Genius Blacksmith's Game

Hammering with his right hand for the first time in four years.

Hyunsoo had thought it would feel awkward.

But it felt as familiar as if he had been gripping the hammer every day.

Hyunsoo could tell why.

‘So they really do say Ares is used a lot for treatment purposes too.’

Hyunsoo was a special case who did not receive even the slightest correction from the system inside Ares.

Because of that, all the crafting he had done in Ares had kept his skills from rusting.

‘No, they’ve actually improved.’

Hyunsoo was finally taking control of the forge.

The Seven-Branched Sword required a total of seven blades to be made.

One central blade forming the core, and six blades branching out from it.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

A clear, cheerful hammering rang out.

With the hand gripping the tongs, Hyunsoo kept changing positions without rest.

For a moment, the entire place fell silent.

Dr. Jinseop and Ji-hye silently watched him.

Jinseop wore a wry smile.

As a doctor, he had seen the operations of countless truly great surgeons.

At times bold, at times daring, at times more careful and precise than anyone.

And on top of that, they were filled with confidence.

‘So this is the real Hyunsoo.......’

It was the side of him he had only ever heard about in words.

And Nurse Ji-hye, who had secretly harbored a crush on Hyunsoo.

Watching him, immersed in his work in nothing but a black short-sleeved T-shirt, a blush spread across her cheeks.

‘I–is that really the same Hyunsoo I know?’

He was the one who made a face like he was hearing a death sentence every time hospital bills were mentioned.

The one whose shoulders drooped and whose expression looked like his whole world was collapsing every time he came to the hospital was, inside the forge, a completely different person.

He was more overflowing with confidence than anyone, his expression plainly saying, “In this field, I’m the best.”

On top of that—

The two-person camera crew that had come at Ian’s request.

They had once worked at the same broadcasting station as Ian, and when they saw this Hyunsoo collapse, they had said this.

“Hey, Hobum, you said you’d never work in broadcasting again for the rest of your life. So why are you agreeing to edit for someone like him?”

At first, they had wondered if it was out of pity.

But now, it was different.

They were watching Hyunsoo as he was captured on camera.

Only the figure of Hyunsoo inside the forge.

ZZZZZT—

The camera crew felt goosebumps run up their backs.

‘At that age......?’

‘He’s practically national-treasure level.’

His tall frame, his handsome face, the way he was completely absorbed as sweat beaded and ran down—his figure shook even the hearts of the male camera crew.

‘This is a jackpot.......’

Call it an occupational hazard.

Whatever they saw, they couldn’t help tying it to viewer ratings.

On top of that, they also knew about Blacksmith Hyun, and they had heard from Hobum when this video would be released.

‘This is a candidate for video of the year.’

‘Just how far is Hyun going to climb off this footage?’

The two of them were filled with anticipation.

And the work continued on, spanning day and night.

People took turns either sleeping in the car or going to a temporary lodging.

Just then, one of the people who had gone back to the lodging returned.

It was Director Park.

Standing next to Jinsu, Director Park took Hyunsoo in with his eyes.

‘How many hours has it been?’

The thought he had had when he first saw him.

What could that young brat possibly do?

But that thought was changing.

He was a man who had reigned as the foremost historian in the country.

He had also been a history professor at Korea University, the top university in the country.

And he had worked as the top appraiser as well.

Soon, the blade neared completion.

The single central blade that rose up, and beside it, the splendid six branches that had taken their places.

‘It’s real.......’

Director Park was impressed.

After countless rounds of quenching and hammering, Hyunsoo moved on to the work of preparing to inscribe characters onto the Seven-Branched Sword.

‘The gold inlay technique.......’

The Seven-Branched Sword had its characters engraved in gold.

To engrave these gold letters, he first carved out the characters with an engraving knife.

After that, he had to fit gold wire into those grooves, a process that required incredibly high-level technique and also carried a joyful meaning.

‘Proof of the Korean Peninsula.’

