Genius Blacksmith's Game

[You changed the damage display function from OFF to ON.]

God’s Custom Crafting.

It was a special power that could custom-make something for only one person.

For the first time, that target was Hyunsoo.

‘Even if it’s Highest-grade Orichalcum I obtained today.’

Hyunsoo had thought about it for a long time.

When I make a sword just for me, what kind of functions would be most efficient for me right now?

A power that can do wide-area attacks with 600% additional damage?

Or a power that detonates one powerful blow on a single target?

‘Both are wrong.’

This was the answer a genius blacksmith had derived after thinking for a long time.

Supreme Blade strengthened by 401%.

The basic attack power of that sword exceeded 600, and the average sword attack power of swords worn by Level-300-range users was in the 300s.

On top of that, the peak of the most powerful old man on the continent.

Looking at the Savage Labyrinth King, he smiled with confidence.

“Ghost Steps.”

At last, Hyunsoo, holding a sword strengthened by 401%, folded space as he walked.

First, he struck the bastard in front of him with all his strength.

KRAAANG-!

“KHUAAARGH!”

[You dealt 17,933 damage.]

Hyunsoo had also watched many videos of Ares high-ranker users.

With the damage display turned on, the power of their one basic attack was only around ten thousand.

Hyunsoo’s current damage was surpassing that by a distant margin.

Soon, he attacked consecutively in exactly two places.

KWAZAAAK-!

[You dealt 16,356 damage.]

[You dealt 17,316 damage.]

The Savage Labyrinth King.

The pain was so intense—something he had never felt in his life—that his eyes nearly rolled back.

The bastard’s HP fell below 80%.

And one more skill added to Hyunsoo’s calculations.

[Subtleties of Swordsmanship]

[When using a wide-area attack skill or delivering consecutive attacks, you ignore the restriction that prevents critical hits from triggering.]

Ghost Steps was a skill that attacked enemies an explosive number of times in a fleeting instant.

Instead, during that time, critical-hit damage originally did not trigger.

But that one small skill embedded into Supreme Blade broke that rule.

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 23,413 damage.]

In one hit, the bastard’s HP dropped by 8%.

Considering that a boss monster’s total HP was several times higher than that of a same-level normal monster, it was enormous.

One more time.

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 24,546 damage.]

And one more time.

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 24,313 damage.]

“KHUAAARGH!”

The Savage Labyrinth King’s head went blank. The thought of “they’re just pests that annoy me” changed.

Fear that rose with each connected blow.

Terror.

Yet inside that terror—

Attacks raged in from every direction.

7th, 8th.

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 25,413 damage.]

[You dealt 17,313 damage.]

9th, 10th.

CRACK

CRUNCH-!

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 23,413 dam—]

11th, 12th.

[You dealt 17,413 dam—]

[A critical hit trig—]

[You dealt 22,031 damage.]

KWAANG-!

Ghost Steps lasted for 1.4 seconds.

The Savage Labyrinth King’s body was trembling, the 3-second stun from Pulling not even finished yet.

The bastard’s HP had fallen to below 32% from this single activation of the skill.

But the Savage Labyrinth King, savage and terrified, realized he had endured it—and he was happy.

Because now he could rip the bastard to death.

“KHUAAARGH!”

[King’s Roar]

[HP recovers by 20%.]

[For 1 minute, all speeds of the Savage Labyrinth King increase by 1.5x.]

Moving like a flash, the bastard arrived right in front of Hyunsoo in an instant.

[Wolf Claw]

He slammed both hands down on Hyunsoo’s chest without mercy.

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

Hyunsoo’s armor split and blood sprayed up.

The Savage Labyrinth King wanted to return the pain he had suffered.

Yes, just like he had done a moment ago, the bastard’s HP was falling rapidly.

“Kgh!”

A bright light gathered from the bastard as he retreated.

[You possess Asnium.]

The Savage Labyrinth King’s savage eyes flashed as he charged at the bastard, now completely torn to pieces.

He slammed down on the bastard’s chest again with all his strength.

“......Kuhhk!”

As the bastard staggered back, he put both arms up onto his shoulders and controlled his movement.

KRAAACK-!

