He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 20

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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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Chapter 20

Episode 20

The content of the direct lineage promotion exam taken by blacksmiths is weapon crafting.

It’s not just about making any weapon.

The crafted weapon must be evaluated and receive the highest score.

Therefore, one must create a weapon so outstanding that it captivates the eyes of the judges who will evaluate it.

“A master-level blacksmith should be able to make a weapon that captivates the judges’ eyes, but the problem is that all the blacksmiths participating in the exam are master-level night smiths like me.”

And that’s not all.

The judges are none other than the craftsmen of Cheongeumjeong and Mak Noya himself.

“In gaming terms, it’s like masters performing tricks in front of a challenger?”

This is why I have no choice but to seriously consider everything about weapon crafting – the type, materials, and so on.

Of course, the weapon Namgung Cheon-gang will make is practically already decided.

Since the Namgung Family is a martial family that uses swords to perform martial arts, how can swords be left out?

A craftsman-level blacksmith must not disregard the types of martial arts used by martial families and the weapons they frequently use.

In the end, this direct lineage promotion exam is a demand to craft a sword well – the king of all weapons among the eighteen types of weapons – and gain favor in the eyes of Mak Noya and the craftsmen.

The problem is that this so-called king of all weapons is subdivided just like the eighteen types of weapons.

Heavy swords, long swords, short swords, soft swords – they must be classified differently according to their usage and martial arts applications.

“The Namgung Family’s martial arts do suit heavy swords, but I can’t just make heavy swords exclusively.”

Just because they specialize doesn’t mean there are no martial arts suited for other swords.

In other words, distinguishing and making different types of swords to submit for the exam doesn’t have much meaning.

“It would be great if the exam content specified what kind of sword to make in detail.”

After signing the contract to take the direct lineage promotion exam.

The ‘detailed exam content booklet’ I received a day later had no such specifications written in it.

‘Make a weapon.’ That was the end of it.

“Ah, this is really like the eighteen… types of weapons situation.”

Why does heaven give me such trials!

Are handsome geniuses destined to die young!

Boom!

“Ah, shit! That scared me!”

Thunder from a clear sky!?

I guess I wasn’t a handsome genius after all.

“…Somehow I feel like crying.”

Putting my sadness aside, I turned my eyes back to the anvil.

Even if the exam content is like the eighteen types of weapons, I can’t give up.

The lifespan timer in the mission section of my status window.

It’s decreasing in real time.

If I want to live, I need to hurry.

“First, let me try making different types. As I make them one by one, surely inspiration will strike for one of the swords.”

At times like this, I must pick up the hammer and strike.

When you focus on work, worries disappear and good ideas naturally come to mind.

Just as I organized my thoughts and was about to light the extinguished forge to begin work.

Knock knock.

“Is Master Namgung Cheon-gang here? I’ve come from Cheongeumjeong’s Administrative Office.”

“Huh?”

A visitor had come.

When I opened the door, a maid working at Cheongeumjeong’s Administrative Office was standing there.

The maid bowed at the waist, then immediately handed a letter to Namgung Cheon-gang.

“What is this?”

“It’s a letter containing a message from Master Namgung Gungseong to all craftsmen belonging to Cheongeumjeong who are taking the direct lineage promotion exam.”

“I see. Thank you.”

“Not at all. Then, I shall take my leave now.”

“Take care.”

The maid, as if she had finished all her duties.

Bowed her head once more in greeting and left with quick steps.

“Hmm. A message. What could it be? Was there content that hadn’t been conveyed yet?”

As I closed the door and entered the forge, I thought about the letter’s contents.

Perhaps the types of weapons to craft had been specified in detail?

I’ll know once I open it.

Namgung Cheon-gang quickly unfolded the letter.

“…Huh?”

The letter’s content was indeed about the direct lineage promotion exam.

However, what was written was completely different from what Namgung Cheon-gang had hoped for.

“…??”

What is this? A martial arts world chain letter?

* * *

Cheongeumjeong’s Administrative Office.

With a table between them.

A middle-aged man with a neat impression and an old man thoroughly steeped in stubbornness sat facing each other, sharing tea in harmony.

Cheongeumjeong’s administrator ‘Namgung Gungseong’ and Cheongeumjeong’s actual owner, ‘Mak Noya’.

“Heh heh. That boy Gungseo has made quite an interesting proposal, heh heh heh.”

Mak Noya drank the Longjing tea placed on the table like liquor and chuckled.

It was because of the ‘amendment’ regarding the direct lineage promotion exam that ‘Namgung Seo’ had proposed just moments ago.

The suggestion was to craft weapons and hold martial arts competitions.

And what did he say again?

Ah, right.

‘If one has pride in being called a Cheongeumjeong craftsman and wishes to earn a place as a direct member of the Namgung Family with that pride, then crafting one’s own weapon, demonstrating martial arts, competing, and winning would be fitting work for a blacksmith belonging to a martial family.’

“That boy. He speaks quite well, doesn’t he, Gungseong?”

