Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 217

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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 (7)
Hyeon-su reached a firm conclusion upon examining the Saint’s Sword.
‘The Saint’s Sword is a blade into which someone has poured tremendous power—a weapon that was otherwise unremarkable.’
Every metric proved that the Saint’s Sword was mediocre.
Even viewing the Artifact’s detailed information revealed it barely qualified as Rare, let alone Legendary.
But that mysterious power infused by an unknown hand—
‘That must be what the “Saint” designation represents.’
And observing the Saint’s Sword, I arrived at another realization.
‘In reality, Master Craftsmen do not restore the swords of ordinary soldiers.’
It was only logical.
If restoration were to occur, the sword’s owner would not be a common soldier but a hero whose legend endured through the ages.
In reality, Blacksmiths’ restoration work focuses almost exclusively on Legendary Swords.
And restoring a Legendary Sword is difficult.
One must restore everything—the blade’s keen edge, the sword’s unwavering balance, the beauty the weapon embodies—all of it.
Therefore, restoring a commonplace sword was almost trivially easy for Hyeon-su.
‘And there is more to consider.’
Precisely: Asthenium.
The amusing truth was that even the materials used in this Saint’s Sword were unremarkable.
Add to that the legendary Ore, Asthenium.
Even a fool could understand.
A superior craftsman.
Superior materials.
And restoration work that was almost effortless.
[This restoration far surpasses the original creator’s work.]
[The blade becomes sharper and more refined.]
[The sword’s special functions improve significantly, and both physical attack power and durability increase substantially.]
[The sacred power within the Ore awakens and manifests.]
It was true that I lacked a Restoration Skill.
However, a restoration button existed.
When I pressed this restoration button, nothing happened to me directly.
It merely revealed the restoration process itself.
Of course, for other Blacksmiths, it marked the beginning of skill-based restoration application.
And I had begun to immerse myself completely.
Restoration work was something I found joyful even to imagine.
A sword planted into the earth by the Saint eight hundred years ago.
Though time had corroded it and it now seemed fragile enough to shatter at a touch, its sanctity remained.
The proof of that sanctity was the Territory residents who lived here.
In other words, my people now dwelled in this place.
Though I might drown with only my mouth above water, I possessed sincerity nonetheless.
‘Why wouldn’t they have abandoned this shabby territory in eight hundred years?’
Because of their nobility.
Hyeon-su wanted to protect their nobility.
And at the end of the Restoration, a message arrives.
[This is the most perfect Restoration Technique.]
[No one else could restore the Saint’s Sword so brilliantly.]
The Restoration was complete.
[The experience and knowledge of a Blacksmith possessing Master Craftsman-level skill have been infused, making it superior to the original Saint’s Sword.]
[It is Legendary grade.]
Unfortunately, the grade itself hadn’t been upgraded.
‘No, wouldn’t it be stranger if it had been upgraded?’
When I examined the Saint’s Sword piece by piece from the start, it was such a pathetic blade.
The fortunate part was that by my handiwork, it might have truly gained Legendary-tier power.
Then, seeing the notification that appeared, my eyes widened in shock.
‘What, what did it say…?’
I let out a scream.
“No, no, no, no! It’s ruined…!”
It was ruined. I could only wail.
Without realizing it, my hands gripping my head tensed with force.
[Blacksmith’s Soul activates.]
[You immersed yourself more than anyone while creating this Sword.]
[Your determination to create a superior Saint’s Sword and your deep empathy for those who have protected this place for eight hundred years without abandoning it, generation after generation, have resonated greatly.]
[The Saint’s Sword rises one tier higher.]
[It is Legend Beyond Legend grade.]
The notification clearly stated that I had obtained something superior.
In other words, this Saint’s Sword could be described as a masterwork-tier Artifact.
That was the reason for my anguished cry.
‘This is ultimately a bugged item…!’
The conclusion was that bugged items would eventually be Retrieved.
In other words, despite crafting it extraordinarily well, I couldn’t possess this.
However, I steadied my breathing.
‘I got excited because it turned out so well.’
The moment I double-checked, my vision spun.
