Genius Blacksmith's Game

[The Wolf Egg wants to protect you.]

Hyunsoo listened to the voice of the little guy who always did nothing but whine every time.

‘You... me......?’

[The Wolf Egg wants to block one whip strike.]

Hyunsoo’s chest calmed.

The little guy’s will to help him.

He felt the huge bond that had formed between the egg and himself.

Before he knew it, he had been anticipating and cherishing the existence inside the Wolf Egg, and the little guy inside the egg was the same.

Give flesh, take bone.

‘Thank you.’

The only thing the little guy trapped in the egg could do.

It might look insignificant, but it was his best.

The result produced by that best.

KRAAAANG—!

The whip was blocked, and the precious split second of time he was given.

Cry of the Sword is the strongest wide-area attack.

The heat-haze that bursts out from the sword-draw stance.

And the moment he drew with all his might.

KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWAK—!

The Hellhounds within a 20-meter radius were mercilessly carved to pieces.

And Cry of the Sword, made 8% stronger by Even if it breaks.

Also, all swordsmanship skills are greatly affected by the user’s stats-based attack power, and the sword’s attack power.

‘When did I grow to this point?’

It was power so strong it made him think that.

“Ghhhk......!”

Ronso hurriedly raised his body’s defensive power dramatically, but it was useless.

[Even if you do not cut directly, if it is within a 20-meter radius, it is cut, and all defensive power is ignored.]

Because Cry of the Sword was power outside common sense, ignoring all defensive power.

“KRAAAAGH!”

In the end, he screamed.

[Ronso’s HP falls below 80%.]

When that indiscriminate cutting ended, Ronso could see twenty Hellhounds turning to ash and scattering.

SHAAAAAA—

And when he thought of the gap between his power and Hyunsoo’s, he could tell the damage dealt was enormous.

‘Just this one time, and it’s over.’

If this was his peak, then if he didn’t give him another opening again.......

“......!?”

[You cannot move.]

Ronso’s face was dyed with confusion.

That moment.

[Reverse activates.]

[You can craft two artifacts.]

Two chunks of ore surged up around Hyunsoo.

Ronso realized that, thanks to the single activation of mystic power he had obtained because of the egg, Hyunsoo had become capable of manifesting inexhaustible power.

The surging ore was being refined.

And before he knew it, Hyunsoo’s sword, now close in front of him, cut up through Ronso from below.

[6 consecutive hits are applied.]

The damage from a sword swung by a mere blacksmith, one hit.

KWA-JAAK—

“Ghk!?”

Second hit.

“Kuh-huk!”

Third hit.

Fourth hit.

Fifth hit.

All the way through the final sixth hit, making Ronso burst into a scream.

“KAAHAAK!”

Although each of the six consecutive hits could be called basic attacks, being cut while defenseless inflicted a critical blow.

[HP falls below 68%.]

Ronso’s eyes flew wide open.

In midair, two swords were descending fast.

On one sword, twenty-eight stars were engraved one by one.

And from the other sword, he could feel the cry of a single roaring, legendary monster of some kind.

[Reverse’s special power is applied.]

[With a 1% chance, you can swing both swords at the same time.]

Hyunsoo, who had seized the advantage at once, was reaching his hand toward those two swords.

The massive power he felt from those two swords—something he had never seen even once in his life—made goosebumps run down Ronso’s back in an instant.

‘Is this what a blacksmith is? Material for a new legend.’

But material is only material.

He is not yet a legend.

“I can’t play with you anymore.”

Ronso also realized the bastard was dangerous.

He resisted the stun with about 0.5 seconds remaining.

Then he swung his whip toward the arm that was trying to grab the swords.

SEOGEOOOEOK—!

A chilling slicing sound rang out.

In that instant, Hyunsoo’s eyes widened.

THUD—

Because his left arm had been severed and dropped to the ground.

[You have received a powerful impact.]

[Status effect: You fall into Confusion.]

Hyunsoo urgently kicked Ronso with his foot. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

KWA-JAAAK—!

Ronso, pushed back with his arms crossed, let out a small sneer.

He savored him, watching his ever-changing expression.

And for Hyunsoo, that split second felt like an eternity.

