Hyun-soo looked at the burning Minor World Tree and found the answer.
Pouring water on it doesn’t work, nor does leaving the water running like a faucet.
Then, creating a small sea and putting the World Tree into it.
But it was impossible to create a sea wide enough to fill a playground.
An emergency-made spear.
[It is of Epic grade.]
[The effect application rate is 58%.]
To be honest, it is not satisfactory. The effect application rate stems from how well the opponent understands the artifact being made.
Understanding.
The very notion of understanding an artifact that creates water is nonsensical for Hyun-soo, a real-world blacksmith.
However, it can provide inspiration.
By making this spear just now, Hyun-soo gained a great inspiration.
Hyun-soo looked at the ‘sea’ that held the Minor World Tree.
It was like looking at an aquarium.
An aquarium formed in a circle.
An invisible, translucent barrier prevented the water from leaking out.
About 8 meters in radius.
The aquarium was tall enough to fill the Minor World Tree, about 20 meters in height.
‘The next artifact to be produced will be much better.’
Eventually, the emergency-made spear disappeared.
Whoosh-
[You have avoided the small Fire.]
[The legend held by the Minor World Tree will be revealed.]
[The Minor World Tree is a tree that can only live in the sea. If it can be made to live on land, it will bear special fruits.]
Ding!
[Quest: The Real Minor World Tree]
Grade: S
Restriction: One who has stopped the small Fire of the Minor World Tree
Reward: Negotiation power, special fruits.
Penalty for failure: Negotiation ends.
Description: A huge Fire will hit in a few days. If you can stop that Fire, the Minor World Tree will finally belong to the Praham Kingdom.
Special fruits.
It is stated that one can obtain them if they can make this Minor World Tree root in this land and live fully.
And Hyun-soo heard Ben’s murmuring as he looked at the Minor World Tree.
“…The legend was true.”
Hyun-soo heard a notification that his affinity with Ben had increased.
In effect, Hyun-soo had succeeded in winning Ben’s heart.
Ben started to say something incomprehensible.
“Pon’s mane hair, fairy dust, orichalcum, black mithril, the Mountain King’s claw, Kradan spear technique… tell me.”
Hyun-soo was puzzled.
Each of the things he listed was an astronomically valuable artifact material in the Praham Kingdom.
Things that couldn’t be bought with money.
‘What is he asking me to tell him?’
Hyun-soo was puzzled.
“If you save the Minor World Tree, I will give you one of these.”
“…!”
Hyun-soo was surprised.
Before and after Hyun-soo was about to leave this place, Ben’s expression had changed.
Hyun-soo had defeated Frak.
But that wasn’t a proof of skill.
Therefore, the distrust that had filled his eyes.
Ben, whose distrust had vanished, said,
“I don’t know what you will make, but if it saves the Minor World Tree and makes me stronger than I am now, why would I hesitate? Of course, I will give you money separately, so think carefully and speak.”
Of course, this was assuming that Hyun-soo would succeed in making such a thing.
“The artifact you create will be key to the negotiation and the Minor World Tree.”
Hyun-soo felt warmth in his chest.
Hyun-soo had bluntly answered Ben’s question about why he hadn’t run away.
Because it was something he cherished.
Even if it might seem cheesy and blatantly trying to win the king’s heart, he believed.
That Ben’s attitude towards him would change.
“Please, with your spear, protect my memories.”
A continent’s top 10 legend.
The supreme in spears.
A named NPC.
The owner of a state twice the size of Goyard.
At his polite voice, Hyun-soo’s heart throbbed.
The eyes of faith looking at him.
“I will do my best.”
Hyun-soo gave a small bow, showing respect to the king of the enemy nation.
And Ben moved forward with a small smile.
“Since there’s a forge right next to us, get started on the work right away. I must prepare to stop the ‘villains’ now.”
The story must be spreading rapidly among the nobles and blacksmiths who have seen the small Fire.
