Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 266

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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
Party of the Supreme Ones (6)
Once the party was formed, Lee Se-jin ended the video call and headed to his office.
The video conference with the branch directors was still ongoing.
Each country’s branch director also held authority to monitor the demon seal.
-I wondered who would claim the title of Party of the Supreme Ones, but it turned out to be them.
-However, it’s questionable whether they can succeed in the sealing.
-I agree. This is their first party, after all.
All the branch directors nodded in agreement with Director Tao’s words.
Party raid.
One of the most crucial elements in this was teamwork.
In fact, Ares had parties that exclusively conquered boss monsters, and through dozens of attempts with the same members, they had developed exceptional teamwork.
There was a stark difference between when teamwork aligned and when it didn’t.
John, the American branch director, chimed in.
-Asura Kabel, Bahala who would become the Sword Saint, and even Lucifer. We cannot deny their exceptional skill. However, Master Craftsman Hyeon-su will struggle to fit in that position.
He wasn’t simply criticizing Hyeon-su.
He was speaking to the fundamental issue.
-That’s true. User Hyeon-su was born a Blacksmith after all. If User Bahala and Asura Kabel dedicate 100% of their time to combat, User Hyeon-su allocates 70% to Crafting and 30% to combat.
A soft chuckle came from Director Tao.
-Perhaps User Hyeon-su might become their weak link.
Among players, there existed slang called a troll.
It referred to those whose terrible control dragged their own team down to defeat.
And unlike the demon Gremory, the branch directors could see the entire screen.
They could see how these individuals moved with synchronized eye contact hidden from Gremory’s view.
A harmony flowing like water.
From that harmony, the branch directors realized something.
-…From the start, they seem to read the battlefield so well they don’t even need to practice teamwork coordination?
And when Gremory’s beloved single-headed Cerberus descended.
I had already seen Hyeon-su preparing to activate Absolute Dominion in front of the Hell Path.
-…He was waiting. And Absolute Dominion must be used at the right moment to achieve maximum synergy. The coordination of these three is extraordinary.
And when Cerberus turned to devour Gremory instead, he corrected his statement.
-Weak is a fact, but I had forgotten the greatest power User Hyeon-su possesses. The Artifacts he holds are the finest among those present, and his understanding of how to utilize them is utterly unconventional.
However, when Gremory demonized, the branch directors shook their heads.
-The last opportunity was when 2% HP remained.
-That’s correct, but the demonization triggered within 0.5 seconds, so it was impossible to stop from the beginning.
-Everyone is completely paralyzed by the Hellfire.
And then came the unexpected turn.
-Remarkable.
-Lucifer erased 20% of the HP in one stroke.
-Lucifer was someone so filled with rage and hatred toward Gremory that even death could not stop him. Perhaps those emotions created this paradox.
But as Lucifer crumbled before their eyes, sighs escaped from every corner.
-…Lucifer’s death would spell the party’s downfall.
-It means every position collapses.
-Even judging by the possibilities visible through Verisa’s eyes, it’s nearly zero.
Of course, Legion Commander Verisa’s eyes weren’t absolute.
Yet by what was visible now, whittling down the demon’s remaining 30% HP seemed extraordinarily difficult.
They were branch directors leading their respective nations.
They could see far more than ordinary Pureum Corporation employees and possessed vast amounts of information.
Then, watching the Murderer’s puppet activate, they tilted their heads in confusion.
The Murderer was, at times, cruel.
It could brainwash allies into killing their own allies.
What the branch directors couldn’t comprehend was the fact that Gremory was a transcendent being capable of breaking that brainwashing in merely three seconds.
And it appeared before the branch directors’ eyes.
-What are you trying to do?
The brainwashed Gremory walked toward Hyeon-su as if entranced by something.
Hyeon-su recited.
[Grant me your protection.]
The brainwashed Gremory accepted him willingly and grasped his hand firmly.
-…!?
-…!?
-…!?
The branch directors understood the power contained in “Grant me your protection.”
It was merely a degraded version of the Inner Party that the Holy Sovereign possessed.
The reason it was degraded was because this Inner Party was ultimately consumable in nature.
And this Inner Party couldn’t exert great power against ordinary Users.
The Inner Party was a power that could only achieve strength proportional to the other party when meeting a strong being and receiving approval of their protection.
