The Returned Genius Blacksmith has Awakened as an all-Master - Chapter 65

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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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Chapter 65
065. A Death Wish
– Tia!
Once the work was done, Tia scrambled back up onto Geumson’s shoulder.
A message bloomed in his vision at the same moment.
[The trap has been disarmed.]
The system confirmation came through.
Tia’s shoulders seemed to rise a little higher with satisfaction.
“That’s right, well done, Tia. I’ll make you something delicious.”
At the gentle stroke of his hand, Tia beamed with contentment.
Leaving the little one to her pride, Geumson swallowed hard and carefully opened the chest.
Creak—
The hinges sang out in a thin, unsettling wail that echoed through the hushed Royal Castle.
Inside, resting upon crimson silk, lay a single thick volume bound in black leather.
Faint power thrummed across its surface like something alive.
[You have obtained the Secret Manual of ‘Infinite Chain Strike’.]
He finally had it.
Gwang Kwon Seo Juwon.
The very source of power that had elevated that cruel survivalist to the apex of human strength.
Geumson’s trembling hands reached for the Secret Manual.
The moment he opened the pages.
What spilled forth was no mere text or illustration.
It was the pinnacle—the ultimate realm reached beyond thousands upon thousands of consecutive strikes.
The breathing, the footwork, the twist of the waist, and finally the flow of destructive force channeled through the weapon itself.
A torrent of vast knowledge containing everything of combat poured into Geumson’s mind in the form of light.
[Will you acquire the Hidden Skill ‘Infinite Chain Strike’?]
“Without question.”
The moment Geumson answered, a piercing sensation coursed through his entire body.
It felt as though each of his muscles and nerves was being imprinted with a new way of fighting.
When that mysterious sensation faded, a new message appeared.
[Infinite Chain Strike Lv. 1]
[Passive Skill]
– Description: An ancient martial art that exponentially amplifies the destructive power of the next attack the more consecutive strikes land on weak points. Its potency can scale infinitely according to the user’s concentration and precision.
[Effects]
1. [Chain Amplification]: Each successful weak point strike increases the final damage of the next weak point strike by 5%. (Maximum 100 stacks)
2. [Chain Maintenance]: If the next weak point strike is not successfully landed within 10 seconds, all accumulated amplification effects are lost.
3. [Ultimate Strike]: When the skill is activated at maximum stacks (100), all accumulated energy detonates in a single target, dealing catastrophic damage.
‘Concentration and precision? Can I further amplify the skill’s effects with those?’
Geumson quickly checked his remaining stat points.
[Player Details]
[Base Stats]
– Strength: 77(+20)
– Agility: 67
– Endurance: 67(+20)
– Magic Power: 67
[Unlocked Stats]
– Luck: 92
– Precision: 74
– Holy Power: 46
– Command: 50
– Concentration: 45
[Remaining Stats: 171]
Points he’d accumulated steadily since level 31.
While other players gained 4 points per level, Geumson now gained 9 per level.
Thanks to his unlocked stats, his remaining points were more than double what they’d otherwise be.
Gazing at the satisfying reserve of stat points, Geumson began to deliberate where best to invest them.
But then.
Rumble—
The entire Royal Castle—no, the entire Dungeon began to shake violently as though seized by an earthquake.
Massive stones rained down from the ceiling, and fissures split the floor, revealing chasms of unknowable depth.
“What? Did I damage the castle too much?”
Geumson glanced hastily around.
But contrary to his expectation, the castle’s collapse wasn’t due to physical destruction.
Whoooosh—!
A massive magical circle began to inscribe itself across the entire floor of the Royal Castle.
Through the fissures in the cracked earth and among the shattered debris of fallen pillars, hundreds of millions of blue threads appeared, weaving together into one colossal pattern.
The prelude to magical manifestation.
And it was magic on a scale so overwhelming that Geumson had never witnessed anything like it in his entire life.
[Warning: An unknown entity is forcibly intervening.]
[Hidden Boss ‘The Forgotten Ancient Giant King’ is being forcibly summoned.]
[Warning: This is an abnormal appearance. Upon death to this Hidden Boss, you will lose all items acquired in this Dungeon.]
[Warning: Upon escape, you will lose all items acquired in this Dungeon.]
[TIP: In Lepion, you can be revived even if you die.]
[TIP: You can escape by destroying the Dungeon Core.]
“Intervening? Hidden Boss?”
Geumson’s brow furrowed.
Something was going wrong with this situation.
He’d never even heard of a case where something intervened like this.
Not even in his previous life.
And then—out of nowhere—a message labeled “TIP”.
It was practically a blatant warning to run away.
But Geumson absolutely could not do that.
‘Die and lose everything, run and lose everything? This is absolute bullshit.’
He’d only just learned the Infinite Chain Strike, and now they were trying to strip it from him.
The message reeked of naked intent.
‘Who exactly is my opponent?’