Endless discussions about the necessity to cut down the Minor World Tree would be happening.
For Hyun-soo, too, the question of whether he should take such a risk was indeed troubling.
“Will this be alright?”
To that question, Ben, setting aside his memories and fondness for the Minor World Tree, said coldly,
“Every year, tens of thousands starve to death in the Praham Kingdom.”
Yes, saving the Minor World Tree was not merely Ben’s greed.
As the Kingdom of Praham is a land of blacksmiths, there are shortages.
“One of the Minor World Tree’s fruits is known to alleviate hunger. Wouldn’t it be worth trying if it can reduce the number of those dying from hunger?”
Hyun-soo came to understand.
Ben might be a quirky old man, but deep down, he is a king who cherishes his people.
That his heart was larger than clinging to memories or such.
Soon after Ben left, Hyun-soo also quickly followed.
He opened the door to the forge located right next to the garden and entered.
Hyun-soo had already gained inspiration on what artifact to make.
‘That spear was something I made countless times in my childhood.’
And he thought that spear would be perfect for Ben, who mainly uses spears.
Just thinking about Ben holding that spear made his heart flutter.
‘This one artifact will become the greatest link connecting me and Ben.’
So much was determined by a mere artifact.
Negotiation power, contribution, and activity in the world of the Praham Kingdom.
All of it was tied to Hyun-soo’s growth.
Before he knew it, the smelting and refining of materials for the spearhead were finished, leaving only the forging and polishing.
After swiftly completing the forging and polishing, he then made the spear shaft.
An indistinguishable noise buzzed in his ears.
He was so focused that he couldn’t hear what the notification was.
That’s how deeply Hyun-soo was engrossed.
To the point where he had no idea how much time had passed.
And then, a notification suddenly jolted Hyun-soo awake.
[You are approaching a legend.]
It was a sound that always made his heart race.
But he shouldn’t be complacent.
‘Approaching a legend means it’s not yet a legend.’
The completion of the spear shaft was nearing its end.
He must not relax but instead put even more effort and attention into it.
Then.
“……!?”
Hyun-soo’s face twisted terribly, and the hairs on his back stood on end.
‘What’s this…?’
As his level and strength increased, his senses became more special.
He felt a massive danger emanating from the Minor World Tree.
And then.
Kwaahhh-
An enormous roar exploded.
It was three times the magnitude of the explosion Hyun-soo had previously felt.
[A new story begins.]
And the notification that followed made Hyun-soo uneasy.
[The Minor World Tree is in great rage.]
[The Minor World Tree’s fury will not stop until it burns everything around it.]
Ding!
[Sudden Quest: The Rage of the Minor World Tree]
Grade: SS
Restriction: One who has received the Minor World Tree’s proposition
Reward: The highest-grade Minor World Tree.
Penalty for failure: Revocation of negotiator qualifications.
Description: Someone has angered the Minor World Tree. By quelling the massive Fire, you are to stop the massive Fire.
Hyun-soo looked at the description with a puzzled expression.
A sudden quest.
It might have been issued by someone, or it could simply be assigned by the system.
Yet, this sudden quest’s restriction is written as follows:
‘One who has received the Minor World Tree’s proposition.’
He found himself in a situation he did not wish for. The reward was astonishingly great.
‘Originally, the Minor World Tree was a legendary material of intermediate level.’
But the reward mentioned offering the highest-grade Minor World Tree.
Kurrrr-
Hyun-soo heard the ongoing roar.
Yet, Hyun-soo decided to act true to himself.
***
Pan, the strategist of the Praham Kingdom, was the primary contributor to the current state of the Praham Kingdom.
He, who advises Ben or shares various strategies with him, also wishes for the safety and development of the nation.
However, this time, there was a clash of opinions between him and Ben.
“Others did not see, they all ran away from the burning flames. But I have seen it. The blacksmith Hyun (현) will stop the massive fire.”
Pan shook his head.
