Strike 127

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The Black Anvil Guild.

The Black Anvil is truly the best blacksmith guild on the Korean server. 

It has the most blacksmiths and records the highest sales. 

Number one in the Korean blacksmith subscriber rankings. 

The number of subscribers is significantly higher than that of the second place guild. 

The master of the Black Anvil Guild, Rowen, stopped forging in the smithy. 

‘I can’t create a legend like this.’ 

He threw his hammer down in frustration. 

Ranked second among blacksmiths. 

Even he, who owns the strongest blacksmith guild known as Black Anvil, has been fraught with worries lately. 

He sat down in a chair, pressing his throbbing temples. 

A few days ago, he left a group chat comprising blacksmiths ranked 2nd to 10th. 

The reason stemmed from the blacksmithing community. 

Rowen decided when the blacksmith Hyun introduced the world to its second legend. 

‘Let’s maintain a friendly relationship with Hyun.’ 

Indeed, Rowen politely told Hyun, 

‘If there comes a day when Hyun’s forge surpasses Black Anvil, please absorb us.’ 

The problem started from there. 

Rowen is not someone who maintains friendly relations just in words. 

From 3rd to 10th place in the group chat. 

Numerous other ranked blacksmiths argued that they must check Hyun. 

They wanted Rowen to lead the way. 

However, Rowen firmly refused. 

Even without the secret whispers between Hyun and Rowen spreading, the blacksmiths sensed something amiss. 

And a small public opinion of criticism formed. 

The countless blacksmiths who chose to check Hyun. 

They are in the midst of numerous checks. 

And they pressure him, as if they cannot understand Rowen’s choice. 

Black Anvil stood at the very top. 

Dozens of forges are connected, playing roles in supply and demand. 

Either the supply of some material is cut off or such stories are heard from person to person. 

‘Guild master, I’ve heard that other blacksmiths can’t understand you.’ 

‘They are offering unfavorable contract terms.’ 

Of course, Black Anvil is not small enough to be shaken by that degree, but it does take a hit. 

In such a pressure, Rowen left the group chat on his own. 

There was also a reason why he still does not bend his will amidst much criticism and condemnation. 

‘I want to create a legend.’ 

Rowen’s reached limit. 

He is ‘closest to a legend’ but that’s it. 

His forge is the largest in the country not because of his great business skills, not craftsmanship. 

‘Hyun might be able to teach me that.’ 

Although it was a game, Rowen wanted to approach the legend someday. 

‘Already three of them.’ 

Rowen had heard. 

Hyun created Barad’s sword, Dragonlight Sword, and Death Sword. 

Of course, the authenticity of the Death Sword has not been verified. 

Rowen knew. 

-He only reaches the legend artifacts with swords.

Where this rapidly spreading rumor started. 

The person who posted on the blacksmith community was a member of the same group chat. 

They create rumors in many ways and package them to look real. 

‘Disgusting.’ 

And then they somewhat promote it. 

Because that’s how people believe it more genuinely. 

But Rowen also doubts. 

‘There is the Thousand-Pound Bow, though…’

It is the closest to a legend. 

But it does not compare to the three legendary swords. 

‘Is he really only the best at making swords?’ 

At that moment, his secretary and user, who handles his various tasks, entered. 

He spoke politely, 

“Guild master, how about saying you will keep Hyun in check, even if it’s just words? The guild members are anxious, and many do not understand.” 

Of course, it’s incomprehensible. 

“Why would our country’s best blacksmith do that?” 

Rowen smirked bitterly. 

“You’ll find out eventually.” 

Even as he said this, a seed of doubt sprouted in Rowen. 

What if he was wrong? 

What if he cannot show him how to create a legend? 

His plan looks years ahead. 

That small doubt could grow larger… 

“…!” 

At that moment, Rowen and his secretary both looked surprised. 

[A world message is heard.] 

World message. 

A privilege of those who have accomplished marvelous feats, as judged by Blue Inc. 

An alert that had not sounded many times even within the country. 

Rowen thought, 

‘Did someone hunt something uncatchable?’ 

Or else, 

‘Did they reach a new realm?’ 

It was neither. 

[He has crafted another legend atop a legend.] 

“…!?” 

Rowen’s eyes widened. 

‘A legend atop a legend?’ 

Even if they are called legends, they cannot be considered the same. 

Furthermore, the one who caused the world message to sound can choose. 

Anonymous or a desired nickname. 

[The name is blacksmith Hyun(現).] 

The alert made Rowen’s fist tighten. 

The alert that echoed throughout the world proved, 

‘That I was never wrong…!’ 

And the anticipation harbored by Rowen. 

The possibility that Hyun could enable him to craft a legend. 

Rowen did not know. 

That his choice would lead him to grow much more than he thought. 

***

What are the conditions for a ‘Masterpiece’? 

NPCs and users do not know, but it is determined by accumulated data. 

The supercomputer Ares records all data from billions of users. 

A masterpiece is determined based on such data, so a certain level and creations must be accumulated. 

After such data has accumulated, it is born. 

How much did he demonstrate his understanding of artifacts that day? 

Showed his skills? 

And depending on what materials were used, it can be born. 

And just because a masterpiece has been born once, it doesn’t mean it won’t appear again. 

If data accumulates and accumulates, and it is deemed to surpass the previous masterpiece, a new one can appear at any time. 

And Hyun-soo, unaware of this, was surprised. 

[A Masterpiece (力作) is written.] 

‘A Masterpiece…?’ 

Hyun-soo had closely witnessed the masterpieces of two people before. 

One was Lenn in the beginner’s zone, and the other was Fer.

They have something in common. 

The most incredible creation they couldn’t make until now has been born. 

[The system deems the legendary rank insufficient.] 

The alert was perplexing. 

Insufficient? And then, Hyun-soo realized something. 

‘Could it be that there is no higher rank than this in Ares yet?’ 

As if to prove him right, it was announced. 

[It is the most outstanding legendary artifact among the existing legends.] 

[It is a legend above legends.] 

[Congratulations.] 

[You are the first user to reach the pinnacle of the previously most outstanding legendary artifacts.] 

[World Message.] 

[Your achievement will be announced to users worldwide.] 

[You may choose to remain anonymous or use your desired name or character name.] 

Hyun-soo was thrilled. 

The statement that among all existing legends, this bow is the most outstanding. 

Yet, he became calm amidst it. 

Is it okay to make Hyun known to the world? 

Is he ready for it? 

‘I am ready.’ 

[The name of blacksmith Hyun will be known worldwide.] 

[You gain 300 fame.] 

[You gain 50 charisma.] 

The rewards were tremendous. 

But there was one disappointing point. 

‘The effect of the title God Blacksmith is activated once a week.’ 

Hyun-soo had already received that privilege after crafting Ben’s Spear. 

Then. 

[It is a legend above legends.] 

[All stats increase by 8.] 

[You gain 500 fame.] 

[You gain 100 charisma.] 

However, it was a concern. 

Even without the title God of Blacksmithing, this was an achievement worthy of rewards. 

Hyun-soo wiped his face with one hand. 

‘So, what kind of power does this bow possess?’ 

Hyun-soo checked the bow with a trembling expression and then burst into laughter. 

(Hyun’s fourteenth custom-made bow) 

Rank: A Legend Above Legends 

Durability: Infinite 

Attack Power: 619 

Requirements: Level 350~450, Master level of longbow mastery or higher 

Special Abilities: 

· Increase health by 2.5%, agility by 3%. 

· Increase accuracy by 81%. 

· Increase range by 90%. 

· Ignites flames upon a direct hit. 

· Passive skill: Marksman 

· Passive skill: Descendant of Jumong. 

· Active skill: In front of the Greatest Bow. 

· Active skill: Flame Guided Shot 

· An effect that announces the arrival of the Greatest Bow. 

Description: A Masterpiece (力作) defined as a legend above legends. 

It seemed clear why it was considered a legend above legends. 

Legendary rank bows existed on other national servers. 

The attack power of those bows was around 530. 

But this bow was much higher. 

Hyun-soo could be sure of one thing. 

‘Worth more than 2 billion won…’ 

An unknown excitement adorned him. 

Then. 

[Nel: It was an excellent choice. We must be ready now, right?] 

Ready? What does it mean? 

Hyun-soo decided he was somewhat prepared and caused the world message to sound. 

[Nel: Ready to become the best forge in our country.] 

Nel is a conservative person. 

He was curious why she would say something so confident. 

[Nel: You haven’t checked the outside reaction yet, right? Of course, you must have turned off the subscriber notification alert.] 

Hyun-soo usually turns off subscriber notifications to focus on other tasks. 

[Nel: You’ll be very surprised, haha.] 

The Nel Hyun-soo knew didn’t speak without certainty. 

Additionally, the auction house ranking is important for both Guild Bright Future and Hyun-soo. 

The auction house ranking was a measure of the blacksmith guild’s standing. 

[You have logged out.] 

As he emerged from the capsule, the TV was on, and the news was playing.

[Just now, a world message rang out on the Korean server, announcing the creation of a legend above legends. The creator of this unprecedented feat is known to be one of our country’s blacksmiths, blacksmith Hyun…]

Hyun-soo couldn’t believe it.

The breaking news flowing from the TV.

Though it was all about the game channels, considering Ares is a game enjoyed by 2.5 billion people worldwide, the attention was immense.

Sitting in front of his computer, Hyun-soo exclaimed in astonishment.

As usual, after clicking into Internet Explosion, Hyun-soo was met with a surprising sight.

Ranked number one on Naver’s real-time search keywords.

[Blacksmith Hyun.]

And at number two.

[A Legend Above Legends.]

Then Hyun-soo entered the Ares community.

[Where are those know-it-alls who said individual forges can’t beat corporate forges LOL.]

[Wow, Hyun, that’s crazy.]

[Praise be to God Hyun.]

[This is the craftsmanship of Korea, people of the world!]

The Ares community was abuzz with talk about Hyun.

And it wasn’t just there.

Internet articles.

[Blacksmith Hyun. The center of global attention.]

[The first creator of a legend above legends among 2.5 billion users, who is Hyun?]

Stunned by these stories, Hyun-soo attempted to log in to the auction house.

But something odd happened.

He couldn’t get past the blank white loading screen.

Then, a notification popped up.

[Due to a significant increase in subscribers, a temporary error has occurred.]

[Please try again later.]

‘This much…?’

Hyun-soo could hardly contain his excitement.

How far will it go?

This will decide the future.

‘A masterpiece might come again, but it will take a long time.’

Therefore, this number of subscribers was crucial. Hyun-soo closed his eyes, trying to calm down.

Then, without realizing it, Hyun-soo fell asleep.

After all, he hadn’t rested since he was working on the bow.

When he woke up, 7 hours had passed.

Hyun-soo tried logging in again.

The server seemed much more stable than before, and he logged in effortlessly.

Hyun-soo slowly clicked ‘Go to My Auction House.’

‘My previous subscriber count…’

After the Dragonlight Sword unboxing, the subscribers and ranking of Hyun’s forge had been in decline.

It was natural.

With no supply, the decline was inevitable. Thus, the subscribers had dropped to 680,000, pushing the rank down to 23rd.

Upon seeing the updated subscriber count, Hyun-soo stood up abruptly in shock.

“Crazy…!”

He couldn’t believe it and had to check again.

[Subscribers of Hyun’s Forge: 1,130,013.]

[Currently ranked 9th among Korean forges.]

It was the moment Hyun’s forge secured a spot within the top 10.

At that time, in a VVIP hospital room where Kang Hyun-tae was.

A nurse had turned on the news.

[…The blacksmith becoming the talk of the town is known to be the owner of Hyun’s Forge…]

[People worldwide are keen to know how he crafted it.]

After wringing out a washcloth, the nurse looked puzzled.

‘Was that a smile just now? Am I seeing things?’

Looking at him again, his expression was as it always was.

The nurse left the room, closing the door behind her.

A short while later.

A slight movement occurred and then subsided.

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Round 25

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After separating from Young-seong, I returned to the dungeon.

Fortunately, the newly made vegetable juice was much more effective, and considerable progress was seen in his wife’s treatment.

“I’m back.”

The slimes wobbled towards me and acted cutely. Their plump bodies bouncing and dancing around was quite a sight.

Squish!

“Yes, yes. Good job, everyone.”

Mark2, wearing a straw hat, clung to my pants leg, squishing in anticipation. I sat down and fiddled with Mark2 affectionately.

“Was everything okay today?”

Gurgle!

“Oh? It’s time to harvest?”

I was gradually understanding the language of the slimes.

Well, more accurately, I was faintly grasping their gestures.

“But what needs to be harvested?”

After playing with a slime in my hand for a while, I reluctantly stood up. I wanted to stay like this forever, but I couldn’t afford to be lazy.

“Alright, let’s go.”

The slimes followed me in a line, with Mark2 leading the way.

We arrived at a spot where some potatoes had been left unharvested last time.

Maybe this time the potatoes imbued with magic would appear. Excited, I dug into the ground with my hands.

“It might seem foolish to ignore a perfectly good hoe, but…”

I couldn’t wait to go up and get a hoe. Since my body was exceptionally sturdy due to a dual awakening, I decided to act as a human excavator.

Crunch-crunch-

As I dug up the ridge, plump potatoes revealed themselves. Their free-formed shapes looked quite appetizing.

“First, let’s check!”

I immediately checked if the harvested potato brought up an item window.

[Magically Enriched Potato LV.1]

[Contains faint magical power.]

[When consumed, increases health for 3 minutes depending on the amount of mana held. Temporarily reduces the feeling of hunger.]

Perfect!

Unlike last time, the item label appeared properly.

I danced with joy and continued to unearth more potatoes, which soon covered the field.

Meanwhile, the slimes diligently wobbled around, moving the potatoes or trimming the stems and leaves.

After a long while of turning over the field, it finally came to an end. As I stretched my back, I realized how large the plot of land was where we planted the potatoes.

Squish!

“Oh! Are we done?”

