Strike 15

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Hyun-soo, who slowly opened his eyes, was shocked to see the hologram in front of him.

[Current Bid: 1,008 Gold.]

[Final bid in 10 seconds.]

[10, 9, 8……]

“1,000 gold?”

1,000 gold was a considerable sum, amounting to 1 million won.

“Wow, jackpot…!”

Was the value of artifacts in Ares far greater than he had imagined?

[Hyun’s first sword sold for 1,008 gold to Blam of the Golden Shield Guild.]

[The buyer leaves a blind review.]

‘A review?’

Hyun-soo looked puzzled as he checked the review.

[Hello, I’m Blam from the Golden Hammer Guild. It’s an honor to purchase the first artifact created by a blacksmith named ‘Hyun’.]

‘Why are they praising me like this?’

[I stretched my budget to buy this. But considering it has no usage restriction and it’s the start of the ‘Hyun’ brand, I made the purchase.]

[I hope we can continue good dealings in the future. If you are interested in an exclusive contract, please contact our Golden Hammer Guild anytime.]

“Ah…”

Hyun-soo understood why the price had exceeded his expectations.

‘The Golden Hammer Guild, huh…’

Hyun-soo had heard about the Golden Hammer Guild, a quite famous blacksmith guild in Korea.

Then, Hyun-soo clicked on the ‘Golden Hammer’ icon that appeared on one side of the auction board and entered that page.

“Wow, 780,000 subscribers…?”

The Golden Hammer Guild had a staggering 780,000 people who set up notifications for their items.

“How many do I have?”

He knew that level 100 blacksmiths typically had fewer than 10 subscribers on average.

Most blacksmiths naturally used the auction board.

It’s said that there are over 500,000 blacksmith users in Korea alone.

With everyone using the board, only well-known names gain subscribers.

[Subscribers to Hyun’s Forge: 211.]

“…?”

Hyun-soo was puzzled.

He had heard that increasing the number of subscribers on the auction board was even harder than leveling up.

And when he entered his own forge, Hyun’s Forge, his inbox was flashing.

Clicking on it, he found several messages.

[Hello, I’m Revel from the Blue Hammer Guild. The reason I’m writing is to discuss a contract with ‘Hyun’s Forge’…]

[Hello! I am Taehoon, the master of Taehoon Guild. Our Taehoon Guild is…]

[Hello?]

[Message from Red Anvil Forge…]

There were about five messages, each offering recruitment or proposing contracts.

“…”

Hyun-soo stood there for a moment, filled with new emotions.

In his father’s forge, it was rare to find people interested in weapons.

Especially in their country, where weapon ownership was prohibited, it was even more so.

But here, people wanted them, not complaining to the district office to “get rid of that damned forge!” but recognizing their value.

“1 million won…”

It was the precious money he earned from his first artifact sale.

Hyun-soo smiled slightly and turned off the auction board.

‘Not yet.’

He realized that the numerous messages meant his value was higher than he had thought.

There was no need to rush.

And Hyun-soo was confident that his value would only increase in the future.

Before he knew it, Hyun-soo had arrived at the lord’s castle.

“Who are you?”

One of the two guards, who had their spears crossed, asked.

“I have come with a recommendation letter concerning the restoration of the lord’s bow.”

The guard scanned the letter and nodded.

“There are two foreigners visiting the lord today. Follow me.”

Hyun-soo looked puzzled.

‘Two people?’

That meant another user was already visiting the lord, excluding himself.

Hyun-soo followed the guard.

***

“Is it really true, that there is absolutely no way to restore it here?”

Baron Vans of the Bardin Territory grimaced while sitting in his chair.

The reason was Bell, a foreigner who had visited the castle.

Bell looked like a skilled blacksmith at first glance.

“As you know, this place is called a beginner’s zone. Skilled blacksmiths from outside can’t enter here. Those who do are usually unable to restore it.”

At Bell’s explanation, Baron Vans nodded reluctantly.

“That’s true.”

Many foreigners had visited Baron Vans so far.

But none of them were able to clearly restore it.

First reason.

The freedom to enter the beginner’s zone was limited in the first place.

There were some, but they were mostly blacksmiths around level 50.

Usually, blacksmiths’ restoration skills can only be learned at level 80

 or above.

As Bell was about to add another comment, with a sigh in his expression, a moment came.

“Another foreigner has arrived.”

“Another one?”

“Yes, he comes with a recommendation from Instructor Rellson.”

Baron Vans was in a hurry.

A fire at the lord’s castle burned down my father’s heirloom!

If it could be restored, he would do anything they wanted.

In fact, since he was a lord, he didn’t meet just anyone.

Especially when it came to foreigners.

Foreigners are full of greed. Every now and then, when he went out to the village, he would hear things like:

“Lord, just 100 gold, please!”

“Lord, let’s be friends~!”

“Hey, why bother? He’s just an NPC.”

“Who knows? He might give a hidden quest. He’s a lord, after all.”

“Oh? Lord!”

They weren’t exactly pleasant.

Usually, Baron Vans didn’t trust or like foreigners, but now he was desperate to grasp at straws.

And soon, his face crumpled as he saw the incoming foreigner.

The guard then said to the foreigner,

“Sit down with respect.”

The foreigner was wearing armor that was rusted all over.

“So, you came for restoration too. What is your name?”

“My name is Hyun-soo.”

