Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 214

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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
Atlas Territory (4)
The virtual reality game Ares reflected high degrees of freedom and realism.
Because of this, Ares possessed distinctions that set it apart from ordinary games.
That distinction was the impossibility of indiscriminately extracting ‘troops and territory residents’ from a territory.
By precedent, most territory-building games could produce thousands or tens of thousands of units with nothing more than currency and resources.
But Ares had virtually no territories like that.
‘One day I was born, and the Lord purchased me!’
This was because Lee Se-jin had not wanted such a setting.
Someone had posed the question.
‘Then isn’t it far too difficult to obtain territory residents and troops?’
Lee Se-jin believed it was half right and half wrong.
If one established great merit and received a territory as a reward, they could gain thousands of residents and hundreds or more troops.
Should one rise to the rank of marquis and receive a grand territory, they might command tens of thousands of residents and thousands or more troops.
Territories were, from the outset, the exclusive domain of the top one percent of chosen users.
The interesting fact was that from Ares’s inception, more than dozens of alternative means existed to replace the system of simply purchasing residents within a territory.
The Atlas Territory that user Hyeon-su had reached was one such means.
And the catalyst for this Atlas returning to Hyeon-su originated from a meeting of branch directors one week before the Continental War began.
In a video conference before the Continental War commenced, John, the United States branch director, spoke.
-Isn’t it about time we released one of the ancient territories?
Ancient territories.
They had been planned since Ares’s earliest days.
Five existed in total, and this time they were not confined to a single continent.
And each ancient territory possessed different powers depending on who had been the master of that land in the distant past.
Tao, the Chinese branch director, seconded John’s words.
-Precisely. The guild that performs most brilliantly in the Continental War becomes proof of being the most outstanding guild in existence. Doesn’t this align perfectly with Ares’s principle that the excellent obtain good things and the weak obtain trivial things?
Lee Se-jin understood why Chinese branch director Tao was pushing so hard.
It was likely because he believed Chinese users would sweep away Korean users with ease.
But there were dissenting opinions.
-Isn’t it premature?
-Ancient territories already?
-It doesn’t seem like the right time yet.
Watching the conflicting opinions, Se-jin fell into deep contemplation.
Should users already obtain something of that magnitude?
To this, the words of Chinese branch director Tao partially convinced Se-jin.
-After the server integration, Ares enters its second act.
The first act had been adventure.
And the second act currently being planned by Pureum Corporation.
-Wouldn’t the second act as the path of kings be acceptable? If a serious problem arises, I will take responsibility.
In the second act, someone might even become a king.
However, the branches’ opinions clashed fiercely, and Lee Se-jin reached a conclusion.
“What if we grant the opportunity to only those guilds participating in the Continental War who meet the benchmark we’ve established?”
-Hmm?
-A benchmark we’ve established? Then that standard must be extraordinarily high?
“Precisely. It will be an absurdly high benchmark. They’ll be undertaking an invisible challenge. And ancient territories with immensely formidable power remain beyond the Users’ reach.”
They haven’t yet attained a complete ancient territory.
That was the intent of the branch leaders who opposed it. Lee Se-jin satisfied them as well.
“Therefore, we grant the growth-type territory of Atlas.”
-A growth-type territory of Atlas, you say….
-That’s excellent.
-So if they obtain one of the ancient territories but then face another trial and overcome it, they’ll gain something superior; if they fail, they’ll merely possess an ordinary territory.
Just as one branch leader had stated.
The growth-type territory of Atlas is certainly one of the ancient territories.
They must fulfill the conditions within the allotted time.
However, those conditions themselves are extraordinarily demanding and difficult.
Thus, it’s estimated that a substantial portion of the eighty percent of Users will never even glimpse the true nature of the growth-type territory.
This is because the growth-type territory’s power dissipates if the benchmark falls short.
This was also one of the reasons Lee Se-jin decided to unlock the ancient territories.
‘The Chinese branch leader Tao spoke it himself. That he would take responsibility.’
And in the present moment.
Lee Se-jin wore a wry smile as he watched Hyeon-su arrive at Atlas through the monitor.
