He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 25

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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 25

Episode 25

Byeokryeok Heavy Sword Namgung Seo.

Monstrous Strength Black Hammer Namgung Cheon-gang.

Outstanding warriors who appeared in the unexpected blacksmith competition.

“Byeokryeok Heavy Sword Namgung Seo!”

“He’s regained his prime! Send your opponent flying with swift heavy strikes!”

“Monstrous Strength Black Hammer Namgung Cheon-gang!”

“Give that veteran warrior a taste of a rookie’s monstrous strength!”

The spectator stands were truly a cauldron of excitement.

Each person shouted the name of their favored contestant.

The outdoor training grounds filled with the two men’s names.

The two standing alone at the center of it all.

As if they couldn’t hear the crowd’s cheers.

They gazed intently at each other.

“You’ve made quite a splendid weapon.”

The first to speak was Namgung Seo.

Not empty words, but praise filled with sincerity.

His eyes moved from Namgung Cheon-gang to the Muktan Vitality Sledgehammer.

His gaze wouldn’t leave it.

“Thank you for the praise. You certainly seem to favor heavyweight weapons like your nickname suggests. I can see honey dripping from your eyes as you look at my Muktan Vitality Sledgehammer.”

“Its name is Muktan Vitality Sledgehammer? I can see why ‘vitality’ is attached – it’s a great hammer made using Muktan School techniques and rope to enhance elasticity.”

“Exactly right. You truly are the Cheongeumjeong Master Blacksmith.”

“Hearing that from someone who became a master blacksmith at 12 feels strange. I’ll take it as a compliment. Ah, and let me introduce my weapon. It’s called Byeokryeok Great Sword.”

“Byeokryeok Great Sword… It’s similar to your nickname.”

“Originally, weapons made for oneself follow one’s name or nickname.”

“Wise words. From what I can see, you made it from lightning-struck iron steel wood. You put a core made of Baekryeonjeonggang in the center for balance. The blade is blunt, but you applied Muktan School techniques like me to reduce lethality.”

Reducing the weapon’s lethality wasn’t everything.

Even if not now, it contained the internal energy and mental cultivation methods of a warrior who had recovered part of his prime, making it a deadly weapon in itself.

One wrong move could result in being torn apart, so controlling one’s strength was essential.

Judging by the skills he’d shown so far, his strength control was also remarkable.

“Your insight is truly remarkable. Cheongeumjeong’s future is very promising indeed. As a direct lineage member, I’ll be watching your future.”

He spoke with a gentle smile.

The leisurely confidence from that night wasn’t just provocation, but composure born of self-assurance and conviction.

A martial arts novice would tuck their tail between their legs just realizing this fact.

But wasn’t he himself no different from Namgung Seo?

When it came to wielding and controlling heavy weapons.

‘No, I’m actually stronger.’

Because this wasn’t his real weapon.

A hammer that weighed 300 geun more than Byeokryeok Heavy Sword’s prime.

A demonic weapon beyond monstrosity that shouldn’t be brought out in such competitions.

Therefore, he wasn’t inferior in strength control.

He might even be superior.

So there was absolutely no need to be intimidated by that confident composure and tuck his tail.

“People are getting excited, so let’s get ready.”

Namgung Cheon-gang grinned, lifting the hammer he’d set down and casually placing it on his shoulder.

The action looked remarkably effortless.

“Hehe, truly bold.”

And impressive.

He seemed completely unaffected by the subtly raised aura.

No, he actually countered it.

They said he was third-rate upper level.

Well.

Looking at the skills he’d shown and that magnificent weapon, it would be rude to simply gauge his level.

‘To properly use a weapon with that much mass, one would need to surpass at least first-rate upper level.’

That said, the current Namgung Cheon-gang wasn’t first-rate upper level.

He was too young for that.

Also, if his martial talent had been that outstanding, he would have become a warrior, not a blacksmith.

