Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 21

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

 

The Genius Blacksmith’s Game

 

 

 

 

Achievement at the Blacksmith’s Tower (2)

 

 

 

‘Hyeon-su, would you believe it if there was a Stone-Cutting Sword?’

Father asked when Hyeon-su turned fifteen.

Naturally, Hyeon-su said how could such a sword possibly exist in the world.

‘Amazingly, it did exist – a sword known to strike down rocks without damaging its blade and even cut through bullets. That was the Damascus sword.’

‘The method of making Damascus swords completely disappeared long ago in the 15th century. Even medieval kings tried to discover the manufacturing method of this sword but failed, and many sword craftsmen attempted it even in the 20th century but failed.’

Father smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

‘This old man has one dream. To perfectly recreate this Damascus sword better than any blacksmith in the world.’

Hyeon-su liked that about Father.

Even at over fifty years old, he still had a dream he wanted to achieve.

‘Let’s begin.’

A sword that can cut stone. He wants to try making a Damascus sword.

Daeng’s hammer from the Blacksmith’s Tower would surely be of great help to Hyeon-su.

Hyeon-su looked around the blacksmith shop in admiration.

The Beginner Zone and Magic Forge were completely different.

During the Horn Bow restoration work, he didn’t necessarily need to use the things inside the forge.

The only proper forge he had used was Ren’s Forge in the Beginner Zone.

‘It was poor.’

Honestly speaking, Ren’s Forge in the Beginner Zone was in such poor condition that you could understand why it was called the Beginner Zone.

The hammer was so old that it was rusted through and through, and the anvil was cracked and on the verge of breaking at any moment.

However, everything inside the Magic Forge was good.

There was no rust, nor were there any cracks in the anvil.

Moreover, recalling what Han had said, there were no restrictions inside here.

Soon Hyeon-su scattered dozens of materials that appeared as holograms before his eyes.

Materials for making a dagger.

Each time Hyeon-su selected one, it materialized and was placed in front of him.

Then a notification sounded.

 

[You can select the dagger you wish to craft.]

[We recommend crafting the most basic dagger.]

 

According to Han, you could craft with the help of Mystical Power – that is, the system – inside here.

Otherwise, how could Outsiders who knew nothing craft daggers?

Hyeon-su said just in case.

“Damascus dagger.”

 

[Damascus daggers can only be crafted by Master Blacksmith level or higher.]

[We recommend crafting the most basic dagger.]

 

Hyeon-su smiled bitterly.

Damascus daggers did exist within this game called Ares.

But were those Damascus daggers crafted with the perfect manufacturing method?

With that 15th-century method? No, that itself was impossible.

The Damascus sword crafting method had long since disappeared.

The Damascus swords that exist in Ares are also not real.

Father had searched for a long time for the method to make Damascus swords.

And finally found the answer.

‘Hyeon-su, the Damascus crafting method has completely disappeared from this world.’

Damascus crafting was probably done this way and that way.

Various speculations ran wild.

Father also couldn’t find that method perfectly.

‘If it doesn’t exist, can’t I just make it myself?’

The reason people chase after Damascus swords.

Drop a handkerchief on the sword blade and it cuts.

Strike stone and the sword blade doesn’t dull.

Because it withstands any impact.

And finally Father completed it. His own Damascus sword.

‘I’ll pass on this Damascus sword crafting method to you.’

It begins.

“Turn off all notifications.”

He doesn’t need the system’s help.

This is solely Father’s unique Damascus crafting method that he left for me.

The furnace heats up intensely.

After a certain time passes, he can see the red molten metal flowing down.

Hyeon-su began crafting exactly according to the method Father had left behind.

Clang-

Clang-!

Clang-

As time passed and forging began, a notification sounded.

 

[You are showing a Damascus sword crafting method that defies common sense.]

[Though different from the established Damascus sword crafting method, this is also excellent.]

 

Of course.

Father was the one who created what could be called the world’s finest Damascus sword.

