The Return of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 90

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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 90
“Shin Tae-ho! Over here!”
As Shin Tae-ho entered the café, Choi Yu-hwa, who had been waiting, waved him over.
After ordering and receiving his drink, Shin Tae-ho took a seat at the four-person private room table.
“I arrived ten minutes early, yet I’ve kept you waiting.”
“Not at all! I needed some time to clear my head anyway, so it worked out perfectly. Isn’t that right, Pipi?”
“Squeak.”
Pipi, who had been hiding against Choi Yu-hwa’s chest, peeked out cautiously and examined Shin Tae-ho.
The small creature was wary, in case Yong-ryong-i had come along as well.
Only after confirming that Yong-ryong-i was nowhere to be found did Pipi venture out and contentedly tear into some jerky that Choi Yu-hwa had brought separately.
“But how did you manage to find exactly Shin Tae-ho among all those people? It’s almost unbelievable.”
“I was surprised myself.”
Before the Mystery appeared, Challengers made up only sixty percent of all Awakeners.
Even accounting for those who were content with the safe lower floors like Levels 1 through 5, that percentage had dropped further to just thirty percent.
But now that the existence of the Mystery had been revealed, and a new tower had emerged.
Ninety percent of all Awakeners had become Challengers climbing the tower.
Moreover, considering that new Awakeners were appearing every day, if in small numbers, this was an enormous shift.
“Thanks to you, Shin Tae-ho, I was able to clear the first floor so quickly! I never expected you’d suggest climbing that mountain. I wouldn’t have been brave enough to do it on my own.”
“It was only possible because you had the courage to follow me.”
Shin Tae-ho glanced at the news playing on the café’s screen.
There, the Management Bureau had organized the rules they’d discovered from the second tower.
Following Shin Tae-ho’s gaze, Choi Yu-hwa took a sip of her coffee.
“It’s amazing how a hundred people chosen at random share the same tower, yet each person’s Clear judgement is different. How can the rules possibly vary so much?”
The current tower was simultaneously a National Team Competition and an Individual Competition.
That is, even though Shin Tae-ho and Choi Yu-hwa had passed the first floor.
The other ninety-eight people distributed with them in the tower likely remained wandering the first floor without having cleared it.
‘This rule is going to cause plenty of headaches down the line.’
Shin Tae-ho sipped his coffee, his thoughts drifting.
Even with the tower’s appearance, humanity remained divided by continent, nation, and history—some countries despised each other, others were friendly.
Those relationships carried into the tower itself, and significant chaos lay ahead.
“But Shin Tae-ho, how did you instantly think of the Korean being a Dwarf? I never would have guessed!”
“I’m not entirely sure myself. I was too nervous at the time and just rambled whatever came to mind.”
Shin Tae-ho shrugged.
Though something felt slightly off about the explanation, Choi Yu-hwa trusted him.
“I’m just glad it worked out! To be honest, I was only worried about how to get back down the mountain.”
“Truth be told, so was I. Since we were heading down anyway, I figured we might as well have another beer on the way.”
“Ha-ha! Really?”
Choi Yu-hwa burst out laughing at Shin Tae-ho’s joke.
As the atmosphere lightened with this easy banter, Choi Yu-hwa subtly shifted the mood and broached her question.
“Actually, Shin Tae-ho, you haven’t joined a Guild yet, have you?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Then wouldn’t you like to join our Tamer Guild? You’re a Tamer too, so you’d meet the requirements!”
Shin Tae-ho had wondered why she’d asked to meet, and now came the Guild membership proposal he’d anticipated.
He pretended to consider it before shaking his head.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
“Why? Why not? There are so many benefits to joining a Guild! You’d receive support too!”
“Yong-ryong-i doesn’t get along well with other animals. Just look at Pipi—surely you can see how uncomfortable Pipi is.”
“Huh? But Pipi and Yong-ryong-i get along so well!”
“Squeak?”
Pipi, who had been curled into a ball while eating jerky, regarded Choi Yu-hwa with an expression of bewilderment.
The slight parting of Pipi’s beak made it look as though the creature was saying: what nonsense is this?