[Wolf’s Mouth]

[Instantly tears off the limbs.]

That mouth, drooling in thick drips, tried to chew and swallow Hyunsoo’s head.

“......Kekekekekek!”

The Savage Labyrinth King laughed.

Because mysterious power used by humans had time limits, and he knew the bastard could no longer use the power from a moment ago.

After mocking him to the fullest, he would put the bastard’s skull into his mouth and chew it to pieces.

He would inflict even greater pain on the bastard’s companions.

And in this hopeless situation......

[......can be used.]

Another power Hyunsoo had embedded while forging Supreme Blade stirred.

*****

Executive Office.

CEO Lee Sejin sat in front of a monitor and watched the Savage Labyrinth with Hidden Piece activated.

For three years, Korean users had stayed outside the top 10 every single time.

Of course, he shouldn’t have biased thoughts, but Lee Sejin was still, in the end, someone from this country.

So he was curious about the result, and there was another reason too.

“......In the end, the American users couldn’t cross the ten-minute wall.”

And this was a wall that no one had crossed in three years.

As Lee Sejin planned and created the game Ares, he had thought this.

‘Balance is the most important.’

But 0.1%.

For those who created it, there were times when you must not apply that “balance.”

That was why Supreme Blade ended up ignoring the restriction.

Of course, it was a decision made under the judgment of the supercomputer Ares.

But even if it had been Lee Sejin, he would have made the same decision.

To those who accomplished something that great, you give rewards worthy of it.

‘The publicly known first-place reward for the Savage Labyrinth is 400 million won.’

But there was a real reward that no one knew.

That was the Blessing of the Labyrinth.

A blessing was a special power that named NPCs, or commanders, or lords—or even kings beyond those—countless special beings could bestow.

Hyunsoo had received it a few times up to now.

But the Blessing of the Labyrinth was on a different level than them.

‘Far superior, far more tremendous.’

And watching the monitor, Lee Sejin genuinely admired it.

“Users Hanul, Taehun, and Hyeji are diamonds.”

Even if hidden inside hard stone, their true value hadn’t disappeared.

Just from Hyunsoo putting a fairly outstanding artifact into their hands, they were already far beyond common sense.

And.

[Users Hanul, Hyeji, and Taehun surpass the limit of this level range.]

[27% remains until the target value.]

The reason Lee Sejin admired it purely.

‘Finally, the time has come for the diamond to reveal itself from inside the stone.’

Lee Sejin knew it would come eventually.

Even if users mocked them day after day, calling them the cursed trio. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

“Actually, they must have known too.”

That in the future they would show tremendous power.

And that “target value” applied because they were surpassing that limit and showing monsters impossible power.

Also, because the three of them were always together, teamwork synergy occurred and applied to all three at the same time.

Of course, the one who opened that door was Hyunsoo.

But if ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ they couldn’t surpass that target value, that target value would return to 0 and they would have to aim for it again later.

And then Lee Sejin suddenly sprang up from his seat.

“Every skill has a reason?”

Seeing the skill Rampaging Sword, Lee Sejin had thought it was a limitation due to “emergency crafting.”

Because it was made in a short time by emergency crafting, he assumed it had failed to create a more excellent and correct skill.

But then he was astonished as he saw Hyunsoo unleash Ghost Steps with a sword holding 401% damage.

But that was the end.

‘What’s needed to cross the ten-minute wall.......’

That was decided by killing the Savage Labyrinth King the fastest.

Even the American users had been robbed of the most time by the Savage Labyrinth King.

But the Savage Labyrinth King’s HP ultimately recovered back to 50%.

“Even if he uses Cry of the Sword, it’s the same.”

Even if he used Cry of the Sword, he couldn’t output a breakneck power like Ghost Steps.

And then, seeing the Savage Labyrinth King baring its teeth to tear Hyunsoo apart, Lee Sejin felt regret.

‘In the end, everything returns to 0.......’

Their clear speed right now was overwhelmingly surpassing the American users.

But the moment user Hyunsoo died, everything would collapse, and it would be the same as returning to a value of 0.

Lee Sejin wore a regretful expression.

But it was strange.

The gaze of user Hyunsoo on the monitor was still solid, still shining sharp.

