HC: Handyman | Ch. 159 - Lucky

Author's note: Thank you for your suggestions for an alternative name for 'piercers'! Even though I also liked 'breachers,' I think I'll implement one of ByLaw's suggestions and use 'scalers."

*

Jack surveyed the battlefield. The scattered carcasses of defeated romies lay motionless, their forms still intact until looted. The wave hadn’t been the worst they had faced, but without the aid packages, things could have been a lot tougher.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Jack commented.

Christoff grunted, his fingers tightening around his bowstring. He shot Jack a sharp look but said nothing as if the remark wasn’t worth acknowledging.

This is a game, Christoff. Lighten up. Jack clenched his teeth and kept his thoughts to himself. The NPC’s bow was a solid addition to their DPS, and the last thing Jack needed was for him to take offense and leave. He had no idea how NPC loyalty worked, and he wasn’t about to test it.

“The first scalers,” Amari said, exhaling sharply as he glanced at the fallen striped ishychromys. “They’re annoying. And it’s only going to get worse.”

Jack frowned. “It’s only elites that scale like those romies did, right?”

The team’s expressions darkened.

Marie crossed her arms. “Imagine a horde of mountain-climbing gorillas ignoring all defenses.”

“Yeap. That’s how we finally lost it when we first tried the Breach in our old accounts,” Horace said.

Jack stiffened. For all the work they had put into fortifying the fortress, he hadn’t even considered the possibility of enemies climbing their walls. The thought made his skin crawl.

Cursed be that Piri and her psychopathic strategies. Once again, he kept his real thoughts to himself.

“That’s… bad,” he admitted.

Amari glanced toward the tall cliff walls on their sides. “We’ll need something in place before more scalers show up.”

Horace sighed, rubbing his chin. “Yeah… I’m going to need to figure that out soon.” Then, just as quickly, his eyes lit up. “But before that—I really want to go back to that peak and finish capturing that third bear.”

Marie blinked. “You’re still on that?”

“Obviously! We’ve got two bears. You really think I’m stopping at two?”

Jack let out a chuckle and clapped his hands together. “Alright, guys! Want a meal before heading out?”

“That’d be swell,” Horace said, rolling his shoulders. “That romie elite was fast. I need to replenish my stamina.”

Jack grinned. “Perfect. Go ahead—I’ll be right with you.”

As the others moved toward the cooking area, Jack turned to the two elite romie corpses nearby. They were noticeably larger than the regular romies, their fur shinier, their bodies more imposing. Even in death, they stood out.

He flexed his fingers. Their hides alone would be valuable loot—if he was lucky enough to get them.

He crouched beside the first one and pressed a hand against its side. A faint glow pulsed beneath his fingertips, but unlike the regular romies, the light didn’t disperse immediately. Instead, it lingered, shimmering with a faint golden hue before dissolving into motes. A tingling sensation ran through his palm—maybe just his imagination, or maybe a sign of better loot.

You’ve harvested the corpse of a white-striped ischyromys.

You’ve picked up 5 silvers, 2x[Ischyromys Exquisite Meat], and 1x[White-Striped Pants].

+100XP in [Butcher]

Jack grinned. "Great to see that [Tenderizing Repercussions] works well on these guys too."

He compared the exquisite ischyromys meat with the regular version.

Ischyromys Meat (Common)

A hunk of meat harvested from an ischyromys, dense and tough. It has a faint nutty aroma and a firm texture that requires thorough cooking to soften.

Durability: 16

Exquisite Ischyromys Meat (Uncommon)

A premium cut of ischyromys meat, richer in nutrients and flavor. It carries a subtle sweetness under its nutty aroma and, while still firm, is noticeably more tender than standard cuts. When cooked, meals made with this meat yield enhanced effects.

Durability: 45

Just looking at the marbling, he could already tell—his pickled romie stew was about to get another upgrade. He put the meat away, turning to the other drop.

A piece of equipment this time. A pair of red trousers with twin white stripes running along the legs. He inspected them.