At Pipi’s unmistakable reaction, Shin Tae-ho smiled wryly.
“I appreciate the offer, but I can’t give you a definitive answer right now. I apologize.”
“Is that so? Sigh. You’d be such a great addition to us…”
“Regardless, aren’t you and I going to be colleagues climbing the tower together from now on?”
“That’s true!”
Choi Yu-hwa, who had been disappointed, broke into a bright smile at his words.
Shin Tae-ho smiled back, then asked something that had been on his own mind.
“From the second floor onward, you’ll inevitably have to fight Orcs. How do you manage when you’re fighting alongside Pipi?”
“Me? I provide support with my bow while Pipi fights. Though if I’m being honest, it’s less about helping Pipi and more about keeping myself alive.”
“A bow? Did you study Archery separately?”
“Yes! When I was climbing the first Tower, I’d go to an archery range in my spare time and learned! Thanks to that, I’ve caught quite a few fast goblins!”
Choi Yu-hwa explained proudly, making a V-shape with her index and middle fingers.
Shin Tae-ho responded with a nod and continued his questioning.
“Then do other Tamers use bows as well?”
“Oh, no? Actually, archery is quite demanding and requires a good sense of feel. Most others use Crossbows, which are easier to handle.”
“Do many people use blunt weapons like hammers or clubs?”
“No? They’re not even Warrior Class. Such weapons are too dangerous.”
Choi Yu-hwa shook her head, her eyes wide with certainty.
Warrior Classes excelled at using Qi to strengthen their bodies, true enough.
But Tamers’ primary abilities focused on supporting their pets or disrupting enemies.
After hearing the explanation, Shin Tae-ho nodded in understanding.
‘Right. I can’t use a hammer then.’
Besides, few people used hammers in the first place.
If someone with a keen eye saw him, they’d notice his movements resembled those of a Tower Worshipper.
‘For now, I’ll have to rely on Yong-ryong-i. Hmm. He’s strong enough, but it’s frustrating.’
As Shin Tae-ho thought this and finished his coffee—
An interview with someone who had cleared the first floor appeared on the television.
Choi Yu-hwa, watching the news absent-mindedly, suddenly brightened upon seeing one person.
“Wow! It’s the Guild Master! I’m so glad he cleared the first floor!”
“The Guild Master?”
Shin Tae-ho, watching the TV, narrowed his eyes at the familiar face.
A Challenger who had served as Guild Master of the Tamer Guild in its early days.
Then, after a long time had passed, he had inexplicably changed his heart and betrayed humanity to become a Tower Worshipper.
‘Han Ho-hyeok.’
Shin Tae-ho’s eyes grew cold as he watched Han Ho-hyeok being interviewed with a massive serpent like an anaconda coiled around his body.
* * *
A month had passed since Shin Tae-ho and Choi Yu-hwa cleared the first floor.
Though it was merely the introductory floor, ascending the mountain to meet the Dwarves was no easy task.
Among the Challengers who attempted the Tower, fewer than 5% cleared the first floor immediately.
And even that was because ITRO had released the strategy guides from those who had passed.
Without knowing the strategy, it was clear that even 5% wouldn’t have been achieved.
[Beginning to aggregate scores by nation.]
[The minimum qualifying score for each country will be determined according to the number of Awakeners.]
Exactly one month after the first floor appeared, score measurement began.
Fortunately, most nations were able to meet their threshold, but a few could not.
The result was that Gates appeared in nations that failed to meet the requirement.
As ITRO was an international organization, it dispatched strong Challengers to countries that lacked the power to handle the Gates.
⌜As a result of the first month, many nations are calling for Awakeners to be mandated to climb the Tower.⌟
In the first Tower’s time, Awakeners were considered precious assets to their nations whether they climbed or not.
But because of the completely different rules of the second Tower, Awakeners who refused to climb were now treated as a burden eating away at their country.
Shin Tae-ho, watching the news, checked his phone for an incoming call from Choi Yu-hwa and pressed answer.
-Shin Tae-ho! I’m all ready now!
“Yes. I’m about to enter as well.”
