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[A Great sword that can never be reborn in the beginner’s zone has been born.]

[The grade is being assessed.]

[It is of Epic grade.]

[Please name the sword.]

[You receive the first-time crafting reward for an Epic Artifact.]

[You gain 2 in all stats.]

[You gain 30 Dexterity.]

[You gain 40 Fame.]

Hyun-soo gripped the finished sword.

When he held it vertically, the blade shimmered faintly with a silver light.

The edge was sharper than any other sword, and the Chinese characters for “Light” (光明) engraved in the center of the blade were impressive.

‘It’s light…………….’

He had discovered one of the characteristics of this mithril.

Mithril mixes well with other minerals.

And it’s light.

It feels only about 70% as heavy as a regular sword.

While looking at the sword, Light, Hyun-soo recalled the notifications.

‘This is good…………?’

More precisely, he liked this game.

The works he and his father tirelessly crafted often ended up merely as decorations in the forge.

Perhaps that was a task that never received proper reward.

But this game, Ares, was different.

After long efforts, he could receive systematic rewards.

Now it was time to check the sword.

***

Special User Management Team.

Kim Tae-seok was tense.

They had observed the beginnings of many geniuses in the game.

Hyunji, the country’s top archer and a gold medalist.

And Hanul, a kendo gold medalist.

Or the country’s tycoons.

But they felt something with the user Hyun-soo that they hadn’t with the others.

“Just a beginner’s zone…….”

Yes, where Hyun-soo was, was merely a beginner’s zone.

A place where level 1 users learn the tutorial.

“What on earth is happening in such a beginner’s zone.”

An Epic Artifact?

Statistics suggest that an average user’s first level to get an Epic Artifact is in the 160s.

Even then, it’s not acquired but purchased bit by bit after saving up until level 160.

But for a level 1?

Kim Tae-seok rubbed his face.

“I’ll check it out………….”

Ji-hee was just as tense.

She opened the description of the sword named ‘Brilliance’.

(Light)

Grade: Epic

Durability: 3,000/3,000

Attack Power: 143

Restriction: None for the creator, level 40 or higher for others.

Special Abilities:

· Strength +6, Agility +7.

· 8% increased damage to undead.

· 15% increased attack speed.

· 25% increased chance for critical damage.

· Passive Skill: Quick Blade.

· Active Skill: Sturdy Sword.

Description: A Great sword born from the hands of a master in the beginner’s zone, an occurrence never to happen again.

(Quick Blade)

Passive Skill.

Mana Cost: None.

Description: Activates with a 2% chance, momentarily increasing attack speed by 1.7 times for 1 second.

(Sturdy Sword)

Active Skill

Mana Cost: 20

Description: Infuses the body with the energy to wield a sturdy sword, increasing physical attack power by 12% and physical defense by 8%.

“Gasp…….”

“Wow…….”

Exclamations of astonishment and admiration burst out.

“An attack power of 143?”

The average attack power of a wooden sword held by level 1 beginner users is 7.

Even the ebony wooden sword that Hyun-soo had obtained was barely 11.

But the surprise didn’t stop there.

“Team Leader, this is amazing……………”

Lee Ji-hee admired it as if seeing something mystical.

“The mithril ore and iron chunks of the beginner’s zone have surpassed their maximum percentages….”

When you first obtain ore and check it in detail, it’s written what effects can be gained.

The mithril of the beginner’s zone was described as such:

Maximum 7% increased damage to undead.

Maximum 11% increased attack speed.

So, this means that when the artifact is made at its best, it can have these effects.

On average, only about half of these values are achieved.

And in the worst case, not even a third is achieved.

Of course, the blacksmith’s skill, level, and abilities play a critical role.

“Does this mean the user Hyun-soo’s skills are extraordinary… It’s like a critical hit in blacksmithing.”

Critical hit damage.

Hyunji, the archery gold medalist, nearly always achieved critical hit damage with about an 80% probability when shooting an arrow.

It was due to her incredible skill.

But in the case of the blacksmith Hyun-soo, this critical hit damage seemed to manifest after the completion of his work.

However, both of them recognized his talents.

“This user is insane……………”

“Right……………..”

***

The time it took for him to enter the forge, refine the mithril, and make the sword.

It was 20 days.

***

[Jihun: Did you really produce an Epic grade item?]

[Hyun-soo: Yes.]

[Jihun: Crazy guy……… You were engrossed in the game for days.]

[Hyun-soo: It was tough, phew~]

[Jihun: Are you going to take on the challenge now?]

[Hyun-soo: Yes, I must succeed this time.]

[Jihun: I’m looking forward to it.]

[Hyun-soo: Yeah, look forward……………]

[You have been blocked by Jihun.]

“…?”

Hyun-soo admired Jihun’s class for blocking him while saying he was looking forward to it.

Was it because he made an Epic grade weapon at level 1?

But Hyun-soo just smirked.

He knew it was just a joke from his friend.

As soon as Len left the forge, he seemed to have gone to meet an instructor named Hans.

Hyun-soo immediately moved towards the wooden dummy training area.

‘It took 20 days.’

Such things were common for Hyun-soo.

When he decided to create something, he would immerse himself in the task.

Arriving at the wooden dummy training area, there weren’t many users or instructors around due to the early hour.

“Hello.”

“Oh, Hyun-soo, it’s been a while!”

Instructor Jack greeted Hyun-soo warmly.

“What brings you here at this time?”

“I’m going to try breaking the wooden dummy.”

“……Is that so.”

Jack smirked wryly.

Jack, an NPC with whom Hyun-soo had developed a very high level of familiarity, had seen millions of users attempt to break the wooden dummy.

To be frank, Jack knew.

No matter who came, breaking the wooden dummy in ten strikes was an impossible feat.

Of course, it was possible for the instructors, but in this small land called the beginner’s zone, it was absolutely impossible.

“It won’t be easy, but I admire your spirit of challenge.”

However, Jack did not discourage Hyun-soo by saying it was absolutely impossible.

He just encouraged him in his own way.

Jack knew it was better to offer even a small encouragement rather than telling someone their endeavor would be fruitless.

“Thank you, I will definitely break it.”

Jack folded his arms and watched Hyun-soo walk towards the wooden dummy.

Then, Hyun-soo took a deep breath in front of one of the dummies.

50 million won.

A significant and large sum for him, who only had about a million won in his bank account.

Jack watched nearby as Hyun-soo closed his eyes and took a moment to steady his breath.

And then.

Swoosh-

Hyun-soo unsheathed his sword, making a clear and crisp sound, which puzzled Jack.

‘What’s that sword….??’

It was too dark, with only a few torches lit, so Jack hadn’t noticed.

That Hyun-soo’s sword had changed.

But the sharp aura radiating from the sword signaled that it was no ordinary blade, and Hyun-soo muttered,

“Sturdy Sword.”

[Physical attack power increases by 12%, physical defense by 8% for 40 seconds.]

Tiiing-

At that moment, Instructor Jack heard it.

The clear and resonant sound transmitted through the sword.

In the darkness, holding the sharp and imposing sword, Hyun-soo caught Jack’s attention.

‘Will he succeed this time?’

Hyun-soo, with a determined expression, made his first strike.

Thump!

A heavy sound echoed as the wooden dummy staggered with the second blow.

Thump!

Hyun-soo, seeing the wildly shaking dummy, put even more strength into his hands.

Thump!

Thump!

“What, what’s this?”

“Gasp!”

Jack, like the bystanders, was captivated by the scene.

Jack’s mouth went dry.

‘It’s different……………..’

More than any user he had ever seen.

It had to be.

Hyun-soo didn’t just possess the Light sword.

The process he went through to make this Light sword.

Like the process of making the sword, he stepped through each stage, gaining numerous stats and titles along the way.

Additionally, the Dexterity stat has already surpassed 300, and gathering a high amount of Dexterity stats slightly increases physical attack power.

And…

Hyun-soo had been repeatedly tempering and hammering non-stop for 20 days.

During that period, his Strength stat increased by 10 and his Stamina by 6.

Thump!

Yes, it’s not just because the sword is outstanding.

The process of blacksmithing that he went through to make this one sword.

This process turned him into a true monster of the beginner’s zone.

Thump!

Crack-

A dull sound spread.

Hyun-soo’s efforts were bearing fruit.

The beginner’s zone, which others leave in an hour.

He lived there for about a month.

He had nothing extraordinary or cool like others, but he had one weapon.

Persistence.

Thump!

Crackle-

And with the sound of cracking, the wooden dummy with a fracture in the middle.

Thump!

And the eighth strike.

With that one strike, the result that 2.5 billion users had failed at, that had frustrated all users, crumbled away.

Rumble-

Hyun-soo, standing in front of the completely shattered wooden dummy, gasped for air.

Swoosh-

He sheathed his sword and let out a cry of joy.

“I did it!”

Ding!

[Congratulations.]

[You are the first user to successfully break the wooden dummy.]

[World Message.]

[Your achievement will be announced to users worldwide.]

[An anonymous user has succeeded in breaking the wooden dummy for the first time.]

[You gain +5 in all stats.]

[You gain 200 Fame.]

[You will receive an Ares VVIP Capsule application.]

Hyun-soo checked the hologram of the VVIP Capsule application that appeared.

There was a space to write the address and name.

Hyun-soo hesitated while writing his address.

‘Could my personal information get leaked…??’

2.5 billion had failed, and he had succeeded.

It might turn out to be a very tiring situation for him.

But he wrote it down anyway, and a notification appeared before he pressed the complete button.

[Blue Corp is committed to protecting user’s personal information.]

[Two members of the VVIP dedicated installation team who have signed the user information leakage prohibition clause will visit for installation.]

“Oh…….”

Blue Corp’s handling of matters was solid.

