The Returned Genius Blacksmith has Awakened as an all-Master - Chapter 92

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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 92
092. I Think Not
What’s more, this Foreigner who had been looking down from on high mere moments before.
It seemed as though some mere Foreigner who ought only to follow orders was now looking down upon him with mockery.
“How dare you Foreigners swarm in like locusts and show contempt for the mages of Aerthos? And to impersonate the Star’s Successor no less—face your punishment.”
Mana gathered around him.
Mana began to converge in the very heart of the city Aerthos—no ordinary gathering of power.
A madman about to unleash lethal magic in the heart of the city.
No, a mad NPC.
“Battle stations! Deploy the defensive formation! Protect the citizens!”
As Geumson stood bewildered, Kang Mu-jin’s voice rang out.
An immediate response faster than Geumson’s.
It was Kang Mu-jin, after all.
But then.
“Your knees grow stiff, Talis.”
A measured voice.
The moment that voice sounded, the mana scattered of its own accord.
Or rather, the mana that Talis, the commander of the Mage Battalion, had gathered was being sucked toward a single point.
“T-Tower Master! That man is impersonating the Star’s Successor!”
A man appeared without the slightest warning.
He wore white robes and held a staff in one hand.
His attire bore a faint resemblance to Astrid’s.
But the figure that appeared in the message was an entirely different person.
[Master of the Magic Tower, Roentus Lv. 399]
The tower of mages that stands at the heart of Aerthos.
The one who stands at its apex.
The Tower Master Roentus.
The Players could not conceal their shock at his appearance.
“The Tower Master? The actual Tower Master has made an appearance? What kind of situation is this?”
“I’ve never seen him once until now—wow, this is insane. Look at the level, the level.”
“I’ve lived in Aerthos my entire time here and never laid eyes on him.”
“Is this a forced story progression event? This is better than any movie.”
The Tower Master who had never once revealed himself before the Players.
Now he had stepped forward.
Even Kang Mu-jin seemed taken aback by his appearance.
“I pay my respects to the Tower Master. I am Kang Mu-jin, Master of Yeokcheon.”
Even Kang Mu-jin approached with propriety and caution.
But the gaze of Tower Master Roentus burned with barely suppressed fury.
That gaze remained fixed upon Talis.
“Impersonate? Talis, your arrogance reaches toward heaven itself. To dare doubt that person’s insignia.”
The brooch hung upon Geumson’s chest.
There is none in Aerthos who do not know the meaning of that brooch.
Before even learning magic, even a three-year-old child learns first the meaning of that brooch.
The brooch of Astrid held far greater significance than Geumson had imagined.
It was the very embodiment of the authority of the Grand Mage Astrid herself, and a sacred relic that proved him to be the sole successor to carry her will forward.
Talis had turned his magic upon that sacred relic.
“Your knees remain stiff still.”
Roentus’s magic manifested in an instant.
It posed no threat to the surroundings, unlike Talis’s magic.
There was not even the slightest prelude to spellcasting.
“Kneel.”
Crunch-crunch-crunch—
Thud—
In that moment, Talis’s knees buckled.
Talis had not knelt of his own will.
The very atmosphere pressed down upon him, forcing his knees to bend.
“T-Tower Master…”
Talis could barely form words, as though crushed beneath gravity itself.
Now even his waist folded, and he could no longer raise his head.
‘Such exquisite Mana Manipulation…’
Geumson couldn’t help but be astonished at the magic Roentus unleashed.
The other players might not have felt particularly moved.
It would have looked like they were simply using a skill, the way players do.
But to Geumson, who had learned magic directly from Astrid, it appeared entirely different.
From Roentus’s mana manipulation to the manifestation of the spell itself.
It was perfect magic without a single flaw to criticize.
“The position of battalion commander is yet beyond you. Withdraw at once and confine yourself to quarters. Take him away.”
At his words, Talis could not raise his head, only staring down at the floor.
Simultaneously, mana restraints formed around his wrists.
In an instant, Talis fell from his post as commander of the Mage Battalion, dragged away like a condemned criminal.
The moment Talis was led out, silence descended.
In that silence, Roentus’s gaze turned toward the players.
Roentus, who overwhelmed even the players themselves.
And yet, he bowed his head.
“Hmm, I apologize for showing such an unsightly display to you heroes who have come to save the city.”
Once the situation had settled, Roentus apologized with a lowered head.
Unlike Talis, he seemed to harbor no particular ill will toward the Foreigners.
Rather the opposite.
“All Foreigners, hear me.”
Though his words seemed ordinary, his voice reached every player in Aerthos with perfect clarity.
As if he were speaking right beside them.
“Show me the measure of your strength! Aerthos will not forget your devotion!”
The moment Roentus finished speaking, a new quest window appeared before every player’s eyes.