-Yes! See you soon!
After ending the call, Shin Tae-ho reached his hand toward Yong-ryong-i.
“Let’s go. Yong-ryong.”
“Boing~!”
Shin Tae-ho, cradling Yong-ryong-i who had bounced up excitedly, entered the Tower.
Upon opening his eyes, what he saw was not the dark mountain interior, but a vast mine with an enormous cavern carved into its front.
As Shin Tae-ho stood cradling Yong-ryong-i, gazing quietly at the mine—
A familiar voice came from behind.
“What? What’s a little kid doing here? Are you a Challenger too?”
When Shin Tae-ho turned around, he saw a person he had met before departing for the United States looking at him.
Though he knew the face, he had never spoken with this person before. Shin Tae-ho searched his memory for the name.
“Bianca Lorang?”
“Yeah. First time seeing you—did we pass each other? I didn’t see your face before climbing the mountain.”
Bianca Lorang, a Ranker from Switzerland, looked over Shin Tae-ho with curiosity.
Shin Tae-ho also looked her over, but suddenly felt something odd and wore a puzzled expression.
“We haven’t met before either. But… why are you wearing Armor?”
“Huh? Oh, this?”
Bianca Lorang, dressed in armor that had been modified for easier movement, scratched her head.
“What. It’s for protecting your body. Actually, I’m the one who should be asking—why aren’t you wearing any armor?”
“I’m not a Warrior Class, you see.”
“What are you talking about? Don’t you check Tower.com? These days everyone wears armor regardless of their class.”
“Is that so? Do they go that far just for defense?”
“Well, honestly, Mystery started the trend in the first place, but once you actually wear it, it’s not half bad.”
As Shin Tae-ho found himself bewildered by this fact he hadn’t known,
Choi Yu-hwa emerged from the Tower on the other side of where the two were conversing.
“Shin Tae-ho, you made it! Oh? But you are…?!”
“Oh, so my group had three people who cleared it? I thought I was the only one.”
At Choi Yu-hwa’s arrival, Bianca Lorang broke into a satisfied smile.
“Nice to meet you. Bianca Lorang. As you probably know, a Ranker from Switzerland.”
“Ah! I’m Choi Yu-hwa! I belong to the Tamer Guild, and I’m a Tamer!”
“Shin Tae-ho. Tamer.”
“What, two Tamers made it up here? Don’t tell me you rode pets to get here?”
“Well, that’s not exactly it…”
At Bianca Lorang’s look of disappointment, Choi Yu-hwa hurried to clear up the misunderstanding and began her explanation.
But Shin Tae-ho’s gaze had stopped not on Choi Yu-hwa’s words, but on the armor she wore.
‘Even Choi Yu-hwa is wearing armor. Has this really become a trend?’
As Shin Tae-ho made an odd expression, confronted by a reality so different from the past he remembered,
a clamorous noise echoed from the opposite side of where the Mine lay.
Crack-crack!
Crack-crack!
“Ah. They’re here. So that’s what you meant about Choi Yu-hwa—I get it now. Let’s just get ready for combat.”
Bianca Lorang drew her staff with practiced ease and prepared for battle as she spoke.
As the world Ranker’s demeanor shifted in an instant, Choi Yu-hwa gasped in surprise and answered.
“Yes, yes!”
Choi Yu-hwa pulled a bow and quiver from her Inventory and equipped them.
Shin Tae-ho, who had been hesitating at their actions, drew a Crossbow from his Inventory to match their pace.
The moment he fastened the bracer-form Crossbow to his arm, the enemy’s form appeared.
“Crack?! Meat! It’s meat!”
“Kill it! Chew it! Swallow it!”
“Who are you calling meat? If you’re hungry, try eating this first.”
From Bianca Lorang’s outstretched hand, a massive shard of ice announced the beginning of battle.
Continued in next episode ▶
Transcendent Blacksmith’s Return
Author
Bong In Haejae
Publisher
Kim Suk-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 under copyright law, and unauthorized reproduction and copying are prohibited. Violations may result in criminal and civil liability.
※ Pentagram is awaiting your precious manuscripts.

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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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