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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 007
Chapter Title: No Limits to Customizing (4)
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Clap, clap, clap—.
"Excellent. You catch on so quickly."
Kim Gunja scratched his head, embarrassed by Austin's praise.
How long had it been since he'd received such straightforward compliments?
Probably not since he started working in society.
Back then, not getting chewed out was a blessing.
"Nah, it's not that big a deal…."
So it was only natural that the corners of his mouth turned up automatically.
His compliment immunity had died off ages ago.
Especially when it came from a beauty like her, complete with enthusiastic applause.
"That covers the overall explanation. Any additional questions?"
Austin's question snapped Kim Gunja out of his grinning daze.
'…This isn't the time.'
He calmly reviewed what she'd explained.
—Complete the [Daily Quest] to earn [Points].
—Points can be used for [Material Purchases], [Customizing], and [Room Upgrades].
There were plenty of details, but the core framework boiled down to that.
Upgrading the Customizing Room raised material grades, diversified point-earning methods, and unlocked [Special Quests] and [Emergency Quests] beyond dailies—but none of that mattered right now.
Having sorted his thoughts, Kim Gunja spoke up.
"Nah, that's plenty. Mind showing me the materials for customizing?"
He decided to drop the formal speech.
Part of it was that her explanations had eased his wariness, but mostly because Austin herself had insisted on it strongly.
"Of course."
Austin smiled brightly and snapped her fingers—click—
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Customizing Room Lv1 confirmed.] [Browsing 1st-floor materials.] [First open. 10 Points awarded.]
With the alert, the wall behind Kim Gunja rotated, revealing hidden compartments.
Ten cylindrical glass containers lined up neatly on the wall's shelves, each holding something inside.
As his gaze fell on them, brief hologram windows popped up above each one.
[Poison Goblin Salivary Gland: 110 P]
Inflicts a mild paralysis effect with saliva. [Old Orc Tendon: 70 P]
Slightly enhances muscle strength. [Sand Snake Gallbladder: 120 P]
Mildly neutralizes bodily toxins.
Nothing on the level of that first perk's premium materials.
"All pretty mid-tier stuff, huh."
With the Customizing Room still at Lv1, most were like this.
He didn't have enough points to buy any anyway.
Still, Kim Gunja took his time, meticulously checking and memorizing each one.
For planning his future customizing sequence and details.
'…That should do it.'
Once he'd gotten a rough overview and heard enough explanations, he was about to claim his daily quest and leave—then paused.
—You know that, right? That uncle's body and mana balance are a total mess. It's not something training can fix.
—Give up. Becoming a Hunter's impossible.
Sin Yeji of the Demon Eye.
Her words resurfaced.
He couldn't buy materials yet, but there was one thing he wanted to test.
If it worked…
It was worth a shot.
"Austin."
At his call, Austin asked as if reading his mind.
"Shall we customize?"
"Yeah."
She snapped her fingers again, and a hologram of Kim Gunja's body appeared.
"So, customizing this applies the changes to my real body, right?"
"Yes, Master. Exactly."
Austin smiled and handed him a single glove dotted with countless black spots on its surface.
"As I mentioned…."
"I know. From now on, I do the customizing myself."
He took the glove, slipped it on, and an alert rang out.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Customizing Gloves activated.] [No materials selected.]
Of course—no materials bought yet.
As instructed, he stood before the hologram and voiced his request.
"Using Ma Ilcheon's right arm as the baseline, can you perfectly match the balance of mana and body in all other parts to it?"
He said it straight, though doubt lingered.
Was this even possible…?
A window appeared over the hologram at his command.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Target: Ma Ilcheon's Right Arm S][Request: Perfect Balance] [Calculating...]
[Customizing Room level insufficient!]
[Customizing Points insufficient!]
[Master's Customizing level critically low!]
[Customizing impossible!]
'As expected… Wait.'
He recalled Austin saying points required varied by adjustment degree.
With a sliver of hope, he tweaked the request.
"Then, within my current point limit?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Remaining Points: 10 Points] [Calculating...] [0.0002% adjustment possible. Apply?]
Kim Gunja swallowed dryly as the positive alert appeared.
His shoulders trembled.
It was possible.
The Customizing Room offered a path forward where even Sin Yeji with her Demon Eye had urged surrender.
As if mocking her verdict.
"…Apply."
He briefly considered saving points but decided to experience it firsthand.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Applied.]
Blue lines—likely mana circuits—sharpened on the hologram.
