The Cursed Blacksmith Who Regressed - Chapter 49
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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 49
The Black Area was guarded by soldiers from the entrance.
It had to be.
Such places strictly controlled civilians to prepare for any incidents.
Along with that, a minimum number of hunters were also stationed there.
No matter how much they said monsters didn’t appear, dungeons and gates were unpredictable, unknown entities.
Perhaps that’s why?
“Choi Hyun?”
“Oh, isn’t that Choi Hyun?”
“Why is Choi Hyun here?”
The hunters on duty immediately recognized Choi Hyun.
Of course, even non-hunters would have no choice but to recognize Choi Hyun.
Choi Hyun was currently the hottest figure in our country.
Soon he was able to meet the manager of the Black Area, and following his guidance, arrived in front of the Whispering Darkness Dungeon.
“Here it is.”
Whispering Darkness.
Though it’s a place I never saw in my previous life, I know well how this place was conquered.
It’s nothing special.
They just crushed it with brute force.
Whispering Darkness is a dungeon created during the 1st Great Cataclysm, but it was conquered after the 2nd Great Cataclysm.
The reason was that during the 1st Great Cataclysm, its difficulty was so high that it was impossible to conquer with the players’ level at that time, so they gave up, but as they faced the 2nd Great Cataclysm and players’ levels rose dramatically, Whispering Darkness’s difficulty relatively decreased.
‘Simply put, it became obsolete and got conquered.’
There are quite many Black Areas from the 1st Great Cataclysm period that were conquered this way.
The manager asked Choi Hyun.
“Are you challenging it alone?”
“Yes, please give me a vest and rope.”
At Choi Hyun’s calm attitude, the manager briefly made eye contact with Oh Seok-hyeon, but soon handed over the rescue vest at Oh Seok-hyeon’s nod.
After putting on the vest and securely fastening the rope behind him, preparations were complete.
The entrance to Whispering Darkness was shaped like an ancient royal tomb with a mound rising up, and there were stairs leading downward in the center.
And around the mound, a blue light was dimly spreading, which meant the Dungeon Core was activated, officially called the Blue Effect.
‘When the core is destroyed, this light disappears.’
Choi Hyun, having finished preparations, said.
“Well then, I’ll be back.”
After a brief bow, Choi Hyun walked into the darkness.
Soon Choi Hyun’s figure completely disappeared, and all that remained was the rope being sucked into the labyrinth like an endlessly unwinding ball of yarn.
Seeing this, the manager, Oh Seok-hyeon, and the hunters said.
“Is it really okay to send him in alone?”
“Well, yes. He requested it himself.”
“Wow, Choi Hyun is really different from his very footwork. How does he even think of entering here alone?”
“Does it make sense that he’s thinking of conquering the Growth Tower alone?”
“After watching the interview, I thought this person is for real. Choosing blacksmith because of weapon repair?”
“Originally, ordinary people can’t understand a genius’s thoughts.”
“Then shall we make a bet? On whether Choi Hyun conquers Whispering Darkness or not?”
“I’ll bet on him conquering it.”
“Oh, I was going to bet on conquering too.”
“What, then who’s going to pay the money?”
The hunters’ jokes mixed with admiration.
However, Oh Seok-hyeon and Jeong Cheol-min didn’t show it, but they were secretly anxious.
Whispering Darkness.
Because it was by no means an easy place.
* * *
[ Entering dungeon ‘Whispering Darkness’. ]
Upon entering the dungeon, along with the system notification, his vision turned gray.
From the outside it looks like a place full of darkness, but once you enter, it becomes bright as if lights were turned on.
However, the problem is that the vision changes to gray instead of color.
This wasn’t something all dungeons had, but a phenomenon unique to Whispering Darkness.
That’s why he didn’t prepare items to brighten his vision.
The dungeon was quiet.
Not a single sound could be heard, and the path stretching in a straight line had a structure where you just had to keep going along the path.
That’s when it happened.
Ehehehehe-
An ominous sound coming from somewhere.
He didn’t pay attention to it.
Shaaaaa-
Another chilling sound.
But he didn’t even snort.
After walking for some time like that.
As he took another step.
Shuaaa!
Starting from the footstep he took, he felt something climbing up his leg and wrapping around his body.
[ The endless darkness whispers the abyss to you. ]
[ A terrible and deep abyss descends upon you. ]
It began.
Befitting the dungeon’s name, the darkness began whispering the abyss.
At that moment.
[ Supreme Mind activates. ]
[ Due to the effect of Supreme Mind, you gain absolute immunity to mental attacks. ]
Paang!
With a sound like something breaking, the darkness that was trying to wrap around Choi Hyun’s body exploded away.
A refreshing feeling.
Choi Hyun chuckled.
‘Of course.’
Originally, he had no plan to come to Whispering Darkness.
