He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 60

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

Chapter 60

Episode 60

“Ahh. No matter how good traveling is, home is still the best.”

It’s been a while, my blacksmith’s forge.

Have you been well?

Even after nearly two months, you’re still the same.

“Huh? Really? Why is it still the same?”

Being away from home for two months?

Then dust should be piled up like snow.

It would take all day to clean up.

The forge?

Oh my.

Don’t even get me started.

Cleaning is one thing, but.

You’d have quite a struggle just to rekindle the forge fire.

However, Namgung Cheon-gang’s blacksmith workshop.

The forge still had heat as if it had just been used.

Dust?

Even if there was any, it was only the kind that would accumulate in a day.

And what about the tools?

They were cleanly wiped and neatly organized.

Two months without an owner seemed meaningless.

What’s this, did a fairy wife come by?

“Ah, right. This must be the Namgung Family employee benefits?”

Benefits that are implemented when a worker is away from the workplace for an extended period.

“It was the benefit where assigned servants clean and organize, right?”

Wow.

As expected, the Namgung Family.

The benefits of being one of the Five Great Families of the martial world are no less enviable than a major corporation from my previous life.

Of course, there were traces of the servants’ touch.

But I could also feel mother’s touch.

The placement of tools arranged according to his own habits.

Only family would know such things.

Then what about the forge?

“Both of my masters must have come and gone.”

First master, Jin Hancheol.

Second master, Mak Noya.

They came and went, keeping the forge alive.

There would be traces if I looked for them.

However, I don’t bother to look.

The feeling alone comes through strongly.

When their hearts remain, is there any need to search?

“My masters, really…”

My nose tingles at both masters’ actions.

Master Jin Hancheol’s face suddenly comes to mind.

‘Hahaha! Yes, yes.’

A person with a build that could take down a bear and a face like a barbarian warrior laughs heartily.

Then my second master, Mak Noya, comes to mind.

‘Heh heh heh. Yes, yes.’

Though he has a stubborn face,

That is the experience of years.

A gentle smile is drawn on his wrinkled face marked by time.

Ah, Master, Master…

A friendship like orchids and a flower blooming in the forge.

The teacher’s grace is as deep as the sea, carved into bone and unforgettable.

The deep and strong bond between master and disciple blooms like a flower in the forge.

The master’s grace, deep as the sea, must be carved into bone so as not to be forgotten.

‘Then it must be carved. I shall personally extract the bones carved with the master’s grace and bury them in the sea. Heh heh.’

Master Mak Noya’s gentle threat.

“Heuuk!”

Suddenly, my mind snaps to attention!

The mission window appears!

“Oh my, this isn’t the time to be lost in emotion.”

Namgung Cheon-gang shook his head vigorously to clear his mind and immediately lit the forge fire.

As expected.

The fire immediately flared up.

Again, emotion about both masters wells up!

Then Master Mak Noya’s threat follows!

‘F-focus!’

I circulated the Cheonloe Jaewang Singong to strengthen my mind.

Whooo.

If I’m not careful, this could be the last work of my lifetime.

I had to cast aside distracting thoughts.

I steadied my breathing a bit more.

‘Seongcheol has quite a high melting point.’

Each type of iron has its melting point.

Only by properly hitting that point can you approach a masterpiece.

If you lose focus even once?

At best, you’ll end up with a high-grade product.

But would I be satisfied with a high-grade product?

No way!

‘To satisfy Master Mak Noya, it needs to be at least a masterpiece. Even if I make a high-grade product, he won’t be pleased or cherish it.’

It’s not just about the master’s heart.

I wouldn’t be satisfied either.

Therefore, if I want to create a staff that will satisfy both master and disciple.

‘I need to start with masterpiece-level smelting.’

Whooo.

Whoooo.

Lightning energy sparks with each breath that flows from my mouth.

The power of the Cheonloe Jaewang Singong circulates throughout Namgung Cheon-gang’s entire body.

Each blood vessel, each muscle.

He awakened them and made vitality flow.

Then, he circulated another divine technique, the Hebei Peng Family’s Honyuan Byeokryeok Technique.

Divine power bloomed like flowers in his awakening body.

His head became empty.

Distracting thoughts disappeared.

When the forge flames, burning like a man’s passion, filled his head completely.

Only then did Namgung Cheon-gang pick up his hammer.

