The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 64

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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 64
Episode 64.
“It really is SSS Grade.”
“That’s right. This is the finest Orc Rish Stone there is. I couldn’t possibly give you anything less than the best.”
Rigardo’s expression softened as he watched Jin-woo’s delight.
“And there’s an additional reward.”
Indeed, there was more to come.
Rigardo produced a jewel case from his robes.
“I saw you receive a Jade Stone before. But I’m confident this is far superior.”
-You have received the Orc Soul Stone!
“Hah.”
Jin-woo found himself speechless.
“This is also SSS Grade?”
The Orc Soul Stone was indeed a jewel of SSS Grade.
“Aren’t you giving too much?”
“Brother. What you accomplished was nothing less than momentous. Even these two cannot repay the debt of gratitude I owe.”
Rigardo spoke with absolute conviction.
“Should you ever need anything, please do not hesitate to ask.”
“Actually, there is something I’d like to request.”
Jin-woo raised the matter immediately.
“Is it possible to receive regular shipments of this Orc Rish Stone?”
“As much as you desire!”
‘Perfect.’
Jin-woo had secured yet another supplier.
* * *
Bang! Bang!
Massive reconstruction efforts began in the ruined Int Orc Settlement.
“Much of the old structure was deteriorating anyway.”
“We can make it far more magnificent if we rebuild!”
The Int Orc, having successfully avenged themselves against the Guardians, moved with fervent purpose toward reconstruction. The hope of beginning anew far outweighed the sorrow of what had collapsed.
In one corner of this rebuilding effort.
Jin-woo had set up his Summons Workshop. Through his successful quest completion, his hands now held an abundance of materials.
“Hhh.”
Orc Rish Stone.
And Orc Soul Stone. Jin-woo found himself drawn to the soft golden light that emanated from this Orc Soul Stone.
Both materials were SSS Grade.
“An Orc Soul Stone, then.”
This emerald-hued Orc Soul Stone was the primal essence left behind when an orc of fierce spirit passed from the world.
“If it truly is a family treasure, then it deserves such esteem. A heirloom worthy of generations.”
Having received the Orc Soul Stone, Jin-woo honored his promise to Rigardo by teaching him Spell Enchantment.
Rigardo then became thoroughly dejected, insisting he had nothing more left to give Jin-woo.
“How much more do you intend to give? At this rate, you’ll end up handing over that staff as well.”
-Orc Soul Stone [Grade: SSS]
Description: The primal essence left behind by a great orc upon death.
“This is more than sufficient.”
Jin-woo examined the Orc Soul Stone with care.
“The soft golden light within that clouded emerald hue… the moment I saw it, I knew exactly what I wanted to make.”
In Jin-woo’s mind, Necromancers were those who adorned themselves with various attribute-boosting accessories.
Of course, Jin-woo was both a Necromancer and a blacksmith, so he differed from the typical mold. Still, when commanding his familiars, he needed to embody the Necromancer role fully.
“Then I’ll craft my own personal accessory.”
Jin-woo laid out all the materials he had obtained.
SSS Grade, Orc Rish Stone.
SSS Grade, Orc Soul Stone.
SSS Grade, Giant Guardian Stone.
And SS Grade Jade Stone alongside numerous other materials.
“I’ve waited long enough.”
By now, Jin-woo had fully mastered both Spell Enchantment and Flame Crafting.
“With the Orc Rish Stone, I’ll forge a weapon. Something perfectly suited for First, and something I’ve been wanting to craft immediately.”
Jin-woo had already created an impressive variety of weapons during this period.
Mauls, greatswords, spears, clubs, armor, and shields alike.
Yet there remained one weapon he longed to properly craft.
“A weapon befitting a one-stroke, instant-kill strike.”
Jin-woo allowed himself a slight smile.
“An axe.”
The choice was made.
“I’ll forge an axe that cleaves everything asunder in a single stroke.”
Just as Red Eye, the commander of the Guardians, wielded such power, there was always demand for weapons that deliver devastating single blows.
“I’ll recreate that impact through a weapon.”
Jin-woo immediately kindled the forge.
“I’ll put the Dwarf Silver Staff up for auction.”
He had tested the improved Dwarf Silver Staff to its limits in the Int Orc’s catacombs.
“The Red Stone Armor was SS Grade before, and it sold for a considerable price.”
In Jin-woo’s assessment, this improved Dwarf Silver Staff possessed far superior quality.
Jin-woo took a deep breath.
Then he centered himself.
The moment the Orc Rish Stone entered the forge, he drew out the Jade Stone.
“Flame Crafting.”
He carved the Jade Stone, then overlaid it with Flame Crafting using rubies. All the gems employed were rubies.
“This Jade Stone will be set into the center of the axe blade.”
He who had previously crafted for a total of three hundred Int Orcs.
His speed was far greater now than when he had learned from Rodin.
The Engraving Knife danced in his hands.
The Jade Stone was a delicate gem—the slightest excess force would cause large chunks to shatter away. Even Rodin reserved its use for days when his condition was optimal.
