Hyun-soo wept in the bank on the day he was finally able to pay off all the hospital bills that had amounted to billions.
That day, Hyun-soo set a new goal for himself.
A small, humble forge of Hyun.
Those who believed in him and followed him.
For them, and for himself, he dreamed of making Guild Bright Future the best guild in the country.
He knew, of course, that it would not be easy.
Guild ranking number one.
The current master of that place was one of only two people in the country to hold the title of count.
And now, Hyun-soo, who had triggered a special story that maximizes the rewards for your story, thought that he might be able to close that gap.
[Your story is more beautiful than anyone else’s.]
Hyun-soo thinks.
He does not know the conditions for triggering your story.
But could this notification be an acknowledgment from the supercomputer Ares?
Then the reward notification hits.
[You have eaten the grapes of the small World Tree.]
[Experience and artifact drop rate increased by 50%.]
[You have killed the Black Dragon squad Leader, Kun.]
Recently, Hyun-soo gained massive experience by defeating Frak, a descendant of Spear Heaven.
Frak was still on an upward trajectory, whereas Kun’s growth had effectively ended.
Kun was overwhelmingly stronger than Frak.
The experience Frak provided was about 290,000.
[You gain 403,311 experience.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Leveling up……]
[You have obtained the Assassin’s Token.]
[You have acquired a mysterious treasure map.]
Hyun-soo was surprised to level up 14 times in one go.
Leveling up 14 levels at once in the 270 range was an astonishing feat.
With this, Hyun-soo quickly reached level 290.
‘Level 300 is not far off…….’
The high level standard began from level 300.
However, Hyun-soo was expecting more than that.
[Kingdom Quest: Prisoner Rescue Complete]
The quest received on the way to the prisoner camp.
It was a quest that offered double the reward for negotiations.
Moreover, several factors determined the level of negotiation in this quest:
How many prisoners were saved out of a thousand.
How many members of the Black Dragon squad were defeated.
Additionally, there had been consistent notifications of increased negotiation levels during the fights with the Black Dragon squad members, which they said would be summarized later.
[Negotiation levels being summarized.]
[Of the 1,000 prisoners, 918 survived.]
[The Black Dragon squad has been annihilated.]
[An extraordinary achievement.]
[Negotiation levels being summarized.]
Currently, Hyun-soo’s negotiation level has reached 102%.
This negotiation level will decide whether Hyun-soo will receive a noble title when he returns to the Goyard Kingdom.
Then.
‘Ah, again…!?’
Hyun-soo suddenly felt dizzy.
He knew what this premonition was.
It was a premonition of fainting due to a status ailment.
It was absurd for Hyun-soo, who hadn’t heard how much more he could increase his negotiation level.
But today was different.
Ding!
[You have often reached the physical and mental limits, surpassing your boundaries.]
[You have acquired the title “To the Extreme.”]
“???”
It was a title given for fainting frequently.
(To the Extreme)
Unique Title
Grade: A
Special Abilities:
· Applies when you are about to faint, surpassing your physical and mental limits.
· 25% chance to resist fainting.
· You are a holder of the legendary stat willpower. When you fall into or resist a fainting state, having pushed yourself to the extreme is recognized, and you acquire the stat willpower.
The title “To the Extreme” was undoubtedly absurd, but its effects were outstanding.
[To the Extreme]
[You have resisted fainting.]
[You have acquired 6 willpower stats.]
Legendary stat willpower.
It was a means to additionally acquire this precious stat.
Today, Hyun-soo, who did not faint, was able to hear the notification.
[You have acquired 48% negotiation level.]
Hyun-soo’s existing negotiation level, thanks to the members of the Gale Squad, had surpassed 100% to reach 102%.
Now, it had reached 150%.
But it wasn’t over yet.
[Your Unique Quest: Victory over the Black Dragon squad Leader Kun Complete]
This was the first time this personal story was activated.
The reward included an ‘extraordinary increase in negotiation level’.
[You have acquired 34% negotiation level.]
Hyun-soo’s heart thrilled.
‘Total negotiation level 184%…’
With such a negotiation level, he could ascend to the next rank of nobility.
However, at that time, Hyun-soo did not know.
He did not know that he would gain even more negotiation level.
Anyway, thinking he had obtained all the possible negotiation levels, Hyun-soo suddenly remembered something.
He gathered his last strength and stood up.
He then looked at a group.
***
One thousand prisoners in the prisoner camp.
They were led by Eden, the leader of the civilian militia.
Eden thought they would all be slaughtered when they were attacked by the mysterious assassin group known as the Black Dragon squad.
Gale Squad.
Even after these members had wiped out about seventy assassins, and when they were too exhausted to fight further, it remained the same.
The thread of hope continued to slip away.
Not just for him.
The thousand prisoners.
They all felt the same.
Even as a hundred arrows fell, and while Black Dragon squad leader Kun was tormenting Viscount Hyun-soo for amusement, there was no hope.
But he was different.
Crash-
Thud
Thump
Splurt!
Thud
Crash-
Thump-!
Boom-!
Despite being in a physically and mentally critical condition, he moved like a ghost in a fleeting moment.
Unlike themselves who had given up hope, he did not relinquish his will to fight until the end.
“Why, why…”
Beside him stood Khan.
Covered in wounds, he murmured with a faint smile.
“He’s always been like that, never giving up and never backing down.”
Eden had heard the conversations shared between the Gale Squad and Hyun-soo.
The Gale Squad were exceptional fighters beyond ordinary comprehension.
Indeed, they had a profound loyalty to the noble Hyun-soo.
“The brightest sun, that is my lord.”
