The Ten Thousand Gods Guild (I'll shorten it to TTG Guild) headquarters is located in the middle of a wide valley surrounded by five mountains.
It's not too far from the city, but it's not easy to access either. Sometimes golfers who use the nearby golf course see it.
Until recently, it was contaminated by miasma and some roads were blocked.
Recently, the Shrine of the Goddess of Life and Abundance was built and the TTG Guild headquarters moved in, so some hunters and related people visited.
But lately, the TTG Guild headquarters has become quite a hot place. Mostly thanks to hunters and tourists who watch them.
"Yes, number 59! Mr. Han Jin-soo, an A-class hunter from the Matrix Guild!"
At the entrance of the headquarters a burly man walks up from the front of the line.
Han Jin-soo, famous for being an iron wall tanker, had muscles and was over 2m tall.
Ha-ri swallowed her saliva as she saw the huge Han Jin-soo casting a shadow and carefully handed him the microphone.
"Mr. Han Jin-soo! How do you feel as a challenger?"
"What do you mean how do I feel? Can I really take this hammer if I lift it?"
Han Jin-soo's eyes were on the big one-handed hammer. All the challengers looked at it with greedy eyes and tourists were filming it, wondering if it would succeed this time.
If he's such a powerful hunter, he might be able to lift that hammer that looks a bit heavy…
No, but no hunter has been able to lift that hammer so far. It was because the hammer was so heavy that even the self-proclaimed hunters couldn't lift it.
But Han Jin-soo overlapped his palms on the handle of the hammer and grinned.
'I have a unique skill
As soon as he activated his unique skill, Han Jin-soo tried to lift the hammer lightly. But…
"Huh?"
It doesn't budge. Even though he reduced the weight of the hammer to almost 0 kg with weight conversion, the hammer didn't move as if it was stuck to the ground.
"If you can't do it, move on quickly. There are a lot of people waiting."
"No, not yet!"
Han Jin-soo now pulled the hammer with all his strength. He squeezed out all his strength from his feet to his milk-drinking strength.
But in the end, the hammer didn't budge at all, and neither did anyone else.
This whole situation goes back to a week ago.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! It's a big deal!"
On his way to have lunch with Beatrice, Ha-ri ran up with Kim Jin-soo.
"Tsk, don't be rude. How can a maid act so lightly."
"That's sexist… Anyway! It's a big deal!"
"What's going on?"
When Leon asked with a faint sigh, Ha-ri quickly reported the situation.
"Georgic hammer disappeared from the warehouse!"
"The hammer is gone?"
"Yes! I went in with Mr. Kim Jin-soo today and it suddenly disappeared… It must have been stolen!"
"That can't be."
"Uh… But it really disappeared?"
"That hammer can't be held by anyone who isn't qualified. If it disappeared, it wasn't theft by necessity, but something the hammer decided for itself."
"…"
Does that make sense? Ha-ri swallowed the question that was about to come out of her mouth.
Yeah, whatever this person says, it makes sense. Even if not, there's no need to get scolded by picking a fight.
"I feel the energy close by. Let's go that way."
Leon took the lead and Ha-ri and the Queen followed.
Surprisingly, the hammer that had disappeared was in the middle of the TTG Guild building.
"What is this?"
"I don't know, it doesn't budge."
"Who brought it here?"
The hammer in the middle of the training ground attracted the attention of the trainees and cadets.
It's inevitable that it would catch your eye even if you don't like it when it's there.
"What is the intention of this?"
Leon stared at the holy hammer stuck in the ground. The hammer that didn't budge even when the cadets grabbed it was easily lifted up by Leon's hand.
But that was only for a moment. The hammer moved by itself as if drawn by a magnet and soon escaped from Leon's hand and stuck back to the ground.
"Oh my~ It's a hammer with a strong self-expression."
"…It seems to have something it wishes for."
Ha-ri chuckled at Leon's guess.
"Does the hammer have a will?"
"Sometimes they do if they are holy relics. Especially if they have been with a saint for a long time, they become temperamental."
Holy relics are objects that have been touched by a saint and blessed by him. Especially the weapons of the Holy Knights have both blessing (holy) and star energy (star).
The holy relics exposed to the most high-dimensional energy in the world sometimes have their own will. It can be called egoization.
"However, I didn't feel such a will when I fought with Georgic."
Leon remembered Georgic declaration before handing over this hammer.
「I swear allegiance to the Lionheart King and receive Demera's recognition! Through this hammer, you will inherit Georgic power!!」
It was an oath he made with his soul. It is no exaggeration to say that this hammer contains the will of a Holy Knight.
That is, the hammer wants to fulfill Georgic oath.
"I see. You want me to find you a master."
Leon snickered and threw the hammer behind him.
"Leave it alone. And let the Association know."
"What should I tell them?"
"Whoever holds the hammer, I'll give them this hammer no matter who they are."
Leon's declaration was immediately conveyed to the Association through Ha-ri.
[Is it a reward item for clearing the gate?]
"It's a little different."
[Wait. I'll send an appraiser first.]
The appraiser sent by the Association examined the immovable hammer and screamed in less than 10 seconds.
