The Return of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 116

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Transcendent Blacksmith’s Return, Chapter 116
Crack!
“Gurgling!”
An orc whose throat had been slashed by the blade clutched at the wound, blood streaming down, and collapsed.
Park Su-hyuk’s exhausted face gasped for breath as a message window materialized before his eyes.
[You have cleared the Trial of Floor 14.]
[Points are awarded for clearing the Trial.]
[Rewards for Trial clearance are being distributed.]
[Reward Contents: 350 Middle-grade Qi Fragments, 700 Lower Essence Fragments]
‘What the hell!’
Park Su-hyuk ground his teeth together upon seeing the meager reward.
He’d run himself ragged like a dog trying to salvage whatever reward he could from this miserable situation, and this was all he got?
As Park Su-hyuk fought to suppress his anger, Chinese challengers who had been dealing with several other orcs nearby approached him.
“What a display from Korea’s Ranker! Magnificent!”
“Your performance never fails to impress. Nothing but admiration!”
“As I’ve always said, don’t worry about covering your rear. We’ll protect you!”
The Chinese challengers subtly flattered Park Su-hyuk while asserting that they too had been far from idle.
But Park Su-hyuk, having reached the limit of his patience, did not return their greetings with even lukewarm politeness as he had before.
“What exactly are you people doing? While I’ve been dealing with over a hundred of them, you’ve only managed to take down barely twenty!”
“What? Only doing? Didn’t you notice we were protecting your rear?!”
“I didn’t take you for the type. Is this what Rankers do—look down on people?”
Five Chinese challengers took turns firing back at Park Su-hyuk’s words.
Leaving logic aside, they employed a strategy of using sheer numbers to intimidate and gaslight him into submission.
But Park Su-hyuk was neither bound to them nor some naive newcomer—he’d survived too much to fall for such shallow tactics.
The way they kept refusing to acknowledge fault and only raised their voices made his eyes turn cold and distant.
“That’s enough. This is where we part ways. From the next floor on, I’ll go alone if I have to. I’m done associating with you lot.”
“What?! Hey, Park Su-hyuk! What are you saying?!”
“Are you betraying us?!”
The Chinese challengers protested loudly, but Park Su-hyuk paid them no mind.
Fighting the urge to swing his unwithdrawn blade at these shameless loudmouths, Park Su-hyuk turned and left.
The Chinese challengers twisted their faces in fury and shouted after his departing figure.
But the moment his silhouette vanished, their angry bellows stopped as if by a ghost’s touch.
“Tsk. You don’t think he’s actually leaving, do you?”
“Hah. Where’s he going? He was just blowing off steam—he’ll forget all about it before the next floor starts.”
“Still, maybe we should at least pretend to help from now on. He’s the type who labors with the devotion of a dog and horse.”
“Kiki! That’s right. He ran around like a dog and horse, tearing orcs apart with his teeth. We can show that much sincerity!”
The Chinese challengers giggled with pride at their own scheming.
After they had laughed at Park Su-hyuk’s foolishness for a while, one of them suddenly seemed to remember something and asked.
“By the way, do you know what the others are up to?”
“No idea. The news says they should be on the same floor as us, but it’s hard to confirm since we can’t run into them.”
Back when they had met on Floor 11.
The Chinese challengers had dug a trap using orcs in an attempt to kill Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi.
After Yong-ryong-i discovered the trap they had dug at that time.
They had been avoiding Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, fearing retribution from the two Rankers.
“Those guys don’t have such a fine hunting dog, so they must be struggling their way up.”
“But that pet that looked down on us—that was definitely a dragon, wasn’t it?”
At someone’s words, the others fell silent.
The challenger who had spoken licked his lips with his tongue.
“No matter what else the tower may be. I never expected to find legendary beasts like that. If we could just capture that thing….”
“A dragon, a dragon… Just boiling its horns would give us incredible vitality, wouldn’t it?”
“Who knows? If we slowly stewed its bones, could we gain power like a dragon’s?”
“The power of a dragon…!”
The eyes of the Chinese challengers gleamed.
In China, there existed a long-held belief in Form Complements Form—eating a creature’s shape to fortify one’s own.
And likewise, a belief in Organ Complements Organ—using an animal’s organs to supplement one’s own.
Following that belief, to balance Yin and Yang, there existed a dish called Dragon-Tiger Stew, made with snakes and cats in place of actual dragons and tigers.
