The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 101

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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 101
Episode 101
Jerba, the Crafting City.
It was one of the cities that appeared after the Beginner Region, much like Felciana and Margantia.
Before my regression, there would have been no one here at this point in time, but things were different now.
With strategies spreading rapidly, the population was far greater than I’d anticipated.
Jerba in particular was exceptionally crowded.
Well, it couldn’t be helped.
Even before Jerba the Crafting City, the Beginner Region itself was renowned for crafting.
In other words, it meant acquiring weapons and equipment was far more convenient here than in other regions.
In such a place, players could obtain equipment faster than in other areas.
If two players possessed equal skill but one had slightly better equipment?
Obviously, the advantage was clear.
Consequently, the number of users transitioning from the Beginner Village to the city was inevitably greater than in other regions.
As not only guilds but also individuals began migrating here, the city was becoming a main region in its own right.
It was no longer the exclusive domain of the early pioneers.
Though regardless, their levels were all pathetically low.
‘At best, they’re probably in their 40s level-wise.’
If they were higher, perhaps the late 40s.
I’d contacted Yuna occasionally, and her party had secured early positions, so Yuna was in the early 50s, while her other party members were around level 49.
Considering that, Kaiser would probably be entering the 50s soon as well, wouldn’t he?
Wait?
Now that I think about it, what is Barmon, one of the Three Gods, up to?
I haven’t seen him since his defeat.
I’m curious what he’s doing.
Though it’s not really my concern.
I wandered through the streets while entertaining such thoughts.
Not quite as bustling as the Beginner Village, but still quite crowded.
I kept myself as inconspicuous as possible among the throngs of people.
‘First, I need to learn crafting skills.’
I didn’t have a single crafting skill in my possession right now.
I had farming skills like Butchering, but the absence of crafting skills was rather ironic.
I’d already decided what to learn first.
When it comes to crafting, this is it!
Blacksmithing!
The problem was….
‘It’s difficult to learn.’
Naturally, through the Creator, I could learn all crafting skills.
Even if that weren’t the case, I could obtain skills through Apostle, but.
Acquiring crafting-type skills was genuinely troublesome.
Do you remember how you had to learn from a butchering master for several days to acquire the Butchering skill?
Production-class workers are the same—they must learn directly from a master to obtain their skills.
Skill books?
They exist, sure.
The problem is I can’t obtain them right now.
Money?
Hahahaha! Money is abundant.
But money alone won’t get them.
You can only buy what exists in the first place.
How can you purchase something that doesn’t exist?
‘Production-class skill books are rarer than other skills. Even when they do drop, the users typically keep them for themselves.’
That’s why they’re so difficult to acquire.
The reason production-class workers received noble treatment wherever they went was precisely because of this.
It was also why Barmon took on a production class as a secondary profession.
High-tier production-class workers typically possess all the fundamental skills already.
I assumed Jin-woo would be the same.
But what is this?
The performance is genuinely universe-shattering for a production class.
Yet he has to learn from the ground up.
Well, there are pros and cons to everything.
Though the cons are rather substantial.
I’ll just accept it and move on.
When has Pantheon ever been a convenient game?
I never expected it to be easy in the first place.
‘But this should be somewhere around here.’
Jin-woo looked around as he thought this.
The place did feel familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where.
Still, he was certain it was somewhere in this vicinity.
Should I just explore the area?
He walked around, carefully examining the storefronts.
Even in the alley, the sound of hammers echoed, and waves of intense heat washed over him.
Truly a city worthy of the name “City of Craftsmanship.”
Jin-woo was searching for a blacksmith in this area.
It should be around here.
After looking around, he soon spotted a familiar shop name.
[Nível Blacksmith]
“Found it.”
Jin-woo gazed at the sign with a satisfied smile.
Why was he so pleased to find this place?
Isn’t it obvious?
Why would Jin-woo venture to a place filled with novices?
The Bark Empire’s master craftsman.
This is where the artisan known as the God of Iron had withdrawn from the world.
If the Deron Kingdom had Gruen and Wirun, then this place had Nível.
Beyond that, the empire was home to countless heroes.
But the stories about Nível were particularly abundant.
‘It’s genuinely famous how Zik once transitioned into a Hidden Class as Nível’s disciple.’
Among crafting professions, the pinnacle is said to be World Class.
But a Hidden Class rivaling it was none other than Nível’s disciple.
An exceptionally superior profession—one that cannot be ignored in the crafting field!
Before my regression, wasn’t Zik, who had been Nível’s disciple, known as the most famous and skilled blacksmith?
Barmon came second, for reference.
Learning from the workshop of such an exceptional craftsman?
I couldn’t resist.
‘Absolutely.’
I’d found my way here through Zik’s videos, no matter what.
Besides, how Zik became Nível’s disciple was a well-known fact.
And the secret behind it was simpler than expected.
From the moment he retired, Nível had been afflicted with an incurable disease, dying slowly.
Zik, who was short on funds and couldn’t afford tuition at other blacksmiths, had found Nível’s somewhat shabby Nível Blacksmith and began learning the craft from him.
The dying Nível needed to leave behind a successor, and so he accepted Zik as his disciple.
Zik revealed this story because Nível had died, making it impossible for another disciple of Nível to emerge.
‘It’s somewhat bittersweet.’
But he’s still alive now.
This is a golden opportunity.
Well, he’s an NPC anyway.
I shouldn’t get too invested.
With that thought, I took a small deep breath and knocked on the shop door.
“Is anyone here?”