Clang-!

Hyeon-su continued forging without rest.

 

 

 

[A sword is being crafted using an unconventional method that defies common sense.]

[However, even though it differs from the established Damascus sword crafting method in Ares, this is also excellent.]

 

“…!”

Special User Management Team.

Kim Tae-seok and Lee Ji-hee showed surprised expressions.

Different from the established Damascus sword crafting method, but this is also excellent.

Lee Ji-hee input information about Damascus swords into the supercomputer Ares.

 

[No complete crafting method exists, only various hypotheses and speculations exist.]

[In modern times, they create Damascus swords in their own unique ways.]

 

Lee Ji-hee, who saw the supercomputer’s explanation, realized something.

Originally, this Damascus sword had become almost fictional in modern times.

It couldn’t be made using the complete methods of the past.

In other words, in modern times, it could be defined like this.

Whoever creates their own Damascus sword most excellently is equivalent to making a real Damascus sword.

And Lee Ji-hee suddenly remembered something.

“Team Leader, if this is the case…”

Kim Tae-seok, who met Lee Ji-hee’s gaze, also nodded.

Users in Ares receive help from the system.

But while receiving this system assistance, users also grow together.

No matter how much system help they receive, they also learn, study, and accumulate knowledge through it.

Because of this, among users above the highest-level blacksmiths, there were quite many who occasionally crafted their own original artifacts.

Most of those people tended to receive rewards.

But Hyeon-su was a little different.

Right now, Hyeon-su had reached that level at level 1, and among such blacksmiths, he was approaching the most excellent and original Damascus sword crafting.

Ares had prepared rewards for users who create their own original things.

But there was an interesting fact here.

“If User Hyeon-su successfully crafts that Damascus sword, will he get the most excellent reward among them?”

Kim Tae-seok said while looking at Hyeon-su on the monitor.

“That’s right, he’ll get the most excellent reward, the Soul of the Blacksmith.”

“Wow…”

Lee Ji-hee let out an exclamation.

Soul of the Blacksmith.

A skill that would give the greatest power to a blacksmith.

Perhaps Hyeon-su might obtain it.

 

 

 

Before long, Hyeon-su’s Damascus sword crafting was coming to an end.

Hyeon-su’s father met with appraisers around the world with the Damascus sword he had made.

They all said this:

‘Your Damascus sword is real.’

‘Even the Damascus swords made in the 15th century probably weren’t this good.’

To that extent, Father’s Damascus sword was recognized.

However, Father’s Damascus sword burned along with the blacksmith shop.

Hyeon-su was now preparing for polishing, the final process of the Damascus sword.

This Damascus sword would reveal its true form during the polishing process.

When he quenched it for polishing, wave patterns naturally formed on the sword surface.

Not arbitrarily created wave patterns, but patterns made through the crafting process.

Hyeon-su slowly lifted the dagger.

‘Collaboration.’

This could be called a collaboration between Father and Hyeon-su.

A sword blade that looked as solid as a military knife.

When he tapped it with his index finger, a heavy sound of “tuuuuung-” echoed.

Soon, a completion notification was heard.

 

[You have crafted more excellently using a crafting method differentiated from the established crafting methods in Ares.]

[Grade is being measured.]

[It is Epic grade.]

[Please decide on a name for the sword.]

[It will disappear after a certain time following the Talent Stone appraisal.]

 

“Damascus Dagger.”

Hyeon-su felt somewhat disappointed.

Because this dagger was made in the Magic Forge, it would soon disappear.

Moreover, while it was certainly made excellently, he felt regret that he couldn’t create something beyond the limits of Epic grade.

Then.

 

[The artifact crafted with a new method is judged to be superior to existing methods.]

[Hidden Piece. One who walks the path of the Creative Blacksmith.]

[You acquire the skill Soul of the Blacksmith.]

 

‘Soul of the Blacksmith?’

Hyeon-su made a puzzled expression.

