Life Rebooted with Copy and Paste

“Take care,” Kim Do-Joon said.

“O-okay...” Baek Hwi-Soo replied.

Despite Kim Do-Joon’s rejection, Baek Hwi-Soo kept trying to persuade him. He even offered more favorable terms than before, but Kim Do-Joon remained unmoved.

Eventually, Baek Hwi-Soo left, his shoulders drooping in defeat. He was an A-rank Hunter and a team leader of a major guild, yet he couldn’t even recruit a single rookie! If his colleagues found out he came all the way here just to be turned down, they’d laugh at him! Baek Hwi-Soo sighed deeply.

“Let’s get going, Sir.” Hwang Hyun-Woo nodded and led him away.

“Oh, wait a minute,” Kim Do-Joon stopped Hwang Hyun-Woo.

“Yes?”

“If you don’t mind, do you want to grab a drink later?”

“A drink? I’d love that!”

Hwang Hyun-Woo, who wanted to stay in contact with Kim Do-Joon, had no reason to refuse.

“Then, let’s meet in the evening.”

“Sounds great! I’ll look for a nice place.”

***

That evening, Kim Do-Joon and Hwang Hyun-Woo met again and went to a chitterling restaurant. They took a seat at a round table outside and ordered their food.

Sizzle—

The chitterlings sizzled on the charcoal grill as they started to pour drinks. The cold soju slid down their throats, the alcohol making their minds sharp and alert after a long time.

“I honestly didn’t expect this,” Hwang Hyun-Woo said.

“What is?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

“That you would suggest getting a drink first, Hyung.”

Hwang Hyun-Woo, who was already talkative, became even more so after getting a drink. Kim Do-Joon picked up a piece of chitterling and ate it, before speaking.

“I wanted to ask you for a favor about something we discussed earlier,” Kim Do-Joon said.

“Sure, let’s do it,” Hwang Hyun-Woo replied.

“Huh?”

Hwang Hyun-Woo agreed without any hesitation, leaving Kim Do-Joon a bit perplexed.

“Do you even remember what we talked about?”

“Hold on, I remember...”

Hwang Hyun-Woo drank heavily, as if trying to jog his memory.

Clang—

“Okay, so... You mentioned wanting to buy the defective items, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’ll sell them to you. There’s no reason not to, given our relationship!”

Hwang Hyun-Woo used the word “our relationship” while nervously looking at Kim Do-Joon for any sign of objection. He would feel quite disheartened if Kim Do-Joon retorted with, “What relationship?”

However, Kim Do-Joon said nothing of the sort. He wasn’t one to be overly picky about word choices.

“But can I ask for one favor in return?” Hwang Hyun-Woo asked.

“What is it?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

“Please don’t reveal that I was the one who made those items.”

It wasn’t a difficult request, per se. After all, the items were going to be used for copy-pasting and wouldn't be sold elsewhere.

“I promise.”

“Then, I have no issue with it. Actually, should I just give them to you for free? They’re just scrap metal I’d melt down anyway.”

Hearing Hwang Hyun-Woo’s impulsive offer, Kim Do-Joon shook his head. He was well aware that there was no such thing as a free meal.

“That’s not necessary. I’ll pay you properly.”

“Well, I prefer being paid, I guess, haha.”

Receiving them for free might be nice initially, but it’d surely cause friction later on. Fair transactions were the key to maintaining a healthy relationship.

Most of the items were armor, right?

Kim Do-Joon smiled because Hwang Hyun-Woo had a bunch of items with negative defense attributes. As long as he had sufficient funds, he could secure a route to obtain these items. Though not as useful as irreparable items, they’d still be quite handy when taking down bosses.

“Hyung, here. Have another drink.”

“Thank you.”

They exchanged drinks for a while. That night’s drinking session ended with both parties feeling equally satisfied.

***

The next day, Kim Do-Joon used some of his savings to purchase a few useful-looking failures of Hwang Hyun-Woo’s. Then, he copy-pasted their effects on weapons accordingly.

[Knife]

[Additional Effect]

- Defense power - 127

[Knife]

[Additional Effect]

- Agility Level - 12

As a result, he obtained knives that could either reduce defense power or speed of the opponent. At a glance, they seemed like ordinary knives, but to Kim Do-Joon, they seemed quite sinister. Each of these could potentially turn the tide of a battle.

I might as well be a curse master.

