“Blegh!”

Ding-

[Mimic has taken out Average Man 1.]

A costume mask came spilling out of Mimic’s small mouth.

‘…’

Gangwoo stared blankly at the sight.

Mimic’s primary function was storage.

Even back when she was a box, she’d spit items out of her mouth — but that she’d do it even in human form…

“Here it is!”

Mimic held the mask up toward Gangwoo, looking up at him with her tiny hands.

“Huh? Oh.”

Gangwoo took the mask from her. Fortunately — or maybe as expected — there wasn’t anything ominous like saliva on it.

[Average Man 1]

Grade: D

Durability: 11/15

Description: The face of Average Man 1. Maybe it’s actually kind of handsome?

Effects

– All Stats +2.

“This one’s durability is worn down too.”

A mask from a Costume, an item that changes your face.

It was incredibly convenient for the simple reason that it could alter your appearance.

Not only would no one bother to look into you, but it let you hide your identity when doing something shady.

If he could afford it, he’d buy more with Gold in a heartbeat.

But since it was a DLC Shop item, there was only one way to get it.

(Refresh)

You had to refresh the DLC Shop’s stock and look for it. Nothing else.

‘Can’t be helped.’

He wanted to hit Refresh right this second, but since he had to buy DLC—Elemental Master, he decided to hold off for now.

Ding-

[Average Man 1 has been equipped.]

Ha Gangwoo’s expression shifted as he lifted his head to look straight ahead.

‘So this is the Workshop District…’

Two towering entrances flanked a translucent barrier between them, like twin skyscrapers standing guard.

There were facilities only Players could use.

Among them, the Workshop District was called the mecca of support professions.

From item Enhancement to crafting, repairs, and all kinds of specialists—they were said to be here.

Thump— thump—

Ha Gangwoo felt his heart race with a strange anticipation as he stepped forward.

As he crossed into the overwhelmingly vast barrier,

Ding—

[Scenario: Area 1 Cleared.]

[Conditions satisfied.]

[Entered the Workshop District.]

[Have a pleasant time.]

System windows flashed in succession.

Whoosh—

Passing through the transparent membrane, a sensation like shifting air pressure hit him, and the inside of the Workshop District came into view.

‘This is the Workshop District…’

The architecture was pristine, like stepping into a futuristic world. From the roads to the pathways, everything was immaculate.

“Whoa~ It’s huge!”

Mimic shouted, throwing her arms wide and darting ahead.

He’d expected the place to be cramped, walled in as it was by massive barriers, but the interior was vast.

Mimic hopped onto the street, skipping along. Ha Gangwoo followed her, walking through the Workshop District’s lanes.

‘At least I won’t get lost.’

Ha Gangwoo looked up, scanning the signs around him.

[Street of Enhancement ↑]

[Street of Alchemy →]

[Street of Weapons ↓]

[Street of Armor ↗]

A signboard glowed with a faint red light, simple text and helpful icons adorning it.

“Hello there. Is this your first time here? This is a new ice cream we’ve just released. Would you like to try a sample?”

Ha Gangwoo stood there dazed when a woman with a warm smile approached.

“Ice cream?”

Ha Gangwoo accepted the ice cream she handed him.

It was a cone-shaped ice cream you might see at an amusement park. A faint, sweet scent rose from it.

“I want one too!”

Mimic saw the ice cream and bounced up and down, calling out to the woman, who smiled brightly and handed one to her too.

‘She doesn’t just eat Gold, does she?’

Whether it was coffee or this, ever since her evolution gave her a sense of taste, Mimic was always shoving something edible into her mouth.

Ding—

[Cream Berry Ice Cone]

Grade: F

Creator: Lee Seonghwa

Description: An ice cream made with a balanced blend of red berries and blueberries. The effect increases on a great success.

Effect:

-Recover 23 MP per second for 1 minute.

‘She made it herself.’

Most people in the Workshop District were like this player.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that 80% of items listed on the Auction House were crafted in the Workshop District.

Ha Gangwoo took a big bite of the ice cream the woman had given him.

A tangy fruit flavor burst across his tongue, spreading into sweetness.