But what if they could actually boil and eat a real dragon?!
The possibilities seemed limitless.
“But still. No matter what tower beasts might be—isn’t it a bit much to take something that belongs to someone else?”
One man cautiously expressed his dissent to his companions’ enthusiasm, throwing ash on the fire of their excitement.
But the other four had already made up their minds, and they turned on the cautious one in unison.
“Why live so meekly, like a fool? Long ago, Sima Qian wrote in the Records of the Grand Historian: ‘He can be taken and replaced.'”
I will seize that position and take his place.
At the mention of Sima Qian’s classic, the hesitant speaker fell silent.
“This is an opportunity. Perhaps one that will never come again.”
If we capture and consume that dragon, we could obtain a body and spirit like the dragon’s—become stronger.
Then we might break free from the mundane class limits that bind us, ascend to greater power.
No, beyond that—might we not surpass even Wang Xiaomei, the World Ranker whose fame spans not just China but the entire world?!
“…Ahhhh!”
The corners of their mouths stretched upward to their ears, viscous breaths escaping in ragged gasps.
A sticky, covetous breath seeped out between lips curved like a crescent moon—ghastly and raw.
* * *
Screeeech!
Thud-thud-thud!
Five orc heads fell to the ground, severed by the Ōdachi that stretched over two meters.
In that instant, a message window materialized before Shin Tae-ho’s party.
[You have cleared the Trial of the 14th Floor.]
[Points have been awarded for clearing the Trial.]
[Trial clearance rewards have been granted.]
[Reward contents: 150 High-grade Qi Fragments, 1,200 Middle-grade Qi Fragments, 5,000 Lower Essence Fragments]
‘Not bad at all.’
Shin Tae-ho, surveying the rewards, felt quietly satisfied.
Ever since the four of them had decided to travel together.
Amaterasu had taken the front lines as promised, cutting down the orcs with hearty precision.
Thanks to her, Shin Tae-ho could have kept his distance, but he did not simply watch.
At crucial moments when the party faced danger, he fired Bolts to intercept the orcs’ attacks.
Yong-ryong-i, likewise, would periodically raise her venomous scales to poison incoming orcs whenever they swarmed.
Though neither Shin Tae-ho nor Yong-ryong-i fought on the front lines, not a soul resented them for it.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
‘How does he always know exactly when to help, and precisely how much? So reassuring!’
‘With this Tamer around, combat becomes incredibly smooth. I thought Tamers were a class that relied heavily on their pets—but his tactical sense is extraordinary.’
Amaterasu felt gratitude toward Shin Tae-ho’s support, while Tsukuyomi felt astonishment.
Han Ji-hyun, as a mage, could not judge directly.
But the two who fought with their bodies felt in their bones how much Shin Tae-ho’s help eased combat.
Yet Shin Tae-ho’s abilities did not end there.
“Splendid work! You’ve all done well. If any of your weapons are damaged, hand them over to me. I’ll give them special treatment for you!”
Thanks to building favor with Zetaum each time they visited the tower, the Dwarf treated Shin Tae-ho almost as a friend.
To offer repairs unprompted—work he would never do for other challengers even if they begged and offered items!
If word of this reached others, even a World Ranker’s account would strain credulity.
“Thank you. If I may, could you examine my Crossbow?”
“Of course! Let me see… Eh?! This, this is…?!”
Zetaum’s eyes widened as he inspected the Crossbow’s mechanisms.
He had accepted it casually, gesturing goodwill toward a favored acquaintance, with no ulterior motive.
Yet the Crossbow’s design was crafted with such precision and originality that even Zetaum found inspiration in it.
Excited, Zetaum let out a sharp breath through his nostrils.
“W-where on earth did this come from?! S-Shin Tae-ho! How much time can you spare?!”
“I can give you five days.”
“Seven! Just two more days—give me seven days to work with this!”
“Hmm… understood. My schedule will shift somewhat, but since you ask, I’ll see what I can arrange.”
“G-grateful! Thank you!”
[Zetaum’s favor has increased.]
“Hm? Captain, what are you looking at? Ah, no! This…?!”
[The Dwarves’ favor toward you has increased.]
By merely entrusting the Crossbow to repair, his favor automatically rose, leaving Shin Tae-ho with an awkward expression.