White and black dots appeared over them.
"…Amazing."
He wiggled a finger, and one dot he'd focused on reacted sensitively.
The mana circuit there twisted slightly, then snapped back.
His body shivered.
A bizarre sensation, like performing surgery on himself.
Far more immersive than any mouse; his palms grew slick.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Customizing results vary greatly by procedure judgment.] [Judgments range from F to SSS rank.] [D or lower judgments risk damaging existing body, reducing function.]
"Master, there's no time limit on customizing. Please… proceed with caution."
Her sincere tone made Kim Gunja nod.
Then he recalled her first demo: handling Ma Ilcheon's premium right arm at invisible speeds.
'Incredible.'
Yet even as he thought that, a spark of rivalry ignited in his chest.
Customizing.
Had he ever yielded to anyone in his life?
Never.
Not once, to anyone.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Customizing commenced!] Material: —Performer: Master [Customizing Lv. 1]
His hand moved slowly, cautiously at first.
⚔ SUCCESS ⚔ [Mana Circuit #1 perfectly adjusted!] ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Customizing proficiency increased!]
But soon, his speed picked up. As if competing against an invisible foe.
⚔ SUCCESS ⚔ [Mana Circuit #7 perfectly adjusted!] ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Customizing proficiency increased!]
Each perfect adjustment of tough sections demanding fine control deepened the smile on his face.
Watching from the side, puzzlement crossed Austin's features.
Previous Masters always recoiled at customizing.
Its complexity and sheer workload.
Always.
Customizing was never easy or fun.
So why?
Why was this Master grinning so brightly?
As if customizing itself was pure joy.
'With this one, maybe….'
A faint hope flickered in Austin's eyes as she watched him.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Outside the Mana Training Room, Park Chunduk waited for Kim Gunja—locked in battle with an ambush.
"Hey, kid. I'm older than you—talk like that, and what does that make me?"
Sin Yeji's lips puffed out at his words.
"You know I'm super disappointed in you right now, right?"
"W-what?"
The shocking words from his sweet niece made his voice quiver involuntarily.
"You know that uncle's body isn't normal. His physical and mana balance is a total wreck! I've never seen an Awakener like that. And he's D-rank with Mana Exhaustion? You know Mana Exhaustion is the step right before mana rampage! How could you try to train someone like that…!"
The usually obedient girl snapping made even the great Park Chunduk flush red.
But he couldn't blab about Kim Gunja's unique trait.
It was maddening.
"You brat! You don't know the full story…!"
"What story? I really admired and respected you! That's why I planned to take the Hunter license exam as your academy student! But…! Ugh…."
Sin Yeji was truly disappointed in her uncle.
Training an Awakener like a ticking time bomb?
No matter the friend's request, that crossed the line.
Uncle kept dodging with excuses, but her Demon Eye couldn't be fooled.
'No way. A Hunter with that body? Insane!'
She wouldn't back down.
No—she steeled herself further.
If Uncle and that guy kept pushing training, she'd stop them by force if needed.
'No circumstance outweighs human life…!'
And it was for Uncle's sake too.
A mana rampage during training could shut the academy down for good.
She was lost in those thoughts when—
"Whew, bro. Fighting with a kid like a grown man."
Kim Gunja.
That uncle's voice.
Sin Yeji whipped her head around.
She'd resolved to speak even more bluntly this time.
But—
"N-no way!"
She shrieked in shock.
It was that staggering.
An earthquake hit Sin Yeji's pupils as she stared at Kim Gunja.
In disbelief.
'I-it's better. Really slight, but his mana circuits are more balanced than before!'
Demon Eye and genius memory.
A change no one but her could've spotted.
But she knew exactly how absurd this was.
Mana circuits.
To Awakeners, they were like immutable heavenly fate.
Fixed at awakening, beyond will.
Like a porcelain bowl—once shaped, unchangeable.
Unless shattering it via reawakening.
Yet here was someone defying that.
Reshaping a fired bowl without breaking it.
"H-how…?"
Sin Yeji gaped, unable to close her mouth.
Kim Gunja flashed a grin.
"Beats me? Did it 'cause I'm good?"
"G-good?"
He could only laugh at her baffled expression.
In a world where skill made anything possible.
That was customizing's domain.
No limits or impossibilities in customizing.
'Everything… as I desire.'
His smile deepened, brimming with near-infinite potential.
Sin Yeji, watching him, grew even more perplexed.
As if beholding an incomprehensible monster.