They were aware of such situations and protected the users.

‘That’s why this is the game with the least customer complaints compared to the number of users.’

Hyun-soo hummed a tune as he turned around.

“When will the capsule arrive?”

He planned to use it himself, not to sell it.

It might be too much for his current situation, but it would be his second world from now on.

Then Jack approached him.

“Congratulations, I sincerely congratulate you!”

“Thank you, Instructor.”

“Now you will leave this place and head to the hunting training ground.”

It was true.

The hunting training ground was where you learn the basics of hunting.

Generally, deer appear in the hunting training ground, and very rarely, monsters do appear.

Then, Instructor Jack suddenly looked surprised.

“……It will be quite something at the hunting training ground.”

“Eh?”

“Never mind, farewell. I was glad to know you.”

Hyun-soo moved on.

He returned to the forge, met Len, and according to Len, Instructor Hans was coughing and blushing.

Now, the instructors would increase the sharpening fee by 30%.

After an excited embrace, they parted ways.

Hyun-soo headed to the hunting zone.

***

Lee Se-jin, the CEO of Blue Corp, clicked his tongue as he watched the young Hyun-soo on his laptop.

In the waiting room for the press conference.

All the employees of Blue Corp were watching the user with expressions full of fear.

Special User Management Team Leader Kim Tae-seok spoke.

“Mr. President.”

“Are you having the same worries as me?”

A laugh escaped from CEO Lee Se-jin of Blue Corp.

“Level 1, but with those stats, that title, and that epic sword…….”

Listing it out, Lee Se-jin’s head was already throbbing.

“What will happen in the hunting training ground if this disruptive species goes there.”

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“This is the finest ore I have among those I possess.”

Len smiled as he looked at Hyun-soo.

Mithril Ore.

This ore, placed on a cloth in a wooden box, shimmered with a faint silver light.

“I feel like this mineral has finally found its true owner.”

Len smiled again.

A blacksmith was like a chef.

Even with the same ingredients, they produce entirely different results.

Len was confident that Hyun-soo was the best person in the beginner zone to handle this Mithril ore.

“Thank you, Len.”

Hyun-soo didn’t refuse. He believed he was worthy of it.

His heart pounded wildly as he reached for the Mithril ore.

‘A new mineral…’

A never-before-encountered mythical ore.

While Mithril doesn’t exist in reality, it’s commonly known in RPG games and various novels.

(Beginner Zone’s Mithril Ore)

Grade: Rare

Restriction: Level 30 and above

Difficulty: Moderately high

Special Abilities

· Up to 7% increase in attack power against undead.

· Up to 11% increase in attack speed.

· Up to 7 increase in strength and agility.

Description: It’s far inferior to regular Mithril but is probably the best ore you can get in the beginner zone.

Hyun-soo looked puzzled as he examined the Mithril ore.

‘Level restriction of 30 and above?’

Does it mean that only those above level 30 can smelt this Mithril?

Hyun-soo gently tapped the ore with a hammer on the anvil.

“It works?”

Despite the restriction, physical impact was still applied.

This meant that actual smelting attempts were possible.

So, what was this restriction about?

‘Ares has a variety of level ranges.’

Essentially, Hyun-soo was the best at crafting swords even at level 1.

However, a rare sword at level 1 is much inferior to a normal sword worn by a level 30 user.

As the level increases, so does everything else.

Monsters, quests, users.

Artifacts must continue to evolve accordingly.

This ‘restriction’ might be necessary.

Most artifacts come with this ‘wear restriction.’

It’s to ensure that only users of a certain level range can wear them.

‘Imagine the imbalance if a level 1 user wielded a sword meant for level 300.’

But Mithril can definitely be hammered. This is a completely different issue from wearing it.

“Ah…!”

Hyun-soo realized something.

Ares is, after all, a game.

He understood the meaning of ‘usable from level 30 and above.’

“Does it mean I can only smelt automatically once I’m above level 30?”

In reality, while there were numerous blacksmiths, 99.9% of them relied on the system for crafting.

In other words, they craft using the ‘Auto-craft’ button.

Hyun-soo had seen videos of blacksmith users.

They would initiate auto-craft and then manually hammer when red or blue dots flashed.

So, this restriction meant ‘conditions to receive help from the game.’

A smile formed on Hyun-soo’s lips.

This restriction might mean something different for Hyun-soo.

While others didn’t know how to smelt or handle it and were restricted to level 30, Hyun-soo could manually handle it even now.

‘I think I can do it.’

There would be trial and error, of course.

Temperament, characteristics, bending degree, impurity level.

There are various anomalies.

But Hyun-soo had a reason. To succeed in ‘Breaking the Wooden Dummy’ and this Mithril might help.

After examining the Mithril, Hyun-soo also finished removing impurities from the Iron Ingot.

Ding!

[You have succeeded in smelting a new mineral not found on this land.]

[You receive accumulated rewards.]

[You gain 1 in all stats.]

[You gain 219 dexterity.]

[You gain 100 fame.]

[The Iron Ingot becomes 10% better.]

[You acquire the Iron Ingot Smelting Method.]

[You acquire the title ‘Mineral Craftsman.’]

The rewards he received were excellent.

The reward of the Iron Ingot Smelting Method was just as it said, detailing the crafting process.

Then, the title ‘Mineral Craftsman.’

(Mineral Craftsman)

Unique Title

Grade: A

Special Abilities:

· 3% increase in dexterity.

· 100% understanding of minerals.

‘Understanding of minerals?’

Hyun-soo touched the Mithril again.

[Beginner Zone’s Mithril]

[Composed of iron, manganese, oxygen, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur.]

“…!?”

Hyun-soo was thrilled.

Before attempting to smelt this Mithril, the biggest obstacle he felt was its composition.

Now, just by touching a mineral, he could understand its components.

‘I can do it.’

He had planned to smelt the Mithril anyway, but he didn’t think he could obtain pure Mithril.

Going through trial and error, Hyun-soo might not even obtain half of the Mithril.

But the story changed the moment he learned its composition.

He immediately checked the completed Iron Ingot.

(Iron Ingot)

Grade: Rare

Restriction: None for the creator.

Difficulty: Moderate

Special Abilities

· Up to 17% increase in attack power compared to regular iron.

· Up to 35% increase in durability compared to regular iron.

· Up to 40% increase in critical hit chance compared to regular iron.

Description: Iron Ingot was created exclusively by user Hyun-soo.

The title ‘beginner zone’ wasn’t attached.

Hyun-soo’s breath trembled with excitement.

Len, seeing his uncontrollable excitement, smiled softly.

He already knew what Hyun-soo was attempting to do here.

The challenge of breaking the wooden dummy that many outsiders had tried and failed.

“I’ll assist you.”

Len thumped his chest with determination.

All the materials were ready.

“…”

“Yes.”

According to the notification, Len was utterly loyal to Hyun-soo. Now, he seemed like a faithful servant.

His expression conveyed that Hyun-soo’s joy was his own.

“Will you join me in creating an unparalleled sword in the beginner zone?”

Len answered energetically.

“Yes!”

***

Special User Management Team.

Kim Tae-seok’s back was covered in cold sweat.

Lee Ji-hee, the employee, felt the same.

“To think he’d acquire the title of ‘Mineral Craftsman’…”

The ‘Mineral Craftsman’ was a reward they didn’t even know about. It was a title bestowed by the supercomputer and artificial intelligence Ares on its own.

The problem was that this title allowed Hyun-soo to understand the components within the minerals.

“This is a complete game changer…”

A level 1 user using minerals that level 30 users could handle.

“But that’s his skill.”

A fact no one could dispute.

However, Kim Tae-seok and Lee Ji-hee knew something.

“The level restriction isn’t just about not receiving system assistance.”

It’s about the increase in difficulty due to the level.

“And he only knows the components of Mithril.”

“Right.”

“Mithril takes three times longer than regular iron ore.”

Literally.

Longer time.

More tedious work is required.

Of course, this constraint diminishes as the blacksmith’s level rises.

A level 30 blacksmith might spend a week using a piece of Mithril.

But a level 100 blacksmith might need only two days.

And a level 200 blacksmith can do it in a day.

This is how they manage with skills and various adjustments.

To Kim Tae-seok, using Mithril at level 1 seemed nearly impossible.

‘In conventional wisdom…’

Kim Tae-seok and Lee Ji-hee anxiously watched the monitor.

****

Hyun-soo knew better than anyone.

That the completion of this sword would decide whether he could break the wooden dummy, and it would be a turning point in his life.

He begins.

The furnace heats up intensely.

He inserts the Mithril ore into the blazing furnace.

Time passes, and molten iron flows down a long path.

He cools the molten iron.

Then comes the refining process to remove impurities.

Removing the rough impurities from the Mithril with a sharp tool took a considerable amount of time.

‘What’s going on…? Why is this taking so long?’

Hyun-soo realized.

Even if its components were similar to iron, this ore itself might take longer.

Or…

‘Because of the level restriction?’

Maybe.

Then he put it in the refinery.

At that moment.

[You need to reduce the carbon content.]

[Failure to adjust the carbon content will render the Mithril unusable.]

“…What?”

Hyun-soo’s face contorted.

Controlling the carbon content is crucial.

The strength of iron changes completely depending on the carbon content.

“What in the world…!”

Len sensed something was wrong.

They needed a way to reduce the carbon content immediately.

Then.

“Len, bring me some iron ore.”

“What? What for…”

“Hurry.”

Len didn’t understand why Hyun-soo wanted unrefined, raw iron ore.

However, when Hyun-soo added iron ore, the carbon content began to decrease.

[The carbon content is decreasing.]

[The carbon content is decreasing.]

He was controlling the carbon content of the iron ore with iron ore. It was a secret technique he learned from his father.

