The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 185

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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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Chapter 185
Episode 185.
Netflix.
Jin-woo’s video had maintained the top spot for several days now.
-Looks like it’ll keep number one domestically.
-Whew.
-That’s some real national pride. It’s dominating the worldwide rankings too.
-Think it can’t hit number one worldwide?
-The current top spot is holding its ground pretty solid.
-It’s becoming a big issue in foreign communities, they say.
-Talk keeps coming up on SharkNet too. Make sure to watch it with subtitles.
-The momentum over there is insane. There are way too many devoted fans.
The video in the top spot right now belonged to Pendant.
Pendant was also one of the fairly famous creators in the crafting community, with considerable renown.
-He was famous during the Bridge era.
-Starlight was the top of the crafting world back then, but Pendant had the most devoted fans.
A former top ranker from Bridge, the famous game alongside Eternal Sunshine from those days—that was Pendant, the owner of this video.
Since moving into New Gene, Pendant’s fame had grown even greater than before.
-Pendant is British pride.
-Since when has Korea been number one? Since when?
-Pendant can never be overtaken. Sorry, Korea fans.
While Pendant’s video held the number one spot worldwide.
Jin-woo’s video slowly began climbing the ranks.
And then.
-Jin-woo’s video just got an ad placement!
-There’s a huge hammer floating around in Seokchon Lake in Jamsil?
-Photo
-Photo
-Look at that photo. What is that hammer even made of?
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ This is some serious advertising.
People began enjoying the Seokchon Lake photos that appeared on the SharkNet community like memes.
-Netflix must have put the ads in!
-Everyone. Look at this.
-Photo.
Then more photos were uploaded. These weren’t photos of Seokchon Lake.
-This is London. They say there’s a similar hammer in London right now too, just planted there?
-It’s not a domestic ad??
Jin-woo’s video, the Soul Smithing advertisement, wasn’t limited to Korea.
-Could this be a simultaneous worldwide ad campaign?
Just as the SharkNet community user had predicted, advertisements began rolling out across both domestic and international markets.
London.
“A hammer?”
“And a skull too?”
A giant hammer and skull began appearing on the Times Square digital billboards in New York.
Tokyo, Beijing, and Berlin.
Large-scale advertisements began launching in the capitals of each nation.
With such an ambitious marketing campaign underway, people began growing ecstatic.
-Wow. What’s the scale of this ad?
-Netflix must be pushing this hard.
-Whew. This is insane.
-K-creator……!
-Is this a cultural victory?
Until now, Netflix had supported various K-Content titles.
They’d offered full backing for dramas and films alike, without discrimination.
But they’d never pushed a New Gene title this hard before.
-If this keeps up…… they might really hit number one worldwide?
Pendant’s video was making history right now.
-Pendant’s video is supposedly making new Netflix history right now with such an overwhelming number one position.
-Could it be……
-Could it be that……?
If Jin-woo broke through and climbed higher, this wouldn’t be just about competing with the broadcast networks.
-He might even win awards.
He could potentially overtake Pendant’s historic achievement and write history upon history itself.
* * *
Netflix’s CEO, Lord Pharatex, was receiving a report.
“How are the ads performing?”
They’d launched aggressive, large-scale marketing.
Naturally, the results had to be good.
“Sir, there’s something… unusual.”
“Unusual?”
But aggressive marketing didn’t always yield positive results.
Some works simply wouldn’t succeed even with heavy promotion.
“Hmm. So it couldn’t overcome the limitations of a local title after all?”
While the worldwide ratings were strong, they may not have resonated equally with every culture’s sensibilities.
“That’s not it, sir. The view drop rate has only fallen by five percent.”
After an advertisement runs, view counts typically surge sharply.
“Even with the ads?”
But views generated by ads don’t last long.
Once week two and week three pass, the view count naturally drops.
Especially for advertised content—the numbers always plummet significantly.
This decline in view numbers is tracked as the view drop rate. By the second week, the typical decline is around twenty percent.
Advertised content often drops thirty percent or more.
Every successful Netflix title in history had suffered this inevitable decline.
Yet Jin-woo’s video had dropped only five percent.
Essentially, it hadn’t dropped at all.
“In fact, starting this week, it’s begun climbing again.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Netflix headquarters possessed vast amounts of data on all their previously successful titles.
“This is unprecedented.”
Because of this data, they could forecast future performance based on early indicators of success.
But these numbers didn’t exist anywhere in Netflix’s database.
“For numbers like this to happen, viewers must be watching every episode repeatedly. Plus, it’s generating organic buzz.”
“Yes. They appear to be watching every episode. And in massive numbers!”
The CEO broke into a wide smile.
