Strike 41

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“Blacksmith Hyun…?”

Hyun-soo turned his head at the sound of Nel’s voice calling him.

He smiled gently at her, who was looking at him with trembling eyes.

‘I thought I might get caught.’

In truth, getting caught was not a problem. Yes, he needed at least one person to know.

Currently, the community was rife with all sorts of speculation about Blacksmith Hyun.

There needed to be at least one person confident in those speculations.

After smiling, he completed the crafting of the bell.

Ding!

[An artifact imbued with Divine Customization is completed.]

[The experience and knowledge of a master blacksmith greatly enhance its efficacy.]

[Efficacy rate is 58%.]

[It’s of Unique grade.]

[Please name the bell.]

[The title ‘God Blacksmith’ shines brightly.]

[Would you like to apply the stat increase from crafting an artifact once a week?]

“Yes.”

[You gain 4 in all stats.]

[You gain 50 in dexterity.]

[You gain 100 in fame.]

Hyun-soo was thrilled. A Unique grade artifact, no less.

When he made the Damascus dagger, it became Unique due to the soul of the blacksmith in the Epic artifact.

But this was different. An artifact reborn solely from his knowledge and experience.

Then an astonishing notification followed.

[You have repaired an artifact imbued with divine power.]

[The proficiency of Holy Blacksmith Mastery Lv.1 rises by 57%.]

The unlocking of Holy Blacksmith Mastery!

A smile of ecstasy spread across Hyun-soo’s face.

‘I have a mastery now? Isn’t this something only the blacksmiths of the Church have?’

This mastery allowed him to infuse artifacts with divine power.

In other words, Hyun-soo could now create artifacts imbued with divine power.

He then saw Nel, her hands trembling as she touched the bell.

He had deliberately engraved the character ‘Hyun (現)’ on the bell.

He knew this bell would change many things in Hyun-soo’s life.

Nel, having inspected the bell, exclaimed, “I want you…desperately!”

“…”

That was what Hyun-soo wanted. He hoped many would harbor such desires.

But he had no more time to talk with her.

[The gates of Cassel domain will soon collapse.]

[Evacuate.]

Hyun-soo, with the bell in his inventory, ran towards the city wall with Nel.

[The fall of Cassel domain is nearly complete.]

[Progress is at 85%.]

Atop the wall near the gate, Hyun-soo saw the Knight Commander Karl and a monster known as the Lord of Death.

Realizing Karl was in danger, Hyun-soo quickly rang the bell.

As the bell rang, the undead weakened significantly, and the soldiers of the domain grew stronger.

Boom!

An unknown force shot by the Lord of Death hit the bell, but Hyun-soo just laughed.

[The durability of Hyun’s second custom-made bell is infinite.]

Immediately, Hyun-soo struck the bell with all his might, activating the White Flame of Annihilation.

“Aaagh!”

A formidable power that cuts the enemy’s HP by 70%.

The White Flame of Annihilation engulfed the Lord of Death.

“Ugh…!”

Enveloped in flames, the Lord of Death writhed in unspeakable agony.

Moreover, he was immobilized in his pain.

‘What the… What is that bell? And who is that guy?’

A 3-second stun.

In Ares, a skill that immobilizes the opponent for 3 seconds is considered overpowered.

In those 3 seconds, much can be done.

Drip, drip-drip –

Then, the Lord of Death felt a chill down his spine.

Knight Commander Karl, bleeding from his hand, was glaring at him.

The Lord of Death paled.

He thought Karl was almost dead.

Or rather, just one slash away from death.

But now, weakened by 35%, he was stronger against the undead.

Swoosh!

Smoke rose from the Lord of Death, and the divine power in Karl’s sword glowed.

Swish!

Karl effortlessly slashed through the Lord of Death.

Karl was exhilarated.

‘Thank you… sincerely, thank you… For helping to save our domain.’

Karl didn’t fall because he was motivated by the stranger Hyun-soo to slay the lord.

Only after slaying him did Karl finally kneel.

And sensed his own impending death.

The Lord of Death, with less than 1% HP, was shocked.

‘I survived.’

The Lord of Death, narrowly escaping death.

Looking back, he saw Karl, his eyes wavering, then collapsing.

Only one second of stun remained.

In one second, he would flee.

Return to the domain, recover, and come back stronger!

His victory was imminent…

Then,

“It’s not over yet.”

The Lord of Death’s eyes widened. A mysterious man on the wall.

The man who struck the bell with a hammer stood nearby, his eyes cold.

The Lord of Death’s eyes grew wider.

Click-

The man, inserting an arrow into an unidentified bamboo, aimed at the Lord of Death’s head with full strength.

***

[You have weakened the undead significantly by crafting a new bell.]

[You prevented the update and created a new story.]

[A new story. For creating the peaceful domain of Cassel, you’ll receive a special reward from Lord Kern.]

A special reward from Lord Kern.

It could be infinite.

Money, an unknown mineral, or perhaps a blessing, like Hans, the leader of the subjugation team, had.

This update was nearly prevented.

But it needed to be more definitively stopped.

To prevent the undead from even approaching Cassel domain, to break their spirit.

And to lose their focal point.

The way to do this is by killing the Lord of Death.

As Karl’s eyes slowly closed and he fainted, Hyun-soo saw a look in them that seemed to be pleading with him. After the rough run, Hyun-soo caught his breath.

