The Return of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 39

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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 Blacksmith’s Return — Chapter 39
“Yum, yum, yum.”
Yongryong-i ate a chunk of meat the size of itself from atop the dining table with obvious relish.
Shin Tae-ho, dining beside the beast, picked up a side dish and mentally retraced what had happened in the tower earlier.
‘Epiel hadn’t realized she was an Awakener.’
By nature a being that shouldn’t exist in the elven world, Epiel had awakened as an alchemist.
Yet neither Epiel nor the other elves seemed to have any awareness of towers or Awakeners whatsoever.
Which meant, in turn, that the elves themselves didn’t realize they were beings inside the tower.
Mulling over this fact, Shin Tae-ho reached a decision.
‘I won’t tell Epiel anything about towers and Awakeners. Not the other elves either.’
All evidence suggested the elves had no knowledge that they existed within the tower.
But what if he suddenly revealed that truth to them?
That in fact they were merely beings playing roles like NPCs inside the tower.
That as other Awakers climbed the tower, countless versions of themselves existed elsewhere?
He’d stake anything that the chance they’d receive the truth with joy was close to zero.
More likely they’d dismiss it as nonsense.
In the worst case, they might turn hostile against whoever had revealed such a truth, bringing only harm upon him.
More pressing was what needed to be done first.
“We bring you this update: While Mystery managed to seal the first Gate, only twenty-eight days remain before the next one forms.”
News about Gates aired from the smartphone he’d left on.
As the report suggested, sealing a Gate once didn’t mean the end.
The only way to permanently seal Gates was to clear the tower’s highest floor.
Without clearing the highest floor, even sealed Gates would spawn again endlessly.
And as time passed, Gates appeared more frequently and in greater numbers.
Already, footage of cities destroyed because they failed to seal Gates was being broadcast.
Nations with strong militaries or Awakeners of sufficient power managed to contain the damage.
But nations with neither military strength nor Awakeners faced outright annihilation.
Among countries closely linked to Korea was North Korea.
‘That’s when China abandoned its border defenses.’
Monsters spreading from North Korea’s collapse poured into Russia and China.
Harbin in China and Vladivostok in Russia suffered devastating losses from the influx.
Though North Korea’s fall meant the tower recognized it as part of South Korea, preventing additional Gates from opening there—
Korea was now facing international pressure to compensate Russia and China for their losses.
As the news turned to searching for Mystery, Shin Tae-ho switched off his phone.
‘Focus on what I need to do. This looks like a national crisis now, but ultimately the tower is a question of humanity’s survival.’
Shin Tae-ho placed the sleeping Yongryong-i, belly round and full, onto a cushion and checked his calendar.
Time remaining: twenty-eight days.
Current floor: sixty-two.
He’d made good progress, so time was on his side.
‘From here to floor sixty-seven, I’ll focus on refilling my Qi from the World Tree and concentrate on climbing.’
Shin Tae-ho cast aside his lingering thoughts and lay down beside Yongryong-i.
Staring at the ceiling next to Yongryong-i, who’d curled into an ammonite shape, Shin Tae-ho drifted into sleep.
* * *
Days later, inside the Management Bureau’s exclusive hospital for Challengers.
Im A-young entered the VVIP room and was startled to see Park Je-hyuk sitting up.
“Challenger Park Je-hyuk! Why are you sitting? You should still be resting!”
“Ha, I’m fine. It’s been over ten days since the surgery.”
“That may be, but—”
“Besides, I can’t help feeling anxious. The sixty-sixth floor… I know what kind of place it is.”
Five-meter ogres advancing from all directions.
Mixed among them, Stone Skin Ogres were so formidable that one could barely defeat them even by pouring all of one’s Qi into battle.
The oppressive presence of these massive beings was frightening enough.
But what terrified him more were the goblins armed with advanced technology.
Dozens of Forest Goblins riding giant centipedes and giant king centipedes controlled by Forest Hop Goblins.
They rained down Explosive Bombs and spears like a downpour.
Such an overwhelming barrage made it impossible to evade completely.
Ogres and massive centipedes.
