Strike 78

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The blacksmith is judged and a mandatory bet is placed.

Hyun-soo outperformed Buks in the rapid production challenge he had set.

Then,

[A new story begins.]

‘Hmm?’

He could sense the reason.

‘Perhaps Blue Inc., didn’t expect a user who could win the judgment against him to appear so quickly.’

In fact, Buks is a named NPC.

Considering the grade of the sword he just made in the hologram forge, it’s of the unique class.

Hyun-soo smiled.

New stories always bring greater trials and bigger rewards.

Ding!

[Sudden Quest: Blacksmith Buks’ Judgment]

Grade: A

Requirement: Anyone who has passed Buks’ judgment

Reward: 20% increase in progress.

Penalty for Failure: Buks escapes.

Description: Buks, the mainstay of Edrol Trading Company, has effectively taken control of the Ballas domain under the guise of the company. An eye for an eye. Let’s defeat him with the power of judgment temporarily granted.

Hyun-soo was surprised. The progress would increase by a whopping 20%.

He also learned one more fact.

‘The mainstay of Edrol Trading Company.’

Yes, this Edrol Trading Company was just a company in name.

The key figure was Buks himself. Winning the judgment against him led to an increase in progress?

Of course, Hyun-soo freed the blacksmiths from the 70% tax and double workload that had been shackling them.

‘But that doesn’t mean the root cause has been eliminated.’

Right, as long as Buks was alive, such incidents could happen again.

That’s why the progress measured was significantly low when he won the judgment.

[The power to judge will be temporarily granted to you.]

[You can temporarily decide the content of the judgment.]

Buks looked incredulous.

Hyun-soo said to him,

“The judgment begins.”

[The judgment begins.]

“What, what…”

Buks, taken aback, couldn’t hide his confusion.

It was said he was a level 101 blacksmith.

How could this blacksmith have made a sword faster than him?

Buks was nervous about what kind of judgment Hyun-soo would make.

And Hyun-soo looked at Buks with an indifferent gaze.

Even though this place was different from reality, as a fellow blacksmith, he had committed an act he shouldn’t have.

Hyun-soo said,

“The judgment is to clash once with the best thing each of us has made. The condition of the judgment is your life.”

A delighted smile formed on Buks’ face.

[If you fail to pass the judgment, you will be executed.]

Buks was taken aback.

‘Arrogant.’

That arrogance pokes the sky, leading himself into a pit.

Just because he made it quickly doesn’t mean he knows everything about him.

Buks had once made a spear that would have astounded the chief blacksmith of the spear blacksmith tower he served.

It was almost legendary. Among the top artifacts, it was of the highest grade.

Although the spear was created in a moment due to luck and several factors, it became the starting point, making him no longer feel the need to stay at the tower, so he burst out.

And to him, he dare,

“Let’s clash with the best thing each of us has made?”

A common blacksmith’s duel.

Similar to that, but with a slight twist.

Also, the judgment exudes a mysterious power. It seems the opponent knows that too.

The spear, even if just a hologram, revealed itself.

Fzzzzzzt-

A spear emitting rough sparks.

And the man named Hyun-soo also held a sword.

The sword bore the name ‘Hyun (現).’

‘I may not know what that sword is, but I, Buks, understand the limits of humans.’

In this era, a real legend has never originated from human hands in this Asgan continent.

‘You will lose whatever it is.’

Buks laughed.

“If I pass the judgment, the condition is to reinstate the 70% tax I had collected earlier. And I’ll take your life too. After you die, I’ll increase the workload of all the blacksmiths in this domain!”

This small domain is not worth his concern.

That’s why it has come to this.

He had heard the rumors anyway.

That this domain could soon be wiped out!

Before it disappears, he intended to exploit all the blacksmiths to the fullest.

“I shall exploit the blacksmiths to death, hahahahaha!”

The man remained silent, simply gripping the sword with both hands.

He too pulled back his spear, which emitted sparks.

The content of the judgment is simple.

Clash the two weapons, and the superior weapon wins.

And Buks’ face stiffened as he swung fiercely.

“……?”

At the moment their weapons clashed, he felt everything around him freeze.

The spear in his hand froze.

White breath streamed from his mouth.

The massive sparks emanating from his spear were completely swallowed by the cold.

Looking around, he saw huge pieces of ice, like frozen waves, around him.

[Your opponent’s sword is legendary.]

[Your spear is closest to a legend.]

‘Legendary…?’

It wasn’t arrogance but certainty in the man.

Chills ran down Buks’ back. An intermittent tremor in his body wouldn’t stop.

He couldn’t move.

Those who lose in the judgment and violate it receive divine punishment.

“Please spare me.”

Swoosh-

Both holographically created artifacts disappeared.

He pleaded as pitifully as he could, even thinking at this moment.

If he just says he will do so, the content of the judgment is nullified.

Then he can escape.

After escaping, he can plan for the future.

“I’ll give you everything I have, please!”

Hyun-soo responded to him.

“Give it to me first.”

It was a relief. Buks felt a thrill. This foreigner understands language.

After all, aren’t all greedy foreigners like that? They’re crazy for gold and obsessed with leveling up, aren’t they?

Buks handed over everything he currently had.

[You have acquired 51,014 gold.]

Hyun-soo instantly gained a huge amount of 51 million won, but he was not satisfied.

