I Became a Transcendent-Level Genius Trainer - Chapter 161

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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 Became One 161

Yujun had taken charge of the Geumgang Kim Family’s training!
The moment Kim Hwa-cheon heard the report, he quickly spread the information to various places.
Of course, he hadn’t spread it openly.
There was no reason to needlessly displease Kang Yu-jun in the current situation.
He had simply allowed the information that Kang Yu-jun had accepted the request to naturally spread among a select few.
The reason was simple.

“If our great Trainer were to fail…”

The head of the family was naturally confident that Yujun would fail.
He knew better than anyone that the condition of the family’s blacksmiths was poor.
No matter how capable Yujun was, success was impossible.

“First, I need to make people pay attention to this matter.”

Who was Kang Yu-jun?
A trainer who had reached this point without a single failed training session.
Such a trainer would fail?

“If he fails, that rumor will spread everywhere. I won’t even need to do anything.”

When that happened, Yujun would have no choice but to rely on the Geumgang Kim Family.
In order to restore his reputation, Yujun would have to make the family’s training succeed, even if late.
But was success easy to achieve?

“Let’s drain him dry.”

As the rumor spread, people were quite puzzled.

“Trainer Kang Yu-jun took on the Geumgang Kim Family’s training?”
“Why now with the Geumgang…”
“The family must be in terrible shape right now.”

People were perplexed by the fact that Kang Yu-jun, whose value was skyrocketing, had taken on the Geumgang Kim Family’s training rather than the Tower of Ash attack.
Naturally, an outstanding trainer would be needed for the newly discovered tower, and it made perfect sense that Yujun, who had trained a Hero, would be selected.
In particular, Yujun was someone every guild that had bid on this tower assault would covet.
All Yujun had to do was wait and pick an offer from the guilds.
Yet here he was, taking on the Geumgang Kim Family’s training.

“I can’t predict his movements at all.”
“And this time too… it doesn’t seem like a good decision.”

However, there was another opinion.
The point that Yujun had been working in ways ordinary people wouldn’t think of.
Perhaps this time he had some plan in mind as well.
But that opinion soon faded.

“The internal situation must be quite dire.”
“Shouldn’t treatment come before training?”

Many people knew the internal circumstances of the Geumgang Kim Family.

“Everyone knows the family’s standing is rising, but the blacksmiths’ condition is deteriorating.”
“The blacksmiths are wearing out their bodies making artifacts. You can’t easily train people like that.”
“And they’re Crafting-type at that!”

Training a Crafting-type Awakened could go completely wrong in an instant if the trainer lacked knowledge in that specialty.
Their mana system was different.

“He made a mistake.”
“Did he take it because of Gyu-cheol?”
“No matter how much experience he has training Crafting-type Awakened, this is clearly a misstep.”

They were certain Yujun had taken on the Geumgang Kim Family job because of Kim Gyu-cheol, whom he had in his care.
There was no other reason he would take on the family’s work.
Kim Gyu-cheol had been effectively expelled from the Geumgang Kim Family.
Though he was now an S-rank Awakener thanks to Yujun’s training, the name Geumgang Kim Family carried tremendous weight.
To inherit the family’s traditional crafting methods, he would naturally need to return to the family.

“He’s quite responsible.”

Taking on a high-risk commission for a single team member.

“Shouldn’t the Management Bureau have handled this?”
“Director Lee Ji-tae must have known.”
“The Director surely understands the Geumgang’s situation.”
“Sigh. A valuable trainer sinking into a swamp.”
“This is really troubling.”

At that moment, in the Management Bureau.
The Director’s office.
The team leaders were gathered in front of Director Lee Ji-tae.

“We need to stop this. Director.”

The Management Bureau’s team leaders shared similar thoughts to the general public.

“The Geumgang Kim Family’s commission is a poisoned chalice, Director.”
“Trainer Kang Yu-jun seems to have taken this job purely out of sentiment.”

The Management Bureau was watching the Geumgang Kim Family.
The family had overstepped its bounds in managing the Awakened.
Because it was a family matter, they couldn’t intervene properly, but they couldn’t continue ignoring one of South Korea’s pillars falling into such a state.

“Hmm.”

Director Lee Ji-tae crossed his arms.

“Director!”

At that moment, Vice Director Seo Kang-cheol entered.
Vice Director Seo Kang-cheol was currently working with the Trainer Association’s chairman on matters related to the new grade system.
Yujun was naturally at the forefront of that effort.

“I heard that Trainer Kang accepted the Geumgang Kim Family’s commission. Shouldn’t we stop that?”
“Why would we?”

Director Lee Ji-tae spoke.
Seo Kang-cheol was puzzled by the Director’s calm response.
This didn’t even need explaining, did it?
He looked around at the team leaders with that expression.
They too looked bewildered.
Director Lee Ji-tae calmly explained to them.

