The Return of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 54

—————
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 – Episode 54
‘Looks like they’ve filled their quota.’
Oh Jin-hyuk chuckled softly as he watched Mystery emerge from below later than expected.
The core down here in the basement was a reserve of energy meant to be tapped in case of national disaster.
No matter how much one tried to take, it was certain that a single person’s haul would barely make a dent.
‘Still, why does Chief Lim look like that? Did something happen down there?’
Oh Jin-hyuk found himself puzzled by Lim Ah-young’s expression—as though her spirit had left her body.
But that wasn’t what mattered right now.
“Mystery. Are you satisfied with the assistance?”
“Yes. Enough so that I’m inclined to help with the problems facing this nation and the Management Bureau.”
At Mystery’s answer, the tension drained from Oh Jin-hyuk’s face.
The excited Oh Jin-hyuk finally voiced the requests he’d been holding back.
“Truly? Then, would you be willing to exert yourself for the nation? First, the most urgent matter is the subjugation of Gate monsters from the United States and China—”
“No. I cannot do that immediately.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Oh Jin-hyuk’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer.
Mystery shook his head, seeing the tension on Oh Jin-hyuk’s face.
“I’m not saying I’ll take the assistance and leave. But I will prioritize climbing the Tower.”
“There’s more than two weeks remaining before the Grace Period for the next floor, is there not?”
“Does climbing the Tower seem so simple to you? You’re treating the Grace Period like a vacation.”
At Mystery’s words, Oh Jin-hyuk closed his mouth with an embarrassed noise.
The floor Mystery was climbing now was one no one in the world had ever reached before.
The problem was that World Rankers had come to think of the Grace Period as rest time—spending it doing commercials, throwing parties, and indulging themselves.
Oh Jin-hyuk immediately apologized.
“My sincerest apologies. You must be busy preparing for the next floor’s ascent. I was only thinking of our needs.”
“I understand. The situation seems urgent enough. But Tower ascent must take priority over everything else.”
From that answer, Oh Jin-hyuk glimpsed the reason why Mystery had been able to climb to Floor 68.
‘Could it be that he’s been preparing for the next ascent without rest, even during the Grace Periods? Without taking any break at all?’
Oh Jin-hyuk’s internal assessment of Mystery climbed even higher.
“However, I will organize the information from Floor 68 and below. Furthermore, I’ll share everything I know about the floors yet to come.”
“Thank you! That alone will be enough to put out the immediate fire.”
The strategy for Floor 68, which established World Rankers had repeatedly failed to clear.
This had the power to at least temporarily quell the mounting complaints from the nations that possessed existing Rankers.
Mystery began writing down the information he’d learned while climbing from Floor 61 to Floor 68.
Information he’d already heard before.
As he wrote the strategy based on his direct experience, both Oh Jin-hyuk and Lim Ah-young, who were reading it, widened their eyes.
‘The Trial content changes like that starting from Floor 60?’
‘Is it even possible to clear that? And alone, at that…?’
As Oh Jin-hyuk and Lim Ah-young sat transfixed, reading the contents,
Mystery, having written down all the information, stood.
“Then let’s end our meeting here.”
“Wait, please! How should I contact you next time?”
Lim Ah-young, who had been absent since ascending from the basement, asked in a flurry.
Mystery, who had already thought of a method, answered immediately.
“Send a signal like you did this time. But change the location.”
Mystery pointed to a building visible beyond the window.
It happened to be an empty building that the Management Bureau had once used for aptitude examinations but now left unused.
“And choose a location far from here to send the signal from.”
“Understood. We’ll do it that way.”
Mystery finished speaking and leapt out the window.
Oh Jin-hyuk and Lim Ah-young leaned their faces out to see the direction Mystery disappeared into.
But Mystery, who had jumped out moments before, was already far away.
Only when Mystery vanished from sight did Oh Jin-hyuk’s tension ease, and he leaned back into his chair.
“Phew. Finally met with them.”
Though he wielded no energy, an oppressive weight radiated naturally from him.
Conversing with someone whose voice was altered by mechanical distortion while walking this precarious tightrope had consumed an enormous amount of mental fortitude.
“It’s all thanks to you, Chief Lim.”
Oh Jin-hyuk regarded Lim Ah-young with an appreciative gaze.
But Lim Ah-young had the expression of someone for whom the moment of reckoning had finally come, sweat beading on her brow.
“Sir… Director. Actually, there’s something I wasn’t able to report earlier because Mystery was present.”
“Ha! Well, if you’re sure, feel free to ask for anything!”