"Waaaaaah! What is this!!"
"Why, why are you like that?!"
The employee sent as an appraiser, Lee Chan-soo, trembled as if he couldn't believe what he saw.
"Eh, epic…!"
"Epic?!" After the Great Cataclysm, items were classified into normal, rare, unique and legendary.
Basically, fine products made by blacksmiths called master craftsmen are unique. Legendary items are made with countless resources and painstaking efforts.
Legendary items are usually made by a fate-like luck of one in ten million.
The probability is so astronomical that usually legendary items are dropped items from gates.
But there were items called 'epic' in 30 years of history.
The Heavenly Demon's Breaking Heaven Sword, the owner of the Ten Thousand Mountains of the Continent.
The staff of the founder of the World Magic Tower and the Twelve Rings that are said to open up heaven and earth.
The heart of the Frost Queen who is still swallowing and expanding Siberia.
The wandering magic sword that wanders around the world after the Black Gate London incident.
The criterion for classifying epic items is simple.
This item has such a powerful force that it can shake the situation of the battlefield. There was no gate capture that failed with epic items mobilized so far.
Epic items were extraordinary items that overturned common sense, so much so that national efforts were added when epic items appeared.
And now such an epic item was in front of Lee Chan-soo.
"Are you, really? Do you really just give it to me if I just hold it? Is that really true?"
"Uh, um … yes. That will … be?"
Ha-ri, who couldn't even imagine that the hammer in front of her was an epic item, blinked her eyes and wondered if she should get confirmation from Leon right now──
"That's right. Whoever holds that hammer will be the owner of the hammer."
"Your Majesty, this hammer is worth a lot. Look at this!"
Lee Chan-soo organized the ability table he had organized.
[Georgic One-Handed Hammer]
◆ Grade: Epic
◆ Details
It is a sacred hammer (聖槌) blessed by Georgic, the Holy Knight of Demera, the goddess of life and abundance.
Core of Faith: Receive divine power directly from Demera.
Perfect Vitality: You don't get tired.
Goddess's Blessing: Defense increases by 400% while standing on the ground. Recovery increases by 300%. Defense 200%, recovery 150% are applied to all subordinate legions.
Saintization: Implement holy laws according to faith and divine power.
Emotionless: Georgic's──────
Emotionless: Existence of────────
"Huhuk...."
Ha-ri glanced at him and made a strange tongue sound. This is because she had never seen such absurd abilities but Leon's choice did not change.
This news was soon made public through the Association──
[The first in Korea and the third epic item in Asia revealed at TTG Guild headquarters. Anyone can take it.]
The reason why so many challengers flocked was because of this.
****
"Heheh, is this the place?"
"Let's see the epic item!"
The first to visit the headquarters after Georgic hammer was featured was a small and medium-sized hunter guild nearby.
A shocking condition that anyone can take as long as they can carry it.
The hunters who were greedy for the epic item put everything aside and entered TTG Guild.
The moment they tried to enter the TTG Guild headquarters──
-Squeak
They came face to face with the Yacht Spinner guarding the entrance
"Ya, Yacht Spinner?!"
The nightmare of Cheongju Gate and the killing machine, who annihilated numerous attack teams, is a survivor as famous as Leon.
Even if its size has shrunk now, they can't help but panic when there is a killing machine estimated to be S-class or higher in front of them.
"What, what?"
-Hammer challenger?
"That's right."
-Welcome.
"Tha, thank you."
The hunters were awkward by the softer response than expected from this killing machine and tried to enter the headquarters.
But at that moment, a fierce wire whip slammed down in front of them with a bang!
"Why, why why?!"
-Entrance fee.
"Huh?"
-Entrance fee.
When repeated twice, the hunters also understood Yappy words.
"No, what entrance fee do you mean....?"
"I didn't hear that...."
-Decided today.
Yappy mechanical legs lifted slightly and pointed to a big sign.
[Sanctuary Entrance Fee Hunter: 5 million won. Civilian: 500,000 won.]
"Expensive...."
"No, why are we 5 million won when civilians are 500,000 won!"
-Civilian viewing. Hunter challenge. Additional cost of managing relics.
They couldn't turn back here either. In fact, considering the value of an epic item, 5 million won was nothing, so the hunters opened their wallets reluctantly.
"...Is five-star pay possible?"
-Account transfer is possible.
After paying the expensive entrance fee and entering, the hunters met Han Ha-ri who was waiting.
"Welcome, hunters! I'm Han Ha-ri, the deputy of the management department 3 of the Korean Hunter Association!"
Ha-ri, dressed in a cool outfit, greeted the hunters with a bright smile. They were impressed by the fact that last year's rookie came to meet them, but they also wanted to see the relic as soon as possible.
"Where is Georgic hammer? I want to see the real thing quickly."
"Hey! Be careful with your expression!"
"Huh?"
Ha-ri pointed out with a fuss as the hunter looked puzzled.
"It's 'sir' Georgic. You have to use honorifics when you call the names of noble people here!"
"???"
It's an item.
But when in Rome, do as the Romans do. It was a well-known fact that Leon, the knight king of the otherworld, had a crazy personality.
