The Returned Genius Blacksmith has Awakened as an all-Master - Chapter 66

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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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Episode 66
066. Still Young
Crack!
Crunch!
[Infinite Chain Strike 2-hit combo! Final damage increased by 20%!]
[Infinite Chain Strike 3-hit combo! Final damage increased by 30%!]
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Each time Geumson’s hammer made contact, fine cracks began to spider across the Ancient Giant’s stone-hard skin.
Shrill!
High above, Tia concealed herself in shadow, conjuring sharp winds that thrashed against the Ancient Giant’s eyes, obscuring his vision.
Meanwhile, Iron Walker never ceased battering at the Ancient Giant’s ankles, hampering his every movement.
Roooar!
The Ancient Giant bellowed in rage and seized the chains that bound him, wrenching them taut.
The chains pulled so violently that the entire magical circle swayed, perilously unstable.
[Warning: Sealing is weakening. Portion of Ancient Giant’s power is being released.]
An unreasonable display of strength—raw physical force alone was degrading the system’s Sealing power.
From the Ancient Giant’s frame erupted an overwhelming aura, incomparably more intense than before.
He swung one colossal fist toward Geumson, who clung to his body.
There was no escape.
Despite his massive frame, he was fast.
“Damn it! Indestructibility!”
[You enter an invulnerable state, nullifying all attacks for 15 seconds.]
Boom—!
The Ancient Giant’s fist slammed into Geumson’s body, yet wrapped in crimson radiance, he did not even flinch.
Instead, he used the rebound to leap even higher.
But there was a chilling system message.
[Durability of Geumson’s Dragon Scale Breastplate has drastically decreased.]
A single blow was all it took.
In that one strike, his legendary armor had split nearly in half.
‘Without Indestructibility… it would have been catastrophic.’
Geumson gritted his teeth.
But his eyes did not yield.
If anything, they burned with even greater ferocity.
‘Keep going!’
Geumson clung to the Ancient Giant’s body once more and swung his hammer with frenzied intensity.
[Infinite Chain Strike 27-hit combo! Final damage increased by 270%!]
[Infinite Chain Strike 28-hit combo! Final damage increased by 280%!]
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[Infinite Chain Strike 49-hit combo! Final damage increased by 490%!]
Boom—!
Geumson’s hammer crashed directly into the enormous red point at the center of the Ancient Giant’s chest.
At this scale of assault, even the Ancient Giant could no longer withstand the impact.
With a deafening roar unlike anything before, the Ancient Giant’s chest caved inward and a massive fissure split across it.
Another message appeared.
Yet it was unexpected.
[Achievement ‘Ancient Seeker’ effect triggers.]
[Ancient Giant language decryption complete.]
Only after the messages ceased did the Ancient Giant’s voice reach them.
—Grraaaghhh…! That cursed technique that exterminated my entire race… Who are you?! How… how did you…!
The Ancient Giant convulsed in agony, his body wracked with pain.
The chains constricting his frame tightened further, pressing down with even greater force.
Yet Geumson had no mercy to spare.
He planted his foot on the Ancient Giant’s wavering knee and launched himself skyward.
A blue point and a red point now gleamed simultaneously atop the Ancient Giant’s crown.
The optimal strike point.
Geumson prepared his final blow.
“Solar Strike!”
A hammer imbued with the sun’s power plummeted toward the giant’s crown like a meteor.
Crash!
Crack—
[Weak Point Strike successful.]
[Critical hit confirmed.]
[Solar Strike effect applied.]
[Inflicts flame and holy damage equal to 300% of attack power, and applies ‘Burn’ status to the target for 5 seconds.]
[Head Hunter effect triggered — Headshot activated.]
[Additional 10% damage added.]
[‘Infinite Chain Strike’ 50th consecutive hit! Final damage increased by 500%!]
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Messages swam before his eyes.
Ignoring them, Geumson drove down his ‘Weak Point Strike.’
Even the giant seemed unable to withstand this final blow.
Squeezing out the last of its strength, the creature shrieked incomprehensible words.
— El… rad… ia! My… light…! You…
That anguished cry.
In that moment, Geumson understood.
This giant was no mere monster.
Even as its life flickered away, it clung to a single name.
‘Could it be…’
On a hunch, Geumson drew from his pocket something he’d found while searching the palace.
[Pendant with Giant Queen’s Portrait]
“Is this Eladia?”
As Geumson held the pendant high, a faint glow poured from it, illuminating the giant’s face.
In that instant, the creature’s wild, crazed eyes trembled one last time.
The bloodshot fury drained from its gaze, replaced by clear and rational light.
— I’m sorry… forgive me, I’m sorry… I’m only… sorry…
The giant clutched at the pendant as if it might crumble in its grip.
