Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 239

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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
What Goes Around Comes Around (6)
The strengths and weaknesses of Users and NPCs are unmistakable.
Now that the Second Ares has opened, the NPCs’ power still overwhelmingly surpassed that of the Users.
What must be remembered is that merely four years ago, Users started at level one.
The fact that Users have caught up to the NPCs at all is remarkable.
The NPC’s advantage lies in being born and raised here, growing naturally, while the User’s advantage is the existence of Quests that allow them to keep pace with that growth.
Users obtain stats and skills by clearing Quests and advance forward.
Moreover, Users can learn information through Quests that even NPCs would not know.
And there is yet another advantage to Quests.
One can anticipate what will happen in the future.
Sometimes these impending events are revealed, sometimes they are not.
It is quite inconsiderate.
However, Users harbor no complaints.
Their sentiment is that even being informed of impending events occasionally is better than nothing.
And now, Hyeon-su learned of one such impending event.
[A faction discontented with the royal decree raises an army.]
[An army of four thousand begins to move to overthrow the royal heir.]
[Prepare for war.]
Hyeon-su’s face, having just met with Artea, contorted with bewilderment, and simultaneously a Quest was triggered.
Ding!
[The King’s Path Quest: Rebel Forces]
Rank: S
Restriction: Royal Heir only
Reward: Spoils of war and +3 to all stats for all guild members
Penalty for failure: Removal from heir status.
Description: Those who harbored discontent with the royal decree have seized the opportunity of continental upheaval to raise an army. Eliminate the Rebel Forces causing chaos in the Goyad Kingdom.
‘The times are troubled….’
Hyeon-su privately believed that if he were to wage territorial warfare, the Users would be his first target.
‘Authentication posts are continuously appearing from those claiming they’ve crossed over to the Asgan Continent Server to find my hidden territory.’
The fortunate part was that they would not touch the Balas Territory.
This was Nel’s strategy.
‘Most of the Balas Territory’s military forces must be withdrawn. Only a minimal number of territorial residents and Blacksmiths should remain, and while Bark is the actual lord, Belin must be made to appear as the lord.’
‘Why must it be that way? Wouldn’t that make the Balas Territory extremely vulnerable if it were attacked?’
‘Ares is set in a medieval era. War is endless and the world is governed by force, lacking in human rights.’
‘Right, so we need even more military forces….’
‘But Users are different.’
At that time, Nel had filled in Hyeon-su’s gaps in understanding.
‘Today’s Users are people living in the twenty-first century. In the Russo-Ukrainian War that broke out in 2022, Russia, which initiated it, faced worldwide condemnation. Modern people despise one-sided plunder and massacre without resistance.’
‘…So you’re saying Users won’t attack the Balas Territory, which appears equivalent to civilians, out of fear of incurring massive criticism? But aren’t there always madmen everywhere regardless of where you go?’
‘That’s correct. However, no matter how mad they are, raiding the Balas Territory now would yield nothing. All they’d gain is your anger, Hyeon-su. So let me ask you this: how many Users do you think actually want to incur your wrath right now? Besides, the world’s Users are simply caught up in competitive fervor—they’re not your enemies.’
‘What about the NPCs?’
‘Even if there are those plotting rebellion, they wouldn’t dare plunder a nation where Prince Barad resides. They’d be annihilated.’
I had always admired Nel’s wisdom.
‘Just in case, I’ve also positioned Bark, members of the Swift Wind Squad, and Luke disguised as ordinary territory residents.’
I realized I needed to return to Atlas.
“Artea, I’m heading back. If anything happens, send a messenger bird immediately.”
Before tearing the return scroll, I whispered to Nel.
[Hyeon-su: Nel.]
[Nel is currently logged out.]
I furrowed my brow in confusion.
‘What? She’s not the type to be offline at a time like this.’
I tore the return scroll.
Meanwhile.
Hye-in had also confirmed the Quest that had just appeared: ‘Rebel Forces’.
The moment she saw it, she logged out.
“An unprecedented crisis for Hyeon’s Forge.”
If both the Users and the Rebel Forces discovered Atlas simultaneously, Hyeon’s Forge could fall immediately.
‘One wave can be endured, but two waves cannot.’
Yet Hye-in sensed something amiss.
She reviewed the information she’d gathered on her computer.
There were screenshots there.
-Tried to raid Hyeon’s Forge so I went to the Korea Server. But I got trapped in the Endless Maze. What is this?
He was a Korean who had acquired Chinese citizenship.
-The Endless Maze lol, why’d you even go there.
-That place sucks. Even the Sword King doesn’t go there.
-THIS IS THE KOREA SERVER!!!!!
Hahahahaha
Click—
She checked other information.
[This is Musashi from Japan. I officially announce that I have become enemies with Information Broker Kabel. Kabel was merely a rumored con artist.]
“Kabel…?”
She turned the name over in her mind.
Posts were appearing claiming Kabel was a con artist, no longer an information broker, or that people had been victimized by an imposter.
Additionally, most of the rankers from other worlds, except for Pond, had been scattered across various high-difficulty dungeons.
In other words, they’d all come up empty.
‘Except for Pond, the others don’t harbor malice toward Hyeon-su. That’s why they haven’t brought forces of significant scale. They only brought minimal numbers.’
Because of this, they didn’t seem particularly threatening.
Regardless, what struck Hye-in as strange.
“Why on earth would Kabel…?”
She also knew who Kabel was.
He commanded a far higher price than Lee Hwan, Korea’s number one ranker.
Known as the Shadow, he had never once revealed his face to this world.
Moreover, purchasing information from him was an extraordinarily difficult endeavor.
What struck her as peculiar was this.
‘The Rebel Forces aren’t moving toward the Atlas Territory.’
Hye-in posed a question here.