‘The greed of several branch leaders has sent someone unwilling to Atlas.’
That greed likely stemmed from wanting a User of their own nation to become the first Lord.
And this Atlas reward can be obtained by the strongest guild.
But is Hyeon’s Blacksmith Shop currently the strongest guild?
‘Not at all. Rather, it’s far insufficient relative to the power User Hyeon-su possesses.’
The reason they managed to rank as the supreme guild and meet the elevated benchmark lay in the Continental War system.
All participating guilds could only send a limited number of members to the Continental War.
Here, Hyeon’s Blacksmith Shop—small yet formidable—demonstrated its brilliance.
‘After the server integration, the noble power Hyeon’s Blacksmith Shop possesses is far too meager. But Atlas may change that, or it may not.’
As mentioned, Atlas is a growth-type territory.
To be precise, one might say the territory chooses its master.
Moreover, it could appear to be the least impressive among the ancient territories.
‘But the opposite is equally possible at any moment.’
The true power of Atlas Territory can possess strength superior to other ancient territories.
‘In other words, he might become the master of a grand territory.’
Of course, it all depends on the results User Hyeon-su achieves.
And there was an amusing fact as well.
Team Leader Kim Tae-seok had visited.
“As per the agreement, China’s Special User Management Team will monitor User Hyeon-su for two weeks. Thus, all responsibility regarding what becomes of Atlas falls to the Chinese Branch.”
Lee Se-jin observed Tae-seok’s visibly excited expression with a puzzled look.
“For two weeks, you won’t be able to monitor that User Hyeon-su you’ve been so fond of(?). Aren’t you disappointed?”
Tae-seok shook his head.
“Not at all. First, User Hyeon-su was a special target of our Special User Management Team, but since another branch will be overseeing him for these two weeks, and second, I’m curious about what’s going to unfold with the Chinese Special User Management Team.”
“What’s going to unfold? Is there bad blood between us and the Chinese Special User Management Team?”
“Yes, the Chinese Special User Management Team has been looking down on us considerably. But now we finally have the chance to teach them a lesson.”
“???”
It seemed the CEO was unaware of the grievances his employees harbored.
Tae-seok spoke with a broad grin.
“They’re about to experience the hell that is overtime work.”
*
*
*
Every branch worldwide has a Special User Management Team, and there’s a story that circulates among them.
‘Those Korean team members have the three major diseases.’
‘What are the three major diseases?’
‘Cervical disc herniation, carpal tunnel syndrome, and dark circles.’
‘…?’
‘And they all have forward head posture.’
‘Why forward head posture?’
‘Because they’re all too focused on their monitors.’
‘So they make sure to get the three major nutrients.’
‘Three major nutrients? What’s that about?’
‘Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine.’
‘…?’
‘Apparently they can’t survive without them.’
Such were the rumors circulating about the Korean Special User Management Team.
However, Wang Wok, the team leader of the Chinese Special User Management Team, had this to say about the rumor.
“Damn it. You have to give Koreans credit for being dramatic.”
Everyone has forward head posture? Did that even make sense?
And even if the workload was intense, how intense could it be that they couldn’t function without those three so-called nutrients(?)
“Why do they act like they’re suffering so much? Tsk.”
Team Leader Wang called the Korean Special User Management Team.
The person who answered was a woman named Lee Ji-hee.
-Hehehehe, yes, you can think of it that way, hehehehe…. For two weeks…. Hehehehe….
“…?”
Team Leader Wang’s expression grew puzzled.
‘Why is she so happy about this?’
From the other end of the line, she spoke.
-You’ll be able to manage it, fighting! You can do this!
Was this an employee brimming with energy? Wang Tae-seok chuckled at what came next.
-If you have any other questions, please feel free to call us right away….
“That won’t be necessary.”
It was a blatant dismissal of Korea’s work capabilities. Wang Tae-seok had expected the employee to sound flustered.
But….
-Really? That would be wonderful! Hahahaha, I truly appreciate it~
“…?”
After hanging up, Wang Tae-seok scratched his head, troubled by an inexplicable unease.
