Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 20
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Blacksmith’s Game
Achievement at the Blacksmith’s Tower (1)
Hyeon-su was excited at the mention of 200 million won.
The amount the Golden Shield Guild Master mentioned was just the money they would give him for joining the guild.
‘Stay calm.’
However, Hyeon-su quickly composed himself and continued reading.
[If you join our Golden Shield Guild, we will supply you with any materials you desire.]
[Furthermore, since you’ve currently crafted a Rare Artifact, the best blacksmiths in our guild will help you craft Epic Artifacts, the next grade up.]
[It’s true that Rare Artifacts can be made quite easily with the help of your class. However, making Rare Artifacts and Epic Artifacts are worlds apart, and we can pass on our know-how to you.]
“Hmm…”
Hyeon-su unconsciously touched Gwangmyeong at his waist.
[Well then, we’ll be waiting for your contact.]
After reading all of Rune’s message, Hyeon-su soon opened the other message boxes as well.
[Hello? From the Sky Blacksmith Guild… The signing bonus is 50 million won…]
[Greetings. Our Hanarm Blacksmith Guild is…]
[Hey, do you also take personal item crafting requests?]
Most of them had similar content.
What stood out was that there were also many messages requesting personal item crafting.
However, after a moment’s consideration, Hyeon-su shook his head.
‘Not yet. Not yet, I haven’t even done my job change.’
Hyeon-su still thought his value hadn’t been completely determined yet.
Wasn’t he still in a situation where he hadn’t even done his job change?
It wouldn’t be bad to decide after doing his job change and raising his level to some extent.
‘I can do my job change once I leave the Beginner Zone, right?’
For now, he politely declined, and soon a notification came that his auction item had been sold.
[The auction period of 24 hours has elapsed.]
[Hyeon’s Second Bow has been sold to Blackhammer Jack for 2,450 gold.]
“Wow…”
A whopping 2.5 million won!
He had earned about 3.5 million won over the course of a month.
Since he had earned as much as an average person’s monthly salary, Hyeon-su smiled with satisfaction.
‘Now I’m finally leaving the Beginner Zone.’
He finally entered the Prime Kingdom after a month.
[You have left the Beginner Zone.]
[Entering the Prime Kingdom.]
[You can now change jobs.]
‘I should head straight to the Blacksmith’s Tower.’
Hyeon-su headed to the Blacksmith’s Tower for his job change.
“He was asked to restore a Rare grade bow, but he created an Epic grade bow instead?”
Special User Management Team.
Pureum Corporation’s CEO Lee Se-jin rushed over in one breath after receiving a call from Team Leader Kim Tae-seok.
On the monitor. User Hyeon-su heading toward the Blacksmith’s Tower came into view.
“So he only needs to achieve two more conditions?
Ares’ first divine class.
User Hyeon-su was only two steps away from becoming the God of Blacksmiths.
“CEO.”
At that moment, employee Lee Ji-hee cautiously spoke up.
“Could we know what conditions need to be achieved at the tower?”
The method to become a divine class was classified information.
Only CEO Lee Se-jin or Ares’ executive level knew about it.
The reason Team Leader Kim Tae-seok had told Lee Ji-hee until now was because she had been monitoring User Hyeon-su at the time.
“We don’t know either.”
“…Pardon?”
Lee Se-jin’s words were somewhat shocking.
“We know what the final condition is, but there’s no set condition for the Blacksmith’s Tower. If anything, it’s hard to call it a condition, but it’s making Daeng, the tower master of the Blacksmith’s Tower, move.”
“D-Daeng? If you mean Daeng…”
Lee Ji-hee knew about Daeng.
Daeng, the tower master of the Blacksmith’s Tower.
Blacksmith’s Towers existed in each kingdom and empire of Ares.
Among such Blacksmith’s Towers, the tower in the Prime Kingdom that Hyeon-su was heading to was the most famous.
The reason was precisely because of this NPC called Daeng.
He had the same rank as other tower masters, but he was an outstanding blacksmith to the extent that even they revered him as a king.
“Only the tower master can guide the way to the final condition. Only they have received the oracle of the God of Blacksmiths, and only they can lead those who are qualified.”