Then Lee Sejin heard a notification he couldn’t believe.

[The skill Once More activates for user Hyunsoo.]

Lee Sejin admired it purely.

‘His plan for Supreme Blade was perfect.’

It was enough to give him chills.

And with his fist clenched, Lee Sejin stared at the monitor.

*****

Hyunsoo’s Supreme Blade, as mentioned, was a single crafted product planned for a long time.

[You possess Asnium.]

[HP falls below 10%.]

[HP recovers to 15%.]

KRAAACK-!

Facing the Savage Labyrinth King with its mouth stretched wide, Hyunsoo turned his head back.

Hanul, Hyeji, and Taehun were surrounded by Lycans and dying, yet they screamed for him.

“H-Hyunsoo......!”

“Are you okay!?”

“Damn it!”

Everything Hyunsoo had said to them was sincere.

‘I want to show it.’

That I too have worked as hard as they did, who were loved by everyone, and that I have the skill to match.

And I want to win.

If he killed the bastard, Hyun’s Forge would be proven globally once again, and Hyunsoo could leap once more.

‘Activate...... activate.......’

At last, Hyunsoo’s final hidden card surfaced.

[Once More]

[When HP falls below 10%, activates with 40% probability.]

[Resets the cooldown of the most recently used skill.]

[Even if it breaks]

[In a moment of desperate crisis, you have found a breakthrough.]

[Sword attack power of Rampaging Sword increases by an additional 10%.]

He walked again.

Ghost Steps.

“UUUOOOAAAAAA!”

SHKRRK-!

He glared at the Savage Labyrinth King with startled eyes.

Even though, like Hyeji who shot arrows at the ten-point mark on a TV screen—

Like Taehun who knocked opponents down with a single kick—

Like Hanul who beat opponents with his sword again and again—

He couldn’t show this 모습 to the world right now.

But.

[Recording.]

A story that would go out to the world someday.

[You dealt 16,356 damage.]

[You dealt 17,316 damage.]

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 23,413 damage]

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 24,546 damage]

[A critical hit trig—]

[You dealt 24,313 damage]

[You dealt 16,356 dam—]

[A critical hit trig—]

[You dealt 24,313 dam—]

[You dealt 25,518 dam—]

The story of a blacksmith who wanted to live.

THUNK-!

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 25,140 damage]

Many people would see it.

[You have hunted the Savage Labyrinth King.]

His story—only a single paragraph, yet enough to shock everyone.

*****

A five-star hotel suite in Washington, United States.

Will, the user most spotlighted in Black Skull, drank whiskey down and said.

“That kind of thing won’t happen. You know it.”

A teammate who had cleared the dungeon with him agreed.

“Yeah. Breaking our record is impossible—especially with Korea of all places. But you know what, Will?”

“What.”

“If by some freak chance Korea catches up to us, it means we’ll have put wings on them.”

“Puhahaha.”

The one who said it and Will both ended up laughing.

Then his teammate asked.

“Why did you react like that? The higher-ups could make an issue out of it.”

Will curled a sneer.

“Because it’s annoying that users from some tiny country would get mentioned out of my mouth.”

It was the height of arrogance.

And Will held white supremacist beliefs.

“How dare they even bring up Korea.”

Will said that and snickered.

Then.

The anchor’s voice flowed from the TV.

[Breaking news. The Savage Labyrinth Time Attack rankings have been newly updated, and Korea has taken 1st......]

“......?”

Will’s face went rigid, the game broadcast channel already on like a famous user would.

Then.

DIIIRIRIRING-

Will felt an ominous sensation.

It was Neville, Black Skull’s Guild Master.

-Will, see for yourself what you’ve done. You’re permanently expelled from our Black Skull Guild, and you’ll have to answer for the trouble you caused.

-That advertisement you shot, the contracts, all of it. You’ll have to prepare the penalty fees for breach of contract.

Will’s thoughts stopped.

After the call ended, Will hurried toward the TV.

‘H-How many minutes is the record, to be like this......?’

Soon, the rankings for this Savage Labyrinth Time Attack Dungeon appeared on the TV.

“Insane......!”

His face twisted.

On the TV, an unbelievable record was written.