The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 263

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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 263
263.
Normally, a video hits its viewership peak in the first or second week after release, and by the time it reaches five or six weeks past the opening, that viewership has been cut roughly in half.
But Jin-woo’s videos had climbed instead.
“The ad campaign has launched.”
Third day.
After confirming the record-breaking performance, Rod Paradox immediately poured aggressive advertising into the Underworld Reclamation Machine.
And the results of that aggressive advertising came back.
“There’s no precedent for this.”
This had never happened in SharkNet’s history.
“We’ve had ads run after the initial launch, but… these numbers are frightening. There’s no way the performance should be this good.”
Max reported with a bewildered expression.
“The users who watched it are viewing it at minimum three times. Many are watching five times or more. That’s where these numbers are coming from, sir.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha.”
Rod Paradox laughed with genuine delight.
“The advertising cost wasn’t wasted. Not at all.”
Some works couldn’t succeed even with advertising, while others transcended what advertising could do.
Rod Paradox felt satisfaction when he placed ads correctly and saw them succeed.
“There are countless works out there that haven’t achieved these numbers even with much larger ad budgets! In that sense, this was truly excellent value. To pull off numbers like this with that amount of ad spend!”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I watched all three videos myself, and there’s something in them that makes your heart race. You’re playing NewGen too, aren’t you?”
Anyone playing NewGen couldn’t help but feel their heart race at these videos.
“Yes. I found them really entertaining when I watched them.”
The secretary also thought the videos were exceptionally well-made, and simultaneously felt a sense of awe toward Jin-woo, the star of the series.
“I heard that NewGen has gained new users as a result of these videos.”
“Then we should do a proper collaboration. Set up a meeting with their representative.”
Normally, it would be standard practice to delegate this to the Korean branch manager.
But Rod Paradox wanted to meet NewGen’s representative directly.
He acknowledged NewGen’s potential, and he also wanted to go to Korea.
“If my schedule allows during this Korea trip, I’d like to meet Jin-woo. I’m very curious about him.”
“I’ll reach out to them.”
* * *
JinTube.
The JinTube community had opened long ago, but not a single post had been uploaded until now.
Other MiTube channels used the community to interact with subscribers, so people had been waiting to see when JinTube would become active.
-When will JinTube start posting in the community?
-They usually post when there’s new content or a collaboration coming up. Seems like they don’t feel like doing anything yet.
-Though the mystery approach isn’t bad either.
-They’re advertising content through Shorts, so it looks like they’re just not going to post.
Ding!
And then, at that very moment, the community post everyone had been waiting for appeared.
-Insane, a post just went up.
-What is it?
-I thought they weren’t going to post.
Everyone rushed over to see what post had been uploaded.
The community post that appeared was simple.
On a jet-black background,
-F
just that single letter was posted.
And the post content was equally simple.
-Something big’s coming.
Simple image, simple message.
But it was enough to set people ablaze with excitement.
-This is insane.
-This is seriously insane!!!!!
-Something big’s coming??
-What is this???
-F???????????
-What is this F???
As the post appeared, people began focusing intensely on the large letter F centered on the screen.
And not long after,
-Guys figured it out. Go check out SharkNet.
[GALL.SHARK.NET/BOARD/VIEW/FPWJS&14……]
An analysis post went up on the SharkNet community.
-The Meaning of the “F” Posted on JinTube Today
Hello, everyone. This is Hamad, someone who’s watched JinTube’s videos ten times each and is a former Eternal Sunshine ranker…….
Hamad, a former ranker of Eternal Sunshine, had posted an analysis of this community post.
-In my opinion, this F.
Hamad’s conclusion was that the F stood for First.
-You once cleared Roudon’s Steel Behemoth, right? But the authenticity still isn’t certain, is it? NewGen allows duplicate IDs, so there are continuous rumors that it was just someone with the same name. It looks like they’re going to upload that video. To nail it down for real.
Comments began pouring into the post.
-That’s it.
-This seems right.
-There’ve been continuous rumors about it on SharkNet. Looks like they’re putting that to rest once and for all.
-Geez. Roudon’s Steel Behemoth. That was insane. Really.
-I can’t believe they’re uploading this.
-Something really big just came.
-I’ve really been curious. How on earth they cleared that.
-I kept making alt accounts and trying it myself, you know? This wasn’t something made to be cleared. I’m telling you, it wasn’t.
People were extremely curious about how Roudon’s Steel Behemoth had been cleared.
The difficulty was so insane that everyone agreed it wasn’t a quest meant to be defeated.
But people didn’t know.
That the really big thing wasn’t that at all.
“Something even bigger’s coming.”
Dongwoo smiled faintly as he watched the community reaction.
* * *
Jin-woo patted Speed’s back.
Speed didn’t stop there.
Using his speed, he swiftly collected all the byproducts from the demons they’d hunted.
-Wind Stone [USSR]
-Widid Soul [USSR+]
-Widid’s Feather [USSR+]
Speed had carefully gathered the mineral imbued with wind power, the Widid Soul, and even Widid’s claw.
