The Cursed Blacksmith Who Regressed - Chapter 15

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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 15

He was delighted.

He had finally acquired the Nameless Movement Technique, which could be considered the foundation of all martial arts movement skills.

Choi Hyun immediately used the skill.

[ Nameless Movement Technique is activated. ]

As the movement technique activated, Choi Hyun instantly disappeared from Fencing’s sight.

The next presence he felt was from behind.

Thwack!!

Having caught Fencing from behind, Choi Hyun immediately struck his side.

Fencing’s body was pushed sideways and staggered.

Though it was quite a powerful strike, Choi Hyun’s stats set in the program were low while Fencing’s stats were high, so while it was an effective hit, it didn’t deal much damage.

‘But this is enough.’

The effect of the movement technique was excellent.

In truth, the Nameless Movement Technique wasn’t that remarkable a skill.

It was the kind of technique that could be naturally learned just by dodging well for a long time in combat—it would automatically activate when using footwork during battle, with additional effects like improved body movement, reduced stamina consumption, and increased movement speed.

However, the reason the Nameless Movement Technique was essential to learn was because it was a prerequisite skill for mastering high-grade martial arts skills.

And Choi Hyun had a martial arts skill he absolutely had to learn.

It was the Paechen Divine Art that Yang Hui had taught him.

‘For efficiency’s sake, I must master the Paechen Divine Art as quickly as possible.’

Because martial arts skills became more powerful the longer they were used.

Having acquired the Nameless Movement Technique, Choi Hyun immediately summoned and gripped a sword.

The sword he held had the same specs as the saber Fencing wielded, but the difference was that while only the stats were the same, its appearance was that of an ordinary medium sword.

Fencing’s attack came in once more.

Swoosh!

A sharply incoming blade.

However, Choi Hyun didn’t dodge.

Instead, he widened his eyes, stared directly at the creature’s sword, and swung his blade.

Clang!

A clear metallic clash.

[ Dexterity is activated. ]

[ Ultra Focus is activated. ]

System notification.

And then success followed.

He had properly deflected it.

Grin—

The corner of his mouth rose.

It was Choi Hyun’s.

Right.

He had once practiced this technique to death, so it would be stranger if he couldn’t deflect one measly data fragment’s sword.

The technique Choi Hyun used was called parrying—the action of deflecting an opponent’s attack to the side using one’s body or weapon.

Parrying had a different nature from guarding or evasion.

If guarding was blocking and evasion was avoiding, then parrying was receiving an attack head-on and redirecting it in another direction.

‘This way I can break the continuous motion and create an opening.’

The Fencing before him was the same.

However, despite creating an opening with his parry, Choi Hyun didn’t counterattack.

Instead, he manipulated the program to further enhance the creature’s stats—increasing its strength, improving its reaction speed, and so on.

This way, it would be able to recover faster after being parried.

After finishing the program manipulation, Fencing attacked Choi Hyun once more with its enhanced physical abilities.

Clang!!

A clear clash.

He deflected it this time too.

The parry had worked.

But perhaps because its various stats had increased, the attack was much heavier and more powerful.

The speed of recovery was also much faster.

Choi Hyun smiled with satisfaction.

The increased stats meant that failing to block that would be directly connected to death, and if such actions were repeated in difficult situations, he would eventually be able to master the technique of parrying as a skill.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Continuous attacks.

Continuous parrying.

Fencing attacked and Choi Hyun deflected.

Perhaps due to the extreme difference in stats, just deflecting the sword made his hands numb and his forearms feel like they would burst.

But he endured.

It was when he had parried dozens of consecutive attacks like this.

[ Miraculous attack deflection. ]

[ You possess the ability to very calmly redirect all of your opponent’s attacks. ]

[ Conditions have been met. ]

[ You have acquired the skill ‘Parrying’. ]

He had acquired Parrying.

But regardless of acquiring Parrying, Fencing still thrust its sword.

Choi Hyun deflected the creature’s attack skillfully once more.

[ Parrying is activated. ]

Whoosh— Clang!!

With a high clear sound, the creature’s arm twisted.

Unlike the previous parrying, the pain transmitted to his hands was greatly reduced and stamina consumption was also significantly decreased.

Not only that, even though both their stats remained the same, Fencing showed much greater delay motion than before, creating a longer opening.

And Choi Hyun didn’t miss that opening, thrusting his medium sword into the creature’s neck.

Crack!

He properly pierced a vital point.

Then Fencing’s body stopped abruptly.

It had died instantly.

As Choi Hyun pushed the sword in further, Fencing’s body fell backward with the sword still embedded in its neck, then crumbled and disappeared.

‘As expected, having low stats makes things difficult in many ways.’

But it still wasn’t time to raise his stats.

The timing for raising stats was predetermined.

‘Now for the next program.’

Choi Hyun manipulated the program to move to the next stage.

This time, dozens of zombies were summoned.

Their physical settings were at the same level as his.

Instead, there was nowhere to hide or use surrounding terrain.

“Graaaaaah!!”

Zombies rushing toward Choi Hyun.

Choi Hyun also charged forward with his sword drawn.

