I Became an SSS-Grade Time-Transcending Almighty Blacksmith - Chapter 83

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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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Episode 83
Episode 83
An SSS-grade item kept in the deepest vault of the Awakeners’ Association.
Its true identity was none other than.
[ Sa-in Cham-sa Sword ]
Form: Sword
Grade: SSS
Restriction: Level 100 or higher
Description: A talismanic exorcism sword carved with the Twenty-Eight Mansions representing the four directions, inscribed during Tiger years, Tiger months, Tiger days, and Tiger hours.
Ability:
Sa-in Cham-sa
That was it.
An SSS-grade weapon, the Sa-in Cham-sa Sword.
Not only did it bear a staggering restriction of level 100 or higher, but even at a glance its appearance seemed far from ordinary.
The problem was.
‘It’s broken.’
It wasn’t a matter of depleted durability.
The blade was completely shattered.
This was likely why the Sa-in Cham-sa Sword possessed no abilities beyond its special power.
In such a state, it was miraculous that even the special ability remained intact.
‘Now that I think about it, I believed the Sa-in Cham-sa Sword was a weapon that actually existed. So there are things like this too.’
A new revelation.
Later, when I mentioned it to the Association Director.
“I’ve heard that most SSS-grade items bear the names of objects that actually existed or appear in legend and mythology.”
“Is that so?”
“For example, there’s the Excalibur designated as a national treasure in Europe, or the Liberty Bell from America.”
It seemed most SSS-grade items followed this pattern.
Well, even so, SSS-grade items themselves are so rare—a country might have one at most—that information is scarce.
In fact, there are many places that possess SSS-grade items like the Sa-in Cham-sa Sword before us, yet cannot actually use them.
In any case, there were others besides.
[ Frozen Abyss Grimoire ]
Form: Grimoire
Grade: SS
Restriction: Level 100 or higher, Intelligence 150 or higher, Wisdom 150 or higher
Description: A forbidden grimoire discovered in the cracks of a cold abyssal trench. The moment the book opens, the chill of the abyss rises and consumes the user.
A mage-exclusive weapon with a level restriction of 100 no less.
Beyond the Abyss Grimoire.
[ Lost Soul Mask ]
Form: Mask
Grade: SS
A mask that turns the wearer’s body transparent like a ghost, or.
[ Star Fragment Bracelet ]
Form: Bracelet
Grade: SS
Even ornaments with enigmatic properties existed.
Of course, most of them were in poor condition.
More than half were severely damaged.
Likely for that reason they’d never been used again and had been hidden away here.
Had they been immediately usable, the Association would have searched out suitable users rather than simply storing them in a vault.
In any case, after passing six items.
Finally.
‘This is it.’
I found the item I was looking for.
The moment I saw the item list the Association had sent, it was the piece that captured my attention most.
That item’s true identity was.
[ Fire Beast Hide Cloak, Hwa-wan-po ]
Form: Cloak
Grade: SS
Restriction: Level 60 or higher
Description: A cloak made from the hide of the Fire Beast, a creature said to dwell within the flames of volcanoes.
Ability:
Fire Beast Protection
That’s what it was.
The item with the lowest level requirement among everything here.
Still, this one didn’t look to be in good condition either.
Cloak might be its name, but it was torn to shreds without a single intact section.
Because of that, it seemed only the special ability remained functional.
As I stood examining it,
“Hwa-wan-po.”
The association head approached my side, his eyes distant with memory.
“It belonged to a former colleague of mine.”
“A colleague, you say……”
“It’s old enough that you might not remember. The cloak of Kim Young-hoo, my old comrade—the one they called the Hero.”
The Hero. Kim Young-hoo.
To be honest, I didn’t know much about him.
After all, my own Awakening was a recent thing.
When I was an ordinary person, I knew little of Awakeners.
Much less could I be expected to know the names of past Awakeners when I barely remember the current top rankers.
And yet.
“The moment he obtained that cloak, he was so delighted he truly felt like a hero—he never took it off, even in his daily life.”
It was clear he had been a great man.
Gwon Hwang, they called him—the head of the Awakeners’ Association.
The fact that he spoke of him this way made it plain.
So I found myself unable to reach for the cloak without hesitation.
“Though it’s worn now, if someone would use it again…… I’m certain he would be pleased.”
His next words stopped me in my tracks.
That’s right.
Wouldn’t it be better for someone to use it than for it to simply gather dust here?
When you thought of the item itself.
And when you thought of its former owner.
Thinking this way,
“I’ll take this one.”
I picked up the torn Hwa-wan-po.
* * *
The world’s first.
The world’s only blacksmith—Kang Cheol-mangchi.
Naturally, his existence spread not only throughout Korea but across the entire world.
Because of that,
“Bring him in at any cost.”
“Is there no way to contact him?”
“Are you certain he really Awakened as a blacksmith?”
Not only Korean guilds but governments and guilds worldwide wanted to acquire Kang Cheol-mangchi.
“……So Korea’s association head blocked the way.”
“Damn it.”
“Our terms were clearly better.”
“What patriotism is this? What possible patriotism could drive such a choice for a nation whose land is barely worth a grain of sand compared to ours?”
They had failed.
Before they could do anything,
Korea’s Awakeners’ Association head had secured Kang Cheol-mangchi.
And taken him to a place known for the finest security in Korea.
Besides, though Korea was small, its Awakeners were formidable—few dared make rash moves against Kang Cheol-mangchi now.
Few, yes.
But not none.
“Kidnap Kang Cheol-mangchi.”
“Kang Cheol-mangchi? You mean that first blacksmith?”
“Yes.”
Hmm, it’s dangerous. Even if he’s an Awakener from the old era, it’s Gwon Hwang himself who guards him, isn’t it?”
“That’s exactly why the reward is this substantial. If you’re not interested, don’t bother.”
“Heh-heh, who said I wasn’t interested?”
The Dark Night Society accepted the contract and slipped into Korea.
Of course, I couldn’t attack immediately.
Where Jang Gang-cheol currently resided was one of the most heavily guarded places in all of Korea.
Breaching the Awakeners’ Association’s perimeter would be difficult enough, and trying to infiltrate a location crawling with Korea’s top rankers was far too dangerous.
There was only one way.
Wait for Jang Gang-cheol to leave.
“Seems like quite the coward,” I muttered.
Jang Gang-cheol never came out.
Even for a blacksmith, this seemed excessive.
Then.
Fortunately.
Whoooosh.
Jang Gang-cheol finally ventured out for the first time.
The security level was extraordinary, of course.
Awakeners the Association itself recognized had been assigned to escort him.
But.
“Everyone, get ready.”
The Dark Night Society had no intention of giving up.
Even if the escorts were strong, our goal wasn’t to bring them down.
We just needed to shake them off somehow.
What mattered was one thing alone.
Kidnap Jang Gang-cheol.
So the Dark Night Society, after meticulous preparation, raised their weapons toward the three sedans departing from the Association.
* * *
The Association’s business had been resolved perfectly.
I’d drawn up a contract with the Association’s director, and in exchange for repairing items stored in the Association’s vault, I’d secured the right to claim items from that vault.
And most importantly.
[ Fire Beast’s Fur-hide, Hwa-wan-po ]
The item I’d wanted.
I’d managed to obtain the Hwa-wan-po.
Just thinking about heading home and repairing and modifying this item to make it my own filled me with anticipation.
‘Heh.’
I could barely contain my excitement.
If things went as I expected, the item I’d create would be just as outstanding as the gloves I was currently wearing — the Mountain King’s Grip.
And that wasn’t all.
I had another item I’d brought from the Association.
[ Explosive Ghost Spine Sword ]
Form: Sword
Grade: S
Requirement: Level 70 or higher
Description: The spine of an Explosive Ghost, a demon of chaos that sowed destruction wherever it roamed. Its hardened bone has taken the vicious form of a sword.
Attack Power: 366
Abilities: Explosion Lv 6, Flame Lv 3, Burn Lv 2
This one here.
Not an item with special abilities, but distinctive in its own right.
An item with the combat ability ‘Explosion Lv 6’ affixed to it.
Whether I took it to be repaired, modified, or dismantled, there seemed to be any number of fun ways to use it.
Thinking this through,
I boarded the large sedan I’d arrived in.
“We’ll escort you back as well, Jang Gang-cheol,” one of the Awakeners offered.
“I appreciate that,” I replied.
This was my second time making the trip, and I found myself considerably more comfortable with it now.
The snacks and drinks had been replenished in the brief interval, so this time too I ate refreshments alongside Serin.
Then, just as Serin was opening her tenth homemade bean jelly bar,
Tap.
Serin suddenly went still.
“What’s wrong?”
I wondered if perhaps a defective bar had somehow slipped into the batch.
But that wasn’t it.

