The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 372
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 372
Episode 372.
The Positano Conflict footage had been uploaded.
All users were intensely curious about the Positano Conflict that Meta had triggered.
-Jin-woo is strong, sure, but how did he occupy a conflict zone alone?
-From what I hear, Avalak doesn’t have a proper user besides Jin-woo.
-Even if his familiars are powerful, the numbers are just overwhelming.
That doubt melted away the moment people watched the footage.
-What the…
-He’s insane. Seriously. His familiars got even stronger?
-No, it’s not just the familiars. They’re coming back to life??
-Urgh.
-That’s necromancy.
-That’s real necromancy!
-Jin-woo can use standard Necromancer skills too.
-And yet he just made and used familiars anyway??
-Absolutely deranged.
-Handcrafted artisan;;
In the footage, Jin-woo actively utilized Raise Dead, a skill common among standard Necromancers.
Users defeated by his familiars became Jin-woo’s own familiars, and as the fighting intensified, Meta and the Malen Duchy users—who’d maintained a numerical advantage—found themselves gradually pushed back.
-This was a fight they couldn’t win…
-And yet he won.
-He won just like that??
A single video had answered every question.
At the same time, users felt an enormous surge of anticipation.
-His growth rate is genuinely insane.
-This isn’t right after Underworld, is it? There must’ve been some quest that let him grow in multiple ways.
-That’s probably the series going up on JinTube now? The one about finding the Temple.
-And after that comes the series Rizny is preparing, right?
-Seems like it.
Users were intensely curious about how Jin-woo had grown so fast and so strong.
-I’m gonna have to watch Rizny at this rate…
-Ah, man. I was trying not to subscribe.
-Things change real quick like this.
JinTube videos were creating a synergy effect that drove Rizny subscriptions.
And meanwhile, the Auction House was heating up considerably as well.
McCarthy, Stranger, Mr. Horn.
And Jin-woo’s equipment were fiercely competing for position, rising and falling.
-[Current Highest Bid Items]
1. Jin-woo [Mechanical Engineering Rotating Pickaxe] Bid: 150 Million Gold
2. McCarthy [Holy Sacred Mace] Bid: 147 Million Gold
3. Mr. Horn [Destruction Rakshasa Dagger] Bid: 101 Million Gold
4. Stranger [Flame Destruction Breastplate] Bid: 85 Million Gold
McCarthy’s Holy Sacred Mace had briefly claimed first place before Jin-woo took the spot back.
Currently, every item on the auction—except Stranger’s—had broken past the 100 million Gold mark.
Of the 22 pieces of equipment Jin-woo had sold previously, the most expensive had fetched 150 million Gold.
-It’s already at 150 million Gold? This is gonna go higher, right?
-Probably hits 200 million.
-Scary, the US Auction House.
-I thought McCarthy would obviously dominate. I didn’t expect it to be this fierce.
-Are Jin-woo’s items really at this level? McCarthy, Mr. Horn, Stranger—they’re all top-tier Blacksmith Rankers.
All three of them were Rankers in the top 50.
-Really can’t tell how this is gonna end.
People naturally assumed McCarthy would maintain his iron grip on the US Auction House.
Who was he, after all?
The undisputed king of the US Auction House—wasn’t that McCarthy?
Yet the situation now was extraordinarily heated.
McCarthy was someone capable of crafting MR+ or higher equipment.
That he’d downgraded to MR+ meant he’d deliberately set out to make it.
Yet that equipment was trading blows with Jin-woo’s MR Grade items.
In fact, many believed Jin-woo’s options were superior.
Ding-! Ding-!
-Videos are popping up on MiTube like crazy.
-The situation’s getting interesting, so videos are gonna come naturally.
-But Stranger’s equipment seems way cheaper than expected?
-Probably spread out because he listed multiple items?
Stranger, leveraging his specialty in speed, had listed multiple pieces of equipment. While individual bid prices were lower, the combined total was currently the highest overall.
-This is really fun to watch.
-Hah.
-Jin-woo is no joke, huh?
-I never thought one person could shake up the US Auction House like this.
-Too early. McCarthy’s still taking back the top spot.
-What are McCarthy’s big spenders doing right now?
Each blacksmith had users known as “big spenders.”
Most were wealthy individuals—not just tycoons, but also MiTubers and celebrities, anyone with money to burn on New Gene.
“Hmm.”
McCarthy, the current king of the US Auction House, had these big spenders bidding steadily from the start.
But oddly, the pace was sluggish.
“Should I spend more?”
The big spenders, wanting to save face, were bidding lukewarmly on McCarthy’s equipment.
Of course, spenders dedicated solely to McCarthy were driving prices up aggressively, but the others were eyeing the situation carefully and bidding on Jin-woo’s items instead.
“McCarthy’s equipment is good, but shouldn’t we welcome Jin-woo to the US Auction House?”
“I should probably buy one of Jin-woo’s pieces.”
Among third and fourth-generation chaebol heirs, equipment from Ranker blacksmiths was currently in fashion.
