One Man Army

Chapter 97 [Episode 50] Midas 2

“How can you help me?”

“Midas artisans will be able to get the materials they want as quickly and accurately as possible and we will also provide you with the information related to production technology through various routes. Of course, it’s not free. But I did not think to make money with it. The profit that I will get is only when I sell stuff made by your artisans.”

Large Golden mountain talked with confidence. And of course Outside Life was totally interested in his proposal.

“Although the exact information has never been disclosed, rumors say that Gold Mountain is a generous auction house. Among the top three in EL created by users, Gold Mountain is not a place that can be ignored, right? If you can help us in such a way… there would be nothing bad.”

Outside Life worked hard to run the numbers on his calculator.

And finally he concluded that the proposal is not a loss in any way to Midas.

“If you want it, I can note all the suggestions I have made and write it in scroll of oath. It’s good to be in an alliance, it’s also good to make a contract…. I just want to have the best possible relationship with Midas.”

Large Golden Mountain honestly spoke with all of his heart.

This was no lie and no exaggeration. In fact, the thing that Large Golden Mountain clearly wanted was a friendly relationship with Midas.

Indeed, Large Golden Mountain wanted to be tied into a contractual relationship through the scroll of oath.

That made things clear for each other. Although a person’s mind may change, the contract made in the scroll of oath could never change.

“So, do you want a mutual aid relationship?”

“I will supply all the material items needed by Midas as cheap as possible, but I want Midas to sell all items through me.”

“Do you want to monopolize it?”

“It would best if you let me to monopolize everything, but you don’t want to do that, do you?”

“Hmmm, maybe that’s a little…..”

Large Golden Mountain said what he wanted, but Outside Life also seemed unlikely to give him 100% monopoly.

“Ok, so I have some conditions and I want to monopolize the items that meets those conditions.”

“Conditions?”

“Yes, I am thinking about many things, though… I will tell you few of the conditions, such as the items with double plus or above or something you made through the production methods that I have provided, those things have to be sold only through us.”

“So, do you want to monopolize the advanced items?”

“Yes, the quantity may not be much, but if the premium items are sold well, you can make a big difference.”

“Yes, indeed.”

Outside Life nodded and agreed, but in fact he was thinking differently in his head.

“Double plus? It doesn’t come out easily though… And you said you’re going to find production methods for us? If it can be found that easily, we would not be going crazy trying every day to find a little hint of new methods.”

“What production method you are going to find without having an ancient knowledge of production…. Obviously, your understanding of the production content is less than I thought… I hope we will be able to get the benefits and the contracts.”

Outside Life thought it was a good opportunity.

As long as he only make the contracts that will benefit Midas as much as possible by using the low understanding of the other person of the production content, then he would no longer have to worry about material problems in the future and it seemed that he could concentrate on the production only.

But while he was thinking about it, Large Golden Mountain was laughing at him inside his head.

“I think you are thinking of me as an idiot, right? Even plus one item is very hard to make, but suddenly I said plus two….I talked about production methods that are very difficult to get as easy to procure as a skillbook….. I look like an idiot without any understanding of the production content. However, at this moment I might be the idiot, but after two or three months, the idiot would be you and not me.”

The conditions presented by Large Golden Mountain were clearly nonsense conditions at this moment. But as the time goes by, these conditions would be make sense.

When the artisans rank up and they become master level, the pluses starts to get better. Even at only the intermediate master level, if they make 10 pieces, approximately two items would have a double plus, and when an artisan becomes a higher rank master, 7 out of 10 would come out as double plus or more.

Because at this time there were only people at the beginning rank of master at the top of Midas, so if there were any pluses attached, most of them would have only one plus, but the situation would be completely different as the time goes by.

And in case of production method, there are quite a lot of ‘production methods’ already secured by Sang Hyuk. Sang Hyuk has always collected information related to ‘production series’ especially when he had no other tasks for Shadow Line, and as a result, he has already completed a number of production methods.

Anyway, a production method was a collection of information. Almost all users knew that they had to touch the material directly and gather the information through enlightenment to complete the production method but actually it was their misunderstanding. Even if they don’t have any knowledge of the production series, you can certainly make a production method just by fitting pieces of information related to production.

“It was really lucky. If only I was a little late, you were able to notice that the condition I presented was not the condition of an idiot…. I guess i just arrived at the right time.”

Large Golden Mountain kept in touch since yesterday and Sang Hyuk thought it was worthwhile.

“Good. After I check to the conditions and discuss it with the guild members, let’s sign the contract through the scroll of oath. When I look at it, I think everyone will be in favor, if it is the conditions you just mentioned.”

“Probably, you will not have any problems because of the conditions.”

Large Golden Mountain answered with a meaningful smile, but Outside Life could not tell the hidden meaning behind it.

* * * *

The contract was concluded just like eating a bean roasted by a lightning bolt (*done very quickly).Interestingly, it was Midas who hastened the contract, not Gold Mountain.

The reason for their hasty contracts was simple.

The terms of the contract were very good. There seemed to be no better contract terms possible.

Triple plus above, rare item. Double plus above, unique item.

One plus or more legendary item.

If a production method is obtained from Gold Mountain, then it would be all item created using that production method.

Large Golden Mountain’s condition were like this.

