King Barad, renowned as one of the ten legendary figures of the continent, experienced a chilling sensation only three times in his life.
At eight years old, when he pierced through the throat of an assassin targeting him, committing his first murder.
At twenty-nine, the day he defeated the reigning Sword King and earned a legendary name.
And just yesterday, upon discovering that the individual he thought was merely a skilled warrior was actually the creator of the sword he sought. Moreover, this individual was only at the level to participate in the Super Rookie Contest.
‘Is that even possible?’ Barad thought, struggling to reconcile this with his understanding.
Wasn’t this person supposed to be an unranked, unofficial blacksmith leader according to Lord?
“Your Majesty,” greeted the kingdom’s finest blacksmith, Kurs, as he entered Barad’s office prior to meeting Hyun.
Though not as skilled as the Prime Kingdom’s top Tower Blacksmith, Kurs was the finest blacksmith in the Goyard Kingdom.
“He is both a warrior and a blacksmith. Alternatively, you could say he is neither,” he mused.
That thought resonated with Barad.
“Foreigners categorize by levels. Blacksmiths capable of competing in the Super Rookie Contest are merely beginners. That sword which sharpened your Majesty’s weapon, its crafting method is unknown, but it was likely temporary.”
“Temporary…”
“Foreigners sometimes use their mystical powers in limited ways,” explained Kurs, seemingly envious of Hyun.
Barad shared these sentiments.
“My greatest concern is the ‘probability’ they speak of.”
“What do you mean by ‘probability’?”
“Their creations vary each time. Those who churn out useless artifacts suddenly produce something beyond our understanding, likely due to the mystical power of probability.”
“Give me an example.”
“They might say, ‘Today, I was lucky and made a great artifact.’ Their mystical power seems to imbue such effects.”
Barad nodded in understanding.
“A 5% chance to create a rare artifact.”
“…”
“That’s their mystical power.”
Barad then inquired, “Are our blacksmiths different?”
“Entirely. We rely on experience, know-how, and knowledge, not mystical powers. Occasionally, we have lucky days too, leading to superior artifacts and groundbreaking discoveries.”
Barad grasped his point.
“So, we base our work on fundamentals and experience, while they depend on probabilistic power?”
“Exactly. Most are ignorant about blacksmithing.”
Barad agreed.
“Many blacksmiths have failed to craft the sword you desire, myself included. The materials given to them are scarce even in our kingdom. Entrusting them to a beginner is unthinkable…”
Kurs couldn’t finish his thought.
Barad nodded. It was more of a confirmation of his own thoughts than a question.
A Super Rookie Contest winner, be it a warrior or a blacksmith.
The materials for Barad’s desired weapon were running low.
Once exhausted, crafting the desired weapon becomes impossible.
“It might be wise to do this,” suggested Kurs.
“Test him by giving lower-grade materials instead of the precious ones.”
Barad nodded. He couldn’t risk giving the valuable materials to just anyone.
“I’ll arrange for a test as you suggest,” Barad decided, leaving the office.
He soon sat in the audience chamber, where Hyun, the blacksmith, entered.
Hyun’s appearance was impressive: short black hair, brown eyes, broad shoulders, and an indifferent expression. His walk resembled that of a noble warrior.
“Blacksmith Hyun, at your service, Your Majesty.”
He knelt on one knee, showing respect.
“You took your time.”
“The journey was arduous,” Hyun replied. Barad knew the difficulty, being aware of the Sword Tomb and the lack of visitors like himself.
Barad went straight to the point, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s.
“I need a specific sword.”
“May I know the effect of this sword?”
“A sword that can protect me against intense flames capable of melting anything.”
“A sword imbued with ice attributes?”
“Correct. A sword that can also slice through enemies emitting intense heat. Can you make it?”
Barad’s question was pointed.
He doubted Hyun, not just because of his conversation with Kurs, but also because Hyun was a foreigner who might run off with the mineral. Or perhaps he just came to see the king.
Of course, all these doubts stemmed from the fact that he was considered a beginner blacksmith.
Hyun deftly responded to the question, “I’ll do my best.”
Barad gave a bitter smile and signaled to a servant standing by. The servant placed a large box in front of Hyun.
Upon opening the box, a cold chill emanated from it.
“This is Hancheol (Cold Iron), the name of the mineral.”
***
[You have acquired the Rare Mineral Hancheol (Cold Iron).]
Hyun-soo, having met with Barad, saw the mineral emitting a faint blue glow.
‘Hancheol…?’ he thought. The name was familiar. Hyun-soo grew up reading fantasy and martial arts novels.