“It is something not even a hundred craftsmen could achieve.”
There are rumors in the Praham Kingdom of a hundred master blacksmiths.
That’s how great the blacksmiths there are supposed to be.
“It must be cut down immediately. So it cannot ignite a massive fire.”
Ben said,
“That should not be done. The legend says if the Minor World Tree is cut or harmed, it will unleash even greater fury.”
Pan felt suffocated.
Believing in such a mere legend?
“If Hyun fails, I myself will pull out the Minor World Tree and place it in the sea. So wait.”
The king was not listening.
And Pan, who came outside, met with the nobles.
The nobles who had seen the small Fire were despising the Minor World Tree.
And then Pan made a decision.
“I will take all the responsibility. Let’s cut down the Minor World Tree right now.”
He handed axes to hundreds of powerful knights.
Pan also doubted the fruits that the king was expecting.
‘There can’t be a fruit that prevents hunger.’
And with the hundreds of knights sent by the nobles, he looked at the Minor World Tree.
‘My lord, forgive me.’
Pan could no longer comprehend the king’s heart, caught up in memories and delusions.
“Strike!”
Hundreds of knights wielding axes began to strike the Minor World Tree.
Pzzzzt
Pzzzzt
Pzzzzt
It was after all just a tree.
The Minor World Tree began to be severely damaged.
And there was another reason Pan made this decision.
‘My lord, did you truly intend to give the leadership for peace to the Kingdom of Goyard?’
It was incomprehensible.
They laughed together, suggesting tasks that blacksmith Hyun couldn’t achieve.
But now, you fully trust him?
‘What are you enchanted by?’
Then.
[The Minor World Tree becomes enraged.]
Whoosh-
Suddenly, the Minor World Tree was engulfed in massive flames.
“What, what is this?”
Boom-
An unknown, translucent barrier formed over the entire garden.
Inside were ten nobles and hundreds of knights.
[The Minor World Tree will not stop until it kills everyone trying to harm it.]
[There will be a massive explosion in 30 seconds.]
Hearing that, Pan panicked.
Whoosh-
The flames grew fiercer, and the knights were thrown into confusion.
Fortunately, the 30 seconds had not yet passed, so the explosion had not occurred.
The problem was this.
Whoosh-
The acrid smoke spewing from the Minor World Tree.
That smoke had taken over the garden.
“Cough cough!”
“Aack!”
“Let me out!”
“Argh!”
Pan’s face twisted.
‘…Was this my misjudgment?’
He realized too late.
‘Did I kill them all?’
Pan, effectively the second in command of the kingdom, leaned against a wall and sat down, realizing his foolishness had led them all to the brink of death.
At that moment,
[The explosion occurs.]
Boom-!
A massive explosion occurred, and the knights and nobles instinctively shrank back.
Fortunately, the explosion spread in the opposite direction to where they were clustered.
Rumble-
The wall where the explosion reached crumbled.
And those present froze at once.
In the direction opposite to where they stood, the broken wall was now fully exposed.
Inside, a blacksmith was pushing back against the raging flames, with a shield inscribed with “Aegis” held behind him.
‘Why go to such lengths…?’
His hands moved as if possessed.
In this situation, it seemed he would not give up.
Pan was reminded of his conversation with Ben.
‘Why do you trust that negotiator so much, Your Majesty? After all, he is a person from an enemy country.’
Ben smiled bitterly.
‘It’s because of what he said that left a deep impression.’
What did he say?
‘Though it may break.’
Pan’s heart raced.
“Please…!”
The nobles looked at him as if begging.
“This blacksmith is really…”
The knights muttered with puzzled expressions, wondering what the mere blacksmith was trying to achieve.
Then,
[A fourth legend is written.]
As a new legend was born, everyone there heard a familiar sound.
Swoosh-
The sound was the melody of waves spreading tranquilly.
Cliche Novel 
A spear that brings the sea to land
The 4th Legend
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