“Hyun-soo, to what extent have you reached?”

“Are you referring to the mystic power?”

Baron Vans slowly nodded his head.

“Unfortunately, I have not yet mastered the mystic power.”

“…”

Baron Vans’ face crumpled miserably.

The mystic power was the skill of foreigners, as mentioned by NPCs.

But he had not learned such power.

Soon, thinking of someone named Rellson, Baron Vans asked,

“Did you come straight from the hunting training ground?”

“That’s correct.”

Baron Vans felt it wasn’t worth speaking any further.

He let out a small sigh and turned his head away mercilessly.

‘As soon as this conversation ends, I must throw him out.’

Yes, this Hyun-soo was a level 1 foreigner, according to the foreigners.

Just one of the many greedy people he had seen in the village.

How he got the recommendation letter, he didn’t know.

But he had no intention whatsoever of entrusting the restoration to someone as insignificant and trivial as him.

With that, Baron Vans looked back at Bell, the blacksmith, and gestured.

Bell, who had been silent for a while, met Baron Vans’ eyes and glanced at the user named Hyun-soo.

‘What kind of trash is this?’

He’s a level 1, what is he thinking, coming here to restore the lord’s bow?

If he was coming, at least he should’ve done something about that rusted armor.

But it’s none of his concern.

‘I just need to do my job well. Heh heh.’

In fact, Bell wasn’t a blacksmith.

Though he looked like one, he was actually a ‘Crossing Thief’, one of the rogue classes.

Crossing Thief was a hidden class and could learn quite special skills.

The first was to change their appearance.

This applies to artifacts as well.

The second is not being restricted even if they break a bet or promise with someone.

The third is being able to cross any beginner’s zone with restrictions.

Bell, who had reached level 70, came here to take advantage of Baron Vans’ desperation.

‘Even if it’s completely burned down, it’ll be worth some money if sold, or I could restore it by commissioning another blacksmith and then resell it.’

And even for a thief, research was essential. He continued with the conversation he had been having.

“Let me repeat, it is absolutely impossible to restore it here. You need to take it outside and commission a skilled blacksmith.”

“Hmm… As you know, I am bound by the will of the great God Ares and cannot leave this land.”

NPCs who cannot move from their fixed position. They are called guardian NPCs.

Baron Vans belonged to such guardian NPCs.

‘This is a quest that no one can solve, hehe~’

Bell was excited.

Didn’t Baron Vans just say with his own mouth that he couldn’t leave?

That means he’s desperate to restore it but has no way to do it.

So?

“If it’s not rude, I would like to take it myself and commission a known blacksmith to restore it.”

“You will do it yourself?”

“Yes, since it’s impossible here, it should be taken outside.”

“Hmm, even so, it’s my father’s precious heirloom…”

Baron Vans’ concern deepened.

Even he thought restoration looked difficult.

Then suddenly, Baron Vans became curious about something.

“Do you know what type of bow it is and what materials it is made of?”

The bow, charred black, was so damaged it was hard to even identify what type of bow it was.

In response to Baron Vans’ sharp question, Bell said,

“Yes, this bow is a recurve bow, commonly used in my world. It can be fully restored. So please allow me to take it outside for restoration. If you’re not convinced, I could make an oath to Ares.”

Bell boldly suggested this, planning to break the promise using one of his skills, ‘False Promise’. 

Moreover, an oath to Ares is quite significant in this game. If not fulfilled, it results in penalties.

Using this as leverage, Bell was trying to gain trust.

As Bell mentioned making an oath to Ares, Baron Vans was shaken.

Indeed, that was true.

The territory Baron Vans ruled was a beginner’s zone, and it was impossible to restore such a precious heirloom here.

“…Is there no other way?”

Baron Vans eventually took the bait.

He wanted to restore it by any means.

But the person in front of him says it’s impossible to restore it here.

Eventually, Baron Vans agreed.

“How much do you need for the restoration?”

“300 gold should suffice.”

Baron Vans, who had been lost in thought with his eyes closed, slowly began to nod.

Then.

“…It can be restored.”

A voice was heard.

Slowly opening his eyes, Baron Vans turned his gaze to the source of the voice.

It was from Hyun-soo, a mere level 1 foreigner.

Baron Vans looked puzzled. So did Bell.

‘What nonsense is this, interrupting when everything was almost settled?’

Restored here?

According to Bell’s research, it was absolutely impossible to restore that bow here.

In fact, it was a quest not meant to be undertaken.

Baron Vans, with a stern face, stood up from his chair.

“I was discussing with a blacksmith of higher caliber than you, and you dare interrupt with such nonsense?”

But the foreigner named Hyun-soo remained unflinching.

Soon, Baron Vans drew his sword.

Swoosh-

“Can you stake your head on it?”

At that question, the foreigner named Hyun-soo momentarily closed his mouth.

***

Hyun-soo had been quietly listening to the conversation.

If someone else had already received the quest, it was right for them to talk and proceed first.

But something seemed off about the situation, especially whenever the user named Bell spoke.

Bell had said:

The bow was a type of archery bow.

Nonsense.

That bow was something Hyun-soo had made hundreds, even thousands of times in his forge.

“Can you stake your head on it?”

To Baron Vans’ question, Hyun-soo nodded.

“Yes.”

The type of the bow was a horn bow (角弓).

It was a traditional Korean bow.

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