Lee Ji-hee recalled something Team Leader Kim Tae-Seok had said.
User Hyun-Soo had met the conditions for a new class.
One was to once reject a legendary class, and another was to achieve two remarkable feats in his job field.
Currently, Hyun-Soo had accomplished one remarkable feat.
“Team Leader, creating ‘Light’ was one of the remarkable feats, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then this restoration would count as another, wouldn’t it?”
Kim Tae-Seok sighed softly.
“Yes, if he pulls off this restoration, it would indeed be a remarkable achievement.”
It was an undeniable fact.
However, Kim Tae-Seok shook his head.
“But it won’t be easy due to the limitations. If only skill was enough…”
In reality, a blacksmith’s skill can determine everything.
But this was, after all, a game.
Just as a high-level swordsman is much stronger than Hanul, the greatest kendo genius in reality.
There are things that can’t be done with real-world skills alone.
Soon, Kim Tae-Seok started typing rapidly on his keyboard.
“It might even take longer than when he worked with mithril, and the key issue might be something else.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a restoration project, different from the original creations that Hyun-Soo User made. It’s about restoring something that was already made.”
Lee Ji-hee looked puzzled, not understanding why that was a problem.
“Let’s suppose this. A chef creates a dish originally, and then another chef is asked to recreate it just by tasting it and using the same ingredients. Can they replicate the exact same taste?”
“…Ah.”
Lee Ji-hee understood.
“Right, Hyun-Soo User has the same ingredients, but like tasting, it’s hard to restore something with just sight and touch.”
“Unless he’s an incredible restorer, it won’t be easy.”
“That’s right. Moreover, there should be guidelines on restoration methods and skills meeting, but due to limitations, there’s none of that.”
That was certainly true.
Then Lee Ji-hee had a thought.
Using the same ingredients to cook…
“Team Leader.”
“Huh?”
“But what if the second chef makes a tastier dish than the first one?”
“…?”
Kim Tae-Seok’s eyes widened at this unexpected question.
“Well, obviously…”
The task was restoration.
What would the other party say if the appearance is the same, but the taste is better?
“They’d be thrilled if it tastes better…?”
***
Hyun-Soo, starting the restoration work, felt a distinct difference.
‘VVIP capsules and standard capsules. They’re worlds apart…’
It was just a 15% difference in synchronization rate. But human limits can be decided even within this 15%.
In an Olympics with national representatives!
Does the winner have twice the skill of others?
No, just a bit more. Often, they are just slightly better than their competitors.
This 15% holds more significance than one might think.
Hyun-Soo was certain.
His first sword, the ‘Light’, would be surpassed by a much more sophisticated and perfect work this time.
And also.
‘This restoration work is fun.’
Others might say.’How is that fun!’
It might be akin to saying ‘I find studying the most fun in the world!’
But Hyun-Soo genuinely found it enjoyable.
‘Maybe people who find studying fun feel this way?’
Studying continuously builds new knowledge.
Those people probably find joy not in studying itself but in acquiring knowledge.
Hyun-Soo was similar, yet different.
He also enjoyed the process of creation, excited by the anticipation of what the end result of his efforts would be.
What will come out this time?
Can I create something even better than before?
“The first thing is…”
The first task was to bend the woods.
Mulberry, bamboo, oak, etc., needed to be bent.
He had to make sure that the bent shape was maintained from end to end.
But then.
‘Why isn’t it bending properly?’
Hyun-Soo realized. It was because of the limitations.
Like last time, these limitations hinder easy creation.
“Shall I help?”
“…Aren’t you busy?”
“It’s fine. Besides, isn’t this about restoring an heirloom left by my father?”
Baron Vans had been staying by Hyun-Soo’s side.
“Will you keep helping?”
“…If you want, I will. Restoring my father’s heirloom together, that sounds meaningful.”
Hyun-Soo gave a bitter smile at that.
“You’d probably want to run away.”
“…?”
Vans, baffled, sat opposite Hyun-Soo and pressed hard on the wood together.
“Don’t say that. I’m a lord and quite a skilled swordsman, why would I want to run away from a task like this? Hahaha!”
Three days later.
“Can I go back now…?”
“No, you can’t.”
“…”
Vans was going insane.
Ah, the boredom, the madness!
For three days, they had been doing nothing but bending materials.
His back felt like it was going to snap, and his arms were trembling with spasms.
But not for Hyun-Soo. He tied the ends of the wood together with wire.
“Take a break.”
“I’m fine. This task is easy.”
“…?”
Vans looked at Hyun-Soo with a puzzled expression.
“Have you lost your mind?”
Hyun-Soo, smiling faintly, shook his head.
“Working in the hot forge every day, this cooler work feels like a break.”
“…Ah?”
Vans understood. That did make sense.
Then a question occurred to him.
“Do all blacksmiths usually take this long?”
“Not here.”
“…Not here?”
“Yes, here we have the help of mystical powers and Lord Ares. Things are made and restored in a snap.”
“And where you come from?”
“Where I live, this kind of hard labor is common.”
Vans looked at the young Hyun-Soo.
He still had doubts whether Hyun-Soo could truly restore it.
But the way he confidently pierced through the materials without a close look was impressive, and Hyun-Soo was full of confidence.
What he trusted most were Hyun-Soo’s palms.
‘Palms blistered, torn, and calloused repeatedly…’
Those palms were a testament.
Baron Vans, also a swordsman, gets blisters on his hands from training.
But it’s rare for them to become completely calloused like that.
“It’s done now. I’ll do the rest alone.”
Hyun-Soo grinned. When he had said he couldn’t go back, he was only joking.