[ Footwork is activated. ]

[ Ultra Focus is activated. ]

[ Nameless Movement Technique is activated. ]

As he moved while selecting targets and concentrating his mind, three skills activated almost simultaneously.

Of course, the skill activation didn’t end there.

Choi Hyun immediately succeeded in thrusting his sword under the jaw of the one in front.

[ Dexterity is activated. ]

[ First Strike is activated. ]

The preemptive strike activated along with dexterity, dramatically increasing the power.

As a result, the zombie died without even being able to scream.

“Guaaaagh!”

“Gyaaaaaaagh!!”

However, the opponents were zombies.

They didn’t bat an eye at their fallen comrade’s death, showing no fear or being infected by terror.

They only opened their maws and charged forward to devour the living.

Choi Hyun swung his sword relentlessly at these creatures.

[ Footwork is activated. ]

[ Ultra Focus is activated. ]

[ Nameless Movement Technique is activated. ]

[ Dexterity is activated. ]

[ Preemptive Strike is activated. ]

Every time he swung his sword and moved to dodge, skills would activate.

Though invisible to the eye, Choi Hyun was receiving tremendous power enhancement effects from the buffs of nearly five different skills.

But among all of these, what Choi Hyun valued most was undoubtedly the experience acceleration effect.

After all, he had come to the capsule room specifically to acquire skills.

How long had he been swinging his sword like this?

[ Sharp and powerful attacks. ]

[ Your attacks consistently deliver powerful critical hits. ]

[ Conditions have been met. ]

[ You have acquired the skill ‘Critical’. ]

[ Silent and persistent rear attacks. ]

[ You strategically target your opponent’s back well. ]

[ Conditions have been met. ]

[ You have acquired the skill ‘Back Attack’. ]

He had acquired Critical, which increases critical hit chance and critical attack power, and Back Attack, which increases power when targeting an opponent’s rear.

These were skills that veterans who worked in the field would all basically possess.

But what Choi Hyun was waiting for was something else.

[ Restrained and powerful attacks. ]

[ Your swordsmanship appears chaotic but demonstrates quite formidable power. ]

[ Conditions have been met. ]

[ You have acquired the skill ‘Nameless Sword Technique’. ]

It was the Nameless Sword Technique, following the Nameless Movement Technique.

“Stop.”

Immediately after acquiring the Nameless Sword Technique, Choi Hyun stopped the program. He had obtained all the skills he wanted to gain from this place.

Soon, all the zombies stopped as if by magic at the stop command, and the fatigue accumulated in Choi Hyun’s body also disappeared instantly.

‘Virtual reality really is great.’

When he finally ended the connection, the capsule opened and Choi Hyun paid the fee before coming outside.

‘It took about 6 hours.’

When he came outside, there was a missed call from Jin Hyeon-geun.

– Yes, Advisor.

“I’m finished with my business.”

– Ah, I was just about to ask about the next schedule since my preparations are almost complete too.

“I’ll send you my location, so please come pick me up.”

– Yes, understood.

Jin Hyeon-geun appeared shortly after.

When he tried to get in the passenger seat again, Jin Hyeon-geun spoke.

“Advisor, I was too flustered earlier to mention this, but I would be grateful if you could sit in the back seat from now on.”

“Why?”

“I’m very grateful that you show such an unassuming side, but I’m still working as a secretary and chauffeur, so I’d like to serve you properly.”

“Understood.”

Jin Hyeon-geun had pride in the work he did.

Choi Hyun also agreed out of respect for him, not refusing.

When they arrived at the prepared warehouse, old-grade weapons and equipment were piled up like mountains.

“If you want them sorted by type, I’ll have them classified.”

“No, that’s fine. You’ve worked hard. I’ll stack the repaired items over there, so when I contact you, please handle their disposal. You can either deduct the proceeds from disposal from the amount billed to the company, or deposit it directly into my account.”

“Yes, understood. Is there anything else you need me to do?”

“Nothing. I’ll just be going back and forth between home and here for a while, so as I mentioned before, just come to work and wait nearby. If you have business to attend to, just let me know before you go.”

“Yes, understood.”

“You’ve worked hard. Go ahead and get off work now. Take the car with you.”

“You won’t be using it, Advisor?”

“I don’t think I’ll need it for a while. Please use it comfortably, Hyeon-geun. You can use it outside of work hours too.”

“Thank you.”

Jin Hyeon-geun bowed deeply in gratitude for Choi Hyun’s consideration.

After he left, Choi Hyun went to sit on the sofa provided nearby.

When he said he’d use this place like a workshop, they had set up a simple rest area in one corner of the warehouse.

‘They sent me a good person.’

These kinds of thoughtful touches make a person stand out.

After resting for a while, Choi Hyun summoned and gripped the Hammer of Repair to begin serious proficiency work.

Its form was not that of a claw hammer, but the kind of hammer you’d think of when imagining a blacksmith.

Then he picked up one of the many scraps piled high and got into position.

‘Shall I start slowly?’

Choi Hyun’s eyes gleamed as he began slowly hammering the scrap he had picked up.

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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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