I Became a Transcendent-Level Genius Trainer - Chapter 134

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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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Transcendent Genius Trainer 134

Ding—

[Director Lee Ji-tae]
Trainer Kang, I’m sending you information on the Awakened Baek Hyeon-jin.
……
……
……

Information about Baek Hyeon-jin arrived from Director Lee Ji-tae.
The details were quite thorough, and at the end was a note, just as Yujun had requested, that they hadn’t made contact beforehand.

-If you wish, we can brief you on our side. Please let me know if needed.

‘I don’t need the Management Bureau to reach out first.’

This was something Yujun had deliberately requested.
The plan was to minimize the Management Bureau’s interference and have Yujun approach the Awakened directly to convince him.

‘I just need the information itself.’

With that information alone, he could find him directly.

‘A wrong approach could backfire.’

Right now, Baek Hyeon-jin was living an ordinary life.
He was effectively without ability.

‘He’s probably been hounded countless times.’

From what he knew, there had been an enormous amount of media coverage.
At the time and for a considerable period afterward, articles about the Awakened’s whereabouts kept appearing.
He would have suffered at the hands of many.

‘Countless treatments, countless training attempts.’

There was barely anything he hadn’t tried, yet all had failed.
Exhausted, Baek Hyeon-jin had eventually gone into hiding and declared he would no longer live as an Awakened.

‘Publicly, things quieted down.’

But someone had likely continued to offer him false hope that he could be cured.
And naturally that would have failed too, or perhaps Baek Hyeon-jin simply stopped listening altogether.

‘So it’s better if I approach him quietly.’

-Current residence: Ilsan.

“Ilsan, then.”

Baek Hyeon-jin lived in Ilsan.

-Café: Pureun (operating).
-One daughter.
-Wife deceased during the Great Catastrophe.

Currently he ran a café there and lived his life.
A pension came through, so he wasn’t impoverished, but it was safe to say that his past life as a hero was gone.

‘That’s where the problem lies.’

It was possible that Baek Hyeon-jin had found contentment in his present life.
Being an Awakened wasn’t purely joy, after all.
Someone like Seo Yu-ri carried a deep dream within her to return to being an Awakened.

“I’ll have to confirm that first.”

That meant he needed more preparation.

“I should head to the Forge first.”

***

Clang—! Clang—! Clang—!
Goyang City Geumgang Forge.

The moment Kim Gyu-cheol returned, he threw himself into work.

“I thought this much would do it.”

After receiving training from Yujun and awakening properly.
Gyu-cheol had hammered away every single day.
Twelve hours at a stretch.
He struck his hammer for as long as his stamina held, and as a result he was able to produce several artifacts.

The artifacts he’d made well gave him confidence.
The Crystal Staff he’d given Yujun, or the Shoulder Correction Brace he’d made for Seo Yu-ri—these were among his masterworks.
Moreover, the equipment he’d crafted for the Awakened in Yujun’s sect turned out quite excellent.

So when he joined Yujun for the dragon training.
He’d been confident. He thought he could make whatever artifact Yujun wanted.

“But the equipment I made for Tan…… fell short.”

He’d thought it was well made, but reconsidering it on the journey back, he’d found many gaps.

“Instructor really is extraordinary.”

Yet despite that, Yujun had succeeded in the dragon training.
Making up for his own shortcomings.

“Phew. I need to do my part properly too.”

This wouldn’t do.
He had to elevate his skill further.

Clang—!
Gyu-cheol began by synthesizing materials for the Kilo Gauntlet.

Whoooosh—!
Extreme concentration.
All of his Mana poured out in an instant, and the intense mental focus caused considerable stress, but

Moreover, the equipment Yujun wanted was none other than the Kilo Gauntlet.
The Kilo Gauntlet couldn’t be made with ordinary concentration.

Clang—! Clang—!
Whoooosh—!
The Rune Stone Yujun had given him began to emit black light.

-Material transformation successful!

The materials were transformed through the power of the Geumgang Forge.

“I can’t say it’s one hundred percent Abyss Unpolished Stone.”

But that was fine.
The Abyss Unpolished Stone was a Geumgang Kim Family material.
This was not a family asset but Gyu-cheol’s personal material.

Whoooosh—.