Soon, a silver, impurity-free Mithril was created, along with the placed Iron Ingot.

Hyun-soo intended to mix the properties of these two.

‘I can certainly work with Mithril as it’s similar to regular iron ore.’

He went through the process of mixing the two ingots.

Hyun-soo kept eating bread and drinking water whenever he felt hungry.

While doing so, he continued to hammer the heated metal on the anvil.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Truthfully, he lost track of how much time had passed.

Len seemed utterly exhausted.

‘Dad’

The truth was, he also felt fear about whether he could really make it.

There have been many geniuses in the world – in swordsmanship, archery, judo, football. They received rewards for their efforts.

People cheered for the Olympic gold medalists.

But the world’s few remaining master craftsmen like his father and himself…

‘-We’ll file a complaint!’

‘-What is this? A forge in this day and age!’

‘-A blacksmith? Are there still such things?’

‘-Do you know how inconvenient it is because of the forge smoke!?’

They hadn’t received such rewards.

That’s the reality of blacksmiths today.

‘-You are a blacksmith genius, Hyun-soo.’

His father had told him.

But what had he gained?

Not the cheers under the spotlight.

Not the love of the nation welcoming him off the plane.

Not the world cheering and hanging flower necklaces around his neck.

‘-Don’t worry, Hyun-soo.’

But his father had told him.

‘-Your efforts, your will, your days, weeks, they are proven through your work.’

The reason for Hyun-soo’s fear.

It wasn’t a doubt in his talent.

From his first to his last item.

It was because his father, who made them with him, was no longer there.

‘-Hyun-soo, now you are the only master.’

But he gathered courage.

His father, who could hardly hold the hammer after such a long time, had said.

Now the only master in the world.

The only genius.

The only legendary sword restorer.

The only mineral craftsman.

The only manual craftsman.

The only.

The truly unique.

Only you.

‘Can make the best sword.’

Suddenly, he felt dizzy.

He staggered but did not retreat.

Fighting with the Mithril that required much more labor than regular iron.

He did not retreat, battling with the Iron Ingot.

He regained his focus.

A genius ignored by the world.

His work, unacknowledged by anyone.

But in this world.

Bang! Bang!

Needed and desired by everyone.

Bang! Bang!

The greatest weapon maker.

Drenched in sweat, with muscles swollen and colorful.

And the gradually completing sword.

Shhhk!

The continuous process of quenching and tempering.

Quenching to increase the hardness, tempering to shape.

Just grueling labor, nothing but hard work.

Bang! Bang!

But a statement he could confidently make.

Whether a genius in swordsmanship, archery, or anything else.

‘I too have worked just as hard!’

The blade of the sword sharpened under his hands.

Going through the polishing process.

As the deep night gradually gave way.

There was a day when he and his father, after more than a week of work, laughed looking at their completed work.

It was like that day.

Their work, earned after hard labor.

His father, looking at the sun setting into the darkness, had said.

‘-Hyun-soo, this work is like a beacon of light.’

Light found in the darkness.

‘-Light means brightness and radiance, but it also carries other meanings. It signifies a bright future and hope.’

A beautiful morning following a night’s work.

The light of dawn seeps into the forge where Hyun-soo stands.

Ding!

[A legendary sword, unprecedented in the beginner zone, has been born.]

Finally completed. The result of an astounding effort and the work of a genius blacksmith unpraised by anyone.

Hyun-soo remembered laughing with his father in the forge, looking at each other.

Now he could say it.

That he might continue to advance as a master even without him.

[Please name the sword.]

Among the notifications, Hyun-soo named the sword.

“Light.”

The name of this sword is Light (光明).

Hyun-soo’s bright future.

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Hyun-soo looked ahead, contemplating the task of breaking wooden dolls 10 times.

He was willing to stay in the beginner’s zone for at least a month.

Staying for a month to get a VVIP capsule worth 50 million won would be a huge harvest.

Therefore, he thought long and hard.

‘The things that can be obtained in the beginner’s zone are limited.’

Even if they could be obtained, they would be labeled as ‘beginner’s zone’ items.

Such items, only having a third of the effect compared to those outside the beginner’s zone, could eventually hit a limit.

So, he thought about it.

A way to break the ‘beginner’s zone’ limit while also increasing his Dexterity stat.

And a method to transform Blacksmith Len into a more exceptional blacksmith.

Three birds with one stone.

That was to obtain magnetite.

‘The probability that minerals I create won’t have the ‘beginner’s zone’ tag is high.’

If that happens, the Iron Ingot(철강괴) will contain its full power.

If he uses this mineral to create artifacts, better ones will likely emerge.

“Are you saying we collect this iron powder at the beach to make minerals?” Len asked with a puzzled look.

As a blacksmith, he had another question.

“Is there an advantage?”

If they had to go through such trouble, there needed to be a significant benefit.

Hyun-soo nodded.

“Magnetite has a much higher titanium content than regular iron ingots. Moreover, it’s less prone to corrosion. So, we can obtain iron that’s much stronger than normal.”

“……!?” Len’s eyes widened.

The iron powder from this beach contains a large amount of titanium?

[Len has gained new blacksmithing knowledge from your teaching.]

[You have gained 2 Dexterity.]

“What should I do?” Len asked, now eager.

“It’s simple.”

Hyun-soo literally squatted down and scraped up magnetite-like iron powder with a huge magnet.

“Just collect magnetite like I am.”

Soon, Len also squatted down with a large magnet.

Len was a big man, almost 1.90 meters tall, with a shaved head that gave him a fierce look.

Hyun-soo was also quite tall, around 1.84 meters.

The sight of two such large men squatting and collecting magnetite was quite amusing.

‘Collecting magnetite takes a considerable amount of time.’

Most of the work in a blacksmith’s forge was extremely laborious.

We buy machine-made knives for a few tens of thousands of won, considering them cheap.

But making a knife by hand can take more than a day.

Hyun-soo continued to scrape up magnetite with the magnet.

[You have gained 1 Dexterity.]

‘Oh……?’

Hyun-soo felt the speed of acquiring Dexterity points increase due to the title ‘Your Exclusive Dexterity’.

He also anticipated gaining a tremendous amount of Dexterity by combining the time spent collecting magnetite and turning it into a mineral.

But, the surprising notifications didn’t end there.

[You have undertaken a new challenge that no one else has attempted.]

[You have gained 30 Dexterity points.]

[If you produce a result from a challenge that no one else has tried, you will receive additional rewards.]

[The rewards from the new challenge will accumulate.]

[If you fail to produce a result, the accumulated rewards will be deleted.]

“Hmm……?”

No one has tried it.

Hyun-soo thought hard about this Ares.

The game was controlled by the supercomputer Ares.

Moreover, the supercomputer contained all the information in the world.

Iron ingots existed a long time ago.

But no one in modern times had made Iron ingots.

Naturally, no one in Ares would have tried to make them.

Hyun-soo continued to scrape up magnetite.

[Rewards are accumulating.]

[Rewards are accumulating.]

[Accumulating・・・・⋯⋯]

[Accumulating・・・・・・]

[You have gained 1 Dexterity point.]

Hyun-soo was curious about these rewards.

The Dexterity points were probably from repetitive actions.

Having gained Dexterity points with the notification of an unconventional act, it was likely they were related.

And after about five days of collecting magnetite, Hyun-soo and Len left the beach.

***

After collecting enough magnetite, Len and Hyun-soo returned to the forge.

Len looked at Hyun-soo in surprise.

“Shouldn’t you rest a bit?”

“……Where does a blacksmith have time to rest?”

Len was puzzled.

Hyun-soo looked no older than his early 20s.

But the spirit of a blacksmith that he showed seemed almost unattainable to Len.

‘How can such a young person…’

To Len, it might seem impressive, but for Hyun-soo, it was once part of his daily life.

Everything was done by hand in his father’s forge.

Blacksmiths need temperatures over 1,500 degrees to melt minerals.

As a result, they would stand in front of the furnace for days on end, periodically increasing the fire’s temperature every hour.

Before starting to smelt the magnetite, Hyun-soo began the task of raising the temperature of the forge’s furnace.

“Since you’re still learning, Len, you can rest a bit.”

“Oh, no, I shouldn’t…”

But as time slowly passed,

1 hour, 5 hours, 10 hours…

Len, to escape the heat of the forge even for a moment, placed a chair outside and sat down.

It was his turn to add charcoal.

But the cool breeze of the summer night was pleasant.

Unknowingly, Len fell asleep.

Chirp, chirp –

And when he woke up, he was startled.

“I need to add the charcoal!”

To raise the temperature, charcoal had to be continuously added.

Len hurriedly ran back, but then stopped in his tracks.

“Crazy…”

Hyun-soo was standing there, arms crossed.

He looked tired too.

But he appeared calm.

As if it was natural for a blacksmith.

He had stayed awake in front of the fire while Len slept.

It was an indescribable feeling.

Len simply wanted to become a better blacksmith.

He wanted to make a higher-level sword and impress Instructor Hans.

But then he thought,

Maybe the greatness he saw in that man was the result of long, hard effort?

Striking thousands of times.

Staying up thousands of nights.

Fighting against the fierce heat and earning his skill.

Len truly admired him.

‘I too want to forge weapons with that kind of will, with that spirit…’

Sensing someone nearby, Hyun-soo turned his head.

“Did you sleep well?”

[Len harbors respect for your spirit as a blacksmith.]

[Your intimacy with Len has reached MAX.]

Hyun-soo looked puzzled.

He had just acted as usual, but suddenly their intimacy was at MAX.

Soon, Len approached with a determined expression.

“How long will it take to acquire the mineral?”

“Hmm, at least 4 days?”

