Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Blacksmith’s Game

 

 

 

 

Blacksmith Showdown (2)

 

 

 

“It’s begun.”

Special User Management Team.

CEO Lee Se-jin had visited upon hearing that the first divine class in virtual reality gaming history had finally been born.

Lee Se-jin crossed his arms and watched Hyeon-su on the monitor with a bitter smile.

“He’s definitely smart. He’s already figured out how to utilize Divine Custom Crafting.”

Lee Ji-hee looked puzzled upon hearing those words.

In fact, Lee Ji-hee had exclaimed in admiration after checking the Divine Blacksmith title.

The first SSS-rank title obtained by a user!

Moreover, he could be both a blacksmith and a powerful warrior.

The Divine Blacksmith could even enhance all artifact effects by an additional 20%.

Yet CEO Lee Se-jin spoke as if Divine Custom Crafting was even more impressive.

“Employee Lee Ji-hee knows this too, right? That even ordinary blacksmiths in Ares can add desired effects.”

“Of course.”

“Do you know what the percentages are according to rank?”

“Yes, beginner blacksmiths maximum 5%, intermediate 10%, advanced 15%, expert 20%, artisan 25%, master craftsman 40%.”

“What do you think?”

“…They seem like extremely low probabilities.”

“Why do you think we set these probabilities so low?”

Lee Ji-hee pondered deeply at that question.

These settings had been established from Ares’ launch. She had never thought about why these percentages were so low.

“Do you remember the Dragon’s Nest party?”

“Of course.”

Dragon’s Nest.

A notorious high-level hunting ground in Ares.

Recently, high-rankers had formed a party to attempt clearing Dragon’s Nest but failed.

Dragon’s Nest was filled with boiling lava and unbearable heat they couldn’t withstand.

“Why did they lose? Looking at just the mob levels, it should have been clearable.”

“Because of fire resistance.”

“Right, because of fire resistance. But they were all equipped with artifacts that dramatically boosted fire resistance, weren’t they?”

That was certainly true.

Lee Ji-hee pondered and muttered.

“The problem was that they removed their usual artifacts and wore only fire-related ones. Moreover, while the Dragon’s Armor increased fire resistance, it had unnecessary skills and stat effects attached.”

“That’s the correct answer.”

“Pardon?”

“Unnecessary skills and stat effects.”

Lee Se-jin displayed the Dragon’s Armor information on the monitor.

 

Fire Resistance increased by 54%.

Defense 656

Wisdom increased by 3%.

Skill: Dragon’s Power Strike.

Skill: Salamander’s Rage.

 

When Lee Ji-hee looked puzzled after checking it, Team Leader Kim Tae-seok spoke with an exasperated expression.

“Employee Lee Ji-hee. What determines an artifact’s grade?”

“…Comprehensive information.”

“Right. Even if there are stats the user doesn’t need, if it boosts something significantly and has decent-looking skills, the grade is determined. But here’s the thing.”

Kim Tae-seok let out a hollow laugh.

“There’s a useless function that boosts wisdom by 3% on armor worn by warriors? And what happens when you use fire resistance attack skills like Dragon’s Power Strike and Salamander’s Rage against fire resistance monsters?”

“Since they’re fire monsters, the damage would be halved.”

“Exactly. That’s the trap of artifacts. There’s no artifact in the world that’s ‘perfectly’ suited for a user.”

“Ah…!”

Lee Ji-hee showed an expression of understanding.

She checked the Dragon’s Armor information once more. Looking at it, her eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me…!”

Lee Se-jin gave the naive new employee a bitter smile and moved the mouse.

“That ‘don’t tell me’ is correct. Now, what would happen if we removed the unnecessary 3% wisdom increase, Dragon’s Power Strike, and Salamander’s Rage from this artifact’s effects? Would the artifact grade decrease?”

Lee Ji-hee now completely understood.

“No. With the power of Divine Custom Crafting, by removing the 3% wisdom, Salamander’s Rage, and Dragon’s Power Strike, we could additionally increase defense and fire resistance. Also, if desired, we could change the skills to something appropriate for the current situation, something the user truly needs.”

