I Became an SSS-Grade Time-Transcending Almighty Blacksmith - Chapter 117

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

Episode 117
Episode 117
The Steel Guild’s first combat-affiliated member.
Kim Tae-san, the Armored Soldier.
Today, as a member of the Steel Guild, he had been assigned to guard the Auction House held in the basement of the Steel Guild.
Kim Tae-san was, after all, the Steel Guild’s first public face.
With the Steel Guild still lean on numbers, there was no helping it.
But then.
“So you’re that Kim Tae-san. You’re built quite well.”
“…Thank you.”
Every person who arrived was extraordinary.
Han Gang-hun, Guild Master of the Han River Guild.
Seo Jin-u, Guild Master of the West Sea Guild, and others.
Every major guild’s master had walked through the doors.
“Would it be all right if I headed this way…?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you!”
“I’m Kang Hyeok.”
“Identity confirmed.”
Yeom Je, Hong A-rin.
The Blood Lion, Kang Hyeok, and others.
Korea’s most formidable warriors arrived one after another.
Greeting them was enough to make even Kim Tae-san feel dwarfed.
‘Security really isn’t necessary at this level.’
Guard duty ordinarily meant protecting and safeguarding something.
But if even one of these people went berserk, could he subdue them?
There was no way.
Kim Tae-san was growing rapidly, but in Level or experience, he couldn’t match any of them.
His real role was simply to verify the identities of those arriving.
That was all.
Yet, for all that.
‘This is remarkable.’
He felt pride rather than insecurity about his own shortcomings.
Korea’s most celebrated masters.
They all belonged to his guild.
They were coming here of their own accord to the Steel Guild.
Just seeing this filled him with pride in being part of the Steel Guild.
And besides.
He was certain of it.
The Steel Guild would continue to grow and one day stand shoulder to shoulder with these people walking through the doors.
Then.
“Hajimemashite. Tsukuyomi Guild no guildmaster, Tsukishiro desu.”
Suddenly, Japanese rang out.
Kim Tae-san, who knew only Korean, couldn’t help but be flustered.
Fortunately.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Tsukishiro, Guild Master of the Tsukuyomi Guild.”
“Ah, welcome! Identity confirmed. Please proceed inside.”
“Thank you.”
Thanks to the interpreter who had come along, the identity check was completed.
And in that moment, Kim Tae-san was startled once more.
‘The Tsukuyomi Guild.’
He didn’t know Japanese, but he knew the Tsukuyomi Guild.
Japan’s premier guild in substance and name.
Tsukishiro in particular was an Awakener—practically a hero of Japan.
That wasn’t all.
From America, China, and elsewhere.
Renowned figures from every nation had come to the Auction House.
As everyone gathered, the vast Auction House was nearly full to bursting.
And in that moment.
“Good afternoon.”
The world’s first and only Blacksmith.
Kang Cheol-mangchi appeared in public for the first time.
* * *
I’d deliberated quite a bit.
Whether to reveal myself or keep hidden.
That was the dilemma.
“Personally, I think this would be a good time for you to make your appearance.”
“There wouldn’t be any danger, would there?”
“Several formidable people are gathering this time. The Association will be watching as well, so even the boldest criminal organizations won’t dare make a move.”
“As for my safety…….”
“To be honest, your safety is already known to those who need to know. That’s precisely why I thought it would be better for you to reveal yourself this time.”
Lee Seo-yun answered methodically.
She was right. Hiding my identity had become a relic of the past anyway.
I’d already founded the Steel Guild under my own name.
The phase of protecting myself while concealing my true identity had long since ended.
It would be better to step forward openly instead.
To reveal my existence to the world and make myself untouchable.
With that reasoning,
“Understood.”
I made my decision.
I would personally take the stage and offer a welcome at this first auction.
And on the day of the auction,
“There are so many…….”
Standing backstage, I couldn’t help but be struck by the sight of the crowd.
Not only was the vast hall packed to the brim,
but every single person was a renowned powerhouse or celebrity.
So of course I was taken aback.
But at the same time,
it was arguably the perfect venue to reveal myself.
“Phew.”
“Kang Cheol-mangchi, you can do this. You’ll do great.”
“Thanks, Seo-yun.”
I composed myself with steady breaths.
Step.
I ascended the podium.
The auction participants I’d seen on monitors now came into view before my eyes.
Being an assembly of exceptional masters, the pressure was palpable.
But still,
‘It’s fine.’
There’s no need to worry.
I’ve met the Association President, one of Korea’s strongest, several times already.
No need to be nervous.
With that thought,
“Good afternoon. I am Kang Cheol-mangchi.”
I spoke the greeting with composure.
“First, I thank all of you for coming here today.”
There was no need for long speeches.
I’m not a master of ceremonies—I’m a Blacksmith.
So,
“The items I’ve prepared for today are here. I hope they appeal to you.”
I brought out the items I’d crafted.
A Blacksmith speaks not through words, but through the hammer’s song.
And through the creations born from their hands.
The item I now held was,
[ Vampire’s Red Cloak ]
Form: Cloak
Grade: SS
“The auction begins.”
It was an SS-Grade item I had personally crafted.
* * *
The first auction ever held by Kang Cheol-mangchi.
At that very moment.
“Is that Kang Cheol-mangchi?”
“He’s actually showing his face.”
“Younger than I expected.”
“Could it be a stand-in?”