And now.
The branch directors understood the Second Ares better than anyone.
In fact, American Branch Director John rose to his feet without realizing it.
The same was true for the other branch directors in the video call.
Director Tao of the Chinese Branch, his mind reeling, defined the current situation.
-It was applied to the most transcendent being in existence…?
In the Second Ares, the demon Gremory was the strongest and most influential existence.
Bahala, Bok-deung-i, and Artea were incomparable to it.
Of course, Hyeon-su achieved remarkable growth by utilizing Bok-deung-i and Bahala.
This occurred due to the pure potential possessed by Bahala and Bok-deung-i.
But potential ultimately meant possibility and couldn’t compare to a being with current overwhelming power.
Here, all the branch directors harbored a common question.
“Just how strong could he possibly become?”
John expected that soon the other branch directors would discuss their speculations, and he’d hear the sound of calculator keys clicking.
But no voice came through the video call.
Soon, John, the director of the United States Branch, became aware of it.
Sweat was drenching his clenched fist.
His heart was pounding like mad.
The reason they weren’t responding was the same as Director John’s.
‘How entertaining….’
The branch directors rarely found interest in the ordinary events unfolding in Ares.
It was only natural.
Their eyes differed from those of ordinary viewers, and it was extraordinarily difficult for them to feel entertained.
Yet now all the branch directors were so absorbed and delighted that they couldn’t even respond.
Director John couldn’t help but marvel.
‘If we’re this captivated, how much joy would ordinary viewers feel watching this?’
Then John could only let out a hollow laugh.
[Recording in progress.]
All three Users were recording.
In other words, it was a raid by the Party of the Supreme Ones that would be revealed someday.
*
*
*
Hyeon-su was acutely aware of it.
‘I’m the weakest in this party.’
Reducing Gremory’s HP by 10% through Absolute Dominion.
It was all thanks to Bahala and Kabel.
Come to think of it, Bahala had roasted him before they departed for Prison, saying he was weak.
And Kabel perceived him as ‘someone to be protected.’
I wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with them.
A desire that any User would naturally harbor.
Within that desire, I had waited.
‘For my growth.’
Though I hadn’t mentioned it to Kabel and Bahala, I had judged that Gremory might become even stronger.
The moment demonization progressed, the perfect opportunity arrived, and unlike when Kabel and Asura had pulled, this time I pulled.
I had also heard about the Demon King Asura.
[Hyeon-su: Kabel. Can Gremory be brainwashed?]
[Kabel: It’s possible, but it’s too brief. With just that, we can’t change anything…]
[Hyeon-su: Do it. Trust me.]
Kabel trusted Hyeon-su.
Watching him approach Gremory and extend his hand, he marveled.
“…!?”
Humans cannot remain composed on the battlefield.
Especially not before beings who could kill them far too easily.
‘You have created possibilities.’
Bahala awakened through Lucifer.
Kabel became a second legend by slaying Asura.
Hyeon-su’s possibility through internal strife caused by Lucifer?
It paled in comparison to theirs.
But this time would be different.
Screeeeeech—
Gremory, entranced by brainwashing, grasped the hand Hyeon-su extended.
Gripping that hand with all his might, Hyeon-su felt the thunderous beating of his heart reverberate through his entire being.
Thump—!
A transcendent-tier demon.
The most powerful demon in Ares at this moment.
Through such an adversary, Hyeon-su transcended his limits through infinite growth potential.
[Gremory’s Blessing descends upon you.]
Bok-deung-i’s blessing was 49%, and Bahala’s was 56%.
[You acquire a blessing level of 72%.]
An absurd blessing level is achieved.
[You acquire 3% to all stats.]
[Total HP and MP increase by 8%.]
[All Masteries increase by 2 levels.]
[All weapon attack power and magic attack power increase by 17%.]
[All weapon defense and magic defense increase by 20%.]
[All attack skill power increases by 20%.]
[All skill cooldowns are reduced by 20%.]
[Attack power against good…]
[Is corrected.]
[The Saint’s aura flows through you.]
[It converts to attack power against evil.]
[Attack power against evil increases by 10%, and critical hit chance increases by 25%.]
[An absurd growth.]
A tremendous power, incomparable to before, now dwells within me.
And now Hyeon-su, who had been merely support, possessed the strength to lead the party.
