The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 277
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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 277
277.
Shiiiiing—
A beautiful gem settled into Jin-woo’s palm.
Whoosh—
Flame, wind, earth……
A stone containing five different elemental properties in total.
‘The core material of the Giant Statue.’
Jin-woo caressed the Ether Prism.
Then a sensation similar to when he’d touched the Giant Statue flowed through his hands.
“Success.”
This was the answer.
Shiiiiing—!
The Ether Prism began to radiate power in response to Jin-woo’s emotions.
This Ether Prism, containing all five properties, held within it every technique Jin-woo possessed.
‘But it’s a shame.’
Yet Jin-woo felt considerable regret.
He’d made it, but it seemed he could have done better.
‘I think I could’ve balanced it more.’
“This is the limit of what I can do right now.”
Though he felt disappointed, this wasn’t the moment to second-guess and remake it.
‘Moving forward.’
With this, he’d crafted the core material of the Giant Statue.
‘Now with the remaining Spirit Stones.’
He just needed to fashion the Giant Statue’s body from these Spirit Stones.
“Wow……”
“What on earth……!”
The Spirit King’s expression went blank at the sight of the glistening Ether Prism in Jin-woo’s hand.
Five elemental properties were contained within a single Spirit Stone.
It wasn’t simply a matter of combining five into one.
They themselves could do that much.
Compressing Spirit Stones was basic knowledge for spirits, wasn’t it?
But this wasn’t mere compression.
“Hah……”
The Spirit Kings recalled their own words from before.
That comment about having no choice but to rely on Jin-woo.
“……So this is how one must create a Giant Statue……?”
“Then……”
“Relying on him is only natural……”
They couldn’t create something this extraordinary themselves.
They couldn’t assist with it either.
Relying on him was entirely justified.
The Spirit Kings’ eyes, which had held uncertainty until now, grew clearer.
Of course, Jin-woo wasn’t paying attention to that.
He gathered the Spirit Stones and began crafting the Giant Statue’s body.
“Mm.”
Clang—! Clang—!
He tossed the Spirit Stone into the furnace, then pulled it out with tongs.
“Poof—”
Dust settled down onto the Spirit Stone.
“I need to increase the durability.”
The Spirit Stones alone weren’t sufficient for crafting this Giant Statue. Dust’s reinforcement was necessary.
Clang—! Clang—!
Naturally, the reinforced Spirit Stone held up quite well against Jin-woo’s Hammering.
Tick-tick—
-Remaining time: 38:55:22
Thirty-eight hours left now.
This Giant Statue was different from the objects he’d made before.
If he worked alone, it would require at least twenty-four hours.
Clang—!
‘It might even take longer than that.’
“Nordin.”
“Yes, Jin-woo!”
“I think I’ll need you to bring more Spirit Stones.”
“Yes, understood!”
While Jin-woo waited for the Spirit Stones,
Nordin and the Spirit King couldn’t help but pour out words of praise.
“Truly remarkable.”
“How in the world did you create this!”
Nordin and the Spirit King marveled anew at the Ether Prism Jin-woo had made.
“It’s written that this is a power passed down only to the Skypia Spirit Blacksmiths……”
Nordin, having found information about the Ether Prism in texts only recently, spoke with bewilderment.
“Yet you created it just like that.”
Jin-woo was indeed Jin-woo.
The days in the tower, when he’d crafted everything without blueprints, seemed to overlap with this moment.
* * *
Crack—! Crack—!
Jin-woo refined the Spirit Stones and crafted the Giant Statue’s legs.
And then he realized.
“This is rather problematic.”
The parts he understood from studying the blueprints, he could supplement with his own abilities.
But time was desperately insufficient.
‘I can’t do this alone.’
Yet he couldn’t borrow the spirits’ power either.
This Giant Statue was an object of considerable complexity.
Those capable of helping Jin-woo create it were limited.
“Nordin.”
“Yes, Jin-woo.”
“You said the Skypia Spirit Blacksmiths contributed their power when making the Western Region’s object?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then you’d roughly know the method?”
“Yes, but……”
Nordin’s expression grew troubled.
Thanks to the rapid recovery of the Southern and Eastern Regions in succession, there was still time to spare.
The problem was that the Skypia gate remained firmly shut.