 

[As a reward for acquiring Soul of the Blacksmith, it will be activated immediately for one time only.]

[The Damascus Dagger’s grade will be enhanced by one level.]

[The Damascus Dagger is upgraded from Epic grade to Unique grade.]

[You receive a reward for crafting your first Unique grade artifact.]

[You gain 3 to all stats.]

[You gain 50 Dexterity.]

[You gain 100 Fame.]

 

“…!?”

Hyeon-su made a surprised expression.

‘A skill that raises an artifact’s grade by one level?’

He immediately checked it.

 

(Soul of the Blacksmith)

Active Skill

Grade: Legendary

Level: None

·Activates when creating original creations or when crafting excellently despite using methods different from established crafting techniques.

·Activates when judged that dozens of aspects of your soul are contained, such as mindset, effort, passion, determination, etc.

 

‘Legendary grade?’

Hyeon-su was amazed.

The skill called Soul of the Blacksmith was literally a cheat-like skill.

‘If this is applied to Unique grade, what would happen…?’

If that happened, a legendary artifact might be created.

Hyeon-su knew that currently fewer than a hundred legendary artifacts had been released.

Because of that, he knew their value could reach hundreds of millions at least.

‘Even if I couldn’t get the artifact, I got a cheat skill, so let’s be satisfied.’

When Hyeon-su left the Magic Forge holding the completed dagger, Han welcomed him.

“Now you can appraise the Talent Stone.”

Hyeon-su nodded and stood in front of the Talent Stone.

And he gripped the dagger tightly.

A dagger he could make because Father had passed it down to him.

Using that dagger, he struck down on the Talent Stone with all his might.

Sgaaaaaaak-!

Hyeon-su definitely felt it.

This sound and sensation.

This was definitely the sound of the Talent Stone cracking.

Soon

Craaaaaack-

The stone split in two.

Hyeon-su looked down at the Damascus dagger in his hand with a pleased expression.

And when he turned his head, the job change NPC Han was making a shocked expression.

Then.

Burst-

Suddenly the door opened and a man entered.

The man who entered appeared to be around fifty years old with a sturdy build.

What was peculiar was that he was barefoot and breathing heavily as if he had come running in a hurry.

 

[Sword Blacksmith’s Tower Master Daeng Lv.375]

 

‘That person is Daeng?’

Soon that person called Daeng asked.

“That dagger, may I examine it?”

 

 

 

Daeng, who had come running forgetting even to put on shoes, was honestly surprised.

The mysterious blacksmith he saw as soon as he opened the door looked far too young.

Daeng, breathing heavily, requested to examine the dagger from that man.

The man casually handed the dagger to Daeng.

Daeng calmed his breath that had risen to his chin with deep breathing and received the sword to check its information.

 

(Damascus Dagger)

Grade: Unique

Durability: 8,000/8,000

Attack Power: 284

Restriction: No restriction for creator, Level 1~140.

Special Abilities:

·Strength +2%, Agility +1%.

·Cutting power +54%.

·30% chance for Critical Damage to appear

·Passive skill Stone-Cutting Dagger.

·Active Skill Blink.

Description: A dagger that surpasses the dagger made by Daeng, the Tower Master of the Blacksmith’s Tower, and is the greatest dagger recorded in history.

 

“…”

Daeng’s entire body trembled. An indescribable thrill wrapped around his whole body.

He had made an Epic Artifact grade dagger 30 years ago and became a legend, rising to this position.

At that time, that sword’s attack power was 198.

But this dagger had an attack power that was a whopping 100 points higher than what he had made.

‘No, it’s not just that level. Every aspect far transcends what I made!’

Daeng, who was breaking out in cold sweat, soon had a thought flash through his mind.

The Tower Masters of the Blacksmith’s Tower had been waiting for a long time.

For someone who would inherit the position of the former Blacksmith God and finally walk the path of a new Blacksmith God’s successor!

‘Perhaps…’

This man before him might be the material for a Blacksmith God.

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