“Where have you hidden everything you embezzled from here until now?”

“In the basement of the company’s building.”

Buks felt relieved. He slowly got up.

It was okay to give everything away. He could always come back and take it again.

But then Hyun-soo’s sword sliced through Buks’ neck.

Swoosh-!

“I never said I’d spare you.”

Buks’ eyes widened in shock as he fell. Indeed, he had never said he would spare him.

“You ignored the pleas of the blacksmiths who were dying from overwork and high taxes, didn’t you?”

Those were the last words Buks heard.

***

As Hyun-soo beheaded Buks, he felt no guilt.

Forced labor for the blacksmiths.

Double the workload, 70% tax.

According to what he heard from Old Man Per, many blacksmiths died unable to withstand the workload.

[You have eliminated Buks, the cause of the downfall of Ballas domain.]

[You have acquired a large amount of experience.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[Leveling up…]

Killing NPCs indiscriminately doesn’t increase experience. Only by killing a system-recognized villain can such experience be gained.

Hyun-soo achieved an incredible 19 levels up in an instant.

It was due to the level difference between Buks and Hyun-soo.

[Sudden Quest: Blacksmith Buks’ Judgment Completed]

[Your progress increases by 20%.]

[The control of Ballas domain by Edrol Trading Company was due to the chief and blacksmith Buks.]

[All restrictions on blacksmiths have been lifted.]

[Members of Edrol Trading Company begin to scatter and flee.]

Hyun-soo could soon see the blacksmiths running out of the forge.

“We are free!”

“We don’t have to do forced labor anymore!”

Among them, he could see Old Man Per celebrating. 

Hyun-soo had a place to go.

He said to Old Man Per, “Now that the lord has been freed from the bet, it seems right to bring him back.”

He had heard that after losing the bet here, the lord was practically imprisoned.

“I’ll go to the Edrol Trading Company’s headquarters first.”

“Ah, alright!”

Hyun-soo immediately entered the headquarters of Edrol Trading Company.

Fortunately, the remnants had already fled.

Hyun-soo opened the basement door. Inside were the taxes Buks had embezzled.

A total of 323,000 gold.

[This is the money collected as taxes from Ballas domain.]

[If discovered after acquisition, you will be expelled from the Goyard Kingdom.]

With Buks’ death, Ballas domain will start tracing the embezzled taxes.

Hyun-soo felt no regret.

Being expelled from the Goyard Kingdom means ruining the relationship with King Barad, a connection worth more than money.

‘What do I need to increase my progress?’

There’s a simple answer: generating wealth in the domain that can be used for development.

In this Ares, the value of such wealth is even greater.

Even if it’s money he can’t personally keep, he can still use it.

‘Why not just have it bestowed by the lord?’

Hyun-soo devised a plan.

[Nel: Where are you? I’m worried, so I came to Ballas domain.]

[Hyun-soo: Come to the coordinates I’ll send you.]

Having someone to help would certainly be a bonus!

Arriving in the basement, Nel heard the whole situation.

And then Hyun-soo’s plan.

“Can that really work?”

Nel was skeptical.

“Have you ever been at a loss following my advice?”

Nel was doubtful but decided to go along with his plan.

***

Lord Belin.

Rumored to be the most beautiful in the Goyard Kingdom, she was the lord of Ballas.

After losing the bet to Buks, she was confined to her bedroom like a prison.

But now, all her constraints were lifted.

Then, Per entered.

“Lord, let’s hurry to the headquarters of Edrol Trading Company.”

Belin listened to the whole story while going with him.

“A foreigner, you say?”

Belin initially thought the person who achieved this was sent by the kingdom.

‘Can I really trust a foreigner…?’ she wondered.

Belin was aware of the greed of these foreigners.

Referring to them as NPCs, they spare no means to acquire gold and artifacts.

Could such a person truly understand our hearts?

“It was he who made the bet with Buks,” Per added.

It was certain.

Belin quickened her steps and when she arrived on the first floor, there was no one.

Then,

“…Here.”

She heard the voice of a dying woman.

Descending to the basement, she was shocked by the scene before her eyes.

A woman was dying, leaning against a wall.

On the other side, in front of a pile of gold and treasures, a man knelt, unconscious.

The man’s body was pierced with spears and arrows, and he seemed to have fainted.

Belin’s eyes wavered.

“What happened here? Who are you?”

“…I am this man’s colleague. I came in response to his call. We fought against the remnants here trying to take the money. And Hyun-soo didn’t back down.”

Belin noticed Hyun-soo.

He was kneeling, apparently having fainted.

Meaning, he protected the money until he lost consciousness.

“Why, why go to such lengths…?”

“…He said it was money for the blacksmiths. That it must be protected at all costs to revive this domain. And he asked me to deliver a message.”

Belin’s heart sank.

“This money is for you.”

The woman, smiling faintly, soon laughed bitterly and fainted.

And Belin slowly walked towards Hyun-soo.

She trembled as she saw the weapons stuck in his body.

“Oh, aah… Thank you…! Thank you!”

[Lord Belin will never forget your kindness.]

***

Peek.

Nel, opening her eyes, was bewildered to see Lord Belin crying.

Could it be that the plan to win the NPCs’ favor with a performance was actually working, despite seeming so implausible?

‘Is this really working?’

And then Hyun-soo received this notification.

[The grace of lord has been activated.]

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