“Then, I’d like to try making a sword during that time. Can you help me?”

Hyun-soo read Len’s expression.

As mentioned, many aspiring blacksmiths sought out Hyun-soo’s father.

Nine out of ten ran away.

But that remaining one.

That remaining one stayed a few more days and then ran away.

Only about one in a hundred.

In that one, he sensed a similar energy to Len’s.

I want to be like you.

I want to be a true blacksmith.

Even if I don’t make money, even if I’m looked down upon, I want to create my own works with handiwork.

And now, he had that spirit and had just awakened to it.

He could become a capable blacksmith.

Hyun-soo smiled slightly.

“Shall we make it? Your masterpiece.”

It began.

Hyun-soo worked on smelting, and Len on making the sword.

Len was on fire.

He had never been so passionate about learning blacksmithing skills.

“That’s not how you do it. Ease up on the hammer. I’ve told you several times, too much force can backfire.”

He was scolded harshly at times.

Smelting, refining, quenching.

Hammering.

Bellows.

Oil quenching.

He guided him through each step, teaching him harshly. But…

Len was happy.

One day passed.

Two days.

Three days.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Good!”

Following his guidance, Len took another step forward.

Whoosh –

Hyun-soo watched the molten metal flow out of the furnace.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Day by day, Len’s hammering became more skilled.

Hyun-soo worked on removing impurities from the rough, basalt-like magnetite, hammering it repeatedly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As Len listened to Hyun-soo’s constant advice, his understanding of sword-making improved day by day.

“Is this good enough?”

Hyun-soo tirelessly heated and cooled the rough magnetite, continuously removing more impurities.

And Len started to understand and apply things he hadn’t grasped before in his life.

Finally, Hyun-soo succeeded in completely removing the impurities and produced a real ‘Iron ingot’.

“We’re almost done.”

So much time had passed that it was hard to keep track.

After that arduous process, Hyun-soo was nearing the completion of obtaining the magnetite ingot.

And then, at some point,

Len, whose bellows, oil-quenching, and hammering skills had significantly improved, finished the refining process and engraved a pattern on the sword.

Len, having completed the sword, broke down in tears.

“Khuhuhuhuk!”

“……?”

As Hyun-soo looked puzzled at Len’s sudden weeping,

Ding!

[Hidden Quest: Assist Len’s growth Completed.]

[Rewards can be received from Len.]

[Len has created his life’s masterpiece.]

[Beginner blacksmith Len has grown a step further, surpassing the level of an intermediate blacksmith.]

[Through you, Len has come to understand the true spirit of a real blacksmith.]

[Perhaps he will become an even higher-level blacksmith in the future.]

[You have gained 20 Dexterity points.]

Puzzled, Hyun-soo approached the weeping Len.

“Thank you. Thank you……!”

Hyun-soo had merely taught him,

Just as he had learned from his father,

And acted in the spirit of the blacksmith taught by his father, not realizing it would completely change Len’s thinking.

Len cried, hugging the sword.

“Please see this sword that was made by me!”

Hyun-soo received the sword Len handed him and checked it.

(The Enlightened One’s Faded Sword)

Grade: Rare

Durability: 1,200/1,200

Attack Power: 39

Requirement: Level 1-50

Special Abilities:

· Health 3, Agility 2 increase.

· Active skill: Smash.

Description: A second famous sword of the beginner’s zone, created by beginner blacksmith Len, surpassing his life’s masterpiece.

Hyun-soo confirmed the quality of the sword.

In reality, its quality did not match Hyun-soo’s first sword.

But this is ultimately a game.

Various systems in the game can provide assistance.

Moreover, Len possessed multiple skills and NPCs could benefit from various effects.

These effects resulted in the creation of a rare artifact.

Even though its quality was lower than his own, it was clearly a high-grade sword.

This was the result of Len’s desire to become a better blacksmith.

The sword he made, his achievement.

“Excellent. Len, you are now a blacksmith who can surpass any level.”

Growing a step implies the potential for further growth.

Len, wiping tears in sobs, said,

“Even if you leave, I will remember you forever.”

[Len swears loyalty to you.]

[Even after you leave, Len will continue to talk about you endlessly.]

Hyun-soo just smiled happily.

Suddenly, Len ran off somewhere.

“?”

Hyun-soo thought perhaps the overjoyed Len was rushing to flatten the nose of the instructor named Hans.

But soon, Len returned quickly, holding a box.

He placed the box on the ground and opened it.

Ding!

[Your intimacy with Len is at MAX.]

[You have completed the Hidden Quest: Assisting Len’s growth.]

Inside was a mineral Hyun-soo had never seen in his life.

[The reward becomes even more exceptional.]

[You have obtained a beginner’s zone mithril mineral.]

It was a mineral called ‘mithril’, not the top-grade iron ore of the beginner’s zone.

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Prev I TOC I Next

Ji-hoon was still eyeing Hyun-soo with a bit of distrust as he tore into his chicken wings.

“Dexterity, huh…”

Hyun-soo was familiar with the basics.

The five primary skills and the special skills.

Dexterity was definitely a special skill.

And special skills were harder to acquire than the primary five.

“Why don’t I see any significant changes even with 63 Dexterity?”

“Some special skills are like that, but they’ll come in handy eventually. Besides, Dexterity can be pretty versatile.”

“Versatile?”

Hyun-soo was puzzled.

He suddenly remembered an explanation from an Instructor.

Dexterity enhances any activity involving the hands.

“Doesn’t it also increase attack power?”

“Oh, right. It does boost your attack power a bit!”

“I see.”

“Yeah, for every point in strength, you get about one point in physical attack power, right? But with about 50 points in Dexterity, you could get the same increase.”

This sounded underwhelming.

Fifty points in Dexterity equaled one point in strength.

“But doesn’t it take like 5-6 hours to increase one strength point in the beginner zone?”

“Right?”

Ji-hoon realized something.

“Wait, I gained 20 Dexterity points in just three hours…”

“Wow…”

Others take a minimum of five hours to increase their physical attack power by one strength point.

For Hyun-soo, it takes about seven hours to achieve the same with Dexterity.

“Hmm…”

Hyun-soo stroked his chin.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Exactly. If you’re right, Dexterity is relatively easier to obtain in the beginner zone. Not to mention my ‘Extraordinary event’ alerts.”

Ji-hoon nodded.

“I need to gather various things to smash these wooden dolls, right?”

He had to use any means necessary to gather everything around him.

“Even sharpening tools increases my Dexterity and I get paid?”

“Increases intimacy too?”

“And boosts attack power?”

Right, there was no reason not to do it.

Hyun-soo chuckled lightly and took a swig of beer.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll gather Dexterity by any means necessary.”

From little things, big things grow.

The mission to smash the wooden dolls by accumulating Dexterity had begun.

***

The next day.

Hyun-soo saw Instructors from the neighboring town come to him.

After sharpening their weapons, an Instructor exclaimed in admiration.

“You’re amazing, just as the rumors said!”

“Instructor, do you know anyone around who farms?”

“There are plenty of farmers.”

The beginner zone was essentially a village.

“I’d like to offer my skills to them too.”

Hyun-soo’s eyes reddened.

“My grandmother used to farm back in the day.”

Hyun-soo’s lies were becoming more convincing.

“I want to help the farmers get better tools…”

Instructor Blen was impressed by Hyun-soo’s words.

“My goodness… You’re such a kind soul!”

[Your intimacy with Blen increases.]

Ah, the sight of him, teary-eyed, offering his talents!

“I’ll spread the word to the farmers.”

“It doesn’t have to be just farmers. Please tell anyone who needs my help.”

Sharp tools were essential for humans.

This way, Hyun-soo was securing more clients.

Soon, he was greeting villagers carrying farm tools from afar.

“Welcome!”

A broad smile spread across Hyun-soo’s face.

***

Special User Management Team.

Team Leader Kim Tae-seok and employee Lee Ji-hee locked eyes.

Their pupils were shaking intensely.

“Doesn’t it seem right?”

“Yes, it does.”

“We can’t go home, can we?”

“No, it seems we can’t…”

The corners of their eyes moistened.

“It looks like he’s gathering Dexterity…”

“How much is in that user’s account?”

“60 gold…??”

Kim Tae-seok couldn’t hide his astonishment.

How could a level 1 user have 60 gold? Ordinary users hardly have 3 gold at that level!

“What about his Dexterity?”

“Currently at 89. He’s about to hit 100.”

“100… Once he hits 100, he’ll get that title…” Kim Tae-seok’s expression grew serious.

Indeed, there were many users worldwide with over 100 Dexterity.

The highest was even over 2,000, benefiting greatly from the Dexterity bonus.

But it’s a different story when a beginner player, especially at level 1, achieves 100 in Dexterity.

Even the user with the highest Dexterity had only about 10 in the beginner zone.

That’s why Blue Inc. prepared a reward for such an achievement.

“Sigh, what’s the use in complaining? It’s all thanks to Hyun-soo’s capabilities.”

The reason for Hyun-soo’s rapid increase in Dexterity was due to the ‘Extraordinary event’ system alert.

In this game controlled by the supercomputer Ares, an ‘Extraordinary event’ alert is special.

It indicates that he did exceptionally well and thus receives a reward, which in this case was Dexterity.

Kim Tae-seok spoke with an enlightened expression.

“Hold on tight.”

“Okay….”

“That user, soaring high with the Dexterity reward!”

“Whoa, flying high!”

Lee Ji-hee clung to the table, pretending to fly like an airplane.

Life was tough.

***

[You have achieved 100 Dexterity.]

[Hidden Piece. You have attained ‘The True Value of Dexterity.’]

[Gain 50 Dexterity.]

[Title: ‘Your Exclusive Dexterity’ obtained.]

“Oh?”