“The appearance matches recent descriptions that have circulated privately. We believe it is not a substitute.”
The crowd erupted into hushed murmurs.
And rightfully so—this was the first time Kang Cheol-mangchi had ever appeared in public.
She’d thought he might say something more elaborate.
“Let us begin the auction.”
He did not.
Kang Cheol-mangchi simply produced an item of his own making.
The auctioneer, now taking the stage as today’s presenter, began to describe the item.
“Our first item of the day! A special item crafted personally by Kang Cheol-mangchi!”
Along with the announcement, a massive monitor displayed the item’s information.
In that instant.
The crowd could not help but gasp.
“A special ability?”
“He’s created an item with a special ability?”
“Ha. What I heard was an underestimation, not an overstatement. To think he’s already capable of crafting items imbued with special abilities.”
They knew Kang Cheol-mangchi’s growth was rapid.
They knew the performance of his items was excellent.
But to already manifest special abilities—
This was something no one had anticipated.
“Vampire’s Dark Wing. Splendid.”
“Vampirism, Evasion—both abilities any close-combat fighter would drool over. Transfusion is an ability I’ve never seen before, but it recovers health and even restores blood lost in battle.”
“Isn’t the equip level rather low?”
“Low for our standards, yes.”
“What does it matter? With those abilities, it’s worth coveting even if you sacrifice defense.”
“A fair point.”
“Perfect for one of our guild’s rising talents! Haha!”
The performance was beyond question.
A flawless item with not a single wasted ability.
Though the low equip level was a shame, even accounting for it, the item possessed more than sufficient value.
Moreover.
“Kang Cheol-mangchi has stated that for any item purchased here, he will provide Modification services—even after purchase, within certain limitations!”
“Modification?”
“He can lower the equip level, or raise it!”
“Extraordinary!”
“Of course, lowering the equip level will reduce the item’s performance. And raising it takes time since there are limits. But even accounting for these factors, the conditions are optimal!”
So Kang Cheol-mangchi would even modify items for buyers.
That changed everything.
It was already an excellent item.
If the level could be adjusted, a promising junior member could equip it right away.
Or one could wait for Kang Cheol-mangchi to grow stronger and wear it himself.
With those possibilities in mind.
“Now, let us commence the auction!”
The moment bidding began.
“One hundred million!”
“Two hundred million!”
“Ha, you ignorant fools. One billion.”
“The ignorant one is you, isn’t it? Five billion.”
“Oh! Five billion! We have five billion!”
The bids climbed rapidly.
Before many rounds of bidding had even been called, the price had already soared past five billion.
Still unsatisfied, the bids continued to climb.
Particularly.
“Seven billion!”
In the past.
One of the Rankers who had crossed paths with Kang Cheol-mangchi.
The Blood Lion, Kang Hyeok, existed as well.
Kang Hyeok was participating in the bidding with a desperation that surpassed everyone else in the room.
The reason was simple.
‘I have to win this bid. No matter what.’
The Vampire’s Red Cloak, a creation of Kang Cheol-mangchi.
That item possessed abilities so perfectly suited to him that it might as well have been forged as his personal gear alone.
Since he had to engage in combat while constantly spending blood, Vampirism was essential—and the Evasion skill could shore up the dangers that came with bleeding out.
And there was the Transfusion at the end, which barely needed mentioning.
More than anything, though.
‘The special ability.’
The cloak’s unique power.
It was useful and broadly applicable enough for anyone else, certainly.
But for Kang Hyeok, he could push that effect to its absolute limit.
He wasn’t merely losing blood to enemy attacks during combat—he also burned blood to fuel his own skills.
Someone like him.
Could fully unleash that special ability called the Vampire’s Dark Wing.
And so.
“Eight hundred million!”
He had to win this item. No exceptions.
He continued bidding with that thought fixed in his mind.
But then.
“One billion.”
Everyone gathered here possessed capital equal to Kang Hyeok’s—if not greater.
None of them were quite as desperate as he was, but that hardly meant any of them would surrender an item easily.
And so.
“Going, going! One billion! The response is hotter than expected! Will anyone bid higher?”
The price climbed steadily as time wore on.
The one saving grace was that the number of active bidders was beginning to thin.
After all.
The Vampire’s Red Cloak was a valuable item, yes, but it was still a Level 40 piece.
For Rankers from across the world gathered in this place, its defense rating was simply too low.
Yet even so.
“Ugh…….”
Kang Hyeok had already exhausted his liquid capital.
Even if he sold every Mana Stone he currently held, he couldn’t afford to bid much higher.
But.
‘I have to buy it!’
The Vampire’s Red Cloak.
An item so perfectly calibrated that it felt like it had been forged solely for him.
He couldn’t abandon it.
And so, Kang Hyeok was prepared to sell his own house at a loss to raise the funds, ready to liquidate every piece of equipment he owned except what he currently wore, even willing to take out loans against his Ranker status with the Association.
“No matter what!”
Because he kept raising his bids.
“Congratulations! Blood Lion, Kang Hyeok! The item is yours!”
He scraped together every last coin in his coffers.
And in the end, he succeeded in purchasing the Vampire’s Red Cloak.

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