And the goblins and hop goblins astride them, their mouths twisted into cruel grins, eyes gleaming with malice.
The elves who had been helping him abandoned him and vanished.
And he alone remained—
“Park Je-hyuk, Challenger!”
“What? Ah….”
At Im A-young’s call, Park Je-hyuk snapped back to attention, his mind jolted away from thoughts of the 66th floor.
Sweat had soaked through his clothes, and his body trembled with a fine, persistent quiver.
Im A-young, her lower lip caught between her teeth, pressed gently down on Park Je-hyuk’s shoulder.
“This won’t do. Please, lie down.”
“No, no, it’s fine. I was just recalling the 66th floor for a moment….”
“That’s exactly why! Your body aside, you suffered severe post-traumatic stress symptoms back then! If you don’t want to lie flat, at least prop yourself up higher on the bed!”
Faced with Im A-young’s earnest scolding, Park Je-hyuk could offer no further protest.
An awkward silence descended between them as Park Je-hyuk reclined at an angle against the bed, with Im A-young beside him.
Unable to bear the weight of that silence, Park Je-hyuk let out a small, artificial cough.
“Now that you mention it, the other Rankers have changed their behavior since coming out of the Gate, haven’t they?”
“Yes. Since leaving the Gate, they’ve been training consistently.”
Korea’s Rankers were Park Je-hyuk, Park Soo-hyuk, Cha I-hyun, Lee Ye-seul, and Han Ji-hyun.
Adding Mystery, who had just become a new Ranker yesterday after successfully climbing the 65th floor, that made six in total.
But until Mystery appeared, the other four Rankers—aside from Park Je-hyuk—had never trained a day in their lives.
They’d received a Special class from the beginning.
Using the power granted by that Special class, they could grow stronger simply by climbing the Tower.
They never gambled their lives on ascending the Tower.
Instead, they reveled in the blessing of Awakening and the fame and wealth their Tower-climbing had brought them, living life to the fullest.
And now those same people were training.
“When I said training was necessary, they brushed me off entirely. I suppose the shock was significant.”
“It must have been. As I mentioned—Mystery’s power was in a completely different class.”
Tireless stamina that never flagged, a body that moved without ceasing.
Strength that could kill a Hobgoblin in a single blow.
And a combat prowess sharp enough to dodge the attacks of Balrog Riders while striking back in kind.
Mystery’s combat style was the ideal that any warrior-class Challenger would aspire to.
At the same time, it was executed at such a high level that even Han Ji-hyun, a mage herself, could only marvel at it.
“Because of that, the Management Bureau believes other Rankers will soon attempt the 66th floor as well.”
“I see.”
A bitter smile tugged at Park Je-hyuk’s lips.
Park Je-hyuk had always carried the pride that he stood at the vanguard, climbing the Tower and protecting humanity.
He believed this was not arrogance, but rather the responsibility a Challenger bore, chosen as an Awakener to undertake this burden.
Yet now, ironically, that very effort had become poison—while he alone stood still.
Noticing Park Je-hyuk’s gloom, Im A-young changed the subject.
“Really, the news is in an uproar. It seems the other side of the world is watching this situation closely too.”
Just as she said, the TV screen showed reporters from nations around the globe who had come to Korea.
Each spoke in their own language, explaining the local situation to their home countries.
Though their languages differed, their message was the same.
“Will Mystery truly be able to succeed in climbing the 66th floor as the seventh?”
The highest floor currently being climbed anywhere in the world was the 68th.
Even then, only six Challengers had succeeded in reaching it.
If Mystery succeeded in climbing the 66th floor this time, he would be the seventh in the world.
And he would be the first Challenger to succeed in South Korea.
‘If Mystery succeeds… then our country will have only one Ranker.’
A Ranker was the term for the Challenger who had climbed the highest floor in a given country.
If Mystery succeeded in the 66th floor, Mystery alone would become Korea’s sole Ranker.
Even as Park Je-hyuk let out a hollow laugh at this pointless thought, the news continued its relentless narration.
“It has now been twenty-eight hours since Mystery succeeded in clearing the 65th floor. If he entered at the scheduled re-entry time, four hours have passed.”