Oh Jin-hyuk had successfully met Mystery, who’d been as elusive as a ghost all this time, and his mood was exceedingly good.
Right now, he felt confident he could smile through whatever he heard.
Seeing Oh Jin-hyuk’s benevolent expression, Lim Ah-young gathered her courage and spoke.
“It’s just… the Bureau Chief wouldn’t permit Mystery to take the Qi Storage Core, would he?”
“That’s right. Ah—don’t tell me Mystery took too much Qi or something like that?”
“Oh!”
Lim Ah-young flinched in surprise.
Recognizing that his guess had hit the mark, Oh Jin-hyuk laughed heartily.
“Ha ha! Why would you worry about that? He’s a patriot climbing the Tower alone, protecting our country from danger! Of course he can do that much!”
“Really? I thought so too, right? Phew! I’m so relieved! You have no idea how worried I was.”
Lim Ah-young, who’d been anxiously fretting, let out a long breath.
At her expression, Oh Jin-hyuk smiled.
“You mean you’ve been worrying about this whole time? You’re something else.”
“But… what if the Bureau Chief thinks I let him take every last bit of the Qi Storage Core—”
“What did you just say?”
Oh Jin-hyuk blinked and used his pinky to clean his ear.
Perhaps because his tension had suddenly eased.
He felt as though he’d just heard complete nonsense.
Lim Ah-young, now reassured that she had his complete permission, explained easily.
“I have no idea how he did it, but Mystery took every bit of Qi from the Qi Storage Core. I’ve been so worried about it… Bureau Chief? B-Bureau Chief?”
When Oh Jin-hyuk suddenly took on the same blank expression as hers, Lim Ah-young called out in alarm.
But Oh Jin-hyuk, struck by shock too overwhelming to process, couldn’t even manage a response.
* * *
A few days later.
Shin Tae-ho was crafting bolts for a crossbow at the Blacksmith Workshop, as he usually did.
While working, a journalist’s voice came through the wireless earbuds he wore to listen to the news.
⌜Japan’s World Ranker Tsukuyomi, who received the strategy for Floor 68 from Mystery, has officially announced his successful ascent of Floor 68!⌟
⌜Following that, Britain’s Marcus, America’s Victor, and China’s Wang Xiaomei have all succeeded in climbing Floor 68, bringing the number of World Rankers back to five after Mystery was the sole one.⌟
⌜This development has confirmed the Management Bureau’s announcement that they met Mystery and received the strategy—⌟
“Rong!”
“Yeah, Yong-ryong-i. Almost done.”
Shin Tae-ho, patting the head of Yong-ryong-i, who was pestering him as if asking when it would be finished, began the final work.
Shin Tae-ho nodded with satisfaction, looking at the hundred thousand bolts made from Middle-grade Qi Fragments.
‘This should be plenty. Honestly, I can’t make any more without throwing off my condition.’
The Grace Period before ascending Floor 69 was only three days.
If he finished checking his equipment today, he’d have only a day and a half left to rest properly.
“What meat do you want to eat today?”
“Rong-ng~.”
Yong-ryong-i deliberated carefully while looking at the photos of beef, pork, chicken, and lamb that Shin Tae-ho showed him.
While Shin Tae-ho wiped the sweat from his brow and tidied the Blacksmith Workshop, Yong-ryong-i, who had been deliberating, finally made a decision.
“Rong-rong!”
“Pork and chicken? So now choosing two is the standard. Got it.”
Seeing Yong-ryong-i spread both arms wide in the gesture, Shin Tae-ho nodded.
He didn’t even have enough Qi for himself to give any more away, but at least he had the means to let Yong-ryong-i eat meat to his heart’s content.
Shin Tae-ho stopped by the Mart, bought plenty of meat, and returned home.
Since he needed to build a fire and cook comfortably, Shin Tae-ho was staying long-term at a Pension rather than a hotel.
“Rong-nom-rong-nom!”
“Eat slowly. I’m not going to steal it from you.”
“Rong? Rong-rong!”
Yong-ryong-i, as if asking why Shin Tae-ho wasn’t eating, held out the chicken leg he’d been holding.
Charmed by how cute it was, Shin Tae-ho smiled softly and took the chicken leg, biting into it.
As he chewed rice and chicken, Shin Tae-ho reviewed his Inventory status before entering the Tower.
‘I’ll use the bolts I just made up to Floor 69. Before heading to Floor 70, I should test out High-grade Qi Fragments too.’
Though it was just a one-grade difference, High-grade Qi Fragments and Middle-grade Qi Fragments differed greatly in price and rarity.
