The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 319

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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 319
Episode 319.
Baxter touched the Runestone that Jin-woo had processed.
“It’s been processed… and you’ve drawn the power all the way to the limit.”
He could feel the roiling Rune Energy plainly. Moreover, red and blue energy rippled across the Runestone simultaneously.
Baxter knew well what this state meant—the brink of explosion.
He’d pushed himself to the absolute limit more than once before, accepting the risks that came with it.
Because he’d poured his life into focusing on Runestones at the razor’s edge, he understood this better than anyone.
“How did you process it in this state? What do you mean by Circulation?”
Jin-woo handed him the Runestone without further explanation and used the power of Circulation.
Whoosh—.
Whooooosh—!
The interior of the Runestone trembled as though a favorable wind were blowing through it.
“!”
The power moved instead of remaining static.
“Is this… even possible?”
The Runestone stabilized as it rotated.
Clearly, a powerful force still dwelt within the Runestone, yet it had achieved a state of equilibrium.
“It’s in… Circulation.”
Once shown, the truth became evident. This was Circulation.
“The Universal Spanner made the process considerably easier.”
“……Is that so?”
Baxter’s expression turned puzzled at Jin-woo’s words.
Where exactly had the Universal Spanner proven its worth?
He’d managed it entirely through his own talent.
Yet Jin-woo meant every word.
‘I’ve gained another excellent Crafting tool.’
The Universal Spanner seemed capable of diverse applications.
‘It looks like it’ll be convenient for polishing work too.’
In particular, the work of carving using lightning, combined with resonance, seemed capable of elevating his polishing technique to yet another level.
“Magnificent Crafting. Truly magnificent!”
“Baxter.”
‘Is this a Magic Core? No, it doesn’t seem like it.’
“The Processing of the Runestone feels insufficient.”
At Jin-woo’s words, Baxter’s expression grew intrigued.
“……Insufficient?”
“Yes. It feels as though something else needs to be added on top to complete the Runestone. Am I correct?”
“…….”
Baxter fell silent for a moment.
Processing alone wasn’t enough for a Runestone to become a Magic Core.
And that was something he hadn’t yet revealed.
Since Baxter’s technique itself had been built from countless other techniques accumulated over long ages, it couldn’t be properly learned except by teaching it piece by piece.
So he’d planned to explain it step by step.
How had the boy grasped it so quickly?
“What made you think that?”
“I sensed a fundamental difference between the Magic Core from the rat mechanic you showed me earlier and the Magic Core I just created.”
In terms of raw power, the processed Runestone Jin-woo had made was far stronger.
Yet Jin-woo could feel a fundamental distinction between the two Magic Cores.
“Hmm!”
He’d grasped it all in that brief moment. Baxter couldn’t help but marvel.
See one, understand ten.
Each time a single cog turned in Jin-woo’s mind, countless other cogs interlocked and spun in rapid succession.
“You’ve got it! As you said, this Runestone has undergone first-stage Processing. The real work lies in the second stage.”
Baxter nodded in agreement.
Jin-woo’s sense that something was missing stemmed from Baxter deliberately withholding that particular step for now.
To turn this processed Runestone into a true Magic Core, one crucial power was needed.
“It’s the Runeword. Only when a Runeword is inscribed does it become a true Magic Core.”
The work of carving letters imbued with the power of Runes completes the Magic Core.
At those words, Jin-woo smiled slightly.
“Could I learn it right away?”
* * *
“Hello! I’m Dongwoo.”
The meeting between Dongwoo and PD Han In-gu had come to pass.
Jin-woo stood beside him.
“Oh my! You’re the editor from JinTube! I heard you’re Jin-woo’s younger brother!”
PD Han In-gu extended his hand with a smile.
“Yes! I’m delighted to meet you!”
“Jin-woo mentioned you were a Seoul National University student!”
PD Han In-gu grinned warmly at Dongwoo.
He was also a Seoul National University alumnus, class of ’06.
“You were my senior!”
The atmosphere naturally became cheerful.
After discussing university, editing, and eventually Netflix, they finally broached the main topic.
“The thing is, I was hoping Dongwoo could join starting from episode four of this series, as I mentioned.”
“We’d welcome that! We’ve seen quite a bit of your editing sense through JinTube, and as fellow alumni, well, there’s no question about your perseverance. However…….”
There was a problem.
“Do you think you can manage it alongside JinTube? The videos going up on JinTube are quite high quality, and the schedule is tight. It seems like you’d need two bodies.”
At that, Dongwoo nodded.
“That’s fine. I’m prepared to give up all my personal time.”
Until now, Dongwoo had enjoyed a certain amount of leisure.
When videos piled up suddenly, he’d had to pull all-nighters to produce shorts content, but as the work became routine, his speed was improving.
So it was entirely manageable.
Though he’d have to abandon his personal time entirely, he didn’t mind.
One ought to burn brightly while young, after all.
