The Return of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 26

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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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Transcendent-grade Blacksmith’s Return — Chapter 26
At Sin Tae-ho’s command, the elf warriors removed their weapons and armor, turning them in.
Sin Tae-ho collected everything—swords, spears, shields, gauntlets, boots, even arrows and accessories.
In moments, the elf warriors stood bewildered, clad only in fiber-woven garments.
“Why did the Hero suddenly do this…?”
“There must be a plan. Let’s trust the Hero and wait.”
Sin Tae-ho, having smashed through with his hammer, created an environment suited to his work.
Once he had the proper height and ample space, Sin Tae-ho grabbed a hammer and chisel from the base.
‘I need to verify the Engraving ability here while raising my experience. I’ll engrave everything I can possibly engrave.’
Sin Tae-ho positioned the chisel and took a deep breath.
[Activating skill: Engraving.]
Below where he raised the chisel, a pattern visible only to Sin Tae-ho’s eyes appeared.
It resembled a rune, or perhaps a pictographic character like an ancient glyph.
With hammer in hand, Sin Tae-ho traced the pattern and began to engrave.
It was his first engraving since his return, yet Sin Tae-ho’s exceptional craftsmanship allowed him to complete the pattern without the slightest misalignment.
[Engraving complete.]
[You have acquired: Lowest-grade Acceleration Rune!]
“Done.”
Having engraved Eldein’s boots first, Sin Tae-ho called him over.
“Eldein. Put on these boots and run.”
“Ah, understood.”
Eldein trotted forward with a puzzled expression.
His eyes widened considerably.
Though he was merely running at a leisurely pace, he achieved the speed he normally reached when exerting full effort.
“H-Hero! How is this possible?!”
“It’s… my blessing inscribed upon the boots.”
Sin Tae-ho dodged a proper explanation—there was no time to waste.
‘Good. The engraving effect works perfectly. Now I just need to keep repeating this.’
Sin Tae-ho turned away from the murmuring elves and resumed his engraving.
Though it resembled simple, repetitive drudgery,
each time he engraved, a new pattern emerged, and the joy of acquiring each novel design kept boredom at bay.
‘I’ll engrave as much as possible in the remaining time.’
Sin Tae-ho felt a genuine pleasure at the prospect of working freely on engravings for once.
* * *
[You have entered the 19th floor of the Tower of Korea.]
Upon entering the 19th floor, Sin Tae-ho surveyed his surroundings with familiar ease. The Elf City lay not far ahead.
‘I wonder how much time has actually passed.’
Walking toward what appeared to be a considerably developed city, Sin Tae-ho felt anticipation stir.
At that moment, the 19th floor’s Trial appeared before his eyes.
[19th Floor Trial: After you destroyed the Forest Goblin base, the elves journeyed outward and destroyed other bases.]
[But with the emergence of a powerful Forest Hopgoblin, the Elf City now faces crisis anew.]
[Protect the Elf City, eliminate the Forest Hopgoblin, and destroy its base.]
[Time limit: 18 hours]
‘A Hopgoblin. A type of goblin, but far larger than the ordinary ones.’
Sin Tae-ho read the message as he walked toward the city.
Soon, a sentry came running toward him.
Observing the sentry’s speed, Sin Tae-ho’s gaze fell upon the boots.
The boots bore the very engraving pattern Sin Tae-ho had inscribed on the 18th floor.
“Hero Sin Tae-ho! Welcome back!”
“Indeed. It’s been a while.”
Sin Tae-ho received the sentries’ greeting.
The courteous sentry promptly began to guide him into the city.
Inside, elf warriors were armed and preparing for deployment, just as they had been on the 18th floor.
“Hero! You’ve returned!”
Kider, spotting Sin Tae-ho, hurried over with surprise and greeted him.
“Long time.”
“Not at all. It’s only been a year. Have you come in person to help us once more?”
Sin Tae-ho nodded affirmatively, and the elf warriors were moved.