These conditions were very good condition for the Midas Guild members. Even the items made by the best users in Midas were very rarely Unique items (Double Plus).

The Rare item (Triple Plus) was the same level as the Unique item (Double Plus).*

However, the price in exchange was to save time on all kinds of materials.

For the production users, there was nothing as important but bothersome as getting the materials for production.

Of course, Midas users were unanimously in favor of the contract. But there was one part where they made a mistake in the scroll of oath.

That was the contract period, but Large Golden Mountain deliberately did not mention a single word about it. Is that so? On the MIdas side, nobody said anything about the contract period.

Therefore nothing related to the contract period was mentioned in the terms.

That was what Large Golden Mountain was looking for.

Scroll of Oath basically set the duration of the contract to ‘forever’ unless there is a ‘period’ mentioned. This fact is not familiar even to those who frequently use the scroll of oath.

Midas users rarely use scrolls of oath. Especially, the master of Midas Guild, Outside LIfe, has never used a scroll of oath even once.

So, he did not notice at all even when Large Golden Mountain had deliberately omitted the period.

Of course, Large Golden Mountain knew that scroll of oath will be forever maintained and he did not say anything about the period.

Moreover, Large Golden Mountain has made the subject of the contract as all users belonging to Midas Guild, not only the Guild Midas.

This means that even if Midas Guild were disbanded, all users belonged to Midas would still be bound to the scroll of oath.

When Outside Life signed on the scroll of oath, a message was sent to all Midas Guild asking ‘approve or decline’, and all of them agreed on it, so they could never deny this scroll of oath.

Even when a new guild member came in, they would get the notification asked for ‘approve or decline’, so even the new guild members could not escape from the scroll of oath.

Rejecting the scroll of oath would not look good, so it was clear that almost everyone new would agree and join the guild.

Anyway, with this, Large Golden Mountain was able to establish a definite contractual relationship with Midas.

Because it was Midas that was going to be a goose that lay the golden eggs in the future, so Large Golden Mountain could smile pleasantly. However, the thing that make Large Golden Mountain feel good was not only this thing.

“Nice to meet you. I am Large Golden Mountain.”

Surprisingly, the master of Midas Guild, Outside Life, introduced a jewelry artisan to Large Golden Mountain. The jewelry artisan, whom Outside Life introduced, was one of the best five artisans in Midas.

His grade was the beginner master.

Not that the master was a skilled player, but he was a master artisan, meaning that he could craft a set of ‘Flash of the Black Eye’.

“I am Diamond.”

The user’s name is Diamond. He looks like his name, a big man with a very solid body and eyes.

“Simply by your name, I know you are a jewelry artisan.”

Large Golden Mountain looked at Diamond closely to loosen the tension.

“I am concentrating on a task now, but….. I would appreciate it if you would simply tell me of the business matter.”

Production users often have the same character, stubborn and hard to compromise, and Diamond seemed to be just like that.

A style that focuses on one thing and stays alone.

Usually the users with this style is likely to be a success.

“Oh, I see. So let me just talk about the main subject. Maybe…. If you listen to the whole story, you will never regret having met me though I took your time.”

Large Golden mountain nodded and continued to speak.

“I have one of the finest jewelry craft production methods available that only a master jewelry artisan can use. I want to give it to Diamond and make one of it….. what do you think? Aren’t you interested in it? ”

When Large Golden Mountain finished his words, Diamond’s expression totally changed.

“The finest jewelry craft production method! Is there something like that?”

So far, Diamond has only found out a single production recipe with his own effort.

He had never thought that he could get production recipes elsewhere.

“Because I have said it, it surely exists. I am not a person who has the spare time to joke around, especially with someone who is obviously busy.”

“Now.. Can I see it now?”

Certainly Diamond was an obsessed jewelry artisan. With only a word about the finest jewelry craft production method, he seemed to have erased what he was already concentrating on from his head.

“Oh, before that you have to promise me one thing. This production method is the secret that only you and I know. Do not tell anyone about this production method. You should never talk about the things made through this production method and you should not make it for anyone else. If you keep your promise, I’ll give you the production method as well as all the ingredients you need to make it. Moreover, I will give you one million gold as the commission fee.”

Large Golden Mountain thought that if it is the time to use gold, he should use it. One million gold was certainly a large amount, but if he can get the ‘flash set’ and also get the secret protected, it was worth it.

Of course this promise was not only done verbally but accompanied by a scroll of oath, so this amount of gold must be given to the other party so they would not be burdened by the terms.

“Yes, I will accept all of it so can you show the production method to me at once?”

However, Diamond seemed to be much more obsessed with jewelry craftsmanship than Large Golden Mountain had originally thought.

Diamond who answered in one second without thinking.

If this is the case, it would be done even without mentioning one million gold or anything about money.

“Such a shame.”

When he heard it, he could not do anything about it. However, it was right to pay the production fee to secure the shackles.

Fortunately, Large Golden mountain was able to write the production method of the ‘Flash Set’ yesterday, and as a result, he was able to make these terms.

This was as pleasant as the contract with Midas.

Chapter 97 [Episode 50] Midas 2 – End

Editor’s Notes:  So far in this novel, the rating of items goes rare->unique->legendary.  A double plus unique is equivalent to triple plus rare.