“In a way, User Hyeon-su is unlucky. To think he’s going to the tower managed by Daeng of all people.”
Just from hearing about it, she could tell.
User Hyeon-su had to accomplish something there that could make Daeng, the tower master of the Blacksmith’s Tower, move.
However, as far as Lee Ji-hee knew, when Smith, the current number 1 ranked blacksmith, visited the Blacksmith’s Tower for his job change in the past, the tower master remained unmoved.
Then how high would Daeng’s standards be?
‘Could he make such a tower master move…?’
Lee Ji-hee found herself looking at Hyeon-su, who had already entered the Blacksmith’s Tower.
Han, the job change NPC of the Blacksmith’s Tower, watched as Outsider Philip, who had completed a dagger, walked toward the ‘Talent Stone’.
Soon Philip struck the stone with all his might using the dagger he had made.
Clang-!
At that moment, the dagger Philip was holding broke in half.
Looking at his broken dagger, he asked with a bewildered expression.
“How much talent do I have?”
Han is an NPC who facilitates job changes while also gauging the talents of Outsiders.
At the man’s words, Han gave a bitter smile.
“About average. Most of them break, you see. I’ll process your job change.”
“Ah, I see. That’s fortunate, at least.”
The dagger broke in half, but it’s average talent.
The method for assessing talent in the Blacksmith’s Tower isn’t difficult.
Using a special forge called the Magic Forge, Outsiders craft daggers themselves with partial assistance from the system.
Then they strike the stone to measure their talent.
For most Outsiders, when they strike the Talent Stone, their dagger breaks in half.
However, simply managing to craft a dagger is enough to pass, so they get their job change.
But Han knows the truth.
‘They’re making it with Mystical Power assistance from the start, so they’d be fools if they couldn’t manage that.’
Those ignorant of blacksmithing work.
They create their first product in the Magic Forge with Mystical Power assistance.
‘Even leaving proper scratches without breaking would be remarkable.’
Han looked at the scratches scattered across the Talent Stone.
Those who left scratches mostly became quite renowned blacksmiths later on.
Looking at the stone, he gave a bitter smile.
The deeply indented section on the side of the stone.
‘Blacksmith Smith. Is there no one else with talent like his?’
Among Outsiders, Smith was the only one who gave the impression of ‘digging into’ the stone rather than just ‘scratching’ it.
This Talent Stone exists throughout all Blacksmith’s Towers.
Moreover, the scratches and indentations on this Talent Stone are shared across all towers.
Smith created this indentation at another tower, but it’s visible here as well.
Then Han looked at the center of the Talent Stone and was amazed.
‘Incredible…’
Daeng, the Tower Lord of the Sword Blacksmith’s Tower.
The achievement he left when he first came here.
The trace of a dagger penetrating to the center of the stone.
Truly legendary itself.
‘Cutting stone with a dagger?’
Ah, isn’t it wondrous just to hear about?
To craft a mere blade that could penetrate stone to such a degree.
Through this achievement, Tower Lord Daeng caused tremendous waves 30 years ago and eventually became the Tower Lord of the most outstanding Blacksmith’s Tower in modern times.
Knock knock-
While he was lost in such contemplation, someone knocked from outside.
“The next Outsider has arrived.”
“Tell them to come in.”
An Outsider entered.
He was tall enough to reach 184cm with a sturdy build that felt exactly like a blacksmith.
‘Only the feeling, I suppose.’
Han knows.
All Outsiders desire Mystical Power and mostly become blacksmiths only through that.
“Thank you for choosing to walk the path of blacksmithing. Your name?”
“Hyeon-su.”
“Yes, I’ll explain everything now.”
Han began reciting what he repeated dozens of times daily like a parrot.
“Do you see that door behind me?”
“Yes, I see it.”
“If you open that door and enter, the Magic Forge will unfold before you. Inside, Hyeon-su, you can craft any dagger you desire. Furthermore, you can use unlimited amounts of any materials suitable for your level.”
Han moistened his throat with tea and continued speaking.