The slimes that had just gathered the potatoes bubbled. Among them, Mark2 respectfully approached with a potato.

Gurgle!

“Hmm? What’s that?”

Gurgle! Gurgle!

Mark2 seemed to be pleading, “I want to eat boiled potatoes! Please cook the potatoes!” The slimes gathered around him, their eyes seemingly sparkling.

Of course, these creatures had neither mouths nor eyes.

“Ha, no helping it. I’ll have to do it again.”

I boasted as I picked up the potato Mark2 offered. Considering the amount the slimes ate, these potatoes were ridiculously insufficient, so I ended up bringing down the gas burner from above.

Standing by the storage, I watched the slimes gather around as I did last time, fetching water from the pond and starting to boil the potatoes.

The difference from last time was that I knew exactly how long to boil them, so I didn’t need to check by poking them.

“Jae-seong said doing so allows water to seep into the potatoes, making them less tasty.”

Because I was precisely informed of the boiling time, I didn’t forget about it.

When the time came, the boiled potatoes were ready, accompanied by a rich aroma.

Pop! Pop!

Wriggle! Wiggle!

The excited creatures shook their bodies from side to side.

Nonetheless, I patiently transferred the potatoes into a bowl with composure.

I had to set aside my portion in advance; otherwise, those insensible creatures would definitely devour everything due to their inability to feel the heat.

After moving my portion, I handed the rest to the creatures, who rushed to eat the potatoes.

“Ugh.”

The slimes that quickly surrounded me soon began to devour the potatoes.

The potatoes-eating creatures trembled with joy one by one.

“There are still plenty of potatoes, so eat slowly.”

The creatures’ appetites were indeed formidable.

I immediately prepared more potatoes.

This time, I used a steamer that Jae-seong had left behind.

Behold, steamed potatoes!

Although steamed and boiled potatoes aren’t that different, wouldn’t the taste change if the ingredients are my crops?

I prepared the steamer as Jae-seong taught me and started steaming the potatoes.

Meanwhile, I decided to eat the boiled potatoes I had set aside for myself.

“Bon appétit.”

The potatoes had cooled down enough for me to eat, so I slowly peeled them.

Still, they were hot enough to roll around in my hands.

“Ho, ho.”

It might have been just salt on the potatoes, but I couldn’t resist the vibrating savory aroma.

Having already proven the taste with potatoes I had eaten before, I actually didn’t need any seasoning.

Yawn!

I took a big bite.

Then, the savory taste and aroma spread throughout every corner of my mouth, moistening the corners of my eyes.

“Heh, ha! So delicious!”

Even as I blew on the hot food, I couldn’t stop.

The slimes, having finished their portion, looked at me as if envious.

The fluffy texture felt upon first entering my mouth, and unlike before, the potatoes enchanted with magic melted away.

It wasn’t just a metaphor; they literally melted away.

Thus, the liquid state of the potatoes became a thick and savory juice that comfortably warmed my stomach as it went down.

“Ah…”

It felt like stepping into a warm bath.

My body became lethargic, filled with contentment.

“Huh?”

I suddenly realized one potato had disappeared.

Did I eat it all already?

As I picked up another potato, I felt full.

“Wow, this thing is something.”

It seemed to have an effect related to fullness, which appeared to be working well, although it didn’t seem to affect those gluttonous slimes.

“Here, you eat.”

I gave all the potatoes I had set aside for myself to the slimes.

Since I was also steaming some potatoes, one more would be enough to fill me up.

Admirably, the slimes split the potatoes and shared them among themselves.

As it was about time, I checked the steamer.

“Done, done.”

I turned off the heat and opened the steamer.

The steamed potatoes, looking not much different from the boiled ones, appeared.

“They look the same?”

How about the taste?

I carefully removed the hot potatoes, transferred them just like before, and distributed the rest to the slimes.

Once again, they swarmed over and devoured the steamed potatoes while I blew hard on them.

After cooling down the potatoes for a while, I slowly examined one and then took a bite.

“Hmm?!”

It wasn’t much different from the boiled ones.

If there was a difference, it was that the boiled potatoes had a richer flavor because I had added a bit of salt to the water they were boiled in, whereas this time they tasted somewhat bland.

However, the texture had become firmer, which strangely suited me well, and I found myself continuously chewing.

“I could eat more of these. Actually, they’d probably still taste good if I kept eating.”

Two potatoes were enough to fill me up.

Could this be a contender for the next generation staple food?

“Dad!”

“?”

What was that?

I just heard a human voice…

“I want some too, Dad!”

I slowly turned my head.

And there, appearing suddenly without a trace, was a naked blonde toddler.

“Eh?”

I involuntarily made a strange noise and couldn’t respond properly. Regardless, the toddler in front of me stretched out the hands widely toward me.

“I want to eat it too!”

Who are you?

* * *

Perk! Perk!

Ears that looked like those of a tiger fluttered happily. Watching the ears move without pause, I slowly looked over the child.

“So you’re… Poooh, right?”

“That’s right! More importantly, this is delicious! I want to eat more, Dad!”

“I’m not your dad…”

Level 10 ?? Slime Poooh.

The form it had taken after synthesis was human-like.

Honestly, I still couldn’t believe that this little kid was Poooh…

[Named Slime ‘Gluttony of Gula’ has been completed.]

[Due to the synthesizer’s influence, it appears in a form similar to the synthesizer’s race.]

Messages appeared as I looked at the child.

The system doesn’t lie, even if it hides information. So this little one must definitely be a synthesized slime that turned into Poooh.

‘But a named slime? And Gluttony of Gula?’

It couldn’t be… It couldn’t be.

If it’s gluttony, it’s definitely one of the Seven Deadly Sins. A title that shouldn’t belong to a slime, so why?

“Dad! More!”

“Poooh, I’m not your dad…”

“Then what are you?”

“I’m, uh…”

Master? No, that sounds weird.

It’s not right to ask to be called a lord either…

“My name is Lee Kyu-seong. Just call me Kyu-seong.”

“Understood! Kyu-seong Kyu-seong!”

“Just Kyu-seong is fine.”

“Kyu-seong Kyu-seong! I want to eat more of this!”

The potato had vanished along with its peel.

Poooh spread the tiny hands wide, waiting for the next potato.

“I’ll get it ready soon. Just wait a bit.”

“Understood!”

While I was cooking the potatoes, I went upstairs to look for something for Poooh to wear. Thinking I’d at least dress Poooh in my clothes, I came down with them, only to find Poooh giving a grand speech to the assembled slimes.

“Kyu-seong Kyu-seong is mine! And all these delicious things are mine too! But don’t worry! We will share everything nicely! I am a good slime!”

What is it talking about?

But the slimes, led by Mark2, were earnestly listening to it.

“Poooh.”

“Oh! Kyu-seong Kyu-seong! Where did you go?”

I welcomed Poooh, who had its arms wide open, by putting the clothes I brought on it. Then Poooh scanned its body from side to side and tilted its head.

“Kyu-seong Kyu-seong! What is this?”

“You have to wear clothes.”

Apparently, since it’s a slime, there wasn’t anything to distinguish gender(?), but it felt wrong to leave it naked.

“Oh! This smells like Kyu-seong Kyu-seong! This is mine alone! I cannot share this!”

Poooh’s ears perked up as it threatened the other slimes.

Of course, it might have seemed like a threat, but outwardly, it just looked cute.

Now, what do we do with this?

Although clearly a slime, it was difficult to treat this talking, human-like creature the same as the others.

“Shall we check your stats first? Come here, Poooh.”

Since it’s a slime, its stats should be visible, right?

And when I have time, I should change its name too. It feels a bit awkward to keep calling it Poooh.

“Is the tasty stuff ready?”

“Not yet. Let’s just check something first.”

I checked the status window, leaving behind Poooh’s sparkling eyes and drooling mouth.

Ding!

“Oh, a slime is still a slime, for sure. The status window is up…”

My thoughts slowly halted as I checked Poooh’s status window.

[Gluttony of Gula (Poooh)]

[One of the Seven Deadly Sins and a demon responsible for gluttony. ]

[A slime with unknown potential.]

[Abilities: Gluttony, Breath.]

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Strike 126

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The forge.

Hyun-soo recalled his conversation with Nel.

“Is there a reason you accepted the production request?”

Hyun-soo had already told Nel it was because he was desperate.

Although it might not seem like it, Hyun-soo occasionally checks the numerous recruitment restrictions and production request notes at Hyun’s forge.

Currently, many high-rankers are sending notes to Hyun.

However, among them, Ian is the only one who has been sending production request notes for over a month, nearly reaching 100 days, and leaving messages at Hyun’s forge.

“Even though it’s attracting public ridicule.”

It shows how desperate he is.

It’s also related to the spirit of his father’s blacksmithing.

His father did not sell weapons to just anyone.

“Hyun-soo, our profession can sometimes be a help to those who are desperately in need of something they want very much. And if we fulfill that desperation, it will bring us good fortune.”

And Hyun-soo had seen an example of that desperation.

The note from Ian that came to Hyun’s forge.

“I can only use a crossbow. I have vivid memories of shooting a crossbow with my father when I was a child.”

He wanted to ask.

The year 2040.

In a world where our country’s traditional bow, the crossbow, is neglected.

Instead, archery has been adopted as an Olympic sport worldwide.

And the reason he insisted on the rare crossbow in the game Ares.

“I have always thought of the crossbow as our nation’s pride. During the Joseon Dynasty, there were three weapons representing China, Japan, and Korea.”

He doesn’t just like the crossbow.

He understood.

“China had the spear, Japan had the musket, and Korea had the bow.”

The musket seemed the most powerful.

“The musket’s range was 80m. And our bow, the crossbow and the mini arrow, which the Japanese ridiculed, was 200m.”

“Also, Yi Seong-gye, Yi Sun-shin, Jumong…”

Hyun-soo smiled as he read those words.

“Growing up hearing those stories made me take up the crossbow. And here are my stat and skill windows.”

It’s rare for a high-ranker to share their stat and skill windows.

It was their secret and their trump card.

His bow mastery was just beginner Lv.3.

Literally at a beginner level.

However, his unique skill, crossbow mastery, reached the highest level, Lv.5.

At that moment, he realized one fact.

“The person who can shoot the bow I make the best.”

It was Ian.

Of course, Hyun-soo could make archery bows as well.

But his understanding of the crossbow was higher.

The combination of the person who can shoot best and the person who can make best produces the strongest synergy.

Of course, these are not the only reasons.

“I will value the bow at 30% more.”

He said he would value it more for that reason.

And Hyun-soo had already decided what to make in his mind.

As soon as he sent the message about it, a reply came.

“If that can really be realized and I am satisfied…”

After some time had passed since that reply, he sent a response.

“I will produce a video related to Hyun’s forge just once. I worked as a video editor three years ago and was quite famous. However, I quit when I started playing Ares. Currently, Hyun’s forge ranks 23rd. It has fallen behind significantly after the Dragonlight Sword unboxing.”

Hyun-soo was surprised.

‘Video editor?’

In fact, Hyun-soo doesn’t know much about that field.

But he knows that in the year 2040, finding a skilled video editor is hard even with money.

Even the renowned guilds in Ares have at least one video editor with them.

That’s how important promotion is.

“I will help you get back into the top 20.”

Hyun-soo was amazed.

Ian’s confidence made him look forward to it.

‘Just one video can raise three ranks?’

Suddenly, he remembered the unboxing trailer from AJ Internet Broadcasting Station.

At that time, just one trailer had attracted tens of thousands of viewers.

‘Exactly.’

Hyun-soo knew his thought was correct.

He didn’t know why he quit his job as an editor.

But when he decided to fulfill his desperation, he extended a hand of repayment.

‘Shall we start?’

Hyun-soo took out materials from his inventory.

It was the highest-grade Minor World Tree.

(Minor World Tree)

Grade: Legendary

Restriction: Blacksmiths level 250 and above

Difficulty: Highest

Special Abilities

– Increases archery-related skills up to +4.

– Increases fire attribute attack power up to 431%.

– Increases fire attribute skills up to legendary.

– Increases arrow penetration by 120%.

– Increases accuracy by 130%.

– Increases critical hit chance by 80%.

– Durability increases to infinity.

Description: The most precious material that can be obtained only 1% from the Minor World Tree, and as such, boasts the highest difficulty due to its sensitivity.

This time, the obtained Minor World Tree is enough to make only two bows.

‘The highest difficulty.’

That means it’s a sensitive material.

Hyun-soo started crafting.

***

Ho-beom was excited.

‘Maybe I’ll get a legendary bow?’

Blacksmith Hyun was the most prolific legendary artifact maker in Ares.

‘First, keep it a secret.’

Ho-beom wasn’t foolish enough to go around telling everyone in the neighborhood.

Once the production request was accepted, Ho-beom looked up information about Hyun.

Then, he soon came across a shocking post.

Blacksmith community.

A post by someone who operates anonymously but is presumed to be a user within the top 10 of the blacksmith rankings.

“Hyun’s forge has become quite hot recently, hasn’t it? But let me tell you a fact that you don’t know.”

‘An unknown fact?’

Ho-beom made a puzzled face.

“Currently, there are rumors that the Death Sword, designated as a treasure of the Ares Church, was also the third legendary artifact made by Hyun. No user has seen its detailed information yet, so this hasn’t been confirmed, but I too think it could be possible.”

“Wow…!”

Ho-beom was rather pleased to hear that.

“Three legendary artifacts!?”

But his brow furrowed as he continued reading.

“If you think about it, something is odd. Barad’s Sword, Dragonlight Sword, Death Sword. Do you notice what they have in common?”

“…Only swords?”

Yes, all three were swords.

“Correct. All the legendary artifacts made by Hyun are swords. Of course, swords account for 45% of the weapon share in Ares. The reason I mention this is because a variety of professions are making requests at Hyun’s forge.”

Ho-beom swallowed hard. He was one of them.

“Originally, blacksmiths are better at making one or two types of artifacts out of dozens. In fact, there are related passive skills. Perhaps, I cautiously suggest that Hyun may only stand out in making swords. Of course, there are exceptions.”