‘It was worth getting excited about…!’
This third masterwork-tier Artifact was a Sword I wanted to own that badly.
And what shocked me most was this part.
‘How… how is this even possible?’
The reason the existing Saint’s Sword was judged to be a bugged item lay in the existence of an absurd skill called the Saint’s Blessing.
Though it was consumable, it had a usage count of exactly two hundred times.
Moreover, since there was no cooldown, as long as someone didn’t deal one hundred percent HP damage in a single hit, the owner of this Sword couldn’t die.
Until I’ve exhausted 200 uses!
The reason this is absurdly broken can be put this way.
‘At this level, I could hunt down even the demon Graut alone.’
Yes, hunting was possible as long as the level difference didn’t exceed 250 or more.
This transcended infinite regeneration by a vast margin.
And on top of that, the Saint’s Blessing—which could already take down the demon Graut—had become even more powerful.
‘This is genuinely insane.’
Hyeon-su let out a bitter laugh.
At that moment, Karn and the territory residents approached Hyeon-su.
*
*
*
Karn and the territory residents watched Hyeon-su with bated breath, harboring indescribable emotions.
A full four days.
During that time, they had slept and eaten.
But the newly arrived Lord had not.
And among them, Karn was most profoundly moved.
Karn was, in fact, someone who knew much of this place’s history.
Observing Hyeon-su, Karn harbored this thought.
‘Did our ancestors feel this way when they gazed upon the Saint?’
No, Karn was certain.
‘My reverence for the Lord before me must be even greater.’
We prayed that the Saint’s Sword, which had stood for 800 years, would not break.
And then we ate, slept, and lived for four days.
But the newly arrived Lord devoted all four days to restoring the Saint’s Sword.
‘It was for us!’
‘He didn’t sleep for our sake!’
‘A Lord who cherishes his people!’
Of course, this was partly a misunderstanding born from their ignorance of Hyeon-su’s crafting methods.
Though it was also true that half of that sentiment was genuine.
In any case, their reverence for Hyeon-su only deepened with each passing day.
And then came Hyeon-su’s scream, clutching his head in anguish.
Witnessing that, they sensed the restoration had failed.
Yet Karn and the territory residents exchanged glances with one another.
‘Still, he is our Lord.’
‘He did his utmost for us.’
‘I now serve Hyeon-su, not the Saint.’
Their eyes glistening with tears, they approached Hyeon-su.
Hyeon-su watched as the still-disheveled territory residents drew near.
Many of them had reddened eyes.
‘Why are their reactions like this?’
Karn suddenly prostrated himself.
“Lord, even without the Saint’s Sword, we shall endure.”
“That’s right!”
“Though you failed to restore the Saint’s Sword, we have gained someone far more precious to us than the First Lord!”
“Lord Hyeon-su, from this day forward, even without the Saint’s Sword, we shall forge things as magnificent as the Saint’s Sword alongside you!”
“We shall be your people and yours alone!”
They made a fervent vow.
[All the people of Atlas Territory respect and cherish you.]
[They shall never betray you and will dedicate themselves entirely to developing the territory for your sake.]
[You have acquired 10 Charisma.]
[You have acquired 30 Renown.]
But what was this?
“What are you all saying? The restoration of the Saint’s Sword was completed brilliantly. In fact, it has become far superior to what it was before.”
“Y-yes…?”
They recalled Hyeon-su’s appearance from just moments ago.
“Then why did you just…?”
“…There is a reason.”
Hyeon-su’s chest tightened.
He confidently extended the Saint’s Sword to Karn.
“See for yourself what you have protected all this time.”
Karn’s heart burned hot.
What they had protected for eight hundred years.
The moment he confirmed it, Karn felt as though his heart had stopped.
Swaying, he gazed at the Saint’s Sword with an expression of disbelief.
In that moment, a single thought flashed through Karn’s mind.
‘Perhaps this person may even surpass the Saint.’
The transformed performance of this blade was simply that extraordinary.
And to him wearing that expression of disbelief, Hyeon-su spoke.
“Now I am your Lord.”