“Moreover, hearing my words now, you’re probably thinking ‘how am I supposed to make a dagger?'”
“…Hmm.”
The Outsider named Hyeon-su wore a meaningful smile.
Han tilted his head slightly.
Most Outsiders were indeed ignorant of blacksmithing work, so not knowing was the correct answer.
There was no need to probe the meaning of that meaningful smile, so Han continued.
“When you wish to craft a dagger inside, the Mystical Power will guide you on how to proceed. Additionally, the flow of time in the Magic Forge differs between outside and inside.”
Han looked toward the Magic Forge behind him.
“Even if you spend all day crafting a dagger inside, only 5 minutes will have passed outside.”
The Outsider named Hyeon-su, who had been listening quietly, wore a small smile.
“That’s good. So you’re saying this Magic Forge has no crafting restrictions, provides any materials I want, and only 5 minutes of real time passes?”
“Correct. And after crafting the dagger, you’ll go through the final process.”
Han pointed to the Talent Stone placed to one side.
“You strike that Talent Stone with the dagger you made. It will probably break, but don’t be too surprised. Most do. And the crafted dagger, being made through the Magic Forge’s temporary power, will disappear after striking the Talent Stone.”
“What’s that deeply carved section in the center?”
Han carefully explained the trace left by Tower Lord Daeng to him who showed interest, then went on boasting about it.
“Isn’t he truly remarkable? To accomplish such a thing with just a blade. Ah, and also.”
With an expression as if remembering something, Han said.
“Lord Daeng once said jokingly that if someone could achieve even what he did, he’d give them the hammer he used to use. Now, you may enter.”
Han opened the door to the Magic Forge.
Soon the Outsider named Hyeon-su entered the Magic Forge.
Creak, thud-
[You have entered the Magic Forge.]
Hyeon-su, who entered the Magic Forge, crossed his arms.
The content explained by the NPC named Han was quite interesting.
Especially one thing he mentioned.
‘If I achieve as much as Tower Lord Daeng, I can obtain his hammer?’
Recalling the Talent Stone, Hyeon-su smiled slightly.
The good thing about this Magic Forge was this.
‘I can make any kind of dagger I want.’
Any desired materials are supplied infinitely.
Hyeon-su slowly closed his eyes and thought about what dagger to make.
Then he slowly opened his eyes and grinned.
The dagger that flashed through his mind.
Suddenly, a conversation with Father crossed his thoughts.
‘Hyeon-su, would you believe it if there was a sword that cuts stone?’
Daeng, Tower Lord of the Sword Blacksmith’s Tower.
He stood with arms crossed, gazing at the Talent Stone.
Clang-!
Tang!
Tang!
Today as always, loud sounds echoed from each Blacksmith’s Tower as Outsiders undergoing job changes struck stones with their daggers.
The Talent Stone that Daeng was watching was even more special.
The stones connected to all the job change locations made no sound.
However, in the case of the Talent Stone in Daeng’s Room, he could hear that sound in real time.
Tiiiiiing-
‘How many is that just today?’
Daeng let out a hollow laugh.
How many daggers had those lowly Outsiders made and broken in just one day.
It was nearly reaching hundreds of them.
Tiiing, the ringing sound.
It was proof that they couldn’t even make a scratch.
‘Pathetic Outsiders…’
Daeng decided to ignore it.
30 years had passed.
During all that time, no one had managed to carve that Talent Stone as deeply as he had.
Daeng decided to just make some artifacts at the Blacksmith Shop and turned around.
Then.
Sgaaaack-!
“…?”
Daeng froze.
That unidentifiable sound.
Daeng, frozen stiff, slowly turned his head.
‘That’s impossible… it can’t be happening…’
This sound, this impact.
‘The sound of cutting through the stone?’
Daeng slowly turned his head and soon could see it. The Talent Stone that seemed unchanged.
That stone then fell to both sides, cleanly cut with a perfect cross-section.
Kuuuuung-!
Seeing that sight, the frozen Daeng began rushing down the tower frantically.
‘Who on earth is it? Who on earth!’
Forgetting even to put on his shoes, he ran down like a madman.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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