Do NPCs also purchase information?
The answer was yes. They too would buy information from the most renowned figures whenever they needed it desperately.
“Did Kabel send the Rebel Forces toward the Endless Maze as well?”
The two groups that went to the Maze shared a common thread.
First, they commanded massive forces.
Second, they harbored malice toward Hyeon-su.
Furthermore, as mentioned, Kabel had sent all the other rankers who arrived in small numbers to the Dungeon.
Hye-in paused to consider.
“Ally or enemy?”
With such a question in mind, she was able to resolve it upon logging into Ares.
“Kabel…is that so?”
Hyeon-su realized who his nameless friend was and marveled at the discovery.
It wasn’t that I had gained a friend who could help me.
I didn’t know his name, nor did I understand his power, but I was amazed and delighted to learn that my friend was far more remarkable and extraordinary than I had imagined.
“He truly is an impressive fellow.”
Hyeon-su explained the entire situation to Nel.
“…You mean Raon?”
Nel came to understand that he was thoroughly an ally.
“But why?”
Why had he sent two groups sharing common traits to that place?
She racked her mind searching for the answer.
At that very moment.
[You have entered the Ponder Continent.]
Kabel, who had arrived at the continent where one could walk the Path of Asura, smiled bitterly.
‘This is a method I can only use once.’
A method he could employ only by discarding the Achievements he had accumulated thus far.
Of course, it mattered not to him now, as he sought to walk the Path of Asura.
‘You are the only person I have ever acknowledged.’
Kabel acknowledged no one. Thus, he had not even acknowledged Zhuge, China’s most celebrated strategist.
Yet while staying in the Atlas Territory, he had come to recognize that Nel was the pivotal figure there.
‘Only you, with your exceptional mind, can find the answer swiftly.’
Kabel had merely sent them forth; the outcome that would unfold from this point rested entirely upon her shoulders.
*
*
*
“His Majesty is consumed by loneliness. Unable to see the world clearly, he’s being manipulated by Count Hyeon-su, who clings to him like a sycophant.”
These were the words spoken by Sword Master Roman as he led the rebel forces.
The Goyad Kingdom was home to two great swordsmanship families known as the Twin Peaks.
One was the family led by Sword Master Lysen, who had once clashed with Hyeon-su.
The other was the Fryder Family, led by this very Sword Master Roman.
Unlike Lysen, Sword Master Roman was a remarkably young man.
“Indeed.”
“This is the final opportunity to open His Majesty’s eyes to see the world as it truly is.”
He surveyed the rebels gathered from all corners.
Though his words were honeyed, their true intentions were utterly transparent.
‘If not for Bella, if not for bloodline, shouldn’t the throne belong to me? Lysen is old now. Am I not the only light of Goyad?’
He concealed his greed beneath false words about His Majesty needing to see clearly.
And.
‘If Count Hyeon-su falls, Roman could draw closer to succession.’
‘Then great positions would come to us as well.’
Those who followed him harbored the same sentiments.
Roman spoke.
“This is a reformation for the future of Goyad.”
“Agreed!”
“For Goyad!”
“For Goyad!”
A young knight posed a question.
“What of the territory’s people?”
Roman’s expression grew bitter.
“If they become our ears, our bodies, and our tongues, we shall spare them.”
When the brutal war ended, the Sword King would demand answers.
At that moment, the people of Hyeon-su’s territory would need to testify that it was a just battle.
“Otherwise, they are brainwashed by Count Hyeon-su and must all be eliminated.”
Continental law stipulated that civilians must not be killed.
The Goyad Kingdom’s laws were even stricter on this matter.
Roman, who disregarded such laws, possessed a truly terrifying greed.
Before long, they reached the forest.
But something strange occurred.
“Isn’t this the path we came from?”
“…How odd. The information broker I purchased intelligence from was said to be renowned across the continent, yet let’s try this direction.”
Moments later.
“It’s the same path we took!”
“Then let’s try this way.”
A moment later.
“…?”
“…?”
“…?”
Roman was taken aback before bursting into laughter.
“…So it’s true that he’s a master of brainwashing. There’s definitely magic cast over this place. Count Hyeon-su’s territory must be hidden somewhere here. Let’s search quickly.”
Roman and the Rebel Forces moved to find the hidden Atlas Territory.
In the midst of this, they spotted an unidentified group approaching from ahead.
‘Two thousand…?’
Roman’s brow furrowed as he watched the dark mass approaching.
‘The emblem is different from Count Hyeon-su’s territory…?’
He tilted his head in confusion, remaining vigilant toward the approaching group.
*
*
*
‘The Rebel Forces are NPCs, and Pond’s forces are composed of Users.’
Nel closed her eyes, lost in thought.
‘Those two groups have no choice but to meet in the Endless Maze.’
At this moment, Nel thought to herself.
NPCs do not trust Users.
Users do not trust NPCs.
Furthermore.
“Pond doesn’t know which NPCs they belong to, and the Rebel Forces don’t know what kind of people came from China.”
Nel’s eyes opened.
“I’ve understood Information Broker Kabel’s intention, Hyeon-su.”
Nel felt genuine chills run down her spine.
The way he sent people to various places.
And sent them elsewhere.
Sending some in one direction and others in another, and calculating that she would be the one to deduce it.
Upon seeing this entire game unfold, Nel felt genuinely grateful to Kabel.
“Your friend, Hyeon-su, has given us the only way to defend Atlas.”
It was true.
Four thousand Rebel Forces and two thousand of Pond’s elite were something Atlas could not withstand.
“What is it…?”
“Using barbarians to control barbarians.”
Hyeon-su originally used this phrase to mean defeating enemies with the enemy’s own strength.
But the true meaning of this was different.
“Catching barbarians with barbarians.”

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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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