Eden’s lips parted.
Crash-
In the end, he had won.
Shortly after, he fell to the ground.
Then, rising again, he looked at them.
His originally noble and elegant brown coat was now soaked with sweat, blood, and dirt.
The blood that had wet his hair had dried, and he looked disheveled.
However, when he stood up, his immediate action was to take them all in with his gaze.
One by one, moving his eyes, he spoke.
“It’s a relief.”
“…!”
Finally, he knelt on one knee and collapsed.
“Fortunately, I didn’t faint today, help me up, Khan.”
[The respect of 918 prisoners of the Goyard Kingdom for you reaches sky-high.]
And there was one fact that Hyun-soo did not know.
[The increase in negotiation level applies until you fully return to your home country.]
This meant that the situation itself could also contribute to the increase.
[The prisoners of Goyard Kingdom will not forget today’s events, and they will continually talk about the negotiator.]
[Negotiation level increases.]
[Negotiation level increases.]
Additionally,
“By the way, where did those archers from earlier go?”
“Could it be, are they all dead?”
The prisoners looked around.
The forty or so archers had vanished without a trace.
Then, Hyun-soo received a notification.
[Your guild member Ian has annihilated the members of the Red Bandana Guild.]
[Negotiation level increases.]
Just as the Gale Squad members had increased his negotiation levels through their actions in the Cradle of Hell, it was now being applied to Hyun-soo. Then, an elderly man arrived swiftly.
The reason the old man, Spear Heaven Ben, came alone was that it was faster than bringing his subordinates.
Ben had virtually assumed all the prisoners were dead.
However, seeing Hyun-soo barely alive, Ben cracked a small smile.
“Ah, Your Highness…”
Hyun-soo was practically on the brink of death, barely avoiding fainting.
Ben knew why Hyun-soo had ended up this way.
It was because he had fought without backing down, as always.
“…Thank you, it’s all thanks to you.”
The kingdoms of Praham and Goyard had nearly broken their eternal peace agreement because of this incident.
Yet, it was resolved by just this one blacksmith and five soldiers.
And Ben knew the main contributor in these negotiations.
Ben knew well how to repay him.
[Negotiation level significantly increases.]
He rewarded him with his own authority.
Finally, the Gale Squad members and the prisoners started their return to the homeland.
“Ah, it’s tough.”
Climbing onto the carriage, Hyun-soo smiled wryly as he finally headed back to his home country.
“Such an unbelievable negotiation level…”
The negotiation level was 184% after including the rewards for killing the leader of the Black Dragon squad, Kun.
However, due to various factors, Hyun-soo had acquired an even higher negotiation level.
Suddenly, Hyun-soo recalled what Ben had said before parting ways.
‘I’m curious to see how high you will rise when you return to your homeland.’
It was something that Hyun-soo also looked forward to greatly.
‘What will I receive with this impressive negotiation level?’
Meanwhile,
[You have annihilated the Red Bandana Guild.]
Ding!
[Hidden Piece. The True Master of Archery.]
[You have changed your class to the Legendary Archer.]
[All stats are rearranged, and 300 bonus points are evenly applied.]
[Skills are transformed, granting you greater power than before.]
[The Legendary Archer is a class that handles a bow better than any other archer.]
Barely surviving, Ian leaned against a hill, watching the departing group.
Being reserved, Ian felt comfortable staying out of the limelight.
Ian was incredibly happy at this moment.
‘This way, I can better protect the Guild Bright Future, just as Master Hyun-soo wished.’
It was all thanks to the bow that Hyun-soo had handed him.
Several days later, Hyun-soo and Ian met. During that brief time, Ian had heard many of Hyun-soo’s stories. Ian, a former editor, promised him to produce just one video. Despite already being a member of the Guild Bright Future, he decided to make only one video due to some unspoken circumstances. The members of the Guild Bright Future did not press him for reasons.
Ian thought that this one video would be of great help to Hyun-soo’s forge.
“This video will cause a huge stir later on.”
Having heard Hyun-soo’s many stories, Ian sensed that something big was about to happen. People would soon be talking about Hyun-soo as a disruptor of balance. And still, people were skeptical about how he could create such legends. This video would dispel all doubts and elevate him even higher. And Ian saw potential in this as an editor. It was the potential of the subject to be a star.
“Of course, Master Hyun-soo certainly has the qualities of a star.”
But having the qualities and actually becoming a star were entirely different matters. Ian had agreed to make just one video for the Guild Bright Future and Hyun-soo. However, that decision could change at any time.
“If I start desiring to elevate Master Hyun-soo higher…”
If not, Ian did not want to return to the life of an editor. Yes, this was a small test. A test to see whether Ian would remain in the Bright Future simply as an archer or also as an editor. But Ian didn’t have high expectations. After all, it was too much to expect from a regular person.
***
“Just one sentence. Please express Master Hyun-soo’s life in one sentence; this will be the first greeting from Hyun’s forge to the viewers.”
Hyun-soo was quite embarrassed by this. Even in Ares, where camera functions were available, he sat in the chair, visibly nervous.
“Action.”
Following Ian’s cue, Hyun-soo appeared lost in thought for a moment. He bowed his head, deep in thought. Then he spoke. Ian’s heart pounded upon hearing it; Hyun-soo had gifted him a masterpiece. Similarly, Ian felt certain that this one video would become his magnum opus.
It touched the soul.
It made the heart flutter.
It also resolved him to make a new commitment.
‘…I must continue making videos for the Guild Bright Future.’
Hyun-soo slowly raised his head and said,
“I wanted to live.”
Cliche Novel 