“Hyun made a bow called Thousand-pound Bow which surprised us all. But as everyone knows, Thousand-pound Bow, although outstanding, was not legendary.”

Ho-beom was a bit shocked by that statement.

The post wasn’t just blindly criticizing Hyun.

“Still, the blacksmith Hyun is certainly a remarkable person among individual blacksmiths.”

Acknowledge where it’s due.

The comments below.

“True… LOL.”

“Now that I think about it, Hyun only makes swords LOL.”

“Did he get a special perk after making a legendary sword, like a 50% increased chance of making legendary-grade artifacts?”

“Seems plausible, or maybe he’s just a blacksmith focused on sword crafting?”

Ho-beom couldn’t help but wipe his face dry.

“What if that’s really the case?”

For him, a fine crossbow was the only solution to his current predicament.

If he couldn’t get such an item, he would be pushed out of the top 50 ranks soon.

Ian’s worries deepened.

***

Hyun-soo’s skilled hands began working.

Hyun-soo had once restored the bow of the lord of beginner’s zone, Ban.

The process of making a bow with this Minor World Tree was even more difficult than that time.

The material itself was very tricky to handle.

However, Hyun-soo skillfully managed this challenging material.

There’s one secret people don’t know.

“People might think I’m best at making swords.”

Of course, Hyun-soo is good at making swords.

But if someone were to give Hyun-soo the best material for something and asked him to choose what to make, he could answer without hesitation.

“I would make a crossbow.”

It’s not just because Hyun-soo has a natural talent for making crossbows.

The forge where he was with his father, Hyun-tae.

Surprisingly, the number of requests for sword making and crossbow making in that forge was similar.

Why?

“Real swords are eventually hard to take up as a hobby.”

Yet, many people in Korea were still fascinated by the charm of our traditional bow, the crossbow, and enjoyed it as a hobby, just like Ian did in his childhood.

Hence, there were many requests for making both swords and bows.

And among him and his father, there was someone who stood out more in crafting one type of weapon.

Hyun-soo was for bows, and his father was for swords.

Since then, Hyun-soo took charge of crossbow crafting, while his father handled sword crafting.

His father said, “You are the best bow maker I know.”

Hyun-soo chuckled bitterly.

“That’s because there aren’t many blacksmiths in this world.”

But his father shook his head.

“I’m not talking about just the level. You have a natural gift for bows. If you had been in Jumong’s era, out of tens of thousands of blacksmiths, Jumong would have chosen you.”

“Ehem.”

“But you’re not as good with swords as I am.”

“Really…?”

Of course, not being as good didn’t mean he was below master level.

To give an example with football players:

There are 11 football players.

The average talent level for regular people might be 70, but for these players, it’s 100.

And among these national players, those with talents of 108, 110 stand out.

Hyun-soo’s general blacksmith skill belongs to those with talents of 108, 110.

But when it comes to bow making, it might be immeasurable, perhaps 120, 130.

That’s what Hyun-soo’s bow making is like.

The refined buffalo horn and the nearing completion of the bowstring.

“The elasticity of the Minor World Tree surpasses common sense.”

Did Jumong’s bow really exist in the world?

Hyun-soo doesn’t know.

But he imagines a world where Jumong did exist.

In the myths, Jumong is known to have shot arrows at much longer distances than others.

“Meaning, that range would require a bowstring that can withstand being pulled much tighter.”

When the blacksmith’s knowledge and the best materials meet, it’s perfected.

The problem of the bowstring is solved.

And what Hyun-soo truly wants is a bow that could be said to be worthy of Jumong himself.

Now, he proceeds with the tempering work on the bow over a small fire.

To be worthy of being called Jumong’s crossbow, it must have a long range but also high accuracy.

However, these are conceptually opposite traits.

“An arrow shot from afar with high accuracy?”

That’s impossible.

It would be absolutely impossible in reality.

But…

“It could be possible.”

[Showing a crossbow crafting method that defies common sense.]

“Perhaps the most perfect method for making a crossbow.”

Why?

Because while it may be impossible in reality, this system acknowledges and rewards greatness with what one desires.

Finally, after finishing the tempering work and engraving the patterns, there’s something not to forget.

“The Minor World Tree.”

The small fire (火) and large fire (火) he dealt with.

And the described abilities of the Minor World Tree.

Increase in fire attribute attack power and the ability to enhance fire attribute skills to legendary.

“This guy is, the material for the strongest fire attribute weapon…!”

The moment he grips the completed crossbow’s limb.

Whoosh-

Flames surge from the limb, spreading throughout the entire forge.

But these flames were not hot to Hyun-soo at all.

However, the flames that surged were the hottest ever, reminiscent of the flames that once tried to consume him in this world.

Soon, all the flames were absorbed into the bow.

The limb, which had taken on a heated red color, returned to its original white hue.

Whoosh-!

Hyun-soo has a habit.

When he’s deeply focused on crafting, he doesn’t hear any notifications.

As all his senses finally opened, Hyun-soo was hopeful.

He had come to trust his intuition after creating several legends.

That intuition was: “This is going to be legendary.”

This crossbow was certainly worthy of that feeling.

So, Hyun-soo was expectant.

For the fifth legendary notification to reach him.

But soon, as his senses opened, Hyun-soo found himself disappointed.

Among the countless notifications, there was no “Approaching Legend.”

Also, “There’s no notification of a new legend being written.”

Hyun-soo smiled bitterly.

“After all, this is a game.”

Even if he made a fine bow, luck played a big part.

“This time, my luck was…”

Then, an unexpected notification came.

[A Masterpiece is written.]

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Martial 3

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Sssss.

Whoosh.

“Huh…?”

Taeje let out a hollow laugh as he watched Eugene, seated in a cross-legged position, practicing his breathing exercises. It had only been three days since they crossed into the world of Seifran, and already Eugene had ascended to the second star. For others, this would take at least four years. Even a genius would take two to three years to reach the second star, yet Eugene had done it in just three days, leaving Taeje deeply shocked. As a divine beast who had seen and heard much over the ages, this was a first for him.

And the shock was mutual for Eugene.

“Only two stars…?”

Eugene felt a bit disappointed as he assessed his internal energy. He had hoped to jump to three stars in an instant.

“Maybe I’m being too greedy…”

The body Eugene inhabited had the Three Yin Severed Meridians. Considering this, his expectations were perhaps too high.

“What the heck did you do to reach the second star so quickly?”

Unable to contain his curiosity, Taeje finally asked Eugene. No matter how he thought about it, Eugene’s rapid rise to the second star was beyond his understanding.

“This body has the Three Yin Severed Meridians.”

“Oh…”

Taeje finally nodded in understanding at Eugene’s explanation.

“What a joke from the heavens…”

“What?”

Eugene turned to look at Taeje, who was muttering to himself.

“Even Galtian had the Three Yin Severed Meridians.”

Five hundred years ago, Galtian, the Heavenly Demon who had overturned the martial world with the Heaven’s Killing God Technique, also had the Three Yin Severed Meridians. At that time, the divine beasts of Mount Kunlun were prepared to intervene directly to kill Galtian, who easily killed people.

Divine beasts typically did not involve themselves in worldly affairs, but Galtian’s evil deeds were so great that they intended to descend upon the world to kill him. And Galtian, with all his wickedness, had the Three Yin Severed Meridians.

“The previous Heavenly Demon and the current one both have the Three Yin Severed Meridians…”

Taeje sighed, lamenting that Eugene had the same condition. Although Eugene did not become the Heavenly Demon by choice—the martial world gave him that title—it was still a situation that made Taeje laugh hollowly.

“So, how much longer until you reach the third star?”

Eugene’s face hardened at Taeje’s question. From the third star onwards, no matter how good the Heaven and Earth Foundation Technique was, advancing was not easy. Eugene had quickly ascended beyond the third star in the past because of the many elixirs left in the cave. Although it was possible to reach the third star through internal techniques alone, it took a considerable amount of time.

“From the third star onward, the internal energy required increases exponentially…”

Therefore, elixirs were essential for rapid progress. Moreover, to accumulate the internal energy needed for the third star in a short time, the blockage in the Three Yin Severed Meridians had to be cleared, which required the internal energy of at least five stars. 

“To quickly reach the third star, I need the internal energy of five stars… What kind of nonsense is this?”

“Exactly.”

Taeje tilted his head in confusion, while Eugene sighed.

“It’s a situation where the tail is bigger than the body.”

“Looks like you need elixirs after all.”

“But are there any elixirs in this world?”

Taeje wondered aloud at Eugene’s muttering. In the martial world, there were many elixirs like the Great Return Pill or the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. But this was not the martial world; this was Seifran, an entirely different realm.

“If they don’t exist, I’ll just make them.”

“What…?”

Taeje tilted his head in disbelief. Make elixirs?

“Wasn’t the Great Return Pill of the Shaolin Temple made as well?”

“Yes, but the Great Return Pill was made through the long efforts of many monks. You’re trying to find elixirs to quickly reach the third star. Do you plan to spend that much time making them?”

In that case, it would be faster to reach the third star through internal techniques. Although making the Great Return Pill would allow one to jump to ten stars instantly, the time and ingredients required were a major issue.

“Seifran is filled with things imbued with magic.”

Smirk.

“Magic?”

Eugene smiled as he recalled his memories.

“All flows return to the source. Magic and internal energy are not different.”

By forming a circle around the heart based on the magical energy in the air, it transforms into mana used by magicians. When you accumulate qi (氣) in the dantian through internal techniques, it becomes internal energy. 

Eugene, the former Heavenly Demon who once manipulated qi freely, knew that he could use objects imbued with magical energy found in Seifran.

“Can you even call them objects…?”

Eugene recalled from his memories: the wings of a forest fairy, the heart of a troll, valerian root, and honey. 

“With these, I can make the elixir I need right away.”

Eugene mentally organized the items he needed.

“What are all these?” Taeje asked, tilting his head after hearing Eugene list the necessary items. While he knew about honey and valerian root from the martial world, he had never heard of fairies or trolls.

“Think of them as beings that exist in Seifran.”

“I see… So, are you going to get them?”

Taeje tilted his head again as Eugene silently stared at him in response.

“You’re going to get them, right?”

“What?!”

Taeje was startled by Eugene’s words. He didn’t even know where they were, and now he was being asked to steal from an unknown place?

“I’m a divine beast!”

“So what…?”

As if there were martial artists who didn’t know that the white tiger was a divine beast.

“Is it right to make a divine beast steal?!”

“These are things from the main house. Since I’m also from the family, it’s not really stealing if I use them.”

“Ugh…”

Taeje groaned at Eugene’s somewhat logical reasoning. Among the items Eugene needed, the fairy wings and troll heart, as well as the honey, were at the main house. Although there was plenty of valerian root nearby, the other items were only at the main house.

“Why don’t you go get them yourself?”

“I’m practically an outcast in my family. If I go without any special reason, I won’t even be allowed in and will probably be chased out.”

“No matter how you put it…”

“Most of my siblings like cats, so even if you’re discovered, it won’t be a big deal. Plus, as a divine beast, you can move around without being noticed, right?”

Eugene smiled, mixing truth with flattery to persuade Taeje. If he went himself, he would undoubtedly be turned away without even being allowed to enter. Although he could have used martial arts to sneak in without being detected, he wasn’t yet at the level where he could completely erase his presence. Also, Taeje, who did nothing but watch, was quite annoying, so Eugene thought he might as well make use of him this way.

***

“Damn Heavenly Demon… Using me for theft…”

Taeje growled as he stealthily approached the main house after stealing honey from the dining hall. 

‘If you want to go back, cooperate…’

That was what Eugene had told him when Taeje refused to go. For Eugene to quickly regain his former level, Taeje had to cooperate so he could return to Mount Kunlun.

“Damn it…”

Taeje sighed as he looked up at the vast main house. The main mansion alone was 500 meters wide. Compared to this, the hut where Eugene stayed was nothing more than a barn.

“How am I supposed to find anything in this vast place…”

Eugene had shown Taeje drawings of the items he needed and explained their characteristics, but searching this enormous main house with his small cat body made Taeje’s head hurt. The building was only six stories high, but its vast width made it enormous.

Fortunately, the head of the Bedia family disliked large houses despite being a duke. If he had built a grander mansion like other dukes, finding the items would have been even harder for Taeje.

“Hmm… Their energies are all over the place.”

Jumping to a third-floor window, Taeje nodded as he sensed the energies inside the house.

“Only one seems to be at the peak.”

Although it was mana instead of internal energy, the size of the energy suggested a level equivalent to a peak master in the martial world.

Creak.

Using his front paw, Taeje carefully lifted the window and slipped inside. The other floors had people by the windows, but the third floor was clear.

-The fairy wings and troll heart should be in the storage room on the right side of the fifth floor.

Taeje looked towards where Eugene had said the items would be.

“This is the left side of the third floor… So, it’s the far end of the fifth floor.”

Guests new to the Bedia mansion often got lost due to its size, but Taeje had no such problem.

Swish.

Reaching the fifth floor via the central staircase, Taeje bit his lower lip as he looked toward the storage room.

“No problem getting here, but…”

The issue was the master at the peak level near the path to the storage room. Although not martial arts, the value of the level was the same for warriors and magicians alike.

Typically, a peak master was someone with the internal energy of at least ten stars.

A peak master typically needed to have internal energy of at least ten stars. Besides just having internal energy, their five senses were extremely developed, allowing them to react to even the slightest movements or sounds. Therefore, if Taeje moved, the person inside the room might notice him.

“I can’t fully utilize my power in this form…”

As a cat, Taeje couldn’t access his full strength. Even if he transformed into the size of a leopard, he could use some power, but the energy released during the transformation would alert the person inside. Going outside to transform and then coming back in would make him too noticeable.

“My dignity as a divine beast is really…”

Taeje lamented his situation as he stealthily crept forward. If he could return to his original form, he could move silently despite his enormous size. This was quite a struggle for him.

