The Cursed Blacksmith Who Regressed - Chapter 1

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 1

The world had ended.

To be precise, it was ending in real time.

It had always seemed like a world heading toward ruin, but now it was truly the end.

The Chaos Gates that appeared after the Third Great Catastrophe relentlessly spewed out monsters, and people despaired as they watched the creatures swarm toward the last Shelter.

The apocalypse had arrived.

“Hah…”

“We’re screwed, seriously.”

“There’s no answer. How are we supposed to stop that?”

“Looking back, this was an impossible mission from the start. The system just enjoyed watching us struggle.”

“Who doesn’t know that.”

“Ah, I don’t know anymore. Let’s just drink. We’ve fought enough. Rather than dying while fighting to the end, it’s better to just die drinking.”

The last Shelter, Noah.

It was humanity’s highest-level shelter, built with the ark that survived the great flood in mind.

It had even been hidden in utmost secrecy, but somehow they found out about it anyway.

So now Noah and everything else was destined to end.

Logically, with 99.99% of humanity dead, what miracle could happen even if the best shelter and the remaining humans all joined forces?

That’s when it happened.

“W-we succeeded!! We finally succeeded!!”

“Succeeded? At what?”

“The Regression Project!! It succeeded!!”

“What?!”

At the news that the Regression Project had succeeded, people rushed to the plaza.

The Regression Project was one of humanity’s last hopes.

For example, hopes like relocating all of humanity to another world, or creating a time regression device to start over from the beginning.

Humanity had attached various names to those projects – regression, reincarnation, transmigration, possession – and activated them all at once.

I know it sounds absurd.

But humanity was desperate enough to grasp at any straw.

So they gathered the top research-class awakeners, excluding combat classes, to proceed with the Last Projects.

Even if they participated in combat, humanity’s fate wouldn’t change much anyway, so they created hope in this way instead.

And they had practically half-forgotten about it.

Since they knew it wouldn’t work anyway.

But a little while ago, a miracle happened.

Regression, one of the Last Projects.

It had succeeded.

The one who made the project succeed was Daniel from the regression team.

He was a 9-star demon summoner, and while not a researcher, he was one of the personnel assigned because they thought he might be able to find a method through deals with demons.

He showed them a grotesquely shaped pocket watch and said:

“This is it, the regression method I mentioned.”

“What is that?”

“I obtained it through a deal with a great demon. Its name is ‘Devil’s Clockwork,’ and it can send exactly one person to the past, conditionally.”

“One person?”

At the mention of one person, people began to murmur.

When even sending everyone remaining to the past wouldn’t be enough, just one person?

However, the commotion was brief, as everyone quickly assessed the situation.

“Then we need to send the most important person to the past.”

“We should send the highest-ranking person among us.”

“Who should we send?”

“Shouldn’t we send someone from the all-stars?”

“Everyone, wait a moment.”

While opinions were being shared, someone drew everyone’s attention.

It was Stein, a 9-star alchemist and one of the other Last Project team members.

“Everyone calm down. Before selecting someone, let’s first hear the conditions. Daniel said this could send exactly one person ‘conditionally.'”

“Ah, right.”

“What are the conditions?”

Daniel, having regained the floor, spoke:

“The conditions are as follows:”

1. The regressor must be chosen from among the remaining survivors.

2. The regressor returns with their current memories intact.

3. The regressor retains their pre-regression class after regression.

4. Half of the regressor’s primary class traits will be sealed.

5. The regressor cannot reveal to anyone that they have regressed.

Five conditions.

Upon hearing the conditions, people fell silent as if cold water had been poured on them.

“These are… conditions?”

“Are you insane?”

“No, everything else aside, what’s with the class fixation and sealing half the primary traits? Don’t you know how important those are? Are you joking right now?”

“And what about not being able to reveal the regression? Then how are they supposed to gather people to stop those things?”

As outcries erupted, Daniel, who had been listening, spoke with an apologetic expression:

“I’m sorry. There was nothing I could do. Originally, I wanted to sacrifice even my soul to obtain a complete regression method, but they said the soul of someone about to die has no value. So this was the best compromise we could negotiate.”