“This is exactly what Divine Custom Crafting is. Moreover, Divine Custom Crafting can apply 100% of what the user sets. Something that even master craftsman blacksmiths can only set at 25%.”

“…”

Lee Ji-hee was amazed.

The power to completely exclude unnecessary things.

The power to include only what that user truly needs.

That was ‘Divine Custom Crafting’ for someone else or for oneself alone.

 

 

 

A master craftsman blacksmith who has been making weapons for decades has intuition.

Today feels like he could create a very special weapon, more so than usual.

Today’s condition is exceptionally good.

The intuition that he could make anything today.

The moment he lit the furnace, Colson realized it.

Kururururur-!

‘Today, I will create an outstanding sword.’

The reason he was the master of the Bow Blacksmith’s Tower was because he made bows better than anyone else.

Therefore, when it came to sword crafting, he was infinitely inferior to Daeng.

But today was different.

He felt like he could touch something he had created.

He had been waiting for today.

Colson, who had felt inferior to Daeng, had struggled to make quite good swords.

Though this sword wasn’t aimed at Daeng. Through that struggle, Colson had completed it.

One crafting method.

‘Someday…’

He harbored the dream of having a blacksmith showdown with Daeng, the master of the Sword Blacksmith’s Tower.

He also imagined ruthlessly crushing Daeng’s sword, who stood at the pinnacle of all blacksmiths.

It’s possible.

If Daeng’s condition wasn’t good that day and his own condition was good instead.

A crafting method that might be able to defeat the master of the Sword Blacksmith’s Tower.

With that crafting method, he had made the same things dozens, hundreds of times.

‘It was to increase understanding.’

Unlike the Outsiders’ auto-button, NPCs compete with skill and special powers.

That’s why Colson had continuously increased his understanding of that crafting method.

“What do you plan to do about the sword that Outsider made?”

To the question from Rek, the tower master of the Shield Blacksmith’s Tower, Colson replied confidently.

“I’ll make that sword lose its proper function.”

The number of times swords can clash is 3.

However, if he inflicts more than 60% damage at that time, he can make it lose its function.

A sword with a completely broken blade is nothing more than a blunt weapon.

Watching Colson who had begun forging, the tower masters said.

“You’re making more cheerful sounds today.”

Clang-!

Claaang-!

“I’ll show that brat with the cumbersome name of God’s Descendant. How wide the world is and that there are things even a God’s Descendant cannot do.”

The tower masters also didn’t look favorably upon the Outsider named Hyeon-su who had fallen into arrogance.

Time passed quickly.

However, Colson still felt light as if his body might fly away.

This sword, which he had made dozens of times through the crafting method, was taking shape.

Hissss-!

Going through the quenching process, he finally felt it during the polishing process.

The power transmitted through his fingertips.

‘This is…’

That it would become a truly excellent sword among all the swords he had made so far.

Finally, it was completed.

“…Wow.”

“It’s a magnificent sword.”

“Tower Master Colson, you show tremendous expertise in swords too!”

Colson fell into ecstasy looking at the sword he had made himself.

‘Beautiful…’

A sword body made of black light.

A sharp sword blade that seemed capable of breaking any sword.

Materials correctly chosen with the tower master’s wisdom and appropriate forging and appropriate quenching.

And even his own experience had melted into it.

“Let’s check it quickly!”

Amid everyone’s wonder, Colson checked.

 

(Dark Night)

Grade: Unique

Durability: 12,000/12,000

Attack Power: 664

Restriction: No restriction for creator, Level 200~380.

Special Abilities:

·Strength 4%, Agility 7%, Intelligence 4% increase.

·Cutting power 35% increase.

·40% chance of Critical Damage occurring

·Sword Mastery 2 levels increase.

·Passive Skill Weapon Breaker.

·Active Skill Dark Night’s Light.

Description: A long sword with a black glow created with amazing skill by the tower master of the Bow Blacksmith’s Tower.

 

“Woooow…”

“Amazing… truly amazing!”

“You’ve achieved a new Achievement!”

Colson, receiving congratulations from other blacksmiths, was dumbfounded.

Unique bow.

He had crafted 41 unique bows so far. However, this was his first unique sword.

He was overcome with emotion.

“It seems the other side has also finished crafting.”