‘I lost an arm.......’

Of course, it was only something in the game.

After he was forced to log out, his arm would regenerate like a lizard.

But if he lost here?

‘Everything I built collapses, and everyone dies.’

Lord Belin, who had looked at him with trusting eyes.

The blacksmiths who had shouted that they would absolutely meet again on the day he left.

The people of the territory who had waved at him.

And the members of Radiance and the Storm Brigade who were building dreams together with him.

“Your despairing expression makes me happy.......”

Ronso’s face, in the middle of continuing that line, hardened stiff.

POP—

Hyunsoo pulled out a potion bottle sloshing with green liquid and popped the stopper off with his mouth.

GLUG-GLUG

He poured it straight onto the severed area.

[You used Giant King’s Blood.]

When he brought the severed arm up, it attached in an instant.

“......!!!!?”

Ronso’s eyes went wide as he stared at Hyunsoo, teeth clenched.

Hyunsoo realized he could hear the voice he had heard before, again.

‘Even if it breaks, without retreating, and by all means.......’

Hyunsoo still didn’t know why he was hearing this voice.

He simply said what he had to say right now.

“I win.”

CLENCH—

Hyunsoo snatched up the two swords.

‘Dangerous.......’

Ronso panicked.

Layer upon layer of black shields piled up in front of him.

Then.

KHUH-HUH-HUH-HUHNG—!

A massive tiger’s roar filled the chamber, and holy light covered Ronso.

[Tiger Aura]

[The power of enormous holy power weakens you.]

[You are weakened.]

[You are weakened.]

[Fourth Calamity Ronso Lv.394]

[Fourth Calamity Ronso Lv.375]

[Fourth Calamity Ronso Lv.322]

[You fall into a stun state for 3 seconds.]

Ronso was struck by an indescribable shock.

‘Th-this kind of debuff exists?’

And the radiant light coming from that sword was the light of holy power.

It possessed the power to annihilate evil.

What was even more frightening than that was a single dragon rising as if burning, as if ascending, from that sword.

‘I win.’

He chewed on the words said by a mere blacksmith.

He had thought it was nonsense.

The difference between himself and him was more than just the number of 100 levels.

Even the difference in experience was vast.

KIHYE-E-E-E-EK!

In that moment, the fierce power of the dragon struck him.

Already weakened by holy power, Ronso felt he could not resist that power crashing over him.

KWAAAAAANG—

He had to endure an endless, massive shock as if his entire body were being shattered to pieces.

“Ugh-grgrgrgrgrgk!”

Hyunsoo was barging through the remnants of that explosion, pouring everything out.

[Ronso’s HP......]

[Ronso’s HP......]

[Ronso’s HP......]

They both knew.

That this short battle would decide the victor between them.

When at last all of Hyunsoo’s attacks ended.

[You have killed Fourth Calamity Ronso.]

“This is impossible.......”

Old man Ronso wore an expression of tremendous shock.

Watching him slowly turn into ash, [N O V E L I G H T] Hyunsoo dropped to his knees.

“Kuh-huk, huff—huff.”

Panting harshly, Hyunsoo couldn’t make himself feel the reality that he had won.

And slowly, he turned it over as he waited for the reward notifications.

‘What on earth was that??’

The voices that kept echoing in his head.

‘Even if it breaks, without retreating, and by all means.’

And Hyunsoo had only spoken his feelings.

‘I win.’

Then Hyunsoo heard this notification.

[Even if it breaks]

[Something special happens.]

In Hyunsoo’s title Even if it breaks, it says, ‘Something special might happen.’

[The final sentence is completed.]

[This power originates from you and will protect more people.]

[In a moment of life and death, the completed sentence grants special power limited to 1 time.]

[The system searches for special power.]

[Searching...... 1%...... 3%...... 13%......]

Hyunsoo made a puzzled expression.

The title he had, Even if it breaks.

That it was a completed sentence born from “Something special might happen” of that title.

‘It’s strange.’

But Hyunsoo had already overcome a life-and-death crisis.

Even so, the system was searching for power.

There was no need to.......

‘Huh?’