Long ago, it was a technique that announced that Baekje was the first to realize the gold inlay technique on the Korean Peninsula.

Before he knew it, the gold wire began to be set into the letters, and after several hours passed, Hyunsoo spoke.

“It’s finished.”

At that, the camera crew hurried over and filmed the completed Seven-Branched Sword in close-up.

‘Beautiful.......’

It was such an outstanding piece that even ordinary people who knew nothing about forge work could recognize it at a glance.

And Director Park, who had been watching him from a step away, also walked over.

Everyone’s gaze turned to him.

At some point, he had put on a pair of pure white cotton gloves and was staring intently at the Seven-Branched Sword.

Hyunsoo was nervous.

He, too, knew that Director Park was the country’s top appraiser.

Soon, Director Park, who had been looking at it, spoke.

“It’s a perfect reproduction. No other words come to mind.”

Only then did Hyunsoo relax.

Hyunsoo received the Seven-Branched Sword back, and Hobum spoke.

“Now it’s time to do Blacksmith Hyun’s interview.”

The interview began shortly after.

*****

As Hobum recorded Hyunsoo’s interview, his chest swelled with emotion.

The first video production he was doing for Hyunsoo not only satisfied him, it left him in awe.

‘I mean, seriously, who would’ve thought he’d really reproduce the Seven-Branched Sword?’

How far did Hyunsoo’s potential reach?

He suddenly felt truly fortunate that he had ended up working with this man.

‘Of course, there is something I’m a bit disappointed about.’

Even so, Hobum smacked his lips.

Now that the greatest possible piece had come out, what was needed was to boost it.

Of course, Hyunsoo had also decided they would record an interview with a National Museum staff member.

And that was on one condition.

If the staff member was satisfied, they would agree to the interview.

“Ahem.”

And seeing the staff member clear his throat, Hobum felt the condition had been more than fulfilled.

However, the problem lay here.

‘The public will just think it’s some civil servant giving an interview.’

When we watch TV, do we think that deeply when a National Museum staff member appears for an interview?

No. We just think it must be one of the staff.

We figure they’re just there to tell us how amazing that piece is.

That was why it felt like a shame.

‘If the interview were with someone more impactful.......’

Just then, the camera crew spoke.

“We’re all set. Let’s record the staff interview and wrap.”

Soon, Jinsu came into view, adjusting his tie.

And then, an entirely unexpected person stepped forward.

“I’ll do that interview.”

“......?”

Hobum’s face froze in surprise.

The one who had stepped forward was none other than Director Park.

Hobum knew who Director Park was.

‘That man’s fairly well known even internationally.’

Of course, no matter how famous an appraiser is, ordinary people usually don’t know who they are.

But what if it was someone who had appeared on a program called “Original and Fake!”?

Back when he was a professor, Director Park had appeared on that program and become quite familiar to the general public.

“D–Director, you will?”

Jinsu was flustered.

Hyunsoo also found it puzzling.

Director Park checked that the cameras were not yet rolling, then looked at Hyunsoo.

Four years ago.

‘What do you mean the state can’t support him! What are you saying? Kang Hyuntae is one of the few blacksmiths left in the world! If the state doesn’t protect him, who will?’

No one knew it, but the one who had run to the assemblyman’s office and fought the hardest for Hyuntae’s hospital expenses was Director Park.

And it was also true that he himself had once dismissed Hyunsoo, wrapped up in prejudice that he was just some kid.

There was a clear reason he had majored in history and become National Museum Director.

Because he loved history.

“For someone who has reproduced Baekje’s Seven-Branched Sword this perfectly, this much of a gift is nothing.”

Director Park let out a small smile.

Soon, the interview began.

“This Baekje Seven-Branched Sword is......”

Watching the interview begin, Hobum was amazed.

‘As expected, someone who’s lived in front of cameras is different!’

He knew exactly how to lift something up.

“As you can see, this Seven-Branched Sword was crafted by hand, following the techniques of the past. It is such an excellent piece that it would not be an exaggeration to call it a true reproduction of the original Seven-Branched Sword.”