“Alright, I need to stay unnoticed…”

At that moment, the door inside suddenly burst open with telekinetic magic.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

“Meow.”

As the door opened, Taeje scratched himself with his leg and meowed, pretending to be a regular cat.

“A cat inside the house?”

The person inside, Joel Bedia, the second son, looked puzzled as he saw the cat grooming itself in front of his room. There were no pets in the main house, so seeing a cat was strange.

“Did Roa bring it?”

Roa Bedia, the fourth sibling, was the only one in the family who liked animals. Joel assumed Roa had brought the cat and approached Taeje.

Swoosh.

Hesitate.

“Hmm… It probably doesn’t have fleas or other germs, right?”

Joel extended his hand to lift Taeje but then withdrew, unwilling to touch the cat with his bare hands due to his obsession with cleanliness since childhood.

“That… That guy…”

Taeje trembled with anger at Joel’s words. As a divine beast, he understood the language of Seifran. Being treated as dirty with germs made him furious.

“I take such good care of myself… Ah, this is no time for that.”

Taeje quickly dashed to the storage room at the end of the floor. According to Eugene, all non-valuable items were stored there. The high-value items were sealed on the sixth floor in the head’s room, while the rest were on the fifth floor.

Creak.

Taeje entered the storage room, quickly scanning for the fairy wings and troll heart that Eugene had described. He grabbed them with his mouth and swiftly exited through the window in front of the storage room. He had already hidden the stolen honey in the bushes, so he had gathered all the necessary items.

“Let’s go back.”

Crunch.

With the fairy wings and troll heart in his mouth, Taeje slipped into the dense bushes.

Prev I TOC I NEXT

Act 73

Prev I TOC I Next

“Is that true?” 

As his low voice filled the room, the one reporting flinched.

Gérard did not hide his displeasure.

He had thought the connection between the “Nameless Gang” and the “Black Knight” was merely a rumor.

“Yes. Yes… I saw someone near Baran’s cabin who I believe was the Black Knight.”

It was somewhat proven to be true.

“Baran, this fool, what unnecessary things has he done…?”

He himself had created the “Nameless Gang.”

Originally, the plan was to secretly integrate the useless “Nameless Gang” under the Dawn Society, to build his own reputation, but that became difficult.

The Black Knight.

This outlaw, who had suddenly appeared, was the reason.

The Archbishop was grinding his teeth at the Black Knight for disrupting the harmony of the Dawn Society.

Meanwhile, it was not hard to imagine what would happen if the Dawn Society discovered his connection with the “Nameless Gang.”

Even if he had washed his hands of it by now.

“I must somehow eradicate the Nameless Gang. If not…”

‘Or perhaps hand over the Black Knight’s head to Tenellon.’

“How was it?”

“……What?”

“When you saw him. What do you think of his level?”

“That, that’s…”

Seeing Gérard snapping at him, the soldier’s lips quivered.

The energy flowing from his body was sharp enough to tear a man apart on the spot.

“Speak quickly, before I blame you for fleeing in front of the ‘Black Knight.'”

Yet, even then, the soldier swallowed his saliva in Gérard’s calm tone.

As he trembled, just as he was about to speak,

“Ha-ha, Gérard. Perhaps we should hear this story later?”

Suddenly, another voice interjected.

Gérard, who loathed being interrupted, showed no displeasure to the person who had interjected.

“Dantes, you’ve finally arrived.”

The owner of the voice was Dantes, like him, a noble and a ‘Bishop’ of the Dawn Society.

“Listening to a story in a state of fear might inflate the information. You know that, don’t you?”

With a tone filled with friendly intent, Gérard’s sharpness softened a bit.

Convinced by his words, Gérard waved his hand to dismiss the soldier and then turned his gaze towards Dantes.

“Well thought. If you are to be the next ‘Archbishop,’ you should know how to control your emotions.”

As if it was a foregone conclusion, Dantes’s comment seemed aimed at flattering him.

“Exactly as you say.”

Gérard played along with his sweet deception.

In the world of nobility and in the Dawn Society, ‘Dantes’ was one of his few allies.

Even so, Gérard did not trust him completely.

In the complex world of politics, there are no eternal allies.

“Yet, I cannot say for sure that I will become the Archbishop even if Sir Tenellon assumes the position of the Grand Archbishop.”

“Why is that?”

“Julian, that damned man.”

Gérard mentioned the name ‘Julian’ with distaste.

“The most recent to wear the bishop’s mantle, but Sir Tenellon’s favor towards him is extraordinary.”

As he said this, Gérard touched his neck.

The mark left there from when he was grabbed by Julian at the Godric family’s ballroom.

The shape was still clearly visible.

“Haha, that’s right. But isn’t that justifiable?”

At Dantès’ unhesitating words, Gérard slightly furrowed his brow.

“Lord Tenellon has always despised the nobility of the sword saint, but he acknowledged his swordsmanship. However, Julian is a man who ‘cut through that nobility.’ Moreover, he even sided with the Dawn Society.”

‘I know the reason.’

He wanted to say this, but Gérard kept his mouth shut.

The issue now was not the reason for Tenellon’s ‘favoritism’ but the problems it could cause because of that ‘favoritism.’

‘Julian, if that guy takes the position of archbishop, it will be a headache for me.’

It wasn’t completely antagonistic, but recalling the matters within the Godric family, Gérard did not think his relationship with Julian would improve.

‘Just a royal hound…’

The reason he had provoked Julian, not outright provocation, was not just competition for the ‘archbishop’ position, but also an inexplicable instinctual repulsion.

To climb to a high position, one might think of using or even collaborating with enemies, but that wasn’t possible for him.

Due to many events beyond his intentions, Gérard was frustrated.

Moreover, the problem was not just one.

Outside, ‘the Black Knight’

Inside, ‘Julian Crypart Frasson.’

‘These two guys… are really annoying.’

He had considered ways to deal with both at once, but couldn’t come up with anything.

“By the way, it’s starting to take shape.”

“What do you mean?”

Lost in his thoughts until a moment ago, Gérard was brought back to reality by Dantès’ words.

“Hayden Reich. That noble sword saint. Why he left the capital and went to the Holy Nation, it’s vaguely starting to take shape.”

Curiosity began to fill his eyes that had been deep in thought until a moment ago.

“Really? What’s the reason?”

“The star of the Adratan Empire, hailed as a sword saint, lost his nobility.”

“I’m not so fond of mysteries.”

At his words, Dantès coughed awkwardly a few times before continuing.

“It seems the sword saint is preparing to seek asylum in the Holy Nation.”

“What?”

Gérard was quite startled by Dantès’ words.

Asylum…

Many thought that Hayden Reich was favored by the royal family, but in reality, that was not the case.

Sword Saint, the name borne with a feat so great that it challenged the royal family’s own eminence.

However, the royal family didn’t just watch it happen.

Every time they thought his fame surpassed theirs, they gave him difficult, dirty, and dark missions.

This tarnished his honor, which had risen greatly, and conversely, the royal family solidified their stronghold by showing kindness.

“So, played by the hands of the royal family, he has finally come to his senses?”

“Yes, I think so too. His ‘nobility’ was broken.”

“It wasn’t noble; it was foolish.”

Gérard scoffed.

“If this information is true, Lord Tenellon might be furious. The sword saint he wanted to kill has fled.”

“Haha, just as you say. Lord Tenellon would surely think so.”

Seeing Dantès’ hearty laughter, Gérard thought to himself.

If only Julian, that guy, would also go to the Fernand Holy Nation.

Gérard was well aware that this thought was naive.

Whether the ‘Black Knight’ or Julian…

The right answer is to eradicate them with his own hands.

‘For now, excluding the Black Knight, who has no other solution, I must find a way to check Julian.’

***

“Gérard must be thinking this,” I thought to myself. “Even if he tries to leap, he’s just a flea.”

Already equipped with enough background knowledge to know the story from beginning to end, Gérard’s schemes seem obvious to me. A person with a strong desire for power will see me as a thorn in his side during his quest for the ‘archbishop’ position. 

‘It’s obvious to anyone that Tenellon likes me.’

It was truly ironic. Here I am, struggling to thwart his intentions.

Anyway, I have no interest in that ‘position’, but those eyeing the ‘archbishop’s’ spot will surely scheme to counter me. Moreover, given his nature, it’s likely he’ll act covertly from behind.

It would be clearly bothersome. If it were a direct confrontation, I could handle it with my physical strength, but if it’s done in secret, that would be difficult. 

‘So, it’s better to move first and cut off his limbs in advance.’

Damn, what a trouble this is. Somehow, as events unfold, things seem to roll in an odd direction contrary to my expectations. It still feels like I’m in control, but whether I can handle what comes next is uncertain. 

‘They should have just made me the youngest son of a prestigious family.’

Ah, now that I think about it, ‘Julian’ is sort of like the youngest son of a prestigious family, even if he is a bastard.

***

“Ah…”

With a headache, Aileen closed the book she was reading. She knew she was denied by the main family because she was from a collateral branch, considered impure, and thus despised. “Still, this is annoying.”

Aileen moved her gaze to the paper she had placed on the desk. “I never imagined my paper would be rejected.”

Her research on ‘Soul Stones’ was the first of its kind, and even Aileen hadn’t anticipated it would be postponed like this. But upon reflection, she could understand the outcome. 

‘Our noble Lord Aiden must be quite uncomfortable.’

Aiden, who is mentioned as the next head of the Donasien family, has a terrifying obsession with the family’s secrets and is a man of extreme ‘pureblood’ ideology. The similarity between the ‘Soul Stone’ she is researching and the family’s secret ‘Elixir’ is a well-known fact to anyone who reads her paper a bit.

It seems he is quite uncomfortable that the results could potentially come from the hands of someone from a collateral branch. 

‘Isn’t this too much!? If it’s for the advancement of the family, you should endure anything!’

Blood purity doesn’t necessarily yield results!

‘The Magic Tower too! How can they listen to just one family’s opinion, no matter how much the Donasien family has contributed to the Magic Tower!’

After all, they are merely one of the founding families of the Magic Tower, and one of the ‘Gold’ elemental factions, the ‘Donar School.’

All they did was donate a lot of money and make efforts to expand the magic department at Bayer Academy…

‘Ah…! Now that I think about it, it was worth listening to.’

Suddenly feeling the power of the family, Aileen murmured as she realized why the Magic Tower rejected her paper.

At the same time, a needless pride swelled within her. “I am also a member of that Donasien family!” Of course, she felt a sense of self-loathing too.

“Don’t think I’ll be taken down by something like this.”

Aileen muttered to herself, biting her lip, ‘If they refuse to acknowledge me in this way, I’ll just have to bring even greater results!’

While speaking, Aileen sensed something was off. One of the security spells she had set up in her mansion had been deactivated.

Zing!

At the same time, an alert spell was triggered. Aileen quickly stood up, struggling to comprehend the situation. ‘The security spell was disabled, but it triggered the alert spell?’ The order was strange.

Usually, the intruder would encounter the ‘security spell’, which causes physical harm, before triggering the ‘alert spell’. The security spell was more covertly hidden and harder to disarm. Typically, even if the ‘alert’ was deactivated, one would still be caught by the security spell. ‘It’s the opposite.’

Feeling this, Aileen sensed cold sweat running down her back. ‘Are they trying to lure me out?’ Puzzled by the intruder’s unclear intentions, Aileen began to move towards the location where the security spell had been deactivated.

“Show yourself.”

Upon reaching her destination, Aileen spoke in a low, sunken voice. Although she couldn’t be sure how many intruders there were, this was her own mansion. On her home ground, she was more capable than most fifth-tier ‘Righteous’ class magicians.

“…Who are you?”

However, Aileen was quite startled by the appearance of the person who revealed themselves. A menacing figure shrouded like the night itself. Despite being an intruder, the integrity emanating from his body seemed to argue that he wouldn’t harm her.

“Do you know who I am?”

As he spoke, Aileen nodded. “The Black Knight.” The subject of rampant rumors that had stirred the system.

“Why are you here?”

Aileen continued in a slightly brusque tone. “Unlike others, you do not fear this mask.”

The heavy voice of the Black Knight, colder and more sunken than the night air, chilled her, but she was not frightened by his appearance. And why should she be? ‘Why? Isn’t that mask stylish?’

Aileen felt that the ‘Black Knight’ had a better sense of aesthetics than she had anticipated.

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Martial 2

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Drip. Drip.

Eugene took off his blood-stained clothes and fetched new clothes from the wardrobe. Although the new clothes were also ragged, they were better than the blood-soaked ones.

“Have you decided?”

“…Sigh… I’ll help you.”

The white tiger finally sighed and decided to help Eugene. After all, there was no immediate way for him to return. Despite being called a divine beast and one of the Four Guardian Beasts, he didn’t have the ability to traverse between worlds. Although Eugene lacked such abilities as well, there was the possibility of new powers like magic.

“If I regain my strength, it’ll be good for me, and you can return to Mount Kunlun. It’s mutually beneficial.”

“Then what do I need to help with?”

“For now, nothing. It’ll take years anyway, so don’t rush.”

Sigh.

The white tiger groaned and flopped onto his stomach in his place. As Eugene said, rushing wouldn’t achieve anything.

“By the way, do you not have a name? Are you just called the White Tiger?”

“…Taeje (太帝).”

“Taeje (太帝)? Great Emperor… That’s a good name.”

Eugene nodded at the white tiger’s response. Considering the tiger’s immense original form, the name suited him well.

“Try not to revert to your original form unless necessary.”

“Do you mean that form from earlier?”

“Yes, there are tigers here too, but none as gigantic as you.”

“Even that form was reduced in size to escape the magic circle.”

“Hmm?”

Eugene was surprised by Taeje’s words. The hut they were in was large enough to have a two-story storage area, making it quite sizable. Yet, the size of Taeje who had broken out was supposedly reduced?

“Are divine beasts originally this large…?”

He couldn’t imagine how massive Taeje’s true form must be.

“I don’t plan to show my true form either.”