[Hyeon-su: Can you move?]
[Kabel: It’s possible.]
[Bahala: So can I.]
[Hyeon-su: I’ll take the lead.]
Gremory had said it was impossible.
Even if all attacks succeeded.
But this growth.
It was no less than the Sword Saint’s awakening or Asura’s Job Change.
Kuuaaaaaahhh—!
Gremory’s consciousness returned, and with it came panic.
In that instant, I felt an immense power surging through my body.
And that surging power made the man before me even stronger.
The aura emanating from him was incomparable to moments before.
As a demon, Gremory could not hear the notification, but had she been a User, she would have heard this:
[Verisa’s eyes are being corrected.]
[You can be sealed!]
Though no notification sounded, Verisa’s eyes already warned that this was possible.
‘This… I’m being sealed by a mere human?’
What made it even more unbelievable was that it was happening at the hands of the man before her.
He was, after all, merely a Blacksmith.
“How dare you believe a mere Blacksmith can seal me!?”
But Gremory—
Her body moved unnaturally as a side effect of breaking free from the brainwashing.
Her cry was meant to awaken the arrogant human to reality.
Yet that very cry awakened her to her own reality instead.
Held high and tilted at an angle, the Twin Dragon Blade gleamed as characters inscribed themselves upon it.
[Twin Dragon Blade]
Still partially under brainwashing, and despite calling him merely a Blacksmith, her panic left her defenseless against the encroaching abnormal state.
[You fall into Stun.]
[You cannot move.]
Gremory’s eyes widened progressively.
Before two immensities, she found herself shrinking back.
Those two colossal forces.
One was the human before her, whose growth had been nothing short of monstrous.
And the other was the aura flowing through the great blade he wielded.
[In forging the Twin Dragon Blade, its majesty soars eternal through the ages.]
The blade’s immense power and the human’s strength converged, crushing her beneath them.
[With an oath sworn to mountains and seas…]
[Loyal righteousness remains unchanged, yesterday and today.]
One transcendent blade and one Strong One met, breaking her momentum entirely.
[Legendary Artifact. Gremory’s armor shatters.]
[Legendary Artifact. Gremory’s crown shatters.]
[Legendary Artifact. Gremory’s pauldrons…]
Though marked as Legendary, they were of a tier beyond legend itself.
Crack-crack-crack-crack—!
Even demons possessed things to protect themselves.
Cracks spider-webbed across all of them, fracturing and splintering.
[The demon Gremory’s information is downgraded and updated!]
Ding!
[Demon Gremory Lv.589]
My gamble—waiting for the arrogant demon to fall into complacency—had paid off.
Though the level reduction was merely fifty points, the degradation of her armor opened the door to far greater damage.
Gremory herself was acutely aware of it.
Seeing her broken form, I surge forward.
Crash!
In that instant, I swap to another Twin Dragon Blade, and a colossal oppressive force sweeps down.
[Three Feet Sworn to Heaven.]
[Mountains and Rivers Shift in Color.]
With the characters burning crimson upon the Twin Dragon Blade, the debuff activates.
The immense pressure seizes and paralyzes the demon, crushing her beneath its weight.
Grrrrgh—
Trapped in stun and pinned down, Gremory trembles with fear, yet laughs as though unaffected.
“Even if you seal me now, nothing will change.”
[One Sweep Annihilation]
Yet the formidable power gathering at my blade shows no sign of diminishing.
“Sealed or not, in two years I will find you, and I will obliterate everything you have built, everything you have created!!”
A terrifying threat.
For a transcendent demon to harbor hatred toward a mere human and resolve to destroy them at any cost.
And this manifests systemically as well.
[You have become the target of Demon Gremory’s resentment.]
[She will pursue and annihilate you by any means necessary.]
Words capable of shattering everything.
Realization.
Sealing her now was merely buying time.
Gremory believed she had achieved a psychological victory despite allowing the attack.
His entire world would have crumbled.
Even if he overcame this moment, despair would grip him—the certainty that everything would shatter in two years.
Yet there I stand in the sky, my coat fluttering, smiling faintly.
“Go ahead.”
I tilt the Twin Dragon Blade back, my expression brimming with arrogance.
That expression was filled with absolute certainty, painting a picture of who I would become in two years.
“By then, I will be king.”

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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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