“This could be…”
Potentially a much bigger blockbuster than anyone had anticipated.
* * *
[Chaos Judgment Scythe]
-Attack Power: 38,000
-Grade: SSR
-Durability: 500,000 / 500,000
<>
* Special Skill [Judgment: Delivers a powerful attack with damage scaling proportional to the highest stat, inflicting damage.]]
* Special Skill [Shadow Defense: Forms a protective barrier equal to the damage dealt to the opponent.]]
* Special Option [Bone Crafting: Fusion x5: Grants additional durability, increased attack power, additional damage over time, increased attack speed, and additional critical attack power.]
* Special Option [Extreme Refinement: Attack power has been maximized. Attack power increased by 1,000.]
* Special Option [Harmonious Balance: Attack power and durability increase further based on equipment completion rate.]
* Special Option [Ultimate Attack Power: Attack power increased by 850.]
* Special Option [Curse Enchantment – Arkshak LV3: Attack power increased by 650.]
* Special Option [Life Drain: Absorbs 15% of the damage dealt as your own life force!]
* Special Option [Shadow Slash: Increases attack power by 11%.]
* Special Option [Ambush: Imbued with the power of a Necro Master, guaranteeing the first attack is always a Fatal Blow.]
* Special Option [Soul Forging: Draws forth the spiritual power inherent in the materials. Attack speed increased by 25%.]
* Special Option [Soul Penetration: Ignores defense and inflicts damage!]
The completed Judgment Scythe was nothing short of a Necromancer’s weapon itself.
A jet-black handle and a blade flowing with blue light.
‘With these new special options…’
It even had special skills of a new variety.
While it shared the same grade as the Phantom Blade and Frost Bone Crescent Blade he’d crafted before, it had additional options.
‘Armor penetration.’
The most notable addition was this armor penetration.
Normally, attack power is reduced by the defense rating of armor.
But weapons with this armor penetration option could ignore that defense entirely.
‘It means I can unleash my full attack power.’
Jin-woo grasped the Judgment Scythe.
At that moment, the scythe sang out with a piercing cry.
‘One weapon, one purpose.’
The Judgment Scythe was an unambiguous weapon, exactly as Jin-woo had envisioned.
‘Focused on close-range combat.’
And the protective shield it provided would compensate for Jin-woo’s insufficient combat intuition.
Jin-woo advanced slowly toward Yurolde, raising the scythe. Yurolde was locked in a meaningless struggle.
“First. Pur.”
Both familiars ceased their assault.
The instant they did, the sound from the tower’s monsters went silent.
Every monster in the tower had been hunted down by the Underworld’s spirits.
Only one remained.
Yurolde.
Master of the tower and ruler of the Underworld.
He blazed like a candle.
As Jin-woo approached Yurolde, the spirits of the Underworld followed in his wake.
484 spirits instantly surrounded Yurolde.
And Jin-woo stood at their center.
Yurolde cried out desperately.
“I’ll give it to you!”
Yurolde raised his hand high.
“I’ll give you all new bodies! Far better ones! So serve me. Believe in me. Believe in the god behind my back!”
Whooooosh—!
In that instant, Yurolde’s restrictions and laws were rewritten anew.
“Those bearing Jin-woo’s skeletal form. You shall not move.”
But they did not stop.
“Why. Why do you not obey?”
“That’s because…”
Ice Elz, standing at the front, rattled with laughter.
“Only the true master of the Underworld can write its laws. Successor. Or rather, Yurolde.”
Another step forward, and they drew closer.
“Thank you for letting us dream, Yurolde.”
Yurolde had allowed them to dream.
“Because of you, the true Successor has fulfilled our dreams for us.”
And because he had allowed them that dream, they had met Jin-woo and seen it come true.
Jin-woo stepped forward, his familiars falling back.
In his hand was the Judgment Scythe.
“Judgment.”
His highest stat—Dexterity—was converted directly into attack power.
Screeeeeech—!
-Yurolde, Successor of the King of the Dead, has been laid to eternal rest!
-Yurolde, master of the tower, has been laid to eternal rest.
-You have reclaimed the Underworld!
-You have cleared the tower!
-You have completed the quest!
-You have leveled up!
-You have leveled up!
-Quest rewards received!
Jin-woo examined the by-products left by Yurolde.
Among them, one thing stood out most prominently.
A bone gleaming with golden radiance.
-Great Bone
“The name ‘Great’ fits perfectly.”
Its grade was even higher than SSR.
“SSR+.”
Jin-woo reached toward the Great Bone.
Immediately, a notification window appeared.
-Great Bone obtained!
-Awakening quest cleared!
-Awakening!
Jin-woo’s entire body was engulfed in dark energy.