The Returned Genius Blacksmith has Awakened as an all-Master - Chapter 88

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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 88
088. The Man Himself Steps Forward
“So the reason you got in my way?”
Tianma seemed somewhat displeased by Liu Wei’s actions.
As he posed the question, Liu Wei showed him a post that had appeared on the Lepion Net through the system.
“Who ordered you to do this?”
Tianma reacted before even reading the post.
Liu Wei began explaining himself, cold sweat beading on his brow.
“W-well…… it was a direct order from the Central Party, so I had no choice.”
“Tiresome. Does the Central Party meddle in Lepion now?”
“As Lepion’s economic scale has grown larger…… the Central Party initiated special management measures.”
Tianma’s brow furrowed at Liu Wei’s words.
But the moment he began reading the Lepion Net post that Liu Wei had provided, his expression gradually softened.
“These movements…… this isn’t a man who relies solely on Lepion’s skills. Wasn’t Korea nothing but Kang Mu-jin anyway?”
The man reviewed the video footage attached by Geumson as well.
Clearly, it was content that boded nothing good for China’s Central Party or the Geomrim guild.
But none of that mattered to Tianma.
Only Geumson’s combat.
Only his movements held his attention.
“What’s his level?”
“Around level 60, by all accounts.”
“Level 60 displaying such movements…… Now Lepion is starting to get interesting. Excellent. Very excellent indeed!”
Tianma was beaming.
Even the top-ranked players from nations around the world had failed to capture his serious interest.
Now he was beginning to take notice of Geumson.
“Geumson, Geumson, Geumson…… I wonder how far he’ll have grown by that day.”
China’s supreme powerhouse, Tianma.
It was the moment Geumson’s name became etched into his mind.
* * *
The post Tianma had read and laughed off—
Korea’s players did not brush it aside with the same casual amusement.
[Title: Hello, this is Geumson. Since when did Chinese subcontract guilds move into Korea? feat. Arachne Guild]
– Author: Geumson
– Content:
So Korean guilds have started getting paid to terrorize the Korean server, I see.
Though I have to say, the monsters gathering around Airthos drop solid experience. Might actually be able to level up insanely fast?
I’m guessing the Arachne Guild is generously volunteering their services.
※ P.S.: Does that yuan taste sweet?
– [Video attached: Spider_Extermination_Pocket_Money_Success.mp4]
Geumson’s footage captured everything—from discovering the Arachne Guild to the battle itself.
Comments began trickling in beneath the post.
└ Another fake? Is Geumson back?
└ Wait…… this doesn’t seem like an imposter? The author’s name is…… it really is Geumson!
└ Is this actually Geumson? Is this for real?
└ It’s real! He’s actually here!
└ Wait…… what’s this video?
└ Geomrim? Isn’t that a Chinese guild? Why are they showing up here?
└ Wow, this is…… Reporter! This is a scoop! A scoop!
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.
.
Geumson’s personal appearance was enough to capture the attention of Lepion Net users.
It wasn’t simply because of Geumson himself.
The content of the post was too serious—the comment section looked ready to burst.
[Daily Lepion: Breaking News_LIVE]
“Good evening, this is Kim Hyun-sang, reporter for Daily Lepion. As Yeokcheon’s Kang Mu-jin continues his activities, we’ve received some sobering news. It concerns a single post made by Geumson the craftsman. How do you interpret the situation, analyst?”
A Lepion specialist commentator occupied one corner of the screen: Park Chung-shik, the analyst.
He opened his mouth with a grave expression.
“This cannot be viewed simply as a dispute between players. This is unmistakably an invasion of the Korean server by Chinese capital and Chinese forces.”
“An invasion? Wouldn’t ‘invasion’ be too strong a term?”
“Not at all. If it weren’t for Geumson’s exposé, we’d have had no idea what was happening in Airthos, one of the core cities of the Korean server.”
Analyst Park Chung-shik seized the moment, launching into an explanation of the current situation.
Specifically, he outlined the consequences should Airthos collapse.
“If Airthos falls, not only will Korean mages be unable to learn Advanced Magic, but all supply of essential quests and items will be cut off entirely—we’ll enter a true age of darkness. Crippling the growth of an entire class—if that isn’t an invasion, what is?”
Kim Hyun-sang nodded at Analyst Park Chung-shik’s passionate words.
After all, before he was a reporter, he was a Lepion player himself.
Still, he pressed further, raising a question about Geomrim.
“Now that you mention it, this really is serious. So then—what’s the intention behind Geomrim, that massive Chinese guild, orchestrating something like this?”
“Preparatory work with Server Integration in mind. They’re weakening Korea’s strategic strongholds in advance so they can dominate easily once the servers merge. That’s the whole strategy.”