Sin Tae-ho appeared suddenly and vanished just as swiftly, as if evaporating into thin air.
Yet each time the elves faced hardship, he emerged from nowhere to aid them—a true hero incarnate in their eyes.
Moreover, thanks to the Engravings he’d inscribed on the elves at the eighteenth floor, Sin Tae-ho was gradually becoming something beyond a mere hero.
“Thanks to the blessing you bestowed upon us, we have managed to protect the city without great difficulty until now.”
“But it seems a formidable enemy has appeared this time.”
“Pardon? A formidable enemy, you say?”
Kider tilted his head in confusion, as though he didn’t understand Sin Tae-ho’s meaning.
“What do you mean you don’t understand? Surely you’re referring to the Forest Hopgoblins.”
Just then, Eldein arrived belatedly and inserted himself into the conversation, speaking to Kider with a note of reproach.
Eldein ignored the rumbling Kider and greeted Sin Tae-ho with proper elven courtesy.
“Greetings, hero. Thank you for returning to us.”
“It’s been a while, Eldein. But it seems the situation differs from what I understood. Weren’t you struggling because of the Forest Hopgoblins?”
Sin Tae-ho asked with a puzzled expression, and Eldein shook his head gracefully.
“I heard rumors that such creatures had arrived, but we have not yet engaged them in combat.”
‘What? So the message window got ahead of itself about something that hasn’t even happened?’
Sin Tae-ho found himself bewildered by a reality that differed slightly from what he’d read.
After completing his greeting, Eldein looked up with eyes ablaze.
“You’ve arrived at a fortunate moment. We were just about to sortie and deal with that creature. Would you join us? I should like to demonstrate how effectively we wield the blessing you granted us.”
Eldein’s eyes shone with unwavering confidence, emboldened by the power of the Engraved weapons.
That look was one Sin Tae-ho recognized all too well.
‘They’re like those challengers of old—eager to receive items from me and desperate to prove their worth by showcasing how skillfully they can wield them.’
An old memory brought a wry smile to Sin Tae-ho’s lips.
There had been a time when he too delighted in watching those challengers excel with his own equipment.
Though he had later raged when his items fell into the hands of those who stood against everything he represented.
“Very well. I look forward to it.”
“Of course. I shall not disappoint you!”
Kider’s bold proclamation drew brief cheers from the elf warriors in response.
* * *
At the edge of the Great Forest, tended by the elves.
There gathered beings who coveted its abundant resources.
They had even established a base camp and waited eagerly for an opportunity to strike.
Among them were the Forest Hopgoblins, relatively recent arrivals to this alliance.
These creatures, growing to heights near three meters, commanded Forest Goblins and made use of beasts as well—a rising powerhouse.
“Keh-kruk.”
As always, the Forest Hopgoblins felled trees and devoured the animals dwelling within them.
The trees they cut for firewood.
The animals they hunted for sustenance, though the hunt itself had become a pastime, tinged with cruel sport.
But that day, something different unfolded.
Whistle!
Thunk!
“Keh-gralak!”
An arrow, arriving from nowhere, lodged itself in the throat of a Hopgoblin, which shrieked in agony.
Normally, such an arrow would have caused it no more discomfort than a toothpick.
But the Hopgoblin did not know.
It did not know that this was no ordinary arrow, but one that Sin Tae-ho had meticulously inscribed with Engravings, stitch by stitch.
Boom!
“Keh-wak!”
The arrow exploded, tearing through the Hopgoblin’s throat.
The startled Hopgoblins rushed forward.
But that was precisely what the elf warriors had planned—a calculated lure.
Whistle-whistle-whistle-whoosh!!
Thrum-thrum-thrum-bang!!
Arrows fell like rain.
Yet each arrow was carefully aimed and deliberately loosed.
Not a single shaft from the elves fell to the ground; every one found its mark in a Hopgoblin’s body.
Crack-sizzle-snap!!
Boom-crack-crash!!
