The Cursed Blacksmith Who Regressed - Chapter 62

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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 62

Glint.

The blade before his eyes was so well-forged that he could see its gleaming reflection.

Gulp-

Dry saliva was swallowed.

There was nothing to complain about here.

The start had been called out fairly and he had tried to use his sword-drawing technique in response.

But Choi Hyun had been faster.

Honestly, he hadn’t even known he was coming.

The movement had been so fast that he couldn’t even sense his presence.

The blade slowly moved away.

Behind the retreating blade, Choi Hyun’s face came into view.

Choi Hyun was smiling.

“Shall we continue?”

“…No.”

At those words, Choi Hyun smiled and said.

“No, let’s continue.”

“What?”

“Since it’s clear that I won this match anyway, let’s spar with a different meaning now. You said earlier that it was criticism, not condemnation. Then instead of just showing off strength like this, I should tell you what aspects of yours are lacking for it to be proper criticism, right?”

“…”

Kim Ha-geom remained silent.

Then he corrected his stance again and bowed his head slightly as he spoke.

“Then I’ll ask for your guidance.”

Choi Hyun still smiled at his courteous demeanor.

He thought that the man wasn’t completely hopeless after all.

“Damn it!”

Just then, someone cursed and walked out.

It was Kang Hwi-rak.

He couldn’t contain his anger.

It was a match where anyone could see the outcome was decided.

Even the 2nd and 3rd ranked hunters in the country had been overwhelmingly defeated, so there was nothing more to argue about.

But he didn’t want to pathetically get worked up about not having signed a contract either.

He had his dignity to maintain.

However, he couldn’t contain his anger.

So this was the maximum expression he could manage.

After he left, Choi Hyun asked Kim Ha-geom.

“Your president is leaving, don’t you need to follow him?”

“The person who saw my skills and said ‘damn it’ before leaving?”

“Ah.”

Kim Ha-geom’s eyes gleamed slightly as he spoke.

“And guilds aren’t hierarchical relationships like companies, but bilateral contractual relationships. Furthermore, it’s a guild I’m going to leave anyway. What use would all that be now?”

“Are you really going to leave? I thought you were just saying that.”

“A bet is a bet.”

“That’s good. I like people who keep their word once they’ve spoken it. In that spirit, please guide me well.”

Choi Hyun picked up his sword-mace again.

And he created distance between them.

After creating distance, Choi Hyun said to Jang Hae-hyeon.

“President, sorry, but could you go comfort President Kang?”

“Understood. But actually, I’m curious about your sparring match too, so could I watch your spar first and then go comfort him?”

“Haha, sure.”

Choi Hyun chuckled at Jang Hae-hyeon’s request.

But honestly, this was right.

Rather than comforting another guild’s president for no particular reason, watching a sword match between the Sword Saint and Choi Hyun would be much better time spent.

Then Choi Hyun took his stance.

Kim Ha-geom didn’t ask if the stat difference was okay like An U-ju had.

Because he had already seen enough.

As Jang Hae-hyeon and Han Yu-won waited for the sparring match with excited eyes, someone approached them.

It was An U-ju, who had been eliminated first.

She was curious too.

Setting aside her frustration, she wondered how strong that Choi Hyun would be if he used swordsmanship as well.

Han Yu-won shouted.

“Then let’s begin!”

The sparring match started.

Kim Ha-geom moved first.

Defensive stance.

Originally he had intended to start with his signature sword-drawing technique, but he took a defensive position first in case Choi Hyun closed the distance and came in again.

However, Choi Hyun remained still.

Moreover, he was smiling.

“No, you should watch and then move. How can you get scared first and defend?”

“…”

“If you look at players who are good at defense, whether it’s fists, balls, or stances, they watch until the end before dodging. So don’t take your eyes off. Of course, sometimes it’s better to move according to instinct, but the basic principle is to watch until the end. There are plenty of cases where people get hurt because they’re unnecessarily scared, right?”

“…I understand.”

“I’ll show you an example. Try coming at me first.”

Teaching, not provocation.

So it didn’t make him angry.

Taking a breath, Kim Ha-geom concentrated as much as possible and closed the distance with Choi Hyun.

Thud!

A strong running start.

At the same time, he quickly entered range.

The sword came in like a wild beast.

However.

Whoosh!

The blade couldn’t reach Choi Hyun.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The next strike, and the one after that, and the strike after that couldn’t reach him either.

It was the same as when he dodged An U-ju’s arrows.

It seemed like he was watching and dodging, yet he was at least one or two moves ahead.

Even though he was clearly anticipating and attacking, it felt strangely like he was cutting through empty air.

Perhaps because of this, to others it looked like they were watching a very well-coordinated sword dance.