Namgung Cheolgeom Danchu wasn’t a fool either.

Would he just leave such talent alone?

Then how could he use it so well?

‘He must have strength comparable to the divine power of the Hebei Peng Family.’

Indeed, with that much strength, his stamina would also be extraordinary.

Thinking about it this way, the stamina that allowed him to endure becoming a Cheongeumjeong blacksmith at age 12 made sense.

In any case, it was definitely not something to take lightly.

“Please treat me well.”

“I should be saying that to you.”

The two men finished their long yet brief, private conversation.

Afterward, they quietly clasped their fists in salute and turned away, moving apart.

Standing in their respective positions in the arena, they turned their bodies toward each other again.

“Begin!!”

The referee’s signal announcing the start of the match.

Swoosh!!

Both men’s forms immediately shot toward each other.

Then.

CRASH!!!

A massive thunder brought a storm to the arena.

* * *

Naturally, the martial arts of all martial families and sects are based on Heaven, Earth, and Man – the Three Realms.

Namgung also doesn’t deviate from this standard.

Therefore, the basic martial art created containing the fundamentals of the Three Realms is the Namgung Twelve Swords.

Anyone who enters Namgung learns it, whether direct or branch lineage.

One of the entry conditions for Cheongeumjeong, the finest blacksmith shop in the Namgung Family, is being branch lineage.

The second is being a ‘master’ level blacksmith.

And the third is learning the Namgung Twelve Swords and Cheonggang Heart Method.

Therefore, the martial arts of the blacksmiths in the competition were bound to be ordinary.

The reasons “it’s boring” and “not exciting” weren’t entirely unfounded.

However, the true meaning of Namgung’s martial arts is to contain Heaven.

Thus, being lofty and looked up to by all, it gains the title of Imperial.

Since Imperial means being capable of everything.

Even the Three Realms alone can display Imperial dignity.

Especially, Namgung’s martial arts truly suit the King of All Weapons.

And here, the heavy sword contains the weight of an emperor to express strength, making it the finest.

Which is now.

Being clearly demonstrated by two warriors, two blacksmiths, two men.

A great sword containing the weight of heaviness.

A massive hammer confronting it.

The two weapons embody Man, one of the Three Realms in the Namgung Twelve Swords.

A horizontal attack aimed at the chest.

Cutting through the air, they collide.

Kwaaaaang!!

A thunderous roar that shakes the earth erupts, and wind rises.

The force that burst from the collision of massive weights.

Spun both weapons back in the opposite direction from which they were swung.

Step into the proper stance.

Maintain balance.

Without letting the reversed force dissipate, rotate with it and attack the opposite flank again.

It seemed they shared the same mind.

Kwaaaaang!!

The massive weapons collide at exactly the same interval, erupting in explosive sound.

The two weapons, after clashing, spin back in opposite directions again.

The great sword’s following attack is cheon , meaning sang – upward.

Stopping the reverse spinning force, it scrapes the ground and slashes upward.

Seeing this, the great hammer that similarly stopped its spinning force responds with the intent of ji – downward ha striking toward the earth.

Kwaaaaang!

Falling from the sky.

Rising from the earth.

The force that fell from the sky spins its body in midair again, adding rotation to strike with full power.

The force that rose from the earth also plants its feet on the ground, turning to clash with the generated rotation.

Kwaang! Kwaaaaang!

Attacks from weapons carrying nearly 100 geun of weight, endlessly striking toward each other.

They create a storm.

Puwaaaak!

A great wind strikes the spectators.

However, no one speaks.

Even as their hair flies in the wind.

Their eyes don’t leave the contest between the two warriors.

They were captivated.

By the martial arts containing Namgung’s imperial way that the two men displayed.

They couldn’t even speak.

Kwaang! Kwaaang!

Even if they shouted, it would be buried in the explosive sounds of the two massive weapons colliding.

The contest of night smiths is ordinary.