But that was the end.
The giant’s body began to petrify, crumbling to dust from its feet upward.
Fssssss—
The sound of sand scattering on the wind was achingly desolate.
And then the giant spoke to Geumson.
Its eyes were clear now, untouched by the madness of before.
— …Is your sky still blue?
The giant’s voice fading.
Yet Geumson found himself caught off guard, words failing him.
With effort, he forced himself to speak.
“It still is…”
— Stranger, I too am a stranger to you… Yet trust no one. That is… even if…
The giant’s words grew unclear.
Its massive body had begun to crumble into sand.
Only its final words—
— You must… please…
Crumble.
The giant’s form collapsed entirely, its last words unfinished.
Geumson simply stood witness to its end, silent.
And in that same moment, a message appeared.
[You have defeated the Hidden Boss ‘Ancient Giant’.]
[You have perfectly conquered the ‘Forgotten City of Giants’.]
[The System expresses awe at your combat instincts and survival prowess.]
[Rewards enhanced.]
[Level increased! Lv. 51]
[Level increased! Lv. 52]
[Level increased! Lv. 53]
[Level increased! Lv. 54]
[Your level has increased! Lv. 55]
[You have acquired the title ‘Liberator’.]
– Description: You have liberated the Ancient Giant King, who was bound by twisted fate and imprisoned in eternal suffering.
– Effect 1: Final damage dealt to enemies in sealed or restrained states increases by 25%.
– Effect 2: Command stat permanently increases by 50.
– Effect 3: You gain high affinity with the Giant race and ancient legacies.
[You have acquired the achievement ‘Giant Slayer’.]
– Description: You have defeated the forgotten Ancient Giant King. Your name shall be carved into the hearts of giants as terror itself.
– Effect 1: Final damage dealt to giant-type monsters increases by 20%.
– Effect 2: Final damage received from giant-type monsters decreases by 20%.
[The hidden system ‘Artisan’s Workshop’ has advanced to Lv. 2.]
[A new crafting system ‘Giant’s Smithy’ has been unlocked.]
– Description: A special forge granted only to those who have inherited the crafting techniques and spirit of the ancient giants. It is optimized for handling powerful weapons capable of felling even giants themselves.
[Effects]
1. [Ancient Material Specialization] – When handling materials of ancient grade or higher, material loss rate decreases and the probability of unlocking potential increases by 50%.
2. [Crafting Bonus] – When crafting equipment, base stats and durability additionally increase by 20%.
[The power of ages beyond legend now rests in your hands!]
[Your discovery spreads across all servers.]
[World Message]
[Player Geumson has acquired ‘Ancient Giant’s Heart Stone’!]
[Player Geumson has acquired ‘Sealing Chain Fragment’.]
[Reputation increases by 1,000.]
[You have acquired ‘Fragment of Chronos’ Crown’. – Cannot be disclosed]
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Messages cascaded down like a deluge.
So many that reading them all seemed impossible.
Yet Geumson’s eyes blazed.
As though the battle had never truly ended.
“Walker! Tia! Surround it!”
Geumson’s unlocked system—the map.
A single gray dot marked upon it.
Until now, invisible; only subtly revealed during combat.
Without hesitation, Geumson hurled himself toward the location.
“Ugh—argh! What—what is this? How did you—”
At Geumson’s sudden appearance, a small shadow shrieked and tumbled backward.
It was a creature barely the size of a child, its form composed entirely of pitch-black shadow.
“Eek! Let go! Release me this instant! Wretched human! Unhand me! How dare you lay hands upon this one!”
The small shadow thrashed in resistance, but could not escape Geumson’s grip.
“A book?”
The tiny shadow, seized by the scruff, could barely move.
And in its hands—a book.
The moment Geumson saw it, his eyes widened.
‘Nothing… I can see nothing?’
Instinct’s red point—absent.
Insight’s blue point—absent.
A book from which nothing revealed itself.
It seized his attention entirely.
Just a book, nothing more.
No magical aura emanated from it.
No system message characteristic of a skill book appeared.
Only an ordinary book, the kind the NPCs of Lepion carried without distinction.
And yet Geumson could not tear his gaze away, for the reason lay elsewhere.
‘If nothing can be seen…’
Neither red point nor blue point appears.
There was only one meaning to that.
Flawless Perfection.
An object without a single flaw, whether physical or magical.
And that is precisely why Geumson could not look away.
‘Flawless Perfection… is that even possible?’
An item that could only exist in theory.
Yet there it was, right before his eyes.
Geumson snatched the book from the shadow child’s grip.
“Oof! H-hey! Give it back! Don’t take it! You can’t!”

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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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