Chapter : 3
The second tutorial quest appeared together with the Master Craftsman’s All-Purpose Hammer.
What the two of them were saying was simple.
“This is straight-up hard labor.”
There was even a time limit.
The quest description itself didn’t mention any time restriction, so at first glance it looked pretty relaxed.
But the hammer had a usage time limit, didn’t it? And it even said that the hammer’s performance varied depending on the user.
‘Wow… they’re not even being subtle about this.’
This was clearly about disciplining the possessed player or something like that.
It was exactly like making a new part-time worker clean the bathroom on their first day.
Still, there was one saving grace.
‘Luckily, I’m actually good at this kind of backbreaking work…’
I’m Baek Hakyung, the person who worked at a barbecue restaurant during the year-end and New Year holidays, hauling grills and stone pots all day long!
I shrugged my shoulders and lifted the hammer.
Despite its heavy appearance, the hammer was incredibly light.
Even more surprisingly, the grip felt amazing.
“So a master really did make this, huh?”
As I quietly held the hammer, Hugh suddenly spoke up.
“Is… is something wrong?”
With a very tense expression, Hugh blinked and asked. I stared at him for a moment, then lightly patted his head.
“There’s no problem at all, Hugh.”
“Then… was Hugh helpful?”
“Yeah, extremely.”
Hugh’s eyes widened, and he began hopping up and down in place. Hearing that he was helpful seemed to make him genuinely happy—his face was flushed with excitement.
I chuckled softly and held out my hand to Hugh.
“Climb onto my hand, Hugh. Let’s go use the hammer.”
“Huh—really? Is it really okay for Hugh to stand on Master’s hand?”
“Of course!”
Hugh hesitated for a moment, then slowly climbed onto my palm, his steps very cautious.
After confirming that Hugh was securely settled in my hand, I stood up.
“Alright, let’s see what this hammer can really do.”
I’m pretty confident when it comes to hammering.
I once worked part-time setting up stages, and I picked up a useful skill back then.
‘Hammering isn’t about brute force alone.’
Using your wrist instead of your shoulder, applying centrifugal force—lightly, tap!
Grinning, I swung the hammer just as my body remembered.
Thud.
The hammer struck the badly cracked outer wall with a dull sound.
Then—
Flash!
A light erupted from the wall, on a completely different level than before.
It was enough to envelop an entire side of the building.
Before long, the light gradually faded, revealing the condition of the outer wall.
“Wow…”
This is insane.
At a glance, the wall looked clean and neat.
There were still small scratches here and there, but the massive cracks running across the wall were completely gone. I’d been a little worried when it said the performance depended on the user, but it seemed the base performance was already incredible.
“At this rate, it’ll be fixed in no time.”
Maybe ten to twenty hits at most?
I’d been worried I’d have to hammer away all day, so this was a relief.
While I was busy estimating the work with my eyes, Hugh suddenly sprang up in my hand.
“H-how did you do that? When Hugh tried, it wasn’t nearly this good!”
“I’m just pretty good with a hammer.”
“But still!”
Hugh stared at the repaired wall in disbelief, muttering that even Grandma Basha couldn’t do this, and that even the craftsman who made the hammer probably hadn’t expected it.
I glanced at the dazed Hugh and started walking again.
No matter how good the hammer was, repairing an entire two-story building would still take some time.
So I began striking the building with the all-purpose hammer.
Completely unaware of the aftermath this would bring.
At the same time, while a café somewhere was being rapidly repaired—
The Dael Temple, the only temple in the Kingdom of Jenen that worshiped the god Dael.
Though it was located in the very center of Noren, the capital of Jenen, the temple was eerily quiet.
The reason was simple.
“…Please return.”
Five years ago, the god had left.
Parhan, the sole high priest of the Dael faith, stared at the cracked statue of the god, which had lost all its light, and murmured softly.
Just five years ago, the statue before him had shone with beautiful radiance.
