Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 154

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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
The One Who Soars Above the Runner (1)
Level 300 is truly called the beginning.
The first reason is that from level 300 onward, one is considered high-level, and the required experience points for leveling up increase to absurd proportions.
The second reason is that the moment one reaches level 300, most classes unlock a new class Quest.
By completing that class Quest, one obtains class-exclusive equipment, class-exclusive skills, or whatever is essential for that particular class.
[Logging into Ares.]
Hyeon-su, upon logging into Ares, remembered receiving a notification for a class Quest.
At that time, he hadn’t checked the detailed information.
It was intentional.
Back then, Hyeon-su had been clearing a time attack, and during that process, he achieved level 300 and obtained the Quest.
[Class Quest: Sage Artega is generated.]
Sage Artega.
Sage Artega, one of the 10 Legends of the continent, was not particularly renowned for being exceptionally strong.
Rather, true to his name, he was known as someone who possessed all knowledge of Ares.
“Something related to the God of Blacksmithing from Artega… how thrilling.”
Hyeon-su couldn’t help but feel anticipation.
He opened the Quest details.
[Class Quest: Sage Artega]
Rank: S
Requirement: God of Blacksmithing, Level 300
Reward: What the God of Blacksmithing left behind
Penalty for failure: You can never obtain the God’s Inaction.
Description: Sage Artega is someone who knows about the things left behind by the God of Blacksmithing. Meet Sage Artega.
“What the God left behind…?”
Hyeon-su was moved.
The God of Blacksmithing.
According to Daeng-i, this class was the greatest class in existence.
But thinking back carefully, what I had actually gained from this class wasn’t much.
‘Custom Crafting, Emergency Crafting, and Bell and Orichalcon.’
Especially those skills—from the perspective of ordinary Users, they didn’t seem particularly impressive.
If I had only been churning out Rare or Common-grade Artifacts day and night?
Other Users would have cursed, asking what kind of divine skill this was.
At this moment, the Quest to obtain what the God of Blacksmithing left behind was precisely what I needed.
‘Perhaps I might obtain an offensive skill, or maybe I’ll acquire exceptional ore like last time.’
And Hyeon-su was aware of what was coming soon.
‘Not much time left.’
Recently, I had climbed to 2nd place in the subscriber rankings.
Receiving worldwide expectations, it was highly likely that people would soon discover Hyeon’s Forge.
That’s why it felt strange.
‘Hmm….’
I recalled my conversation with Nel.
‘It’s fortunate. I thought Information Broker Kabel would pursue you given your current influence, but it seems he’s chasing after something more valuable than you.’
I had heard that Information Broker Kabel would do anything if it meant profit or gain.
But seeing how quiet things had been, I suspected he was indeed pursuing other information, just as Nel had predicted.
Just then, Nel entered with a territory resident.
The resident was cradling Bok-deung-i in his arms.
“I’m territory resident Raon. I’d like permission to take care of Bok-deung-i and walk him around if that’s acceptable.”
Neither Nel nor I knew that he was actually Information Broker Kabel.
Kabel possessed the supreme skill of Disguise, which granted him a new identity, a new name, and a new appearance, transforming him into an entirely different person.
And it was actually beneficial for me.
I was essentially raising Bok-deung-i openly.
That didn’t mean I didn’t cherish him—it meant I was raising him freely.
Because of this, Bok-deung-i was often spotted throughout the territory.
Sometimes near the Blacksmith Shop.
Other times, he’d be strolling through the fruit market with an apple in his mouth, humming contentedly.
And occasionally, he’d stretch out at the territory entrance and sleep sprawled across the ground.
[Bok-deung-i likes Raon.]
Even Bok-deung-i seemed to take a liking to this Raon fellow.
“Approved.”
Soon after Kabel, disguised as Raon, left, I told Nel about this.
She responded positively as well.
“Please gain the strength to protect Hyeon’s Forge.”
I set out immediately to meet with Sage Artega.
*
*
*
The Beres Mountain Range was famous for its endless snowfall.
The Sage’s Tower stood in this place where temperatures plummeted below negative twenty degrees.
People were arriving at this location, which rarely saw visitors.
Remarkably, these were those who dominated the entire Asgan Continent.
They were the 10 Legends themselves.
Though there were vacant seats among them.
Sage Artega sat at the center of the round table.
And Grand Mage Luon and Absolute Shield Peya.
And Sword King Barad was seated as well.
Soon, an elderly man arrived last.
“Swordmaster, you were already here.”
“…Spearmaster, move faster, will you? Spearmasters are always slow, I tell you.”
“…?”
The legends seated in the hall observed the figure known as the Swordsman—Sword King Barad himself.
And the Spearman was Spear Heaven Ven.
What surprised them wasn’t their titles.
It was that the flow of conversation between the two seemed remarkably smooth and familiar.
Originally, these two had been at each other’s throats.
Yet now they displayed considerable warmth toward one another.
And this stemmed from a single Blacksmith.
Ven had once sent a gift to the Goyad Kingdom with these words.
The friend of my friend Hyeon-su is also my friend.
It was friendship of that sort, roughly speaking.
‘Hey, this is my friend Kim Gae-ddung, so be nice to him.’
‘If he’s your friend, he’s my friend too. Pleased to meet you!’
In any case, the two had grown quite familiar through their single connection—Hyeon.
Once everyone gathered, the conversation began.
Grand Mage Luon spoke.
