SWNOVELXO chapter 24
-Hey, sorry I didn’t reply yesterday.
Kim Daeseok called me the day after I joined EveningGlow. I was lacing up my sneakers to head out for my part-time job when I picked up.
-We were grinding late as hell last night.
“You’re really living it up on break, huh.”
-It wasn’t my fault! Taeseong brought over some girl he’s friends with and introduced me!
Taeseong? That idiot who blows off exams to drink himself stupid? I asked dryly.
“So? How’d it go with the girl?”
-…We decided to just be good friends. She’s nice.
Figures. That’s what I expected.
-Ahem. Anyway, about what you asked.
At his awkward throat-clearing, I remembered the staff I lost yesterday.
The weapon with Lux 2.0 slapped on it. The Fever guildmaster made it sound pricey as hell.
-What staff was it?
“Solice +4.”
-Oh, damn, that thing’s gotta be expensive. You buying one?
“No, not buying…”
I sighed, rubbing my forehead as fatigue washed over me. Of course it went like this.
“I got it stolen.”
-Huh? Stolen? What?
“My Lux 2.0 Solice +4 Staff. It got jacked.”
-What the hell?
Kim Daeseok sounded dumbfounded, clearly not processing.
-Why the hell did you even have that thing?
“Got it. Gift.”
-Wait, what? From who? You serious?
“…There’s someone who gives me stuff like that.”
-Don’t tell me… EveningGlow’s guildmaster?
“……”
Didn’t even need to answer. The silence spelled it out.
-Wow… that’s… yeah, alright…
“Just tell me how expensive it actually is.”
-I mean, it’s not endgame level or anything, but yeah, it’s pricey. I don’t know Mage gear that well, but… probably like 1.6 billion?
1.6 billion? So, like, 1.6 million won in real cash?
-Could be more now. Prices keep shifting, and Lux stuff only goes up with time.
Jesus. So I’ve been lugging around a 1.6 million won weapon without even hitting max level yet?
-The reason it’s crazy expensive is how hard it is to make. You need an item called Light’s Erg to boost Lux, and that only drops during events.
“Only events?”
-Yep. Lux 1.0’s cheap. Regular weapon crafting has a random chance to roll a Lux 1.0 staff. But Lux 2.0? You need Erg, and the success rate’s garbage. Like 5% or 6%.
“Pretty low odds.”
-Yeah, and Erg only drops during events, so it’s even harder to hit.
I thought back to when Yoo Chae dumped that Solice staff on me. I remembered checking the auction house—Lux 1.0 +4 Luna Staffs were going for 5k gold.
Really need to fix this habit of just brushing stuff off. But while I was thinking, something clicked, and I frowned.
“Wait a sec. If upgrading it’s that hard, why did the staff’s tooltip say nothing? It just said Lux 2.0, that’s it.”
-Lux is a hidden base enhancement, probably. But it’s busted as hell. If you stack buffs after Lux, your boost multipliers are at least 1.5x higher than normal.
“That’s ridiculous.”
-And Solice staffs are already pricey. Stack those two, and it’s easily worth more than most. I don’t know the exact buff math—might wanna hop on Zenoris later and ask the guild.
“No, I’ll figure the rest out myself.”
I got the basics. I’d wring the details out of that bastard Yoo Chae later for throwing that monster weapon at me and acting clueless.
-So how’d you even lose it? Drop it during PvP?
I gave him the short version of what happened yesterday. Kim Daeseok listened, then sounded exasperated.
-Damn, your luck is pure garbage. Why «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» do you always end up in this crap?
“Beats me.”
-But hey, you’re not quitting, right? You tanked through EveningGlow’s drama already. Think about that starter pack I bought you!
“Shut it. I’m heading to work. Hanging up.”
I ended the call without hesitation, mind drifting back to the staff. 1.6 million won, huh? And boosted, it gets even crazier.
‘…Honestly? Kinda worth it.’
Screw CottonCandyFox or whatever. Time to grind raids, hit max level, and take back my gorgeous, beloved, overpriced staff.
After my shift and a workout, I got home, showered, and logged into Zenoris. The moment the
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hyung!
[Guild] Yoo Chae: You’re here?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hyung hyung!!
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Wanna raid with me today?
What is he, a dog begging for a walk…?