Ding—

[You have obtained the effect of Cream Berry.]

‘Delicious.’

The sandwiches he usually bought off the street had effects like this too, but this one looked a cut above—better quality, better care.

“It’s delicious!”

Mimic beamed at the woman who’d given her the food. The woman grinned wide and handed Ha Gangwoo a business card.

[Veritianshu] — Dungeon-Exclusive Consumable Workshop

A map was printed on it, along with the woman’s number.

“Feel free to visit anytime. Bulk orders are welcome too!”

There was no real reason to go out of his way to order one, but out of courtesy, he accepted the business card.

And just like that, the brief encounter ended.

Ha Gangwoo stood at the workshop’s entrance, eyeing the signboards.

‘If I want to ask about repairs… over there?’

[Repair/Restoration Street ↖]

There were shops that restored broken items as well as handled regular repairs.

‘Let’s go.’

Ha Gangwoo shoved his hands into his pockets and started walking.

[The Best Longsword House]

[Top-Grade Armor Workshop]

[Item & Garment Workshop]

[Renowned Sword Arts School]

A whole row of signs and shops, each one promising something different.

“Hey there, pal! Take a look at this item—fresh off the anvil today, a piping-hot masterwork blade. If you want, I can even tailor the design to your specs. What do you say?”

A burly man thrust a good-looking sword toward him, hawking his wares.

Ding-

[Shubero Muar]

Grade: A

Durability: 71/71

Crafted by: Mor Ivantef

Attack Power: 511

Strength: +211

Vitality: +324

Description: A sword made from a top-tier crafting manual. A masterwork that reveals the craftsman’s spirit. Its edge is razor-sharp, granting exceptional cutting power.

Effects

– 10% chance on attack to increase cutting power by 100%.

‘That’s insane…’

He’d heard that from A-Grade on, the stat bonuses jumped exponentially, but the numbers here were downright broken.

For a moment, Gangwoo forgot his purpose and asked the price.

“How much?”

The hawker flashed a knowing smile.

“Normally it’s five billion, but we’ve got a special sale going. I’ll give it to you for four-point-one. Check the Auction House if you don’t believe me—you’ll see how cheap that is.”

Confident look. There were almost no A-Grade items on the Auction House.

‘So that’s how they sell them.’

The high Auction House fees—this was how they pushed people into direct deals.

‘Four-point-one billion… that’s way too expensive.’

His jaw dropped at the staggering price.

“I’ll come back another time.”

“I’ve got plenty of other weapons too~ I even do custom work, so you’ve gotta stop by!”

As Ha Gangwoo turned to leave, the old man called out after him, his voice tight with urgency.

After passing a few more sales stalls, he finally reached the repair-only street.

[Broken Weapon Recovery Shop]

[Damaged Armor Repair Shop]

[Weapon-Exclusive Repair Shop]

“It has to be here somewhere.”

Gangwoo paced the street, searching for the sign he’d looked up before coming.

He pushed past the wide avenue crowded with players and hawking merchants. Eventually, he found it.

Ha Gangwoo lifted his head and stared at a shop’s sign.

[Item Activity-Wear Workshop]

‘Found it. Why is it shoved in a corner like this?’

It took longer to find than he expected. Not just tucked away in an alcove — there were barely any signs pointing the way, either.

‘Guess it’s not popular.’

For Players, utility is everything. Activity-wear? No wonder this place had no foot traffic.

Even the building itself looked old and worn. Could they actually handle proper repairs? Doubt gnawed at him — but this was the only shop in town that handled fabric and tailoring.

“Master, is this the place?”

Mimic tilted her head and asked. Gangwoo nodded — and she shoved the door open, darting inside ahead of him.

‘No telling where she’ll bounce next.’

She’d been excited since they arrived. Watching her, Gangwoo felt a smile tug at his lips.

Through Link, his own eagerness must have bled into her. That was the only explanation.

‘Well — let’s go.’

He had no idea if they’d actually take the job. But this workshop, this very place, stirred something in him.

Creeeak—

Gangwoo pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.

The scent of fabric softener hit his nose. Warm. Inviting.