“Hah, even so…!”

“Everyone stop!”

It was Stein who calmed the crowd.

“Everyone calm down. Daniel did his best. Frankly speaking, accepting these conditions is better than dying like dogs here in a group, right? 0 and 1 are clearly different.”

“That’s true, but…”

At that moment.

Bang bang bang bang bang!!

The invading monsters began pounding on the shelter walls.

[ Activating defense system. ]

Kwaaaaaa!!

The defense system activated.

But they didn’t know how long it would hold.

“You know we don’t have any more time, right? Stop fighting and let’s narrow down the candidates from now on. That’s the only thing we can do right now.”

Everyone nodded at Stein’s calm explanation.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Getting this opportunity is something at least.”

“But Daniel, what happens if they reveal the regression?”

“Then their head just explodes and they die. By the way, this condition will be permanently engraved as a trait, so don’t try anything useless.”

“Oh my.”

“If it’s embedded as a trait, there’s no way around it.”

“That’s not a trait, it’s a curse.”

“So, who are we going to send now?”

People began calmly narrowing down the candidates.

Many were mentioned as candidates.

Sword God.

Archmage.

Sword Demon.

Spear Saint.

Bow Ghost.

Grand Lord.

Dark Emperor.

Shadow King.

Necromaster and so on.

However, each time objections arose, and the very people who were nominated remained silent.

The reason for their silence?

It wasn’t out of humility.

They simply lacked confidence.

Because while they were certainly players standing at the pinnacle of humanity, the burden of having to fight for humanity while bearing the demerit of sealed primary class traits and keeping secrets alone was far too overwhelming.

Stein looked at those who had been mentioned as candidates.

Even those who usually claimed confidence was their lifeblood, and those who were always arrogant about their skills, all avoided eye contact and remained silent.

But forcing someone to go wasn’t an option either.

After all, if they sent someone without will or determination and that person had a change of heart, it would truly be the end.

When everyone was unable to speak and just reading the room, one person who had been quietly silent raised their hand.

“I’ll go.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to one spot.

Where their eyes landed was a Korean player with black hair and black eyes.

“Gat-hand?”

“Choi Hyun?”

“You’re going?”

Gat-hand Choi Hyun.

His name was Choi Hyun, his alias was Gat-hand, and among countless blacksmith players, he was acknowledged by all as the absolute best.

As a blacksmith, he wasn’t just good at crafting.

He was skilled in design and repair, as well as dismantling and modification, and even among existing combat blacksmiths and including all other combat class personnel, he was a player with natural multi-sense abilities who never fell out of the rankings.

But even so, the prejudice against production classes was hard to shake off, especially in situations like this where there was no peace of mind.

Sure enough, questions poured out in response to Choi Hyun’s volunteering.

“Hey, are you joking?”

“Even sending other combat classes, we’re barely confident about success, so what are you, a production class, going to do?”

“Besides, regressors have half their primary traits sealed. What if your crafting traits get sealed?”

Choi Hyun calmly responded to their jeering.

“Traits get sealed, not my mouth.”

“What?”

“Crafting traits? It’s fine if they get sealed. I already have blueprints and production processes for everything in the world in my head. And I became Gat-hand because I’m versatile, not just because I’m good at making things.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Others can do the making. There are plenty of guys better than me in production. What’s important is who sets up the overall game and how.”

Then Stein approached and asked.

“So how would you set it up?”

At Stein’s question, Choi Hyun stepped onto the platform and began to captivate the audience.

“What do you think is the reason we ended up like this? We’re in this state because we couldn’t handle the third great catastrophe, the Chaos Gate.”

“That’s right. The Chaos Gate’s difficulty and quantity were determined proportionally to the number of dungeons and gates we couldn’t clear during the second great catastrophe.”

“You know it well. Since we know the cause, the countermeasure is important, right? The method is simple. I’ll go to the past and raise humanity’s equipment level to the extreme. How? I’ll just release all the crafting methods I have to the world in advance.”

“Release the crafting methods?”

“Yeah, then both you and I will have end-game equipment at cheap prices, and naturally the dungeon and gate clear rates will skyrocket. Then what happens? Third great catastrophe? Chaos Gate? That stuff won’t even be a problem.”