Hyun-soo had just finished sharpening the last farming tool and was about to teach blacksmithing techniques to Len.

He quickly checked his new title.

(‘Your Exclusive Dexterity’)

Unique Title

Grade: A

Special Abilities:

• All stats +3

· Dexterity acquisition rate increased by 50%.

• Seal (Unlocks at Dexterity 2,000.)

· Seal (Unlocks at Dexterity 4,000.)

“A…?”

Hyun-soo couldn’t hide his amazement.

After visiting the pub with Ji-hoon yesterday, he researched Ares more thoroughly.

He had received a hidden quest, and now with an A-grade title, he was practically unbeatable.

Nowhere could he find an instance of a level 1 user getting an A-grade title from a hidden quest.

Especially an A-grade title.

‘Even high-rankers might have 7 or 8 at best…?’

That’s how rare A-grade titles were.

And Hyun-soo figured out why this title was A-grade.

“This is insane!”

He couldn’t hide his astonishment even seeing it for himself.

Dexterity acquisition rate increased by 50%.

Meaning, from now on, his chances of gaining Dexterity increased by 50%.

Then he saw the sealed special abilities and whispered to Ji-hoon.

[Hyun-soo: I got a title, but what’s this seal thing?]

[Ji-hoon: That’s a growth-type title, super rare. As you meet the conditions, additional rewards unlock. But why?]

[Hyun-soo: I got it.]

[Ji-hoon: Screenshot, please.]

[Hyun-soo: (Screenshot.)]

[Ji-hoon: …………Lucky you. Blocked.]

[You have been blocked by Ji-hoon.]

“……?”

Hyun-soo was puzzled, blocked out of envy.

‘Growth-type title?’

After being blocked by his close friend Ji-hoon, Hyun-soo went to the Ares community.

Simple searches were possible in the game via hologram.

[If it’s a growth-type title, can we consider it a grade higher than its current rating?]

[oo, every time you unlock a seal in a growth-type title, special abilities get unlocked. If it’s B-grade, it’s practically A-grade. But why, did you get one?]

[Yes! I got one. A ray of light in my Ares life.]

[Wow, lol… I’m so jealousㅠㅠ]

[Wow, you got a growth-type title? Those are super hard to get.]

Hyun-soo realized just how valuable a growth-type title was, more than he had thought.

‘It could potentially have the power of an S-grade?’

He kind of understood why Ji-hoon blocked him out of envy.

[Ji-hoon: Can you tone down the bragging?]

[Hyun-soo: Lol, sure.]

Hyun-soo, smiling, entered Len’s blacksmith shop.

‘Alright.’

Hyun-soo gathered his thoughts.

To smash the wooden dolls, he needed a better sword. And to make a better sword, he needed better ore.

Of course, if Hyun-soo taught Len, he could get ‘Iron Ore from the Beginner Zone’. 

But he wondered if the iron ore from the beginner zone would be enough to surpass a rare-grade sword.

As he pondered, an idea flashed through Hyun-soo’s mind.

‘If there’s no ore, why not create it myself?’

He thought of something astonishing, something other players wouldn’t even dream of.

He asked Len, “Is there a beach nearby?”

“Yes, there is. But why the beach…?”

Len couldn’t hide his confusion.

Why the sudden interest in the beach after coming to teach blacksmithing skills?

“Good,” Hyun-soo said with a slight smile.

Together, they headed towards the beach, stopping first at the NPC general store in the beginner zone.

The NPC sold a wide variety of items.

“Do you have a large magnet?”

“Yes, we do. Why do you ask?”

“I need it for something.”

After purchasing the magnet, Hyun-soo’s actions left Len puzzled.

Soon, Hyun-soo and blacksmith Len stood before the vast ocean.

As Hyun-soo spread his arms and took in the sea breeze, Len’s expression hardened.

‘Did I make a mistake…?’

Len had admired Hyun-soo’s blacksmithing skills, which is why he had asked to become his apprentice.

Even though Hyun-soo had used Len’s grindstone excessively, even risking going hungry by sharpening the Instructors’ weapons, Len thought it was worth it if it meant growth.

But why the beach after offering to teach him?

Was this some kind of catch-me-if-you-can game?

“Hyun-soo, what are you planning to teach me here…?”

Doubt flickered across Len’s face.

And Hyun-soo, looking out at the sea, felt a sense of liberation.

He had not seen the sea for a long time, and it left him feeling rejuvenated despite the burns on his body.

Noticing Len’s skepticism, Hyun-soo said, “Len, do you see it?”

Yes, the vast, endless ocean!

But Hyun-soo’s next words were shocking.

“There are minerals in this sea.”

“……?”

Had he gone mad?

Minerals at the seaside?

Hyun-soo stepped onto the sandy beach and said, “Fortunately, it seems to be here.”

What could possibly be here?

Pointing to the sand, Hyun-soo smiled and said, “Iron sand.”

He took out the large magnet from his inventory and moved it around the beach, then lifted the magnet to reveal iron filings sticking to it like sand.

They were not chunks but more like fine powder, hence the term ‘iron filings’ was more appropriate.

He gathered them into a sack he had brought.

“Len, today I will teach you about the iron ingot.”

“Iron ingot…?”

“It’s from where I come from, an ancient smelting technique.”

A method only Hyun-soo’s father, and now only Hyun-soo, knew.

A method to extract minerals that once existed in the Joseon era.

***

Special User Management Team.

“Iron ingot…? I’ve never heard of such a mineral.”

“And that’s not all. The iron ingot doesn’t even exist in Ares.”

Ares operates based on the supercomputer Ares, which holds almost all the world’s information.

Lee Ji-hee searched ‘iron ingot’ on the program linked to the supercomputer Ares.

-Iron ingot. Can be obtained through traditional Korean smelting techniques, but is not used currently due to the availability of various alloys and steels.

-The Hwandudaedo (ring-pommel sword) of Baekje’s 25th King, Muryeong, was made using this method.

“?”

Both were astonished.

“A smelting technique from the Baekje era?”

Team Leader Kim Tae-seok couldn’t hide his surprise.

Although the information was entered into the supercomputer Ares, it’s unlikely that anyone other than user Hyun-soo would know to use it.

Kim Tae-seok had many thoughts.

An Extraordinary event alert for creating a mineral not in Ares.

And the fact that while the smelting technique existed, the iron ingot itself did not in Ares.

And he was intensely curious about the quality of the finished iron ingot.

His heart raced with excitement.

“This is going to be interesting…!”

A long-lost smelting technique from history was about to be revived by a level 1 player.

Prev I TOC I Next

Prev I TOC I Next

Hyun-soo was surprised that just by sharpening the sword, its attack power increased by 2%, and its durability by 5%.

‘Wow, does sharpening a sword usually have this effect?’

It seemed unlikely.

Hyun-soo, who had never played games before, didn’t realize this was the result of his excellent sharpening skills.

It’s common knowledge that a sharper sword has higher attack power.

Hyun-soo handed the well-sharpened sword to Instructor Jack.

Jack, looking at the finely sharpened sword, smiled with satisfaction.

NPCs could also check the artifact’s information.

While browsing, Jack decided to check the detailed information.

“Gasp!?”

Jack looked back and forth in surprise at Hyun-soo and the sword.

Unknown to Hyun-soo, the sword’s permanent 2% increase in attack power and 5% increase in durability was a remarkable feat.

For Jack, it meant he could now attack more powerfully while sitting still!

“You, you’re truly amazing, a truly great blacksmith!”

[Your intimacy with Jack has increased.]

But it didn’t stop there.

Jack couldn’t hide his excitement.

“I’m sorry I got this much sword sharpening for only 50 silver!”

Saying this, Jack handed over a gold coin.

[You have acquired 1 gold.]

The currency in Ares is divided into silver and gold.

100 silver is equal to 1 gold.

Most beginner zone players start with only 10 silver.

But Hyun-soo, agreeing to receive 50 silver, ended up receiving twice the value, holding ten times more money than regular players.

‘What a huge profit!’

Then, Hyun-soo smelled something.

Sniff sniff.

There was a smell. A smell of tremendous money.

‘I’ve earned a thousand won.’

Of course, Hyun-soo didn’t think it was a small amount.

This is the beginner zone.

Currency transactions in the beginner zone are small, and the rewards given are also very low.

‘Was my account balance around 1.01 million won?’

Before logging in, Hyun-soo’s bank balance was about that much.

Every little helps.

And fortunately, our dear customer.

“Hey, come over here!”

Called over other customers.

“What’s the matter?”

“Instructor Jack, what’s happening?”

The instructors crowded around.

There were about a dozen instructors.

“Look at this sword, this friend has sharpened it…”

“Gasp!”

“No, no way!”

“Impossible!”

The instructors looked at Hyun-soo with astonished faces.

A little later.

Hyun-soo cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

Then he shouted loudly.

“Form a line!”

At Hyun-soo’s call, the instructors lined up.

[You have sharpened the sword with the utmost skill.]

[The sword’s attack power has increased by 2% and durability by 5%…]

“It’s real, isn’t it? Here, take 1 gold!”

[Your intimacy with Brown has increased.]

“Please look at my sword too!”

[You have sharpened the sword with the utmost skill…]

[The sword’s attack power…]

“Can you sharpen an ax too?”

“Yes, of course, Instructor, heh!”

[You have sharpened the ax with the utmost skill…]

[The ax’s attack power…]

“I’m pleased, here’s another 50 silver on top. Here, 1 gold and 50 silver!”

“How kind-hearted and handsome you are, Instructor.”

The instructor resembled an orc.

“Ha, haha… I like you. Another 50 silver!”

A total of 2 gold!

And Hyun-soo was feeling his own worth.

“Oops, sorry, Instructor.”

