that I bought at a really cheap price.

“The preparations are all done.”

A camping tent and camping equipment, a safe base for a good night’s sleep.

An enhanced suit that would allow me to overcome a crisis or two with its overwhelming durability and resistance.

And an artifact that would block the 50% energy loss that occurs during magic release to about 1%.

The preparations were perfect.

Now, for the first time since Regression, I was able to challenge with proper preparations.

I felt reassured.

As psychological stability increased, I felt that my physical combat power also increased to some extent.

I was able to engage in combat more boldly and aggressively.

[Korea Bank: Depositor Kang Shin-hwa]

[Balance: 54,004,305,252 won [approximately $40.5 million USD]]

“Still plenty.”

I looked at the still large balance with a satisfied expression, as if shopping hadn’t even made a dent, and took the express train to Uijeongbu.

Now it was time to get the one and only artifact in the world, Kale’s Chaos.

It was time to get the subspace artifact.

* * *

30 minutes before the scheduled capture time.

Following the habit of always arriving earlier than the set time, I arrived at the site early today as well.

I hated making people wait so much that I lived that way for fifty years.

Perhaps that’s why, even after returning to a young body, that habit and mindset hadn’t changed.

I had prepared a suit and gauntlets.

Now it was time to check whether I could stably capture a C-rank dungeon alone.

Usually, the rank of a dungeon is determined by whether or not four Awakened of the same rank can capture it.

In other words, a C-rank dungeon would require four C-rank Awakened to tackle it.

But I am officially – as seen in the status window – a D-rank Awakened.

This could never be considered normal.

That’s why Jin Bo-mi asked me in the call if I needed support or if there were other party members.

‘Considering my experience in my past life, I’m almost at the level of a trainee now. I haven’t even warmed up properly yet.’

I had only unleashed my abilities once to heal Jin Bo-mi.

I had beaten up Magos when he was a child, so it was embarrassing to say that I had done anything great.

Of course, it seemed to have been a shock to the members of the raid team and Yoon-byeol who watched on the spot.

[I heard that today is your first capture. I wish you the best of luck! Show off your skills properly!]

Just in time, I checked the talk that arrived on my smartphone, and it was President Jin Seong-tae who sent it to me.

“Really…”

I felt strange.

The reason why Jin Seong-tae treated me so politely was.

It was partly because I was the benefactor who saved his daughter, but more than that, it was probably because he judged that the potential value of the future I had was great.

Whatever.

There was no reason to refuse when he was raising my value on purpose.

If I renew the contract next month, the contract fee will go up again.

‘I need to discuss the supply of top-grade magic potions with the Yanghwa Guild.’

I drank it yesterday for direct experimentation, so it disappeared.

From today, I was planning to produce top-grade magic potions for commercial purposes in earnest.

I needed a sales channel, and I was planning to borrow the infrastructure and sales power of the Yanghwa Guild.

In fact, the open market operated by the Yanghwa Guild in front of Exit 12 of Gangnam Station’s Yanghwa Tower was considered the mecca of Korean Awakened.

“Maybe I can get much more money than the 1 billion I expected? That’s what guilds are for, haha.”

A pleasant smile with both happy and wicked emotions coexisting appeared on his lips.

But right then.

“Kang Shin-hwa? Why did you come so early?”

“…Why are you here?”

Someone I didn’t expect suddenly called my name.