‘…….’

“I said get your stuff out right now!”

The atmosphere, though — it was anything but warm.

“Please, just give me until next month. I’ll find the money somehow…”

A man — the landlord, likely — stood over a woman who ran the shop. She was on her knees, begging.

Behind on rent. Her forehead pressed to the floor.

The landlord was fuming. He jabbed a finger at her forehead, tapping — then shoving.

And this was the place he was supposed to trust with a Grade-A Costume?

‘This is hopeless.’

Gangwoo clicked his tongue and turned to leave —

“Mister, you shouldn’t fight. Rain said people have to get along.”

Mimic had grabbed the landlord’s wrist. Still tiny, she dangled from his arm, boots off the ground.

“The hell is this brat?!”

The man scowled at her and shook his arm. Mimic held on — didn’t budge.

Instead — *Crrrrunch* — her overwhelming Strength squeezed his wrist.

“Aagh!”

Mimic’s Strength stat was 57.

Not the highest — but the man was low-level. He buckled, arm going slack from the pain.

“Wh—what the hell! Let go!”

“Apologize, and I’ll let you go.”

“You little—!”

*Crrrrunch.*

“Aaah!”

The pain drove him to his knees. He hit the floor hard.

‘…….’

Gangwoo stepped forward. Let this drag on, and it’d get messy.

“Let him go.”

Mimic shot him a look — something like reluctance — then released the wrist.

The man scrambled up, rubbing his arm, face twisted in fury.

“Oh-ho. So that’s how you want to play it? Do you even know who I am?”

The man started bellowing at the top of his lungs—

He flinched.

One look at Ha Gangwoo’s eyes, and he backpedaled.

“Y-You two—just stay right there! Who do you think you’re messing with?!”

Suddenly scared out of his wits all on his own, he bolted out the door.

‘…’

Silence settled over the workshop that had been so noisy moments ago.

“Haah…”

Ha Gangwoo let out a deep breath, then thumped Mimic on the head.

“Don’t act rashly from now on.”

“Huh? But Rain said we should all get along nicely.”

‘…’

Mimic had stayed by Rain and Teil’s side during the Scenario. It seemed she’d picked up some emotional lessons from Rain in that time.

‘It’s not like she did anything wrong.’

She listened well enough, and her behavior wasn’t bad. That was why Gangwoo couldn’t bring himself to scold her any further.

“Thank you so much.”

The woman who seemed to be the workshop’s owner bowed her head deeply in gratitude. Dark circles were heavy under her eyes—looked like she hadn’t slept properly in days.

Even so, with her blue hair and blue eyes, she was beautiful.

“You’re so brave. Truly, thank you.”

She knelt down in front of Mimic and expressed her thanks with sincere politeness.

“Ehehehe. It was nothing.”

Mimic’s cheeks flushed as she scratched the back of her head.

The situation ended on a decent note.

But if they stayed here any longer, the man who just ran out would be back with some annoying hangers-on. They needed to clear out.

“We’ll be going now.”

“What? Didn’t you come to look at items? I know it’s bragging, but this is top-grade active-wear gear. At least take a look before you go.”

As expected of a workshop merchant, she immediately started pitching her wares.

‘Still, doesn’t hurt to ask, just in case.’

It looked like they couldn’t repair it anyway, but you never knew.

Ha Gangwoo took off the Redgun Uniform top he was wearing.

Ding-

[Redgun Uniform Top unequipped.]

The moment the top came off, the Red Steel Top he’d been wearing underneath was revealed.

“Whoa… What was that just now? How do you have such thick armor under such a thin shirt…?”

The woman asked with a dumbfounded expression, but Gangwoo ignored her and handed her the Redgun Uniform.

“I want to get this repaired.”

“What?! This is an item too? One moment, please!”

The woman’s eyes sparkled as she examined the Redgun Uniform from every angle.

“Wow… The finishing and stitching are no joke. And the item effects are insane too… Which master craftsman made this? Plus the fabric quality is incredibly luxurious!”

The woman got excited and started peppering him with questions. But that wasn’t what mattered to Gangwoo.

