Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 294

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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
The Beacon (8)
(Loyal to Hyeon-su)
Passive Skill
Grade: Legendary
Level: 1
Penalty: None
Mana Cost: None
Effects:
·Proves the most noble chivalry.
·The moment my lord faces crisis, dramatic power surges forth, making me 10~20% stronger than usual.
·Merely being alongside the lord I serve increases all stats by 3%, and both attack and defense power, as well as skill damage, by 3%.
·When fighting to protect my lord from grave danger, I do not falter or yield in the slightest.
·A higher-tier skill may be unlocked, and upon unlocking, it will be far superior to ‘Unconditional Loyalty to Brad’.
Description: A skill forged by a lord who spared no means to save me, obtainable by only one knight. This is an exceptional power born from Lucifer’s very nature and the affection he holds for his lord.
This extraordinary strength stems from Lucifer’s origin and the care he bears for his master.
After awakening from unconsciousness, I checked this skill first.
The skill name, originally ‘Unconditional Loyalty to Brad’, had changed to ‘Loyal to Hyeon-su’.
‘This is actually better.’
The skill’s name alone had clearly transformed.
The word “unconditional” no longer attached itself to it.
‘Though the skill’s abilities have all been downgraded in exchange, this skill can now grow.’
It was written plainly in the skill’s effects.
A higher-tier skill could be unlocked, and upon unlocking, it would become a superior concept to the previous ‘Unconditional Loyalty to Brad’.
‘This means that when Lucifer unlocks this power, his loyalty will pierce the heavens.’
I felt anticipation.
For now, he lives for me, but it would not yet be a loyalty unto death.
Yet the possibility remains open that one day he might dedicate everything to living for me, and nothing could bring greater joy than this.
Had I not already witnessed it myself?
‘The undefeated knight without the Twin Dragon Sword was a super Named NPC reaching approximately level 500.’
This could be said to surpass even Bella.
Moreover, Lucifer is currently the only legitimate wielder of the buff-type Twin Dragon Sword.
‘When he recovers his full power, he will reach the strength of the 530s.’
Truly, this could be called an extraordinary matter.
Nor was Lucifer the only gain I obtained in the Enya Kingdom.
Powers earned through running to reach the Blood King.
(Transcendent State)
Multiple Titles
Grade: S
Special Ability:
·All stats increased by 15%.
·All attack power and all defense increased by 15%.
·Critical Hit probability increased by 41%.
·Reflexes maximized.
·Ability to confirm achievement notifications from the state of absolute focus.
Description: You fall into an extremely deep state of absolute focus without realizing it. At the moment of activation, you dominate the Battlefield, and this title is granted only to five Users who achieve the extreme immersion recognized by the system.
Hyeon-su stood alone atop the Castle Wall, piercing through tens of thousands of troops, all sound blocked out and pain forgotten.
His body surged with what felt like boiling adrenaline, and he was confident that his movements had become far more extraordinary than usual.
‘I thought I’d become much stronger than before, but it wasn’t an illusion.’
Entering combat in a state of extreme focus recognized by the system, I had truly become stronger.
‘This is a multiple title.’
A title granted to only five Users among all players in the world.
Being among those five in Ares, where over two billion Users play, was itself a marvel.
‘Have I truly developed the capacity for such immersion during combat?’
This too could be called one of my growth achievements.
Many aspiring baseball players find it difficult to achieve the extreme focus of true major league players.
Yet that grown prospect eventually draws forth extreme immersion in the major leagues—just the same.
This too is my growth, my own strength.
And the result born from this absolute focus and my growth.
[You have purified a total of 3,701 enemies.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
At that time, my level was 415.
‘Two levels at this tier—that’s enough to call it explosive leveling.’
But was that all?
[You have slain the Blood King.]
[A world message resonates.]
[The first king falls.]
[By toppling the Blood King, one of the Five Seat Kings, the other kings grow wary of your mysterious identity.]
It was fortunate.
The other kings seated among the Five Seats of Power do not know who I am.
And they never will.
The Enya Kingdom itself was a nation being abandoned, and the one million people within it had come to cherish me.
There was no sparrow to hear daytime whispers, no mouse to hear nighttime secrets.
The Blood King was never an easy opponent for me to kill from the start.
Thus I gained an incredible amount of experience that was almost unbelievable.
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Level up…]
At that time, I was too preoccupied with how many followers I had gained to pay attention to the notification, but now I realize how remarkable it is.
‘Thirteen levels…?’
I had jumped straight to level 430.
A thrilling surge of exhilaration washes over me belatedly.
Now, I am firmly convinced that I can protect this Territory splendidly in the Great Atlas battle.
‘Kh….’
I feel a delicious thrill confirming the raid’s results so late.
Now all I need to do is acquire loot and gather more Gold, isn’t that right?
With such expectations, I was taken aback.
[64,031 Gold drops.]
The Blood King dropped 60,000 Gold—roughly 64 million won in Korean currency.
I was utterly bewildered.
Every Named NPC-class monster I had faced thus far dropped what could be called astronomical amounts.
‘Why would someone who sits among the Five Seats of Power….’
I had expected the Blood King to drop 500,000 Gold.
After all, he was supposed to be a king.
I come to realize one truth.
“….”
The Enya Kingdom resembled the kingdom of the dead.
It had been a nation on the verge of collapse.
“….”
My eyes grow red.
The Blood King’s kingdom, which I had believed would offer the greatest rewards, was a pauper’s realm, and its king was destitute.