Had he known this would happen, he might have cried foul.
Fortunately, the favor message appeared only to Shin Tae-ho.
“Everyone, thank you for your hard work. We’ll meet again on the 15th Floor.”
“S-Shin Tae-ho, what will you do now?”
“First, I’ll restore my Qi. After that, I plan to mine.”
Shin Tae-ho answered candidly.
Amaterasu’s eyes sparkled at the mention of mining.
‘That’s it!’
The reason Zetaum and the dwarves treated Shin Tae-ho with such particular warmth!
It was surely because he’d woven himself into the fabric of dwarven life and helped them thrive.
Now that understanding had struck her, Amaterasu clenched her fist and approached Zetaum.
“Zetaum. Might I be permitted to mine as well? I’d like to help, however humble the task.”
“Help? I’m drowning in work as it is! Dwarves don’t hand over their mining to outsiders. Get out of the way and go!”
[Zetaum’s favorability has decreased.]
Seeing her favorability plummet instead, Amaterasu’s shoulders slumped.
Tsukuyomi, who’d been watching her disappointment with a bitter smile, rushed over to her side.
“Miss. Why don’t we restore your energy and head back for now? You’ve had quite the ordeal today.”
“Yes… I understand, Tsukuyomi….”
With her shoulders sagging, Amaterasu leaned on him and departed.
‘…I feel oddly guilty about that.’
Having grasped both Amaterasu’s intent and outcome, Shin Tae-ho watched their retreating forms with a conflicted expression.
* * *
Time passed quickly.
After clearing the 14th floor and handling a month’s worth of tasks, Shin Tae-ho took his rest and then entered the tower immediately.
Since he was already traveling with the others, there was no need to delay and enter late.
[Entering Tower Floor 15.]
Shin Tae-ho looked around as he entered the tower.
Soon he spotted his companions waiting for him on one side.
But their atmosphere was somehow awkward and uncomfortable, unlike their usual bearing.
‘What’s going on?’
As Shin Tae-ho approached the group, they greeted him warmly.
“Shin Tae-ho. Welcome.”
“Yes. But is something the matter? Something feels different than usual.”
“Ah. Well….”
Amaterasu glanced awkwardly to one side.
When Shin Tae-ho looked that way, he saw Park Su-hyuk approaching him—someone he hadn’t seen in some time.
“Greetings, Shin Tae-ho. I’ve heard much about you. As you likely know, I’m Park Su-hyuk, a Korean Ranker.”
Park Su-hyuk offered a courteous smile as he spoke.
But unlike Park Su-hyuk’s brightness, Shin Tae-ho’s expression was noticeably colder.
“Greetings. We met on the 11th floor, and now we meet again here.”
“Haha, indeed we do. I wanted to talk more at the time, but you seemed so busy it was hard to catch you. Now, finally, an opportunity’s presented itself.”
Tsukuyomi’s eyes gleamed with amusement.
Though others might miss it, Tsukuyomi—born and raised in Kyoto—could read the subtext of their exchange.
‘He’s mocking the behavior Park Su-hyuk showed on the 11th floor, as if it meant nothing to him. And Park Su-hyuk’s countering by saying you should’ve come first if you were so interested. Quite the play.’
As Tsukuyomi found the whole thing fascinating, Park Su-hyuk broached the subject more directly.
“Before we know it, we’ve reached the 15th floor. As you’ve surely noticed, with each level the enemies grow stronger and more numerous. In times like these, we must band together—”
“Park Su-hyuk! There you are!”
“We’ve been looking all over for you!”
The man who’d been speaking froze as his name was called out in that familiar, casual tone.
Tsukuyomi, who’d been listening to their exchange with keen interest, suddenly went rigid, his eyes turning glacial as he glanced toward the source of the voices.
Five Chinese challengers had just entered the tower, walking boldly from the entrance of the Cave at the Dwarf City, bundled together in an unmistakable formation.
To be continued ▶
The Transcendent Blacksmith’s Return
Author
Bongeonjehaegjae
Publisher
Kim Seokhwan, Choi Sera
Published by
Grae Publications
Inquiries
[email protected]
Publication date
May 26, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260227067
※ This e-book is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction and distribution are prohibited, and violators will be subject to criminal and civil penalties.
※ Pentagram awaits the author’s precious manuscript.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————