“Crazy…”

An U-ju let out an exclamation of shock.

As the only one among them who had experienced Choi Hyun, she knew better than anyone how absurd the scene unfolding before her eyes was.

Moreover, having experienced it once and now watching it, she could understand even more painfully.

That he had been an opponent she could never have beaten from the start.

And that everything he had said in the President’s Office had been for good reason.

Kim Ha-geom’s attacks continued for quite a while longer, and finally Choi Hyun struck his blade away with his sword-mace.

Clang!

A clear ringing sound.

But he almost dropped his sword.

He couldn’t tell where exactly Choi Hyun had struck, but the moment Choi Hyun deflected his sword, his balance was disrupted and the strength in his grip momentarily gave out.

As he stepped back in surprise, Choi Hyun said.

“When you parry a sword, you can’t just parry it carelessly. You have to look and then parry. That way you can hit exactly where you want and draw out the characteristics of each place you hit. Pressing acupuncture points randomly doesn’t produce the same effect everywhere, right?”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

“You’re high level too, right? I’m level 45. Based on level difference alone, you’re probably about twice my level, but the reason you almost dropped your sword just now is because I parried it technically. Why do you think techniques exist? We use techniques to draw out more than the power we have. Of course, techniques are useless against overwhelming power, but that only applies when you have overwhelming power, and Ha-geom, you don’t have that kind of power right now. So ordinary people like us need to properly learn techniques first.”

“I-I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Well, shall we stop here? I have another appointment… Oh, of course, if you need guidance later, come find me. I’ll gladly teach you even if you don’t join our guild.”

“Really?!”

“Of course. If someone like Ha-geom gets stronger, more areas will be conquered, and wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“Ah…”

Light.

For a moment, he saw light.

The source of the radiance was Choi Hyun.

That person wasn’t human.

He was a god.

Not just skilled, but a god himself who possessed character as well.

“Aah…”

Kim Ha-geom exclaimed in admiration.

Seeing him moved with his mouth half open, Jang Hae-hyeon said to Han Yu-won.

“We’ve gained another believer.”

“Yes, I feel like I’m watching someone acquire religion in real time.”

And there was one more such person.

“Wow…”

It was An U-ju.

She looked at Choi Hyun with burning eyes as if enchanted, and Lee Yong-u, who was watching her, made an indescribable expression before following Kang Hwi-rak outside.

When the two people came out of the Cage, Kim Ha-geom said to Choi Hyun.

“I’ll wrap up my company affairs soon and contact you. Do you happen to have a business card I could receive?”

“Oh, of course.”

“P-please give me one too!”

It was An U-ju.

Choi Hyun took out business cards that the company had printed in advance and gave them to both people, then left first saying they’d see each other soon.

After Choi Hyun left, the two people stared blankly at his retreating figure.

Then Jang Hae-hyeon placed his hands on both their shoulders and said.

“Welcome, you’ve become part of the family.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“Please take care of us.”

Then Jin Hyeon-geun appeared from far away carrying a large box.

“Are you two Sword Saint and Bow Ghost?”

“Yes, but why?”

“It’s a message from our President. Do either of you happen to have skills called Ultra Focus or Dexterity?”

“No?”

“What are those?”

At those words, Jin Hyeon-geun began taking juggling balls out of the box.

* * *

Jin Hyeon-geun, who had returned, drove toward Paragon Guild.

Now that everyone had withdrawn, it was somewhat quieter, but even so, the lights of Paragon Guild were still bright.

After sending Jin Hyeon-geun home, Choi Hyun entered the guild and headed to the very top floor.

The top floor, commonly called the Top Floor, was a place where not just anyone could enter, as was typical of other buildings.

When the elevator arrived and the doors opened, those who had arrived first and were waiting stood up abruptly to greet him.

“President, you’ve arrived!”

It was none other than the six alchemists rescued from Daerim-seong, including Kang I-hyeok.

Choi Hyun said.

“Did you see the facilities?”

“Yes, thanks to you opening them up first, we were able to look around leisurely. But is it really okay for you to give us such a good spot?”

“Considering safety, underground would be right, but it would be awkward to send you all underground again.”

“That’s true, but…”

Surprisingly, the top floor wasn’t the President’s Office.

The identity of this place was a research lab for Paragon’s alchemists to use.

“It’s fine. What matters isn’t the location of the research lab but the people who want to work. So how is it?”

“It’s the best! From the shower room to the duty room, break room, warehouse… We wondered if we deserved to receive something so generous.”

“I think alchemy is the future. In that sense…”

Choi Hyun took out juggling balls from his inventory and said.

“Shall we see how much you’ve all practiced?”

At those words, the alchemists began to tense up, swallowing nervously.

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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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