“Got it.”

“So, what’s your plan now?”

Eugene shrugged at Taeje’s question.

“Regain my strength quickly.”

In this world, power equated to authority and honor. Thus, regaining his martial arts and strength was crucial.

“Are you going to practice your internal techniques?”

Taeje watched with curiosity at Eugene’s actions. Even as a divine beast, Taeje had never seen the Heaven’s Killing God Technique. There had always been many divine techniques in the martial world:

The Purple Haze Divine Technique of the Sword Emperor.

The Shadow Fighting Technique of the Martial Emperor.

The Iron Palm Divine Technique of the Evil Martial Saint.

However, these were merely divine techniques in name. While they were powerful and surpassed human limits, they weren’t as formidable as a true divine technique. Yet, the Heaven’s Killing God Technique was known to live up to its name, splitting mountains, parting seas, and filling rivers.

Even the immortals and the Four Guardian Beasts at Mount Kunlun were intrigued and impressed by the Heaven’s Killing God Technique, despite their dislike for its wielder, the Heavenly Demon.

A martial art that could kill the heavens—such a grandiose name! Thus, it was only natural for Taeje to be curious. When the Heaven’s Killing God Technique resurfaced in the world due to the Heavenly Demon, some immortals even wanted to intervene and stop it. Hence, Taeje couldn’t help but want to witness it.

“Do you want me to guard you while you practice?”

Guarding, in this context, meant protecting a martial artist from any disturbances while they meditated and circulated their energy.

“Don’t worry about it. No one comes here except when delivering supplies, so just stay put.”

Eugene waved off Taeje’s offer. Being practically exiled by his family, no one visited him. While it was true that someone disturbing his energy circulation could lead to a deviation or worse, this place only had Taeje and himself. Besides, Taeje was eager to return home and wouldn’t disturb him.

“Let’s begin.”

It was the moment when Eugene Bedia began a new life.

Sigh.

Eugene closed his eyes, sitting cross-legged, and took a deep breath through his nose. From a quick observation, the world of Seifran seemed to have as much qi in the atmosphere as his former martial world.

Humm.

Eugene’s body, seated cross-legged, began to vibrate very slightly.

“First, start with the lower dantian.”

The dantian in the body is located in three places: the lower, middle, and upper dantian. Martial artists first use the lower dantian, located below the navel at the Shimen point. The middle dantian at the Yutang point opens at the pinnacle stage. Finally, the upper dantian at the Yintang point opens only at the transformation stage.

Humm.

In an instant, Eugene established his lower dantian and began to perform his internal technique, the Heaven and Earth Foundation Technique (天地氣拔功). His lower abdomen started to vibrate slightly. While it takes years for others to establish their dantian, Eugene did it in less than an hour. The Heaven and Earth Foundation Technique played a significant role in why the Heaven’s Killing God Technique was called a divine technique. This technique spreads the internal energy around, attracting the qi in the air to the dantian. 

In simple terms, it scattered a particle of qi from the dantian to attract floating qi particles in the air back into the dantian. Instead of slowly absorbing surrounding qi, it multiplied the internal energy exponentially.

“Now that the total amount in the dantian has increased, let’s move the internal energy along the meridians.”

Eugene moved a small amount of internal energy accumulated in the lower dantian along his meridians. Then he sensed something strange. The internal energy kept getting blocked and returning from certain points.

‘Where is it?’

Eugene moved the internal energy along the meridians again and found three blockages.

‘This body… has the Three Yin Severed Meridians (三陰絶脈).’

Eugene unconsciously clenched his fist. The Three Yin Severed Meridians is a legendary condition in the martial world. It blocks the flow of qi, leading to poor circulation and typically causing death before the age of 20. However, if the condition is cured, it can yield near-infinite internal energy. The body that the Heavenly Demon Yoo-jin had entered indeed had the Three Yin Severed Meridians. Eugene’s original body was a muscle-bound physique, but it paled compared to the Three Yin Severed Meridians.

‘This body’s unusual weakness since birth is due to the Three Yin Severed Meridians.’

If one more meridian was blocked, walking would have been difficult, and the condition would have been noticeable. With only three blockages, the main issue was slightly reduced stamina. Furthermore, magicians typically used their minds rather than their bodies, so they wouldn’t have noticed the physical weakness.

“As expected…”

Eugene sighed inwardly after identifying the blocked meridians. Now he understood why his body couldn’t form a magic circle. Circles are usually formed below the heart. First, a ring called the circling is created, similar to the dantian for martial artists. Once formed below the heart, it fills with mana, creating a circle. As more circles are formed, they interlock. But in Eugene’s body, the path to the heart was blocked at the Tanzhong point.

‘That’s why the mana couldn’t reach the heart and was diverted elsewhere.’

Had the soul of this body known this, it would have felt deeply aggrieved. Unable to form circles due to blocked qi flow, it eventually relied on forbidden summoning magic and died. The sense of injustice must have been overwhelming.

‘The Zhongfu point near the solar plexus and the Tianzhu point between the collarbones are also blocked.’

This naturally explained the lack of stamina. Even a short run would have left him breathless, and his weakened breathing would have further reduced his stamina.

‘Only the paths for qi flow are blocked.’

It was fascinating to be born with such a condition. Eugene felt a strange frustration knowing his body had the Three Yin Severed Meridians, a condition he encountered for the first time.

Sigh.

Eugene took a deep breath, slowly opened his eyes, and stood up.

“Is it finished?” Taeje, who had been lying down, stood up at Eugene’s movement.

“The urgent part is done.”

Swoosh.

Eugene raised his right hand, gathering energy in his palm. After only three hours of cultivation, he had already accumulated enough internal energy to reach the first star. For others, it would take a year or two to reach this stage, but Eugene did it in just a few hours.

Humm.

Thud!

“Hmm?!” Taeje frowned as he noticed a sudden change in the flow of the surrounding air and energy.

“Four Directions Formation (四方陳法)?”

Eugene nodded at Taeje’s words. The Four Directions Formation, a technique of the Zhuge family that could only be deployed upon reaching the first star, caused anyone entering its range to either return to their original spot or end up somewhere else, unable to find the hut.

“The Heavenly Demon even learned the Zhuge family’s secret techniques… Are you a thief?”

“Learned? I didn’t steal anything. I watched the Zhuge family perform it and mimicked it.”

Eugene retorted at Taeje’s accusation. He had never stolen the Zhuge family’s formation techniques. From a young age, he could quickly observe and replicate others’ movements, thanks to his muscle-bound physique. Even without this physique, Eugene, with his vast knowledge, could have performed the technique immediately.

“Anyway, it’s impressive. You’ve reached the first star already.”

Taeje was amazed by the internal energy emanating from Eugene’s body. From a body with no energy to reaching the first star in just a few hours? If this became known in the martial world, it would cause a massive stir. 

Of course, the first star was insignificant—not something to boast about, not even reaching the level of a third-rate warrior. Taeje was astonished because Eugene had created a dantian and filled it with the first star of energy in such a short time.

“Is changing form your only ability?”

“What nonsense!” Taeje snapped at Eugene’s words. How dare he speak so dismissively to a divine beast.

“If I move, I could erase you in an instant.”

“Hmm… I’d love to see you fight a dragon.”

“A dragon??”

Eugene stroked his chin, intrigued by the idea of a battle between the white tiger Taeje and a dragon, the strongest creature in the world of Seifran. He was curious about who would be stronger—the divine beast white tiger or the dragon. Although the body’s memories suggested that dragons were only known through books, not firsthand experience, he still wanted to meet one.

“What is a dragon?” Taeje asked, but Eugene was lost in his thoughts.

‘Hmm, I’m getting hungry. I need to eat soon…’

“What is a dragon?!” Taeje repeated, raising his tail and growling as Eugene ignored his question and continued thinking.

‘I need to accumulate a bit more internal energy, then eat.’

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Strike 125

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Hyun-soo thinks that everything around him slows down by ten times, and he becomes ten times faster each time he activates the ghost step.

“Ah!” The scream of a lady has not yet ended.

During the time the scream spreads, Hyun-soo moves.

Like a flash of lightning, he slashes the wrist of an assassin who is about to stab a noble’s neck.

1st time.

He then slices through another assassin who is stabbing towards a noble’s side.

2nd time.

And kicks an assassin who is behind Pan’s wife, attempting to break her neck.

3rd time.

Swoosh-

Pan looks shocked at his wife as he slides backward after kicking the wall, then Hyun-soo stabs the sword into the belly of an assassin behind Pan and pulls it out forcefully.

4th time.

He puts strength into both legs, leaps high, and quickly slices through two assassins attacking from above.

5th and 6th times.

Hyun-soo always tangled his path after the 6th time.

The tangling of paths means the movements he envisioned in his mind got tangled.

He calms his mind.

A man who looks very much like Frak, presumed to be his father, already has a dagger partially buried in his abdomen.

He moves.

Not thinking of the complicated path, he empties his mind and moves to slash the wrist.

7th time.

Lastly.

Hyun-soo’s head snaps around.

There he was, in the center, swinging a dagger.

It was the man he had just warned.

He was swinging the dagger in a big arc to kill three of Pan’s children in front of him.

Whoosh-

A ghost walks.

Silently, faster than any being.

And his posture to slash the wrist.

8th time.

Soon, Hyun-soo’s face distorts.

In a moment, the man changes the trajectory of his wrist.

Yet, even with the change in trajectory, he still aims for the children.

This man is their leader.

As the dagger swings towards the three children, Hyun-soo clenches his teeth and moves.

Swoosh-

He swings his sword up once more, slicing through the man’s chest.

Whoosh-!

9th time.

The slow-moving time returns to normal.

***

The vice-captain of the Crimson Dragon Squad, Lek.

He and his members disguised as knights snuck into the banquet hall.

First, he checked the distance between them and Ben.

Then, he estimated the distance between the assassins and their targets.

In just a few seconds, everything was supposed to happen.

After it all ended, the plan was to throw a smoke bomb and escape.

But, “If you draw, you die.”

Lek was startled by the voice that came from behind.

However, he soon smirked.

Everything was perfectly planned, and he believed that the man couldn’t stop what was about to happen in a flash.

Peace is non-existent!

Vice-captain Lek shouted and moved towards Pan’s beloved family, swinging his dagger.

“Aaah!”

A woman screamed.

While moving, Lek heard an incomprehensible voice.

“Ghost Step.”

Along with that low voice, a ghost moved.

As he moved, or rather, with each action he took, afterimages were left behind.

Events unfolding in just 1 second.

Swoosh

Zap

Crackle

Fizz

Boom

Woosh-!

And the mysterious ghost was coming towards him.

About 0.8 seconds had passed.

Lek quickly reacted to the ghost suddenly appearing in front of him.

‘The mission must be completed…!’

Any victims would lead to the king’s despair, and it would mean the completion of the Crimson Dragon Squad’s mission.

The moment he changed the trajectory of the dagger to dodge the unknown ghost’s sword.

Swoosh-

This time, from below upwards, he struck.

Lek, whose chest was sliced open, flew backwards.

‘What, what is this…?’

Could the trajectory change in such a fleeting moment?

No, this is due to the mysterious power he possesses.

Flying backward, Lek saw the man who had slashed upwards, standing with his coat fluttering.

“Ah!”

The woman’s scream ended.

Simultaneously, blood spurted from the bodies of Lek and his subordinates.

Whoosh-

“Ah, ah!”

“What, what is this?”

“What just happened?”

It seemed as if a ghost had passed through, an eerie event.

Lek, with a bewildered expression, hurried to attack his target again.

But it was already too late.

Ben, having assessed the whole situation, gripped his spear and activated the real ghost step.

Puff puff puff puff-!

All the Crimson Dragon Squad members except Lek were fatally pierced through the neck.

Lek too received a strong blow to the back of his neck and lost consciousness.

Thud-

After everything was settled, Ben looked at Hyun-soo, who was sheathing his sword.

‘9 times, huh…?’

It wasn’t a stable posture.

He thought he could perform about 6 to 7 times on average.

But the fact that he managed to activate it 9 times, even just once, surpassed Ben’s understanding.

Ben recalled the conversation with Hyun-soo in the training room.

He had told Hyun-soo that it wasn’t something he could do.

He was wrong.

Whether it was overcome through effort or skill,

Hyun-soo was someone who shouldn’t be underestimated or judged by him.

***

9 times.

Hyun-soo’s heart thrilled at the narrow success of 9 times.

If asked whether he could succeed in doing it 9 times again, he would say no.

Hyun-soo felt a rush of adrenaline just moments before.

But even if it was a brief moment of luck, it was still an achievement of his own.

And Hyun-soo had not forgotten one thing.

‘I am a negotiator.’

Ultimately, Hyun-soo had to return to the Goyard Kingdom.

The more he could raise his negotiation skill before returning, the more the rewards would change.

One of his current goals was ascending to the next title.

And, as far as he knew, no user had achieved the next title in such a short period.

To achieve this, he needed a lot of negotiation skill.

And the reward for this sudden quest was precisely that negotiation skill.

‘How much will it increase?’

Soon, a notification arrived.

[Pop-up Quest: The Rebellion of the Crimson Dragon Squad Completed]

[You have completed it with a miraculous achievement.]

[You gain 17% negotiation skill.]

Hyun-soo’s existing negotiation skill was at 62%.

With a 17% increase, it reached 79%.

Ben approached and said,

“Your skill was excellent. And well done, you’ve saved many here today.”

Ben had become more astute for his friend.

A small apology for having doubted him, announcing once again that Hyun-soo had saved many from an enemy land.

[Quest: Ben’s Trial Completed]

[Ghost Step duration increases by 0.5 seconds.]

Hyun-soo was thrilled.

His efforts had produced a complete result.

‘Now I can reliably perform up to 8 times.’

An increase in time meant he could plan and move his path more feasibly.

This made Hyun-soo even stronger.

And Ben quickly sorted out the situation.

“Tell all knights to strengthen their guard, today’s banquet is canceled.”