It demanded the utmost care, yet Jin-woo brought the Engraving Knife to bear without hesitation.
‘I can maintain perfect control.’
He preserved his speed while maintaining absolute precision in force.
Crack—crack-crack.
The Jade Stone carved into ripples, then transformed into droplets.
-You have carved the Jade Stone!
-Your Flame Crafting proficiency increases!
Then he shattered rubies to apply Flame Crafting.
“Attack power enhancement.”
The moment the carving was complete, Jin-woo withdrew the Orc Rish Stone, now approaching its melting point.
He raised his hammer and struck.
Bang!
He intended to craft both the massive axe blade and the handle entirely from this Orc Rish Stone.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“My condition is sound.”
Dust and Coco, both summoned, spun in circles.
Jin-woo’s hammer strikes had become far more overwhelming than before.
“Sparkle.”
“Whoosh.”
As Jin-woo advanced by the day, the affection both spirits bore for him began to deepen.
-Your familiars’ affection increases!
-Material Spirit, Dust, has leveled up.
-Dark Flame Spirit, Coco, has leveled up.
A powerful gust swept forth from both spirits.
Yet Jin-woo remained utterly focused solely on the Orc Rish Stone.
Bang.
He envisioned it.
The image of swinging a colossal axe.
The sight of that axe shattering everything that stood in its path.
‘Freedom.’
This life as a crafter, moving directly at the forefront rather than confined to a workshop day after day, brought far greater joy.
‘Creating it.’
Testing it.
‘There is nothing else to concern myself with.’
He simply did as he pleased.
Bang!
Ding!
-Equipment crafted!
The completed axe materialized before Jin-woo.
Massive and weighty.
Yet remarkably thin for its size.
“Yes, precisely as it should be.”
Jin-woo gazed at the axe, a faint smile crossing his face.
His previous best equipment had been SS+ Grade.
And now.
-You have crafted SR Grade equipment!
-Perfect Focus! The specifications of your crafted equipment have increased!
-You have achieved a momentous achievement!
“Using SSS Grade materials.”
Jin-woo had transcended SS+ Grade, reaching an entirely new tier: SR. A new grade that surpassed even SSS and SSS+ Grade.
“This level of craftsmanship is what’s expected.”
Jin-woo’s faint smile bloomed into a genuine one.
-You have achieved a unique achievement!
And with that, a new notification appeared.
An achievement accomplished by only a single person.
-[Golden Hand]
You have reached SR Grade faster than anyone else. Your hands transform anything they touch into an object of noble worth!
Effect: All items you craft receive an additional attribute.
In this moment, Jin-woo became the fastest crafter among all New Gene users to achieve SR Grade.
“I narrowly avoided surpassing level 100. It seems no one has reached SR Grade before level 99.”
And thus it was a unique achievement.
“Of course, if someone else manages SR Grade before level 99, this achievement can be broken.”
Though the likelihood of such an occurrence was extraordinarily low.
“This effect is tremendously powerful, isn’t it?”
It meant that anything Jin-woo crafted would automatically gain an additional attribute.
“Given the achievement is called Golden Hand, such an effect is only natural.”
Jin-woo examined the completed Orc Rish Stone axe carefully.
[Orc Rish Emerald Jade Axe]
-Attack Power: 3,080
-Grade: SR
-Durability: 55,000 / 55,000
<>
* Special Option [Spell Enchantment: Arkshakh Attack Power increases by 200.]
* Special Option [Emerald Critical Strike: Critical Hit Rate increases by 8%.]
* Special Option [Flame Crafting – Radiance of the Ruby: Attack Power increases by 150.]
* Special Option [Jade Stone: Ignores 20% of the target’s defense.]
* Special Option [Dark Night: Attack Power increases by an additional 500 at night.]
* Special Skill [Dark Strike: Releases a surge of dark power. Converts damage dealt into life force for absorption.]
* Special Skill [Fatal Blow: Your next attack is guaranteed to be a critical hit.]
The Orc Rish Emerald Jade Axe contained within it everything Jin-woo had learned, granting it a diverse array of special attributes.
“Judging by the concept of ultimate offensive power, the specifications are quite impressive.”
Even shields would be rendered meaningless—this axe would shatter them entirely.
“With my familiars increased in number, the Necromaster effect has also been reflected more favorably.”
The special attribute that most pleased him was the Jade Stone.
“Ignore defense. To strike through defensive barriers entirely.”
It was a perfect attribute for an axe.
“Exactly three times the attack power of the Dwarf Silver Staff.”
Even with all special options combined, the improved Dwarf Silver Staff reached only that level. Yet the Orc Rish Axe’s base attack power alone tripled the Dwarf Silver Staff’s total.
“Phew.”
Jin-woo stretched his body.
“Crafting with full effort certainly exhausts one.”
Of course, he had no intention of resting.
“The Giant Guardian Stone still remains.”
And the Orc Soul Stone as well.
The sight of those two dissolved his fatigue instantly.
“There’s no time to rest.”
He needed to get a feel for them immediately—how could he rest?
