The members of the Guild Bright Future were always amazed whenever they saw Hyun-soo.
When Nel first met him, his level was in the 50s.
When Bark met him, he was only around level 60, and it was similar when Lisel met him.
The people here were once better and stronger than Hyun-soo.
But now, that’s not the case.
Moreover, under the name of the lord, it felt like they were relying on his growth.
At this time, the guild quest: National Power Enhancement given by Barad greatly helped ease that burden.
[You have achieved a total contribution of 265%.]
[The national power of the Goyard Kingdom increases by 2.6%.]
[You have gained 130 charisma.]
[You have gained 100 fame.]
Guild quests aggregate the contributions made by guild members.
[You have completed the guild quest with remarkable performance.]
The people who proved their contributions through the Sword of Judgment conversed.
“In terms of contribution, we can get 130 soldiers. Since we currently have only 200 stationed troops, this is a visible achievement.”
“Hyun-soo will be pleased.”
Nel gave a wry smile.
“But it’s still not enough. I heard the Hwarang Guild’s total troops exceed 1,000.”
“Ah…?”
Nel likes to throw cold water on things that are nearly done.
But what needs to be addressed should be addressed clearly.
“We don’t know what will happen soon.”
Nel is using every method to reinforce the troops.
“We killed the fifth and fourth calamities, and even killed demons.”
Calamities worship demons.
“Please, go ahead.”
Bella, Bolson, and Philip stepped forward, representing the Guild Bright Future.
Barad, who was watching them, got straight to the point.
“In recognition of your contributions, 300 troops will be supported to Ballas.”
“…!”
Nel was surprised. Originally, they were supposed to get around 130 troops.
“I saw great potential in the kingdom development projects you mentioned. Although each of those projects won’t immediately fill the national treasury, I judged that they will increase the national power by more than 5%, not just 2.6%, in the future.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Barad, who was watching them, spoke.
“My worries are lessened.”
Nel saw the king smile slightly.
He had an impressive physique and was known as the Sword King, but gray hairs had increased on his head.
“Talented people who struggled at the Boldrom Fortress, not far from the capital, will relax and return tomorrow, so you all should enjoy the banquet as well.”
“…Thank you.”
Nel felt Barad’s consideration.
It meant to build rapport with other nobles there.
In fact, nobles from all over the country had gathered for this national power enhancement event.
Nel and the members of the Guild Bright Future started to walk.
Nel conveyed this delightful news to Hyun-soo.
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: That’s reassuring. Will you come back after the banquet?]
[Nel: Yes, you miss us, don’t you?]
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: Just a little ^^?]
[Nel: Haha, I’ll be back as soon as possible. By the way, is the crafting to become a legend going well?]
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: …It’s not easy.]
Nel tilted her head.
It was rare for Hyun-soo to say something like that.
‘I should finish the banquet quickly and return.’
[Nel: I believe in you!!! The greatest blacksmith, Master Hyun!]
Nel finished the guild chat and headed to the banquet hall.
Hyun-soo looked at Nel’s guild chat window and gave a wry smile.
He glanced at the Twin Dragon Sword, which was about 80% complete.
As he picked up the hammer to start forging again, he unconsciously stopped.
“Hoo, hoo.”
Hyun-soo took a deep breath.
“It’s too heavy.”
Hyun-soo had said it wasn’t easy.
The overwhelming pressure was too much for him.
This amount of Snowstone was all that existed in this world.
‘If I fail this, when will I ever become a legend?’
He would need to be at least level 450.
Just looking at the levels of the current legends made that clear.
Among the top ten legends, not a single one was below level 450.
“I need to create the first of its kind. Will this Twin Dragon Sword make that possible?”
Normally, Hyun-soo was always full of confidence, but this was a different matter.
Creating a never-before-seen grade was a daunting task.
This weighed heavily on Hyun-soo’s shoulders, keeping him constantly tense and making him reflect on his work.
He was plagued by doubts.
“Did I make this sword good enough to be the first of its kind?”
Hyun-soo was approaching this more cautiously than usual.
But excessive caution was stifling him.
He took a brief break from the continuous forging he had been doing for days.
In the blacksmith shop in Gyeongju, there was the charred Twin Dragon Sword.
The one he had made with his father.
‘I need to see it.’
Hyun-soo logged out.
Meanwhile…
“?”
“…?”
“?”
“…?”
The CEO of Blue Inc., Lee Se-jin, and the Special User Management Team were focused on the artifact Hyun-soo was making.
The new grade of artifact was originally scheduled to be released a year later.
They were puzzled because, contrary to Hyun-soo’s words, the notifications they were receiving showed a different story.
[The Snowstone is reacting most intensely.]
“While making something this incredible, he says that?”
Ji-hee’s words made Se-jin understand.
“It’s like a connected chain. An outsider has to be recognized to become a king, and becoming a legend is essential for that. At such a time, the mineral that opened the path was only enough to make two artifacts. Not just me, but anyone here would be under immense pressure.”
“…Despite the pressure, he made it the most perfectly. It’s amazing.”
Tae-seok marveled.
“All Hyun-soo needs now is confidence that he’s doing it well.”
Se-jin was also looking forward to something.
‘We planned to release a new grade of artifact in a year.’
But what if Hyun-soo made such a sword within a year?
‘How much of an impact would it have?’
An article he had read recently flashed through his mind.
[World Ares says it’s time for a new top player to emerge…]
[The public no longer expects the most influential player to remain…]
Se-jin felt his heart race.
Hyun was the first Korean to reach the top in World Ares.
‘But if he becomes the top player…’
It would be a historic event in the Ares world that would shake Korea and the world.
‘Can he make it? With just enough Snowstone to make two artifacts?’