For a long time, the spirits of Elementia and the Skypia Spirit Blacksmiths had been on poor terms.
“Even if we somehow opened the gate and crossed into Skypia, I’m uncertain whether they would cooperate.”
Elementia’s Destruction was imminent.
To admit uncertainty about whether they’d help in such a dire crisis was, for a spirit deity, deeply shameful.
They were spirits, yet far too arrogant.
That arrogance had grown so great that they’d pierced the heavens itself, ultimately disdaining other spirits and migrating to the separate Skypia to live.
This hidden shame made them hesitant to speak of it, but now was the time to swallow even that humiliation.
“They are arrogant. They consider themselves pure-blooded spirits and treat other spirits as garbage. That’s why they live separately in Skypia. Since they disdain even fellow spirits, they’ll likely turn away any other race that approaches them.”
Nordin said.
“Seems fine to me.”
“Pardon?”
“There are plenty of human blacksmiths like that.”
Jin-woo spoke.
‘If anything, this is the mild version?’
“Let’s open it first. I’m sure they won’t turn me away.”
He could be certain of that.
* * *
On the way to Skypia.
That place was blocked by a massive barrier.
What stood there wasn’t merely a barrier.
“No matter how hard we’ve tried to break through, we couldn’t.”
“Built well. Really didn’t want any contact at all.”
“We’ve attempted it several times.”
“It will absolutely fail.”
Both Spirit Kings shook their heads firmly.
Of course, they’d confirmed Jin-woo’s incredible skill.
But this wall was different from stonework.
“We shall try.”
“No.”
Jin-woo waved his hand dismissively.
“It’s already done.”
“……Pardon?”
-Eagle Eye activates!
Jin-woo examined the massive barrier from every angle.
Then he gripped his Hammer.
“At least they didn’t seal it completely.”
Jin-woo’s eyes perceived fractures deliberately created within the barrier.
‘So the incompetent can absolutely never enter.’
Yet for those of skill, measures had been put in place to allow them to discover these fractures and enter.
Clang—. Clang—. Clang—.
Jin-woo struck the fracture three times with his Hammer.
Rumble-rumble-rumble—!
The massive wall, which had sealed off outside spirits so thoroughly, began to collapse.
Rumble—. Rumble-rumble-rumble—!
Jin-woo watched the wall come crashing down with a deafening roar.
“……!”
“Ah, no……”
“How……!”
Nordin, followed by the Spirit Kings, stared at Jin-woo in shock.
“Impossible……”
“How can this be?”
“You know, don’t you, Nordin!”
Both Spirit Kings looked at Nordin.
“I do. How solid that wall was. Even when the demons invaded, didn’t we try everything to break it?”
After Elementia was invaded by demons,
Nordin and the Spirit Kings had tried to find the Skypia Spirit Blacksmiths.
But this wall hadn’t budged an inch.
And Jin-woo had brought it down with absolute ease.
“To destroy it……”
The two Spirit Kings could no longer doubt Jin-woo.
“Our apologies.”
“Our sincere apologies, Jin-woo.”
“No need to apologize.”
Jin-woo smiled at both Spirit Kings.
“If you’re that sorry, a few good Spirit Stones would suffice. Or do you have any Essence or something?”
Jin-woo edged closer to them.
“Remember, I’m the one who restored your minds too.”
“!”
“We know!”
Both Spirit Kings immediately produced something.
-Raging Flame Breath Stone [M Grade]
-Sleeping Starlight Stone [M Grade]
Both were M Grade Spirit Stones.
‘These are Spirit Stones on the level of the Brilliant Moonstone?’
“We fear we haven’t properly thanked you, Jin-woo.”
“To be honest, we could only have been pessimistic about this.”
Anyone would have felt the same way.
How could one easily believe that something which hadn’t worked despite all efforts would suddenly work?
Jin-woo chuckled softly.
He understood that. And on top of that, they’d given him good Spirit Stones.
“Forgiven.”
Forgiveness came very easily.
“Once everything is finished, I shall repay you properly, Jin-woo.”
“Yes. I look forward to it.”
At the level of a spirit deity, it was truly something to anticipate.
Shiiiiing—
Light spilled forth from beyond the wall.
“Let’s go for now.”
Tick— tick—
Time was still passing.
-Entering Skypia!
* * *
Northern Region.
Three towers.
