Strike 40

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Master Craftsman.

In every production class, there’s a hierarchy.

Beginner upon class change.

Intermediate at level 100.

Advanced at 250.

Expert at 300 and above.

And beyond that, a rank that’s admired wherever you go.

‘Artisan.’

We call those exceptional individuals who create, produce, or engage in the arts, artisans.

Ares is no different.

There were a few artisan blacksmith users in Ares, and globally, less than five.

And then, the Master Craftsman.

A title for the most outstanding in their field.

[You’ve witnessed the crafting process of a Master Craftsman Blacksmith.]

[His refining is beautiful.]

[His smelting is marvelous.]

[His forging is precise.]

[Your advanced blacksmith mastery has increased by 22%.]

She knew.

No class in Ares had yet reached the level of Master Craftsman.

What does it take to become one?

At least level 500.

That number was absolutely unreachable at the moment.

Yeah, it’s impossible, both in terms of the system and level-wise, within the game of Ares.

But not in terms of skill.

‘How is this possible?’

On TV, we often see artisans. Most of these artisans are in their 40s and 50s.

Of course, some artisans are also referred to as master craftsmen. But none of them are as young as the user Hyun-soo.

When she was lost in confusion.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed.

Magic had struck nearby.

Watching the smoke rise, her eyes shook.

“Oh no…”

The shop where she first received her quest.

It was completely destroyed. A tear of relief fell.

She saw the uninjured shop owner nearby.

But soon, this place might fall too.

‘We’re running out of time…’

She felt the urgency, despite her efforts to help.

Then Hyun-soo said,

“…We’re starting the bell production tightly from now.”

Hyun-soo felt it too. There wasn’t much time.

He needed to create this bell to earn the deposit to save the blacksmith forge.

And it began.

Nel saw his blacksmithing speed up.

Evening came in a flash.

And then it was morning again.

Nel staggered with fatigue.

Then it was afternoon and evening again.

“…”

But Hyun-soo didn’t stop.

Another day dawned.

Watching his back, Nel realized.

She could see why he rose to be a master craftsman at such a young age.

It’s been 2 days.

No, precisely 4 days. He hadn’t slept a wink.

***

“What are you talking about?”

Story Team Manager Lee Mingyu visited the Special User Management Team with a puzzled look.

“An update might be canceled?”

Kim Tae-seok laughed bitterly while looking at the monitor.

“Exactly, this update might be scrapped.”

User visits to the Cassel region were dropping exponentially.

New content was needed, and the Story Team had set the Cassel region as land taken by the undead.

The revised content was this.

A story where users join Lord Kern, the surviving lord, to reclaim the Cassel region!

Of course, Cassel would become a wasteland.

But this update might be canceled?

“Is it because that user can repair the Bell of Ramas?”

Lee Mingyu knew about user Hyun-soo.

He smirked.

“You’re worrying for nothing, Kim. You know, even if the Bell of Ramas is repaired, it can’t be stopped at this stage.”

“Yeah, it can’t be stopped.”

Tae-seok just smiled bitterly.

Mingyu sensed something odd in that smile.

“…It’s not what I’m thinking, right?”

“…Right.”

“How can that be possible…?”

“It’s simple in theory. The second creator just has to be more skilled than the first.”

“No, that’s only easy in theory!”

Mingyu disagreed.

“So, how’s the bell being made right now?”

“…Far superior.”

“What?”

Mingyu’s eyes wavered.

Superior?

Could that really be possible?

An irreparable artifact, after all?

“The completion is at 92%. But it’s vastly more dominant than the original.”

“…”

Mingyu was stunned.

“Is that even possible?”

His point was this:

The Bell of Ramas is of epic grade.

But in reality, for artifacts affecting a large area, it shouldn’t be considered epic.

Usually, they’re seen as a level higher.

Right, the Bell of Ramas is more like a unique artifact.

But this one is far more superior?

“And it’s even custom-made.”

Kim Tae-seok nodded.

“What kind of power does this bell have…?”

Mingyu couldn’t leave the Special User Management Team.

He was too curious about the new bell being completed.

***

[The update is scheduled to start today.]

Nel woke up looking tired and pressed her hand against her forehead.

‘I feel like I’m going to die.’

But the man in front of her was still continuing his work. Nel blankly stared at his back.

‘Incredible, he’s insane. How can he make the bell to such a level with his skills?’

She soon found herself looking at the nearly completed bell.

‘There are too many incredible people in this world.’

She chuckled bitterly.

The most recent remarkable person she heard about was the one who destroyed the wooden puppet.

‘How on earth did he break the wooden puppet…?’

Then Nel recalled various fragments in her mind.

It had only been about 2 months since the wooden puppet was destroyed. And the user named Hyun-soo in front of her was level 40.

‘Wait…?’

Blacksmith Hyun.

While there were many rumors about him, most were similar.

He was still a low-level user.

His first sword and the second, a greatsword for an orc warrior, were proof of that.

The orc warrior’s greatsword was an artifact for level 50 users.

People were searching.

Who exactly destroyed the wooden puppet!

They were also looking.

For who Blacksmith Hyun was.

And they speculated numerous theories.

‘Blacksmith Hyun has obtained a class higher than a legend.’

‘Blacksmith Hyun, he carries around a legendary class blacksmith due to a chance encounter.’

‘Hyun might be an unofficially ranked blacksmith, just pretending to be a novice to hide his identity.’

Amidst all these rumors, Rune of the Golden Shield Guild suggested offering 400 million, but Nel refused.

‘I don’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes.’

Yes, she wouldn’t believe it until she saw it. And she realized.