Having a full set of debuff skills felt like black magic. Unlike skills, though, these were consumables, so he had to use them sparingly.

How many unrepairable ones do I have left? Seven?

Kim Do-Joon still had plenty left, but seeing the numbers go down was disheartening. He occasionally checked the market for unrepairable items, but there were none available. Most likely, they broke after use.

I've posted a notice on the board that I’m willing to buy them. Hopefully, someone will reach out eventually.

With a note posted, Kim Do-Joon decided to believe and wait. As he organized his cursed daggers, he also assessed his own status.

First, his Compatibility had reached 40%. Given that the average B-rank starts at Compatibility of 45%, his Compatibility was still a bit low. He needed to improve it further.

Secondly, Kim Do-Joon reviewed his additional effects, including the freezing core. He had additional attack, defense power, and other stats, along with buff skills copy-pasted from potions.

Thirdly, Kim Do-Joon reviewed his equipment. In contrast to the Lightning Spear, which he frequently used, his axe of divine attribute had fallen out of favor recently. There were also the transparent gloves made of the Skin of the Glass Snake and other common gear. Let’s not forget the cursed daggers made of penalty items.

Hmm... I have quite a lot now.

He found it funny that he spoke about it as if it were someone else’s business, but Kim Do-Joon did have an arsenal of items. It was a good thing, because he had many cards to play.

Lastly, there was the skill he acquired just yesterday.

[Additional Effect]

- Skill: Thorns of Shearshade

Apparently, that skill, copy-pasted from a Skill Rune, was the original version of Shadow Bind. Honestly, Kim Do-Joon was most excited about this skill.

How much cooldown time is left for the Orc Labyrinth?

Like a child eager to try out a new toy, Kim Do-Joon couldn’t wait to test it out.

***

A few days passed. While waiting for the Orc Kingdom labyrinth to cool down, Kim Do-Joon devoted his time to his shop. He was especially enthusiastic about teaching Siwelin.

Thanks to his efforts, Siwelin could now handle the shop on her own to some extent.

“Do you think you can manage the shop by yourself?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

Thump, thump.

Siwelin pounded on her chest confidently as if to say, "Just leave it to me."

Although she seemed full of determination, Kim Do-Joon still felt a bit uneasy. At the same time, he couldn’t stay by her side forever.

“Okay then, I’ll leave it to you. I’m off to the labyrinth,” Kim Do-Joon said.

— Have a safe trip.

Holding up the now familiar-looking "Have a safe trip" card, she saw Kim Do-Joon off.

[You have entered the Middle Orc Kingdom.]

As always, Kim Do-Joon’s vision flashed and the scenery changed completely. Instead of the shop, he found himself in the middle of a vast grassland. He quickly scanned his surroundings, before deciding to head toward the rocky mountain in the distance.

After walking for a while, Kim Do-Joon encountered a group of orcs. Since orcs were scattered all over the place, he didn’t even need to look for them.

I’ll gather Hunting Poison Pouches for sale, and copy-paste the weapons from the named ones onto myself.

Kim Do-Joon thought about his next step carefully, already counting his eggs before they hatched.

“Graaagh!”

The orcs charged at him. Aiming his spear at them, Kim Do-Joon used the skill he was eager to test: Thorns of Shearshade.

Thump.

Then, a black blob emerged from Kim Do-Joon's shadow. It rose to shoulder height before transforming into a small thorn.

This is...

Kim Do-Joon could sense that the surrounding shadows were now under his control. However, his attack range was still narrow, just enough to affect the orcs in the front line.

Coming up with a plan, Kim Do-Joon activated the skill.

Swoosh!

From the shadows, long spikes erupted, impaling each of the front-line orcs through their own shadows! Since it wasn’t an offensive skill, the attack didn’t injure them.

“Grr?”

However, the orcs struck by the shadows were momentarily paralyzed. Their bodies froze in mid-charge, causing them to stumble and fall.

“Grrrr...”

Caught in the chain reaction, the second and third lines of orcs also tripped and fell, sowing chaos. While the orcs were tangled up, Kim Do-Joon threw his Lightning Spear.

Whoosh!

The spear flew fiercely and struck the orcs. Normally, Kim Do-Joon would have retreated and strike from a distance, but with the thorns' help, he didn’t need to do so anymore. Maintaining his position, Kim Do-Joon defeated the entire group of orcs with just his spear.