The destructive power would be no different.
Before, he’d hesitated to try them because his understanding of the Ki Explosion technique was insufficient.
But now, having used over a hundred thousand of them, he had a solid grasp of how to deploy the Ki Explosion technique.
‘Of course, that’s only after I successfully climb Floor 69.’
Gulp!
Shin Tae-ho swallowed the last of his rice and meat, then drained a refreshing drink in one long pull.
‘After this, I’ll take a real break. Show Yong-ryong-i more than just towers—the whole world. Feed him all sorts of delicious things.’
“Dragon nom-nom!”
Watching Yong-ryong-i savor the meat seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper, Shin Tae-ho smiled contentedly.
* * *
[You have entered Floor 69 of the Tower of the Korean Peninsula.]
“Ugh?”
The moment Shin Tae-ho stepped into the tower, a strange stench made him wince.
Yong-ryong-i, nestled in the armor, thrashed at the foul smell and crawled out from the suit.
Once free of the armor, Yong-ryong-i looked around and startled visibly.
A space that could still be called a forest—partially destroyed, toppled—but a forest nonetheless.
Yet most of those trees were rotting away.
And the ground was piled high with carcasses of beasts that goblins and hobgoblins had kept.
‘Were these killed on purpose? Why?’
Shin Tae-ho pulled a Throwing Hammer embedded with an Ice Rune from his Inventory.
Once he dispersed the chill slightly, the oppressively thick stench eased.
Then a faint light began to shimmer from the hammer.
Shin Tae-ho stared at the hammer, unsure what he was witnessing, when a message window appeared and explained what was happening.
[Detected: Toxic qi attempting to permeate the user’s body.]
[Unique Effect, Purification (Lv4) is purifying the poison attempting to infiltrate your body.]
‘Ah. Right, I had that.’
The Purification effect—an unintended Unique Effect he’d gained while performing Ki Forging with World Tree energy.
It had been so rarely useful that Shin Tae-ho had forgotten about it entirely. Now he pulled out the Throwing Hammer embedded with a Fire Rune.
This hammer, too, carried the same Purification Unique Effect.
“Yong-ryong, bite down on this.”
“Dragon? Dragon!”
“You don’t want to? This is all poison. If you’re not careful, toxins will build up in your body—”
Before Shin Tae-ho could finish explaining, Yong-ryong-i opened his mouth wide and inhaled the surrounding poison as if drawing in Qi.
The sudden action startled Shin Tae-ho.
“Yong-ryong! What are you doing?!”
Just as he was reaching out to force the creature’s mouth shut and stop him—
A message window appeared before Shin Tae-ho.
[The Poison Root lodged within Yong-ryong-i reacts to the poison.]
[The poison Yong-ryong-i has consumed is being absorbed by the Poison Root.]
“Poison Root?”
He remembered now—two items he’d obtained as a reward when defeating that massive poisonous centipede while climbing the tower.
Recalling that Yong-ryong-i had swallowed one of them, Shin Tae-ho finally understood the situation.
‘Did he know the Poison Root could absorb poison? But how could he possibly know that?’
Before the bewildered Shin Tae-ho, the Trial content for Floor 69 now appeared.
[Floor 69 Trial: The monsters who seized the forest from the elves have advanced relentlessly, destroying nature as they rose in power. But their rapid growth and strength were soon discovered by an existence they could not deny.]
[After long resistance, the monsters finally knelt before an unstoppable presence and submitted. Now they move to carry out its final command.]
[Clear Condition: Protect the World Tree Barrier from the monsters.]
[Time Limit: None.]
“…There’s no time limit?”
The Trial content felt different from anything before, and Shin Tae-ho grew grave.
Most unsettling was that there was no time limit at all—something that had always scaled with difficulty.
And protect a barrier?
That was essentially asking him to kill every enemy, wasn’t it?
Crack-crack-crack-crack—
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The earth trembled as trees scraped against one another.
Shin Tae-ho tensed his legs and leaped high, scanning his surroundings.
From the spot where he and Yong-ryong-i stood as the center—
Monsters vast enough to cover the ruined forest surged forward, now transformed into forms different from any he’d encountered before.
Continued in Next Episode ▶
Return of the Transcendent Blacksmith
Author
Sealing Unlock
Publisher
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Publisher
Pentagram Publishing
Contact Email
[email protected]
Publication Date
May 26, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260227067
※ This e-book is protected under copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction and distribution are prohibited. Violations may result in criminal and civil penalties.
※ Pentagram Publishing welcomes your manuscript submissions.

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