Despite the absurdity, Geumson gritted his teeth and prepared for combat.
There was no point in complaining.
All he could do was knock them down, whoever they were.
A magical circle materializing as if marking the Dungeon Core.
And at the heart of that circle.
The empty air tore open, and a massive silhouette emerged.
A giant with the appearance of a malevolent spirit crawling up from the depths of an abyss.
It stood well over ten meters tall.
Its entire body was hardened to a gray stone-like color, as if it were an ancient statue, with deep cracks and lichen scattered across its surface.
One of its arms had been severed, and a gaping chasm gaped in its chest.
Yet despite all this, the overwhelming aura emanating from it was incomparable to any monster Geumson had faced before.
[Kronos, The Forgotten Ancient Giant King Lv. 381]
A message appeared above the creature’s head as the summoning completed.
Geumson’s face twisted.
“Damn it. They’re telling me to die.”
This was an overwhelming gap with no way to bridge it.
No matter how talented Geumson was, a disparity of this magnitude shattered one’s fighting spirit.
But the system seemed unwilling to tolerate such unreasonableness.
[Unfair intervention detected.]
[System initiates emergency measures.]
[System forcibly restricts this entity’s power.]
[Greater rewards are promised for clearing the Hidden Boss ‘The Forgotten Ancient Giant King’.]
The moment the messages ended.
Clink-clink-clink—!
The instant the giant appeared, thousands of blue iron chains shot forth from the magical circle and began to constrict around its entire body.
The chains bit into its flesh, suppressing its power, and the giant let out a low groan of agony.
[Kronos, The Forgotten Ancient Giant King Lv. 120] (Sealed)]
The level had changed.
Seeing this, Geumson’s lips curved upward.
“At this level… I might actually have a shot.”
Geumson launched himself toward the giant.
Without the slightest hesitation.
Roooaaarrr—!
A bestial roar.
Thunder crashed against the Royal Castle.
The sound alone sent a tremor through the limbs, a pressure that seemed to shake the very ground.
Yet even before that overwhelming roar, Geumson’s fingers flew across the system interface.
[Strength: 77 → 100]
[Agility: 67 → 89]
[Vitality: 67 → 90]
[Mana: 67 → 89]
[Precision: 74 → 100]
[Concentration: 45 → 100]
[Remaining Stats: 0]
There was no time to hesitate.
Geumson poured all 171 stat points into himself.
In that same moment, another message blazed across his vision.
[The ‘Chain Amplification’ effect of Infinite Chain Strike has been upgraded.]
[Damage Increase: 5% → 10%]
Hope kindled into flame.
Geumson’s heart hammered in his chest.
The Infinite Chain Strike was the final key that would bind all his abilities into one.
With Resolve Intuition and Vein Insight he would spot the weak points; with his godlike craftsmanship and precision stat he would strike true; and with this skill he would amplify that destructive force infinitely.
‘Under normal circumstances, there’d be no choice—but a giant at level 120? It’s the perfect test subject for the Infinite Chain Strike.’
Geumson swallowed hard.
Yet at the same time, something hot began to roil up from deep within his chest.
“Walker, Tia! I’m going in!”
“Waaaaalker! Waaaaalker!”
– Tia! Tia-tia-tia-tia-
A bone-shattering roar split the air—!
The giant bellowed again.
Even with its power sealed, the very air trembled at its cry, and the space around them seemed to warp and twist.
Geumson threw off that oppressive surge and drew upon every ounce of his strength.
‘Resolve Intuition, Vein Insight!’
Across the giant’s massive frame, dozens of crimson and azure points blazed into visibility simultaneously.
In truth, the creature’s enormous size made it easier to fight.
“Target the ankles!”
With Geumson’s cry, Iron Walker charged first toward the giant’s ankle.
The giant, as though annoyed, lifted its foot to crush Iron Walker beneath it.
“Walker, dodge!”
Boom—!
Iron Walker narrowly evaded the strike, and the giant’s foot came crashing down with such force that the earth itself quaked.
In that split second of opening, Geumson launched himself onto the giant’s instep.
There, he could see it clearly—a small crimson point upon the sole.
‘First one!’
Crack—!
[Weak Point struck successfully.]
[Infinite Chain Strike activates. (1-Chain)]
[Final damage increased by 10%.]
[Achievement ‘Giant Slayer’ effect triggers.]
[Damage dealt to Large Monsters increased by 15%.]
[Achievement ‘Overcoming Level Disparity’ effect triggers.]
[Final damage dealt to enemies of higher level increased by 10%.]
.
.
.
A single strike.
The damage messages cascaded in a frenzy.
Yet the giant merely shook its foot as though brushing away something ticklish.
It was not enough.
Geumson had no intention of stopping after just one blow.
He was already moving toward the next weak point.
He scrambled up the giant’s leg, his strikes falling without pause on the crimson marks that Resolve Intuition revealed to him.

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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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