* * *

Seongcheol (Star Iron) was noble, as if living up to its name.

Clang! Clang!

Therefore, its melting point is also high.

Like an untamed iron wild horse.

Even with hammering, it takes an enormous amount of time to properly handle it.

If it had been the existing Baekryeonjeonggang instead of Seongcheol?

50 curved steel pieces would have been finished within 3 days.

Because it was Seongcheol, it took ‘one week’.

Of course, it was possible because it was Namgung Cheon-gang.

Clang! Clang!

Awakened power, experience from his previous life.

Furthermore, the combination of two divine arts.

Because these abilities were properly mixed together.

He was able to properly melt the Seongcheol and create Seongcheol curved steel.

Clang! Clang!

Even so, he doesn’t rush.

He soothes the Seongcheol with heavy, sincere hammer strikes.

As if becoming friends with a wild horse.

He soothes and soothes it like that.

Eventually, the Seongcheol obediently bent its body in rhythm with the beating.

It was the same when making curved steel during his stay in Dongryang County.

Even then, his concentration for soothing the iron wild horse was fierce.

But now?

It’s even more than back then.

If Namgung Cheon-gang’s concentration back then was like Baekryeonjeonggang?

Now it’s Seongcheol grade.

Why?

Because it’s something to give to Master.

Therefore, his ‘heart’ is different.

Then, what about the heart he had for the miners?

Clang! Clang!!

That heart when he hammered Seongcheol to repay the miners’ kindness.

Naturally, it couldn’t be low.

He didn’t hammer the Seongcheol with such a heart either.

He properly hammered it with a strong heart to repay them.

Therefore, all 50 Seongcheol curved steel pieces were masterpieces.

However, compared to his Master, could that heart be the same?

No.

Teacher’s affection is like father and son, standing in snow waiting at the gate.

The teacher’s affection is like that between father and son.

Therefore, one can stand and wait in the snow to serve the teacher.

Making a staff for that teacher, how could it be the same?

Clang!! Clang!

Because survival is at stake?

Of course, that’s correct.

If he fails, the sect will be destroyed.

And master and disciple will die.

His heart has no choice but to be different.

However, if he had refined it thinking only of survival.

He couldn’t have become a master-level blacksmith at age 12.

The same goes for making a name for himself in the world as an S-rank blacksmith in his previous life.

He has the heart to properly hold the hammer even if he dies today.

That’s why he became a master at age 12 after reincarnating in the martial arts world.

That’s why he could make a name for himself his whole life as an S-rank blacksmith.

Therefore, Namgung Cheon-gang’s current work is not for survival.

It can be said to be work purely for Master alone.

‘Master’s body is balanced overall. To have such a physique at over 80 years old is unbelievable. Still, his left knee seemed slightly more uncomfortable than his right. When I checked with Insight, it was definitely more so. So it needs to be a left-hand staff.’

Clang! Clang!

‘What about weight? Seeing him easily lift the black coal club, he has plenty of strength, but it would be difficult without internal energy. I need to properly utilize Seongcheol’s lightness and sturdiness.’

Clang! Clang!

‘In the future, so it won’t be awkward even as time passes, let’s make the length adjustable too. Moreover, if the length is adjustable, he’ll be able to escape threats that arise due to the martial arts world’s nature.’

Clang! Clang!

A head filled only with Mak Noya.

The hammer striking Seongcheol.

His concentration grows even higher.

His internal energy rapidly depletes.

Even so, he doesn’t stop.

Only for creating a staff for Master.

The disciple poured his soul into it.

Clang! Clang!

Endlessly generated messages.

He pays them no mind.

He only looks at the item being crafted.

Before long.

Like before his awakening.

When he made a famous sword for Father’s birthday gift back then.

Namgung Cheon-gang’s body heated up like flames.

And glowed with an orange light.

Whoooosh!!

* * *

Ding!

A clear sound that resonated through the world.

At the same time.

“Huh!?”

Namgung Cheon-gang breathed out roughly and opened his eyes wide.

No, rather than ‘opened’, the expression ‘came to his senses’ would be more accurate.

What?

Why did I suddenly lose consciousness?

Wait?

The refining?

Namgung Cheon-gang hurriedly looked down.

“Phew, thank goodness. The refining didn’t stop.”