The next instructor in line experienced something regrettable, with an exaggerated nuance.

Like dealing with bargaining grandmothers.

‘Alas, unfortunately, there’s only one kitchen knife left! Ah, such a pity. Only one, grandma!’

“Regrettably, I only have a few whetstones left, so I’ll have to raise the price.”

“What!? How much!?”

Hyun-soo still had 40 whetstones in his inventory.

“I only have five left, so I’ll have to charge 2 gold from now on.”

“Ahaha, I got scared for nothing. A 2% increase in attack power for just 2 gold is a steal, isn’t it?”

“Right, exactly!”

Then Hyun-soo noticed people coming from a distance and tilted his head in curiosity.

“Who are those people…?”

“They’re instructors from the neighboring area. I called them over. It’s good to share such a great opportunity, isn’t it?”

But Hyun-soo was a calculating person.

After sharpening the swords of the local instructors, he sharpened one for an instructor from the neighboring area.

Then.

“Unfortunately, I’ve used up all my whetstones, so I can’t do any more today. I’m really sorry.”

“What, what!? We came all this way!?”

“Then come tomorrow. I’ll sharpen it for you then. But I’ll have to charge 2 gold and 50 silver tomorrow, is that alright?”

“That’s fine. You must sharpen it for me tomorrow!”

“Of course. Oh, if you advertise this in the neighboring area, I’ll give you a 50 silver discount.”

“Oooh.”

“A 50 silver discount from 2 gold and 50 silver? What a steal!”

A customer always brings another customer.

But, as it turned out, a 2% increase in attack power was far more significant than Hyun-soo had anticipated.

After parting with the instructors, Hyun-soo took a deep breath.

“Phew…….”

He opened his inventory while closing his eyes.

When the translucent inventory window appeared, Hyun-soo, peeking with one eye, was astonished at the amount of gold he saw.

[39 gold 38 silver.]

Converted into cash, it’s worth about 40,000 won.

Time in Ares is three times faster than in reality.

So, a day in reality is three days in Ares.

In just a few hours, Hyun-soo had earned 40,000 won.

Suddenly, his heart swelled with emotion.

Of course, this gold would be invested in getting a VVIP capsule.

But Hyun-soo felt something more.

The world his father had talked about.

A world where people appreciate and are happy with the products we create.

He was now in that very world.

People were happy and grateful for the products he created, and they valued him.

Hyun-soo was experiencing a dream-like world.

And it wasn’t just for that reason that he felt overwhelmed.

“Ha…….”

He wiped a tear that rolled down from one of his eyes.

It was fun.

Insanely fun.

So fun that he felt like jumping for joy.

Even though it was hard labor, it was the most fun thing in the world for Hyun-soo three years ago.

He was thrilled to continue doing something that made him happy.

During that moment.

[Lond: Are you having fun?]

A whisper came from Ji-hoon.

In Ares, character duplication is possible.

However, one has to write the other person’s phone number next to the duplicated character name to create a unique code number.

[Hyun-soo: Yeah.]

[Lond: Looks like you’re having fun. Let’s go home.]

[Hyun-soo: Ok.]

Looking at his right hand, Hyun-soo smiled faintly and logged out.

***

At a late evening chicken restaurant, at a corner table.

Ji-hoon watched his friend Hyun-soo excitedly talking.

‘It must have been really fun.’

It’s been a while since he saw Hyun-soo this animated.

After that incident, Hyun-soo had become quite quiet.

Today, he was talking non-stop about Ares, as if making up for his usual silence.

And through his story, Ji-hoon realized that Hyun-soo’s blacksmith skills actually worked in Ares too.

“Wow, a seriously overpowered character…?”

His father, the only master craftsman in the world.

And Hyun-soo, worthy of being called a master craftsman just like his father.

Unfortunately, his father had become a vegetative patient, so perhaps Hyun-soo was now the world’s greatest master craftsman.

“But is it usually this easy to get the Dexterity stat?”

“Huh?”

Ji-hoon tilted his head in confusion.

Dexterity stat?

Ji-hoon shook his head.

“What are you talking about? Easy? It’s very hard.”

“Really?”

One of Ares’ features is the ability to increase stats through repeated actions.

Especially in the beginner zone, this effect is more pronounced.

However, even that was not easy.

One needs to hit a wooden dummy for at least six hours to gain one Strength stat.

And the Dexterity stat, especially for production jobs, can also be increased through laborious work.

But again, it’s not easy.

“There was a topic on the Ares community site about ‘Leveling Up VS Stat Increasing.'”

Hyun-soo listened intently to Ji-hoon’s explanation.

“But people said leveling up is easier.”

That makes sense.

Levels increase just by hunting, but stats do not.

In the beginner zone, you might increase Dexterity after 4-5 hours of repetition, but outside of it, the probability becomes extremely low.

Of course, lower levels do get more of a boost in this regard.

“Really? So leveling up is easier than I thought.”

Well, standards vary from person to person.

Hyun-soo felt that it could be perceived that way.

Looking back, Ji-hoon had only heard about Hyun-soo making a rare artifact and doing business. He didn’t know what Hyun-soo’s current status was.

“Download the Ares app.”

The character’s status can also be checked on a smartphone.

‘Raising Dexterity is easy, huh? Maybe you’ve raised it by about 3?’

Even that would be an astonishing number of Dexterity points.

Ordinary players usually don’t acquire the 5 basic stats – strength, agility, stamina, wisdom, and intelligence – before leaving the beginner zone.

Not to mention a special stat like Dexterity.

‘3 points is already insane…’

After downloading the Ares app, Hyun-soo opened his status window and handed it to Ji-hoon.

Ji-hoon, upon seeing the status window, involuntarily jumped up from his seat.

Clatter~!

“What, what is this!?”

“Ji-hoon, people are looking here because of you.”

The noise of the chair being pushed back drew people’s attention.

Ji-hoon sat back down, trying to calm his excited heart.

“This is crazy…!”

“What? Is there a problem?”

“A problem? Yes, dude!”

“???”

Hyun-soo had a puzzled expression, like a clueless baby seal.

Ji-hoon, wondering if he had seen it wrong, closed and reopened the Ares app.

But the status window in front of him was real.

“I’ve never seen anything like this…”

“What is it, tell me!”

Despite being urged, Ji-hoon just stared blankly at the status window.

‘Is this even possible?’

(Hyun-soo)

Level: 1

Job: None

Strength: 10 Agility: 8 Stamina: 8 Wisdom: 7 Intelligence: 7 Dexterity: 63

Hyun-soo, feeling impatient, called out to him.

“Hey, what’s up!”

“Don’t you get it? Hyun-soo, you’re level 1.”

“So?”

“Level 1 means all stats should be 5.”

“Yeah.”

“But your strength is 10? That’s double the strength of a normal level 1, double!”

“So what?”

“Man, you’re twice as strong as regular level 1 players!”

“Huh!?”

“….?”

Ji-hoon had a look of disbelief.

Of course, the stat window includes titles, artifact effects, and more.

‘And these last a lifetime…’

Even at level 100, Hyun-soo would have higher stats than other players.

But what shocked Ji-hoon wasn’t these stats.

He ran his fingers through his hair.

“I’ve never seen this. Level 1, and in just one day of gaming, 63 Dexterity points?”

That means he gained at least 50 points in one day.

Such a figure is unimaginable, even considering the easier progress in the beginner zone.

“What happened?”

“Maybe it’s because of this?”

Only then did Hyun-soo explain the ‘Extraordinary’ notification and the alerts he got while sharpening.

“Extraordinary…?”

Why did that happen?

‘Was he already an overpowered character even without game adjustments?’

But there was something even more astonishing.

‘What will happen if this guy becomes a blacksmith…?’

Hyun-soo hadn’t changed his job yet.

Meaning, he had no skills and hadn’t received any stat adjustments from a job change.

Skills not only assist in crafting but also provide various effects.

Higher chances of creating higher-grade artifacts.

Faster artifact crafting speed.

The ability to imbue artifacts with superior special abilities, among dozens of other benefits.

Ji-hoon’s mouth dropped open.

He was Hyun-soo’s close friend.

“I, I envy you to death… You bad guy.”

“……?”

Hyun-soo, suddenly called a bad guy while sitting, tilted his head, unaware of what would happen if he changed his job.

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Hyun-soo looked at the suddenly appeared quest notification with a puzzled expression.

Hyun-soo had done some research before playing the game.

The types of quests were divided into general quests, hidden quests, job quests, legendary quests, etc.

General quests were the ones commonly received.

‘And hidden quests are……………..’ 

Huh?

He heard that it’s a lot if you receive them three times in a year.

Out of about 50 quests, it’s questionable whether you’d get one or two.

And one of the important things about quests, is the rank.

The higher the rank, the harder it is to complete, but in return, it gives better rewards.

He even heard that the rewards for hidden quests are much better than those for general quests.

[Hidden Quest: Assist Len’s Growth]

Rank: A

Restriction: One who has taken Len’s request.

Reward: The highest quality iron ore of the beginner’s zone.

Penalty for failure: Decrease in intimacy with Len.

Description: Len wants to flatten the nose of Instructor Hans, who has crushed his pride. Help him grow.

The reward was the highest quality iron ore of the beginner zone.

Most things obtained in the beginner zone are labeled as ‘beginner zone’s’.

Items with this label are mostly low-level items that are far behind what can be obtained outside.

For example, if iron ore from the beginner’s zone can make a sword with 30 attack power, normal iron ore can make a sword with 100 attack power.

But one thing is certain.

‘Even though it is labeled as beginner zone’s, the highest quality iron ore is something that absolutely cannot be obtained here.’

He managed to make his first sword.

But it’s still uncertain whether it can break the wooden dummy.