‘Feather. This is interesting.’
When he touched it, it felt perfectly optimized for the equipment he’d been thinking about.
‘I already know who it will suit best.’
Jin-woo looked at Moltus.
‘It’ll become equipment for Moltus.’
“Your material-gathering speed is excellent. Speed.”
Speed’s swiftness was the ideal familiar that Jin-woo had been dreaming of.
Hunt and gather materials.
“I’ll become even swifter!”
At those words, all the familiars tensed up.
Once Speed showed what he was capable of, the other familiars couldn’t afford to fall short if they wanted to remain worthy of being Jin-woo’s subordinates.
-The morale of the familiars is rising!
‘Rivalry really is the best motivator.’
Jin-woo smiled.
‘Now that I’ve gathered all the souls.’
Jin-woo had gathered his non-Hero-grade Undead familiars in front of him.
Fin and Moltus.
The two familiars had risen in grade through Soul Imprint, but they were not yet Hero-grade Undead.
‘I’m raising them.’
-The Soul Furnace roars to life!
Jin-woo fed the souls of demons into the Soul Furnace.
-Soul Synthesis commencing!
First came the Soul Synthesis.
He gathered the souls of the demons and synthesized them together.
-The grade of the synthesized soul rises!
The souls that had been USSR Grade were raised to USSR+ through synthesis.
‘Putting in large quantities.’
The grade had to rise.
Having fed in thirty souls, Jin-woo obtained one soul of elevated grade.
‘Still.’
Jin-woo smiled faintly.
The synthesized soul’s quality had improved considerably.
And this wasn’t the end.
Jin-woo then reinforced the synthesized soul.
Shaaaaa—!
-Soul reinforcement commencing!
The soul of the Wind Demon and the soul of the Lightning Demon.
These two synthesized souls generated fierce synergy, and soon began radiating an aura.
-The soul is reinforced!
-Reinforced Demon Soul [USSR+]
The grade itself remained unchanged, but the quality had skyrocketed through reinforcement.
Jin-woo created two reinforced souls in this way.
“Fin—!”
Fin and Moltus.
He immediately cast Soul Imprint on both of them.
Shaa—.
Crack—!
-Soul Imprint is taking hold!
-The grade of familiar Fin rises!
Though Bone had edged Fin out and his role in aerial combat had diminished, Fin remained one of Jin-woo’s excellent options.
‘Since he can carry the other familiars.’
In terms of utility, Fin was also indispensable.
Shaaaaaaaa—!
A dramatic transformation appeared in Fin’s skeleton, which had maintained the same state for quite some time.
-The grade of familiar Fin has become Hero LV1!
From the lowest grade to Hero-grade.
A straight, unbroken ascent.
‘My power has grown even more than when I first used Soul Imprint.’
By current standards, Jin-woo could already create M+ Grade familiars.
Rising ability met Soul Imprint, and Fin became a Hero-grade Undead.
“Fin—!”
The moment Fin evolved into a Hero-grade Undead, dramatic changes appeared in his skeleton.
His wings grew larger and his snout sharpened.
Boom—! Crack—!
And alongside his original wings, new wings sprouted.
-Fin’s Class is changing!
“Familiar status.”
6.
Name: Fin
——
Grade: Hero LV1
Type: Undead, Obsidian Tracker
Trait: Gliding, Dark Flight
Skill: Dive, Obsidian Strike
From his original Type of Dark Tracker to Obsidian Tracker.
Dark Flight was added to his Traits, and the Skill Obsidian Strike was also newly acquired.
“Excellent.”
Jin-woo could immediately discern Fin’s new Trait.
Whoooosh—.
Intense Dark Energy suddenly flowed from the newly sprouted wings.
It appeared to activate the Dark Flight Trait with that power.
“Outstanding.”
“Fin—!”
Truly a Hero-grade Undead.
“Yes. You should be at this level.”
Next was Moltus.
Moltus had originally been the strongest familiar after First and Pur, but now he exuded a completely different sense—that of a great sorcerer.
‘Hero-grade Undead is the threshold.’
Hero-grade was the threshold at which a Named could make its stand.
Shaaaaa—.
Dark Aura enveloped Moltus like a robe.
“You’re a complete archmage now.”
Jin-woo regarded Moltus with satisfaction.
“I’d believe it if you said you were the Necromancer instead of me.”
To be honest, Moltus suited the role of Necromancer far better.
“Master… I would perish in your place.”
Moltus showed fierce resolve.
“You’ll just come back to life anyway.”
Being Undead, death was merely desummoning—he would be revived.
“…….”
Because of Speed’s eloquence, even Moltus had forced that out, but it backfired.
“Well. Your loyalty is admirable though.”
“Thank you!”
Thus all his familiars except Unit 2 and the Attendant became Hero-grade.
‘I’ll need to handle those two separately at the Workshop.’
Jin-woo immediately moved to craft using the materials he’d just obtained.
But then.
‘Footsteps.’
Footsteps echoed from far away.
-Eagle Eye activates!
“You’re late.”
Jin-woo smiled as he watched those approaching from a distance.

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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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