Opportunity comes but once—you must seize it when it appears.
“Excellent! Then let’s work hard together!”
Dongwoo and PD Han In-gu shook hands with mutual smiles.
“PD, what’s happening with things now?”
Jin-woo asked the producer.
PD Han quickly opened his business card holder and handed a card to Jin-woo.
—[Production HAN]
The card bore Han In-gu’s name along with the title of Representative.
“I’ve left JBS. I’ve founded a new independent production company, and now it’s entirely your choice what to do. If you trust me with this, I promise to walk this path alongside you to the very end!”
Han In-gu had made his decision.
So he’d broached the subject with his team and proposed that they move forward together.
Of course, there was no compulsion. Leaving the nest of JBS to undertake something new wasn’t easy for anyone.
Yet every member of Han In-gu’s team trusted him and followed.
“You must have received offers from other places.”
Because of this Netflix series, many companies were now seeking out PD Han In-gu.
Enormous salary offers and appearance fees poured in. Proposals were endless.
“I politely declined them all. For me, there was only one choice.”
But from the start, PD Han In-gu had decided to wait only for Jin-woo’s decision.
If Jin-woo didn’t choose him, then choices would open up—but until Jin-woo decided, he had no intention of going anywhere else.
“We’ve simply achieved mutual benefit. You need carry no sense of debt toward me.”
At Jin-woo’s words, PD Han In-gu shook his head.
“It’s gratitude, certainly, but personally—what I love most is being the first to see your videos and the one who edits them most beautifully.”
Truth be told, this could be called Han In-gu’s own selfish desire.
Editing Jin-woo’s videos was simply fun.
“In that case.”
Jin-woo smiled slightly.
Then he extended his hand.
“I look forward to working with you in the future.”
PD Han In-gu then shook hands with Dongwoo as well.
“Episode three was such a masterpiece. But now that Dongwoo is here, let’s push things even higher than before.”
“Yes!”
* * *
—Skill, Runeword has been learned!
Runeword was an ancient magic centered on Rune characters of formidable power.
“This ancient magic can be used in many different forms.”
Baxter began drawing a Runeword.
[ᚲ]
“Like shooting flames this way.”
The moment the Rune character for flames appeared, flames rippled forth in an instant.
“Freezing, summoning wind, shaking the earth.”
Baxter drew forth various Runewords.
Rumble—! Whoooosh—. Grrrrrrrumble—!
[ᚦ]
[ᛉ]
[ᚾ]
The power of Runeword was considerable.
‘Ancient magic truly is different.’
It was quite similar to the Spell Enchantment Jin-woo currently possessed, yet fundamentally different in nature.
‘Such powerful energy requires a power source.’
Spell Enchantment had a lower ceiling but consumed far less energy.
Because of this, it could be used in varied situations in many different ways.
But this Runeword had such a high ceiling that without a proper power source, it was impossible to use at all.
‘And the Runestone is what enables one to withstand that.’
Runestone and Runeword.
These two were one yet two, and two yet one.
“Don’t think of it as merely drawing something in.”
Baxter exhaled slowly and spoke.
The process of inscribing through the Universal Spanner’s lightning was quite intricate.
“This Runeword must be engraved with powerful force so that the characters are rendered exactly and identically…….”
“Recreating it exactly is what matters most. It’s a kind of Magic Circle made of letters. If you don’t recreate it precisely, understand it, and manifest it, then even a perfect copy would be meaningless.”
“……What?”
That was supposed to be his line.
“Something like this.”
The fundamentals of Runeword were similar to Spell Enchantment.
‘It depends on where you set your baseline.’
Spell Enchantment prioritized stability.
Runeword pursued higher potential.
‘Overall, Baxter seems to prefer pushing every limit within danger rather than pursuing stability.’
He pursued a style of creation that willingly bore risk if it meant drawing out the strongest possible power.
Jin-woo smiled slightly.
‘That’s exactly the way I like it.’
Slash—.
Swish—!
Jin-woo began drawing the Runeword. Mere recreation held no meaning. Having been shown, all he need do was use it the same way.
‘I’ve already learned the Skill.’
—Runeword has been drawn!
Whoooooosh—.
Whoooooooooooosh—!
Tremendous flames began spreading throughout the area.
He’d drawn exactly the same Rune character Baxter had shown. Instead, he’d placed the emphasis on precision, as he would with Rune Inscription – Extreme.
‘It’s more fun than Spell Enchantment.’
With Spell Enchantment, you could only confirm the effect once the equipment was completed, whereas with Runeword you could see it immediately upon completion.
‘Though once it’s inscribed into a Magic Core, I suppose I’ll only know the result after it’s done.’
The sensation of roiling intensity felt quite satisfying.
‘It’s rough and aggressive.’
If Spell Enchantment felt like carving letters, Runeword felt like driving letters in by force.
“……I never taught you that.”
Baxter was taken aback.

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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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