Rek of the Shield Blacksmith’s Tower possessed a mysterious power. It was the ability to discern without directly checking.

 

[Insight]

[Checking the opponent’s artifact grade.]

[It is Rare grade.]

 

Rek slowly opened his eyes and gave a bitter smile.

“The other side is Rare. It’s over.”

“…I see.”

A victor’s smile appeared on Colson’s lips.

It was already a match with nothing to see.

However, Colson gripped Dark Night tightly.

The God of Blacksmiths.

Thinking of the sight of his descendant’s sword being miserably destroyed and rolling around in his blacksmith shop, he was swept by an inexplicable thrill.

‘A complete success.’

Colson, a master-level blacksmith, had guided this sword to render the opponent’s sword unusable, and the proof was here.

 

(Weapon Breaker)

Passive Skill

Mana Required: None.

Description: Activates with 25% probability and greatly reduces the opponent’s weapon durability according to the sword’s attack power.

 

With this power, it was possible to break that person’s sword down to below 50% damage as originally aimed.

‘No, if it’s more pathetic than I thought…’

Even 60% or more was possible.

The Outsider named Hyeon-su walked out of his blacksmith shop.

It looked like a fairly decent sword, but compared to the black sword Dark Night, it seemed far lacking.

Daeng stood in the middle of them to begin the blacksmith’s match.

And Colson didn’t miss Daeng’s distorted expression.

‘Did you see it too? This sword I made.’

Colson burst into laughter inwardly.

He sneered at the Outsider named Hyeon-su standing opposite him.

“Even now, if you declare surrender and just come under me, I’ll give you that position I proposed earlier.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re being stubborn. Just looking at this, the grades of the artifacts you and I made are worlds apart.”

The difference between Rare and Unique was tremendous.

However, wasn’t he unable to grasp the grade of his own artifact?

He wore an expression as if it didn’t matter. He would find out soon anyway.

 

[The blacksmith match begins.]

[You can clash swords 3 times.]

 

Colson gripped Heukya with both hands and pulled it back.

Hyeon-su looked at Daeng for a moment.

“Is pulling back like this correct?”

“A bit more back, so you can strike down with full force.”

Colson laughed. And his eyes gleamed like a wolf’s.

 

[Round 1.]

 

Colson, gripping Heukya tightly, swung it diagonally with all his might.

He could see his opponent also swinging diagonally.

The moment the two swords clashed.

Claaaang-!

 

[Weapon Breaker]

[Activates with 25% probability and greatly reduces the opponent’s weapon durability based on the sword’s attack power.]

[Reduces opponent’s weapon durability by 18%.]

 

The blade of the Outsider named Hyeon-su’s sword was severely chipped.

 

[Round 2.]

 

Claaaang-!

 

[Weapon Breaker]

 

He was lucky.

Weapon Breaker activated twice in a row.

 

[Reduces opponent’s weapon durability by 16%.]

 

Hyeon-su’s sword was noticeably chipped.

No, if it got damaged any more, his sword might become unusable.

And finally.

Swooosh-!

Colson was filled with ecstasy as he swung his sword.

 

[Weapon Breaker]

 

Once again, Heukya emitted light to devour his sword.

Everything was perfect today.

He had crafted an excellent sword and Weapon Breaker had activated three times in a row.

‘It’s over…’

Then.

‘Huh?’

The man’s sword was enveloped in an unidentifiable white light.

And.

Slash-!

‘What is that sound…?’

His sword and the man’s sword collided. No, it seemed like they collided.

But the opponent’s sword cut through his own sword and passed by.

And something incomprehensible happened.

Slide-

Heukya was cut and fell to the ground.

Clang-!

‘The sword, was cut…?’

His thoughts stopped.

No, this is impossible.

This cannot happen.

Swords break, they don’t get cut. This was something he had never experienced in his life.

But that thought was proven wrong.

 

[The blacksmithing duel ends.]

[Heukya’s damage rate is 99%.]

 

Yes, it was cut.

A sword was cut by a sword.

The man watched his trembling pupils. Hyeon-su sheathed his sword.

Slide-

With indifferent eyes, he turned around and said.

“Swords are not determined by grade alone.”

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