“…”

“Why are you sitting there so gloomily, true to your name? Trying to become even more pitiful?”

“No, what do you mean by that… *sigh*, no. The reason I’m sitting here looking gloomy is simply because I’m wondering why you accepted Namgung Seo’s proposal.”

“Was accepting that boy’s proposal so strange?”

“Well, you never once reversed the content of the direct lineage promotion exam that had been conducted for 10 years. Moreover, Namgung Seo’s proposal is advantageous to him. Before being a blacksmith, he was a martial artist whose nickname was famous.”

An exam that had no reversals for 10 years.

If it were simply reversed based on Mak Noya’s thoughts, it wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy.

In Cheongeumjeong, Mak Noya’s commands are law.

However, he reversed the exam content at one night smith’s suggestion, and under conditions favorable to that night smith.

This is why Namgung Gungseong would sit there thinking gloomily.

He couldn’t understand Mak Noya’s thoughts at all.

“Gungseong. How many craftsmen and master craftsmen are there in Cheongeumjeong now?”

“Currently there are 10 craftsmen and 3 master craftsmen. There are about 30 apprentices in total.”

“That’s more than I thought.”

“Creating so many craftsmen and master craftsmen within 10 years is all thanks to you, Mak Noya.”

“How suffocating it must be for such people to be gathered in one place, confined, just receiving salaries, and having restrictions placed on their crafting as well.”

“The value of night smiths and craftsmen who make superior weapons is the military strength of martial families, and the weapons they create are like great power to martial artists. Rather than being scattered and causing chaos, wouldn’t gathering in one place with restrictions on crafting be a way to achieve peace?”

“If just 3 craftsmen and 10 master night smiths could cause chaos in the martial arts world, then it would truly be as narrow a space as a single family’s pavilion.”

“That shows how excellent the skills of Cheongeumjeong’s night smiths are. They are people personally taught by none other than you, Mak Noya. Also, didn’t you operate Cheongeumjeong this way with chaos and peace in mind?”

“Hmm. Is that how you saw it.”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind. Well, this is a matter between me and the family head, so there’s no need for you to know about it.”

*Slurp.*

Mak Noya picked up the Dragon Well tea he had briefly set down and drank it again.

The conversation paused momentarily, but the silence didn’t last long.

“Gungseong.”

“Yes, elder.”

“Stagnant water is bound to rot. It must flow for new water to enter and bring prosperity. Whether it’s a warrior, a blacksmith, or a farmer tilling the land, this is an unchanging law of all ages.”

“Your words are absolutely correct.”

“Moreover, even stagnant water must flow away to become a resource that can bestow what it contains and make the world more prosperous.”

“Those words are also absolutely correct.”

“It is precisely for this reason that I accepted Namgung Seo’s proposal.”

“Ah!”

“That boy. Gungseong may look like he’d tremble easily, but he’s quite perceptive. Well then, he’ll be doing administrative work under me. Hehe.”

Just as Mak Noya said.

Namgung Gungseong understood what his words meant.

Mak Noya was finally planning to promote someone to the direct lineage through this Direct Lineage Promotion Exam.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to speak words with the same meaning as ‘flowing water does not rot, and door hinges do not become worm-eaten.’

‘Flowing water does not rot, and door hinges that move frequently do not become worm-eaten. This means that merely crafting weapons is not the only thing blacksmiths should do, and he wanted to clearly announce that by displaying martial arts and bringing change, they too can become direct lineage members of Muga.’

Thinking this way, he finally earnestly realized what Mak Noya’s intention was.

Namgung Gungseong showed eyes filled with emotion and admiration toward Mak Noya.

He bowed his head sincerely, expressing gratitude for the teaching.

Mak Noya waved his hand dismissively.

While inwardly clicking his tongue.

‘This fellow is good in every way, but the problem is he goes too far.’

Surely, that one is probably adding some ridiculous meaning in his mind and admiring it by himself.

Of course, that meaning wouldn’t be completely wrong, but isn’t there a saying about excess being as bad as deficiency?

That excessive thinking is truly burdensome.

Well, it’s better than being pathetically timid.

‘Well, if he doesn’t know about the promise between the family head and me, he might think that way…’

Well then, I should stay quiet.

“However, if they don’t properly understand Mak Noya’s intention, everyone will be in an uproar over the changes to the Direct Lineage Promotion Exam.”

“Hehe. They’ll have to accept that too. The Direct Lineage Promotion Exam isn’t some children’s test. If we’re making changes with two months left, that’s giving them plenty of time, isn’t it?”

“Well, that’s true. In any case, this matter will make the crafting division’s exam quite interesting to watch, Mak Noya.”

“I’m truly curious about what will happen. Hehe.”

Surely, there would be interesting events.

And in such interesting events, that boy would surely be involved.

Hehehe.

And so, that boy who would display such interesting things in this changed exam, upon receiving the notification of changes to the Direct Lineage Promotion Exam a few days later.

“What the hell is this! Why did the blacksmith exam suddenly change to martial arts competition! Aaaaah!”

He roared while tearing at his hair.

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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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