The most prized, naturally, were pieces from Starlight or Inclassic.
But their equipment was genuinely difficult to obtain.
Those who owned them commanded considerable respect among their peers.
Owning something that money alone couldn’t buy carried its own prestige.
And now, Jin-woo’s equipment was becoming hot among that crowd.
Jin-woo was currently not a Ranker blacksmith.
Yet his name had spread far and wide throughout New Gene.
Overwhelming.
Without precedent.
Every descriptor attached to him was glorious.
So it was only natural to covet it.
What made Jin-woo’s equipment worthy of such acclaim?
-Bid has been updated!
Ultimately, they placed their bids on Jin-woo’s Mechanical Engineering Rotating Pickaxe.
“Shame, but if it’s just this much, I can invest.”
“Is there anything else worth buying?”
Of course, they actually wanted something practical, so they didn’t bid aggressively.
Ding-!
-Bid has been updated!
So the competition between Yur and Artemus continued.
-This settles it.
-Whoever buys this Mechanical Engineering Rotating Pickaxe is gonna become the top Miner.
-Urgh, King-Maker.
-Are we back to those days? Where you can’t be a top Ranker without Jin-woo’s equipment?
Those from Eternal Sunshine knew it well.
Without Jin-woo’s equipment, you couldn’t even reach Ranker status.
Even as a Ranker, only those with better Jin-woo equipment could reach the apex.
That’s how the Miner community was running now.
-The guy’s not flexing at all.
-But he really is different.
“So this is what it was like.”
Rankers from other games had only ever mocked them.
That Jin was the best.
That Jin was truly different.
“He really is different…”
Jin-woo was constantly breaking every record.
The existing Rankers of New Gene felt a sharp sense of crisis.
If they left this Jin-woo unchecked, rising from below, he would consume them all.
“This can’t happen. Not like this.”
There was no time for complacency.
Clang-!
Hammering sounds began to ring out from workshops across the cities.
* * *
Whoosh—.
After speaking with Prudaite, the Vice Guild Leader of Special Months, Jin-woo immediately set about clearing the castle.
“You seem stronger somehow.”
“The atmosphere feels different.”
Prudaite nodded.
“I conquered the tower alone. How could I not be stronger?”
“Even if the Guild Leader is brought back, isn’t this past saving?”
At those words, Prudaite’s expression hardened.
“You never know. If the Guild Leader is revived, there’s still a chance.”
Boom—!
As the tower crumbled, a flag fluttered at the castle’s highest point.
Originally, the Special Months banner had flown there.
But now that flag had vanished.
This place was no longer Special Months territory.
“!”
At the same time, footsteps echoed from behind.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Turning around, Jin-woo saw all the residents of Sacra approaching.
Leading them was Baxter, and behind Baxter’s back were the noble family council members they had purged from the assembly.
And behind them stood the mechanical engineers.
Click—.
Numerous Combat Mechanics.
And with Baxter—now the most legitimate Council Leader candidate for Sacra—arriving, Special Months could no longer hold out.
“…Pack everything.”
Prudaite spoke. There was no need to wait for the Guild Leader to return now.
This was already over.
“Jin-woo.”
Prudaite approached Jin-woo.
“When this goes up on JinTube… could you please pixelate us?”
“I’ll do that.”
* * *
Baxter and the mechanical engineers rushed toward Jin-woo.
“Jin-woo, I truly appreciate this.”
Jin-woo looked at the residents behind Baxter.
‘I thought persuading them would be difficult.’
These were people who’d stayed quiet all along.
When Baxter was exiled, when Special Months stationed itself in Sacra, even when the council was completely purged—they hadn’t moved.
‘Yet Baxter persuaded them to act.’
Moreover, behind them were what appeared to be members of noble families.
‘His equipment really is different.’
“You persuaded them all.”
“I had to. It wasn’t difficult work—the truly difficult work is what you’re doing. How could I have failed at something as simple as persuasion?”
Baxter smiled.
“Now please, go in. This is where you belong.”
At Jin-woo’s words, Baxter’s expression wavered with emotion.
“Yes… this is where I belong.”
Creak—.
Baxter slowly entered the castle.
Once exiled, Baxter now returned as Council Leader.
“Back to the way it was…”
The moment Baxter entered the castle, a quest completion alert appeared.
-You have completed the quest!
-You have reclaimed Sacra!
“Finally…”
Baxter’s eyes glistened with emotion as he nodded. When he was first exiled, he’d thought everything was finished.
But everything changed when he met Jin-woo.
He had returned to Sacra, restored order, and become Council Leader.
“All of this… it’s because of you.”
“We accomplished it together.”
“…”
Baxter looked at such a Jin-woo.
“No. You did everything, boy. That’s why I’m telling you—I didn’t just persuade these noble families.”
Baxter had been Jin-woo’s master. He felt he had not fulfilled his role as a master until now, so this time he was determined to truly act as one.
“Things the noble families held so tightly…”
Baxter smiled broadly.
“I took them back. For you!”
“!”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————