Genius Blacksmith's Game

Hyunsoo’s attending physician, Dr. Kim Jinseop, could never forget the day he first met Hyunsoo.

Back then, when they first met in the counseling room, Hyunsoo had been dyed in despair.

He had looked so out of it that it was still vivid before his eyes.

‘But he overcame it.’

Thinking of him made him smile.

Was it because of the strong will of a young man far younger than himself?

Before he knew it, both Hyunsoo as a patient, and Hyuntae, had become precious patients to Jinseop.

That was why Jinseop participated in the vegetative-state conference held this year.

Jinseop was somewhat surprised after attending the vegetative-state conference.

Because Michael, the most renowned doctor in the vegetative-state field, began with a shocking story.

“Many of you here are probably injecting your patients with the treatment 54-K.”

It was the injection Patient Kang Hyuntae was receiving regularly right now.

This injection, which required paying an enormous price per dose, was known to wake vegetative patients at a faint probability.

“Recently, unusual phenomena have been occurring due to this 54-K treatment. The reported rate was about 1~3%, and perhaps it cannot help but be good news for the families of those who became vegetative, and for us doctors.”

It was rare for the face of Dr. Michael, known for being cold, to flush like this.

With all doctors focused on him, he held up the syringe and spoke.

“What has been reported is that among those who receive this treatment, there are people who wake up temporarily.”

“......!?”

The doctors stirred.

Jinseop was among them.

Jinseop hurriedly asked.

“What do you mean by temporarily waking up?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. They wake up for a short time. Astonishingly, the ones who woke up had no memory loss, and their body movement was healthy enough to live daily life. They were awake for as short as six hours, and as long as two days, and after that, they returned to a vegetative state.”

It was an incredible story.

“Were there any side effects from this?”

Michael gave a small smile.

“In more cases, those who woke up briefly ended up waking up completely a few months later. It’s an extremely small number, though.”

Unable to hide his excitement, Jinseop soon agreed with what Michael said as he extended the syringe outward.

“I decided to call this the Miracle of a Day.”

This conference had been held in Korea.

On the way back after the conference ended, Jinseop fell into worry as a doctor.

‘Should I tell them?’

He soon shook his head.

It was true that it was a hopeful and good story.

But the Miracle of a Day happened to an extremely small number of patients.

He judged that that tiny hope could instead become poison to families.

Returning to the hospital, Jinseop went up to the VVIP ward right away.

The most expensive place in this hospital, with the best sunlight.

Hyuntae was receiving that sunlight.

“I don’t know who his son takes after to be this admirable.”

Jinseop gave a bitter smile.

Once in a while, he would do his rounds and say various things to Hyuntae.

Even if they were vegetative, there were people who actually heard.

It was an extremely small number, but he talked like this, thinking Hyuntae might hear the story of the proud Hyunsoo.

“It’s already been going on five years.”

Jinseop took in Hyuntae, who had his eyes closed with a peaceful expression.

With a small smile, he left the room.

*****

Early morning.

Hyunsoo got up and poured cereal.

While eating cereal, he watched the Ares-exclusive channel.

A Korean Ares expert and an MC were talking about the upcoming continental war.

-How is China preparing for this large-scale event?

-It seems China is also preparing thoroughly for this unprecedented event. The most noticeable part is artifacts.

-Artifacts?

-Yes. Since China has a large population, they also have a large number of outstanding blacksmiths. World blacksmith ranking #3, Wang Gang, is also participating in the continental war, and we’re hearing that before participating, the forge he leads is fitting artifacts for participants.

-What kind of preparations are Korean users making?

-Our country’s forges are also moving actively, but since our country’s population is smaller compared to China, it will be difficult to oppose them......

Hyunsoo turned off the TV.

It was an obvious move.

And they said the top domestic forges, including Black Anvil Forge, were endlessly stoking their furnaces.

But ten people stoking and two hundred people stoking were stories on different levels.

That was why Hyunsoo felt the need for a more attack-type Twin Dragon Sword.

With three Legend artifacts, you can match Legend Beyond Legends.

But what if it was Transcendence grade?

One true Transcendence-grade item would be worth more than ten Legends.

He had no sense of mission like doing it for the country.

It was simply that the more pessimistic the situation, the more the attack-type Twin Dragon Sword would shine.

After finishing all the cereal, Hyunsoo logged into Ares.

A sword that might even be comparable to a hundred Unique swords.

He drew up blueprints for the attack-type Twin Dragon Sword.

Since it was attack-type, he designed the blade sharper, and he designed it in a form that could be lighter than the buff-type.

‘At this level, it’s excellent.’

The remaining period wasn’t long. After making the Twin Dragon Sword twice with good-quality minerals, he had to make the true Twin Dragon Sword with Story Stone.

Hyunsoo began the long, long crafting.

And at last, the first attack-type Twin Dragon Sword was completed.

[It is Epic grade.]

[An effect application rate of 64% is applied.]

To be honest, it wasn’t a bad sword.

Even though it was a great saber, the balance applied well, so it could be swung lightly.

And since its destructive power was good, it was a sword that could even cleave rock.

But it was exactly an Epic-grade sword.

‘Four days passed.’

The fortunate part was that thanks to the 20% crafting time reduction, with the effect of God-Forged Crown applied, he still had two more chances left.

Hyunsoo instead turned the crisis into an opportunity.