The hunters coughed and corrected their names.
"I want to challenge 'sir' Georgic hammer…"
"Before that! Let's go to the altar and pray first!"
"…What?"
The place they followed Ha-ri's incomprehensible guide was the altar of the TTG Guild, which was separately arranged in the TTG Guild office building.
There are altars of Demera, the goddess of life and abundance, who is the object of faith for farmers, and altars of TTG Guild gods separately.
The altar is not so grand, and it looks like a temporary altar until a proper temple is built.
-Squeak
"It's here again."
Yappy showed up. The mechanical spider that went back and forth between the altars stood in front of the hunters who had been ripped off by 5 million won each.
-Bow down. Bow down to the gods of the TTG Guild.
"Uh, um…"
The hunters glanced at Yappy and reluctantly bowed down. They wondered if they had to bow down to each god's altar, but it seemed to be enough once.
-Will you pay tribute?
"No, what do you want me to pay again…?"
-You don't have to.
It seemed like Yappy would force them to pay something, but he answered coolly and the hunters hesitated for a moment and refused to pay tribute.
Some of them were Christians and even refused to bow down at the altar.
The place they barely entered was the closed and moved old training ground site. As soon as they entered there, the hunters felt an unknown energy wrap around them.
"Oh, oh…"
"What is this? What is this energy…?"
It was a warm and soft energy. It made their whole body feel alive, their mind clear, and their vision clear.
They quickly realized what caused this mysterious experience.
"It's the energy flowing from the hammer…"
"Just by being there, this energy flows out…"
"It's an epic item after all…!"
The hunters who were exposed to the hammer's energy felt that it was worth 5 million won just for this.
"Here! This hammer is 'sir' Georgic hammer! Would you like to try it first, hunter Kim Ho-yeol?"
The hunter who was called by Ha-ri swallowed his saliva and approached the hammer. He was a Christian and a devout believer who refused to bow down at the altar just before.
"Then I'll try it──"
It was the moment he grabbed the hammer.
-Zap!
"Aargh!!"
Kim Ho-yeol was bounced off by the energy generated from the hammer handle.
"Wha, what!"
"Energy from the hammer?!"
The hunters supported Kim Ho-yeol who bounced off and looked at the energy swirling from the hammer. The fierce growling energy was evidence that the hammer rejected Kim Ho-yeol.
"The hammer does such things?"
"Oh, I forgot to warn you. If you are not qualified…it rejects you like that."
"Disqualified? You should have told me that earlier!"
The hunters asked her, but Ha-ri had nothing to say.
"There is no… standard. It's just up to the hammer."
What do you want me to do about it when the hammer does that?
"Damn! I'll try it this time!"
The one who stepped forward was a giant hunter. Tanker-type hunters are big, but he was among the muscular ones. And as he wore heavy armor and a shield, he was confident in his strength.
Fortunately, the hammer did not bounce him off like the previous hunter. He, an atheist, grabbed the handle of the hammer and tried to lift it up in one breath.
"Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!"
But the hammer did not budge at all. It was too heavy, as if thousands of tons of iron were compressed.
"Kraah! Damn it!"
After that, several hunters challenged. There were some who bounced off completely, but most of them passed until they grabbed the handle. But that was it. No one could move the hammer even 1mm.
As the fallen hunters gasped and sweated, Yapppy approached.
"What, what?"
-Will you pay tribute?
Why do you want me to pay tribute again? The hunters frowned, but one hunter's eyes sparkled.
"The relic of God… Yeah, that's it!"
The hunter approached Yapppy and paid about 10 million won in tribute by bank transfer. And he grabbed the hammer and──
-Creak!
The hammer that didn't budge at all moved 0.05mm…for a very short moment.
"Huh?"
"What?"
"He just moved… He couldn't move it at all before…"
Did he move because he paid tribute?
Everyone's eyes turned to Yappy.
-TTG altar temple construction tribute received.
Everyone took out bundles of money.
Yappy analyzed the activation of the commercial area of various religious sites by big data through a series of processes.
-The hammer makes money.
"'Sir' Yappy, is this really okay? Isn't this blasphemy?"
Ha-ri asked with a worried expression, but Yappy calmly answered.
-Questioning my efficient asset management skills with the intellectual abilities of insignificant organic matter? You just have to do as I plan.
Ha-ri read the plans that Yappy printed out in an instant.
"…Providing health promotion seats with exposure to the sacred power of the hammer?"
-Attracting general visitors. Activating the surrounding commercial area.
"Providing blessed crops to visitors and forcing tribute…"
-'Voluntary' tribute.
"Using hunters as labor under the pretext of faith promotion?!"
-Labor activity with physical training. Efficient.
"How are you going to pay them?"
-Why pay trainees? Provide meals, sleeping places, cooking, and necessities.
"No, 'sir' Yappy…There is a noble law called labor law in the world…"
-Trainees registered as interns. Interns can be paid below minimum wage.
"I've never seen you pay even a little money?!"
-'Voluntary donation' recovered. If you don't like it, leave.
"Cruel…"
The plan of Yappy, the financial manager of TTG Guild, was just beginning.