“Let’s keep going.”

Gyu-cheol had many chances ahead.
He could buy materials with the money Yujun had told him to use freely.

“Even if I fail many times, if just one proper piece comes out, that’s success!”

That was actually what Yujun wanted.

Clang—! Clang—! Clang—!
As he hammered away feverishly.
Someone arrived.

“Gyu-cheol.”

The voice of the visitor was very familiar.

Gyu-cheol turned to look at him.
A sturdy build.
Muscular forearms. One look and you couldn’t help but notice.

“…Uncle.”

It was Kim Sang-hun, the master smith of the Geumgang Kim Family and Gyu-cheol’s uncle.

“I didn’t expect you’d be alongside that promising trainer. You’re making some pretty decent stuff.”

Since he’d already known the family would come, he wasn’t particularly surprised.
There was no greeting like asking how he’d been.
He cut straight to the point.

“Let me ask without preamble. Are you thinking of coming back to the family?”
“It doesn’t sound like you came to tell me to come back.”

Gyu-cheol asked calmly, meeting Kim Sang-hun’s gaze.

“You came to recruit Trainer Kang, didn’t you?”
“…… You’re sharp.”

He was clearly trying to use Gyu-cheol as leverage to recruit Kang Yujun.

‘There’s been continued negative talk about Instructor on Hunternet.’

If he’d proven this much, the S-rank license should have been granted.
Objectively, there was nothing unusual about it.

Yet somehow negative stories kept spreading.
As if someone were orchestrating it.
He hadn’t thought it was the Geumgang Kim Family, but now that Kim Sang-hun had come, he was certain.

‘The family has many issues.’

The Geumgang Kim Family, forever wishing to maintain their honor and prestige.
Naturally their smiths underwent training bordering on exploitation.
For Gyu-cheol, who had failed to properly demonstrate his abilities and been expelled, it was actually better this way.

“That’s right. I came to recruit, but…”

Kim Sang-hun trailed off at Gyu-cheol’s composed demeanor.
Why was he like this…?
Kim Sang-hun’s eyes widened as he glanced around and spotted something.

“…!”

The massive furnace in front of Gyu-cheol.
It wasn’t just any furnace.

“You can’t…!”

The Geumgang Furnace.
That was definitely the Geumgang Furnace.
It was the family’s greatest artifact—a treasure of the clan, but since no one had been able to use it properly, it had been sleeping in storage.

“How did…”

How was the Geumgang Furnace here?

“And in your hand…”

Moreover, Gyu-cheol was holding something in his hands that looked distinctly like the material the Geumgang Kim Family monopolized in making.

“What exactly are you…”

Kim Sang-hun stared at Gyu-cheol in bewilderment.
Kim Sang-hun was one of the few who had no bad blood with Gyu-cheol.
That was precisely why he had come to meet him.

“You’re in danger. You’re currently expelled from the family. If it becomes known that you’re using something stolen from the family for personal purposes, the family will have no choice but to punish you.”

Where had he stolen the Geumgang Furnace from?
It should still be in the family compound.

And that material looked like nothing but Abyss Unpolished Stone.
Kim Sang-hun’s mind was in turmoil.
He couldn’t understand how the situation was unfolding.
But he quickly gathered his thoughts.
This could be a good opportunity to persuade.

“But there’s a way out. Gyu-cheol, come back to the family. If you come clean and say you’ll devote that power to the family, everyone will forgive you.”

Kim Sang-hun gestured with a smile.

“They’ll all forgive you. Seeing how brilliantly you’ve awakened. And if you just speak well to Trainer Kang, his recruitment as the exclusive trainer for the great Geumgang Kim Family will guarantee your success in life thereafter.”

Gyu-cheol, who had become an S-rank Awakened in craftsmanship, was no longer a disgrace to the family.
Now that he’d become a worthy Awakened of the Geumgang Kim Family, bringing Kang Yujun back would make accepting him again quite simple.
But Gyu-cheol’s response was ice-cold.

“Accept me back?”

From Gyu-cheol’s perspective, it was an offer he could’ve cursed, yet he didn’t.
Instead of venting his anger, he laughed.
The old him would’ve lost control right then, swinging his hammer wildly.
He would’ve poured out his feelings in a torrent of profanity.

