Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 278

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Genius Blacksmith’s Game
Hunting Fenrir (5)
Uwaaaaaa—!
A triumphant roar pierced the heavens, echoing across all of Goyad.
News of victory spread swiftly through the various territories.
Cheers erupted from every corner—Araham, Polrko, Brad, Keino, Pasdana, Rouk—all of them celebrating in unison.
At the center of it all stood a man in a brown coat, and another figure watched as Hyeon-su slowly surveyed the cheering soldiers and citizens around him.
‘…Our nation.’
He was Lucifer, who had secretly slain Pic, the commander of the Blood Ghost Squad.
Lucifer had harbored the same thoughts as Nel and Barad.
Such is the nature of mankind.
When one achieves great deeds, one tends to look after oneself before praising others.
But Hyeon-su’s words had altered the kingdom’s very course.
In Lucifer’s eyes, Goyad’s three core figures and the veteran Lysen came into focus.
They too, in their own ways, raised bloodied blades toward the king who had upheld his place and toward Hyeon-su, who had respected them, their voices joining the chorus of acclaim.
Thump—
Lucifer recalled the nation and the king he had been willing to sacrifice his very life to protect.
He had been merely a retainer, seeking to defend that king; a blade in that land, striking down demons only to be abandoned—such was Lucifer.
“….”
A strange thing, indeed.
A man he had only recently met.
A man who had not yet fully earned his recognition, and yet Lucifer found himself smiling—a smile so faint it was barely perceptible.
‘…Will you be different? Different from that king who abandoned me?’
With such thoughts, Lucifer gazed down at the blade that had been given to him, then moved once more.
To sweep away every last retreating enemy.
Did Hyeon-su know?
The nature of Lucifer, the undefeated knight who had been cast aside.
A man difficult to win over, yet once his heart is captured, he becomes a knight who would offer even his life in unwavering loyalty.
*
*
*
[History records this moment.]
Hyeon-su’s chest burned with warmth.
Those who looked only to him, their voices raised in jubilation.
Beings who had seemed so distant and lofty when first they met.
Luxemburg, Valo, Constinu. Even Lysen, the father of the kingdom’s knights.
All of them gazed upon him with eyes full of trust.
‘No longer…’
In their eyes, there existed no doubt, no suspicion.
And the echo of history being written.
[The Goyad Kingdom was established 576 years ago.]
[Without inheriting the bloodline, it has endlessly strived forward, and at last walks the path of a king acknowledged by all.]
[The record of the hero Hyeon-su will be eternally inscribed as long as the nation of Goyad exists.]
Ding!
[You are recorded as the hero of Goyad.]
[You acquire 500 Dominance.]
[You acquire 1,000 Renown.]
Once again, Hyeon-su marvels.
Saving a nation on the brink of collapse was truly a remarkable Achievement.
‘Five hundred points of the legendary Dominance stat….’
Of course, Dominance is identical to the Charisma stat.
Yet Hyeon-su had never heard of anyone acquiring 500 Charisma points and 1,000 Renown from a single reward.
And there was another reason his heart surged with exhilaration.
Upon arriving in Goyad, Hyeon-su had precedent for annihilating 800 members of the Blood Ghost Squad.
[You have single-handedly annihilated 800 members of the Blood Ghost Squad.]
[This is a remarkable Achievement.]
[You can acquire Territory Contribution.]
Territory Contribution.
The Territory Contribution I acquire is special.
While ordinary lords who acquire Territory Contribution can purchase from the standard ‘Territory Shop’, I can access the Royal Territory Shop.
Moreover, this Royal Territory Shop operates in conjunction with Atlas, exerting its full power.
And it was not merely killing 800 Blood Ghost Squad members.
Only an hour had passed since I arrived here, yet so much had transpired.
Through Gremory’s ring, I summoned her and annihilated 15,000 Blood Ghost Squad members.
Were the 15,000 Blood Ghost Squad members killed by the demon Gremory counted as my kills, or not?
[The demon Gremory was summoned by you.]
[You acquire a portion of the Territory Contribution for annihilating approximately 15,000 Blood Ghost Squad members.]
[The acquisition amount in such a short time is excessive.]
[It will be consolidated and displayed after combat concludes.]
This was not judged as entirely my kill, yet the system acknowledged that I greatly contributed.
