Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 255

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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
Royal Shop (2)
The world’s finest peaks of power.
And unofficial rankers who concealed their strength.
After the server integration, countless individuals crossed over to the Asgan Continent to meet Hyeon-su.
Their reasons were manifold.
Influencers and content creators came to meet the Master Craftsman and elevate their recognition.
Others sought to compete against Hyeon, who had performed with unparalleled distinction throughout the Continental War, hoping to elevate their own reputation.
Yet one must not forget the fundamental truth beneath it all.
The essence of why they wished to meet Hyeon.
-I will obtain an Artifact crafted by Hyeon.
The essence never changes.
There exists one truth the entire world now knows.
‘Hyeon is a unique existence with no substitute anywhere.’
Moreover, it became known that the Master Craftsman’s Artifacts possessed perfectly tailored functions, like wearing a custom-fitted suit.
Crafting commissions?
Hyeon no longer had reason to accept them through Hyeon’s Forge.
Already, the entire world was desperate to entrust their Artifact Crafting requests to him.
The problem was how they would navigate the essence of their desire to receive Artifact Crafting.
They understood.
User Hyeon-su held the title of Count and was the Guild Master of Hyeon’s Forge Guild.
Moreover, he formed no alliances with any guild and refused to join any faction.
In other words, the Master Craftsman sought independence and the cultivation of formidable power.
Because of this, they could neither demand he join their ranks nor ask him to craft for themselves or their guilds.
Those seeking Hyeon found themselves at a crossroads.
Initially, they would make proposals.
And those incapable of bending would initiate combat the moment they arrived at Atlas, attempting to subjugate him through force.
Even those who had proposed would eventually resort to such violent methods if diplomacy failed.
But they too would understand.
‘Is this really the right approach?’
‘Will forcing Artifact Crafting this way yield something worthwhile?’
Yes, fundamentally what they desired was to receive a superior Artifact.
For this very reason.
The first event ever hosted by a user, as Hyeon-su proclaimed it.
The Grand Atlas Tournament could be established, and an announcement was posted to Hyeon’s Forge.
*
*
*
Kali, the pinnacle of the United States.
He had emerged from the Dungeon.
Having received the same information from Luxo, the second-rate information broker who replaced Kabel, as he had from Musashi, he found himself inadvertently drawing closer to Atlas.
When the distance between him and Bahala dwindled to just over 1 kilometer, he furrowed his brow at his guild member’s fuss.
[Korf: Guild Master, Hyeon left a notice on Hyeon’s Forge. You should check it.]
‘Why all this commotion?’
Kali examined the screenshot Korf had sent him.
[Hello, this is Hyeon’s Forge.]
Kali observed with an unmoved expression.
[The reason I’m posting this notice is because I’m aware that many across the Asgan Continent are struggling to find me and my Territory.]
Kali cleared his throat.
One of those people was himself, after all.
[I believe what you all desire is the crafting of Artifacts.]
A nod.
That was true.
Ultimately, the reason for wanting to meet Hyeon was for Artifact Crafting.
Even Kali himself possessed a Quest he wished to complete.
If he cleared only this Quest, he could catch up to the strongest one he pursued—Bahala’s heels.
[Of course, there are surely many who feel competitive spirit and wish to test themselves against me.]
That was also true.
In the Continental War between the United States and Russia, Kali had become the MVP.
But the MVP who shone brightest was Hyeon-su.
[Therefore, I propose an event hosted by Hyeon’s Forge: the Grand Territory War.]
Kali received a fresh shock.
“A User is hosting an event?”
Of course, there had been those who conceived of such ideas before.
But 99% of them had failed to materialize and been abandoned.
First reason: they failed to garner surrounding interest. Mere Users setting rewards didn’t provide sufficient incentive for participation in an event.
Second reason: what was called an event often wasn’t truly an event at all.
Yet Hyeon was saying this.
[This event, in which all those seeking me across the Asgan Continent—no, across the entire world—will participate, will have me as the defending side and you all as the attacking side.]
Kali still gazed without anticipation.
He believed there were strong reasons for this too to be abandoned for the two reasons mentioned above.
However, Kali’s eyes soon widened.
[Should I lose, I plan to select 20 participants and craft Artifacts for them.]