Arrows bearing different Engraving Patterns manifested lightning, ice, and countless other powers, assailing the Hopgoblins.
From his perch high in the trees, Sin Tae-ho watched in amazement.
‘Providing Engraved arrows to the elves—their versatility is extraordinary.’
Arrows bearing fire Engravings to the eyes.
Lightning and ice Engravings to the joints—knees and forearms alike.
The elves unleashed a constant barrage of arrows, yet each shaft found its mark with perfect precision—every projectile chosen to maximize its devastating effect.
As a result, the formidable pack of Forest Hopgoblins crumbled with startling speed.
[All enemies at the base have been eliminated.]
[The enemy base has been destroyed.]
[You have cleared the 19th Floor Trial.]
[Your Clear Rank is S.]
A message window materialized moments later, announcing the successful completion of the Trial.
Without lifting a single finger, Sin Tae-ho had earned an S-rank Clear.
It was precisely the outcome he’d anticipated when he’d inscribed the Engraving onto the elves’ weapons on the eighteenth floor.
‘My choice paid off.’
If he continued ascending the tower alongside these elves, he could strengthen their arms through careful Engraving work and reap their full support.
Having confirmed his instinct with his own eyes, Sin Tae-ho felt a thrill course through him.
[Your Affinity with the Pure Elf has increased.]
[Your Affinity with the Dark Elf has increased.]
[Your Affinity has already reached its maximum!]
[Bonus Affinity will be reflected in your rewards!]
[Reward Contents: 5 Superior Ki Fragments, 3,000 Intermediate Ki Fragments, 1 Inferior Wind Rune.]
‘Excellent.’
With the bonus Affinity factored into his rewards, he’d obtained five Superior Ki Fragments and even an Inferior Wind Rune—far more than he’d dared hope for.
As the battle concluded, Eldein and Kider, who had commanded the warriors throughout the conflict, approached him.
“Hero! What did you make of our performance?”
“I watched well. Magnificent.”
“Ha-ha-ha! We’re honored that the hero speaks such praise!”
“It is all thanks to the direct blessing you bestowed upon us, hero.”
While Kider laughed with evident pleasure,
Eldein humbly exalted Sin Tae-ho instead.
Yet she could not conceal the satisfaction and pride mingling in her expression.
Observing their delight with approval, Sin Tae-ho rose to his feet.
“Then, as before, summon the warriors and have them gather their weapons and armor.”
“Pardon? Surely… you don’t mean to bestow another blessing upon them?”
“That’s right. I’ve seen how your warriors fought without injury, how brilliantly they performed—all because of my blessing. There’s no reason not to grant it again.”
“H-Hero…”
At Sin Tae-ho’s words, Kider’s voice trembled with overwhelming emotion as she called his name.
Eldein too was visibly shaken, her eyes quivering as though an earthquake had struck.
And the moment the sharp-eared elf warriors heard Sin Tae-ho’s declaration,
the resolve that had hardened deep within their hearts transmitted itself to Sin Tae-ho through a message window.
[Your Affinity with the elves has transcended its upper limit.]
[Their feelings toward you have transformed from Affinity into Loyalty!]
‘I didn’t ask for their loyalty.’
Having read the elves’ hearts, Sin Tae-ho felt oddly embarrassed.
His true purpose in inscribing again was to practice the craft itself, to acquire more Engraving Patterns through the repetition.
And strengthening the elves simply made his own ascent through the tower that much easier.
“Come when you’re ready.”
Unable to bear the gaze of elves who looked as though they might burst into tears at any moment, Sin Tae-ho fled down from the tree.
Continued in the next chapter ▶
The Transcendent Blacksmith’s Return
Author
Bong In Haejae
Publisher
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Published by
Grae Publishing
Inquiries
[email protected]
Publication Date
May 26, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260227067
※ This e-book is protected by copyright law, and unauthorized reproduction or duplication is prohibited. Violations may result in criminal and civil legal liability.
※ Pentagram welcomes submissions from writers.

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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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