Genius Blacksmith's Game

[The final story begins.]

It was a notification Hyunsoo heard along with Graut’s appearance.

But Hyunsoo didn’t have time to check the quest’s details.

[Blood Demon Graut Lv.501]

Graut, who descended in his true body, was absurdly strong.

[Arte is dying.]

Arte was a sage, not the kind like a swordsman or a knight.

That body could be said to be worse than even ordinary mages.

Kicking off the ground, he recalled the notification he’d heard just now.

Skill Fate.

He still didn’t know what kind of power it had.

‘I thought we could escape.’

Because the Turtle Ship’s speed had been strange to an eerie degree.

It was a hard fight. At the end of this fight, Hyunsoo gained inspiration through Skill Fate.

Arte granted Hyunsoo three temporary skill creations.

‘With these three skills, I can make skills of the same thing.’

A gift Arte gave him.

[Skill creation begins.]

Hyunsoo collided with Graut at once.

*****

[Status ailment Loss is activated.]

[Status ailment Fear is activated.]

Loss and fear.

ZZZT-ZZZT-

Hyunsoo’s body trembled intermittently. But soon Hyunsoo calmed down.

[You resisted.]

“Oh?”

Graut was surprised.

Along with his appearance, the killing intent he emitted was strong enough to choke the breath of most humans and kill them in an instant.

And the reason Hyunsoo could resist those status ailments—was it because of that will that doesn’t break?

Of course, that was part of it.

But added onto that will that doesn’t break was the 50% increase in status ailment resistance from the Crown Forged by a God he’d recently obtained.

Even though Hyunsoo’s level was 320, status ailment resistance was a power extremely difficult to raise.

“I like that will of yours that doesn’t break.”

Graut was relaxed. The difference in strength, the difference in class, the difference in level, the difference in experience.......

It was all the leisure of the superior.

Hyunsoo kicked off the ground.

Behind the advancing Hyunsoo, Reverse activated.

At the same time, the subtlety of Rampaging Sword dwelled within him.

Just like before.

The Hyunsoo who had been weak borrowed the power of the Supreme Blade and transcended himself, if only for a moment.

[By a 40% probability, the sword’s basic attack power increases by 221%.]

[It lasts for 15 seconds.]

Even if it was a 221% increase, this sword could deliver a clear shock to Graut, if only briefly.

“Ghost Steps.”

A ghost walks, stepping on fear.

SWISHHH-!

Hyunsoo disappeared.

1st.

KABOOOM-!

“......!?”

2nd.

CRACK-!

3rd.

4th.

5th.

Hyunsoo, whipping in from every direction to batter Graut, was astonishing.

Graut defended and counterattacked everything of Ghost Steps, which moved by carving up 1.4 seconds.

SLASH-!

[HP falls below 86%.]

With a single impact, he inflicted a loss of 14%. Even though he’d attacked lightly, at that.

Even so, Hyunsoo walked.

SLASHSLASHSLASH-!

6th, 7th.

9th.

10th.

11th, 12th.

FWEET-

SPAT

The number of successful attacks Hyunsoo landed was only two.

At the same time, Graut’s long finger aimed at Hyunsoo’s chest.

KABOOOM-!

A massive blood explosion erupted, dealing a huge shock to Hyunsoo.

[Blood Explosion Chain]

The blood bursting up from Hyunsoo’s body became small droplets.

Those that scattered around struck Hyunsoo once again.

KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KABOOM-!

[HP falls below 74%.]

[HP falls below 61%.]

[HP falls below 54%.]

[HP falls below 46%.]

[You are afflicted with the status ailment Bleeding.]

“GACK!”

A proper attack dealt enormous damage.

One side of Hyunsoo’s vision blurred.

A powerhouse who transcended him beyond reach.

Graut became interested in the human called Hyunsoo.

An excellent blacksmith, and he possessed strong power.

And the mentality that didn’t crumble made him want to trample it as a demon.

Graut had already shown it once.

“Do it a hundred times and you die. Arte will die soon too.”

Arte’s HP was dropping little by little.

“Just do this, then. Why should we care about someone like Arte?”

Graut loved mockery. Especially if it was someone like Hyunsoo with a hardy mentality, all the more.

And if demons were cruel, humans were greedy.

“Look away, and come with me.”

