The Returned Genius Blacksmith has Awakened as an all-Master - Chapter 61
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 61
061. Not Yet
At Geumson’s next command, Iron Walker roared and charged forward.
His massive frame collided head-on with the Stone Golems, producing a thunderous boom that shook the earth itself.
Crash—!
Seizing the opening, Geumson hurled himself toward the giant phantoms rushing at him.
‘Resolve Intuition, Vein Insight!’
Geumson plunged into combat.
His vision shifted.
Over the phantoms’ faint forms, red points marking physical weak spots materialized, intertwined with blue points indicating the tangle of mana flows.
“Start with Resolve Intuition!”
Geumson swung his hammer toward the red point that had appeared on the nearest phantom’s chest.
But.
Whoosh—
His hammer cut through empty air.
As expected from a phantom, physical weak points didn’t seem to do much damage.
‘If I had overwhelming physical force, it would work… but I’m not there yet.’
In the past, there had been players who overcame phantoms through sheer overwhelming power.
He’d remembered and tried to replicate that approach, but it seemed he hadn’t reached that level yet.
He was still a bit short.
But Geumson’s hands didn’t stop.
The blue point.
The weak spot from Vein Insight remained.
Whoosh—
Crack—
When he struck the blue point precisely, he felt it connect.
The satisfying sensation of impact, something solid landing.
A message appeared simultaneously.
[The Level Difference Overcoming Effect activates.]
[Final damage dealt to enemies of higher level permanently increases by 10%.]
[The Troll Slayer Effect activates.]
[Damage dealt to large monsters increases by 15%.]
[4-Set Item Effect: Attack Power increases by 10%.]
.
.
.
From a single blow, the countless amplification effects Geumson possessed began to layer and compound.
An impact that couldn’t simply be called the attack of a Level 31 warrior.
It began to torment the giant phantom relentlessly.
Crack—!
Shriek—
The hammer swung in rapid succession seemed to cut through the air, yet the phantom screamed, its form warping and distorting.
But it didn’t disappear entirely.
‘As I thought, one blow isn’t enough.’
Because of the level difference, a single strike seemed insufficient.
But Geumson didn’t pause—he pivoted his body and delivered another powerful blow to the blue point that had appeared on the phantom’s head.
[The ‘Forgotten Void Hammer’ effect, ‘Flow Distortion’, activates.]
[Inflicts ‘Mana Confusion’ status ailment for 3 seconds.]
[Weak Point Strike succeeded.]
[Critical hit is guaranteed.]
[Head Hunter Effect activates.]
.
.
.
Boom—!
The flow of mana reversed, and the phantom’s body shattered from within, scattering into fragments.
[You have defeated the Giant Phantom.]
[All experience gained within the dungeon increases by an additional 100%.]
[Level increased! Lv. 32]
[Vein Insight skill has become Lv. 3.]
[Your level has increased! Lv. 33]
“Good. This should work out fine.”
Geumson’s lips curved upward as he read the message.
It was going better than he’d expected.
In that case.
All he had to do was bring down everything in front of him.
“There are quite a few.”
Even as he stood there, massive heaps of stone scattered throughout the city suddenly lurched into motion all at once.
They reassembled themselves, taking on the form of colossal giants.
And that was far from all.
From the shadows of ruined buildings, semi-transparent figures of immense size emerged with grieving moans that seemed to carry centuries of resentment.
Stone Golems and the spectral forms of giants kept appearing in steady succession.
But Geumson merely smiled with satisfaction.
‘An experience farm.’
Better yet.
It looked like he’d finally be able to catch up on the levels he’d been putting off.
“Iron Walker! I need your back!”
“Wooo-Walker! Walker!”
He struck the red points to topple Stone Golems, then shattered the blue ones to destroy the magical structures holding the spectral giants together.
Geumson’s two skills were demonstrating perfect synergy in this dungeon.
Meanwhile, Iron Walker held its own against the Stone Golems without giving an inch.
The Ancient-grade steel body took the heavy fists of the Golems without so much as a scratch.
Instead, it was crushing them with overwhelming force.
“Woooooooo-Walker!”
[Iron Walker has destroyed a Stone Golem.]
[Iron Walker has obtained Stone Golem Essence.]
[Iron Walker has destroyed a Stone Golem.]
[Iron Walker has obtained Stone Golem Fragment.]
[Iron Walker has reached Lv. 3.]
[Additional parts can now be equipped to Iron Walker.]
.
.
.
Geumson, Iron Walker, and Tia—who occasionally stirred up sharp winds to disrupt the enemies’ movements—moved as one.
They needed no words to maintain perfect coordination.
[Your level has increased! Lv. 34]
[Your level has increased! Lv. 35]
[Maker’s Resonance skill has reached Lv. 3.]
.