“…Honestly, I find it difficult to accept. A craftsman becoming a legend?”
Craftsman was slang referring to production-class professions—Blacksmiths, sculptors, cooks, and the like.
Moreover, even if one were to become a legend, if those gathered here didn’t acknowledge it, that too would be a significant problem.
Absolute Shield Peya spoke.
“It won’t happen immediately, at any rate.”
Certainty resonated in Peya’s voice.
Everyone present understood the reason.
Blacksmith Hyeon had yet to fulfill one of the necessary conditions to become a legend.
“His level is still nowhere near even the dust beneath our feet.”
Luon let out a soft chuckle.
Yes, one of those conditions was achieving level 400 through the system.
“Since he hasn’t reached 400, the odds are high that the method to become a legend hasn’t been revealed to him.”
Grand Mage Luon tilted his teacup with an elegant gesture.
And Luon understood precisely.
The legendary Quest that Hyeon-su had received—Master Craftsman Hyeon—was structured as follows.
[Legendary Quest: 10 Legends Master Craftsman]
Rank: SSS
Requirement: One who has crafted six legends
Reward: 10 Legends
Penalty upon failure: Cannot inscribe your name among the 10 Legends.
Description: By crafting six legendary Artifacts, you have gained the qualification to challenge the Asgan Continent’s 10 Legends.
He had fulfilled only half the qualification.
The other half was achieving level 400.
From this content alone, it was clear.
The actual method to become a legend had not been disclosed.
And soon, Sage Artega spoke.
“He will come to meet me soon.”
“…!”
Those present were quite startled.
Sage Artega.
He did not say that Hyeon-su would come to meet him because he was the God of Blacksmithing.
Moreover.
“Why would he come to meet you?”
He did not answer the others’ questions either.
He simply said that he would come to meet him.
And Sword King Barad and Ven already knew.
‘The proof of those present here must be the proof of true legends.’
If Artega acknowledged it, it would be helpful.
And Artega flipped the hourglass.
“This hourglass flows for three days.”
Artega interlaced his fingers.
He did not speak, but he possessed information about the God of Blacksmithing.
Moreover, by his promise with that being, when his successor arrives, he must reveal the location of Muui.
However.
He would not give it easily.
“When he begins to ascend, the hourglass will flow. But if he does not arrive before all this sand falls, I will not meet him—ever.”
At those words, Luon smiled with delight.
In other words, he would never acknowledge him as a legend.
There was only one reason why Sage’s Tower existed in this mountain range, and the Sage was never easy to meet.
The path was far too treacherous, filled with powerful monsters, and only legends could ascend with ease.
A Blacksmith ascending this place within three days?
‘Absolutely impossible… Wait?’
But soon, Luon, who turned his head, saw Barad and Ven.
They wore quite composed expressions.
Soon the meeting ended.
They agreed to gather again in three days and departed.
Barad and Ven walked together.
“I look forward to it.”
“So do I.”
Then Ven asked.
“Sword King, you still haven’t grasped the most important content of this meeting.”
Barad stopped walking and wore a puzzled expression.
“What do you mean?”
Both of them knew that Hyeon-su was the God of Blacksmithing.
And they also anticipated that he would meet Artega for that reason.
“Meeting Sage Artega would give Hyeon-su an opportunity.”
An opportunity?
Barad’s expression turned puzzled, and Ven clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, tsk. This is why sword-slingers are so dense. Artega knows all the information in existence.”
“That’s right.”
“Our friend hasn’t reached level 400 yet.”
That’s why Barad thought it would be quite some time before it happened.
But then Ven said something amusing.
“What if, when Hyeon-su gets the chance to ask Artega a question, he asks it like this?”
A chance to ask a question.
It was a trial that Artega had set, or a task requesting something he desired.
If he completed it, Artega would answer whatever question he wanted.
Barad still looked confused, and Ven drove the point home.
“Please teach me the way to become a Legend.”
“…!?”
Barad gasped in admiration.
It wasn’t an impossible thing.
Sage Artega was a being who knew all the information in the world.
Even if Hyeon-su hadn’t been guided toward a path to becoming a Legend, it could be revealed this way.
Of course, both men were thinking the same thing at that moment.
“Of course it will be difficult.”
“It will be. Reaching this place within three days is no easy feat.”
Yet a mysterious smile played at the corners of both their mouths.
It was a smile born from knowing the infinite potential of the man called Hyeon.
*
*
*
After everyone had left.
Sage Artega gazed at the hourglass.
The hourglass was a kind of invisible test.
‘These are relics left behind by the God of Blacksmithing himself. They cannot be taken by just anyone.’
If he didn’t arrive within three days, Hyeon would ultimately gain nothing.
Moreover, Artega himself knew well.
“Hyeon, I know what you need.”
If he arrived within three days, Artega would ask him for one of the wishes he had failed to achieve in his 300 years of life.
After watching everyone disappear.
“I nearly died of frustration.”
Artega.
He removed the wig he had been wearing.
His gleaming bald head was revealed.
He was a man who knew all the information in the world, yet across three centuries, he had failed to discover how to make his hair grow.
There was nothing he hadn’t tried.
He’d smeared troll blood across his scalp and drenched his head in every rare potion imaginable.
But despite it all, his hair refused to grow.
“If you fulfill the one desire I could never achieve….”
He would provide information about what Hyeon sought.
In truth, he knew.
He knew the path by which Hyeon could become a legend.

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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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