The Returnee's Hidden Strategy Stream-Chapter 149

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 149

"…?"

The sudden message was puzzling.

Hanbit quickly checked the contents.

[Hello. This is GM Guard from the Record Project operations team. An unexpected issue has been discovered, causing a delay in the distribution of rewards. We are working to resolve it as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.]

"Ah."

It was the reward notification that had appeared after clearing the second episode.

Unlike in Edlen, this time, the reward was supposed to be distributed immediately.

He had found it a little odd, but he hadn’t expected there to be a problem.

"Black Dragon?"

As he stared at the message, Luna approached from behind.

"You're here early."

"Well, my place is nearby. But why were you zoning out?"

"Oh, the reward distribution got delayed."

Hanbit added that it was the First Clear Title Reward for the Ifrit Episode.

Luna tilted her head in confusion.

"A delay? Why?"

"They said it was due to an unexpected issue. It’s a game, so I guess things like this happen?"

"No. Maybe in other games, but in RP, this is unusual."

Luna shook her head firmly.

As a member of the advanced team, her voice carried certainty.

"You've heard that RP has never had an update, right?"

"Yeah. Viewers mentioned that it was released in a fully completed state."

"Exactly. In two years, there hasn't even been a single patch note for bug fixes. Not one. And now, suddenly, there’s an issue? Doesn’t that seem strange?"

Her voice had a slight edge of excitement, different from her usual tone.

Did she enjoy unraveling mysteries like this?

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"…Yeah, that is kind of weird."

The more Hanbit thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

Considering how the Apostles operated under the will of the Goddess, it felt even more unusual.

Hanbit couldn’t figure it out.

There was no way RP had been created without divine intervention.

So was it a flaw in how humans had structured the world?

Or had the Goddess simply overlooked something?

There wasn’t enough information to say for sure.

"For now, I guess we just wait until the reward is distributed. Let’s go see Jaeha."

"Alright. And if you notice anything else, let me know."

With that, the two headed toward the Blacksmiths' District on the outskirts of Edlen.

It was an area with workspaces available for players.

"Hey, isn’t that Luna?"

"She’s with Black Dragon again."

"Are they… a thing?"

The streets were abuzz with players’ whispers.

That was how much of a presence Luna had.

"I'm about to start my stream. Are you okay with that?"

"Of course."

After getting her permission, Hanbit nodded.

According to Yeonwoo, videos featuring Luna and Raphina had been getting a lot of views.

Just in case, Yeonwoo had suggested asking for permission in advance.

"I'm going to edit and upload this to my channel. Would it be okay if I include the parts with you? If you’re uncomfortable, I can cut them out."

"I'm only tagging along because it's fun, so I don’t mind. Use whatever you want."

"Thanks. I’ll pay you an appearance fee."

"Instead of money, just let me know if you find something interesting. That’s enough for me."

Luna grinned, saying she just enjoyed fun things.

Hanbit had received a lot of help from her, so he was grateful she was willing to stick around.

"Alright. I’ll make sure to do that."

As soon as Hanbit finished his conversation, he started his stream.

The chat window quickly filled with messages from viewers.

— hihi

— Dragon, hi.

— Luna's here again?

— Luna, hi.

— What’s up with these two?

— mmm

— So, what’s on the agenda today?

— Episode 3?

— Snow Drake first, obviously.

— Isn’t Snow Drake tomorrow?

— Yeah, today’s prep day.

— Time to spend that gold.

The chat was flooded with all kinds of discussions.

But first, Hanbit had something to take care of.

"First, we’re heading to Jaeha. Luna left her sword with him."

— Ah.

— Okay.

— Jaeha… did he pull it off?

— [Kim Jaeha is currently offline.]

— He ran. LOL

Viewers were already debating whether Kim Jaeha had succeeded or failed, enjoying the suspense.

Hanbit, however, had no doubts at all.

"Let’s go."

The two of them walked toward a large building at the center of the Blacksmiths’ District, a facility where players were given private workspaces.

"Number 15… Ah, there it is."

Hanbit approached the workshop number Jaeha had mentioned earlier.

Just as he was about to knock—

Creak—

The door swung open, and Kim Jaeha appeared.

"Come in."

His character’s face looked utterly exhausted.

He must have been working nonstop without a moment’s rest.

"Did you at least have fun?"

"How the hell do you ‘have fun’ working on a Rank 6 weapon? I practically bet my life on this…"

Jaeha sounded completely drained.

But there was a clear sense of satisfaction on his face.

"Is this it?"

Luna stepped toward the newly reforged sword resting on the stand.

The blade had a brighter, more refined sheen than before—almost divine.

"I did my best… but I’m not sure if you’ll like it. Honestly, you probably would’ve been better off leaving it with one of the advanced team blacksmiths."

Jaeha was being completely sincere.

A Rank 3 blacksmith working on a Rank 6 weapon? That was never supposed to work.

If not for Dwarven Metallurgy, he would’ve had a 100% chance of ruining it.

"Normal blacksmith skills wouldn’t have produced anything special. Luna, why don’t you check it out?"

"Hearing you say that just makes me even more excited."

Luna reached for the sword and began inspecting its new stats.

"…?"

As she scrolled through the details, her eyes gradually widened.

Then, she abruptly turned to Jaeha and asked, "How did you do this? Just one ingot changed it this much?"

— ?

— Wait, what?

— Show us!

— Did he actually pull it off?

— Luna, drop the stats...

The chat exploded with curiosity.