No matter how much his current stats were higher than average, mental attacks were a different matter.
But contrary to his plan, after acquiring Supreme Mind in the Growth Tower, he immediately modified his plan.
Modifying plans was naturally acceptable.
Everything should be handled flexibly according to the situation, as long as it was most efficient.
And now, the plan modified that way was shining brighter than ever.
[ The endless darkness whispers the abyss to you. ]
[ A terrible and deep abyss descends upon you. ]
[ Supreme Mind activates. ]
[ Due to the effect of Supreme Mind, you gain absolute immunity to mental attacks. ]
[ The endless darkness whispers the abyss to you. ]
[ A terrible and deep abyss descends upon you. ]
[ Supreme Mind activates. ]
[ Due to the effect of Supreme Mind, you gain absolute immunity to mental attacks. ]
…
Repeating notifications.
His mind was attacked and defended for quite a while.
At first glance, it looked like the systems were fighting each other rather than Choi Hyun.
After walking for a while seeing only such notifications, I had reached the 3rd floor before I knew it.
The 3rd Floor of the Cursed Dungeon.
The place where everyone said they had arrived but couldn’t proceed any further.
Sure enough.
[ Endless darkness whispers the abyss to you. ]
[ A terrible and deep abyss casts itself upon you. ]
The darkness once again whispered the abyss to Choi Hyun.
[ Supreme Mind is activated. ]
[ Due to the effect of Supreme Mind, you gain absolute immunity to mental attacks. ]
Supreme Mind protected Choi Hyun once again.
“Nothing special.”
Step-step-step-
He moves his steps forward.
Then, at the end of the dungeon, he could see the Dungeon Core embedded at the tip of a stone pillar that rose like a demon’s claws.
The core was emitting a blue light, just like what he had seen at the dungeon entrance.
If I destroy that, it’s over.
Therefore, without hesitation, he lifted his hammer and swung it.
Kwang!! -Crack!
A crack appeared with one swing.
Kwang! Crack!
With the second swing, an even larger crack appeared.
Paang!!
With the final swing, the Dungeon Core was completely destroyed.
It was right after the core lost its light and shattered into pieces.
[ The Dungeon Core has been destroyed. ]
[ The dungeon ‘Whispering Darkness’ has been conquered. ]
[ The dungeon conqueror is Player ‘Choi Hyun’. ]
[ ‘Choi Hyun’ has been selected as the top conqueror. ]
[ Additional experience points are provided to the top conqueror. ]
[ A bonus stat is provided for being selected as the top conqueror. ]
[ You have successfully conquered alone a dungeon that no one else could conquer. ]
[ The System gifts you 3 bonus stats for achieving a great Achievement. ]
[ Your level has increased. ]
[ You have acquired 1 bonus stat. ]
[ Heavenly Martial Body is activated. ]
[ Strength, Stamina, Magic Power, and Sense stats each increase by 1. ]
A flood of system notifications.
He had merely conquered one dungeon, yet tremendous rewards followed.
Especially the bonuses related to Achievement.
A smile naturally formed on his face.
‘This is why you conquer Black Areas.’
Great Achievements aren’t easily given, as they provide as many as 3 bonus stats.
For example, the condition that you must conquer a Black Area alone to be recognized.
After all the related notifications appeared, the final notification came up.
[ Since the dungeon has been conquered, all traces of the dungeon will completely disappear after 24 hours. ]
Since the dungeon was conquered, following natural order, the dungeon would automatically disappear after 24 hours.
I didn’t know in the past, but after some time passed, it turned out to be quite a sensible system.
That’s because while I didn’t know during the 1st wave, from the 2nd Great Catastrophe onwards, dungeons that appeared would often contaminate the area or alter the terrain upon generation.
“Now then, next…”
The dungeon was conquered.
But Choi Hyun’s work wasn’t finished yet.
If there had been monsters it would be different, but in this place without a single monster, he had to collect the spoils of war.
There were two spoils of war.
One was the Dungeon Core that had been maintaining this place.
Choi Hyun picked up one of the shattered Dungeon Core fragments and checked its information.
[ Broken Dungeon Core Fragment ]
– Type : Item
# A fragment of a broken Dungeon Core.
# It has lost its power due to being destroyed.
A simple description.
But Choi Hyun, who came from the end of destruction, knew its usefulness better than anyone.
‘How important this thing is.’
After gathering all the core fragments and putting them in the container he had prepared, Choi Hyun switched hammers.
More precisely, he changed his existing hammer to a very large sledgehammer.
Then he mercilessly struck the stone pillar that had been supporting the core.
Kwang!!
The stone pillar crumbled.
After striking it several more times, something sparkling was revealed from within.
‘Found it.’
The corners of Choi Hyun’s mouth rise.
The identity of the second spoil of war.
It was none other than a hidden piece that could only be found in the Whispering Darkness Dungeon.
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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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