Now that the forge is available for use.

“Please, I beg of you!”

Hyun-soo looked down at Len.

In fact, many who learned strange blacksmithing techniques elsewhere used to seek out his father, Kang Hyun-tae.

An interesting fact is that among them, ten would run away after two days.

Blacksmithing skills are not as beautiful as they appear.

The repetitive drudgery in the hot heat pushed people to the extreme.

Influenced by his father, Hyun-soo also does not easily pass on the skills.

Hyun-soo and his father, as blacksmiths, had to survive, so they also learned to bargain.

“Hmm…”

“I want to make a better sword!”

Hyun-soo liked Len.

The fact that as a blacksmith, he is so desperate that he kneels before a stranger he’s meeting for the first time.

“May I use the minerals in this forge as I please?”

Hmmph-

Len’s small shudder was felt.

But soon, Len corrected his thinking.

‘If I learn better blacksmithing skills, what do I care about this trivial matter!’

Becoming a better blacksmith is something that cannot be valued with anything.

“Of, of course!”

Hyun-soo, with a slight smile, said.

“Then I will do my best to teach you during my stay.”

Receiving a lot, Hyun-soo also intended to help him.

After finishing the conversation with Len, Hyun-soo immediately headed to the wooden dummy training hall with his first sword.

Now, Hyun-soo, armed not with a sword but with a sharp blade, began to strike.

Whack-!

Whaaaack.

Whack-whack-whack-

The sound of the impact was different from when striking with a wooden sword.

‘I feel lighter and full of strength compared to before.’

By making this sword, several of Hyun-soo’s stats had increased, and even his dexterity stat had significantly risen.

Soon, at the last, the 10th time, Hyun-soo crouched down and activated a skill for the first time.

This skill was a special ability in Hyun-soo’s first sword.

[Sword]

[Quickly slashes the target with a power of 22% additional attack strength.]

Hyun-soo’s knees bent as he sheathed the sword.

“Huuuh.”

Breathing out a shaky breath, Hyun-soo swiftly drew his sword and powerfully slashed at the wooden dummy.

Whack!

A sizable impact sound reverberated.

The significantly shaking wooden dummy caught Hyun-soo’s eye.

Soon, Hyun-soo’s face was tinged with disappointment.

[Wooden Dummy Durability 511/1,000]

[You have failed to break the wooden dummy.]

[You can retry after 30 minutes.]

‘This is why even national athletes fail……………..’ 

Isn’t this beyond common sense?

However, Hyun-soo soon shook his head.

They wouldn’t easily give away a capsule worth 50 million won, would they?

‘Let’s see…….?’

He organized his thoughts.

First, he had to craft a weapon better than the first sword and obtain everything else available.

‘I need to secure anything that can raise my stats or attack power, or anything that can strengthen my character and items.’

By doing so, the character’s damage would naturally increase, enabling more durability to be chipped off from the wooden dummy.

What could be the way to do that?

That’s when Hyun-soo caught sight of the instructor who had explained the basics to him.

The instructor was also focused on his training, hitting a wooden dummy.

As he was busily hitting with his sword, he frowned at his dulled blade.

“Instructor Hans has a beef with Len, and we’re suffering for it. Can’t keep swinging this kind of sword forever…….”

The quest Hyun-soo received to help Len grow mentioned that he had trouble with an instructor named Hans.

‘This….’

It seemed that all the instructors here were suffering because of that trouble.

Hyun-soo often felt the urge to immediately sharpen such dull swords.

‘Uh….?’

Then he had an epiphany.

Hyun-soo remembered.

There was a way to become stronger here and secure more!

He was the man who became an expert in bargaining and trading thanks to the grandmothers who pestered him to sharpen their kitchen knives!

He slowly approached that instructor.

***

Instructor Jack clicked his tongue as he looked at his dulled blade.

It was ridiculous that the other instructors had to suffer because of the pride fight between Hans and Len.

‘If I keep swinging it, it’ll break. Should I use a wooden sword for the time being?’

The idea of himself, a swordsman, having to hold a beginner’s wooden sword?

It was an unprecedented humiliation.

That’s when.

“Hello, Instructor!”

“?”

A stranger approached and gave a polite bow.

He looked familiar.

It was the foreigner who chose an ebony wooden sword during the day, now wearing a pretty good sword at his waist.

He had been watching him unintentionally because of that.

However, there’s something Hyun-soo doesn’t know about this beginner zone.

Never try to ask personal questions or engage in personal conversations with the instructors!

The reason is that the instructors here are very unfriendly.

Precisely because they’ve been made unfriendly by the users.

‘You! Do you know who my dad is!?

‘Didn’t your mom teach you?’

‘….!?’

‘Get lost.’

Filled with users who spoke down to NPCs, they were tired of seeing hundreds of them every day.

There were also many like the user before.

‘Hey, can’t we get a hidden piece from the instructor?’

Those who try to flatter and obtain even the slightest benefit!

Absolutely detestable.

To the point of vomiting.

Especially now, Hyun-soo had chosen the wrong target.

The Jack he chose was the most skilled among the instructors and was famous for having the worst temper.

“What do you want?”

Instructor Jack, with a grim face, responded indifferently.

‘This guy too, wants to gain something through me?’

Damn these foreigners.

But then, the foreigner pointed to the sword in his hand.

“It’s not anything else, but your sword blade seems very dull.”

Jack looked puzzled.

Indeed, but he couldn’t see why he would make such a comment.

“I have some expertise in weapon repair and crafting, may I take a look at it?”

“What?”

Jack looked puzzled.

A mere foreigner has expertise in weapon repair and crafting?

Jack had seen many talents before.

Foreigners who wield swords better than himself.

Foreigners who shoot unbelievable arrows.

And even strange foreigners who only eat.

But a foreigner who knows how to handle weapons?

‘I’ve never seen such a foreigner.’

Of course.

In reality, there are fewer than ten actual blacksmiths left, while there are hundreds of beginner zones.

Jack looked at him with unimpressed eyes, and the man tapped the sword at his waist.

“I made this myself.”

“…!?”

Jack’s eyes widened in shock.

He had been wondering where that sword had come from.

According to his knowledge, there was no way such a sword could come from this beginner zone.

That meant someone must have crafted it anew.

But Jack also knew just how terrible the only blacksmith, Len, was in this zone.

Therefore, his statement served as some form of proof.

“Is it real?”

“Yes, how else would I have this sword if I hadn’t made it?”

Hyun-soo is no fool.

He puts forth evidence that can prove his claim.

“I thought I might be of some help to the handsome instructor with my modest skills.”

“Uhmm……?”

“It must be tough, right? It’s hot, strange foreigners are causing a fuss, and on top of needing to train, your sword is dulled.”

“Ha ha, you completely understand my heart.”

[Your intimacy with Jack has increased.]

Hyun-soo had met many grandmothers as a haggler.

He always threw comments like this:

‘Oh my, our grandmother is almost sixty, you’re so lovely, don’t I seem like your handsome grandson? If you buy it just for today, I’ll take extra care of you next time!’

‘Ho ho ho, this lad. I’ll buy it since you’re like my grandson!!’

Why has he become a master of bargaining when he was a blacksmith…

He had a moment of realization, but his eloquence worked on Instructor Jack too.

“Should we see? But I can’t just trust you blindly.”

Instructor Jack was not completely free of suspicion.

“If it’s satisfactorily sharpened, I’ll pay you the 50 silver it would cost at the forge. But if it’s not well sharpened, I think I’ll be greatly disappointed in you.”

Hyun-soo had earned 10 silver by hitting the tutorial wooden dummy.

There was also a store within this beginner zone.

This was the opportunity Hyun-soo had been aiming for!

He even brought a whetstone from Len’s forge in his inventory.

‘It’s been a while……………..’

Hyun-soo was hit with a wave of nostalgia.

At 10, Hyun-soo wanted to learn blacksmithing from his father and earnestly asked him.

His father told him to just sharpen swords for a year.

The reason was probably to make Hyun-soo give up on the tedious task of only repeating.

But…

As a result, his father had produced the most talented sword sharpener in the world.

‘I’ve sharpened more than ten thousand items.’

Kitchen knives, swords, axes for chopping wood, and many more.

Taking the sword from Jack, Hyun-soo immediately began sharpening it with the whetstone right there.

Swish swish swish swish-

But then, that strange notification he had heard while making the sword echoed again.

[An extraordinary event is occurring that does not correspond to the level.]

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Hyun-soo felt a rush of excitement in his heart.

Why is blacksmithing enjoyable?

It’s because even with the same ore, completely different items are crafted.

The struggle in front of the blazing furnace.

And the satisfaction of creating my very own piece after that struggle.

Every time he brought a creation to life, Hyun-soo felt an indescribable sense of achievement and became addicted to it.

It had been three years since that day.

‘Can I really do it?’

He wasn’t entirely sure.

It had been nearly three years since he last held a hammer.

That’s when Len, who was standing behind him, said,

“If your skills don’t match your arrogant talk, I’ll beat you thoroughly.”

“If I succeed, would you grant me a request?”

Len was flabbergasted.

It wasn’t that there had been no strangers who acted like they knew everything, like Hyun-soo.

Every time, when they were actually given a hammer, they would do the strangest things.

But Hyun-soo looked at him sincerely with earnest eyes.

‘I really need this forge.’

He had heard that quests didn’t always have to be activated by NPCs.

“Fine, but be prepared if you fail. What is it that you want?”

“I would like to use this forge.”

“This forge?”

Len laughed incredulously.

“Go ahead.”

Ding!

[Quest: The Bet with Len]

Grade: C

Requirement: Accepted by those who take Len’s challenge.

Reward: Use of the forge.

Penalty if failed: Significant decrease in friendship with Len.