They had deliberately had the camera crew feed him questions.

“I see. Then what do you think of the craftsman who made it, Director?”

At that, Director Park showed a faint smile.

“I believe he is the one and only master artisan in our country, and indeed in the world. As someone who has appraised not just hundreds, but far more works......”

Hobum was in awe.

‘Jackpot, this is absolute jackpot!’

Hyunsoo had crafted a Legend-above-Legend and produced a masterpiece.

And Hobum was certain this video would be his own masterpiece.

Hyunsoo’s personal story.

The trauma he had gone through during the crafting process.

The way he overcame it.

The perfectly reproduced Seven-Branched Sword.

And finally, Director Park’s words of unwavering conviction at the end.

GULP—

‘How high will the views go on this? Twenty million? Thirty million?’

Since it would be seen not just in Korea but by people around the world, Hobum figured it would reach at least that much.

But that prediction was completely off.

At the time, he didn’t know.

That the video would go on to record several times more views than he had predicted.

*****

Filming was finished.

The National Museum had to report to its superiors and assign a value.

“The price will be appraised soon and transferred.”

At that, Hyunsoo gave a small smile.

“I’ll be donating the Seven-Branched Sword. And as promised, would you display it after my video goes up?”

He was donating this precious Seven-Branched Sword for free?

From the National Museum’s standpoint, it was an extremely welcome development.

And judging from what Hyunsoo said, they would be able to put it on display within a few months, so it was something they could readily agree to.

Soon, everyone was heading back, and Hobum asked.

“Still, the amount is going to be pretty big. Donating it just like that... you’re really generous.”

Hyunsoo gave a bitter smile.

And Hobum thought that if the Seven-Branched Sword had been made in Ares, it would have been worth even more than it was in reality.

It was truly ironic.

That something could be worth more in a virtual world.

But then Hyunsoo spoke, with a subtle expression.

“It will probably come back far more valuable.”

It was something Hobum could not understand.

After finishing the shoot, Hyunsoo returned to Seoul to visit his father.

Hyunsoo came to the hospital every week and told his father about everything that had happened.

Dr. Jinseop had said that even if Hyuntae was in a vegetative state, he could hear it all.

Of course, that might just be something he said as a comfort.

“......I think we might be able to get more people interested in our line of work, in the dream we talked about. Of course, it’s thanks to the virtual reality Ares too. The Seven-Branched Sword we donated this time will be the starting point.”

Hyunsoo gave a small smile.

*****

A few months later.

The National Museum.

Recently, the National Museum had been so crowded there was hardly room to set foot.

After that fervor died down a little, the children of Brightness Kindergarten came on a field trip.

The children who had come on the trip imagining an amusement park or a zoo were disappointed when they heard it was a museum.

Six-year-old Suhyun was the same.

Dressed in a honeybee-yellow outfit, Suhyun just wanted to hurry up and watch cartoons on a smartphone.

Just then, the guide teacher spoke.

“This reproduction here is the Baekje Seven-Branched Sword that’s been the talk of the town. During the Three Kingdoms period, Baekje’s King Geunchogo......”

After the boring explanation, at the phrase that it had been in the news lately, Suhyun slowly lifted their head.

And then Suhyun could not help but be ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ shocked.

Because there lay a mysterious sword, its beautiful form calling to mind the branches of a tree.

“Woooow.......”

“Awesome.”

“That sword looks really weird—in a good way.”

“This Seven-Branched Sword was crafted and donated by Master Artisan Kang Hyunsoo, and recently in Ares......”

Suhyun just stared at the sword, as if under a spell.

It was something they had only ever heard about, something they had only ever seen in books.

And most of those were rusted and old.

But this one was different.

It was so cool that Suhyun had their gaze stolen away and spoke.

“Teacher, if I learn, could I make a sword like that too?”

Hyunsoo alone could not change the entire world.

But the lives of a few people were definitely changing.