Looking at the neatly fallen orc remains, Kim Do-Joon felt a bit dazed. It was a stark contrast from when he had to keep running away.

It also can’t be compared to Gwak Dong-Gyu’s skill...

Gwak Dong-Gyu’s Shadow Bind only restrained his ankles briefly. Meanwhile, not only did this skill paralyze the entire body, it could also immobilize multiple targets simultaneously.

Compared to Shadow Bind, the difference was like night and day.

As expected of the original, I guess...

The skill, Thorns of Shearshade, was apparently the prototype of Shadow Bind, so it made sense that the original would be stronger. He just didn’t expect it to be this strong.

Kim Do-Joon had expected just a slightly enhanced version of shadow binding, but this was a pleasant surprise. Continuing to hunt down every orc he encountered, Kim Do-Joon tested the skill in various ways.

The wider the attack range, the greater the mana consumption. It seems like I can also target a single individual.

Currently, the maximum attack range of the skill wasn’t that wide, yet it still consumed a significant amount of mana. As such, the most efficient method was to target and trip the frontline orcs. Since the orcs tended to group together, it’d be enough to disrupt their formation.

Kim Do-Joon continued to break their formation and slay the orcs with his Lightning Spear, steadily moving toward the rocky mountain.

The Orc Labyrinth should be around the lower tier B-rank...

Judging by his Compatibility, the rank seemed about right. His awareness of his own strength was renewed. He could clear a B-rank dungeon so effortlessly, as if he was dealing with an F-rank dungeon.

Although his Lightning Spear played a huge role in it, it was still his gear and thus his own strength.

Anyway, why is this area so vast?

Perched on top of the rocky mountain, Kim Do-Joon surveyed the terrain. As far as the eye could see, there were only vast grasslands, scattered rocks, and more orc groups.

I didn’t see any unique terrain that might hint at a boss location...

Every other labyrinth came with a unique place. The Catacomb had a grand entrance to the boss room, and the Elemental Island had a snowy mountain at its center. Meanwhile, the temple where Kim Do-Joon met Siwelin had an underground sanctuary. But he saw nothing of the sort in this location.

It might take some time to find the boss.

The experience points were still flowing nicely, making it a worthwhile grinding spot. However, it seemed like it’d take a while to clear the entire labyrinth.

***

After wandering the grasslands, he still couldn’t find the boss. Kim Do-Joon eventually finished his hunt and called it a day.

Two days later, while watching the shop with Siwelin, Kim Do-Joon's phone rang.

Huh? Ms. Da-Jung?

Seeing the caller ID, Kim Do-Joon's heart sank. A call from the hospital, where his sick daughter was admitted, always brought a wave of dread. He quickly answered the phone.

“Hello?”

— Ah, Mr. Do-Joon!

Jung Da-Jung's voice sounded urgent. Kim Do-Joon immediately asked if something had happened. Nothing could prepare him for her response.

— So-Eun seems to have Awakened!

“Sorry?” Kim Do-Joon replied.

It was the last thing he had expected. His eyes widened in surprise, and his heart started pounding for a different reason.

“Are you sure?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

— Yes, I am! At first, I thought I was seeing things, but she pulled out a white mirror from thin air! Isn’t that what they call an inventory?!

“A mirror?”

When he heard the mention of a white mirror, Kim Do-Joon immediately understood the situation. It must've been Siwelin’s mirror. In other words, Kim So-Eun hadn’t Awakened.

— So-Eun was showing off her magic trick... but unless she's a genius magician, this has to be an Awakening!

“Wait a moment! Has So-Eun been sick or involved in any accidents recently?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

— An accident? No, there wasn’t anything like that.

“Phew—”

Kim Do-Joon breathed a sigh of relief. According to Siwelin, the mirror appeared to help Kim So-Eun in dangerous situations. Fortunately, it seemed that wasn’t the case this time.

“I’ll come over right away,” Kim Do-Joon said.

— Please hurry!

Trying to stay calm, Kim Do-Joon spoke in a composed tone, but Jung Da-Jung was still excited.

— Oh, and the doctor has been mentioning the possibility of So-Eun’s discharge. It might be good to ask about that, too.

“Got it. See you soon,” Kim Do-Joon said.

— Okay. Come quickly!

Click.

The call ended. Kim Do-Joon shoved his phone back into his pocket and spoke to Siwelin.

“Let’s close the shop for a bit, and head over to the hospital.”