Se-jin looked at the monitor with an expectant expression.
***
Hyun-soo, who had arrived at the blacksmith shop in Gyeongju, took out the great sword from the storage.
On the day of the fire, this Twin Dragon Sword, which he had made with his father, was burned.
Part of the grip had melted, and the once sturdy blade had been crushed under a collapsed pillar.
Hyun-soo ran his hand over the blade.
‘My father and I made this together, but I did all the forging.’
His father had assisted and taught him the technique to make this sword.
As Hyun-soo cleaned the soot off the blade, he was surprised.
‘…What is this?’
Skilled blacksmiths have a keen eye that ordinary people do not possess.
The sound of the blade.
The feel, texture, weight.
And the resulting quality.
Hyun-soo was shocked by this.
“The sword I made in the game is better?”
Seven years had passed.
And Hyun-soo realized the clear reason.
He had made countless swords in the game.
Originally, his father was a master swords maker, and Hyun-soo was a master bow maker.
But by repeatedly forging in the game, he had surpassed his former self.
Memories are sometimes exaggerated.
Hyun-soo remembered the Twin Dragon Sword he made back then as the most perfect one he had ever made.
Of course, if it were shown to the world, it would have been praised as a remarkable creation.
‘This is excellent, it will be as good as the original maker.’
His father’s words came to mind.
That meant.
‘I’ve become capable of making something that surpasses the original creation?’
Hyun-soo’s heart burned with excitement.
It was evidence that his understanding of swords had improved compared to before.
The Twin Dragon Sword in Ares, which he had stopped forging due to doubt, anxiety, and caution.
‘That sword is superior to this one.’
Confidence surged within him.
Hyun-soo quickly returned.
He wanted to complete it as soon as possible.
A sword superior to the Twin Dragon Sword he made seven years ago.
On the bus.
Hyun-soo, returning to Seoul, felt his phone vibrate.
Bzzzzz.
“…!?”
Hyun-soo’s face contorted.
– Breaking news: Boldrom Fortress, located in the capital of the Goyard Kingdom, is under attack by the First and Second Calamities.
Hyun-soo’s eyes wavered.
‘The First and Second Calamities descended together on the capital?’
Nel and he had been endlessly vigilant.
Demons. And because they killed the Fifth and Fourth Calamities, they might be targeted.
He hurriedly opened ZTube.
He clicked on the broadcast titled “Crisis in the Goyard Kingdom!” on the main screen.
Experts were explaining the current situation.
[It’s complete isolation. The First and Second Calamities have taken over Boldrom Fortress and have formed a barrier, preventing external forces from entering.]
[What is Boldrom Fortress?]
[Boldrom Fortress was a fortress within the capital used by the Goyard Kingdom during the war 100 years ago. It lost its function as a fortress after other fortresses were built. Therefore, it was remodeled into a large banquet hall…]
[Breaking news. A national emergency has been declared in the Goyard Kingdom, and the kingdom’s message has been broadcasted.]
The kingdom’s message.
The message, a less intense version of the World Message, resounded among the users within the kingdom.
[Currently, about 600 nobles of the Goyard Kingdom were holding a banquet at Boldrom Fortress…]
[About 30 people have been reported dead…]
[This is a crisis for the Goyard Kingdom and Sword King Barad.]
[Why is it a crisis for Sword King Barad and the kingdom?]
[The Goyard Kingdom gathered nobles from all over the country for a banquet. Hundreds of the kingdom’s top talents are present. In the worst-case scenario, they could all be annihilated.]
[Fortunately, it seems that a fierce battle is still ongoing.]
[It is understood that Bella, the kingdom’s knight commander, is currently inside the fortress. Bella is responding to the enemy…]
Hyun-soo knew the truth.
‘They can’t hold out for long.’
As soon as he arrived home, Hyun-soo connected to his capsule.
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: Are you okay?]
[Nel: On the verge of death ^^;;]
[Bark: Hyun-soo, I’m dying ^^]
[Lisel: Guild master, we need support ㄷㄷ. The First and Second Calamities are over level 400.]
[Hye-ji: Damn! If my level were just 70 higher, I’d wipe them all out!]
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: How long can you hold out?]
[Nel: We can last about 2 hours. Can you get here in that time?]
Hyun-soo looked at the sword that was about 80% complete.
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: Impossible.]
[Nel: No way…]
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: Instead, I’ll send someone smarter than me first.]
[Nel: What do you mean…]
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: Nel, first…]
Hyun-soo relayed instructions to Nel.
[Nel: Understood. But are you confident about making that sword?]
Hyun-soo gave a wry smile.
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: I am confident.]
[Nel is located in a region where guild chat is unavailable.]
The connection was severed by the calamities.
Hyun-soo resumed forging.
A Twin Dragon Sword surpassing the original maker’s work.
Time flew by as he completed it.
Finally, the previously silent Snowstone and system responded.
[The Snowstone protecting the nation reacts most intensely.]
[The system responds to the sword’s creation.]
[The system has stored data from your forging process.]
[It displays the most excellent forging method among all your processes.]
[Effect application rate 100% is applied.]
[The Snowstone’s power is maximized.]
[This will be the most perfect forging method.]
[The system is searching for information on the Twin Dragon Sword.]
He engraved the patterns and neared completion.
[There are two Twin Dragon Swords in total.]
[They will shine the brightest when the two swords are together.]
“…”
Unfortunately, it was true.
The Snowstone responds to stories and desires the most perfect tale.
However, his skill enables one sword to exert tremendous power.
Finally, he realized.
The next name beyond legend.
[The first transcendence (超越) is written.]
A transcendence artifact.
A only one unique artifact that exists in this world.
Cliche Novel 