The next day, feeling considerably better now, Jeonghyun finally left his house.
Perhaps it was because he had been lying down in his bed for so long, but he felt lighter than usual.
Running to the association was now manageable, even though, facing the entrance, Jeonghyun cautiously surveyed the surroundings.
“I hope I don’t run into her.”
The person Jeonghyun feared encountering was none other than Cha Yerin.
Having a rather unpleasant experience with her before while he gave the details on what happened, he couldn’t help but worry about the possibility of crossing paths with her again.
“She doesn’t seem like a bad person, but there’s something off.”
Maybe she wasn’t a bad person, but it was challenging to discern her true intentions, regardless of whether they were good or bad.
Instinctively, he found it hard to trust her.
Fortunately, Cha Yerin was nowhere to be seen.
In a place as busy as the association, running into someone as significant as her would indeed be a rare occurrence.
Jeonghyun, with cautious steps, finally arrived at the equipment workshop.
“Wow, there’s a place like this?”
Hidden from view behind the massive association main building was an equally large workshop.
Although the windows were not visible from the outside, they likely served as soundproofing for the production noises inside.
Despite its functional purpose, the building’s design itself was quite impressive, a far cry from the shabby rental center where Cheolyong used to operate.
Clang- Clang-
Upon entering the building, Jeonghyun’s ears were assaulted by a tremendous noise.
While there weren’t many people who looked like customers, the scene inside was like a bustling market.
Only after inspecting the interior with his eyes did Jeonghyun make an overall impression.
“It feels like a community center.”
It indeed had the atmosphere of a traditional market, with items laid out on stalls, all specifically designed for hunters.
– No.1 Workshop: Equipment for D-rank hunter
– No.2 Workshop: Production of Sooyeon
– No.3 Workshop: Production of Gangjin
Small signs hung above each store, and there were even numbered stalls.
As Jeonghyun cautiously walked past the front of the main store, the gazes of elderly shopkeepers concentrated on him.
“Why are they staring like that?”
It wasn’t the look of someone trying to lure in customers, nor was it a hostile glance towards a stranger.
Just eyes watching him.
Jeonghyun knew the meaning behind those stares.
“They see me as a potential prey.”
During the time when he lived alone after his parents passed away, young Jeonghyun often stepped into the market to save money.
Whenever he entered a store to buy something, the shopkeepers usually had that same look.
Not everyone behaved this way, but those who did often tried to take advantage of him.
This experience became better only later when he became a regular customer.
He silently understood why the association workshop received such harsh evaluations.
“Hello.”
“Come on in.”
Curious, Jeonghyun approached one of the stores that looked at him. On the stalls were displayed D to B-rank equipment, known for their high quality and purchasing power.
“How much are your E-rank items?”
The shop owner was an older woman, somewhere between middle-aged and elderly.
After surveying the shop, Jeonghyun asked again, “Do you have any E-rank items?”
“Oh, the lower-rank items are inside. Come on in.”
Contrary to its appearance, the inside was quite spacious.
It seemed like the design was deliberate, probably to accommodate the bulky nature of the equipment.
There were both ordinary and flashy items, but the woman pointed to the corner, where some items seemed to have collected quite a bit of dust.
“Take a look over there. Lower-rank items don’t sell well in the workshop.”
Perhaps she knew it wasn’t a lucrative business dealing with customers like him.
Initially unkind, now she seemed to have completely dismissed any interest.
For Jeonghyun, it was not a bad thing, as he could comfortably examine the products.
“Hmm… Tandan Orc Leather? Even this level is acceptable.”
He picked up a noticeable armor, examining it carefully.
The Tandan Orc Leather seemed slightly inferior to the Lobe Orc leather armor he saw on online shopping, but it was still decent.
The weight was light, and the texture was soft, making it a popular choice even for those who didn’t specifically seek Lobe Orc.
“How much for a set of this?”
Jeonghyun asked the woman, showing her the armor.
She glanced at it and replied, “Originally 15 million (around 11,400 USD), but since it’s been here for a while, I’ll give it to you for 12 Million (around 9,100 USD).”
Certainly, the price was reasonable.
Considering that a Lobe orc armor on an online store was 170 million, the price here was not bad, even attractive.
Of course, one should not believe the merchant’s words blindly.