“Cough, cough, who is it?”
The blacksmith felt completely cold, and dust had accumulated on the sign.
Perhaps it was surprising that someone had knocked on a shop that seemed like no one would visit.
An elderly man opened the door and stepped out.
He resembled a hunched dwarf, but upon catching sight of the visible muscles in his forearms and the hidden strength beneath, I could immediately tell he was no ordinary person.
Seeing such an old man, I could be certain.
This must be Nível!
The moment I was certain.
The old man was looking at me with suspicion.
“What brings you here? Seeking out a blacksmith whose flames have long gone cold?”
Wasn’t that rather suspicious?
Jin-woo paused there for a moment.
Whether to speak the truth or tell a lie.
Honestly, I could have acted if I wanted to.
Like Zik, I’d come this far grasping at straws, unable to afford lessons elsewhere.
I could simply close my eyes and play the part.
But.
For some reason, I didn’t want to.
A pang of conscience?
It wasn’t because of that.
Something just felt that way.
A feeling that I wouldn’t gain anything and would be cast aside?
It seemed better to speak the truth.
“The truth is, I’ve come because I wish to learn crafting techniques.”
“Hm? From a shabby shop like this and an old codger like me?”
Even as he spoke, his eyes gleamed with sharp brilliance.
His stern bearing might have made me shrink back, but I held my ground and continued.
“Yes, Nível. Is there anyone in the Bark Empire who doesn’t know your name?”
“Hmm, come inside for now.”
How did you know.
What’s your reason.
He asked nothing of the sort.
Without affirmation or denial, he simply ushered me inside.
I entered the shop gladly.
And then, without realizing it, my jaw dropped open.
“Huh.”
Were the tools in the shop so exceptional?
No, it was the opposite.
Quite the opposite indeed.
Every single piece of equipment was shabby.
Not in the sense of being rusted or worn.
Rather, they were well-maintained, yet at a glance I could see the weight distribution was uneven and the iron wasn’t evenly spread.
Obvious enough to see with the naked eye.
It was truly a mess.
Could these really be tools made by a master?
As I stood there in shock, Nível spoke.
“Now that you’ve seen, you understand? I’m old and infirm. I no longer possess my former skill. You should have noticed the moment the forge’s heat grew cold, shouldn’t you?”
“….”
When I said nothing, Nível continued speaking as he looked at me.
“Could the Empire not have found me? Did they not search because I’ve gone into seclusion? No, they could have done anything they wished. But why didn’t they? I’m broken. I’m no longer a craftsman—no, not even a blacksmith anymore.”
His words carried a bitter resentment.
At those words, Jin-woo swallowed hard without realizing it.
A deep, aching regret washed over me.
The frustration of wanting to drive someone mad yet being unable to do so gnawed at me.
Jin-woo gazed at Nível.
An aged, infirm body.
Though he maintained a sturdy frame through sheer will, it was undoubtedly weakened compared to his prime.
But what did that matter?
‘Zik must have learned from Nível as well, then?’
Which meant Nível’s expertise was genuine.
Even if he could no longer practice blacksmithing himself, his knowledge and skill were undeniably real.
Crafting skills weren’t simply completed through the skill system alone.
In the Pantheon, which pursued realism, the actual process of heating metal and striking it was essential.
Success and failure diverged within that very process.
Who one learned from mattered considerably.
Jin-woo considered this carefully.
Hadn’t Zik become the greatest?
He crafted equipment of superior quality above all others.
So Jin-woo would surely do the same.
Nível was a master.
And he was the very person who would nurture Zik, a master of the future.
Jin-woo looked at Nível and smiled broadly before speaking.
“But Nível, your knowledge remains intact, does it not?”
“What?”
“Those fools are mistaken. Can one not teach others simply because they cannot create directly?”
“….”
“They say the fastest path to greatness is learning from the greatest. I believe the same. Please, teach me the craft of blacksmithing.”
At Jin-woo’s words, Nível closed his eyes and pondered deeply.
Please.
Please let this work!
While Jin-woo prayed silently within,
a message suddenly appeared.
[The Master of the Bark Empire, Nível, has been deeply moved by your words.]
[Master Nível acknowledges you.]
The message displayed, and Nível nodded shortly after.
“Good.”
“Thank you! I will do my very best!”
“However! Come back tomorrow.”
Though a condition was attached, it was hardly a difficult one.
Jin-woo nodded at Nível’s words.
“Thank you!”
“And I’ll give you one assignment.”
An assignment, out of nowhere?
Jin-woo almost asked in return but held back.
Deciding to hear him out first, he turned his attention to Nível’s words.
What came next was nothing particularly difficult.
“Even without a refining skill, anyone can make iron ingots. Bring me ten iron ingots when you come tomorrow.”
As Nível finished speaking.
A Quest window appeared.
[Master Nível’s Assignment (1)]
*Description: Master Nível wishes for you to create iron ingots so he may assess your abilities.
*Objective: Create 10 iron ingots.
*Reward: Nível’s Teachings
A rather simple Quest window.
Jin-woo nodded and replied.
“Yes, I understand.”
What else could I say?
I thought he’d give me something difficult.
With that thought, Jin-woo turned to leave.
Nível watched his departing figure and let out a soft chuckle.
A mischievous smile, like a veteran player teasing a newbie.
“It won’t be easy, I suspect.”
Nível said this and rose from his seat.
He needed time to heat up the Blacksmith again by tomorrow.
For the first time in ages, the warm glow began to fill the Blacksmith.
How long had it been since then?

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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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