‘I’m just a level 40 blacksmith…’

Click-

In this world of Ares, it’s a class considered the weakest.

The gap between me and the Lord of Death is like heaven and earth.

But it’s okay.

[The Lord of Death’s HP falls below 1%.]

He was within 5 meters of him, aiming for his head.

Swoosh-

He pulled the bowstring with all his strength. The tip of the arrow, poised in the string.

A fierce divine power surged through it.

[You have activated the White Flame of Annihilation.]

[For this one attack, your power against evil increases by 450%.]

Yes, this is just a finishing blow.

And this blow is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The HP gauge of the Lord of Death in Hyun-soo’s sight was like a thin thread.

Just a small red thread hanging there.

Players call this “a hair’s breadth.”

[Dead on Target]

The arrow aimed at his forehead flies.

Whoosh-

A loud sound of cutting through the air.

The single arrow, tearing through the air, hits the Lord of Death’s forehead.

Boom!

Hit by the arrow, the Lord of Death is astonished. Such an insignificant and trivial force.

Although the attack was successful, the damage was too little…

Then,

Whoosh-

The divine flame, starting from the tip of the arrow, spread from his forehead.

The flame soon became a blaze, filling the Lord of Death’s vision.

Or so he believed.

The Lord of Death was being consumed into ash, swallowed by the light.

And Hyun-soo smiled faintly at this sight.

[You have hunted the boss monster, the Lord of Death.]

Hyun-soo was thrilled.

[Your contribution is very low.]

[The reward based on contribution is being calculated.]

[Your contribution is 4%.]

[You gain 9,862 experience points.]

[You level up.]

[You level up.]

[You level up…]

[Congratulations.]

[You have reached level 50.]

Hyun-soo was astonished. His level had risen by 10 in one go.

‘Only 4% contribution?’

Well, even if it was just that and only the finishing blow, the level difference between Hyun-soo and the Lord of Death was extraordinary.

[You gain 185 gold.]

[You obtain the Lord of Death’s finger.]

“…?”

Hyun-soo was perplexed. What’s he supposed to do with this finger?

He resented the ‘contribution’ system in Ares.

The contribution system was designed to prevent kill-stealing completely.

Of course, the last hit usually earns the highest contribution.

But probably, most of the real rewards would go to Karl.

And Hyun-soo clenched his fist.

‘The forge…’

Karl had promised.

If he repaired the bell of Ramas, he would give a suitable reward.

‘I can get it… I can get back my father’s forge…!’

He was filled with excitement.

Now, he must meet the Lord.

Only by meeting the Lord can he find the way to get back his father’s blacksmith forge…

Huh?

[Accumulated fatigue.]

[You fall into a state of unconsciousness due to abnormal conditions.]

[Sleeping in Ares provides the same effect as real sleep.]

Hyun-soo’s vision blurred.

He hadn’t slept for a week while making the second custom-made bell.

That’s over two days awake in reality.

Hyun-soo was already at his mental limit.

‘I can’t… the blacksmith forge… I need to get it back… I have to receive the advance payment from the Lord.’

Thump-

Soon, Hyun-soo fainted.

After he fainted, Nel rushed over.

“Hyun-soo, Hyun-soo…!”

Nel had managed to catch some sleep intermittently during the crafting time. She understood why Hyun-soo had fainted.

“Really, he’s an amazing person.”

She watched him sleep and let out a small smile.

At that moment,

“…”

Nel noticed a crowd gathering around.

Their eyes were fixed on just one man.

“I saw it, he and this girl made the bell without sleeping for a week.”

“But wasn’t this lady always sleeping whenever I came by?”

“…Anyway, I saw it!”

A woman cried out, tears streaming down her face.

Everyone was looking at Hyun-soo, the foreigner.

‘What is this…?’

It was a scene Nel had never witnessed before in her life.

Soon, the numerous crowd bowed their heads and stepped back.

From among them, a man emerged.

[Lord Kern]

He gazed silently at Hyun-soo with bloodshot eyes.

Kern, who had been drunk, had suddenly sobered up and decided to flee.

It wasn’t abandoning the domain. It was planning for the future.

Kern looked at Hyun-soo and asked Nel,

“…What kind of blacksmith is he?”

Nel understood the implication of the question.

She answered honestly, as she had seen.

“…I don’t really know.”

Yes, it was hard to understand this unique individual with inexplicable power. But she could say this much.

“I know that this man did his best.”

Kern’s fist clenched tightly.

In the end, he had intended to flee.

But this blacksmith did not run away.

Kern commanded,

“Bring him… no.”

He looked at Hyun-soo and smiled faintly.

“Bring in the benefactor.”

Notifications spread to the sleeping Hyun-soo.

[You are recorded as the benefactor of Cassel domain.]

[Your affinity with everyone in Cassel domain increases.]

[The people of Cassel territory are spreading the story of their benefactor.]

[This story reaches those who need you or those you have passed by.]

[You gain 300 in fame.]

[You gain 50 in charisma.]

[You can purchase all goods in Cassel domain at a 30% discount.]

Ding!

The notification Hyun-soo had long awaited reached him in his sleep.

[Quest: Repair the Bell of Ramas completed]

[The reward changes.]

[The original reward was 30,000 gold.]

[The reward will now be immeasurably better.]

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