Wasn’t monitoring one’s own country’s users from abroad something that should wound one’s pride?
Of course, that was only while User Hyeon-su was developing Atlas.
In any case, Wang Tae-seok reclined his chair and interlaced his fingers behind his head.
Then he crossed both legs atop the desk.
He intended to watch in a very comfortable position.
He understood why they had come to monitor User Hyeon-su.
‘Because Atlas’s planning originated from the Chinese Story Team.’
Thus, the Chinese Special User Management Team was skilled in many aspects of Atlas.
Watching comfortably in that manner, Wang Tae-seok giggled.
“Look at that dumbfounded expression!”
The so-called first legend, Hyeon-su, arriving at Atlas and making such a bewildered face!
His expression was as if his world had gone dark.
Then Wang Tae-seok, who had been lying comfortably, was startled.
‘Isn’t that NPC the woman who will lead Ares in Chapter 2? Was she just visiting?’
Soon Wang Tae-seok was shocked.
[Bella has become User Hyeon-su’s vassal.]
“…?”
Without realizing it, he straightened his previously relaxed posture.
The Special User Management Team didn’t know everything happening in foreign lands.
‘What is this? Why would the next legend…?’
He couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
Without thinking, he craned his neck forward and brought his head closer to the monitor.
A team member spoke up.
“Team Lead, why are you stretching your neck out like a turtle?”
“…Me?”
Wang Tae-seok was flustered.
The sudden image of the legend with the turtle neck he had mocked flashed through his mind.
‘Those rumors couldn’t possibly be true…!’
With that, he focused back on the monitor.
Hyeon-su on the monitor asked Karn, the NPC leading Atlas, a question.
-What kind of person was the First Lord?
Wang Tae-seok recalled the setting of Atlas.
‘The ancient territories were places that once had masters.’
Those masters were all extraordinary absolute beings.
And Atlas was even more special.
‘A territory led by the greatest legend ever… how could a mere User Hyeon-su dare to approach it… wait?’
Team Leader Wang Wok, caught in such thoughts, found himself genuinely bewildered.
“What… what is this…? User Hyeon-su has a connection to the First Lord of Atlas Territory!?”
His expression was one of genuine shock.
And though he didn’t realize it, he stretched his neck forward like a turtle again, concentrating intently on the monitor.
The curse of the Korean team was beginning to take root in the Chinese Special User Management Team.
*
*
*
The way to understand what history this territory possessed was to know about the previous lords.
Having taken Bella as his vassal, Hyeon-su asked Karn, the NPC who led them.
“What kind of person was the previous lord?”
“That would be me?”
“…?”
Karn was a middle-aged man with a shabby appearance. Hyeon-su, bewildered, asked again.
“Then what about the lord before that?”
“That person.”
“Then the one before that before that…?”
“This person, that person, the other person.”
“…”
Hyeon-su was left speechless.
It seemed Atlas had been operated like they were changing class representatives every year.
Karn, speaking of such matters, offered a bitter smile.
“The previous lords are not what matters. What matters is the First Lord, who was originally the master of this place.”
“The First Lord?”
“Yes, that person expanded their power starting from this territory and eventually became a king. What is remarkable is that he was the first and only king to receive close support from the Ares Church.”
“From the Ares Church?”
Hyeon-su was genuinely astonished.
The Ares Church was the most powerful organization.
It was rooted not just across kingdoms and empires on the continent, but across all servers.
‘In other words, that means he was a king with global power…?’
Hyeon-su was truly amazed.
Suddenly, it occurred to him that this territory might hold something far greater than he had imagined.
“Moreover, the tale of how he single-handedly closed the gate to the Demon Realm became legend, and he was called one of the greatest legends of all time.”
Karn’s expression suggested he could not even imagine the holiness of that person.
And soon Karn spoke.
“He was called this: the Saint.”
At that moment, a notification reached Hyeon-su.
[The Saint’s Blessing shines forth.]
[The Saint’s essence flows through you.]
This was due to the Saint’s Blessing he had received from the Saint of the Ares Church long ago.
What came next was even more astonishing.
[Dual Class. You gain knowledge of the Saint.]

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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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