[City Defense Coalition Quest: The Defense of Aerthos]
– Description: Aerthos faces grave peril. In response to Tower Master Roentus’s call, hold back the monsters pouring into Aerthos. Your deeds will be recorded in the history of Aerthos.
– Success Condition: Defend against the Monster Wave and protect the city.
– Rewards:
1. Top Contribution: 5,000,000 Gold, Aerthos Honorary Citizenship, Divine Whistle Scroll (Ancient)
2. Top 10 Contribution: 3,000,000 Gold, Aerthos Citizenship, Legendary-Grade Random Equipment Chest
3. Top 100 Contribution: Aerthos Honorary Citizenship, 1,000,000 Gold, Legendary-Grade Random Equipment Chest
4. Participation Reward: 10,000 Gold, Random Equipment Chest, Aerthos Contribution Points
※Additional Gold disbursed according to contribution rank
– Penalty for Failure:
1. Collapse of Aerthos
2. 30-day connection restriction for all participants
The quest message began appearing to every player in Aerthos.
And those who saw it could only gasp in shock.
“First place is…… five million Gold? That’s half a billion won in real money? They’re giving half a billion? And an Ancient-grade Divine Whistle Scroll on top of that? What even is that?”
“First place is obviously Kang Mu-jin anyway, but does that matter? Top ten gets three hundred million! Top hundred gets a hundred million! They’re insane, absolutely insane! And on top of that…… a Legendary random box!”
“Just for participating you get ten thousand Gold and a random equipment chest…… Hey, this is huge.”
“Those who ignored Geumson’s advice and didn’t come to Aerthos must be regretting it now, huh? It’s sweet, so sweet! From now on, I’m following every word Geumson says!”
There were no additional reinforcements to summon.
The monsters had already drawn a perfect concentric circle around Aerthos, besieging it from all sides.
There was no player capable of breaking through and entering.
So the players who had reached Aerthos so far—
All of them were being offered ten thousand Gold and a random chest simply for participating.
Ten thousand Gold was equivalent to a million won in real currency, and the random chest could drop items up to Unique grade.
Truly an unprecedented event.
Roentus made no empty apologies—instead, he expressed his remorse clearly through the quest itself.
So the players’ eyes went wild.
The failure penalty of a thirty-day connection restriction seemed to vanish from their sight entirely.
“What are you doing? We don’t have time for this! We need to hunt one more monster!”
“Yeah, but how are we supposed to make it into the top hundred? I’m just gonna settle for the participation reward…”
“We? Since when is there a ‘we’? One competitor just dropped out of the race. I’m going first!”
“What? Wait, hold on! Let me come too!”
“Let’s go! We won’t sleep until this quest is over! Actually, let’s just stay here and be buried in this place!”
Even those who had been streaming on Lepion Net began shutting down their broadcasts one by one.
They too felt the urgency.
The more monsters they hunted, the higher their contribution would climb.
Kang Mu-jin felt the same way.
He smiled at the corner of his mouth and called out to the guild members of Yeokcheon.
“Yeokcheon! Everyone, move out! We sweep the monsters away! Ranks one through a hundred—all of it belongs to Yeokcheon!”
Kang Mu-jin spilled out his ambitions with confidence.
He too seemed ready to throw himself into the competition for contribution.
Even so, he showed his confidence to Roentus.
“I’ll see you at the ceremony, Tower Master.”
Roentus watched as the Players drained away like a receding tide.
He wore a pleased smile as he watched them go.
Not only the currency that would be spent on this quest, but items as well.
No matter that he was the master of the Magic Tower representing Aerthos, this was undoubtedly reckless.
Even if they managed to repel the Monster Wave successfully, the Tower might totter under financial strain for some time to come.
Yet Roentus seemed unbothered.
In fact, it was a wise decision.
Nothing would remain in the wake of the monsters anyway.
“A man of bold spirit indeed. It seems likely that this Kang Mu-jin will claim first place. Wouldn’t you say, Geumson?”
Roentus’s gaze turned toward Geumson.
Roentus even knew Geumson’s name.
In truth, it seemed Roentus had been waiting for this moment more than anything else.
The Star’s Successor.
Astrid’s only disciple—a conversation with Geumson, that is.
But Roentus could only tilt his head in confusion.
The answer he was waiting for did not come.
“Geumson, what are you—”
Geumson was holding a Hammer.
Not only that, but Iron Walker behind him and even Tia perched on his shoulder.
All of them were preparing for combat.
Such was Geumson as he met Roentus’s eyes and spoke.
“That’s not quite right.”
Geumson could not agree with Roentus’s words.
Well, he might have nodded before seeing the quest reward, if that had been the case.
Handing the reward to Kang Mu-jin wasn’t exactly a poor choice for the future either.
But that was no longer an option.
“I’m going to take first place.”

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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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