The Return of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 9

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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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The Return of the Transcendent-Rank Blacksmith – Episode 9
Six years ago, a tower of unknown origin appeared before humanity, manifesting simultaneously with a system.
Yet no one could discern what the tower looked like, or where it stood.
It was only through semi-transparent message windows that emerged from the tower’s system that people learned of its existence at all.
The moment the tower appeared, a select few individuals called Awakeners were chosen as those capable of ascending it.
By accumulating and wielding the tower’s Qi within their bodies, these Awakeners could manifest superhuman abilities.
Through the testimony of those who had climbed the tower, its existence was officially recognized.
The strange minerals and technologies brought back by tower climbers offered humanity a new path forward.
Yet the tower was far from being merely a repository of gains.
The tower compelled Awakeners to climb it.
And for each floor, there was a time limit: one month.
Should a nation fail to break the highest record within that month, it would face consequences.
In response to these changes, tower climbers became a new measure of national strength.
True to humanity’s nature—adapting to the environment and surviving—mankind began reshaping their lives around the tower.
Each country established a management bureau to support and aid their Awakeners.
Simultaneously, they protected their Awakeners from being poached abroad while preventing their nation’s talent from leaking overseas.
And now.
An emergency meeting had been called at the Korean Awakener Management Bureau since early morning.
Beep-beep-beep-!
A high-pitched phone ringtone echoed through the conference room.
But no one said anything.
It was the ringtone of O Jin-hyuk, the bureau director.
O Jin-hyuk, the director himself, silenced his relentlessly ringing phone and exhaled a weary sigh.
“Well? Any word from your side, Im? Could it be one of our bureau’s challengers?”
At O Jin-hyuk’s words, everyone in the conference room turned their gaze toward Im A-yeong.
Im A-yeong shook her head, her expression downcast.
“No, sir. We haven’t conducted the Tutorial for any new challengers in recent days.”
“So… it’s really true? An ordinary Awakener cleared the entire Tutorial?”
“We’ve verified with every Guild through official inquiry, and they all confirm they have no one—so it does appear likely.”
The conference room erupted in hushed murmurs.
A few days prior, a notification from the tower had suddenly appeared to all Awakeners.
The content was astonishing: the first person to clear the Tutorial had emerged.
That alone would have been shocking, but there was something even more startling.
“It’s utterly unbelievable. The Tutorial cleared without any items, without any strategy support? And by a Korean, no less?”
The United States, China, Germany, Japan.
Beyond them, the world held many nations stronger than Korea in both economic and military terms.
Yet the first person in the entire world to clear the Tutorial had appeared in Korea—the very nation least expected.
Before other countries could voice suspicion, Korea itself struggled to accept the fact.
O Jin-hyuk switched his phone to silent as it began ringing again, then surveyed the room.
“We have to find them. We absolutely must locate them first and offer protection.”
O Jin-hyuk spoke gravely, his voice heavy with resolve.
The swift Americans and Chinese, not to mention the rest of the world, were searching for that Awakener’s identity.
Ostensibly, they would claim it was to gather information about the Tutorial.
But unless one were an innocent child, it was immediately apparent that such reasons were far from the whole truth.
In the modern era, an Awakener is a resource gatherer who drives economic growth and a military asset protecting the nation from the tower.
There was no reason any country would not desire the first Tutorial conqueror.
“We must find them. They’ve just completed the Tutorial, so they’ll be coming to register as an Awakener. Concentrate every available resource at the registration office!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Im, contact the National Intelligence Service and request their cooperation in blocking foreign management bureau Awakeners from approaching!”
“Understood!”
Those who answered spoke loudly, their eyes gleaming.
The thought of finding the Awaker who had first conquered the Tutorial set their eyes alight with anticipation.
* * *
For each Class, only an exceedingly rare few who reached the heights of their mastery could be granted special privileges and receive a Title.
Most famous was how mages came to be called Archmages.
And among warrior Classes, one received a Title as a Master of the weapon that class wielded.
Bone Reconstruction was a privilege that a warrior-Class could receive before obtaining a Title.
By accumulating Qi within the body, refining that Qi into an Aura through deposition in one’s physical form—
—and as that Aura finally transformed the very composition of the body itself, one was reborn at a higher level. That was Bone Reconstruction.
‘But why on earth did I receive it…?’
Shin Tae-ho stood before the full-length mirror and studied his reflection.
The lean frame he’d worn when returning from regression was gone, replaced by muscle that sat firm and defined across his body.
His height had grown as well—his eye level was noticeably higher than before.
It was undoubtedly a good thing, yet Shin Tae-ho felt uncertain.
‘Will the Armor even fit me now?’
The Armor’s size was calibrated to his body as it had been during the Tutorial.
Given how gear worked, a shift this dramatic in height and build could render it unwearable—a disaster he couldn’t afford.
Shin Tae-ho withdrew the Armor from his inventory.
As expected, it looked too small for his current frame.
Judging by eye alone, it was impossible to wear.
But Shin Tae-ho had studied the item information and knew the Armor possessed a unique property: elasticity.
‘If the elasticity is Level 2, it might just accommodate this much change.’
Elasticity was a property that increased flexibility and expanded the volume available for wearing the item.
At Level 2, it might well manage an increase of this magnitude.
Sure enough, as he forced his body into the Armor, he felt the metal gradually expand to fit.
“Phew. That works.”
Shin Tae-ho, having squeezed into the Armor, checked how it felt against his skin.
It was so tight it felt less like armor and more like a compression shirt clinging to every muscle.