Serin’s eyes held a gravity unlike any moment before.
Her ears pricked forward as she sharpened her focus, concentrating intensely.
“Enemies,” she said.
She told me so.
And in that instant.
Crash!!
A deafening explosion erupted outside.
At the same moment, the car lurched violently, spinning several times before finally coming to rest.
After that.
“Kang Cheol-mangchi, please remain inside!”
The voice of an Awakener in the front seat called out.
In the old days, I would have panicked and lost my wits, but not now.
I had already experienced an attack from that man Jeok Byeok before.
I was acutely aware that in such moments, swift response mattered far more than panic.
Because of that.
“Emergency summon!”
I called forth my assistants.
“Hmm?”
“Chweek?”
“Noum?”
My three assistants, summoned so abruptly, bore the clear marks of bewilderment.
The sedan’s back seat was spacious enough to accommodate all of them.
Though as wide as a sedan could be, Grom’s sheer bulk strained the space, and he found himself hunched over, unable to straighten his spine.
To these assistants.
“We’re under attack.”
The moment I informed them of the situation.
“I see!”
“Chweek!”
“Noum!”
Their eyes hardened with purpose.
Immediately, they pulled out their bags, and my assistants.
Whoosh!
began removing and equipping their armor from the bags.
First, what Toran drew forth was.
[ Miner’s Steel Armor ]
[ Miner’s Steel Helmet ]
…….
A set of steel armor.
And Grom’s was.
[ Woodcutter’s Wooden Armor ]
[ Woodcutter’s Wooden Helmet ]
…….
A set of wooden armor.
Originally, since Toran and Grom were not combat specialists, I had refrained from crafting armor specifically for them.
But after Jeok Byeok’s attack, I prepared armor for these two and gave it to them in advance.
I had to be prepared in case such a situation arose again.
Serin, having been assigned to protect me, was already equipped with battle gear.
Instead, Serin retrieved Noum’s armor from the bag and handed it over.
The space was cramped, but equipping armor wasn’t some laborious process—it worked like a game, instantly equipping in a snap.
With all of us now armored swiftly.
Click.
We opened the door and stepped out.
“Master, please stay inside the car.”
“But I—”
“Absolutely not. This time, we will protect you, sir.”
“That’s right, kid. Stay put.”
“Chweek! Grom, it’s time to fight!”
“So am I!”
Perfect timing, perhaps.
The moment my assistants stepped out, uninvited guests in black masks burst from the thick smoke.
Clang!!
A sharp dagger came slashing through the air.

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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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