White-Striped Pants (Common)

Lightweight and flexible, these pants are favored by hunters and scouts for their balance of durability and mobility. The dual white stripes mark the wearer as an experienced sprinter.

Durability: 24

Effects:

+7 agility;

+1 luck;

+21% movement speed.

Requirements: Lvl. 20

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Huh? No defense bonus? No block bonus either. That’s strange.”

He ran his fingers along the fabric. It had a smooth, almost weightless feel, clearly built for speed rather than protection. The twin white stripes gave it a sleek, scout-like aesthetic, but what really caught his attention was the luck bonus.

Luck wasn’t a stat he saw often, especially on equipment. 

Curious, he opened his equipment menu and scanned his current gear. Nothing. None of his items affected luck. The only boost he had to the stat came from his [Uniqueness] title—the one he earned for becoming a handyman.

Uniqueness (Legendary)

Title description: You’re one of a kind, the only one brave enough to try new things.

Title effects:

+5 fame;

+5 luck.

Conditions to unlock [Uniqueness]:

Be the first player in the game to unlock a class or a profession. {complete}

Jack tapped a finger on his chin, thinking it over. This was his rarest title—legendary. If it granted five fame and five luck, that meant both stats were priceless. Amari and the others had already stressed how valuable fame was. If luck was just as important, then maybe the +1 luck on these pants was far more valuable than it seemed at first glance.

Even if it weren’t, the agility boost alone could be useful for crafting—faster hands, better execution, and a higher chance of hitting top-tier results. He shrugged. There was no use in even considering if it was worth equipping it. His class wouldn’t allow him to wear it.

He sighed, tucking the pants away. The meat was useful, the pants were a solid find—probably best suited for Amari—but no hide.

That left one more chance.

Jack shifted to the second elite, the one Horace had taken down, and placed his hand on it. He hesitated for a second, knowing this was his last opportunity. He'd have to wait for another wave if this one didn’t have a pelt. The corpse flickered, dissolving into shimmering motes.

Come on, come on…

His system log updated, and his eyes locked onto a single word:

You’ve harvested the corpse of a white-striped ischyromys.

You’ve picked up 4 silvers, 2x[Ischyromys Exquisite Meat], and 1x[White-Striped Ischyromys Pelt].

+100XP in [Butcher]

Jack grinned and threw his fist up. "Yes! I got it!"

He lifted the hide, running his fingers along the thick, soft fur. The white stripe along its back wasn’t just aesthetic—it gave the pelt a distinct, almost regal look. Without hesitation, he equipped it.

[Pelt Mantle] activates. You can wear [White-Striped Ischyromys Pelt] on your mantle slot.

White-Striped Ischyromys Pelt (Common)
Soft yet durable enough, the white-striped ischyromys pelt is prized for crafting lightweight gear.

Item effects:

+1 constitution;

+5 jump;

+5 cold Resistance;

+2% movement speed;

+3 block;

+5 defense.

Durability: 25

Jack stretched his shoulders. The fit was snug but not restrictive. A soft pressure settled around his back, like a second skin. No stiffness, no bulkiness. This was a true upgrade.

Jack’s stomach twisted with anticipation. If an elite pelt was already this good, then what of a boss?

I wonder what the next boss will be like. Will it be a scaler, too?

He flexed his fingers, adjusting the mantle. The Roach Mother had been strong. The next boss would be stronger. However challenging it would be, though, it was also going to be a great opportunity. Defeating it wouldn’t just mean another victory—it meant another pelt.

Jack exhaled as he turned toward the others. Instead of cleaning up the battlefield himself, he jogged toward the fortress. By the time he arrived, the group was already gathered, waiting to be fed.

“Nice new mantle,” Amari said, giving him an approving nod.

Jack grinned. “Thanks!”

Horace banged his bowl with his spoon, wearing an exaggeratedly impatient expression. “Hey! What kind of restaurant are you running here? We’ve been waiting for someone to take our order for over an hour!”

Amari smirked, shaking his head, but Marie took it a step further, leaning back with a sigh. “Terrible service. I’m not tipping.”