More meticulously, more passionately, he immersed himself into crafting the second Twin Dragon Sword.

[It is Epic grade.]

[An effect application rate of 70% is applied.]

“Ugh.......”

Hyunsoo’s face twisted.

He had many thoughts.

Because now only five days remained until the continental war.

And Hyunsoo found the reason.

For artifacts crafted by users, if that person has already made it before, it becomes difficult to reach that grade.

You could use a blacksmith who crafted a Legend as an example.

If a blacksmith who already crafted one Legend crafts again a week later, using the same method and the same materials, and another Legend is born again, what would happen?

‘They could just mass-produce Legends like a factory.’

So when crafting something similar again, the necessary elements to create a high grade with it again are two.

A long time has passed since you made it, and even if what you want to make again is similar, it has something special contained within it.

Or there is this method.

‘You made it overwhelmingly better than that.’

The Ares system rewards a user’s growth.

If something similar you crafted before was Rare, then a few days later, if you do it in a better and more incredible way.

And if you have a higher understanding and make it better than when it was Rare, even if it’s something similar, you can obtain a higher grade.

‘Meaning, for me right now to make the attack-type Twin Dragon Sword Transcendence, I have to be able to craft a Twin Dragon Sword that surpasses the buff-type.’

For a moment, fear brushed past him.

He only knew the crafting method for one of the two Twin Dragon Swords.

All of a sudden, it felt like he could hear his father’s words.

‘Hyunsoo, at first you make things by copying like this, but someday, if your skill ripens, you’ll be able to make something truly outstanding that’s only yours.’

Those words carved into his chest.

Hyunsoo might have been under the pressure of having to make a similar Twin Dragon Sword he didn’t even know.

And the Hyunsoo of today had become someone who could make a true outstanding something that was only his.

He put in the last mineral. At last, he began crafting his own Twin Dragon Sword.

[It will be the most perfect crafting method.]

As he shaped the great saber, his experience and knowledge up to now as a genius blacksmith settled into it.

With not much time left until the continental war.

CLAAANG-

CLAAANG-

Hyunsoo burned hotter.

He felt joy.

The fact that he wasn’t copying, but making his own Twin Dragon Sword, made his heart race.

[The effect application rate is high.]

And he proceeded with the work of carving a crest into the Twin Dragon Sword made only by him.

Hyunsoo expected it.

This was a crafted item he made while pouring in a fair amount of his whole strength.

And in Hyunsoo’s expectation, he heard it.

[The ninth legend is written.]

His strength drained out.

But Hyunsoo also thought that this Twin Dragon Sword crafted now was incredible.

‘......It ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ was Transcendence grade.’

The buff-type Twin Dragon Sword had been that kind of absurd sword.

So making two of those in not even a month might have been greed.

But one thing became confidence.

‘Confidence that if I make something original, I can reach Transcendence someday.’

Of course, it was true that it was disappointing.

But the mineral used in this wasn’t Story Stone, and it was simply fairly good-quality mineral.

If it had been an even more excellent mineral, Legend Beyond Legends would have been born.

Hyunsoo logged out immediately.

Because there was someone he wanted to convey this disappointing feeling to.

He visited the hospital.

When Hyunsoo entered the room, he told his father the stories from the meantime.

“Still, it was Legend grade. Even though the Ares system doesn’t give good grades when you make similar things in a short period. It means that before I knew it, I became someone who can make a true artifact that’s only mine, instead of only copying.”

Hyunsoo knew.

“What kind of sword is the Twin Dragon Sword you know, Dad? Would it be better than the buff-type Twin Dragon Sword I made?”

It would be.

His father said.

‘The first Twin Dragon Sword isn’t a sword you swing. It was a sword that symbolized the country, and Admiral Yi.’

That was why he made it as a sword for everyone.

And the second Twin Dragon Sword had been the sword you actually swung.

Hyunsoo gave a bitter smile.

“......I’m curious. The crafting method for the second Twin Dragon Sword you have.”

Hyunsoo told his father many things.

“I think I have to go now. There isn’t a true Twin Dragon Sword, but I thought of one method that can create an anomaly. I’m going to touch up the calamity artifacts we got this time. There’s only one day left, but if we have those, it’ll help a lot.”

Hyunsoo, who had been stroking his father’s hand, rose.

“I’ll come again. Ah, right, and make sure you watch the broadcast.”

There was a wall-mounted TV in the VVIP room.

With a small smile, Hyunsoo left the room.

Time passes in the room.

Night passes and morning comes.

A nurse comes in and turns on the TV.

-The continental war will begin soon.

-The entire world is heating up.

Before leaving after wiping Hyuntae down with a damp towel, the nurse held the remote.

Then she shook her head.

She was Nurse Lee Ji-hye. She only lowered the volume a little, then left.

-We’re looking forward to what kind of ingenuity our Korean users will display against the strong Chinese users!

-I can see members of Hyun’s Forge Guild, who stirred up a topic not long ago, too.

-They aren’t receiving much attention.

-It’s probably because this is a place where the best rankers are gathered.

-At last, the fierce war between the two countries begins!

Along with the commentators’ voices, mechanical sounds echoed through the hospital room.

BEEP- BEEP- BEEP- BEEP-

It was the vital sound checking heartbeats.

Then.

Twitch.

A finger of the one who had slept for a long time moved.