He knew Ares had various settings.
‘If this is the Hancheol I know, then even Manyeonhancheol (Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron) might exist here.’
Hyun-soo tried to stay calm. New minerals always excited a blacksmith.
“Inspect it,” Barad instructed.
Hyun examined the mineral.
(Hancheol)
Grade: Rare
Requirement: Artisan blacksmith level 200 or higher.
Difficulty: Medium.
Special Abilities:
· Fire resistance increased by 23%.
· Ice attribute skills enhanced up to Rare level.
· Sword sharpness increased by 41%.
· Durability: 7,000
Description: A special mineral long buried in cold ground, significantly enhancing sharpness.
‘It’s real. This is the Hancheol I know.’
Of course, the specifics of Hancheol varied.
In Ares, Hancheol was known for its coldness.
Its cutting power was breathtaking, especially for a rare item.
‘However, while it enhances sharpness, it lacks special abilities to boost stats. Most of its power focuses on sharpness.’
Hyun quickly finished analyzing Hancheol and pondered, ‘Could Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron really exist?’
A small hope arose that he might acquire it.
Barad said, “Hancheol is a precious iron found only in our Goyard Kingdom. I want to see if you’re worthy of forging a sword with it.”
Kurs had suggested testing his qualifications after giving him the mineral.
But now Barad wanted to test Hyun’s skills as a blacksmith in a different way.
If Hyun was just a beginner, Barad couldn’t afford to waste too much time and expectation.
“A sword that contains coldness should spread its chill around,” he noted, pointing to the ground.
“Craft a sword whose cold reaches here. If you succeed, I’ll give you the real materials for the task.”
Ding!
[Linked Quest: The King’s Trial]
Grade: S
Restriction: Proposed by the King
Reward: Opportunity to receive the real task.
Penalty if failed: Banishment from the Goyard Kingdom.
Description: Forge a sword that emits coldness to receive the real task.
It was a defining moment.
Blacksmith Hyun. Meeting him stirred new emotions in Barad.
But the fact that Hyun was neither a warrior nor a blacksmith, just a probability-reliant beginner, dampened Barad’s expectations.
Yet, Hyun smiled faintly, “It won’t take long.”
Barad looked puzzled.
“I will craft it right here.”
Hyun took the Hancheol in his hand.
Barad, about to stand, paused and sat back down, watching the foreigner Hyun with a detached gaze.
He realized what Hyun intended to do.
‘That’s it.’
Hyun had previously crafted the gauntlet and Damascus Crescent moon sword. That was his power.
Barad had mistaken that power for the Weapon Master’s.
Hyun asked again, “How far did the other blacksmiths manage to extend the cold?”
“The kingdom’s finest blacksmith, Kurs, managed to reach just here,” Barad replied.
The coldness of the sword was piercing.
Just holding it made the chill palpable from here.
Yet, even that didn’t fully satisfy Barad.
Only such a feat warranted the precious materials.
Barad crossed one leg, resting his chin on his hand, his interest visibly waning.
The creation process of a beginner blacksmith.
For just a moment, the prospect of witnessing a creation dependent on probability seemed tedious to Barad.
But when Hyun began his crafting, Barad momentarily lost himself in its beauty.
The faintly blue-glowing mineral shot up into the sky, melting instantly into pure iron.
This molten iron transformed into a red blade, which then cooled to form a blade tinged with blue.
All this occurred within five seconds.
The Hancheol he had given turned into a smooth sword in just that time.
And then…
The sizzling sound filled the air. The king couldn’t take his eyes off Hyun, nor did he want to. Hyun, in turn, met his gaze.
Only when the freezing sound ceased did Barad, who had maintained a poker face, finally speak.
“An impressive power indeed. It’s hard to tell whether you’re a warrior or a blacksmith.”
Despite his calm demeanor, Barad could feel the cold enveloping him.
“I am a blacksmith,” Hyun declared.
“I see.”
Barad, who had been staring into Hyun’s eyes, finally looked away.
The entire audience chamber was covered in frost. The water that the servant had brought was frozen solid.
The shimmering chandelier was also encased in cold frost. Everything, the entire chamber, was frozen.
But that wasn’t what mattered most.
It was indeed impressive, but the nature of this phenomenon was what truly mattered.
“Is this due to probability? Or is it some kind of one-time extraordinary power?”
“Neither,” Hyun replied confidently.
Neither? How could that be?
Wasn’t he just a beginner blacksmith?
“Then what?”
Hyun smiled confidently.
“It’s skill.”
Barad was left in awe.
Cliche Novel 
😂 Thanks for the chapter!
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