Jack snorted. “Aha. Funny. Here—see if any of you want these.” He tossed the newly looted pair of pants toward them.

Horace caught them first, flipping them over. “Oh, these are nice. Ooh! A boost to luck! That’s rare in equipment.”

Jack blinked. “Uh… What does luck do again?”

Amari, ever the teacher, cleared his throat. Jack had the distinct feeling that this explanation would soon be clipped into one of his tutorial videos.

“When you first start the game, the tutorial instructor explains that luck helps you when you ‘roll a die.’ Basically, that means luck influences any system based on percentages or probabilities.”

“For example,” Amari continued, “let’s say you open a chest in a dungeon. The devs say that for a normal chest in a dungeon, there’s a 1% chance of getting a legendary item, 4% for an epic, 15% for rare, 30% for uncommon, and 50% for common. If you have 10 luck”—he winked—"then the probability of getting a common item will shrink, and your chances of a better result will go up.”

Jack tensed slightly. Why did he mention 10 luck? That’s the exact amount I have! Oh right. He knows my stats.

“There are some people who claim that if it were not for the five luck we get as we start the game, there wouldn’t even be a 1% chance of obtaining legendary loots or drops. If that is true, each point of luck means a 0.2% increased chance of gaining legendary items.”

Hearing ‘drops,’ Jack perked up, “Does that mean that luck influences loot drops, too?”

“Yes,” Marie said flatly. “Or finding a stinking miracle pinecone.”

Ouch. She still hasn’t forgotten about that.

Jack coughed into his fist. “What about while crafting?”

Amari nodded. “There are a lot of theories about just how much luck affects crafting, but the general consensus is a lot. Better crafting grades, higher chances of succeeding with something that has a failure rate, that kind of thing. It also helps in battle. Critical hits, skill activation chances, and even some status effects. The applications are endless.”

Jack paused, considering that. He hadn’t realized luck was such a powerful stat in the game. His mind drifted back to earlier—looting the corpse and getting exactly what he needed. Or before that, stumbling onto the pinecone, something absurdly rare.

He’d been lucky.

Maybe luck had played a bigger role in all of this than he had given it credit for.

“Maybe I should start investing in the attribute,” he muttered.

Horace burst out laughing.

Jack frowned. “What? What did I say?”

“It’s a special attribute, Jack. You can’t add free attribute points to it.”

“Oh.” Jack’s face heated slightly.

That meant his [Uniqueness] title was even more valuable than he thought. And the same was true for these pants.

What had once been mild indifference about not being able to equip them now felt like a loss.

The others pulled up the item stats, mumbling as they decided who would get them.

Jack sighed, shaking off the lingering bitterness. He turned away, forcing himself to focus on something else, and made his way toward Esther, who was just finishing another pot.

“Hi, Esther! Thanks for keeping the pots going.”

She looked up, wiping her hands on her apron. Sensing that Jack had something in mind for her, she straightened. “Is there anything I can help you with, sir?”

Jack nodded. He tapped into the system, assigning [Butcher] to her while retrieving [Pottery]. He was going to need it.

“Do you mind picking up the spoils from the field?”

“Right away, sir.” She moved to step away but hesitated, her gaze lingering on the cooking pot for a moment.

Jack chuckled. “You can have a meal first if you want.”

Her shoulders eased, and she gave a small, grateful nod. “Thank you, sir.”

Glancing at the group, Jack noticed that Marie was already wearing the pants he’d looted. It made sense. They offered no defense or blocking bonuses, but she didn’t need them. He hadn’t seen her take a hit in the Breach yet. Amari and Horace, on the other hand, couldn’t say the same.

Jack turned back to his cooking station. 

She’s the one who got the pair of pants, but ‘lucky’ me. It’s my turn to cook again!

With a self-deprecating smile, he got cooking. He wasn’t about to let his team explore the Breach map on an empty stomach. 

Ch. 158 - Scalers

INDEX

Ch. 160 - Running the Rounds