Whether it could be repaired or not. He just wanted to know if it was possible.

“Can it be repaired?”

Ha Gangwoo’s blunt question made her hesitate for a moment before she peered closely at the torn right sleeve.

A faint writhing of Mana flickered in her eyes—she’d used a skill.

About five minutes passed.

“To put it bluntly, it’s possible.”

“Really?”

The shabby shop, the lack of trust from their first meeting—her answer didn’t carry much weight. Still, the way she’d focused on his Costume… he decided to trust it.

But something about that focus made him believe her.

“There’s a small problem, though.”

“A problem?”

Of course it couldn’t be that easy. Or was this just salesmanship to jack up the repair price? A dozen possibilities churned through his head.

Right then, the woman spoke.

“I’ll need to make the fabric from scratch, I think. This is a material I’ve never seen before.”

“Can you do that?”

“Of course! For all this look, I’m an S-Rank Trait holder. Just give me a moment.”

Everything about the situation lowered her credibility—the rundown shop, the odd first impression. But her expression and tone held no trace of a lie.

Seemed her predicament came less from a lack of skill and more from the nature of the product itself: a tracksuit, not high-end gear.

“My name is Anita Via.”

She introduced herself and brought over a pair of scissors.

‘What’s she doing?’

Before Ha Gangwoo could even wonder—

Snip— Snip—

Anita Via began cutting into the Costume’s fabric.

If she’d slashed a perfectly good Costume, he’d have stopped her. But this looked like a necessary step for the repair.

“First, I need to analyze the fabric’s properties. That way I’ll know what materials to use.”

Once she started working, Anita Via showed a surprisingly professional side.

About five minutes passed.

“Got it!”

The cloth in Anita’s hands dissolved into a shimmer of light, then absorbed into her body.

She must have learned Material Fabrication—a skill only crafting-class Players could acquire.

“Hang on a second, let me check what materials I have.”

She smiled brightly, ducked into the workshop, and came back out with an armload of supplies.

‘Can she actually pull this off?’

His heart thumped.

[Redgun Uniform Top]

This Costume wasn’t just about appearance—he wasn’t fixing it for looks alone.

[-All Stats +10]

The stat boost alone was solid, but—

*Set Bonus (0/4)

-Movement Speed 50% increase.

-All Stats 20% increase.

He *needed* that set bonus. A 20% increase to all stats? For Gangwoo, who lived and died by his stats, that was essential.

‘Please let her have them.’

He didn’t know what materials were required, but having seen a glimmer of hope, the desperation only grew.

Gangwoo swallowed dryly as he waited for Anita Via. She emerged from the workshop with a pile of items.

She began placing them on the table one by one. About ten items in total.

But something wasn’t fitting. Anita’s brow furrowed.

“Just one thing missing… Jutrek’s Spider Silk…”

‘Jutrek’s Spider Silk?’

Gangwoo’s face also tightened at the mention of a missing material.

A Costume from the DLC shop.

Had to be a material item you could only get from the DLC shop, didn’t it? Disappointment crawled up his throat.

Just as Ha Gangwoo’s face twisted in frustration, Anita Via gestured at the air, then slowly parted her lips.

“No listings on the Auction House either, as I thought… The only option left is to obtain it directly. Jutrek’s Spider Silk comes from a monster that spawns in a workshop dungeon. But it’s a high-level zone, so I’ll need to recruit some Players separately. What’s your budget for the repair cost?”

Relief flooded Ha Gangwoo’s face in an instant.

She knew which monster dropped the material and the dungeon it spawned in. That meant the repair was as good as done.

“Cost doesn’t matter.”

If pressed for an exact number, it was around 10 million Gold, but he gave her something vague instead.

“Is that so? Understood. I’ll post a party recruitment notice then…”

She was clearly about to recruit party members to clear the dungeon. But Ha Gangwoo didn’t need any.

He grabbed her wrist.—firm, not rough.

“Let’s go together.”

“What?”

He could go alone just fine, but she was the key to the Costume repair. He needed to keep her safe.

And so Ha Gangwoo led her toward the workshop-exclusive dungeon.