Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 145

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Blacksmith’s Game
Video Shoot (2)
Jin-su received a call from Hyeon-su.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
‘I was planning to inject K-31 serum to treat the right hand.’
K-31 serum was a miraculous injection that revived paralyzed nerves for several days once administered.
However, it could only be used once, and through it, we could check how much performance was demonstrated before treatment, before that point.
Rehabilitation and treatment ultimately depended on how much the condition had improved compared to before.
“However, there is a condition. Medical personnel will be on standby at all times to prepare for any contingencies.”
-Medical personnel?
“Yes, I am likely to be included among those medical personnel.”
After ending the call, Jin-su smiled faintly.
In truth, attending physician Jin-su was an extremely busy person and not someone who could serve as standby medical staff.
But Jin-su was curious too.
‘What kind of power does Hyeon-su possess as a blacksmith?’
His curiosity intensified.
*
*
*
Kim Jin-su, a National Museum staff member, sighed.
Not long ago, the Chilji Sword, a Baekje artifact, was discovered in Daejeon.
What was the Chilji Sword?
A sword with one central blade and six branches extending from it.
Remarkably, one specimen was designated as a Japanese National Treasure and is currently preserved at Isonokami Shrine.
Though crafted in Baekje, the reason it exists in Japan is attributed to King Geunchogo presenting it to the Japanese king, though various interpretations exist regarding this mysterious sword.
In any case, a ‘fragment’ of such a Chilji Sword had been discovered this time.
The problem was that the fragment consisted of only two small branch-shaped blades.
The Chilji Sword, rusted beyond recognition, its form indecipherable.
Jin-su searched for someone capable of restoring or recreating the Chilji Sword.
But no such person existed anymore.
‘Kang Hyeon-tae….’
The staff member’s mouth turned bitter.
He found himself standing before the Dragon Light Sword without realizing it.
Soon, National Museum Director Park Gwang-hun stood beside him.
“The journalists are in an uproar.”
Gwang-hun was our country’s foremost historian and professor.
Now in his twilight years, he had become the National Museum director.
“Can it be restored or not? Is our country’s restoration technology really this limited? they pressed relentlessly.”
What exasperated Gwang-hun was this.
“Restoration? Without a blacksmith, how can we restore this? And we can certainly manage a superficial imitation restoration.”
You can produce as many copies as you want using 3D technology.
“Then I’d have to ask: you’re saying you can manufacture the Chilji Blade of Baekje using machines? Wasn’t the real Chilji Blade crafted by hand?”
What the National Museum truly needs is a Chilji Blade forged by a genuine Master Craftsman.
“What should we do?”
“…There’s no way around it. We’ll have to display it as is.”
For now, this was the cleanest solution: label it as the Sword Blade of the Chilji Blade, then broadcast footage of the authentic Chilji Blade on a monitor.
However, both Kim Jin-su, the staff member, and Park Gwang-hun, the museum director, possessed unwavering professional integrity.
They could not satisfy themselves with this approach.
What is a museum, after all?
It is a place that must vividly present historical artifacts to people.
Sometimes the original form from the past is preferable, but the problem was that only two fragments of the Chilji Blade’s sword blades remained.
It would be difficult to show visitors who came to the National Museum to see the real Chilji Blade only these pieces.
Then a phone call came through to Jin-su.
He broke into a pleased smile.
“Hyeon-su, how have you been? What? You want to see the Chilji Blade…?”
Park Gwang-hun’s face contorted.
‘Is he asking to come see it through personal connections?’
Given how much public attention this was attracting, could such a person really exist?
But something felt odd.
Based on Jin-su’s usual character, he would have flatly refused on the spot.
He soon ended the call and spoke carefully.
“Would it be alright if he came to see it?”
Park Gwang-hun’s face flushed.
“At a time like this….”
“He’s the son of Kang Hyeon-tae.”
“What?”
Kang Hyeon-tae?
The restorer of the Dragon Light Sword?
Many weapons across the nation’s National Museums had been reborn anew through Kang Hyeon-tae’s hands.
The National Museum owed him a debt of gratitude.
‘Regardless of the reason….’
He thought it could be possible.
Being the son of a Blacksmith, he would naturally have an interest in ancient swords as well.
Moreover, since the Master Craftsman had left behind so many works, they could afford to grant this one favor.
Park Gwang-hun consented.
Not long after giving his consent, Park Gwang-hun let out a hollow laugh upon seeing who entered the National Museum.
