Genius Blacksmith's Game

(Supreme Saber +4)

Grade: Legend Beyond Legends

Durability: Infinite

Attack Power: 678

Restriction: No restriction for the creator, Level 400+ Swordsman.

Special Abilities:

·All stats increase by 2.5%.

·Critical hit probability increases by 80%.

·Cutting power increases by 60%.

·Sword Mastery increases by 7 levels.

·Passive Skill Ninefold Slash.

·Passive Skill Subtle Principles of Swordsmanship.

·Passive Skill Once More.

·Active Skill Pull.

·Active Skill Raging Sword.

·With effect visuals, you can make the sword disappear or appear.

Description: A special masterpiece made only for Hyun. No sword will be superior to this sword.

“KOFF!”

Hyunsoo was aghast.

He understood why that notification had sounded—

The Supreme Saber had reached +4 enhancement.

From the start, in Ares, there is no mineral that can enhance a single artifact to +4.

In other words, that was why a notification Hyunsoo had never heard before rang out.

“Enhancement stones are supposed to be a supporting concept, but this goes past that level, doesn’t it?”

Enhancement stones are the domain of high-level users.

They use them to become even a little stronger once they’ve hit the limits of level and artifact power.

Some people burn hundreds of millions, even billions of won, just to get a few more enhancement levels—just to get a little stronger.

Because that little bit of strength decides wins and losses against the powerful, and changes the rankings.

But this Blackened Stone even gave benefits beyond ordinary enhancement stones.

Sword attack power increased by 50+.

All stats increased by 0.5%.

Critical hit probability increased by 10%.

Cutting power increased by 10%.

Sword Mastery increased by 1 level.

The passive skill Eightfold Slash was upgraded to Ninefold Slash.

Even if he had burned through seven Blackened Stones, wasn’t it enough if one hit a jackpot like this?

Suddenly, something flashed through him.

‘I remember.......’

Hyunsoo stared at the Supreme Saber.

This Supreme Saber is the strongest sword—for Hyunsoo personally, and one every user in the world would covet.

And Hyunsoo had been trapped by a fixed idea about the new grade of artifact he needed to craft through the Story Stone.

‘A sword that’s the strongest and best in the world.’

That was why he couldn’t decide, wandering around searching for something out of legend that surpassed the Supreme Saber.

‘It’s not about making a sword as strong as the Supreme Saber. It’s about making a sword that contains power on the level of the Supreme Saber.’

With the Supreme Saber alone already in his hand, Hyunsoo was strong enough.

Containing Supreme Saber-level power doesn’t mean it’s just that strong.

“A sword with that kind of influence.”

Something flashed through him again.

The prisoner camp.

Fifty assassins who had surged in—and the ring-pommel saber that let him defeat them.

‘Admiral Yi Sun-sin had multiple swords.’

Hyunsoo took the Story Stone out from inside his clothes.

‘He mainly used a ring-pommel saber, and I already made that ring-pommel saber once while facing the Red Dragon Unit.’

A legend that saved a nation.

Was there any legend better than that?

And beyond that, there were two swords that were more widely known than the blade he made back then while facing the Red Dragon Unit.

The name of those swords.

“Twin Dragon Sword.”

A sword that is legend itself.

In this Ares, and in reality as well.

‘The Twin Dragon Sword disappeared a long time ago.’

That was why it became even more legendary.

There was still fierce debate over whether Admiral Yi Sun-sin even used the Twin Dragon Sword.

Suddenly, a conversation with his father came back to him.

‘You don’t know things like that yet, huh.’

It was his father’s answer to Hyunsoo asking whether Admiral Yi Sun-sin really used the Twin Dragon Sword.

‘There’s one thing for sure. People wanted to believe it, so it became history.’

Sometimes we inflate stories, and they get recorded as history.

And the Twin Dragon Sword that vanished a hundred years ago.

It was true, at least, that it had once existed.

‘Should I make it once—history that saved a nation?’

And Hyunsoo had already made it once.

One of the two Twin Dragon Swords that exist.

What was regrettable was this.

“The method to make the other one—only my father knows it.......”

His father’s understanding of the Twin Dragon Sword—the one whose method he taught Hyunsoo—was incredible.

Back then, while making it with his father, he had thought this.

‘I want to make a Twin Dragon Sword like that on my own.’

He couldn’t even remember how many times he had pored over the blueprint his father drew.

He couldn’t even remember how many blades he had ruined.

“......I’m pretty good at making swords.”

But he was even better at making bows.

That was why the masterpiece called Jumong’s Horn Bow was born.

But this wasn’t the Twin Dragon Sword.

“......The Twin Dragon Sword is the sword I understand best and know best out of every sword-making method I know.”

SHFFK-

He spread out the paper.

On the paper, that great figure began to be drawn with spirited strokes.

He asked, because he was curious.

‘A sword of someone more loved than Haemosu, and more known than Jumong—what value does it have when completed?’

He couldn’t even imagine.

And if it was something whose entire existence had vanished, the value would be even greater.

And when the system sees it—how much power it will grant.

At last, it began.

Story Stone, enough to make two artifacts.

An amount of mineral sufficient to make one blade went into the furnace.

‘I can see it.’

It ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) was a path.

A path that might let him reach legend.

Just then, a whisper arrived.

[Nell: We’ve arrived at the kingdom’s capital. We’ll do it well and come back.]

Radiance had been summoned by the royal family.

He could tell why they had been called in.

‘Your Highness Barad.......’

It was a chain of tests, every time. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

They were being called in because there was something he wanted to check.

And Hyunsoo knew Radiance would do their best.

‘While they’re doing that, should I do my best too?’