Choi Hyun made eye contact with people as he continued.

“I absolutely can’t stop the apocalypse alone. So I’ll leave most gates to people and only directly tackle the few gates and dungeons that no one could clear. Who with? Me and the all-stars I choose.”

“All-stars?”

“I’m talking about you guys. No matter how versatile I am, why should I struggle alone when I have high-level personnel available? Don’t worry about recruiting you guys. I’ll handle that myself. Like always, has anyone ever not fallen for my equipment?”

No one could argue with that.

The equipment that Choi Hyun designed and made had superior performance beyond anything else.

“And is there anyone here with better social skills than me? Look around. Are there any normal people among those recommended as regressor candidates?”

“That’s…”

“That’s true.”

“Who else but Choi Hyun could handle those guys?”

“They’re all psycho lunatics.”

“We’re gathered here because the world ended. Otherwise, we could never be in the same space.”

“Crazy bastards.”

“Who’s calling who crazy?”

People nodded in agreement with Choi Hyun’s words.

Then someone raised their hand.

“Still, there’s always the ‘what if.’ How do we know if one of us might suddenly change sides, different from the plan?”

A reasonable concern.

Choi Hyun smiled at that question.

“Don’t worry. When that happens, I’ll take responsibility and beat the crap out of that bastard.”

“You will?”

“Think I can’t?”

Combat blacksmith Choi Hyun.

His combat sense was at a level acknowledged by everyone here.

Everyone nodded at Choi Hyun’s counter-question.

“He’s already strong now, but if he regresses too, honestly Choi Hyun would be number one.”

“Honestly, that would be the same no matter who here goes to the past.”

“Going to the past and monopolizing just a little power to become the world’s strongest would be practically easy.”

“You’d be an idiot not to manage it.”

“That’s true~”

Finally, when all anxieties were resolved, Choi Hyun raised his fist.

“So everyone trust me and send me to the past. I think it’s better for someone like me to volunteer rather than being forced to go. Of course, if there are other volunteers, I won’t be stubborn and will follow the majority vote.”

At Choi Hyun’s words, they exchanged glances with each other.

That’s when it happened.

“I’m in favor.”

The first to raise his hand was Stein.

“Currently, I can’t think of a better method than what Choi Hyun proposed. And above all, someone who volunteered directly like Choi Hyun would have much higher sense of mission than someone forced to go. Also, among us, there aren’t many multi-players as strong, sociable, and quick-thinking as Choi Hyun.”

“That’s true, I’m in favor too.”

“Yeah, I’m in favor too.”

“Choi Hyun is trustworthy.”

“In favor!”

People began raising their hands one after another.

When most of the Shelter people had raised their hands.

Bang bang bang bang bang!!

The monsters pounded the Shelter like debt collectors demanding payment.

The intermittent explosions were proof that Noah’s defense system was working well, but that wouldn’t last forever.

Choi Hyun spoke.

“So it’s confirmed to be me?”

“Yeah, you go.”

“Thanks for trusting me. Then Noah?”

– Yes, Master.

At Choi Hyun’s call, the Shelter system Noah responded.

“How much time is left for the Shelter to hold out alone?”

– According to calculations, it can hold out for approximately 16 hours.

“What if everyone in the Shelter is deployed?”

– It can hold out for approximately 24 hours.

“Good. Everyone heard that? Now we have exactly one day left. During that time, I’ll plan for after the regression, and for that, I’d like everyone except those I call out to buy us some time.”

Choi Hyun, who had been speaking, bowed his head.

“Please, I’m asking you. I won’t let the 8 hours created by your sacrifice go to waste, so will you help me one last time?”

Choi Hyun’s request.

At his bowed head, the people fell silent for a moment, then voices began to rise from all around.

“Alright, let’s do it!”

“Leave it to us!”

“Let’s go! Time to buy some time!”

“8 hours? We’ll get you 80 hours!”

“Grab a bottle of wine each on the way! Tonight we dine in hell!”

“Let’s go!”

And so humanity began its final defensive battle for humanity.

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