Goosebumps rose along Hyunsoo’s spine as he knelt, waiting for the notifications.

In an instant, something from the past flashed through his mind.

Fifth Calamity Jack.

What he had feared wasn’t the black magic Jack used.

The six Calamities.

They called their own traits “Calamity,” and they unleashed named NPC-type power that defied common sense.

Jack had shown a power called “Calamity of Enhancement” back then.

The ash that should have been scattering began to build a new shape.

[You have killed Fourth Calamity Ronso.]

[A new story begins.]

Hyunsoo’s teeth trembled.

DING!

[Sudden Quest: Revived Calamity]

Grade: SS

Restriction: One who has killed Ronso once

Reward: All rewards x2, Necklace of Calamity

Penalty on failure: the destruction of Vallas Territory.

Description: If you cannot kill Fourth Calamity Ronso, Vallas Territory will be destroyed by his hand.

Rewards were maximized.

He would receive all rewards at double, and could obtain the Necklace of Calamity like the Coat of Calamity.

However, the damage suffered if he failed was far too great.

‘The destruction of Vallas Territory.’

[Calamity of Revival activates.]

[Ronso’s HP recovers to 20%.]

[Ronso’s whipping becomes 2 times faster.]

[Damage increases by 40%.]

[Ronso’s fully revealed power stretches out and strengthens his subordinates.]

From Ronso, who had been turning to ash, black magic power went berserk and surged up.

WA-JANG-CHANG-CHANG—!

Black magic power that flew out into the air after shattering the window exploded, dyeing the entire Vallas Territory in darkness.

[Ronso’s subordinates become demonized.]

[They forget fear and become even stronger.]

[Their slaughter instinct and destruction instinct seethe endlessly.]

The guild chat window grew noisy.

[Ian: They got 20% stronger than before just now? I thought we could barely clean this up!]

[Belia: I’m out of MP, they’re chasing me!]

[Ressel: Even the dead ones got back up......?]

‘No.’

That moment.

KUKWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWAK—

Whips lashed down from all directions, carving Hyunsoo’s entire body to pieces.

[You are holding Asnium.]

[HP falls below 10%.]

[HP recovers to 15%.]

Hyunsoo’s face turned paper-white as his whole body was whipped in an instant.

“Ghk.......”

“I was going to play with you slowly and kill you.”

Hyunsoo knew the end had come.

Something hard to resist.

Even if he had never collapsed before, this didn’t seem like something he could overcome easily.

Then.

[Search is complete.]

Hyunsoo saw Ronso, who had been approaching him, fail to come any closer.

‘This is......?’

Hyunsoo could see the blue barrier wrapping around him.

[You discover one hidden function of Reverse.]

In the endless notifications.

Hyunsoo, who had been dying, pushed himself up.

Immediately, two chunks of ore surged up from Hyunsoo once again.

*****

A small hidden room inside the audience chamber.

Belin, hiding there, couldn’t forget the Hyunsoo she had met again after a long time.

‘My lord, it’s been a while.’

He had changed drastically in just a few months.

‘I’ll try to handle it. If I don’t open the door, no matter what sounds you hear, you must not come out.’

Belin squeezed her eyes shut and trembled, hearing the sound of flesh being torn that spread right after.

Vibrations shaking the castle, endless shrieks.

Of course, it wasn’t only because she was afraid that she wasn’t going out.

Belin knew.

She could not help him.

Then Hyunsoo’s scream reached her ears. Belin pushed herself up.

What am I doing right now?

She is the lord of this place.

She bit her lip.

Hyunsoo might be in a desperate crisis right now.

She knew she wouldn’t help.

But if.

‘If I can buy even a moment of time.......’

Wouldn’t it be a noble death?

Belin was fine with dying.

If it was for this territory.......

That was why she slowly opened the door.

CREEEEAK—

She looked through the opened gap.

Ronso stepping backward, and Hyunsoo glaring at him through hair black with blood.

Weapons, one in each hand.

When he brought the two weapons together in the middle, something astonishing happened.

[Combining artifacts.]

[The appearance of a Legend above Legend!]

KUGRRRRR—

Enormous holy power whipped out from him.

[A legend of the Master Blacksmith is written.]