That light was proof that the god was watching over the Kingdom of Jenen, and countless people had visited the temple just to see it.
But—
“Was it that day…?”
Yes. The day a sudden natural disaster struck Jenen.
It was the first time such a thing had happened since the kingdom’s founding. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and torrential rain all at once—disasters for a land that had always enjoyed a mild climate.
The consecutive calamities were terrifying enough to swallow an entire nation.
Yet, miraculously, the actual damage was not that severe.
Because the statue of Dael had protected them all.
“But…”
Parhan tightly closed his eyes, then opened them, staring at the deepest crack in the statue.
A crack so deep it looked as though it could devour the statue at any moment.
The statue, which should have protected the kingdom with Dael’s divine power, lost its light after that crack appeared.
No matter how skilled the sculptor or craftsman they brought in, none could repair it.
Instead, only more tiny cracks appeared.
Rumors spread that the god had abandoned them, and people stopped visiting the Dael Temple.
Thus, there was only one thing Parhan could do as the high priest.
“That the god may once again watch over the Kingdom of Jenen…”
Stand before the broken statue and desperately pray for a miracle.
Five years had already passed like that.
Five years of praying while watching the kingdom slowly fall apart.
Now, even hope had faded, leaving only despair behind.
And so—
Parhan stared at the statue for a long moment before turning away weakly. He was the only one left to guard the temple, abandoned even by its priests.
Just as he took a single step—
Flaaash!
A brilliant light burst forth behind him.
Startled, Parhan immediately turned around to see where the light came from.
Then he whispered faintly,
“…A… a miracle!”
Bright light was filling the deep crack in the statue!
And the light was the most radiant he had ever seen.
There was only one thing this could mean.
“Oh, divine one…”
The god who had left the Kingdom of Jenen was returning!
Parhan stared at the statue in disbelief. Then, as if realizing something, he hurriedly turned around.
“N-now isn’t the time for this…”
‘An offering—yes, I must offer Rake.
For the god alone! A jewel that shines with brilliant light!’
Even as the temple’s finances dwindled, he had preserved ten Rake solely for the day the god would return.
Parhan rushed toward the storage room where the jewels were kept.
And so, he failed to notice the light filling the crack briefly fade away.
Several hours later.
“Mmm, now this is finally presentable.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and smiled in satisfaction.
The once-ruined building was gone, replaced by a solid, respectable structure.
There were still small scratches, and it clearly showed signs of age, but—
“Well, I got the building for free. I can live with this.”
With proper decorating, it could easily become a vibe-filled café worthy of Starstagram!
It wasn’t in the bustling capital district, but it was a two-story building facing an open reed field. It had a spacious yard, a cozy terrace, and a roof accented with red bricks contrasting against the white walls.
But my favorite part was the small minibar attached to the arched window. It was compact, but depending on how it was used, it could completely change the café’s atmosphere.
“Perfect.”
I couldn’t even afford monthly rent for a semi-basement apartment before, and now I was a building owner!
I planted my hands on my hips, striking a proud pose—only for a moment.
“But what about the inside of the building…?”
The biggest problem still remained: the café’s interior.
What’s the point of having a building if I can’t run a café and make money?
Letting out a deep breath, I looked at the inside I’d been avoiding.
Through the wide-open doors meant for ventilation, a miserable sight greeted me.
The coffee bar barely retained its shape, while tables, frames, chairs—every piece of furniture—had been completely destroyed.
And in the mini kitchen behind the bar lay a graveyard of shattered glassware.
“Don’t tell me I have to fix all of this one by one with the all-purpose hammer?”
That would be a bit much…
I squinted one eye and looked down at the hammer in my hand.
“Well, first things first—let’s get the reward.”
I summoned the system window again.
Quest Complete!
Would you like to receive your reward?
- 10 Diamonds
[Accept]
A system window burst open before my eyes, emitting a loud, rainbow-colored light.