“Will Mystery truly succeed in clearing the 66th floor, and become the savior of Korea in this unprecedented crisis with the Gate—”
The reporter, whose mouth had been moving ceaselessly, fell silent.
Im A-young and Park Je-hyuk, too, were no longer watching the TV.
Instead, a notification had appeared before their eyes, and Im A-young covered her mouth with trembling hands.
“It… it can’t be… really… truly…?!”
“Yes. We’re truly fortunate, Captain Im A-young.”
Park Je-hyuk smiled gently.
In that moment, the TV screen erupted with a deafening roar.
Among crowds of people embracing and cheering, the reporter’s voice rang out, thick with emotion.
“The Tower’s notification just came through! The Challenger from South Korea, Mystery! has just succeeded in clearing Tower floor 66!”
“Yes! Yessss! We’re saved!”
⌜Yes! Damn it, Mystery! You’re the best!!⌟
A reporter caught among the cheering crowds finished her commentary with flushed cheeks.
⌜With this, Mystery becomes the seventh Challenger in the world to successfully scale the 66th floor! At the same time, he has become the hero who saved Korea from the danger of the Gate!⌟
Park Je-hyuk, who had been watching the television, clenched his fists tightly.
His eyes, reddened as if tears might spill at any moment.
With overwhelming emotion came an unmistakable envy toward the one who had succeeded where he had failed.
* * *
“Haah.”
The elven warriors lay scattered across the ground, breathing heavily.
Though they had fought countless battles before, this one differed vastly in scale from all those that came before.
More than hundreds of Forest Goblins and Hobgoblins gathered together.
Moreover, they had somehow created strange devices that channeled natural forces to create explosions.
Had Shin Tae-ho not stepped forward first to neutralize them.
There would certainly have been casualties among the elven warriors, and the entire area would have become a sea of flame.
“Hero. You’ve labored greatly.”
“Thanks to you, not a single warrior fell, and we were able to claim victory. We are truly grateful!”
“No. Through all our previous battles, you honed your skills, and by fighting together with determination, we achieved victory.”
“You are too kind! Without the weapons blessed by you, it would have been difficult even to contend with the giant poisonous centipedes and giant royal centipedes.”
“Right. Those creatures—their shells were so hard the arrows barely pierced them. But now they’re no longer a challenge.”
“And ever since you fought alongside us, strength seems to surge through our bodies in a curious way, does it not?”
“Indeed. Could that be why? By contrast, the monsters seemed to weaken.”
‘The Battlefield Blessing is working as intended.’
Shin Tae-ho felt quietly satisfied at the elves’ conversation.
Ever since acquiring his new trait, Battlefield Blessing, combat had felt several times easier.
Sitting down to rest, Shin Tae-ho gathered his thoughts.
‘Now I needn’t worry about the Gate. From here on, I can slow my pace.’
The reason Shin Tae-ho had rushed up the tower to the 66th floor.
It was to eliminate the danger of another Gate emerging in Korea.
And to prepare for the panic that would seize people, driven by terror of the Gate.
But now that such danger had passed, he could ascend the tower at leisure.
‘What matters more than climbing quickly is preparing countermeasures.’
“Eldein. Kider. Gather the warriors’ weapons. I’ll inspect them before we move on.”
“Understood. Thank you truly, Hero.”
“Everyone, gather your weapons! The Hero says he shall bestow his blessing!”
Hearing the calls of Eldein and Kider, Shin Tae-ho gazed at his inventory, now thoroughly full.
‘Come to think of it, I haven’t been to the World Tree even once since that day. Now that I have time, perhaps I’ll visit and feed Yongryong-i some energy.’
Discovering the World Tree Leaf in one corner of his inventory, Shin Tae-ho stroked Yongryong-i’s head.
Continued in the next chapter ▶
The Legendary Blacksmith’s Return
Author
Sealing Lift
Publishers
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Published by
Grae Publishing
Contact
[email protected]
Publication Date
May 26, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260227067
※ This e-book is protected under copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction and copying are prohibited, and violations may result in criminal and civil legal liability.
※ Pentagram awaits precious manuscripts 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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