.
.
[Your level has increased! Lv. 38]
In just a few hours, Geumson’s level had skyrocketed.
The monsters that had once choked the city entrance were now scattered rubble and fading remnants.
“Phew… I think I can take a breather now.”
Geumson sat down heavily, breathing hard.
He’d managed to endure thanks to the Mine Destroyer Effect reducing his stamina consumption by thirty percent.
Iron Walker kept watch over the surroundings from Geumson’s side, while Tia flew down to land on his head and nuzzled her small face against his exhausted cheek.
– Ti… ti….
“You’re alright, Tia. Just rest a moment.”
Geumson placed Tia on his palm and stroked her gently.
He closed his eyes briefly, reviewing the battle that had just ended.
‘The approach wasn’t bad. But….’
Geumson’s brow furrowed slightly.
The battle itself had gone well, but some shortcomings were becoming apparent.
‘Some of the spectral giants’ attacks struck directly at the mind. I survived thanks to Holy Power and the Helmet’s status ailment resistance, but if stronger entities appear, it could be dangerous.’
Geumson analyzed his weaknesses with cold clarity.
And at the same time, he thought that this battle information needed to be shared with other players.
‘When this place opens to the public eventually, countless players will come to challenge it. I have Resolve Intuition and Vein Insight, so it’s manageable for me, but….’
The situation was different for other players.
To begin with, most players wielded bladed weapons rather than blunt instruments like hammers.
For them, golems fashioned entirely of stone posed a considerable disadvantage.
All the more so when phantoms—creatures of pure spirit—were thrown into the mix.
The combination made for a hunting ground that was nothing short of treacherous for ordinary players.
‘Of course, given enough time, it would all be resolved anyway. But why suffer through it unnecessarily?’
The other players weren’t fools, either.
Once this place became public knowledge, information would flow freely, and strategies would be discovered.
But achieving that would require countless player deaths and an absolute mountain of time.
Geumson had no patience for such wasteful delays.
‘Other players need to level up quickly too.’
Ordinary players needed to gain levels at a faster pace.
To make that happen, releasing strategy information about this place would be a sound approach.
‘That’s it—I’ll broadcast. I’ll record the strategy for this place and document the monsters’ patterns. It’ll be the most reliable preparation players could ask for.’
Geumson steeled his resolve and rose to his feet.
A flash of determination kindled anew in his eyes.
But it was at that very moment, just as he was about to activate the broadcast system.
[A private message has arrived from ‘☆†Cha Yu-gyeong†☆’.]
‘Who on earth is this? Could it be…… Cha Yu-gyeong?’
That absurd username made him wonder if it could actually be her.
It seemed ridiculous to use special characters in this day and age, but when he checked, it really was Cha Yu-gyeong.
[Geumson, this is Cha Yu-gyeong, head of strategic planning at Mirae Group. I’ve reached out due to an urgent matter. Do you happen to have a moment right now?]
Her message, as always, was concise and clipped.
Geumson hesitated for a moment, then pressed the voice call accept button.
– Geumson, it’s me. Cha Yu-gyeong.
“Yes, you kept your word. But…… what’s this about?”
– I actually have a matter I need to discuss with you, so I called urgently.
“With me?”
Geumson couldn’t pinpoint anything in particular that should concern her.
But what came out of Cha Yu-gyeong’s mouth was something he hadn’t anticipated at all.
– Actually, we’ve received an official request from the American Pantheria Guild.
Cha Yu-gyeong explained the circumstances surrounding the Pantheria Guild.
And she also mentioned the fact that she’d been blocking the guild’s contact attempts until now.
Hearing that, Geumson couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
‘Lich King, huh…… That would certainly make the Ancient Void Iron Mine worth targeting.’
Geumson was well aware of the Lich King’s notorious Absolute Magic Barrier.
True, each server was currently divided, so there was less attention on it, but the time when all servers would merge was approaching.
When that time came, Korean players who faced the Lich King would likewise find themselves frustrated by that Absolute Magic Barrier.
– It seems they need your help with the problem of subduing the Lich King. We’ve communicated a hold position on our end, but their momentum is considerable. What should we do?
There was a subtle note of anticipation in Cha Yu-gyeong’s voice.
Accepting the proposal wasn’t a bad choice.
Currently, Kang Mu-jin of Yeokcheon was absorbing every major issue in Lepion.
That was not favorable.
At this rate, the significance of Mirae Group’s foray into Lepion would fade entirely.
An offer coming from the American Pantheria Guild at precisely this moment.
It was no small opportunity for Mirae Group.
If Geumson successfully completed the Pantheria Guild’s commission, his Reputation would leap beyond Korea to achieve global standing.
And with such a Geumson as an exclusive partner, Mirae Group’s own position would surely rise in tandem.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————