This sword would be different from every weapon he’d made until now.

Every weapon Hyunsoo had made was a weapon meant to make an individual stronger.

But this one would become a weapon for everyone.

*****

[Guild Quest: Strengthen National Power]

Grade: A

Restriction: Those who received Barad’s proposal

Reward: 10% contribution points and support of 5 soldiers

Penalty upon failure: Decrease in intimacy with Barad

Description: To strengthen national power, Barad has gathered many talents from all across the nation. Build contribution points and receive support of soldiers.

It was the quest Nell and the others in Radiance received when they arrived at the royal palace.

“......Make it so national power can grow, by your own method.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Countless talents gathered to have an audience with the king.

They only needed to strengthen national power in their own ways, build contribution points, and receive soldier support.

Nell knew this was an opportunity.

‘An opportunity to take a lot of soldiers with us!’

Soon, Barad dismissed those who had come from all across the nation.

Those who remained were the foremost contributors who built the Kingdom of Goyard as it is now.

Philip, the northern commander who had defended Araham Territory until not long ago.

Bolson, who handled the finances of the Kingdom of Goyard.

And Knight Commander Bella.

Barad held each and every one of them in his eyes.

At last, Barad revealed his true intent.

“This brings back old times. My father also called you in—those of you active across the nation—along with other talents.”

Just like calling in those of Vallas Territory now.

“Even if a king is outstanding, if those who protect him are not, he cannot stand in that seat.”

It was only natural.

The reason Barad could rise to this seat was because of those in front of him.

And also because of Marquis Lukburk, who stood firmly by his side.

Barad still hadn’t decided to make Hyunsoo king.

There were far too many qualities he still had to see in Hyunsoo.

“I remember. The late king smiled as he looked at us and said, ‘Not bad.’”

Bella’s memory of that time was vivid.

“One Hyun built Vallas Territory. But if his retainers can’t support him, that would be a big problem.”

And if they were such people, they would end up on the public’s tongues.

Especially because they were outsiders, the whispering was still rampant.

“Your Majesty, how much contribution points do you intend to require before you acknowledge them?”

“......About 70% of what you accomplished will be enough.”

Strengthening national power is influenced by many different things.

As long as it contributes to strengthening national power, it works.

But his expectations for Hyun’s retainers were low.

“See what kind of people they are, with your own eyes.”

Barad had already crossed battlefields with them.

They were strong.

But in the Kingdom of Goyard, if you included NPCs, there were at least ten thousand like that.

“We receive your command.”

The three stepped forward.

After they left, Barad looked out the window with a bitter expression.

“Hyun.”

He believed the late king must have felt the same way back then.

A king’s seat must be cold and ruthless.

‘If they’re incompetent, I’ll have to teach Hyun to cast them aside.’

Of course, “casting them aside” didn’t mean actually throwing them out.

If Vallas Territory grows, their peerages will rise along with it.

They might become stars of the kingdom later, but he intended to propose placing other capable people in those seats.

His mouth tasted bitter.

Even if Hyunsoo came to hate him, it couldn’t be helped.

‘Hyunsoo is too soft and gentle.’

Sometimes, someone has to be able to say the bitter things.

And Barad was worn down.

The aftereffects of answering Hey, Friend, Help Me still remained deep in his bones.

He entered his bedchamber, sought sleep, stayed in the royal palace, and poured everything into recovering his condition.

A few days later.

The period to fill contribution points passed.

Talents from all across the nation.

Most of them were people who came up from each territory.

They were grouped together, and their contribution points were decided as one.

And since the royal family directly handed out soldiers according to contribution points, it was an opportunity for them to strengthen their territories.

And after Bella, Philip, and Bolson entered, Radiance entered not long after.

Those wearing things engraved with the crest of an anvil and hammer.

Barad looked down at them kneeling—wearing the king’s expression as always—and drew a single sword.

The King’s Appraisal Sword.

With this, Barad had once confirmed Hyunsoo’s rate of growth.

And when Bella had tested him with, “What percentage did they achieve?” Barad hid the result.

These three, together, accomplished 1.3% strengthening of national power.

After dismissing them, the late king had said this.

‘They are excellent talents, Barad.’

At last, the King’s Appraisal Sword began to emit light.

But then.

HUMMMMM-

“......?”

Barad was flustered.

Because the sword was producing a powerful resonance.

It was like when he first confirmed Bella as a talent, like when he brought in Bolson as a chancellor, and like when he first met Philip as a knight.

No.

It was a far stronger resonance than theirs.

And then.

[The Kingdom of Goyard’s national power increases by 2.6%.]

Barad’s eyes shook. But on the outside, there wasn’t the slightest wavering.

“Leave.”

After dismissing them, Barad was in turmoil.

After they left, Bolson spoke up, facing the king’s gaze that clearly didn’t understand.

“Your Majesty, can’t we keep them, instead of sending them back to Hyun?”

“???”

Barad was dumbfounded. For Bolson to say something like that?

And to find the answer, he looked to Bella.

“Your Majesty said it.”

What Barad had said.

‘One Hyun built Vallas Territory. But if his retainers can’t support him, that would be a big problem.’

Bella spoke in a heated voice.

“It wasn’t one Hyun who made today’s Vallas Territory. It was capable people like them who made it with Hyun.”

Philip added.

“They will make Hyun’s kingdom strong.”

Bolson said.

“Hyun should be happy. That such outstanding, incredible talents are doing their best for him.”

The three did not hold back their praise. For reference, these three had pride that seemed to pierce the sky.

Then Bella continued.

“They will become pillars.”

The king marveled.

And he was curious.

Just what had happened for them to praise Radiance like this.