Then, Ben looked at Lek, whom he had knocked unconscious.

“Take him away.”

The banquet hall was swiftly cleared.

***

After logging out and taking a break, Hyun-soo logged back in.

Immediately, he headed to the forge.

‘Why did the Crimson Dragon Squad suddenly go rogue?’

Despite his curiosity, there was no way for Hyun-soo to know.

With Lek captured, the details would soon emerge.

And now, Hyun-soo had secured the best materials to make bows and spears.

Top-grade materials from the minor World Tree.

What to make had already been decided: a bow.

How it’s used in creation is very important.

This, too, Hyun-soo had decided.

Shortly after Hyun-soo arrived at the royal forge, Nel came.

“It’s amazing, being a friend of the king.”

Nel was genuinely impressed.

After telling the guards at the castle gate that she was a member of Hyun’s guild, and upon receiving Hyun-soo’s approval, she was allowed in.

Nel said upon her visit,

“The guild, Bright Future, except for me, everyone will be undertaking missions to become knights of Goyard.”

Lisel, Bark, Beliard.

The reason they are undertaking missions to become knights is simple.

“To secure territory under the guild master, at least five knights are needed, so we will proceed quickly.”

Territorial acquisition.

When that dream will be realized is unknown, but there are minimum conditions.

One of them is a title of at least a baron, and another is securing five knights.

“Soon all guild members will enter a dungeon together, so I might not be able to contact you.”

Nel asked a question that intrigued her.

“You accepted a crafting request, is there a reason for that?”

Hyun’s forge.

The once quiet forge of Hyun had decided to take a commission this time.

At this, Hyun-soo smiled.

“Bright Future only secured four knights: Luke, Bark, Lisel, and Beliar. But that person is already a knight.”

“That’s true, but I wonder, will that person really become our knight?”

Hyun-soo was confident in his response.

“Maybe?”

Nel was curious why Hyun-soo thought so.

“He has been posting about crafting requests every day for about 100 days without fail. He must be desperate for that bow, and I recognize desperation.”

Hyun-soo knew desperation better than anyone.

“If we can relieve his desperation, it will return as a tremendous result. And while a great bow would be good for my use, we are a guild. A great bow used by him will yield many times stronger power than if I were to use it.”

Nel agreed.

She too thought it would be great if they could successfully recruit him.

Imagine it.

A marksman hitting every target, protecting us in battle.

“Did you send the note?”

“Of course.”

Especially since he was the archer ranked number one until recently.

***

Ho-beom sighed.

“Ah, I quit being an editor a long time ago.”

Several messages awaited him as he sat in front of the computer.

[Hello, Mr. Jin, the video editor. I am a BJ for game broadcasting…]

[Hello, our company owns about 20 famous BJs… We are interested in recruiting Mr. Jin, the video editor…]

Ho-beom chuckled.

“I understand the sentiment. But now, I’m doing something else, what can I do?”

Ho-beom was once a well-known video editor.

In 2040, when internet broadcasts were as watched as terrestrial broadcasts, skilled editors were worth their weight in gold.

He made a lot of money using his skills and based on that, Ho-beom invested in a game.

Ares was the game, and Ho-beom was shining in the archer rankings of Ares. Now, he found himself the subject of ridicule.

Hyun’s forge.

[You’re back again?]

[Doesn’t he ever get tired?]

[I thought it was possible at first, but now it’s just sad LOL.]

[So pitiful LOL.]

And these comments were on the posts he made.

[Hello, Mr. Hyun. Until recently, I was the top-ranked archer, now ranked 6th, Ian. I would like to request the crafting of a bow.]

Ho-beom was Ian.

Users mocked him as the “Three Visits Ian” due to his persistence.

A journey of more than 100 days.

[Hundred Visits Ian. Pushed down to rank 6. Will Hyun accept the request?]

Soon, people were teasing Ian with the nickname “Hundred Visits.”

Another blacksmith?

He couldn’t request it.

There was a reason for this.

Ho-beom was a user specializing in compound bows.

And compound bows are as rare as 1 in 1,000 in Ares.

Furthermore.

‘My top-level 5 mastery in compound bows… Using a different bow would apply a beginner bow mastery, making me 30% weaker…!’

The bow he used was rare.

That rarity was due to the scarcity of compound bows.

And the hope that Hyun could make a compound bow in lieu with Dragonlight Sword, an artifact following the traditional Korean crafting method.

[Wake up, Ian.]

[Hundred Visits, Ian LOL.]

To Ian, it seemed there was no other way but Hyun. That’s when a message arrived.

[Hello, this is Hyun’s Forge. We accept Mr. Ian’s request.]

“……Wow!”

A hundred days of effort.

Literally, a hundred visits.

At the end of that effort, Ian let out a cheer.

And Ian showed his dedication by stating exactly what he wanted and sending his skill and stat windows.

Soon, a reply came.

[After reviewing everything, we’ve found the perfect bow for Mr. Ian.]

Ian was curious.

He could only use traditional Korean bows. He was astonished as he read the reply.

‘Is this possible…?’

[We will craft you the Compound Bow of Jumong.]

Prev I TOC I Next

Survival 92

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The vast ground is neatly paved with wide stones, and surrounded by a low wall, perhaps to keep the noise contained.

Scarecrows and an arsenal stand on one side, along with protective gear and even targets.

Indeed, it seemed like an academy frequented by nobles, where even the familiar items were of fine quality, crafted with exquisite care.

However, such details were overshadowed by the strange atmosphere that filled the expansive training ground.

I scanned the various students, each awkwardly keeping their distance, unable to hide their emotions—embarrassment, nervousness, and excitement.

‘After all, it’s the first class.’

The academy is a place for social interaction.

One’s future gains or losses could depend on even minor actions.

Those hoping for gains tried to strike up conversations here and there, while those fearing losses cast wary glances around.

Of course, there were those who deviated from this general rule.

“Miss Speda! Your performance at the last entrance exam was outstanding. If you have time, perhaps a duel…”

“Stay away.”

“Lady Speda is so cold. Won’t you join us just once, Lady Roberck?”

“Well, I’d rather not get on the bad side of the senior. Besides, Lord Daimon, about the deal the other day…”

Notably, the offspring of four major ducal families.

Regardless of what was happening around them, they spoke and acted without hesitation.

‘After all, they needn’t worry. Power is in their hands.’

Including the heirs to the Magic Towers and key members of major earl families, and even a saint and the crown prince.

I had seen these faces both in the game and on the A-class list, but it was truly a spectacular lineup.

‘Of course, there are a few who don’t quite fit in.’

Notably, my party.

Normally, other earl families’ children, perhaps those of Elizabeth’s party, would have taken this spot, but mercenaries had filled it instead.

The academy’s principle is supposedly to educate everyone equally based on merit, regardless of social standing, but…

‘That’s hardly ever adhered to.’

Wealth and power have been passed down through family names for ages.

Nobles are treated vastly differently from commoners, almost as if they possess noble blue blood, as the old tales suggest.

“To think there are so many commoners here.”

“Even Riu thinks so? Was there really such a lack of talent in the empire? It’s pitiful.”

Even the words of these twin sisters were venomous as they, along with other nobles, looked coldly at the mercenaries.

It would be nice if their disdain ended with the mercenaries.

“Who brought such lowly creatures to this place?”

“Laura, listen. They are nobles too.”

“Hmph. Even among nobiles, there are differences in rank. Byron? Should we even know about a baronet from some unheard-of village in the west, and that too, a younger son?”

‘It’s you who bothered to dig up that I’m from a baronet family and a younger son, though.’

Regrettably, I too am from a baronial house, the weakest among the nobility. 

To the high and mighty of our earldom, it seemed I was just another one of them. 

Yet, apart from the content of the slander, those who uttered it were surprisingly welcome to me. 

‘They are just the same.’

The Caspera sisters. 

Their infamy was well-known in the community. 

[Caspera, when will they finally get a lesson?]

[Exactly. When will they appear as bosses? Just looking at them makes me want to give them a smack. I wish they’d get expelled soon.]

[They’ll drop out on their own]

[(My comment) The great, beautiful, and strong Luciana herself has expelled them, so rest easy~]

[Spoilers ᄂ]

Despite their cute appearance with violet hair and thick eyelashes against blue eyes, their actions elicited contempt from the players. 

Sister Laura, who directly torments the protagonist with verbal abuse and duels, and younger sister Riu, who subtly creates an atmosphere of disdain, not to mention ostracizing the ‘commoner’ saint through her established influence. 

Their malicious actions made them even more memorable villains than the quiet Luciana in the early stages.

“What are you looking at so arrogantly? Just because you’re third place. Ah, a baronial house, maybe you weren’t properly taught the etiquette among nobles?”

Their disdain was unhidden. 

Behind the folded fan, the eyes I met clearly displayed mockery. 

Apparently, they chose to lash out at me, who merely stared blankly, rather than the mercenaries who showed no reaction due to their status. 

Of course, the gap between an earl and a baron is significant. 

“Haha, Lady Caspera, it seems there is a misunderstanding.”

But one must never just remain silent. 

Nobility exists to rule over others. 

Showing weakness just once could lead to being ignored in social settings and a loss of reputation.

‘I must show them whom they’ve touched.’

Though they are young nobles from the central political regions, they’re still inexperienced.

Just as I was about to demonstrate a lesson in eloquent speech, 

“Be quiet.”

A voice as chilling as midwinter. 

Yet, this voice was the most reassuring presence by my side. 

Perhaps it was because of the practical combat class, 

Luciana, in a knight’s uniform revealing her figure and lightly armored with shoulder pads, stood out distinctly from other ladies wrapped in simple dresses.

“And you are…? Ugh, the head student.”

A member of a higher title than most others here. 

With Luciana’s arrival, Laura Caspera, the elder sister, furrowed her brows. 

“The academy is a sacred place of education. It’s not your place to judge others.”

To others, her expression was as impassive as usual, but I could see it. 

“And dare you touch a servant of our Speda ducal house. Can you handle the backlash?”

Her voice rose slightly, imbued with her fiery anger.

“Laura, stop it. It’s only our loss to oppose the ducal house.”

“Tsk, even though they’re from the north and part of the emperor’s faction…”

Interestingly, her words encapsulated all the conflicts within this academy.

Nobles and commoners.

Among the nobility, there are both high-ranking and low-ranking nobles.

There are factions loyal to the emperor and those aligned with the nobility.

From the east, west, south, north, to the central regions, even the commoners, and the nobles who were watching indifferently, frowned and expressed their displeasure at such reckless words.

‘This could work to my advantage.’

Originally, I planned to use the animosity directed at me to make not only myself but also everyone else seem unlikeable.

However, the scenario where Luciana stood up to defend me was not bad either.

In fact, it was better.

Instead of me standing up and directly confronting their bullying, it was better for Luciana to take on this role, which might also elevate the prestige of the north.

The high nobility stepping in to protect their own mixed a trace of favor into the scrutinizing glances.

‘If she saw that far ahead, her political sense must be better than mine.’

“Hans, are you alright?”

As expected.

This faintly trembling gaze filled with concern seemed not to be a calculated situation.

Still, I didn’t feel too bad about it.

After all, it was because they cared.

“Thank you, Lady Luciana.”

“What for? You too are a servant of the Speda house. If anyone insults you, strike back courageously. I and our house will gladly assist you.”

The warmth I felt on my shoulder.

Encouragement flowing through her touch allowed me to brush off the insults I had just endured.

“Welcome, everyone.” 

Just then, the professor appeared and the situation settled down.

An elderly gentleman in a neatly dressed suit.

His hair had whitened and his face deeply wrinkled from countless years, yet his steps were calm and dignified.

‘Indeed, just as I got the information beforehand from Wolbaek.’

The professor responsible for ‘practical and dueling’ lessons.

He’s also the dorm supervisor of the Jearne House.

A professor straight out of a painting.

He must be quite capable to protect the commoners in this school dominated by nobles.

‘I wonder if he remembers me?’

That’s uncertain, but a subtle contempt was apparent in the fleeting glance we exchanged.

The arrival of an old fogey who regards nobles as bugs.

‘…I’ve just had a good idea.’

Those twin sisters.

It might have ended amicably with Luciana’s warning, but if we don’t discipline them now, they’ll become increasingly arrogant, just like ‘them’ in the game.

‘They must pay the price for provoking me.’

A smile appeared at the thought of dealing with an enemy as an enemy.

* * * 

After a long career in teaching, one instinctively senses certain things.

The atmosphere among the students, for instance.

Just by observing a little, it’s clear what relations they have with each other.

In that sense, the current atmosphere in the training ground was quite unusual.

Students split into two groups, with the head student and the twin sisters glaring at each other as if ready to kill.

‘Another factional fight?’

Professor Marks sighed as he observed the vaguely divided groups, wondering if it was due to regional differences or factional disputes.

Even if it’s due to the conflict between nobles and commoners, whichever it was, the headache was his to bear.

“…Let’s start the class then.”

But he left it at that. 

Student conflicts? 

What did it matter to him?

It was only natural for the greedy nobles to fight among themselves for power.

In the end, if they neglected their studies because of it, it was their own fault.

‘I just need to lead the students who are here to learn my lessons.’

Marks scanned the entire class.

If there was something he appreciated, it was that ‘Oparn, Georg,… Jax, Dern, they all successfully made their names in A class.’

This batch of freshmen, called the golden cohort, had many commoners in A class.

Truly a pride for the commoners and a highlight for the Jearne dormitory.

Seeing those determined not to miss a single thing from his lessons brought a smile to his face.

Then,

“Professor, I have a question.”

A student raised his hand.

Despite the class being about practical skills, the boy was dressed in a servant’s uniform, which seemed out of place.

Marks knew him well.

After all, he had led numerous mercenaries and achieved excellent results in the entrance exams.

There were many commoners in A class thanks to him.

It was almost enough to make one forget the time he ruthlessly expelled someone from the dormitory; clearly, ‘he’ had his hand in this.

