A brief Q&A session followed.

"Your class?" Jeong Cheol inquired.

"No comment." While not essential for joining, the information would certainly be useful. The question was posed carefully—neither too forceful nor too hesitant—but Buja shook his head without a second's thought. "It's a class I'm not ready to reveal just yet."

Instead, he let an aura of mystery hang in the air, thick enough that even the least perceptive person would sense something unusual about him.

"Quite the bluff," Jeong Cheol remarked dryly. "Anyone would think you had a Legendary class." Of course, he was not the type to take such a display at face value. Even if Buja had claimed it outright, he would not have believed it without seeing the proof himself. After all, one of the first lessons players learned was an old, cynical adage:

'Never trust people. Especially not the words of a player. The Hologram doesn't lie.'

That was why information on top-rankers was almost exclusively based on the status windows they chose to make public—which usually only revealed their level and class. That, along with a record of their dungeon clears, was a player's most reliable resume. It was precisely why Jeong Cheol had met Buja's claim with skepticism. If you had the goods, you showed them, just as Seora had confidently presented the contract.

The intense gazes of both father and daughter bored into him. He shook his head once more.

"I ask for your understanding, but my class is not up for discussion."

He knew they would not broadcast the information, but if he had intended to go public, he would have done it on his own stream. When you decide to keep a secret, you do not make exceptions. Besides, withholding one's class was not considered rude or illicit in the player community.

Jeong Cheol and Seora did not press the issue. They knew they would soon be in the perfect position to observe his every move.

"I've scheduled your Unique Dungeon entry for three days from now, as you requested," Seora said, changing the subject. "The signing bonus will be deposited shortly."

With his level and class off the table, there was little else to discuss. The meeting concluded quickly.

"What are your plans for the next three days?" Seora asked as Buja stood, shook Jeong Cheol's hand one last time, and headed out of the guild headquarters.

His reply was concise.

"Shopping."

"Want some company? I'm bored." A curious glint appeared in her eyes as she drew a step closer.

Buja instinctively took a subtle step back. A woman running a guild of this magnitude did not get 'bored' enough to tag along on a new recruit's shopping spree. A player of her caliber could invent a thousand tasks to fill her time. While the thought of spending the day with her was not entirely unpleasant, he politely declined.

"Ever hear of the line between work and play, Ms. Jeong?"

'Pfft.' Seora could not help but laugh at his playful jab.

"Be careful. Treat your most ardent fan so carelessly, and you might just lose her."

"You have to maintain a little mystery to keep things interesting," he retorted with a shrug, turning to head home without another thought.

6.

[Balance: $ 2,402,112.34]

The money had been deposited while he was still talking with Jeong Cheol.

"God, look at that number." Staring at a sum of over 1.8 million dollars, an amount he had never dreamed of touching, he closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath. This was not a dream. This was his new reality. He knew he needed time to adjust to the whirlwind of changes that had occurred in the two weeks since his Awakening, but he refused to stand around like a slack-jawed fool.

'I expected this,' he told himself. 'This is what I planned for.'

This was just a fraction of the life he had imagined during his five long years of gaming. He had followed the dungeon news and scoured player communities, fully aware of the market's immense scale and the fortunes that could be made. The reason his heart was hammering against his ribs now was that his plans were materializing far faster and on a much grander scale than he had ever anticipated—all thanks to the single, game-changing ingredient of a Legendary class.

'Hoo.'

Tomorrow, he would move into a penthouse owned by the Jeong Cheol Guild. A luxury sports car, registered to the company, would be his to drive. These were fantasies he could not have even conceived of back when he was just a gamer. His bank balance alone was a figure he had rarely seen, even in virtual currency. He could not stop looking at it, feeling an urge to withdraw it all just to feel the weight of it in his hands.

But he forced himself to adapt. This was not the finish line. This was the starting gun.

He was still just a Level 1 rookie. A mountain of higher-level dungeons and more powerful players stood between him and the top.

He had to prove he was worth the investment. Seora's personal goodwill and curiosity may have sweetened the deal, but the contract was ultimately approved on the back of one concrete achievement: four solo clears of Epic Dungeons. He had to ensure they never regretted their decision.

The first step was to solo-clear a Unique Dungeon. And to do that, he was prepared to drain his new bank account.

"If only I could figure out these damn gloves and boots."

One nagging problem remained: his empty equipment slots. Beginner's Gloves and Boots. How could he get them? The only thing that came to mind was the daily attendance box, which usually spat out junk.

'Maybe I'll get lucky?' But pinning his hopes on that felt foolish. They were Epic-grade items. Even if they were in the loot table, the odds would be astronomical. He was about to give up.

'Do I really have to spend money on this?'

As a sigh began to form, he suddenly dropped to his knees. 'No.' The attendance box was just another gacha. And the most important factor in any gacha was luck. He had never been one to rely on chance, but now, things felt different.

'Even a 1% chance worked out for me.'

He began to pray, starting with the Lord's Prayer. "God. Buddha." He called out to every deity he could name.

[24:00:00]

The attendance reward box appeared right on cue. He opened it with trembling hands.