“…I’ll just stay by your side.”
Exhausted and overwhelmed, Vans decided just to watch.
The reason was Hyun-Soo’s expression.
‘How can he…’
How can he smile so happily?
It might be fun to make something all day.
But after a day, two days, three days, one would usually get bored and want to escape.
But Hyun-Soo was humming and enjoying himself.
‘Is he crazy about his job?’
Thus, Baron Vans watched over the young Hyun-Soo.
Three days passed.
Shush-shush-
“Now I’ll start trimming the mulberry wood.”
Five days passed.
“Finally, it’s well-trimmed. Now I’ll start making the bow using the mulberry and bamboo.”
Another week went by.
“Phew, finally the joining work is done. Now I’ll start trimming the buffalo horn.”
Vans just silently watched Hyun-Soo.
Four more days passed.
“Now I’ll boil the glue.”
The glue, called binding glue, was bubbling away.
Vans kept watching him.
It was an indescribable feeling.
Seeing the young man working his best to restore his father’s heirloom, Vans couldn’t help but smile.
“Now I’ll make the bowstring with whale tendons.”
The bowstring made from whale tendons was literally a white thread.
How many days had passed already?
About 20 days?
Baron Vans slowly stood up and drew his sword.
Swish-
“Even if you’re bored, are you trying to kill me…?”
Hyun-Soo chuckled playfully, and Vans shook his head.
“I can’t kill you out of boredom, but maybe I should train with my sword.”
Vans was speaking metaphorically.
It had been over 20 days.
Maybe it would take even longer.
The young man was doing his best to restore his father’s heirloom.
Vans wanted to help him.
That’s why he considered teaching him.
“How about it, want to learn?”
***
[You gain 1 Dexterity.]
[Your intimacy with Vans has increased.]
[You gain 1 Dexterity.]
[Your intimacy with Vans is increasing…]
After over 20 days, Hyun-Soo was working when he suddenly heard Baron Vans speak.
“How about it, want to learn?”
Ding!
[Skill Quest: Prime Swordsmanship Training]
Grade: B
Restriction: Those who received Vans’s offer.
Reward: Prime Swordsmanship.
Penalty for failure: Decrease in intimacy with Vans.
Description: Vans, a lord and renowned swordsman. Learn his swordsmanship through training. Acquire the skill by achieving over 80% in training.
‘Swordsmanship skill? And it’s rare?’
Hyun-Soo looked puzzled by Vans’s sudden offer to teach him swordsmanship.
Seeing him smile, Hyun-Soo nodded.
“I’d like that.”
The blacksmith is a class known to be quite weak among the production classes in Ares.
But acquiring swordsmanship skills could greatly benefit Hyun-Soo.
“I will show you three swordsmanship movements, and you should continue your work while watching them with your eyes.”
“Yes.”
Hyun-Soo continued his work.
Two more days passed.
[You have achieved 5% proficiency in training.]
The quest description clearly stated that he must achieve over 80% proficiency.
While restoring the crossbow, Hyun-Soo also spent about two hours a day learning the posture from him.
Skills can be acquired either through such skill quests or more easily through skill books.
Gradually, the work progressed to 99%.
Truthfully, Hyun-Soo was getting tired.
No matter how much he loved his job, a task that lasted more than a month could exhaust anyone.
Now only the final task remained.
This task involved heating the crossbow to balance it.
Exhausted from the hard labor, Hyun-Soo spoke up.
“Do you have a particular reason for wanting to restore this bow?”
Swinging his sword, Vans smiled faintly.
“Holding that bow reminds me of the times I had with my father.”
The reason Hyun-Soo liked his job.
Sometimes it was a profession that touched someone’s memories.
As Hyun-Soo continued his work, Vans shared his story.
“My father was a cold man, never paying much attention to a son like me. But when my mother passed away, he changed. The change started with this: ‘Vans, why don’t you learn archery?'”
Hyun-Soo’s hands deftly balanced the bow.
“He must have tried to change for me, left alone after mother’s passing.”
Hyun-Soo lifted the bow to check its balance, then heated it again.
“I was not good at shooting the bow at first, but he taught me how to shoot, one arrow at a time, in a gentler tone than usual.”
The balanced bow was almost the same as the first one Vans had held.
“After he passed away, I took comfort in that bow, it felt like my father’s warmth.”
Yes, the bow that Hyun-Soo was restoring was not just any bow.
It was his memory, his connection with his father.
“That’s why.”
Smiling at Vans’s happy face, Hyun-Soo smiled back.
“That’s a good memory.”
Just like Hyun-Soo, Vans had his own memories with his father.
Seeing Vans’s eyes well up with those distant memories, Hyun-Soo slowly stood up.
Finally, Hyun-Soo performed the last task.
The end of bow making.
Zzzzzap-
He placed an arrow on the bowstring and pulled it with all his might. The arrow flew straight to the target.
Pfff-
Immediately, a notification rang out.
[You have displayed blacksmith restoration skills beyond ordinary levels for your level.]
[You have accomplished a miraculous feat in the beginner zone that cannot be repeated.]
[A blacksmith superior to others has restored more intricately and excellently.]
[The grade of the Sharpshooter’s Crossbow is upgraded.]
[A rare artifact is upgraded to an epic artifact.]
[You gain 1 in all stats.]
[You gain 30 in Dexterity.]
[You gain 30 in Fame.]
[You acquire the title of a Restorer Beyond Limits.]
Hyun-Soo extended the bow to Vans with a smile.
“Check it out. Your memories with your father.”
Cliche Novel 
The hornbow transformed into a crossbow lol
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