‘He’s just a kid?’
Park Gwang-hun had been expecting someone at least in their early thirties.
Soon, the boy named Hyeon-su, who had been observing him intently, spoke.
“Would it be alright if I recreated this sword?”
*
*
*
Hyeon-su grasped the situation at the National Museum.
The public held considerable interest in the Seven-Branched Sword.
Moreover, thanks to the museum director’s consideration, I was able to examine a fragment of the Seven-Branched Sword.
Though merely a fragment, it was a precious artifact.
As for restoration versus recreation—I determined that recreation was the appropriate course of action.
“Would it be acceptable if I recreated this sword?”
“What? You?”
Jin-su’s expression clouded with bewilderment, while Museum Director Park Gwang-hun openly displayed his displeasure.
“Ahem!”
“That’s somewhat….”
Jin-su expressed his difficulty.
He could not entrust an object that might become a national treasure to an unproven individual.
Then it struck him.
‘But he’s not asking to entrust it, is he?’
Recreation and restoration were entirely different matters.
Restoration meant either recreating the original or adding substance to what remained.
Recreation, conversely, meant literally crafting something identical to it.
‘There’s no particular risk on our end.’
Jin-su had observed Hyeon-su several times before.
Even when Hyeon-su was still a minor, he had never seemed particularly foolish.
Hyeon-su proceeded to explain his conditions.
Director Park listened to the proposal first.
In essence, what Hyeon-su was proposing was to display both the sword blade fragment and the recreation together.
Director Park’s expression grew uncomfortable as he listened.
“…Our institution certainly wouldn’t suffer any loss. But this is no child’s game, you understand. What you learn from watching over your father’s shoulder is a different matter entirely. Furthermore, you just said it yourself—display the fragment and recreation together. A fine idea, absolutely.”
This fragment would show what the original truly looked like.
Far superior to broadcasting it on video.
However.
“Do you know that while master blacksmiths have all but vanished from this world, appraisers are in abundance? I myself was a university professor, but I also worked as an appraiser.”
Indeed, there were still many capable appraisers.
“If your intention is merely to give it a try, I advise against it. Countless appraisers will come to examine the recreation, and if it falls short, the media will have a field day. ‘That’s what you call a recreation?’ they’ll scoff.”
As Jin-su heard this, a certain memory suddenly surfaced.
‘Wow, this is truly magnificent. I don’t know what we would have done without you, Master Hyeon-tae! Please remain our nation’s master craftsman for many years to come.’
At that time, Hyeon-tae had offered a bitter smile.
‘Things would probably be fine even without me.’
‘Fine? No, we absolutely need you, sir. Haha!’
‘Could it be…?’
Kim Jin-su spoke carefully.
“What if we entrust it to him?”
Park Gwang-hun’s brow furrowed.
Why is this guy acting like this today?
Of course, there’s no real loss in it.
“You never know, after all.”
“Hmm….”
Park Gwang-hun had already warned him.
Yet Hyeon-su remained resolute.
If he, as the appraiser, deemed it inadequate, they simply wouldn’t display it.
Then Hyeon-su spoke.
“If you’re satisfied, I’d appreciate it if you could grant an interview as well.”
At that, Kim Jin-su glanced nervously at Park Gwang-hun.
Of course, he was asking for an interview with Kim Jin-su himself.
Kim Jin-su, wary of Park Gwang-hun’s fiery temperament, quickly mediated.
“Y-yes, that’s right. If it’s crafted excellently, then what’s the harm? Ah, I can observe as well, right?”
“Of course.”
After much back and forth, Hyeon-su had finally secured approval.
*
*
*
Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Cars were arriving at the Blacksmith Shop.
The people who descended from the vehicles signed the contract that Hye-in had prepared.
The contract stipulated that they would not disclose anything regarding the crafting process and craftsman of the Seven-Branched Sword.
The medical staff consisted of Jin-seop and nurse Ji-hye.
And from the National Museum came a man named Kim Jin-su.
Ho-beom and those he brought along would handle the filming.
Soon Jin-seop brought the K-31 injection.
“You may feel a burning sensation once it’s injected.”
The injection was administered to his right hand.
Ssssshhhhh—
“Hgh….”
Hyeon-su let out a faint groan.
An inexplicable strangeness coursed through his right hand, unused for so long.
In truth, his right hand posed no problems for daily life.
Only in intricate details, and when overexerted, did it suffer limitations.