“…!?”
This case was different.
For one, the reward was satisfactory.
Moreover, Kali’s fundamental desire to meet Hyeon was to commission Artifact Crafting.
Surrender?
Combat?
He had also considered that no favorable outcome might result from earning Hyeon’s displeasure.
There was another reason as well.
‘I’m spending far too much time trying to meet Hyeon.’
The server integration presented new content.
Yet I was wasting considerable time just to meet Hyeon.
Moreover, with this event serving as a point of contact, there was no need for User Hyeon-su and me to face each other awkwardly.
‘If we win and place a Crafting order instead, we could even deepen our relationship.’
But then another thought occurred to me.
It would take nearly a year for User Hyeon-su to create twenty Artifacts.
‘There’s nothing to gain. Unless he’s trying to protect his Territory….’
Kali, who had just finished reading the additional notice, let out an exclamation.
[I will explain the regulations.]
[1. A participation fee of 1,000 Gold is required.]
[2. The client must bring the materials.]
[3. The defender must protect their Territory, and the attacker must capture it.]
[4. Participation numbers will be limited.]
[5. Participants shall not invade Hyeon’s Forge after the event concludes for indiscriminate plundering.]
Kali couldn’t help but marvel.
“1,000 Gold?”
In Korean currency, that was one million won.
Of course, for the elite players targeting Hyeon now, it was pocket change.
But while it was nothing to us, it was different for Hyeon-su.
If a thousand people participated, that was one billion won.
As the number of participants increased, so did the amount Hyeon-su would receive.
“Clever. But regulation five is flawed.”
Regulation five.
Participants shall not invade Hyeon’s Forge after the event concludes for indiscriminate plundering.
This was a matter of conscience.
Kali had thought there would be plenty who would violate it, but then he marveled at the sixth regulation.
[Regulation 6. Should anyone violate the rules and invade, Hyeon’s Forge will officially cease accepting Crafting orders from all Users and halt Artifact sales.]
“…This clever bastard.”
In other words, anyone who violated this would become the ‘enemy’ of everyone who wanted to meet Hyeon.
The moment they broke it, they would face attacks not from Hyeon, but from everyone else.
[7. Detailed matters will be discussed and arranged between representatives selected from the attacker and defender sides.]
[8. This event will take place two months from now.]
Kali read the final point carefully.
Two months from now.
This also made me feel that Hyeon’s Forge was trying to buy time. I could only laugh at his strategy.
‘What does he think he can accomplish in just two months?’
Hyeon didn’t know something.
This condition applied to them as well, but it also applied to User Hyeon-su.
In other words, now that Master Craftsman Hyeon had posted the announcement, he was absolutely obligated to hold the event.
And Kali’s choice.
“You’ve succeeded in sending me back.”
Kali, who had grown close to Atlas, turned his body without hesitation.
But that wasn’t all.
Across the Asgan Continent.
“This should be interesting. But how long can Hyeon’s Forge withstand our assault?”
Mio from Vietnam had also returned to her own continent.
Cassandra from Russia.
“I’ll definitely be one of those twenty, so it’s not bad.”
Everywhere except for them.
In other words, roughly 80% of the red dots on the screen displayed by the supercomputer Ares had vanished from the Asgan Continent.
Looking forward to two months later.
*
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“To prepare for any contingencies, I’ll establish a rule that external NPCs cannot participate.”
Nel—Kim Hye-in—said this while sitting in a cafe with Hyeon-su.
It was to establish the framework for the war against Atlas.
Hyeon-su had written in the announcement that representatives from both sides would consult.
Without that clause, the Users wouldn’t have returned to their own continents.
Hyeon-su spoke.
“I’ve bought us two months.”
Hye-in acknowledged it.
Two months.
Short if you think about it one way, long if you think about it another.
“External NPCs won’t be able to participate, but the talented people of Atlas I awaken during that period and the new NPCs who will pledge their loyalty to me—they’ll be allowed.”
That was the crux of it.
And Hyeon-su was also observing the reactions of others.
The reactions were abysmal.
-Hyeon’s hilarious lmaooooo
-Of course, a Korean. Since it’s annoying, let’s just swarm him all at once!