But the fact that it fit at all was a relief, so he made no complaint.
“Since I’ve gone through all this trouble, I should enter Tower Floor 1.”
Getting it on had been difficult enough that it felt wasteful to remove it without doing anything.
Besides, he could only enter the Tower once per day.
If he wanted to climb from the first floor, he needed to make efficient use of his entries.
Having decided to ascend, Shin Tae-ho prepared to enter the Tower.
But one problem remained.
“Why won’t this go in?”
Shin Tae-ho stared at the egg with a puzzled expression.
The egg was a reward he’d received from Arimire after the Tutorial.
Yet for some reason, it wouldn’t fit in his inventory.
Not everything could go into an inventory.
Modern firearms like guns and grenades couldn’t be stored, nor could contemporary food.
Only items originating from the Tower could be placed in the inventory.
But he couldn’t fathom why the egg was refused entry.
‘Maybe eggs were never allowed in inventories to begin with? I’ve never heard of it, so I wouldn’t know.’
Having no choice, Shin Tae-ho wrapped the egg carefully in a blanket.
He then placed it inside a backpack, secured the straps firmly, and slung the pack across his back.
‘This will have to do until I figure out another way.’
Shin Tae-ho downed an Americano he’d prepared earlier.
With caffeine sharpening his mind, he focused his will on entering the Tower.
[Will you enter the Tower?]
The moment his intention registered, a message window appeared.
Shin Tae-ho nodded.
“I’ll enter.”
[Entering the Tower.]
The instant he spoke, his body felt light, lifting from the ground.
In less than a second, Shin Tae-ho vanished from the room.
* * *
[You have entered Tower Floor 1 of the Korean Tower.]
Floor 1 was a dense rainforest, trees packed so thickly that their canopies blocked out the sky.
As Shin Tae-ho surveyed his surroundings, a new message window materialized.
[Trial for Floor 1: A massive caterpillar has invaded a peaceful forest and is devouring the trees. Protect the forest from the giant caterpillar.]
[Completion condition: Eliminate 10 giant caterpillars.]
[Time limit: 3 hours.]
[You cannot leave the Tower until you die, fail, or give up.]
[You currently have 10 forfeit attempts remaining.]
“Giant caterpillars, then.”
Shin Tae-ho withdrew his Hammer from the inventory.
He positioned it across his shoulders and took a deep breath, settling into his stance.
The phytoncide scent from the trees mingled with a pervasive presence of Tower essence in the air.
[The Trial begins.]
The moment the Trial began, the frozen space of Tower Floor 1 stirred to life.
Shin Tae-ho moved forward with measured steps, scanning his surroundings.
The forest hummed with a cacophony of natural sounds—birdsong, rustling leaves, wind through the branches.
As he walked deeper in, Shin Tae-ho recalled what he knew about the Tower.
Unlike the Tutorial, death here was final.
Moreover, if he failed to clear a Trial and withdrew, any injuries sustained within the Tower would carry over to the real world.
But then again.
‘If I manage to clear it, I’ll be completely healed the moment I exit—even if I’m barely clinging to life.’
Crunch-crunch—
A heavy, grinding sound echoed through the woods.
Sheltering behind a tree, Shin Tae-ho spotted an enormous caterpillar the size of an ox, gnawing away at the bark.
His eyes gleamed as he locked onto his first target.
‘First, I gather my strength.’
Shin Tae-ho unfurled his Qi Sense and drew the Tower’s power that permeated Floor 1 into himself.
Qi was the wellspring of strength for those who climbed the Tower.
As it flowed into his circuits, his mind sharpened and vigor flooded through his limbs.
‘Time to go all out.’
His first combat since obtaining the War Smith Class.
He needed to understand this power’s capabilities if he was to climb higher—and survive.
Bang!
Shin Tae-ho rocketed forward, his legs supercharged with Qi, Hammer raised toward the giant larva.
Startled by the force that exceeded his expectations, he had barely a moment to register surprise.
The Hammer, wielded with that momentum, struck the creature square in its body.
Splat!
“Ugh?!”
Shin Tae-ho recoiled, drenched in viscera.
The giant caterpillar didn’t crumple or crack—it simply exploded, bursting like an overripe fruit.
‘What? The larvae are supposed to be weak in attack but high in defense.’
Crunch-crunch—
While Shin Tae-ho stood in shock,
more giant caterpillars sensed his presence and began converging on him from all sides.
Though surrounded, Shin Tae-ho felt only anticipation.
‘Perfect. I can test this immediately.’
He smashed the nearest caterpillar’s head.
This time, rather than channeling full power with the same explosive momentum as before, he struck casually—like tapping a mole in a carnival game.
And yet.
Pow!
“…Confirmed.”
Another creature’s head caved in, showering him again in fluid. Shin Tae-ho’s certainty crystallized.
The reason the larvae burst so easily:
The Elite Grade Hammer’s damage far exceeded the caterpillar’s defensive threshold.
Crunch-crunch—!
Enraged by the deaths of their kin, the remaining larvae surged toward him.
Yet not a trace of tension flickered across Shin Tae-ho’s features.
“Come faster.”
Splat—
The nearest caterpillar’s head burst effortlessly as it reached him, and Shin Tae-ho finished his thought.
“I’ll grant you a swift mercy.”
Deliberately dampening the Qi flowing through his circuits—a waste to expend such power here—
he advanced with long, unhurried strides toward the hesitating creatures.
Continued in the next chapter ▶
The Transcendent Blacksmith’s Return
Author
Seal Release
Publisher
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 your precious manuscript.

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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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