Genius Blacksmith's Game

You say you’ve got information you want to know? Something nobody else seems to know? Then hire an informant. They know everything in the world. But you won’t be able to meet them. They’ve never shown their face to anyone—not even once.

That was what a famous ranker had said about Kabel.

That was the kind of person Kabel was: the best informant and assassin, known worldwide.

To the point where Kabel might even hold more power than Lee Hwan, Korea’s rank #1.

What forged Kabel into what they were came down to one thing—clear, unbending rules.

Kabel set more than one iron rule, never broke a single one, never let their face become known to the world, and never failed as an informant.

That was how important those rules were.

Those rules were how Kabel built customers’ trust, and those rules were why Kabel stood where they did now.

But after meeting one existence—inside one territory—those rules broke again and again.

First: Never stay in a territory for more than a month.

That rule broke. Because of Lucky Lump.

The reason for that rule was simple: so Kabel wouldn’t get attached to anyone, whether NPC or user.

Second: Never betray a customer.

That rule broke too.

And that was because of Lucky Lump as well.

At some point, Kabel grew fond of the little thing—and Kabel wanted to protect it.

To the extent that it was one of the reasons Kabel was leaving.

So I can protect you.

Just staying put wouldn’t make them stronger.

The third rule.

A sad, cruel rule—and the straightest rule that had built Kabel into what they were.

Don’t build ties.

They had to live like that.

Kabel came from an orphanage. Loneliness was something they were used to.

Feelings born from ties ruined a person’s reason and kept them from making correct decisions.

Hyun’s Forge? Hyunsoo?

Watching them, Kabel kept thinking they were unusually special.

Staying here, I learned what it means for people to feel like people. I learned the power that comes from the bonds of the strong. If someone asked me where I belong—if they told me I had to belong somewhere—then I would choose Hyun’s Forge.

That was only under the assumption that Kabel had to belong somewhere.

But now, the third rule—the one that made Kabel—was shaking.

And it was starting from the moment Hyunsoo shoved a single dagger, stunningly crafted, into Kabel’s hands.

Kabel steadied their trembling body.

They had been shaken hard, but the way they pulled their emotions back into line was pure Kabel.

Once more, they checked the artifact that was shaking their greatest rule of all: don’t build ties, and don’t make even the smallest concession that would create them.

[Villain’s Dagger]

[Grade: Legendary]

[Durability: 8,000/8,000]

[Attack Power: 567]

[Restriction: Level 350–500 assassins]

[Special Abilities:]

[·All stats +1.7%]

[·When an assassination skill activates, bonus damage increases by 50%.]

[·Critical hit chance increases by 60%.]

[·Active Skill: Blink.]

[·Active Skill: Killer’s Sever.]

[·Passive Skill: Five Daggers.]

[·Passive Skill: Six Stabs.]

[·Villain’s Dagger is special.]

[·Each time you assassinate someone it judges to be a strong opponent, it drinks their blood and grows.]

[·Number of strong opponents killed so far: 0/100]

[·Growth available: 10 times.]

[·Each time it grows, Attack Power and critical hit chance increase by 3%.]

[·Each time it grows, the number of hits for Six Stabs increases by 1.]

[Description: Master craftsman Hyun forged this for a nameless friend, after understanding and analyzing the assassin’s advantages. The more strong opponents you kill and stain it with their blood, the more Villain’s Dagger will grow—and it can grow all the way to Transcendent grade.]

Even looking at it again, it didn’t feel real.

And the instant it landed in their hand, a red current—an effect only Kabel could see—flowed over their fingers.

A dagger that grows the more it kills strong opponents...?

Yeah. This artifact was clearly Legendary grade.

And yet, it wasn’t.

[Villain’s Dagger, having found its owner, will verify the number of strong opponents you have killed and apply it.]

Just confirming ownership would make it better than it was now.

The base critical hit chance is already 60%... and if it grows to the end, the critical hit chance embedded in the artifact goes up to 90%...?

For an assassin, critical hits were everything.

Normally, when an assassin landed a critical hit, the damage applied was 50% higher than other classes.

Assassins lived and died by single-strike damage, and dagger mastery existed for exactly that reason.

And something even more shocking—

A multi-hit passive.

Rankers loved multi-hit passives more than anything.

Most users owned artifacts that applied two or three hits’ worth of damage off a single attack.

But rankers with money fought tooth and nail to push that count higher, and usually bought ones with four to six hits.

But this applied Six Stabs the moment Kabel received it.