If he negotiated properly, he might get it for under 10 million.
There was no price tag attached, and if this was an overstock situation as the merchant claimed, the room for negotiation might be limited.
Still, should he buy it?
After a moment of contemplation, Jeonghyun shook his head and returned the armor to its original place.
“It’s still too much.”
Leather items required periodic maintenance.
However, this item seemed to have never been treated since its creation.
Compared to the equipment Cheolyong showed him at the rental center, it was slightly better.
But it was left untreated for so long that it might have rusted if neglected a bit more.
After a brief greeting, Jeonghyun left the store.
The owner didn’t seem interested in pursuing any further.
“I have a sense of what it’s like now.”
Originally, it wasn’t a market targeting low-level hunters.
At first glance, the quality of the products seemed impressive, and perhaps the craftsmanship could be appropriately described as ‘masterful,’ as seen in the comments.
Naturally, the focus was on high-level hunters, especially those who didn’t just walk in but placed orders, indicating the possibility of a business centered around custom-made items.
As if supporting Jeonghyun’s speculation, the signs of each shop invariably included the phrase ‘custom-made.’
“No wonder the association workshop is seen in bad light.”
Even seemingly ordinary owners might actually be quite wealthy.
Jeonghyun, who look like a newbie hunter, didn’t need to worry about drawing attention.
Still, he decided to explore the workshop a bit more.
In any market, there’s bound to be at least one store that feels like a hidden treasure.
Somewhere, there must be a place that properly manages even low-level hunter products and offers them at reasonable prices.
As Jeonghyun walked for a while…
“Oh?”
His gaze was fixed on one store.
– No. 33 Supreme Forge
“What’s this name?”
It was a sign that couldn’t help but catch one’s eye.
Typically, it might be the name of the owner or a family name. Or at most, it would be ‘original’ or ‘best.’
But ‘Supreme’? That’s practically a challenge.
Moreover, the person guarding the store seemed to be a woman around Jeonghyun’s age.
“I can’t ignore this.”
At that moment, Jeonghyun understood why MyTV videos use so many provocative thumbnails. Regardless of the actual content, he had no choice but to click on it at least once.
“Welcome!”
Even her response was different from the few other stores Jeonghyun had visited. Normally, upon seeing Jeonghyun’s shabby appearance, there would be a faintly disappointed look, but this woman nodded her head enthusiastically, as if feeling quite pleased.
‘What’s this?’
Jeonghyun was even more confused.
Perhaps she was here to help her grandfather or grandmother, or maybe she was assisting her parents with the shop. Such occurrences were common in markets.
However, as Jeonghyun absentmindedly glanced at her hands, he was a bit surprised.
Her calloused hands were quite sturdy.
‘It’s not just helping with business, is it?’
With a slight adjustment to his thoughts, Jeonghyun asked, “Have you been doing this for long?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“Because the leather handling isn’t done properly.”
“What did you say?”
Her face turned bright red in an instant.
Clearly, she took great pride in her crafted items.
Well, that wasn’t a bad thing. After all, who would trust their life to equipment made by someone who they didn’t believe in?
However, recognizing the flaws was just as important.
While the products in the previous stores may not have pleased Jeonghyun aesthetically, the quality itself was impeccable.
This time, it was the opposite.
Jeonghyun, who had learned the basics of equipment crafting in the workshop, could even spot the flaws.
If she didn’t address the issues and just continued explaining, it wouldn’t suit a store named ‘Supreme.’
“Most of the leather has been over-tanned. Additionally, the edge coating is excessive, and the finish is not uniform…”
Listening to Jeonghyun’s words, the woman’s face seemed on the verge of exploding.
Not only was he a new customer who unexpectedly pointed out such issues directly, but it seemed like he wasn’t the first one to deliver such comments.
“Are you not going to buy it then-”
“Hahaha, the young man knows a thing or two about equipment.”
Just before the woman could chase Jeonghyun away, an elderly man appeared from inside the store.
Only then did Jeonghyun begin to understand why the store was named ‘Supreme.’
With long, tied-up hair reminiscent of a martial arts novel, deep and clear eyes, and even a traditional robe with dragon-pattern embroidery.
‘Is he really a supreme master?’
Jeonghyun had a strong intuition that this person was someone awesome.