After the burning sensation subsided, Hyeon-su’s heart raced.
‘Four years. Finally.’
And Nel and Hye-in, watching him, held their breath as well.
‘The first crafting video to be revealed to the world….’
It was the Seven-Branched Sword of Baekje.
The Seven-Branched Sword was quite a notable blade worldwide.
Moreover, it was currently the hottest topic in domestic artifact excavation.
‘If it’s successfully recreated….’
What kind of impact would it create?
And what reaction would people show when they learned this was a work by Blacksmith Hyeon?
Soon the crafting began.
Rummmmmble—
Everyone watched the Furnace belching flames.
Smelting.
Refining.
Hyeon-su fixed the crimson ore with tongs, preparing to forge it.
But something was wrong.
My right hand wouldn’t move as I tried to bring the hammer down.
‘This moment I’ve waited for so long….’
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
In an instant, I saw the pillar falling from my own hand flash before my eyes.
And anxiety swept through me—if I brought the hammer down now, I felt I would never be able to forge again.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Beyond the camera screen.
Ho-beom’s companions watching him.
Those working at the Broadcasting Station had come at Ho-beom’s request.
“He’s scared, isn’t he?”
A Blacksmith afraid of forging?
Is this shoot actually okay?
And Jin-seop, who grasped the situation, spoke.
“Trauma….”
One possibility Jin-seop had been concerned about.
Even with my right hand healed, the trauma of the past tormented me.
A man was watching that scene.
He was Park Gwang-hun, the director who had just arrived.
Soon I heard Jin-seop’s words.
‘Did something like that happen?’
I think I’ve heard of it too.
That my son rescued Kang Hyeon-tae from the Blacksmith Shop and suffered a grave injury.
Of course, that and Blacksmithing Technique are separate matters.
Gwang-hun hadn’t wanted to come at first, but he ended up coming anyway.
Why? He was quite curious about the recreation of the Seven-Branched Sword too.
But he hadn’t held any expectations.
To be honest, I wasn’t pleased.
When I first saw Hyeon-su yesterday, that thought crossed my mind.
‘Is this young man planning to exploit these artifacts as mere achievements?’
Relics.
And national treasures that would be remembered throughout the nation’s history—countless people had sacrificed their lives for them.
Hyeon-su was young.
It seemed as though this boy treated such things with careless indifference.
Beyond the camera’s lens.
“Ugh!”
Hyeon-su collapsed to the ground.
“Huff… huff…”
He gasped for breath in ragged bursts.
“S-stop filming!”
“Bring water!”
The filming set erupted into chaos.
Hyeon-su lay sprawled out, breathing heavily.
Park’s mouth turned bitter.
‘It shouldn’t exist.’
2040.
Everything had been mechanized, and robots were replacing human labor.
The new generation no longer cherished relics of the past, and professions were no different.
Moreover, the Seven-Branched Sword was a royal gift that had endured for over a thousand years.
‘There’s no way this young man could have created something like that.’
Park turned away.
I felt foolish for harboring even a moment of hope.
Then.
“Wait, I can do it.”
A voice rang out.
*
*
*
Breathing heavily, I understood something.
Blacksmithing in reality was just as important as it was in Ares—no, more important than in Ares.
The anxiety, the fear that I might never use my right hand again.
I was certain that if I couldn’t overcome this, I would never be able to grip a hammer with my right hand again.
Even if my right hand were to improve.
Suddenly, a memory of my father came to mind.
‘Engrave it deeply in your mind and keep it close.’
My father had drawn the crafting methods of countless relics in a book.
It was a sorrowful thing, but my father had said.
‘Hyeon-su, preserve history for me.’
It was a difficult request to comprehend.
But now, at last, I could grasp its true meaning.
“Just a moment. I can do this.”
My ragged breathing steadied, and my body relaxed.
Everyone stared at me with bewildered expressions.
“Are you certain you’re alright?”
“Yes.”
I answered Jin-su’s question with a bitter smile.
Then I grasped the hammer once more.
Time had passed, and only now could I truly understand Father’s words.
Countless artifacts scattered throughout the world.
‘Only I can recreate and restore them.’
The Seven-Branched Sword was merely one of them.
With that thought, boundless confidence surged through me.
Without realizing it, I glanced around at those gathered here.
Not a single person in this place had ever witnessed my blacksmithing in reality.
‘I want to show them.’
I raised the hammer.
At last.
Clang—
A blacksmith moved for the sake of history.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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