‘But did I build Achievements solely through the demon Gremory?’
That was not the case.
The system seemed to judge that the moment I intervened on the battlefield was extraordinary.
The fact that it consolidates and displays after combat concludes is proof of this.
Thus, I did not build contribution solely through Gremory’s favor.
[Under your command, the Goyad Army repels 14,000 Blood Ghost Squad members with overwhelming momentum.]
The Blood Ghost Squad afflicted with abnormal status collapsed under his command, and the substantial contribution from this would likewise be my reward.
And there was one more thing not to be forgotten.
[Sudden Quest: Goyad Kingdom Completed.]
The reward for this Quest that triggered after the war erupted.
[Territory Contribution x2 is applied.]
From the start, the Fall of Goyad episode was the most crucial Quest in this kingdom.
Because of this, commander-class Users among the players had an opportunity to accumulate astronomical Territory Contribution beyond their usual rates.
And the final piece was Fenrir.
Just before striking down Fenrir, Hyeon-su received a sudden Quest.
[Sudden Quest: Complete Fenrir Hunt.]
[Contribution toward Fenrir is applied x3.]
‘Fenrir is a monster whose Territory Contribution is set at an absurdly high level when hunted.’
If I were to catch it alone, there was nothing more to say.
Perhaps it would exceed even the 800 Blood Ghost Squad members I killed, the 15,000 that demon Gremory slaughtered, or the annihilation of over 15,000 Blood Ghost Squad members under my command.
Amid such expectations, I was shocked by something else entirely.
‘This madman…?’
Before participating in the battlefield, Hyunsoo made one target participate in the battlefield by writing one word, ‘Jjol?’
It was because I thought his participation would be tremendously helpful.
‘This isn’t just helpful…?’
I realized he was far more formidable than I had anticipated.
[Your Retainer Lucifer has slain 52 commander-class enemies.]
[Your Retainer Lucifer has slain Supreme Commander Pic.]
Naturally, Territory Contribution could be accumulated through the deeds of guild members, retainers, and others.
‘He killed the Supreme Commander…?’
Supreme Commander Pic was a figure who had reached level 480s.
As a semi-named NPC, his level was comparable to Lucifer’s.
‘The notification was real.’
I recalled the notification I heard when I used Nae-dang-chung and Lucifer grasped my hand.
[Lucifer had been undergoing demonization for a long time.]
[As a result, it will take considerable time to recover all his power, and his level will be reduced.]
He hadn’t simply weakened from being a lesser demon to becoming Lucifer; much of his body had deteriorated during the demonization process.
Because of this, he was far weaker than in his prime.
Gulp—
‘Then just how strong was Lucifer in his prime?’
Come to think of it, Lucifer was also a human that demon Gremory coveted.
Perhaps, no matter what I imagined, he would be stronger than that.
And the Achievements Lucifer had accumulated.
I felt they were in no way inferior to the many things I had accomplished.
That would become my nourishment as well.
[The retreating Blood Ghost Squad is annihilated by the Goyad Army.]
[The Goyad Army achieves a complete victory.]
[The battle is deemed to have concluded.]
[Total Contribution measurement begins.]
[Contribution measurement may take a minimum of 30 seconds to a maximum of 10 minutes.]
Hyeon-su’s anticipation reached its peak.
Then, I could see Barad approaching with a complicated expression on his face.
*
*
*
As the Sword King, Barad carried the duty to protect all his people.
But he had failed in that duty, and it was Hyeon-su who had accomplished it instead.
Of course, through his exceptional eloquence, the people had forgotten about Barad’s failure.
Yet Barad could not help but feel ashamed.
This step he was compelled to take felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
But as king, he had to express his gratitude to him.
He opened his mouth to say “Thank you,” but—
Hyeon-su spoke first.
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Barad could not hide his bewilderment.
The dukes standing beside him and Lysen felt the same.
Barad had suffered severe wounds in this battle and could not display great accomplishments.
He was hardly deserving of gratitude…
“What remains vivid is Your Majesty’s figure—calling me a friend and extending your hand to me first.”
“…”
“And the Swordsmanship Your Majesty taught me in the training grounds. Today, I have achieved the evolution of the power I inherited from Your Majesty.”
“…”
“It was all thanks to Your Majesty.”
