The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 73

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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 73
Episode 73.
The bidding war for the Millennium Steel Pickaxe was heating up in earnest.
Artem, whose hands had been trembling, snapped to attention.
“I have to buy it.”
His initial thought of maybe purchasing it had shifted to a conviction that he must.
“Wait, someone just bid ten million gold? Already?”
That meant the pickaxe had already proven its worth at ten million gold.
“What do I do here?”
If the one after this Millennium Steel Pickaxe wasn’t one of the top three miners—
“It can’t be Yur.”
Besides, he hadn’t placed a bid yet himself.
“Big Ice? Is it him?”
Big Ice held the third position among the top three miners. If Big Ice was entering the bidding war, then Artem had to buy it.
“I could fall behind.”
Hadn’t Yur already proven it?
How much a single pickaxe could change things.
“It galls me, but Yur is first place right now.”
And it was Jin-woo’s pickaxe that had made him first.
“The pickaxe Jin-woo made is shaking up the rankings.”
Artem’s brow furrowed.
It wasn’t uncommon for a single craftsperson to shake up an entire industry.
“But that’s only possible for world-class crafters like Starlight or Inclassic!”
A chill ran down Artem’s spine in that instant.
“Is Jin-woo really on that level?”
Another thought struck Yur.
What if a miner who wasn’t in the top three—one ranked below them—bought this pickaxe?
“I could fall below them…… I could actually drop out of the top three……!”
No. He had to buy this.
-Bid placed!
-Bid amount: 11 million gold.
But Artem’s bid was immediately outpaced.
-Bid price updated.
-13 million gold.
“Are you insane!”
Jumping two million gold in an instant.
Artem checked his current gold reserves.
“Eighty million gold.”
As a top-three miner player, he had multiple trading partners, through whom he’d sold considerable quantities of materials over time.
Thanks to that, he had substantial gold, but suddenly Artem felt uneasy.
“I can afford it…… can’t I?”
Artem threw himself into the bidding war as if possessed.
* * *
“Just as planned.”
Jin-woo smiled contentedly as he watched the Millennium Steel Pickaxe’s bid price skyrocket the moment he listed it.
“Whoever wins will definitely contact me.”
Or he was planning to send word through Yur.
“The more trading partners, the better.”
Jin-woo then registered another piece of equipment.
“One Millennium Steel Pickaxe alone isn’t enough. Don’t you think?”
The Improved Dwarf Silver Staff was SS+ grade.
Its detailed attributes were so strong that calling it SS+ seemed almost an understatement, but technically it was SS+ grade.
“The Millennium Steel Pickaxe is SR, but still.”
Equipment that could appeal to far more people would show even better results, wouldn’t it?
“People weren’t using the Auction House much. Let’s make them start using it more regularly.”
-Giant Guardian Stone Shield registered!
Jin-woo had thrown a bomb into the Auction House.
After closing the Auction House, Jin-woo wandered through the forest.
The forest near Pentaretium was sandwiched between the Northern Mountain Range and the Eastern Mountain Range, with an enormous forest between them.
A place known as the Mist Forest.
The Mist Forest was an exceptionally dangerous location.
“Shriek—!”
“Damn it! I can’t see anything!”
The forest was packed with debuffs, and the monsters that emerged were equally gruesome.
“We need to use elemental attacks! Regular damage won’t work!”
Spirit Entity monsters.
The Mist Forest was filled with these undead-type creatures.
“Fall back!”
“Priest, what are you doing! Shield us with holy light!”
“The priest is already dead!”
The party that had come to hunt was annihilated without much resistance.
Yet among them.
There was one who walked alone with ease.
“Groooow—”
A Necromancer.
For Jin-woo, this Mist Forest filled with undead was a remarkably comfortable place.
“Beautiful scenery, pleasant smell.”
The air was even invigorating.
-You receive a powerful buff!
Where others received debuffs, Jin-woo received buffs instead.
-Necromancer job effect activates!
“First, Moltus, Pur.”
Jin-woo summoned three servants.
Whoooosh—!
The three servants’ eyes gleamed the moment they materialized.
“What. A. Lovely. Place.”
“Are we on vacation, Master?”
“Please, give us your orders.”
First and Moltus looked at the new servant, Pur.
“Your new companion.”
Jin-woo immediately opened his servant roster.
“Servant list.”
4.
Name: Pur
——-
Grade: Elite Level 1
Type: Undead, Melee (Banshee Knight)
Trait: High combat ability, high combat comprehension
Skills: Soul Absorption, Soul Massacre
Pur was a servant created from the soul and bones of Purpur, the incarnation of malice. For that reason, his specs were quite excellent.
Moreover, since Jin-woo had crafted an S-grade skeleton from S-grade bones, his base stats naturally exceeded those of Jin-woo’s previous servants.
‘Good skills.’
And his grade was Elite Level 1.
‘Banshee Knight. Seems similar to Death Knight.’
Being a Named servant, he had distinctly special qualities.
First and Moltus felt it too, their bones clattering as they regarded Pur.
Pur, looking at the two servants, set down his hammer and folded his arms.
When Moltus first met First and the Adjutant, he was quite respectful. But Pur was not.