There’s one hottest user in the world right now.

The one who destroyed the wooden puppet.

And the second hottest among the blacksmiths.

That’s Blacksmith Hyun.

Goosebumps rose on her skin.

But this was just her speculation.

Then the name Hyun-soo lent credibility to her hypothesis. She called out to him, just in case.

“Blacksmith Hyun…?”

At her voice, Hyun-soo turned his head. He didn’t answer but just smiled faintly.

‘…Was it really him!?’

At that moment.

Fwoosh-

Light of completion infused into the artifact.

Hyun-soo, who completed the new bell, stroked it with his hand.

Engraved in the center of the white bell was the name ‘Hyun.’

‘It’s beautiful…’

Nel took a step toward the incredibly radiant object.

She had her own right to approach it, having been a part of its creation. Her arm trembled slightly as she reached out towards the bell.

Nel knew well about the original Bell of Ramas.

‘Undead weakened by 20%, attack and defense of those attacking undead increased by 6%…’

This was the main feature of the Bell of Ramas.

She checked the newly created bell.

(Hyun’s Second Custom-made Bell)

Grade: Unique

Durability: Infinite

Special Abilities:

· Weakens undead within a 7km radius of the Bell of Ramas by 35%.

· Increases the attack and defense of those attacking undead by 13%.

· Active skill: White Flame.

Description: Hyun’s second custom-made artifact that recreated an irreparable artifact.

‘Insane…’

Goosebumps covered Nel’s body.

‘Why repair it…?’

To create a superior artifact?

It was unheard of to repair an irreparable artifact.

He melted it down and recreated it, making an artifact of a higher grade.

Normally, large-scale artifacts are considered a level higher.

So, this is…

‘Could it be considered a legendary artifact?’

Nel was speechless upon discovering the skill called White Flame.

‘Ho, hahaha…’

Infinite durability and an enhanced undead weakening effect.

And this skill.

‘It’s unbelievable…’

It was too extraordinary. In that moment, Nel had only one thought.

She was the one who opposed recruiting Blacksmith Hyun. Precisely, she had refused the uncertain Hyun.

She said,

“I want you…”

Hyun-soo looked puzzled.

“…desperately!”

Her desire surged.

***

The Lord of Death.

A monster, an intelligent undead.

At level 330, the Lord of Death, clad in a tattered black robe and wielding a sword, his rotting flesh visible through the robe, is a testament to his undead nature.

A small smirk crossed the Lord of Death’s face.

It’s the end.

This domain is now mine.

His minions have already seized the walls in front of the castle, and the gates are nearly destroyed.

Yes, just kill this one, and it’s done.

“Cough…”

Wasn’t that human called Captain Karl?

Persistent fellow.

His armor is already shattered, and he seems barely able to hold his sword.

Additionally, he, presumably right-handed, is holding his sword in his left hand.

Has he slashed him dozens of times already?

“…At all costs.”

The knight, shedding tears of blood, glares at him with venomous eyes.

“I cannot surrender our Cassel domain…!”

Such a splendid knight. But a mad laughter tickles the Lord of Death’s lips.

The disparity in power is clear.

He cannot possibly defeat him.

While he stands unscathed, he looks like he could die any moment.

“This land is where I was born, where I grew up…”

Such human pride is truly admirable.

“And it’s where my people are.”

And so futile.

The knight charges at him.

But the knight seems to know it too.

Swoosh-

The knight’s sword cuts him.

It doesn’t hurt, and the damage is insignificant.

But in that moment, the knight plays his final move.

He tries to wield his rusted sword.

The sword will pierce the knight’s throat.

But then.

Boom…

“…!”

An unknown bell tolls.

What is that?

The Bell of Ramas was destroyed.

He shattered it himself, using a special artifact to completely obliterate it.

So, what is this bell?

But a sneer forms.

Anyway, the bell doesn’t change anything.

He has brought all his forces, and the Bell of Ramas could at best weaken by 20%…

Boom…

“…Agh!”

Screech-!

As the slowly spreading sound of the bell reaches him, he drops his sword.

His body smokes as if burning, overwhelmed with intense pain.

‘This, this isn’t…’

The bell he knew.

It’s much stronger, a remarkable bell.

Looking around.

“Keeheeek!”

“Kyaaah!”

“Kihiiiiik!”

His minions writhe and burn under its power.

But he turns his head.

No, then I’ll destroy it.

The artifact he secured.

The Wish of the Dead could still be used once more.

Just as he destroyed it last time, he will again.

“Agh!”

Even covering his ears, he finds the source of the sound. A man and a woman standing on the castle walls are looking at him.

There.

Fwoosh-

A black book opens before the Lord of Death.

The Wish of the Dead unfolds.

The wish is ‘destruction of that bell.’

Flip-

The pages turn.

One, two, three.

Whoosh-

The power of the book flies towards the bell.

Boom-!

But a dark current bounces off the bell, failing to reach it.

“…!?”

Indestructible.

A completely indestructible artifact.

Can such a thing exist?

But soon, a blacksmith standing on the wall looks at him.

He realized.

He’s just a trivial being. But the blacksmith, holding a hammer, looks at him with a sneer and says,

“Disappear.”

He strikes the bell with all his might with the hammer.

Boom-!

[White Flame]

[Activatable only on undead or evil entities.]

[Targets an entity, instantly reducing its HP by 70%.]

[The target is stunned for 3 seconds.]

[The attack power of the one who activated White Flame against evil increases by 450% for one instance.]

Fwoosh-

A massive flame of holy power ignites from his body.

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