He spoke with sincerity.
Like that day in history when a great king extended his hand to a humble blacksmith.
“Through Your Majesty’s grace, I have come this far. Through Your Majesty’s words, I have grown immensely. And it was because of such teachings that I was able to slay Fenrir.”
“…”
Words, depending on how they are spoken, sometimes carry different power.
This was an undeniable truth, merely adorned beautifully.
Within this magnificent adornment, Barad truly reconsidered him, and savored the name “friend.”
That day, it was my hand I extended first.
“I am honored to be Your Majesty’s friend.”
Today, my friend extended his hand to me first.
And for the first time, Barad spoke.
“Never again shall you kneel before me.”
“…Pardon?”
“I wish to stand with you at the same eye level.”
Hyeon-su slowly rose to his feet, met his gaze, and bowed his head respectfully.
A subtle bow that conveyed the courtesy of a friend and a noble still standing at his side.
On this day, the friendship between the two grew even stronger.
This was unprecedented.
Though no blood was shared, the bond between one who aspired to kingship and the king himself had grown unshakeable.
On the other hand, watching me depart, Barad harbored a deep concern.
‘Hyeon-su….’
He would now be exposed to far greater dangers.
The one who shone brightest in this battle would inevitably spread across the continent, and word of him could not help but reach every corner.
Indeed, it was already reaching the powerful scattered throughout the world.
The Blood King.
Long ago, the man who had sacrificed the loyal Lucifer to protect the kingdom from the demon Gremory’s invasion.
“This Master Craftsman annihilated the Parion Empire Army and hunted Fenrir?”
Yet the truth was known differently to him.
Brad, who had become the Blood King.
He had not sacrificed his loyal retainer for the sake of the nation, but to grow stronger himself by offering him to Gremory.
This was how he came to be called the Blood King.
‘I must meet this Master Craftsman soon.’
One whose bond had twisted into enmity now set his sights on his name.
And in another place.
Like gazing upon a mad king.
A king who had slaughtered countless retainers merely because he was displeased now burned with sinister intent.
“A mere blacksmith dares walk the path of kingship?”
He was one of the crucial figures who would lead the Second Ares.
A continent distant and far from Asgan.
[Tyrant Zevar]
An ancient being who had once threatened the Holy Sovereign now mocked the tale of this blacksmith.
They were not alone.
The entire world.
[The Third Legend falls.]
This world message that rang out planted new concepts in the minds of hidden unofficial rankers and those who had been watching him from the start.
Bahala, who alone slew the First Legend.
Kabel, who alone slew the Second Legend.
And Hyeon-su.
What drew the most attention was this.
Bahala and Kabel were already deified beings.
But Hyeon-su, unlike them, was classified as something that could be reached—something attainable.
The pinnacles of the entire world harbored a singular thought.
‘Someone will break the rules.’
That rule was the one that said to wait for the Great Atlas War.
And on that day, Atlas might very well disappear.
And Atlas itself.
All members of Hyeon’s Forge Guild and everyone in Atlas knew they had become the focus of all eyes.
Nel looked at Hyeon-su with a worried expression.
‘Soon, powerful beings of unknown strength might arrive.’
Yet for some reason, Hyeon-su’s expression was flushed with excitement.
“Nel.”
“Yes.”
“How much Territory Contribution do you think I’ve earned this time?”
“…?”
From that confident expression alone, Nel could tell the number was astronomical.
Hyeon-su spoke while gazing boldly toward the Royal Shop.
“Today, we will awaken beings just as we did Goyad.”
Awaken beings like Goyad?
“Figures like Valo, Constinu, and Luxemburg—those who will sustain the kingdom. And we’ll establish an independent nation that doesn’t rely on Goyad.”
“…!?”
Nel’s face filled with admiration.
‘If beings like Valo, Constinu, and Luxemburg truly awakened, it might actually be possible.’
Moreover.
‘Whoever comes won’t be able to act recklessly. We will awaken multiple great beings slumbering in Atlas.’
But this was merely a hope.
For this to become reality, an unimaginably vast amount of Territory Contribution would be required.
“…How much total Contribution did you earn?”
Depending on the amount of Contribution, it would determine which beings could be awakened and how many.
‘What…?’
At the words that followed, Nel’s mind went blank.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————