‘But still, they are all the same, arrogant and ugly nobles. Don’t be fooled, Marks.’

Sharpening his inner blade, the professor, with a gentle smile, nodded.

“What would you like to know, Hans Byron?”

“Before we start the lesson, I would like to hear the distinguished name of our professor.”

“…It’s Marks.”

Those quick to catch on would understand, from the lack of a family name, that he was a commoner.

‘It was something that needed to be revealed someday, but this is too soon.’

Professor Marks’s eyes narrowed.

He dreaded the thought of nobles who might refuse to listen to him from the very first class because he was a commoner.

He would have preferred to set a few examples through a few classes, establish discipline with adequate reprimands, and then naturally reveal his background.

But this noble named Hans had accelerated that timeline.

‘No, perhaps this is actually the right moment to address these questions.’

It was only a matter of time before his commoner identity would come out.

Of course, it was a question that could be respectfully dodged or avoided with plausible excuses.

But the curiosity was even greater.

While revealing that he was a commoner could undermine the professor’s dignity, it was a risk worth taking.

Hans Byron.

Was this noble, who led mercenaries to excellent results, sympathetic towards commoners?

“Oh! You are a commoner. And a professor at the academy! That’s impressive!”

The eyes that met his squinted into crescents.

A reaction seemingly surprised, rather than dismissive.

“Unexpected, honestly. I thought you would dismiss it.”

Was this nobility’s deceit in seeking a good evaluation?

When he sent a skeptical look his way, Hans waved it off.

“Dismiss you? My own family started from humble beginnings as commoners who distinguished themselves on the northern frontlines and rose to nobility.”

“Really? That’s quite a history.”

His politeness was genuine.

The sincerity with which he referenced his family’s history was clearly different from the usual pretense of ordinary nobility.

“Should I thank my ancestor then? It’s because of our ties in the north that my father built connections there, and I met a noble lord.”

“Is that so? I didn’t know that either.”

The sharp edge of the head student softened instantly.

Who that lord was, Marks could quickly guess.

“If a commoner is in charge of the A class which achieved the highest marks, then the quality must be exceptional. I look forward to Professor Marks’ teachings!”

“Mm. A good student is always a pleasure for a teacher. I look forward to it as well.”

There were many commoners and even the nobles were friendly towards them.

It was an ideal environment for teaching.

“What’s this? Lowly ones licking each other’s wounds. It’s disgusting.”

Despite this, not everything went as expected.

The sisters, standing on the opposite side of Hans’ master, sighed at their venomous remarks.

‘Right, it never goes as smoothly as one hopes. Nobles treat commoners like insects. Friendly nobles like Hans are always in the minority. Most are unaware of their place, as I’ve witnessed over decades.’

“What can you teach us, being a commoner? You probably can’t even handle mana properly, why waste our time?”

“…The same goes for us. If you’re going to teach us, first prove you’re qualified, which is hard to believe for a commoner.”

It wasn’t just the two young ladies.

Others behind them also harbored distrust towards him, which Marks was well aware of.

And he knew from experience how to handle them.

“That’s fair. You doubt the qualifications of a professor, I understand. How about you test me then?”

“A test?”

He proposed calmly to the puzzled Caspera sisters.

“Since I’m in charge of ‘practical and dueling’, it’s a suitable test. It’s unlikely you could defeat me… But, if you can take this pendant from me, I’ll even give you top marks as a bonus.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the twins’ eyes changed.

Interest flickered over their disdain and displeasure.

‘Truly disgusting.’

“Hmm. You’re not lying, are you? Speaking out of both sides of your mouth to nobility is punishable.”

“Of course. Skipping Class? Feel free to do so. Midterms? You don’t need to take them, you’ll have the highest grades anyway.”

Responding to their greed-driven query, one of the twins stepped into the dueling ring.

“Heh~. Quite the tempting offer for a mere commoner. But don’t blame me if you lose face.”

‘That’s rich coming from you.’

Marks gripped his wand, a companion through his lifetime.

“A wand for a commoner? Seems like you can’t handle mana properly?”

“…If we’re to educate, then in a duel, complaints are a luxury.”

***

The merciless thuds resonated rhythmically throughout the training ground.

“What should we do… should we just let it continue?”

“Can we even stop it?”

“Ha! Sounds good!”

For me, it was hard to compare even to the music of the heavens.

“Stop, stop it! Laura is…!”

Riu, one of the twin sisters, screamed in chorus, adding a sweeter note to the symphony.

“You wouldn’t ask your opponent to stop in war, would you?”

Professor Marks thoroughly ignored Riu’s cries of despair.

“Guh…?”

Under his feet, Laura was completely trampled under the guise of a “duel.”

A scream?

She couldn’t even declare surrender; a spell sealed her mouth, reducing her to muted groans.

Did the Caspera sisters realize?

They had become the public sacrifices used to uphold Professor Marks’ authority and discipline.

One fact that most of the noble students didn’t know:

Every year, Marks used the “verification of a professor’s qualifications” as an excuse to crush the noble students, but most kept quiet about it to maintain their own dignity.

Moreover, this practice was secretly upheld, even among peers who were both collaborators and competitors.

It was one of the unspoken malpractices maintained.

And now, this situation was exactly what I had hoped for.

‘I did well to expose Professor Marks’ true nature.’

Once again, a delightful scream pierced the air.

Cowardly, Laura, who had been gathering mana behind Marks, was knocked out with a blow to the head.

The lethality of his strikes was sharper than I anticipated, and I was quite pleased.

Not only was his prowess evident, but he also served as an excellent bait, causing those who insulted me to unwittingly expose themselves.

“That should be enough. Is student Riu related to you? Take her to the infirmary. I’ve handled the healing magic moderately so there shouldn’t be any complications.”

The sweat wiping across his brow as he spoke instilled a tangible fear among the students.

“…Watch, you’ll see.”

Riu, carrying her sister on her back, slinked away, a mix of humiliation and rage shaping her expression.

A deep satisfaction emerged from seeing that mix.

“Anyone else care to challenge?”

Naturally, his stern tone was met with silence.

“Wow… I’m not sure if I’m up to the professor’s level, but may I dare to challenge?”

Everyone except me.

‘Now that the stage is set, I might as well take full advantage.’

Opportunities often arise in the midst of crises.

-It’s unlikely you could defeat me… But, if you can take this pendant from me, I’ll even give you top marks as a bonus.

How could I pass up the chance to extract the highest marks from this noble-despising professor?

Moreover,

-Skipping Class? Feel free to do so.

Ah, legal truancy is irresistible!

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Round 24

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Seeing the reaction of his wife, Young-seong quickly bit into the carrot as well.

Crunch!

With a fresh sound, a reaction burst forth immediately.

“Hmm?!”

“Remember the carrot I showed you last time? I’ve improved it again.”

Of course, the improvement wasn’t because I wanted it, but since the result was good, it was fine.

Young-seong and his wife Si-young were too busy chewing on the carrots to pay much attention to what I was saying.

“Take your time, I brought more.”

“There’s more? Kyu-seong, are you an angel?”

his wife joked as she slyly reached out her hand. I handed her more carrots.

“Ha ha ha! Our Kyu-seong is an angel indeed. An angel sent down for us!”

“Ah, it just so happened by luck; please don’t praise me too much.”

“Kyu-seong, luck isn’t something that comes to anyone at any time, it only comes to those who are prepared.”

“Ah…”

“In the three years I’ve watched you, you’ve never given up and have always tried. You were already prepared to receive luck.”

I humbly responded, but it definitely resonated.

Would I have had a dual awakening if I had given up? And if I had given up farming even after a dual awakening?

“If you put it that way, it’s the same for you, brother.”

“Huh?”

“Thanks to the warmth you’ve shown me, you were able to welcome luck as well. You know I’ve only dealt with you, right?”

“…Right.”

Young-seong awkwardly scratched his head.

As his wife watched him chewing on carrots, she grinned teasingly.

“Shooting a youth drama?”

“Ah, no, that’s not it…”

“You should eat your carrots too, or I’ll eat them all.”

Watching his wife laugh so heartily, I suddenly realized she truly was once a top awakened in South Korea.

‘If the addiction is cured, will she return to the dungeons?’

If so, it would certainly stir a massive wave in the domestic awakeners’ industry. First, it would elevate the once-dropped status of the Ara Hongryeon Guild.

Regardless, it was a story a bit removed from me.

My main goal was to joyfully farm with slimes in my dungeon.

‘Maybe I should learn a bit more about professional farming.’

Lost in thought, Young-seong casually nudged me.

Looking up to see what else he had to say, Young-seong awkwardly extended his hand.

“I’d like some carrots too.”

* * *

The Ara Hongryeon Guild guild was tasting the ripple effects of achieving the fastest clear of a level 4 dungeon.

Interview requests were coming in from everywhere, and invitations like never before were being received.

People viewed it as the revival signal for the Ara Hongryeon  Guild guild.

“Phew. It’s tough.”

And that ripple was something even Jeong So-yeon, the youngest level 6 awakener in Korea and a figurehead for Ara Hongryeon Guild, couldn’t avoid.

After finishing her schedule and catching her breath, her manager approached her.

“You have a tasting and dinner appointment at 6:40 PM. Should we cancel it today?”

“No, I have to go. Gourmet food is my only pleasure.”

Jeong So-yeon was already salivating in anticipation of the dinner, though she wasn’t thrilled about the people she was meeting. But that didn’t really matter.

“Then we’ll leave in ten minutes.”

“Yes. But where was it again?”

“It’s at the Fist Guild.”

“Not a restaurant, then.”

“The chef for the evening is Chef Seong Yundo with an epic course. It should be good.”

“Oh, if it’s him, then today’s worth looking forward to.”

A radiant smile filled Jeong So-yeon’s face.

Pondering whether to share what he knew, her manager finally spoke cautiously.

“Uh, the second team leader will also be attending.”

“…That’s fine. I’m just there to eat.”

Although she said that, her once bright expression quickly faded. The manager regretted saying anything and stepped out to let her rest a bit longer in the room.

Alone, Jeong So-yeon started tapping on her phone and suddenly recalled Kyu-seong and the crops he had brought.

“I want to eat that again.”

As dinner time approached, she craved carbohydrates. And the mashed potatoes she had last time were unforgettable.

“I should have asked for his number.”

Suddenly, she remembered Kang Hanul.

Kang Hanul would surely have Kyu-seong’s number. Since he sometimes bought his crops, this might be a good chance to ask about him.

“Team leader, shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s go now!”

The Fist Guild belonged to the top ten guilds.

Supported by a giant corporation, this newbie guild had shown rapid growth.

The guild building, supported by the guild’s backers, was imposing. Although it couldn’t compare to Ara Hongryeon Guild, it had an atmosphere that let its members walk with pride.

“Have you arrived, Awakener Jeong So-yeon? Please come this way.”

Voices could be heard from inside, as if people who had arrived early were already there. As soon as Jeong So-yeon entered, familiar faces greeted her warmly.

“Oh, So-yeon! Long time no see.”

“Ah, Sehee. Have you been well? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you too, Dong-hoon.”

After exchanging greetings, Jeong So-yeon found her seat, and all eyes turned to her. Although the looks were playful since most of them were close friends, So-yeon felt a bit burdened being the team leader of a guild that was recently gaining popularity.

“Is there something you wanted to say…?”

“How did you do it?”

“Ah, Yeongdeungpo?”

“Even though it’s a level 4 dungeon, that time is honestly unbelievable. There’s no such case even internationally.”

“That’s a corporate secret. Hehe.”

She tried to play it off smoothly, but another person interjected. It was an awakener from the Fist Guild, who particularly followed Jeong So-yeon.

“Is it a secret even to us, So-yeon? Ah, that’s too much.”

“Ha, haha…”

While Jeong So-yeon was awkwardly laughing, more people arrived and took their seats. It was a monthly gathering, so a flood of pent-up stories came pouring out.

And naturally, Ara Hongryeon  Guild dominated much of the conversation.

“How in the world did it only take 27 hours? Isn’t that crazy?”

“And wasn’t it just any dungeon? It’s the one we failed before because of the unidentified monster. And this time, they brought back the corpse of that unidentified monster…”

Even as they exchanged stories, the covert glances at Jeong So-yeon never ceased.

Her being the only awakener from Ara Hongryeon Guild present also played a part.

As the atmosphere slowly became more noticeable without being too overt, just when patience was wearing thin, suddenly there was a silence.

Curious, Jeong So-yeon turned her head, and there was Kang Hanul, entering with a pleased smile, carrying something huge.

“Hahaha! Looks like we’ve got quite the attention! Just in time, I brought the ghost stingray we discovered this time for everyone to see!”

Thud!

The room froze at Kang Hanul’s wild act of bringing in the monster’s corpse. Regardless, Kang Hanul called over a staff member and ordered.

“Try cooking this.”

“What? Yes…”

Despite the outrageous request, the Fist Guild staff couldn’t dare refuse, given that he was known for his eccentricities.

Meanwhile, Kang Hanul casually took a seat next to Jeong So-yeon.

“Hey, kid! Why the long face sitting here all alone! Hahaha!”

“What in the world did you bring this time?”

“Huh? The stingray? Just talked to the boss and took one.”

“…The guild leader allowed that?”

“Ah. Of course, I had to fib a bit for research purposes. Hahaha! But it is for research, right? Trying unverified ingredients is a part of research too! Haha!”

Ah, surely…

Feeling that this man was a bit off his rocker, Jeong So-yeon couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Smiling like that suits you! Anyway, I’m really looking forward to today since it’s been a while since I participated!”

“Chef Seong Yundo is here, you know the epic course?”

“Mm! Of course! Haven’t been often, but I know.”

Then, Kang Hanul’s expression turned serious, and he muttered gravely.

“Kid. Do you know why I suddenly joined this gathering?”

“Is there a specific reason you came?”

“Yes.”

Seeing his serious demeanor, Jeong So-yeon straightened up too. Confirming her posture, Kang Hanul spoke.

“Lately, no matter what I eat, it feels lacking.”