Jin-woo rested for exactly ten minutes and drank a potion.
Gulp.
“The Giant Guardian Stone, then.”
There was already a clear purpose for it.
“A shield.”
The irony was not lost on him.
“Red Eye, who possessed such overwhelming offensive power—and now, from the Giant Guardian Stone that fell from Red Eye, I’m to craft a shield?”
Jin-woo let out a soft laugh.
“There’s nothing quite as entertaining as that.”
Moreover, he had never properly devoted his full effort to crafting a shield before.
“First, let me list the Dwarf Silver Staff.”
Jin-woo posted the Dwarf Silver Staff to the Auction House.
“I hope it fetches a price comparable to the Red Stone Armor.”
This Dwarf Silver Staff was exactly one tier above the Red Stone Armor.
SS+.
Through improvement, its grade had risen by one tier.
“It’s improved and superior, so.”
He had no great ambitions beyond that.
“Well then, let’s begin.”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Giant Guardian Stone trembled beneath the hammer strikes.
Jin-woo’s body suddenly felt as though struck by lightning.
“Incredible.”
The sensation was three times better than working with an ordinary Guardian Stone. No—far better than that.
“It’s wonderful because it’s so massive.”
A sudden determination seized him.
“Guardian hunts. No—Guardian Huntings sound appealing.”
Jin-woo continued striking cheerfully with his hammer.
* * *
Jin-woo’s younger brother, Dongwoo, was viewing Sharknet.
“What, there’s this much talk about hyung?”
His older brother Jin-woo was a legend in Eternal Sunshine. But New Gene already housed countless legends.
The legends from numerous games that had once proliferated were now all gathered in New Gene.
It was a form of genuine showdown. All those debates people once merely discussed—”what if so-and-so fought such-and-such”—were now unfolding in New Gene.
-Waiting for Jin-woo’s equipment to be listed at the Auction House. 120 hours in. Still watching.
-I’ll definitely buy it this time, no matter what.
-He already raised things to SS Grade, so he’ll definitely list SSS Grade equipment next.
-Wouldn’t he skip the Auction House now? He could just keep it for himself at this point. He’s already gotten quite famous.
Yet that was only momentary.
-Insane.
-It’s up, it’s up.
-It really is up!
“What’s happening? Why are they all like this?”
Suddenly posts began multiplying.
Since he had filtered to show only Jin-woo-related discussions, the sheer number of posts was conspicuously increasing.
-Guys, a staff made of Dwarf Silver just listed. Grade’s similar but the options are infinitely better than that Red Stone Armor from before. The specs are insane.
-The numbers aren’t a joke. This isn’t growth—it’s evolution, seriously.
-Insane, truly insane.
-Please let me buy it this time!
“Wow. Just listing one piece of equipment gets this much reaction?”
To some users, Jin-woo had become something of a cult phenomenon—akin to an idol.
“Everyone’s dying to buy it. What price are they bidding?”
Dongwoo immediately checked the Auction House.
“Huh?”
And his jaw fell open.
“One… ten… hundred… thousand… ten thousand…….”
One hour into the auction.
“Two… million Gold……?”
The price far exceeded the final bid on the Red Stone Armor, the previous record.
Of course, Dongwoo could never have known such details. He simply stood in awe that the equipment his brother had crafted possessed such value.
And despite such an exorbitant price, everyone was desperate to obtain it.
Dongwoo verified what he was seeing. After recounting the bid amount twelve separate times, he could confirm with certainty that his eyes were not deceiving him.
“It’s real. Really, truly real.”
There had been a reason hyung had bought that expensive meal recently. Every reason in the world.
“He’s probably even more popular in-game than this, right?”
Dongwoo’s intuition was correct—Jin-woo had become a hot commodity.
Beyond mere mentions in the Sharknet community forum, numerous crafters throughout the game had taken notice of him.
Since achieving the Golden Hand achievement, virtually all top-tier crafters were now aware of Jin-woo. In fact, it was safe to say there wasn’t a single crafter in New Gene who didn’t know his name.
“I should tell hyung about this.”
The possibility was extremely high.
“If hyung started a Mytube channel, it would definitely blow up.”
Everyone was curious about him.
Who he was, how he crafted, everything.
“All the named streamers and guilds are doing Mytube these days.”
There were enormous numbers of Mytube creators specializing in New Gene content.
Since New Gene had launched globally, the potential subscriber base was substantial.
“There are channels with 20 million subscribers, even 30 million.”
There were New Gene creators of tremendous fame overseas.
Domestically as well, many possessed millions of subscribers, and specialized reviewers were equally abundant.
“This has to happen.”
Dongwoo broke into a bright smile unbidden.
“Hyung really does look happy.”
He had wondered if suggesting such a thing might be presumptuous.
Hyung was an adult, after all. He had been Dongwoo’s guardian for so long.
So he had worried—might he be overstepping, damaging hyung’s pride?
But seeing this, all such concerns evaporated.
“I’m glad I brought it up.”
It hadn’t even been a month.
All of this had been accomplished in such a brief span of time.

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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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