Even though he lost consciousness, he didn’t let go of the hammer.

Moreover, the refining was finished.

The staff he wanted to make was completely formed and sitting on the forging anvil.

Huh?

But something seems unusual?

The staff is sparkling with light.

This isn’t a metaphorical expression.

Really, it’s actually sparkling with light!

“No, what is this…”

I’m so flustered I can’t speak.

It feels like someone sprinkled glitter while I briefly lost consciousness.

‘Huh? Wait a minute? That swaying light looks familiar?’

Thinking carefully, an old memory suddenly surfaced.

To be precise, it was a memory from my past life.

“Ah, that’s right! This is the effect that appears when you make an exclusive weapon!?”

That’s right.

During my past life as an S-rank blacksmith.

When I made exclusive weapons, this sparkling light effect would occur.

“Back then, it was something I saw often, so there was nothing strange about it.”

But after reincarnating into the Martial Arts World?

Not even once.

So naturally, I had forgotten about it…

“That exclusive weapon creation effect appeared just now?”

Of course, since I made it while thinking deeply of Master, it being exclusive makes sense.

But what about the things I’ve made so far?

Hasn’t Namgung Cheon-gang made items thinking of specific people in the Martial Arts World before?

No.

There have been several times.

“Just thinking of what comes to mind, there’s Father’s birthday sword from before my awakening, and the Namgung Samgeupryu Head Chef’s kitchen knife too.”

And that’s not all.

There are also the pickaxes for the Gang Clan Brothers at the Kang Clan Mining Company.

I used Insight to properly make exclusive pickaxes.

“In a way, you could say the Gang Clan Brothers were the first to get bound items, right? Then the exclusive-related effect should have appeared back then, so why is it only showing up now?”

Really, because of deep gratitude and unforgettable kindness?

Come on.

Then what about Father?

Is only Master’s grace as vast as the ocean?

It’s called Hocheommangguk .

Just as the sky is wide and endless, a parent’s grace is boundlessly wide and endless.

Then what’s the cause of the sparkles?

“Ah!? Wait. I think I saw a status window when my concentration reached an extremely high level?”

A memory suddenly surfaced.

Namgung Cheon-gang hurriedly checked the System Message that had passed by.

There was a reason why I lost my mind.

Right, I entered a state of selfless absorption.

It’s enough to lose consciousness—

Huh?

Wait a minute?

My realm increased?

First-rate?

Then, right now I’m—

“…!?”

Oh my goodness!

First-rate!?

“Me!?”

Then I quickly checked my status window too.

“Wow, wow… r-really first-rate!”

It’s true.

I’ve reached first-rate.

It’s truly surprising and bewildering.

But soon.

Namgung Cheon-gang jumps up and down with joy.

“Holy shit! First-rate! I’m first-rate!”

I’m happy.

This is amazing!

Someone might ask what’s the big deal about just first-rate.

But is first-rate some neighborhood dog’s name?

In terms of past life Awakeners, it’s at least C-rank and a guild prospect.

‘In amazing places like Namgung, the Five Great Families, and the Nine Sects and One Faction, first-rate masters are so common they’re treated like pebbles!’

But looking at the entire Martial Arts World, the first-rate realm means you’re a ‘real warrior.’

Because it’s the most convenient realm for transmitting internal energy to weapons!

So now I’m a warrior?

What nonsense is that.

Why would I become a warrior!

Namgung Cheon-gang is always a blacksmith.

But the reason I’m happy about first-rate is?

“I can escape from my premature internal energy problem a little!”

That’s right.

I’m happy because I can now wield the hammer deeper and longer.

Truly a blacksmith to the bone.

“Oh right, first-rate isn’t the important thing, is it?”

Namgung Cheon-gang, who had been jumping around.

Realizing again why he made the bound item, he calmed his excitement.

After that, he checked the system again.

He searches for the reason he made the bound item.

Finally, he understood the cause.

‘The first reason is definitely reaching first-rate.’

The traits and abilities gained from that.

‘This is the second cause.’

One of the abilities I gained really catches my eye.

The definitive cause that created the light.

“…I really got exclusive item creation…?”

The first-rate realm.

That allowed me to secure more of my past life’s abilities.

Our Master.

He can’t help but love and cherish Seongcheol’s staff.

The staff seemed to sparkle and say that it was only natural.

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