“What?”

“Ever since eating the food from Kyu-seong… nothing satisfies me anymore. I can still eat to fill my stomach without expecting much, but when I expect something, it never fulfills my anticipation.”

Jeong So-yeon felt a chilling sensation.

His words corresponded with the idea that the joy of gastronomy was disappearing.

‘Not able to feel deliciousness anymore?’

That was a serious issue for Jeong So-yeon, especially since she had also experienced Kyu-seong’s crops.

“Well, I haven’t felt that way yet…”

“People vary, or maybe you haven’t eaten much of Kyu-seong’s food yet.”

“Ah…”

“But you know what? I don’t regret eating Kyu-seong’s food. Even if I could go back in time, I’d definitely eat his food again.”

“I…!”

Just as Jeong So-yeon was bracing herself to ask for Kyu-seong’s number, the organizer of the meeting appeared.

“Swoosh!”

“Oh! The guild leader is all dressed up today.”

“Ah?! Is the food coming out now? I’m starving!”

Welcomed with cheers, the Fist Guild’s guild leader bowed.

“Thank you for coming from far. The food will be ready shortly, so no worries.”

Wink!

The whining awakener received a wink from the Fist Guild’s guild leader, who then greeted Kang Hanul.

“We’ll gladly accept the new monster you brought. We’ll try our best to repay you with good food.”

“I’m looking forward to it!”

As he said, the dishes started coming out in quick succession. The servers bustled about, attending to the awakeners.

“Ah! The flavors are alive!”

“As expected of Chef Seong Yundo. Isn’t the chef going to come out and greet us?”

While everyone was enjoying their meal, the Fist Guild’s guild leader watched contentedly. Then, slowly shifting his gaze, he looked towards Kang Hanul and Jeong So-yeon and noticed something odd.

“Hmm?”

He tilted his head, seeing their strange expressions.

“Is it not to your taste?”

“No, no. It’s delicious.”

Jeong So-yeon hastily responded, but the guild leader could tell that her reply lacked conviction. However, Jeong So-yeon herself was surprised by her own reaction.

‘Why?’

The food was definitely tasty.

Yet, something was missing. Was it because she had too high expectations, or was it because she was unusually tired today? She couldn’t tell.

“It’s lacking.”

Kang Hanul suddenly spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Eh? It’s fine though…”

“That’s what I thought too, I was actually enjoying it.”

People have different tastes and preferences, so it was possible. However, what puzzled everyone was that the Kang Hanul they knew wasn’t someone with particularly fussy tastes.

“What do you find lacking?”

Eventually, the Fist Guild’s guild leader asked.

Then Kang Hanul frankly said,

“I’ve eaten something much tastier before. Ever since then, nothing has been the same.”

“Much tastier? You mean, tastier than this?”

“Yes.”

Seeing that he wasn’t joking, the guild leader asked with a serious expression,

“Brother Hanul, what exactly did you eat alone that left such an impression?”

“Hehe. Curious?”

Kang Hanul smirked and glanced at Jeong So-yeon.

Catching his gaze, Jeong So-yeon couldn’t help but smile as well.

Although they usually bickered, the presence of Lee Kyu-seong was a secret shared only between them at this gathering, leading to a natural reaction.

“It’s not the chef’s lack of skills. It’s just an issue with the ingredients. Next time, I’ll bring something myself. I’ll show you what the best taste is.”

Prev | TOC | Next

Act 72

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“What business does such a renowned person have in this humble hut?”

Listening to the mocking voices of the soldiers, I glanced at the dagger in my hand. It wasn’t the long sword I usually wielded, but dealing with Gerard’s mere soldiers wouldn’t be difficult.

“Hey, why the silence? What are you here for?” one of them asked, frowning and raising his voice. The two behind him were ready to draw their swords at any moment.

‘I should subdue them first,’ I thought, lifting my head and casting my gaze toward the soldiers.

“If you leave now, I won’t follow.”

I spoke in a tone as devoid of emotion as possible. I really didn’t want a fight. Though my condition had stabilized, my body still felt the influence of the ‘Sword Saint’… In my swordplay, his style might inadvertently show through.

In such a state, if I exerted all my power, the real identity of the ‘Black Knight’ might be exposed.

‘Maybe, it would be easier to channel the aura…’

Just then, the soldiers charged at me.

Damn, my clothes are going to get dirty again. You’d think I had the same compulsion for cleanliness as ‘Julian’.

I was slightly annoyed, but my immediate concern was the enemies in front of me. They were fast, but compared to the ‘Monsignors’, they were incredibly slow.

‘As expected.’

I adjusted my grip on the dagger. Although the short blade required me to get close to strike effectively, the big swings of one assailant left huge openings, making it easy to close in.

As I approached, confusion spread across his face.

“Huh, huuuhhh!”

The reverse-grip dagger plunged into his body, and as the wind was knocked out of him, his legs buckled. He tried to fall, but anticipating a possible counterattack, I repeatedly swung my dagger.

Thud.

It didn’t take long for the first assailant, covered in blood, to collapse.

Despite my distaste for blood—so strong that my hands trembled—I ignored it as there were still two more to deal with.

‘Huh?’

But the remaining two didn’t move. It was silent. No, more than silent—it felt like the air had gone cold and dead.

The same ones who had been jeering now visibly displayed a color of ‘fear’ above their heads.

All of a sudden? What had I done…

“I told you, if you left now, I wouldn’t chase you. This is the consequence of defying my words.”

However, contrary to my thoughts, my mouth was instantly speaking Julian’s thoughts.

“You two as well,” I said, shaking the blood off my dagger and stepping forward.

“Ah, ahhhhhhh!!!”

The remaining two began to flee.

Huh? Where to?

Without looking back, the fleeing figures left me momentarily stunned in place.

“Uh… Sir, Black Knight?”

Turning toward the fearful voice of Meyer behind me, I saw the same vivid color of ‘fear’ rise above her head.

“Gulp.”

I could hear her swallowing her saliva.

Why?

At first, it didn’t make sense. I had helped, yet instead of gratitude…

But the reflection of the ‘Black Knight’ in Meyer’s eyes was truly chilling.

‘It’s like a face you’d see in a horror movie.’ Having turned a man into a complete corpse with just a dagger. And in such a brutally gruesome manner at that. Hmm, there’s not a spot on his body without a knife mark. It’s only natural for Meyer and the others to be terrified.

*Cough, cough…*

While lost in thought, the fallen man coughed up.

Since I avoided any lethal spots, his life wasn’t in danger, but the way he writhed, unable to move, was truly striking.

“Did you kill Baran on Gerard’s orders?”

At my words, confusion mixed with the fear in his eyes. I had suspected as much, but seeing his expression confirmed it.

“It’s only fitting for a traitor to Gerard!”

He gasped for breath, his voice coming out as if he was vomiting the words.

‘A traitor…’

It was only natural for Gerard to cut ties with the Nameless Gang at this point, but it was happening faster than I had thought. And from the mention of ‘traitor,’ I could somewhat grasp the reason.

Was it a problem that I mentioned Baran’s name at the banquet?

Seems like Gerard misunderstood because I hinted that Gerard was actually the one who founded the Nameless Gang. He thought Baran had betrayed him and was colluding with Julian, passing on information to him.

I felt sorry for the dead Baran.

“Don’t joke around, you bastard!”

Meyer grabbed the soldier by the collar in a heightened voice. The man, hacking dry coughs, seemed unable to resist her at all.

“How loyal Baran was to Gerard! To say he betrayed him, what are you talking about!”

From her words, it seemed Meyer had known all along that Baran was planted by Gerard.

‘This could start an all-out war between the Nameless Gang and Gerard.’

Thinking this…

“Do you want revenge?”

I thought it might be useful to exploit this situation, but at the same time, I wondered if it was the right thing to do. I should feel sympathy for her, having lost a brother-like figure, yet my mind was only thinking of using the situation.

It felt like my head and heart were not in sync… Unpleasant, but what can I do?

I’m already ‘Julian.’

“Don’t talk nonsense if you’re not going to help!”

Meyer looked at me with wide eyes. Before she could continue, and lest the fallen soldier overhear, I kicked him to knock him out.

“I owe Gerard too.”

“You owe him…?”

“Yes.”

As I nodded, Meyer shifted her gaze back to the soldier.

“How can I avenge my brother Baran?”

To her question, I pulled out a box from my pocket and handed it to her.

“What’s this?”

“A communicator.”

Inside was a communicator, which I had received along with a promise of support from Elenoa.

“For now, we can only wait for the right time. And when that time comes, show your resolve.”

“Resolve…?”

She seemed puzzled by my words for a moment, but soon any doubt disappeared from her eyes.

***

There is a saying that an enemy of an enemy is a friend, but I was somewhat flabbergasted to have recruited a member of the ‘Nameless Gang.’

It won’t be long before Gérard’s ambition storms into this place.

The upcoming ‘Grand Archbishop Succession Ceremony.’ In order to secure the soon-to-be-vacant position of Archbishop, one needs a public deed.

Moreover, he had long suspected the connection between Nameless Gang’s Baran and the Black Knight, and now, with the testimony of his subordinates who confirmed the existence of the ‘Black Knight’ at their headquarters, it’s definitive.

He will move more actively.

Ignoring the errors he has spread, he will try to eradicate the root.

If so, the dissolution of Nameless Gang is only a matter of time.

Although it has been expedited, up to this point, it was not much different from the original story of <Let’s Kill the Demon Lord>.

Even though Pintel survived and Sword Saint left the capital, the main flow seems unchanged.

In the story, the most important figure, the Black Knight…

‘I am doing it, so it might be possible.’

And one more thing.

A person who should not be interested in such matters is unnecessarily following me.

It’s not a variable, is it?

“What business does the noble daughter of the Londebell family have in the slums, following me?”

After speaking in a cold, subdued voice, I adjusted the mask made of ‘Sombra.’

Because she is someone to whom this identity must never be revealed.

Soon, a familiar face popped into a blind spot in my sight.

Long hair trailing behind her back in golden waves, and green eyes like Meyer’s, though hers were filled with calmness.

“When did you know I was following you?”

“From the beginning.”

‘It’s a lie.’

In fact, I knew only after entering this alley, but my bluff seemed to work as Linne’s eyes wavered slightly.

“If you had known I was following, you wouldn’t have shown such an opening.”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t attack.”

“ · · · · · · ?”

“A noble knight from the distinguished Londebell family wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Yes, that’s also a lie.

“Ahem.”

However, pleased with my answer, Linne coughed lightly and turned her head slightly.

“By the way, why did the daughter of Londebell come all the way to the slums to follow me?”

“To see your swordsmanship with my own eyes.”

Linne unexpectedly revealed the reason for her stalking quite boldly.

To see my swordsmanship?

‘Fortunately, she doesn’t seem curious about the identity of the Black Knight.’

I sighed in relief internally.

Because of a recent incident, I had been slightly uncomfortable with her.

“So, did you learn anything from my swordsmanship?”

“I did.”

Seeing her speak without hesitation, I became curious.

I fully trust my own swordsmanship, but it was not originally honed from scratch; it was ‘made.’

That piqued my interest.

“What is it?”

“It’s not as elegant as people say.”

Yes, she could think that. But now, I felt slightly provoked.

“It’s fine to critique my swordsmanship, but it’s a bit unpleasant hearing it from someone who was just following me.”

“But isn’t that the truth? Your swordsmanship is crude. It’s described as ‘swordsmanship that swallows moonlight,’ but that doesn’t suit someone like you, an outlaw.”

It doesn’t suit me…

The moment I heard those words, I immediately knew whom Linne was thinking of.

Probably her master, the Sword Saint, Hayden Reich.

The epitome of swordsmanship she imagines always leads back to him.

“Just from seeing me use a dagger, can you assert that?”

“Because I could see your mindset.”

“From the way you talk, it seems you have actually seen someone who uses the ‘swordsmanship that swallows moonlight’?”

“Yes, of course.”

Of course…

Seeing her nod so naturally, it was clear she was thinking of the Sword Saint.

‘Am I annoyed?’

Even though I have taken over someone else’s body, I thought ‘Julian’s’ swordsmanship was quite elegant.

‘The Sword Saint’s swordsmanship does live up to its name.’

I didn’t expect to be so openly disregarded.

As I pondered this, I began to feel irritable.

The Sword Saint, who had passed on the role of the ‘Black Knight’ to me and abruptly left the capital.

I found myself resenting him.

“He seems to be someone you greatly admire.”

Because of that, I felt the urge to speak more emotionally than usual.

“Admiration is the emotion farthest removed from understanding.”

This line was originally said by ‘Julian’ to ‘Linne’ in the story.

A harsh remark he spat at Linne who, admiring the Sword Saint, could not surpass him and merely followed him like a shadow.

This remark led her to grow one step further.

“…?”

Linne seemed quite taken aback by my words, her lips slightly parted as she looked at me.

But realizing the meaning of my words to some extent, she tightly closed her lips and said nothing.

Leaving Linne behind, I moved on, exiting the slums.

Being with her made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable just in case.

And…

‘I want to get out of this filthy place quickly!’

*** 

-From the way you talk, it seems you have actually seen someone who uses the ‘swordsmanship that swallows moonlight’

Caught off guard in conversation with the Black Knight, Linne bit her lip hard.

The beautiful swordsmanship described as ‘swallowing moonlight.’

When asked about the person using that swordsmanship, the first person that came to Linne’s mind was not her silently departed master, ‘Sword Saint Hayden Reich.’

-He seems to be someone you greatly admire.

That was, in fact, Julian Crypart Frason.

The face of that detestable man came to mind before the Sword Saint’s.

-Admiration is the emotion farthest removed from understanding.

Indeed, that man was remarkable.

‘I know he is more sincere about the sword than I thought.’

The swordsmanship he wielded was so fine it could be considered art.

‘But admiration…’

Originally, it should have been directed at the ‘Sword Saint.’

How did it end up like this?

Confused by her own emotions, Linne lightly bit her lip.

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