But he had come to know a person named Kang Yujun.
And he’d come to know his mindset, his values.

So this situation was rather amusing.
The family that had treated him like garbage and cast him out was now trying to recruit him instead.
Shouldn’t it bring joy rather than anger?
Gyu-cheol laughed brightly right there, a cheerful sound.

“Why would I willingly go back to hell?”
“…”

Kim Sang-hun was taken aback by Gyu-cheol’s response.
He hadn’t expected this reaction at all.

“I refuse. And Trainer Kang would have no reason to join somewhere as small as the Geumgang Kim Family.”
“…Small, you say.”

Kim Sang-hun’s expression hardened.

“You’ve changed a lot from before.”

Gyu-cheol replied coldly to the harsh words.

“Since I’ve become an S-rank Awakened, isn’t it strange if I hadn’t changed?”

Then he issued a cold dismissal.

“Please leave now. I have work to finish. If you have questions about this Geumgang Furnace, bring family personnel and verify it yourselves. Whether you punish me or investigate, it’s all the same.”

As Gyu-cheol turned away, Kim Sang-hun let out a sigh.

“…What changed you like this?”
“Trainer Kang did.”
“That training?”

It wasn’t merely training.
What Gyu-cheol had learned from Kang Yujun wasn’t simply how to become better at crafting.

“Yes. Training of the Mind.”

Training of the Mind.
Kang Yujun had shown him how to live.

“…”

A complex expression crossed Kim Sang-hun’s face.
He saw freedom in Gyu-cheol.
Not one person in the Geumgang Kim Family possessed that kind of light in their eyes. So in that moment, something stirred within him.
Freedom.
To create what you want and live as you wish.

“Don’t come crying to me later.”

Trying to suppress those thoughts, Kim Sang-hun spoke coldly.

***

On the way back.
Kim Sang-hun’s mood was far from good.

He found himself clenching his jaw without realizing it.
As he pondered, he became aware of his own emotion.

“Was I…jealous?”

Of Gyu-cheol, who’d been cast out by the family?

“Damn.”

He clenched his fist and cursed under his breath.
What would he tell the family when he returned?
The Geumgang Kim Family was convinced they could recruit Kang Yujun without question.
They believed they could accomplish both Gyu-cheol’s return and, on that basis, Kang Yujun’s recruitment in one stroke.

“They’re too ignorant. Too intoxicated by the name of a prestigious family.”

He clicked his tongue and opened his smart pad.
Kang Yujun’s evaluation was listed as B-rank.

“Idiots. He’s absolutely not B-rank.”

Swoosh—. Swoosh—.
He deleted the evaluation entirely.

-[Immeasurable]

He had made Gyu-cheol into an S-rank Awakened and a complete follower.
He had allowed Gyu-cheol to taste freedom.
He was not merely a trainer chasing raw power.

“And… I don’t think we’ll ever be able to bring him over.”

He hadn’t met Kang Yujun directly.
But from Gyu-cheol’s eyes alone, he could guess what kind of person Kang Yujun was.
Absolute trust.
Loyalty.
Respect.

“If someone could inspire all that in such a short time…”

Kim Sang-hun drew a deep breath.

“I need to be careful too.”

The Geumgang Kim Family was a clan where bloodline strength ran exceptionally deep.
Which meant the same person could inspire identical feelings in others who shared that blood.

“Let’s get back quickly.”
“Are you a customer, sir?”

That’s when a voice reached him.

“No, I’m not.”

As he answered, Kim Sang-hun examined the speaker and started in surprise.

“Kang Yujun…Trainer?”
“I’m not sure when I became this famous. But yes, I’m Kang Yujun.”

Yujun smiled knowingly.

“I’m not a customer, but I came to meet Trainer Kang.”

Yujun chuckled lightly at Kim Sang-hun’s words and made a suggestion.

“Could we have a conversation?”
“Yes, of course.”

Yujun gestured to him.

“Then let’s go to the café, Sang-hun.”
“…Yes.”

He’d heard that the Geumgang Forge belonged to Kang Yujun.
He wasn’t sure why they were heading to a café, but he couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

Yujun smiled knowingly as he followed behind him.
He’d been watching it all, from start to finish.

‘I was waiting for him.’

—————
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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