The Namgung Twelve Swords are basic forms.

However, now.

No one could think such thoughts.

Kwaaaaang!

With such enormity shaking heaven and earth, who could possibly call it ordinary?

It’s merely the Three Realms, or Namgung.

Kwaaaaang!

The two warriors who boldly showed that even the Three Realms contain imperial way leap backward after another collision.

The warrior holding the great sword that contained cheonjiin .

The middle-aged man whose internal energy, rapidly consumed from wielding the massive weapon, vaporizes and emanates from his entire body.

His eyes are wide with surprise.

“…Did you hide your level?”

What those widened eyes contained was a youthful and refreshingly handsome young man.

He.

‘Namgung Cheon-gang’.

Furrowed his brow at the question that came while emanating the same bodily vaporization as the middle-aged man, ‘Namgung Seo’.

“That can’t be. I’m truly third-rate upper level. Don’t I look more like I’m dying than you do right now? My already rat-dropping-like internal energy has now become ant-dropping-sized. Ugh, I’m dying. Go a bit easier on me.”

A mouth that’s alive while claiming to be dying.

A cheeky response.

But it wasn’t a lie.

His entire body was soaked with sweat.

Namgung Seo was only half as wet.

No, he was half-soaked.

“Certainly, just looking at that appearance, it seems I have somewhat more internal energy…”

With that tiny amount of internal energy, he clashed with me and achieved equal standing.

In other words, his internal energy utilization is similar to mine. No, perhaps—

Superior to mine.

“You. You were a genius.”

Sincere words that came from the heart.

“Phew. I feel like I’m about to die, but genius my foot. Don’t say such things elsewhere. It’s embarrassing and shameful.”

Heavy weapons, especially those with weights far beyond conventional wisdom that earned the designations ‘great’ and ‘giant’, are difficult.

They’re not suitable for continuous attacks, nor for thrusting techniques.

They’re heavier than regular swords when executing techniques.

Therefore, one must be skilled, flexible, and knowledgeable.

Also, physical strength must be the foundation, effort must be present, and stamina must be double.

One must be able to use internal energy correctly to maintain balance.

Only then can one carry out the intent of giant weapons – one strike, one kill.

Namgung Seo’s giant sword was like that.

‘Though he says he has more than third-rate due to his damaged dantian, that amount of internal energy is hard to recover to its prime.’

In a way, it could be seen as executing one strike, one kill with internal energy similar to his own.

Indeed, a peak master is a peak master.

That experience, the accumulated meaning of martial arts.

Indeed, not to be ignored.

“There’s no need to mention that you understand the meaning of wielding giant weapons. And you must know I was once at the peak level.”

“Haha… So what are you trying to say?”

“A young man who hasn’t even reached his twentieth year is clashing without retreat against the strikes of a giant weapon wielded by a peak-level warrior, maintaining equality. Then, what else could you be but a genius? Don’t belittle yourself. No, with such martial talent, how did you enter blacksmithing? Both you and your father are truly peculiar.”

Oh my.

This elder sure knows how to make one embarrassed.

‘Martial talent, my foot.’

The reason I can follow a peak master’s martial prowess.

It’s the combat experience from my previous life.

In the time remaining after making the Black Charcoal Life-Saving Pill, I even reduced my sleep to train and put effort into utilizing that experience.

I couldn’t afford not to keep up.

Plus the ability gained from awakening.

And the harmony of divine arts.

Through this, strength, agility, and constitution achieved balance, creating explosions and predictions that generated flexibility – it would be strange if I couldn’t do it.

Of course, if Namgung Seo’s dantian had been intact, this would have ended long ago.

I could follow the techniques and endure a few times.

But I’d run out of internal energy and finish quickly.

This is why giant weapons are problematic.

They turn internal energy premature ejaculation into a 3-second cut.

In the end, now one more time.

“You also have one more time left.”