Description: Forge an excellent sword to prove yourself to Len.

Len watched Hyun-soo, who had accepted the challenge, and crossed his arms, looking at him.

‘Foolish boy.’

He seemed to have picked up some general knowledge about blacksmithing from somewhere.

However, the actual skill of blacksmithing was not as glamorous as he knew.

Creating a single weapon as a blacksmith takes a very long time.

It looks simple but involves many complex steps.

Before starting, Hyun-soo looked around.

‘Now I see why he’s a beginner blacksmith.’

[Beginner Blacksmith Len Lv.15]

He was at the level of just starting to walk.

Hyun-soo first used tongs to take the heated ore out and placed it on the anvil.

Then he began to hammer with the one in his right hand.

After hammering for a while, the ore took on a long shape.

He literally bent the heated, elongated ore as he struck it.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

And with each bend, sparks flew.

Hyun-soo repeated this action.

Once, twice, four times, eight times. Continuously.

“What are you doing?”

Len frowned, puzzled.

He asked because he couldn’t understand what Hyun-soo was doing.

At that question, Hyun-soo almost lost his words.

‘Doesn’t he know this…??’

Is a beginner blacksmith in this game just about imitating?

Well, if such blacksmiths actually existed, they wouldn’t be able to earn their keep, but he is a level 15 blacksmith.

“Do you know why you haven’t been able to make a better sword?”

Len looked puzzled.

“It’s because you’re not using the folding technique.”

“Folding technique…?”

“By repeating the hammering process with the folding technique, you can remove more impurities, and the steel becomes tougher.”

Len’s eyes widened as he looked at him.

No, Len still didn’t fully trust him.

But Hyun-soo kept on adding,

“The type of sword you’ve been trying to make seems to be close to a katana. The folding technique is often used when refining steel for such blades.”

With that, Hyun-soo began to move faster.

Now, for quenching, he dipped the metal in cold water to cool it.

Hiss!

Blacksmithing was a cycle of quenching and hammering.

The more you quench, the tougher the steel becomes.

Time had passed by several hours before he knew it.

But Hyun-soo had lost track of time.

‘It’s fun…’

It had been a full three years since he last did hammering and quenching.

At first, it felt awkward and seemed to not go well.

But gradually, he was regaining his past skills.

Bang!

Watching the sparks fly, he couldn’t hide his excitement.

It was fun.

So fun that he was going crazy.

The work he had wanted to do.

However, the indescribable pleasure and joy of being able to do the work again with his right hand, which had been damaged and unusable, was immense.

And Len watched with amazement the focus of Hyun-soo as he worked.

After countless cycles of quenching and hammering, Hyun-soo finally began to give shape to the metal.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Len watched, eyes wide, as Hyun-soo hammered away in front of the hot furnace.

‘This is different…’

Until now, Len had thought it was just part of the process.

But as Hyun-soo began to hammer in earnest, Len’s thoughts began to change.

And Hyun-soo was receiving notifications that were beyond his understanding.

[You are displaying blacksmithing skills beyond the expected level for your current rank.]

[You have gained 1 Dexterity.]

Hyun-soo looked puzzled.

‘Is it always this easy to gain stats?’

Then another notification came to Hyun-soo.

[Your Intimacy with Len is increasing.]

‘Oh…??’

Hyun-soo had learned about the intimacy system from the instructor.

Think of it as a favorability rating. The higher the intimacy, the more favorably NPCs will treat you.

Especially when the intimacy is at its highest, you might get something from the market that costs 10 silver for 8 silver instead.

And Len continued to watch Hyun-soo as he began to shape the weapon.

He was becoming enchanted with Hyun-soo.

****

[An extraordinary event is occurring that does not correspond to the level.]

(Special User Management Team at Blue Inc.)

Employee Lee Ji-hee, who was monitoring the screen, looked shocked.

‘What is this…?’

The Special User Management Team is responsible for monitoring hidden pieces or users who undertake incredible quests or show unusual behavior.

This was the first time Lee Ji-hee had heard such a notification.

“Team Leader!”

Team Leader Kim Tae-seok hurried over.

“An extraordinary event that doesn’t match the level…?”

Kim Tae-seok saw a user named Hyun-soo inside the forge through the monitor.

Kim Tae-seok had seen this kind of notification before with chefs who, despite being level 1, performed amazing knife skills like hotel chefs.

But it wasn’t something to worry about too much.

After all, once a dish is cooked, it’s done.

At the start of the Ares game, such notifications were quite common, but they became rare after the thresholds were raised.

But now, after a long time, the notification had reappeared.

‘What’s happening…?’

The monitor blinked again, spitting out another alert.

[A level 1 user is displaying skills at least on par with a top-tier blacksmith.]

[An extraordinary event is occurring that does not correspond to the level.]

“Top-tier!?”

The ranks of blacksmiths are divided into beginner, intermediate, advanced, top-tier, master, and grandmaster.

And those of top-tier level are at least level 300 or higher.

What’s more fascinating is that among those level 300+ blacksmiths, there are fewer than five users worldwide who possess top-tier blacksmithing skills.

Most of these users also have passive skills.

But this user is demonstrating top-tier skills without any skills.

And in a beginner’s zone, no less.

Kim Tae-seok hurriedly explained the reason for the occurrence to Lee Ji-hee, who was astounded.

“Do blacksmiths even exist in real life these days?”

“There are a few left, as far as I know…”

The situation was so surprising that Kim Tae-seok just stared blankly at the monitor.

Then, Lee Ji-hee became curious.

“If a low-level user has exceptional skills, what happens to the artifacts they create?”

The chance for users to produce high-grade artifacts is split in half.

Half is luck, half is skill.

In reality, blacksmith users utilize blacksmith skills, but when they hit the ‘auto-craft’ button, the crafting begins automatically.

Naturally, there are limitations to the details in automatic crafting.

Kim Tae-seok, sweating on his back, said,

“If it’s well-made, then a good quality weapon that’s suitable for their level will come out.”

It was an obvious answer.

Even without skills, even with a low level.

If it’s well-crafted with excellent skills, naturally, a good product will result.

“What we need to worry about isn’t that.”

Employee Lee Ji-hee swallowed dryly and looked at the monitor.

“We should be concerned about the rewards that a user gets for creating with extraordinary skills.”

****

Before long, Hyun-soo’s work was nearing completion.

He was in the process of engraving a pattern on the sword after going through the oil quenching process.

‘Have I gained five dexterity points already?’

It sure was an easy game for gaining stats.

Finally, the moment he finished engraving the pattern.

Bang!

He received a notification.

Ding!

[You’ve crafted an unbelievable sword in the beginner’s zone.]

[The grade is being determined.]

[It’s a Rare grade.]

[Please name the sword.]

[You receive a reward for crafting a Rare grade artifact for the first time.]

[You gain +1 to all stats.]

[You gain +10 Dexterity.]

[You gain +30 Fame.]

[You earn the title: Unique Artisan of the Beginner’s Zone.]

‘Why are there so many notifications?’

Hyun-soo looked puzzled as he inspected the sword he had finished crafting.

He knew that artifacts and skills are categorized as Common, Rare, Epic, Unique, Legendary, and Divine.

Additionally, the first person to create an artifact of any grade receives rewards like stat boosts, dexterity, and fame.

Of course, creating another artifact of the same grade afterward doesn’t yield these bonuses.

(Unnamed)

Grade: Rare

Durability: 1,000/1,000

Attack Power: 36

Restrictions: Levels 1-30.

Special Abilities:

– Increase Strength by 2, Agility by 1.

– Active skill: Quick Draw.

Description: This is the best sword that a level 1 user could wield, made from the most basic materials.

‘Oh, seems pretty good.’

The description kindly notes that it’s the best sword a level 1 can use.

Hyun-soo pondered briefly what to name the artifact.

Then, not great at naming, Hyun-soo quickly decided.

“The First Blade of Hyun.”

[You have named the sword The First Blade of Hyun.]

It was quite an absurd name.

But if he continued to play Ares, Hyun-soo thought he might create many artifacts like this.

If such works had his name attached, it might become a brand of its own.

Next, he checked the title.

(Unique Artisan of the Beginner’s Zone)

Title Grade: A

Special Abilities:

– All stats +1.

– 2% improvement in artifact crafting.

– 10% increase in dexterity acquisition rate.

– 10% increase in dexterity.

‘An A-grade title?’

Titles are divided into multiple titles and unique titles.

Multiple titles are those any player can earn by achieving certain milestones.

Unique titles are awarded to only one player, the first to achieve a specific feat.

Naturally, unique titles are far better, and title grades range from D to SSS.

‘Is it really that good?’

But there was something more important at hand.

It was the piercing gaze he felt from behind.

Hyun-soo offered his finished product to Len.

Len’s eyes widened in disbelief as he inspected the sword.

“It’s… impossible…”

It was a Rare artifact.

Blacksmith Len knew what this place was.

It was where strangers first set foot.

Even though he was considered insignificant, Blacksmith Len possessed skills.

But the man before him couldn’t possibly have any skills.

Pure skill alone.

“Does this prove it?”

Moreover, just by watching Hyun-soo’s crafting process, Len felt as if he had become a better blacksmith himself.

Hyun-soo waited for his response, and Len gave the best possible reply.

The blacksmith Len knelt down.

[Quest: The Bet with Len completed.]

[You may now use the forge.]

“Please…! Teach me your blacksmithing skills!”

A peer in the same profession wanted to learn from him.

It was a recognition of the gap between their skills and a sign that it wouldn’t be shameful for Len to learn from him.

In other words, it was the highest compliment.

Then, another notification arrived.

[Hidden Quest: Assist Len’s Growth has been initiated.]

‘A hidden quest, huh…??’

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