“Think about this carefully, Vice Director and team leaders. I know you’re all busy with the Tower of Ash matter.”

The Management Bureau had all personnel working overtime as the control tower for the newly appeared Tower of Ash.
The Tower of Ash was still a new tower that wasn’t fully understood.
If an accident occurred there, responsibility would naturally fall on the Management Bureau.
That’s why the Bureau had carefully selected the guilds.
The bidding rights matter was now in its final stages, and the Tower of Ash assault would begin soon.
Even the Director was working until his eyes were bloodshot, but that hadn’t affected his judgment.

“Look at what Trainer Kang Yu-jun has accomplished.”

Kang Yu-jun had done impossible things until now.

“Training a Hero. And even training Prince Kai, who could be considered Japan’s hero.”

The Director spoke while looking around at the team leaders.

“Are we supposed to tell such a talented Trainer that he’ll fail and shouldn’t take the Geumgang’s commission? That he should move to the Tower of Ash instead, since that seems more beneficial? Is that what you’re saying?”
“…….”

Now that he put it that way, things looked different.
Looking at Yujun’s track record, taking on the Geumgang Kim Family job was actually more consistent.

The Geumgang Kim Family’s current situation was dire.
Training those deeply wounded Crafting-type Awakened to an ideal state was nearly impossible.
But hadn’t Yujun been doing nearly impossible things all this time?
Especially training a Hero was unprecedented.
So the Trainer Association was using this as a firm precedent to push forward the new grade system.
Some of the team leaders nodded and agreed with the Director.
But Vice Director Seo Kang-cheol objected to what the Director was saying.

“But the Geumgang Kim Family matter is different.”

Of course this was different.
Even Crafting-type specialist trainers couldn’t easily fix Crafting-type Awakened.
Because of the special mana unique to them.
Their different mana system from ordinary Awakened affected even their mana pathways.
Director Lee Ji-tae chuckled and asked Vice Director Seo Kang-cheol.

“When I was promoted, you told me how great Trainer Kang Yu-jun was. Have you lost faith in him now?”
“……No, sir. Of course not! It’s just that when the new grade system is implemented, Trainer Kang will surely be at its center. I have complete and unwavering faith in Trainer Kang!”
“Then it’s even better. If Trainer Kang trained a prominent family of our nation, that would give the new grade system an even greater boost.”
“…….”

He had a point.
But the problem was the Geumgang Kim Family itself.
Vice Director Seo Kang-cheol couldn’t trust the family head.

“Don’t worry. Trainer Kang must have some plan. I know how snake-like the head, Kim Hwa-cheon, is. But Trainer Kang isn’t that simple either. He must have something in mind.”
“What if he simply accepted it without thinking?”

What if he had accepted without any real plan?
What if he had just taken the job because he wanted to tackle difficult training?
At the Vice Director’s words, the Director laughed softly.

“Then he’ll definitely complete the training successfully. The essence is training, isn’t it? If training succeeds, there’s no reason for him to be swayed by whatever Kim Hwa-cheon does.”
“But Kim Hwa-cheon isn’t an easy opponent…”

Vice Director Seo Kang-cheol still looked worried.
Kim Hwa-cheon would surely know that Yujun’s acceptance of the commission had drawn attention from many people.
So while he might not resort to evil methods, he would definitely try some scheme to bind Yujun to the family.

“What if Trainer Kang ends up trapped in the Geumgang Kim Family?”
“Then.”

Director Lee Ji-tae smiled softly.

“We’ll finally be able to repay the debt we owe Trainer Kang.”

The Director was actually looking forward to such a situation.

“Then we should immediately…”
“No. We’d only be in the way. And we have our own work. We need to focus on the Tower of Ash matter.”

They would need to open the Tower of Ash soon and begin the assault.

“Several nations have already begun assaulting the Tower of Ash.”

Countries known as Awakened superpowers had already rapidly selected guilds and sent their top-tier guilds into the tower.

“I’m planning to enter as well this time.”

Before being a Director, he was also one Awakened.

“You should come too.”
“……Me as well, sir?”

Vice Director Seo Kang-cheol looked startled.

“Don’t worry about Trainer Kang Yu-jun.”

Director Lee Ji-tae had unwavering faith in Kang Yu-jun.

“I simply cannot imagine it. Trainer Kang failing a training.”

* * *

The path to the Geumgang Hall blacksmith.
The executive who introduced himself as Kim Sang-yu seemed to be in quite a good mood.

‘The timing’s good.’

Yujun made light conversation before casually asking.

“How many executives are there exactly?”