The Thunderbolt Heavy Sword also has one more.

The energy vaporization rising from the body.

This is one of the symptoms indicating that internal energy is nearing its end.

“Come, let’s have fellow giant weapon wielders decorate the finale spectacularly.”

Huu.

Namgung Seo swallows his breath.

He grips the great sword firmly with both hands and slowly lowers it diagonally to the left.

Right foot forward.

Left foot back.

His upper body slightly tilted.

Anyone could see it.

A charging stance for a killing blow.

“For someone approaching fifty, you’re quite energetic. Why don’t you go easy on a lad who hasn’t even reached twenty?”

“Heh heh. What I said was too shameless for that. Besides, my blood is boiling for the first time in ages at this age, so shouldn’t we see it through to the end?”

“How have you endured it all this time?”

“Well, if you’re going to stay put, speak up. It won’t be satisfying, but I’ll gratefully take the position.”

“I’m desperate too, you see. I’ll say it again – I can’t give it up so easily, no, not at all.”

Huu.

Namgung Cheon-gang steadies his breathing.

He places the Black Charcoal Living Jujube on the ground.

He assumes the same stance for a killing charge.

Like reflections in a copper mirror.

Left and right are opposite, but the same.

Their ages differ, but they are the same.

Huu.

A second breath.

They will end it with this strike.

The shared sentiment of both men.

‘I’ll properly infuse all the power of my divine arts into this one blow!’

The power of the balancing emperor contained in the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art.

The power to express divine strength contained in the Primordial Thunderbolt Art.

And the power gained through awakening.

They raise it to the limit.

Huuuuup!

Just as the sound of swallowing that breath ends.

Bang!

An explosive sound echoes from their internal energy-infused footsteps.

Like lightning, like wind.

They charge toward each other honestly, in a straight line.

Great sword versus great sword.

They unleash honest strikes with no variations, meant for a killing blow.

The great sword shatters changes with its honesty alone.

The Namgung techniques contained in the great sword kill variations.

There’s no need to introduce variables.

And so the collision of great swords formed by honesty.

Kwaaaaaang!!!!

That thunderous roar that shakes heaven and earth makes the spectators clench their fists, break into sweat, and fills them with heat.

An energy transformation that cannot be considered a mere clash of third-rate internal energies erupts from where the great swords collided.

Something spins and soars through the hazy smoke.

A great sword broken in half.

The audience’s eyes follow the shattered great sword that emerged from the smoke.

At first they didn’t realize.

“Ah!”

Soon, they become aware of what and how the outcome was decided.

Could it be!

Really!?

Oh!

Doubt and amazement fill each face.

They look down to where the mist is clearing.

A middle-aged warrior holding a broken great sword appeared, energy rising from him.

Namgung Seo.

Bitterness filled his face, but it soon disappeared.

Only refreshment remained.

The match was decided.

When great swords clash and mine breaks, victory goes to the opponent.

Since this isn’t a life-or-death duel.

This much is enough to decide the match.

“Congratulations. You won…”

And so, lowering his broken great sword, he offers congratulations.

No, tries to offer them.

Huh?

Wait a minute?

Why is this guy spinning around?

Is he trying to disperse the force from the collision of great swords?

Then he should spin and stop, right?

Why is the weapon that boy is holding appearing again as he turns around?

Uh, huh?

Wait?

It’s getting closer—

Kwaaaaaang!!

A smiling face.

A thunderous explosion erupts simultaneously with the question forming.

Followed by.

“Queeeeek!!”

A scream rising from his very soul.

At the same time, Namgung Seo spouts a fountain of blood as he spins and soars into the sky.

“Ah.”

I saw Namgung Seo’s words and expression.

But unfortunately, my internal energy was running out…

Unfortunately, I had put all the power of my divine arts into it…

And so I couldn’t stop…

And so I sent him flying.

Ah.

“…I’ve caused an accident.”

—————
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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