Graut was a low-grade demon who couldn’t even make it into the hierarchy of the 72 demons.

But if Hyunsoo made artifacts for him, that might change.

He might even enter the 72 thrones, his lifelong wish.

“If you want, I’ll give you money too. Live in my castle, sometimes fight for me, and make for me.”

Graut’s true reason for descending was revealed.

It was true he also had resentment and rage over being attacked, but he saw the possibility of seizing a higher position through him.

“Now, bark. Like a dog that guards the house and wags its tail only for me while making artifacts! I’ll feed my son of a bitch and give generous treats too! Now, bark. Woof-woof, like a dog! Now, bark. Woof-woof, like a dog!”

Graut thought it was an offer that couldn’t be refused.

When humans met a higher transcendent species than themselves, they feared and lowered their heads.

It was the same principle as bowing before a king.

In fact, Hyunsoo’s lips were opening.

“Meow.”

“......?”

Graut’s face twisted grotesquely.

“You dareeeee......!”

Hyunsoo hadn’t simply made a wordplay.

CLICK-

The world’s switch flipped ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) down, and darkness settled.

[It is a moment of crisis.]

[Even if it breaks]

[The Four Tigers Sword’s effect becomes 7% better.]

Just like always, the notification he’d heard was unwavering.

The Reverse he’d unfolded as he rushed him had been nurtured secretly, making an artifact.

SNATCH-

He gripped a sword.

With that sword, twenty-eight clusters of stars poured down.

The Four Tigers Sword. And.......

“Tiger Aura.”

ROOOAAAR-!

The roar that had killed the Fifth Calamity poured into the enemy recognized as evil.

Hyunsoo knew.

“The reason you don’t descend into the present world.”

Weakened? No— even weakened, they were absurdly strong.

So why didn’t they descend?

“Because you’re far too vulnerable to holy power.”

[Tiger Aura]

[The power of enormous holy power weakens you.]

[Weakened.]

[Blood Demon Graut Lv.487]

[Blood Demon Graut Lv.475]

[Blood Demon Graut Lv.451]

[Blood Demon Graut Lv.430]

[Falls into a stun state for 3 seconds.]

He knew. That even weakened, Graut was still a powerhouse he couldn’t covet.

But he kicked off the ground.

DASH-!

The crafted swords had been two in total.

Sss—

The Four Tigers Sword vanished, and he snatched the falling sword.

At that moment.

[Reverse’s special function is activated by a 1% probability.]

[You can swing two swords simultaneously.]

Once again, he heard it.

[You overcame a moment of crisis.]

[A sentence begins.]

The first title’s effect helped him overcome the current situation, and each word gave him tough power.

[Even if it breaks]

[Skill attack power increases by 10%.]

[Without retreating]

[Sword basic attack power increases by 10%.]

[By all means]

[Critical hit damage is applied at 2x.]

As he dashed, tremendous power surged up through his body.

The Sentence-Type Title knew that in this moment, one way to overcome the crisis was the maximization of Hyunsoo’s power.

Hyunsoo couldn’t win.

Against the demon Graut in the 500-level range.

But if he was weakened by the Four Tigers Sword’s subtlety, he could inflict immense damage.

[Blood Demon Graut Lv.430]

Graut sneered.

“You think a stun like that, inflicted by the likes of you, means anything to me?”

But.......

Graut felt something strange.

The stun state didn’t end.

[I win]

[Temporarily neutralizes the enemy’s status ailment resistance.]

Power that activated according to will lent Hyunsoo strength.

SKREEEEEEEK-

A massive dragon struck Graut.

Graut endured the shock.

And then it followed immediately.

The subtlety of Hyunsoo’s Supreme Blade.

[Eightfold Slash]

One attack cut eight times, and by the first sentence title, critical hit damage was raised to 2x.

One slash became eight slashes.

SLASH-

[A critical hit triggers.]

[2x damage is applied.]

[You dealt 17,313 damage.]

[You dealt 10,135 damage.]

[A critical hit triggers.]

[You dealt 13,417 damage.]

[Damage......]

[Damage......]

He slashed like mad. There was no time to stop.

For 3 seconds, he clenched his teeth.

[Eightfold Slash]

[Eightfold Slash]

SLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASH-!

SPAT, SPATSPATSPAT, KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA, CRACK-!