After all, wasn’t he a servant created from the soul of the incarnation of malice himself?
He had no choice but to possess a certain pride.
First observed such a Pur.
“Won’t. You. Bow?”
At First’s words, Moltus made a startled sound—of bones, of course.
“I am a stronger being than you.”
“Just. Bone. Noise.”
First spoke.
“I am your senior.”
Then he began speaking more clearly and deliberately.
At that, Pur seemed momentarily flustered, but soon the stiffness left his posture.
“Right…… fine.”
‘This is amusing.’
They were all servants Jin-woo had created, but their personalities differed.
‘There’s a reason First is First.’
Being the first servant created, his pride was considerable.
‘He keeps good discipline.’
“Well, introductions are done now?”
“Yes. That. Is. So.”
“The Adjutant is on another assignment right now. So for now, the three of us will be operating together.”
“Yes!”
Jin-woo positioned Pur at the front.
“Pur, you’re the tank. First, you’re the damage dealer.”
Whoooosh—!
As Jin-woo summoned his three servants, the dark energy rippled outward, and Spirit Entities began converging.
Shriiiiek—!
Then, from far off, came the sound of hoofbeats.
“One who carries…… the same power as I…….”
A headless knight, Dullahan, appeared.
Dullahan, cradling his own head in one arm, saw Jin-woo and his servants, then raised his hand. At that signal, every Spirit Entity and Undead in the vicinity swarmed forward.
“Into eternal darkness…… I shall send you.”
At Dullahan’s gesture, Spirit Entities and Undead rushed in together. Their target was Pur, who stood at the front.
Pur waited for Jin-woo’s command.
Just a bit more. A little closer.
“Now.”
Crash—————!”
Pur unleashed a single strike.
-Casting Spirit Shattering!
-Ignoring the target’s defense!
Crunch—!
Numerous Undead at the front were obliterated in that one blow.
-Level increased!
Floating upward.
The souls of the fallen Undead rose into the air.
Witnessing this spectacle, Dullahan’s body trembled. Even the headless knight, who knew no fear, felt terror at such an overwhelming strike.
“Oh.”
The impact was certainly satisfying—being a weapon specialized for attack as it was.
The sheer satisfaction of landing the blow.
“It came out just as I envisioned.”
Yet it wasn’t a perfect strike.
“Pur, you can’t swing it like that. You’re relying too much on your own strength. You’re not just using brute force—you need to let the hammer itself do the work.”
But that last strike hadn’t drawn out everything the hammer could offer. Pur had merely displayed his own power.
He needed to trust the equipment more and use it properly.
“Open yourself up a bit more.”
Jin-woo gestured as if to say the hammer should be handed over.
“Not to me. To First. I can’t lift it.”
That hammer was far too heavy.
But First could manage it.
Pur hurled the hammer at First. First caught it solidly with a snap.
“…….”
‘He wants to see. Whether the first servant is worth respecting.’
The two servants’ positions could overlap considerably. Though First was called the damage dealer, he could tank as well. Pur too could fill both roles.
‘But the true dealer is First.’
Since Jin-woo already trusted First deeply, it was fine.
“Show me, First.”
“Very well.”
First gripped the hammer and, as Jin-woo said, swung it.
Whooom—!
All the remaining Undead vanished into nothing in an instant.
Floating upward—.
The rising souls were far greater in number than when Pur had swung.
“Yes. That’s it.”
First, who had used Jin-woo’s equipment countless times already.
His understanding of how to wield it ran far deeper.
-Affinity with First increases!
-You have learned a new skill!
“Oh.”
Along with the deepened affinity came a new skill that was quite interesting.
-Servant Unity
Temporarily borrow the power of a servant!
Duration: 10 seconds
Servant Unity.
A skill that temporarily borrowed a servant’s power.
With a duration of exactly 10 seconds, it might seem difficult to use, but for Jin-woo it was perfectly suited.
“Servant Unity.”
-Borrowing the power of servant First!
Whoooosh—————!”
Jin-woo received the hammer from First.
“The games…… are over.”
Dullahan and his knights descended on Jin-woo simultaneously.
Pur suddenly rushed forward to protect Jin-woo. But First grabbed Pur’s shoulder.
“Don’t.”
“There’s. No. Need.”
Jin-woo gripped the hammer firmly.
“Watch.”
Then he took his stance.
“This is how to.”
Crack—!
“Properly wield this hammer.”
-You have hunted Dullahan, master of the Mist Forest!
-You have slain a boss monster in a single strike!
-Achievement [One Hit] unlocked!
-Necromancer level increased!
-Soul Sight proficiency increases!
Just one blow.
Dullahan, the boss of the Mist Forest, became nothing.
“He was a boss?”
“…….”
Pur watched with both eyes.
That was the correct way to use the hammer he’d just held.
That was what it meant when Jin-woo told him to draw out the hammer’s power.
Pur stood frozen, showing no reaction.
Then First tapped him.
“Applaud.”
“Yes! Yes indeed!”
Pur began clapping furiously with his bones.
Clap—! Clap—! Clap—! Clap—!
Of course, Moltus was already clapping before First even spoke.

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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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