Seeing that, Luna tapped through the system menu and revealed the sword’s updated attributes.

"Here, take a look."

[Blade of Permafrost]

Rank: 6

Grade: Unique

Equip Restriction: Bound to Owner

Options:

— Durability: 138

— Skill Efficiency: 136

— Mana Conductivity: 132

— Ice Attribute Enhancement: 167

— Ice Damage +5%

— All Stats +5%

— Refinement Growth Possible

— Grade Evolution Possible

Description: A newly reforged sword crafted by Blacksmith Kim Jaeha. The Permafrost Ingot, meticulously melted and infused, has significantly enhanced the weapon’s overall performance and ice attributes. The scattered frost emanating from the blade inflicts additional damage on enemies.

— Rank 6 Unique, damn.

— Jaeha just skyrocketed in value.

— I always believed in him. ㅠㅠ

— Those stats are insane. LOL

— Ice attribute and extra damage are totally busted.

— But doesn’t Unique feel kinda weak compared to Black Dragon?

— For real, his entire gear is Legendary-tier. My brain is broken.

— Take responsibility.

— (Info) A Rank 6 Unique-tier weapon is absolutely crazy.

— RP’s gear farming system is actual hell.

The consensus among the viewers was clear: the weapon was incredible—as long as you didn’t compare it to Black Dragon.

By normal standards, this was a top-tier weapon.

"My sword was originally Rank 6 Heroic-tier," Luna explained. "But with just one ingot, it got upgraded, and all the stats increased by nearly 20. And the ice attribute bonus with extra damage… Honestly, I’m shocked."

She wasn’t too concerned about what people thought.

She was simply amazed by the transformation.

"Thank you. I really appreciate having such a great weapon."

"No, I should be thanking you for giving me the opportunity. This was an amazing experience."

Luna expressed her gratitude, while Jaeha, in turn, was grateful for the chance.

It had been a mutually beneficial exchange.

"The fee we discussed doesn’t feel like enough. Would you prefer I add extra payment?"

"No, it’s fine. Just bring me more commissions in the future—that’s enough for me. Crafting good weapons really helps improve my skills."

Jaeha declined the additional payment.

The agreed-upon fee had been 5 million won—a huge amount for a Rank 3 blacksmith.

‘This could be a turning point.’

Luna’s sword had been his first real test of Dwarven Metallurgy.

Now that the results had been broadcast, Jaeha’s reputation as a craftsman would start to take shape.

Once he officially opened commissions, he was bound to get flooded with requests.

"Got it. If I get my hands on some good materials, I’ll be sure to ask you again."

Luna nodded in understanding.

Watching their exchange, Hanbit placed his own sword and a spirit stone on the table.

"Hyung, here’s your next project."

— LOL

— The work never stops.

— Gotta keep grinding.

— Good luck, Jaeha.

— This is the struggle of crafting professions.

Despite the endless workload, Jaeha nodded without hesitation.

For him, Black Dragon’s requests always came first.

"Give me a bit. I saw something useful at the Waterdrop Forge, so this won’t take too long."

"Get some rest first. There’s no rush."

"I’ll sleep better once this is done. Just give me 30 minutes."

Jaeha grinned and immediately started preparing for the next project.

Seeing how much he was enjoying himself, Hanbit decided not to stop him.

"Alright. I’ll be back in 30 minutes."

With that, he left the workshop.

Standing outside, he turned to Luna, who had followed him out.

"You don’t need any extra prep for the raid? Even the advanced teams might struggle with it."

"I’m good. I already stocked up on equipment and consumables while strategizing for the episode. Oh, but I should start recruiting for the raid party."

— Applying now.

— Just signed up.

— Come back when you’ve cleared it with the advanced teams.

— Applications are Astra-exclusive~

Word spread fast—Luna had just posted a recruitment notice in Astra.

Black Dragon gets exclusive rights to the loot.

How many people would be willing to join under that condition?

Hanbit was curious.

"How many applicants so far?"

"A little over 100. There’s a limit on party size, so I’ll have to prioritize."

Leaning against the wall, Luna started filtering through the applicants.

Her selection criteria were purely in her head.

She was choosing only those who were skilled and trustworthy enough to contribute.

"Hmm… It’s not overwhelming, but we should have a solid team."

As she scrolled, her fingers suddenly stopped.

"…?"

Luna tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face.

Sensing something off, Hanbit asked, "What’s wrong?"

"There’s… one strange applicant."

"A strange applicant?"

— ?

— Weird?

— There are a lot of weirdos in the advanced teams…

— Wait, it’s not Ranger, is it?

— That guy isn’t even allowed in Astra.

The chat exploded with wild guesses.

Meanwhile, Luna muttered in a low voice, "Have you heard of Haemu?"

"Haemu… You mean that high-ranked advanced player?"

Hanbit recalled what Avantgarde had told him—one of Korea’s most notorious top-tier advanced team members.

Rank 601.

An absurdly specific placement.

"That Haemu applied to the raid?"

"Yeah. He’s definitely powerful, but I’m debating whether we should accept him. He’s unpredictable."

Luna’s opinion was sharp and straightforward.

Haemu’s playstyle was completely erratic.

And with someone ranked 601, there was a real possibility he’d be uncontrollable.

"Hmm."

A risky pick for a raid team.

But rejecting such a powerhouse didn’t seem like a great idea either.

After a brief moment of thought, Hanbit made his decision.

"Let’s take him. I’ll handle it."

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]