[Guild] MochaBbang: Can I leave the guild
[Guild] MochaBbang: I’ll come back after the tourney ㅋㅋ
[Guild] SpicyCrabPlz: After the tourney
[Guild] SpicyCrabPlz: You predicting Sleepy-hyung’s quitting?
[Guild] Haerun: Sleepy-hyung hihihi
[Guild] Yoo Chae: ?
[Guild] MochaBbang: Haha no way~
[Guild] MochaBbang: Loyalty loyalty ^^7
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: hihihi
[Guild] ImSoSleepy: Heya
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: You raiding?
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: New recruit’s logging in soon
[Guild] ImSoSleepy: If it’s Seltern Normal, I’m in
[Guild] ImSoSleepy: But
[Guild] ImSoSleepy: I know jack shit so you gotta explain
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: Ok ok
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: It’s easy if we run Discord
[Guild] MeLostInHunt: Seltern Norm? Got room?
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Count me in, bored as hellㅠ
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hyung
[Guild] Yoo Chae: I’m coming too, right? Hyung?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hyung, I’m obviously coming with, right?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hyung?
[Guild] ImSoSleepy: Enough already;
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Okay heheㅡㅎ
Annoying bastard. After finishing my gear check, I asked DrinkWaterPlz:
[Guild] ImSoSleepy: When we heading out?
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: Dunno
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: 15 minutes?
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: Head to Seltern in the meantime
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: Soon as the newbie joins, we go
[Guild] ImSoSleepy: Ok ok
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hyung hyung
[Guild] Yoo Chae: I’m already outside the dungeon!!
[Guild] Haerun: Seltern’s 7-man, right?
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: First come first serve ㅋㅋ
[Guild] MeLostInHunt: I’m already at the gate lol
[Guild] SpicyCrabPlz: Damn, y’all fast as hell;
Quick-traveled to Seltern’s entrance, spotted guildies mingling among other players.
[Global] Yoo Chae: Hyung!
[Global] Yoo Chae: Come here!
That bastard Yoo Chae came running over, popped a party invite with a shy emote plastered on his character’s face. I clicked the [111111] party window above him.
[Party] Yoo Chae: Hehehehehe
[Party] MeLostInHunt: Sleepy-hyung hey
[Party] Haerun: Hihihi
[Party] ParkSeungjin99: Just gotta wait for DrinkWater and the newbie now
Ignoring Yoo Chae spinning circles around me, I opened my inventory. My Lux 2.0 Solice Staff was gone, but I wasn’t weaponless.
I still had the Luna Staff that Fever’s mage dropped when I smoked him. It’s only +5, but decent enough. I equipped it.
[Party] Yoo Chae: Sleepy-hyung
[Party] Yoo Chae: Is that your new staff?
The second I equipped it, Yoo Chae clung to me with rapid-fire messages. I could practically picture him wagging his tail like some mutt.
[Party] Yoo Chae: Hyung hyung
[Party] Yoo Chae: That one upgraded?
[Party] Yoo Chae: Want me to inspect it for you?
[Party] MeLostInHunt: Guildmaster’s really throwing himself at him lmao
[Party] ParkSeungjin99: ㅋㅋ
[Party] ParkSeungjin99: Honestly not even surprising now
[Party] Haerun: Yeah;;
I ignored him, gripped my staff tight, and smacked it hard across Yoo Chae’s character’s head with a satisfying thwack.
[Party] Yoo Chae: ???
Idiot stood too close, ate the hit, and scrambled in shock.
[Party] Yoo Chae: Hyung?
[Party] ImSoSleepy: You need your ass beat, dumbass
[Party] Yoo Chae: Huh??
Kept whacking him with normal attacks. He took a few hits, then bolted, scrambling away.
Like hell I’m letting you run. I chased him down, smacking away.
[Party] Yoo Chae: Hyungㅠ.ㅠ
[Party] Yoo Chae: I’m hurt!
[Party] Yoo Chae: Hyeooongㅜㅜ
[Party] ImSoSleepy: Shut up
[Party] Yoo Chae: Sob..ㅜㅡㅜ
Hurt? Bullshit. With our stat difference and me being a skill-damage mage, each hit only dinged him for 10, maybe 20 damage. I could slap him 200 times and still not kill him.
[Party] MeLostInHunt: Now they’re playing tag lol
[Party] Haerun: Just ignore ‘em and watch YouTube ㅋㅋ