The Greater Demons, bosses of each tower, held their hands out before a massive stone slab.
The stone slab, embedded in the ground, was absorbing Elementia’s power.
As it absorbed power, Destruction accelerated, and the Northern Region’s object too was being drained by the slab.
“Ughhhh……”
A groan echoed from behind the slab. The Northern Region’s Spirit King was there.
“Only the finishing blow remains.”
“But……what in the world is happening?”
Three Greater Demons frowned simultaneously.
“Someone is interfering.”
A Greater Demon brought its power to bear on the slab.
Then all of Elementia became visible.
Or more precisely, the remaining power within this land of Elementia became visible.
“……Impossible.”
The object in the Southern Region was properly in place.
“That Nordin?”
“The Southern Region’s object was with Nordin, so it’s possible he placed it there covertly.”
But the problem was the Eastern Region.
The Eastern Region’s object had been utterly destroyed. Shattered beyond any possibility of repair.
Yet the object was there.
It was properly supporting the Eastern Region.
A Greater Demon’s brow furrowed.
There could be only one answer.
“It was remade?”
The objects of Elementia were ancient relics and heritage.
An Artifact preserved through the ages couldn’t easily be remade.
Even making something similar was difficult, let alone remaking it.
Had it been simple, the Greater Demons wouldn’t be pursuing Destruction in this manner.
They would have mass-produced Objects, dispersed the power, and claimed it outright.
But Objects both held Elementia’s power and protected it. So they had no choice but to shatter them.
“So they remade it.”
“Who on earth.”
“Who could possibly do such a thing?”
Thud—! Thud—!
Then a sound came from outside.
“You summoned us, Great Demon?”
“You summoned us!”
The summoned Supreme Demons knelt before the Greater Demon.
“The time of Destruction has ceased.”
At the Greater Demon’s words, the Supreme Demons’ eyes went wide.
“What do you mean, my lord?”
“Was not Destruction already assured?”
“Destruction is assured.”
“Someone is preventing it.”
“!”
The Supreme Demons’ expressions turned alarmed.
But only briefly.
“Fear not!”
“We have already shattered the Western Region’s object.”
“That Giant Statue can never be remade.”
Already, all the Objects had been destroyed.
Without remaking that Object, there was absolutely no way to halt Elementia’s Destruction.
The Greater Demons too knew of that Giant Statue.
That colossus rising up against the tower established in the Northern Region was one of the most irritating Objects.
Which is why they’d destroyed it first.
The process of destruction had been quite tedious, consuming considerable power from the Greater Demons.
“True. The Southern and Eastern Objects could perhaps be restored, but not the Western one.”
A Greater Demon spoke.
The Giant Statue could never be remade.
Even if remade, such a crude Giant Statue would never be able to prevent Destruction.
“Thirty hours remain.”
“All preparations are complete.”
“Only Nordin’s absorption was left, but even that is mere diversion. We can absorb Nordin after Destruction begins.”
Crack—. Crack-crack-crack-crack-crack—!
The Greater Demons infused the slab with even greater power.
Then the slab began to rise into the air.
Floating gently—
The Greater Demons then slowly rose to their feet.
But then.
Rumble-rumble-rumble—!
The slab began to shake violently.
“!”
This was a signal.
“Great Demon.”
“The one who created Objects in the Southern and Eastern Regions to interfere with our great work appears to have arrived in the Western Region as well.”
At the Supreme Demon’s words, the Wind Greater Demon nodded.
“I must ascertain who exactly is obstructing our great work.”
Then it rose from its place. It couldn’t remain seated in such circumstances.
“He likely doesn’t realize.”
The Lightning Greater Demon began to laugh darkly.
“That it’s already too late.”
Even if Objects were restored in the Southern and Eastern Regions, it was already too late.
The core of Destruction lies in this Northern Region. Without halting this Northern Region, Destruction cannot be stopped.
But that too has become a thing of the past.
This Northern Region too—everything has been destroyed.
“No, even if the spirits miraciously reclaim this Northern Region now, it would be too late.”
A Greater Demon smirked.
“Everything is finished. Elementia’s Destruction cannot be prevented. Elementia will become vast energy.”
Ssssshhh—
The Greater Demon emanated an intense Aura.
“Let us depart.”
And so it led the summoned Supreme Demons toward the Western Region.
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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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