“Ah—excuse me for interrupting, but… we have breaking news! An official statement from Yeokcheon has just come out. Let’s take a look!”
As the broadcast switched, Kang Mu-jin’s face, logged into Lepion, filled the screen.
Unlike the press conference, Kang Mu-jin wasn’t smiling.
More than that—he was already fully armored.
As if preparing for an imminent battle with the Nightmare King itself.
“…Yeokcheon will not stand idle in the face of this cowardly invasion. Effective immediately, we are mobilizing every asset of the guild to Airthos.”
Yeokcheon’s swift response.
Not only Yeokcheon, but players across the Lepion Net were taking the incident with utmost seriousness.
Meanwhile, the “Traitor” keyword that had clung to Geumson had long since vanished without a trace.
In its place stood “Arachne”.
[Title: Essential Reading for Mages) If Airthos Falls, We’re All Finished. Let’s Go Protect It With Our Lives.]
[Title: Arachne = Chinese Subcontractors. They’ve Crossed the Line… Guild Dissolution Petition Underway]
[Title: Arachne Guild—These Traitors’ Personal Info Being Dug Up. Anyone Got Tips, Please Share.]
[Title: Kang Mu-jin’s Going Himself? Insane. Maybe I Should Check It Out Too?]
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.
.
Posts condemning Arachne, celebrating news of Kang Mu-jin’s sortie, expressing worry about Airthos’s plight—
All manner of opinions flooding the Lepion Net.
Yet Korean players seemed to see opportunity within that crisis.
[Title: Opening Dungeons AND Exposing Infinite Hunting Grounds? Geumson, Who Exactly Are You…? Just Brilliant!!!]
[Title: Expedition Recruiting) Monster Wave? Nah This Is an EXP Event Right?? Opening Run Heading Out! Looking for Party Members (7/8)]
[Title: Lots of Monsters? Guess Items’ll Drop Like Candy Too?]
[Title: Recruiting People to Go Merchant Runs in Airthos! Crafters’ Guilds Welcome! (97/100)]
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Players viewing Airthos as a land of opportunity.
They were beginning to make their way there.
The dungeon rush Geumson had created by opening the City of Giants.
And now, in its wake, another surge was forming—the Airthos rush.
No, a player wave toward Airthos had begun.
* * *
“Things are going better than expected?”
Geumson felt satisfied watching the heated response on the Lepion Net.
The old Geumson, even if he’d uploaded footage like this, wouldn’t have stirred up such a massive wave of response.
It would’ve been dismissed as cheap aggression from some streamer.
Or worse, written off as a fabricated broadcast—he likely would’ve faced serious backlash.
Especially when the opposition consisted of Geomrim, backed by massive Chinese capital, and Arachne, specialists in Korea’s seedy underworld contracts.
Comment manipulation and orchestrated counter-campaigns could have buried him socially.
But the weight of the name Geumson carried now was in a different league from the old Geumson.
That’s why he could respond immediately to suspicions like these.
‘I need to wrap up Astrid’s business first, then join in myself.’
He’d succeeded in drawing the players’ attention, but he couldn’t rest easy yet.
The actual turnout was still uncertain, regardless of the Lepion Net’s enthusiasm.
And how many could actually participate in real combat remained an open question.
His heart wouldn’t settle.
“Master?”
Geumson hurried to find Astrid.
Astrid turned to face him and spoke.
“So you’ve finally returned. Did sightseeing the world amuse you?”
Geumson tilted his head at her words.
It was strange.
Astrid, who had issued the Twisted Causality quest, should not have said that.
‘Did you enjoy seeing the world… like this?’
Besides, it was something he’d heard before.
Surely it was what Tia had said back then, when Geumson logged back into Lepion and Tia flew off Astrid’s shoulder of her own accord.
“Master, I’ve returned after completing the task you requested.”
“Hmm? A task I requested? Well… the herbal medicines should be sufficiently prepared by now.”
“But… that’s not it. Surely you said you were worried about Airthos…”
Something was off.
Astrid’s response, as if she’d forgotten the quest itself.
At that moment, Astrid fell silent too, her brow furrowing.
She seemed to have realized something was amiss as well.
“Dear me… I’m sorry. That Brooch—could you let me have the Brooch for a moment?”
The Brooch pinned to Geumson’s chest.
An item Astrid had given him as advance compensation when he first started the quest.
He’d thought it was simply a Brooch to confirm he was Astrid’s disciple, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
The moment he handed it to Astrid, a blue light began to ripple across the Brooch’s surface.
She stared blankly at that blue radiance.
It was as though she were reading the memories contained within it.
The blue light faded, and after a moment spent gathering her thoughts, she exhaled slowly and spoke.
“So… you’ve discovered the cause?”

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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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