-The absurd thing about this setup is that all the top players from around the world will come. But no matter how much of a Master Craftsman Hyeon is, his Territory will be dog food. What on earth is he thinking?
-What’s he thinking? He’s saying he’ll craft for 20 people lmao
-Voluntary tribute lolololol
Behind those who scoffed, there were those who grasped it precisely.
-Everyone knows there were a lot of outsiders on the Asgan Continent. This was Hyeon’s best option under the circumstances. He bought himself two months, and during those two months he needs to fortify and grow stronger to face the world’s strongest. For Hyeon, just buying two months is actually fortunate.
-Why is that fortunate? He’s just going to get crushed after two months anyway.
-It is fortunate. If it wasn’t two months later, his Territory would’ve been discovered and raided within 1-2 weeks.
-Ah, that’s true.
“But Hyeon probably knows this too—it’s just buying time.”
“A global voting site posted ‘Hyeon vs. The World.’ Go vote.”
“What is this? Hyeon’s win rate is 0.1% and the world’s is 99.9%.”
“And over 100,000 people have already voted.”
Nel, who had been watching alongside me, spoke.
“I too observe a win rate below 1%.”
I felt as though I’d been struck by brutal truth.
To wage an all-out war against them in merely two months—it was madness itself.
“Twenty Artifacts to craft….”
Nel had extinguished the immediate fire, but she suspected I might face an even greater conflagration in two months.
Should I lose, I would need to dedicate approximately one to two years solely to crafting Artifacts for them.
That would leave my Territory neglected, and I myself would fall behind.
Yet I spoke.
“As the defenders, we will assemble the greatest guardians to thrive in Atlas.”
“…Guardians?”
Guardians.
Upon hearing those words, Nel wondered what significance they held.
Those guardians would be limited to Users or entities within Atlas itself.
Then I delivered a shocking statement.
“I currently assess our win rate at approximately 15%.”
“15%…?”
Nel was taken aback.
Her shock stemmed from my arrogant declaration.
Not 15%—currently, even a 1% possibility seemed impossible to grasp.
What startled her more was that I genuinely believed I would achieve victory against them.
“First, I plan to depart to capture the lesser demon Lucifer. This gives us two months to grow as strong as possible and prepare. Ah, and the guardians I’ve chosen will each defend a gate.”
My eyes gleamed.
“One will guard the eastern gate, another the southern, and yet another the western and northern gates.”
“It seems you’ve already decided which individuals will stand in those positions?”
“Not all of them, but the eastern and western are determined. They are….”
Upon hearing who they were, Nel’s eyes wavered.
‘It really is a 15% possibility. No, perhaps even greater than that.’
She had failed to realize it because she’d only considered the current state of Atlas.
The guardians I envisioned.
I sent a whisper to one of them.
*
*
*
The guardian to defend the east.
[Hyeon-su: You said you’d grant me three favors, right? I’m sure you’ve already seen the announcement.]
With all enemies vanished, the man preparing to depart in pursuit of the lesser demon Luxo wore a bitter smile.
[Hyeon-su: Become the guardian protecting the east.]
The guardian to protect the east was Bahala, ranked first in the world rankings.
Another place.
The Hell Path—the hunting ground most notorious and terrifying in all of Ares.
A figure slashing through the demonic claws of hell with frenzied intensity.
[You are approaching Asura.]
‘Two months. I must hurry back.’
There stood Asura Kabel, who would later become the guardian protecting the west.
And within Atlas.
A beautiful knight training soldiers.
Her name was Bella.
‘Atlas is in peril. I too must find a way to become a legend.’
Bella, a candidate for Sword Saint. She would be the guardian protecting the south.
And Hyeon-su had only conceived of guardians for the east, west, and south.
There existed another being he did not know of.
A snub-nosed puppy roaming Atlas with the young sibling Kkyu-kkyu upon its back.
“Woof, woof woof!”
Kkyu-kkyu was sensing it.
“Kkyu…?”
From Bok-deung-i’s body, a subtle yet warm power emanated.
Though young, Kkyu-kkyu could perceive it.
Its elder brother and divine beast, Bok-deung-i.
[Evolution will commence shortly.]
That he was about to be reborn as another existence.
Bok-deung-i would become the guardian protecting the north.

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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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