*
*
*
Tao, the Chinese Branch director, rushed to the Special User Management Team in a single stride.
Upon entering through the door, he could not hide his bewildered expression.
It was due to the appearance of the Special User Management Team, as though they had been worn down by something.
Their eyes were hollow with dark circles.
As if their necks had stiffened over the past few days, they stretched their heads forward like tortoises.
Moreover, dozens of takeout cups were stacked in front of each team member, and cigarette butts formed a hedgehog mountain in the ashtray.
The most remarkable sight was that of Team Lead Wang.
Days without a proper wash had left their mark.
The immaculate formal attire he’d once worn now hung disheveled.
Yet Tao had moved past such concerns.
He’d already heard all the reports.
Moreover, he had taken full responsibility for everything occurring in Atlas Territory.
Upon examining the restored Saint’s Blade, he found himself at a loss for words.
(Saint’s Blade)
Grade: Legend Beyond Legend
Durability: Infinite
Attack Power: 501
Restriction: Lord of Atlas Territory
Special Abilities:
·Holy Power 26%
·Physical and Magical Attack Power Against Evil +60%
·Active Skill Eye of the People
·Passive Skill With God
·Active Skill Withdraw
·Active Skill Holy Protection
·Active Skill Saint’s Blessing
Description: A sacred relic of Atlas Territory designated by the First Lord, the Saint. Once a blade losing its luster with the passage of time, it has now been elevated far beyond its former glory by the hands of a Master Craftsman.
Tao’s eyes wavered.
‘What… what is this?’
Team Lead Wang beside him spoke in a voice trembling with disbelief.
“Director, in all my years, I’ve never seen anything like this. A minor oversight created by Team Lead Jin-cho has become a genuine bug through this User.”
Tao shared that sentiment entirely.
A small mistake had transformed into a genuine bug.
Tao steadied himself.
The crux lay in Saint’s Blessing.
Everything hinged on what power this Saint’s Blessing possessed.
Upon confirming it, Tao was rendered speechless.
He completely agreed with Team Lead Wang’s assessment.
‘An ordinary mistake had become a dangerous bug upon meeting this User…’
(Saint’s Blessing)
Active Skill
Mana Cost: None
Cooldown: None
Uses Available: 450/450
Description: Upon activation, fully restores HP and MP to 100%.
The number of uses had increased by 250 from its original count.
Moreover, now even MP would be fully restored to 100%.
Team Lead Tao’s vision darkened.
With his hand pressed to his forehead, he swayed as if about to collapse.
As mentioned, Tao bore all responsibility.
In other words.
“If this is the kind of Sword we’re dealing with, what exactly are we supposed to offer as our negotiating position?”
Tao despised the User Hyeon-su.
Because he had led their nation to defeat in the Continental War.
The problem was that the Chinese Branch had to recover that Sword, even if it meant offering him the greatest reward they could possibly give.
*
*
*
For Hyeon-su, there existed something more precious than the Saint’s Sword.
‘This Territory holds something.’
That something could transform Hyeon’s Forge from despair into hope.
Now Karn, his eyes brimming with reverence, spoke.
“The Atlas Territory left behind by the Saint is an ancient Territory.”
As I had anticipated.
“Once, this place was a Great Territory. You need only gaze upon the vast expanse of land to understand.”
Even the Goyad Kingdom could scarcely find such a Great Territory.
“And it was the mightiest Great Territory that even the Kingdom could not control—it overflowed with talent, possessed formidable soldiers, and housed an enormous population of Territory residents dedicated to its development.”
Then Karn shared a sorrowful tale.
“Yet they all met their end on the same day, and now they have become people of legend. And that legend has been passed down through the ages.”
What Karn spoke of was one of the dozens of mechanisms Lee Se-jin had embedded.
Ares possessed no button to instantly conjure wealth or purchase Territory residents and troops with currency.
Yet this method remained the only way it was possible.
“The countless people who once lived in ancient times, who built this Great Territory. And the Great Territory of Atlas itself.”
Karn looked at Hyeon-su and spoke.
“On the day a true Lord arrives, all that sleeps shall awaken.”

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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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