‘He didn’t even drop….’
All he had left behind were mere junk items.
Then I shake my head.
‘No, it’s still fine.’
I swallow my tears.
It’s fine.
There was a magical notification that would instantly lift my spirits.
[Atlas’s military strength increases by 254%.]
[You have fulfilled the conditions to ascend to Duke.]
[Congratulations.]
[You have become the User with the most subjects and military forces of any noble in the world.]
[Congratulations.]
[You have become the User with the most exceptional Named NPCs of any noble in the world.]
[You acquire 200 Dominance.]
[You acquire 500 Renown.]
‘Hehehehe….’
[Atlas Overall Status.]
[Population: 183,101.]
[Military Force: 9,974.]
‘Ehehehehehe.’
I knew that even the most populous noble in the world possessed fewer than 100,000 subjects.
And their military forces would fall short of 5,000.
Of course, this accounts only for known cases—there could be nobles secretly amassing power elsewhere.
Yet based on publicly available data alone, I was treading a path utterly without peer.
My laughter faded to a bitter smile as I scrolled further down.
The facts I already knew came into view.
[Atlas’s financial status is at its lowest.]
Unfortunately, this reality remained unchanged.
‘No, wait—it has changed….’
Ding!
[Atlas’s financial ledger has been updated.]
[Atlas’s financial status is at its worst.]
Even worse than before.
The notification explained the cause.
[The treasury’s accumulated wealth is woefully insufficient relative to the increased population.]
[Housing is inadequate relative to the increased population.]
[Arable land is insufficient relative to the increased population.]
[Specialty goods are lacking relative to the increased population.]
In simple terms, mouths to feed had multiplied—roughly five times over.
Where once I could give one Bread to a person, now I had to divide one Bread among five or six.
This too was a side effect of explosive growth.
‘And there’s the additional misfortune that the Blood King I defeated was devastatingly poor.’
I examined other matters as well.
[Lord Hyeon-su has promised to provide a portion of the genuine World Tree to the Fraham Kingdom.]
[Failure to honor this promise may strain relations with the Fraham Kingdom.]
[Lord Hyeon-su received military support of 100,000 troops from the Goyad Kingdom and must pay compensation to the families of the fallen soldiers.]
[Failure to pay may result in resentment from the people.]
The situation was dire.
The side effects of rapid expansion were pressing down with overwhelming force.
Of course, under normal circumstances, this could never have occurred.
Having slain a king, I should have received astronomical rewards sufficient to fill these gaps.
‘Food isn’t the only problem. There’s insufficient housing. And Atlas’s actual scale has become suited to a Great Territory.’
Yet the notification stated otherwise.
[It is insufficient to qualify as a Great Territory.]
The shortage wasn’t in personnel—it was in financial resources.
My mouth turned bitter.
‘I made the best choice I could.’
No matter what anyone said, the fact remained that I had made a choice worthy of no reproach.
This outcome had simply resulted from misfortune.
And there was one thing I still didn’t know.
It was something I could have easily grasped with a bit of thought, but the constant alerts of worst-case scenarios had kept me from realizing it.
After resting in one of the relatively respectable residences of the Enya Kingdom, I encountered Lucifer, who had just returned.
“In four days, the people of the Enya Kingdom will either become dust or join you.”
Now that I understood Atlas’s finances, it felt like a death sentence.
‘How do I feed and shelter 130,000 mouths?’
Yet Lucifer was smiling strangely.
“…It’s all something you accomplished.”
What was he talking about?
Was Lucifer, being a knight, simply unaware of a lord’s burdens?
“Come with me.”
My shoulders sagged as I trudged outside.
Then I was taken aback.
“…What is this?”
I rubbed my eyes, and there before me stood Sun, who had once been the Blood King’s commander.
Sun greeted me with a smile entirely different from before.
Unfortunately, Sun had chosen rest.
Yet that expression seemed so peaceful.
“Saint Aria has said she will offer prayers for our rest in four days. Everyone, it is all thanks to Lord Hyeon-su.”
Even those who desire rest cannot escape the fear of death.
But with Saint Aria, it is different.
They would now be able to face the most peaceful and beautiful rest in the world, free from any terror or fear.
And then something I had never even considered was revealed.
“After all, we are entering rest.”
Sun looked around.
Those who filled the residence where I stayed were watching him.
“We who enter rest no longer harbor greed or desire for wealth.”
That’s right.
Whether the king was a beggar or the kingdom was crumbling.
Now the Enya Kingdom had one million people.
Do you know what’s interesting?
‘If one million people each gather 100 Gold, that becomes 100 million.’
“I hope you will accept this. It is our final gift.”
I looked around, seized by a burning thrill.
[860,000 of your people offer everything for you.]
Some offered a mere rusted pickaxe, a tarnished heirloom, an ancient antique, or emergency funds and possessions they had set aside for someday.
The carriage procession carrying it stretched for two hundred meters.
To raise Atlas’s finances from the “worst” state that Hyeon-su had calculated back to the lowest tier required a minimum of 2 billion Gold.
And from worst to low required 2.5 billion.
To elevate from worst to “moderate” would take approximately 3.5 billion.
Then the notification spoke.
Ding!
[Atlas’s finances have been changed from worst to best!]
Hyeon-su felt overwhelming gratitude and appreciation.
‘140,000 of them live for me.’
‘860,000 of those departing leave behind their legacy for me.’
Thus, curiosity stirred within me.
The “final gift” they had given by elevating from worst to best.
How much would it be.

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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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