Normally, asking such a question would immediately invite suspicion.
The number of executives wasn’t important for training.
But Kim Sang-yu answered with a smile.

“All the senior members from both the direct and collateral lines of the Geumgang Kim Family are executives. There are roughly twenty of us.”

Because Yujun had accepted the proposal readily, Kim Sang-yu’s guard against him had dropped significantly.
So he answered Yujun’s questions willingly.

“Then the direct line executives must be stronger.”
“Yes, that’s correct. But…”
“Oh! I asked just in case I made any mistakes.”
“Ha ha ha! There’s no need to worry. You’re our guest, Trainer Kang. For reference, I’m from the direct line.”

He continued his explanation.

“I’m fine, but there are some people you really need to be careful with. Specifically, the executives from the Elder Council.”

The core among the executives were those belonging to the Elder Council.

“The Elder Council has three members: two from the direct line and one from the collateral line.”

They gathered the executives’ opinions, and based on that, formally discussed matters with the family head.

“The Elder Council members were formerly the family head’s direct advisors. And one of them was even a former family head.”

One person had served as family head in the previous generation before stepping down to join the Elder Council, while the other two were collateral figures who had assisted him.

“If you’re careful with those three, the others should be fine.”

‘Confirmed.’

Yujun had clearly identified who he needed to watch out for.

‘It matches what Sang-hun told me.’

Kim Sang-hun was a trustworthy person.
But there had been one concern.

‘I’m not worried about betrayal. The real problem is that his information could be false.’

That’s why he had deliberately confirmed once more.

‘Now I’m certain.’

With the information gathered, they had just arrived at the blacksmith.

“We’ve arrived. This is where our many prized artifacts are born. The Geumgang Forge of the Geumgang Hall.”

When Kim Sang-yu opened the door to the Geumgang Forge, an enormous wave of heat poured out.

Clang!
Clang clang!

The harsh sound of hammers.

“Hah!”
“Huh-uh-huh!”

And shouts of exertion filled the space.

“Our schedule is extremely busy right now. So they’re working on artifacts until you begin their training.

Yujun observed the Geumgang Forge carefully while listening to the explanation.

Intense heat.
And visible mana.

‘The Geumgang Kim Family really is different.’

This much mana wouldn’t leak out unless it was high-level artifact work.
As he moved deeper, he saw a mountain of materials.
On one side were stacked Mana Stones and various materials, with forges and anvils arrayed in front of them.

“We still prefer the traditional method. Of course, there are processes that use abilities to make things more easily. But fundamentally, this hammer and forge are our primary crafting tools.”

Unlike other companies or guilds, the Geumgang Kim Family adhered to traditional methods and used abilities passed down through generations for production.

Clang!

“They’re gathered over there.”

Awakened were clustered at the spot the executive pointed to.

“…!”

The Geumgang Kim Family’s Crafting-type Awakened.
Whoooosh!
Crackle!
Lightning flickered wildly in Yujun’s eyes as he turned toward them.

‘A field.’

This was a field.
A field of Awakened with the worst physical condition.
And their states were absolutely terrible.
Fissures, fissures, fissures, and red light.
Yet a smile formed on Yujun’s lips.

‘This could be fun.’

Crackle.
Crack-crack-crack-crack-crack!

Despite being covered in red light, they worked on the artifacts without showing pain, methodically and quietly.

‘This is worse than what I heard from Sang-hun.’

The actual condition was far more serious than what he’d heard described.

“This is…”

Yujun smiled while furrowing his brow.
But Kim Sang-yu interrupted his words.

“As you can see, it’s a very serious condition. However, Trainer Kang has agreed to accept the commission and we’ve signed the contract. In gratitude, we’ve also substantially increased the compensation. So we look forward to your excellent training.”

Kim Sang-yu mentioned the contract, speaking with emphasis.

“I’ll do my best. I have other duties to attend to, so I must be going.”

As he tried to leave, Yujun stopped him.

“What was your name again?”
“Kim Sang-yu.”
“I see.”

At Yujun’s nod, Kim Sang-yu’s eyes brightened.

“Actually, I forgot to ask something. How long do you think it will take?”

Yujun held up three fingers in response.

“Three months? That’s a bit slow…”

In fact, three months wasn’t even that slow.
These people had been deemed unable to train in the first place, hadn’t they?
Kim Sang-yu was certain Yujun was trying to buy time.
It was an unavoidable choice given the horrific state of the blacksmiths he’d witnessed firsthand.

“Tell the family head, Kim Hwa-cheon, that it will be done in 3 days.”
“I’m sorry?”

Kim Sang-yu stared blankly at this completely unexpected answer.
Yujun passed him by, grasping his shoulder and whispering in his ear.

“Three days. That’s when it’ll be done.”

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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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