"Please, just one of them. Anything. If I get one, I swear I won't complain or curse, even if my next 1% enhancement fails."

He used to mock the players who prayed over their enhancements or wished for lucky drops. It was all just algorithms and manipulated rates. He knew better than to challenge probability itself; it was always cheaper in the long run to just buy what you needed.

But that was before it was real money on the line.

[Congratulations! You have obtained 'Beginner's Gloves'!]

[Congratulations! You have obtained 'Beginner's Boots'!]

God—or perhaps, the gods—had answered the desperate prayer of a cynic. Buja's gaze drifted toward the heavens.

* * *

He found himself back at the Dungeon Store. A smiling employee greeted him with the same practiced warmth, but this time, Buja asked to be guided to the accessories floor.

"I'm looking for a 1-star earring, necklace, and ring," he stated. "Epic Grade. My budget is around one and a half million dollars."

"Certainly, sir. What kind of stats are you looking for?"

"Defense or attack power, with a focus on melee attributes."

"Right this way to our luxury accessories floor."

His Wolf King's Ring had been appraised at roughly one hundred fifty thousand dollars, meaning it would sell for two hundred to two hundred thirty thousand. If he allocated four hundred sixty thousand to each of his three empty slots, he could afford gear with far better stats than he had initially hoped. It seemed divine intervention had been the most profitable part of his day.

[Beginner's Boots]

▶ Grade: Epic

▶ Defense +3

▶ Agility +1

▶ Movement Speed +5%

▷ 'Gold Maker Exclusive Equipment. Stats do not apply if worn by other players.'

▷ 'A lucky piece of equipment obtained from an attendance reward with a 0.1% chance. Your steps feel lighter. Foot fatigue is greatly reduced.'

▷ '[Hidden] Part of a 5-piece set. When all 5 pieces are equipped, the 'All Stats +3' effect is applied.'

[Beginner's Gloves]

▶ Grade: Epic

▶ Defense +3

▶ Strength +1

▷ 'Gold Maker Exclusive Equipment. Stats do not apply if worn by other players.'

▷ 'A lucky piece of equipment obtained from an attendance reward with a 0.1% chance. Your dexterity is slightly improved.'

▷ '[Hidden] Part of a 5-piece set. When all 5 pieces are equipped, the 'All Stats +3' effect is applied.'

A 0.1% chance had triggered twice in a row. The inscrutable world of probability made the lifelong atheist wonder, for a full three seconds, if there really was a god. Not only had he acquired Gold Maker exclusive equipment that could not be bought with money, but it also came with a hidden set bonus. After waking up and pinching himself three times to confirm he was not dreaming, Buja had strode into the Dungeon Store, shoulders squared and fully prepared.

"These are the Epic-grade accessories we currently have in stock, all with the stats you requested, sir. And over here, I've prepared a selection of Unique-grade pieces with similar attributes that also fall within your price range. Please, take your time."

All that was left was to choose.

* * *

Solo clears of Epic Dungeons, while rare, were not unheard of, especially five years after the Awakening. It was not an impossible feat for a new player backed by a major guild's training, decked out in high-grade gear, and able to pick a clear condition that favored their class. The real challenge was having all three at once: a powerful innate class, personal talent, and the immense capital to support it all.

That was why Buja's initial solo clears had not made major waves. His second, third, and fourth runs had been noted only by those in the know.

But this was different. This was a solo attempt on a Unique Dungeon.

Though the Jeong Cheol Guild had done no official promotion, the rumor had already spread like wildfire.

"Jeong Cheol Guild's attempting a 1-star Unique solo clear."

"Who's the runner?"

"No idea. Some newbie who soloed four 1-star Epics."

Most players lumped Normal, Rare, and Epic dungeons into the same general category—challenges that could be overcome with better gear, a decent class, and a solid party. Unique dungeons, however, were in a league of their own.

"A solo clear? Is that even possible for a 1-star?"

"Not impossible if you cheese the clear condition. It's been done before."

"Wasn't the last public solo a support-type Special class from that top US guild? Dude was literally wearing a fortune's worth of gear. And it was a survival objective."

The high degree of difficulty only fueled the public's interest, and some had even come to witness the attempt in person. Surrounded by a sea of curious eyes, the man of the hour stood before the dungeon gate.

"Nervous?" Seora asked as she handed him a magic backpack. It was an obvious question, but one she could not help but ask.

Buja nodded.

"I am."

It was a surprisingly human admission from the legendary gamer she had watched for five years. 'So, even for him, the uncharted territory of a Unique Dungeon is daunting,' she thought. Some in the crowd might even recognize him, turning this into his official debut as a player. This single run could define his entire career.

All she could do was offer her support.

She placed a hand gently on his shoulder, but before she could find the right words of encouragement, he spoke again.

"It's the first time I've ever spent enough money to buy an entire building on a single necklace," he said, his voice a low tremor. "Haah… They say it won't break or come loose easily, but I'm so anxious I can feel myself shaking. I just hope it doesn't fall off while I'm fighting."

Seora was left speechless.

Buja stroked the deceptively plain necklace at his throat. Leaving Seora to stare after him in utter disbelief, he turned and plunged headfirst through the shimmering gate.

* * *

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