“RAAAARGH!”

He didn’t want Arte to die. And he held one greed.

When he encountered Graut, there had been this notification too.

[They are one of the most powerful named NPCs.]

[The one who hunts Graut can ring out a world message.]

Even now, the world doubted Hyun, dragged all sorts of things in, and tore him down.

He wanted to make them hear it.

With a message that would ring out across the entire world.

And through it, he wanted to rise up.

As the owner of the Republic of Korea’s best forge.

SLASHSLASHSLASHSLASH-!

He immersed himself, watching green blood burst up in every direction.

And when the 3 seconds passed, he tried to come to his senses and exult at last.

“.......”

[Graut’s HP falls below 70%.]

Hyunsoo snapped awake.

Graut, with dry eyes, was staring at him with slit pupils like a snake.

Even after going all out, Hyunsoo had only shaved off 30% HP.

“That’s not how you swing a sword.”

A sword made of blood was formed in Graut’s hand.

The moment he swung up.

RRAAATATATATATAT-

[Blood Wind]

RRAAATATATATATAT-!

[You possess Asnium.]

[HP falls below 10%.]

[HP recovers to 15%.]

Hyunsoo’s body was torn to shreds.

[Status ailment Severe Injury is activated.]

[It is not easy to move your body.]

Staggering, Hyunsoo struggled desperately to stand.

“......Shall I tear Arte’s limbs to pieces and break that tough will of yours?”

It was torture, Graut’s way.

“Still the same, that look in your eyes.”

No matter how much he tried to knock him down, Hyunsoo didn’t collapse.

Graut grabbed Arte by the collar and dragged him up.

At that moment.

“You’re the one who lost.”

[Temporary skill creation is completed.]

One move Hyunsoo had prepared was writhing.

*****

Special User Management Team.

Jihee and Taeseok talked.

“Isn’t story rate twice as hard to obtain as rewards in normal percentages?”

“That’s right. When you get 2% from a normal percentage quest, you can get 1% story rate.”

Obtaining story rate itself was far more difficult.

Instead, the rewards were maximized that much.

“It won’t be easy.”

“It can’t be helped.......”

Lee Sejin watched from behind them.

On the monitor, Hyunsoo with the first sentence activated could be seen.

The two of them talked again.

“If he kills Graut, how much story rate will he get?”

“I don’t know. More than that, I’m curious what he’ll get.”

“Can he clear it......?”

“.......”

Taeseok didn’t answer.

Neither did Sejin behind him.

‘As expected.......’

And when Asnium Hyunsoo had displayed its power, Sejin checked his wristwatch.

A secretary came in.

“Sir, you have to go.”

Lee Sejin had a business trip to the United States.

Watching Graut walking toward Arte, he turned his body.

He hurried into the car.

The car slid as it headed for the airport.

With his eyes closed, Sejin knew.

The reward Taeseok and Jihee were curious about.

‘Arte has nowhere to go.’

Where would someone who came down to the surface after 300 years even go?

That was exactly the core of the reward.

Sejin gave a bitter smile. Of course, that was if Graut was killed.

‘What was the temporary skill creation?’

Because he had joined the Special User Management Team partway through, he hadn’t seen its contents.

‘It’s impossible for a single Unique skill to change the course. Even a new Legend-grade skill called Fate is excellent, but it’s impossible.’

That was Sejin’s judgment.

He did have one expectation.

Because User Hyunsoo was always someone who shattered predictions.

But today was a bit different.

‘Isn’t the enemy too absurd?’

As he rode on, Sejin, who had been looking out the window, opened his eyes wide.

“Stop for a moment.”

As if bewitched by something, Sejin got out of the car.

He held a massive electronic billboard in his eyes.

An anchor read breaking news, and content was scrolling beneath.

[Breaking News. Blacksmith Hyun. A second world message rings out.]

Soon the world message content appeared.

[He is the first user to hunt a demon.]

[His name is Blacksmith Hyun.]

Sejin was stunned.

RIIING-

A call came in.

It was Taeseok.

First, he asked this.

“What story rate did he reach?”

And at the sound coming from beyond the receiver, Sejin couldn’t keep from being shocked.

It was to the point that goosebumps rose on Sejin’s back.

And he asked another important thing.

“What kind of skill did he create?”