And if I finish all ten growths, one attack becomes sixteen stabs?

Can you even imagine it?

A skill where you attack once, and sixteen instances of damage land.

Of course, the activation chance for the passive skill Six Stabs was low—3%.

But even one proc would let you kill most enemies.

When it’s fully grown, it reaches Transcendent.

It was an artifact that was nothing but awe stacked on awe—shock piled on shock.

And Kabel had been planning, using information, to challenge the Legendary assassin Asura in the China server.

If I succeed in challenging Asura, I become one of the continent’s legends—another one, after user Hyunsoo.

But Kabel felt only fear.

Just like Hyunsoo struggled to forge the Transcendent-grade Twin Dragon Sword, the path Kabel would walk—the path of Asura—would never be easy.

If I go holding this dagger, my chances skyrocket.

Greed boiled up inside Kabel.

And because Kabel was the most famous informant, they knew better than anyone.

Will I ever be able to obtain a dagger like this again?

Never. Even if it were possible, it would be two years from now.

“Satisfied?”

Hyunsoo’s voice pulled Kabel out of their thoughts.

Inside that greed, Kabel made a decision—Kabel’s way.

“Two billion. I’ll pay immediately.”

It was Kabel’s obsession with their own rule: overpay so no ties were left behind.

“This dagger is unquestionably exceptional, and it really can become Transcendent grade. But it has one drawback. It evolves based on the number of strong opponents you’ve killed so far. And the standard for what counts as a ‘strong opponent’ will rise every time the dagger grows.”

Hyunsoo nodded slowly.

“That’s why there aren’t many people who can make this dagger Transcendent.”

Kabel didn’t add the words except me.

They wouldn’t hand over even the smallest clue that could identify them.

“Considering that the average price of Legendary items has dropped to 700 million, and factoring in the merit that it grows, this is worth about 1.3 billion. But by paying an additional 700 million, I can close ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) this deal immediately—”

Hyunsoo shook his head.

“I’ll take one billion.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve never seen someone refuse more money. I’ll give you two billion, so just—”

“If you pay more than one billion, I won’t sell.”

“.......”

Kabel’s mouth snapped shut.

Hyunsoo gave a small smile.

“You said it was 1.3 billion, right? Then let’s shave it down and settle at one billion.”

“Why go that far...?”

Kabel started to speak—then understood.

The content written plainly in the dagger’s description.

Master craftsman Hyun forged this for a nameless friend... 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

And Kabel realized something else too.

Nothing was going to be decided here.

Kabel was an orphan, a person who kept turning themself into a loner.

“I’m not going to tell anyone, so don’t worry. I just want you to get what you want. I mean it.”

I mean it.

That feeling was reaching Kabel.

Even if Kabel never came back, Hyunsoo would still root for them.

Is this what people call an embarrassing friend?

Even if you never see them again—someone who just supports you from behind.

To Kabel, Hyunsoo was planting a feeling they’d never had before.

Hyunsoo murmured a whisper code number.

“Deposit it. I’m leaving.”

Watching Hyunsoo, Kabel knew one more thing.

He’s already figured it out, hasn’t he.

In truth, the dagger was worth about 1.3 billion.

But the moment it landed in Kabel’s hand, it became worth more than 2.5 billion.

Because Kabel was the only person who could make it Transcendent.

To Kabel, it felt like Hyunsoo already knew that.

And—

Smart bastard.

Hyunsoo also knew Kabel wouldn’t forget this.

Because this dagger had brought Kabel closer to a new road—the road of Asura.

Suddenly, something flashed through Kabel’s mind.

They pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote something down.

After folding it, Kabel stepped forward—just like Hyunsoo had—and blocked Hyunsoo’s path, holding out the note.

“It’ll help.”

A single gift from Kabel, the best informant there was.

“......I don’t know what it is, but thanks.”

“I’d like you to check it after I leave.”

They started walking in opposite directions.

*****

[You sent a gift.]

Kabel, who had sent Hyunsoo gold, grew farther from Lucky Lump’s WOOF-WOOF!

When Kabel reached a point where Lucky Lump’s crying couldn’t be heard—

Kabel set themself as the user of Villain’s Dagger.

[You have become the owner of Villain’s Dagger.]

[Villain’s Dagger’s effects are applied.]

[You have killed 57 people the System judges to be strong.]

[Villain’s Dagger grows 5 times.]

[It evolves into Legend Above Legend grade.]

As expected.

The only owner suited to this dagger was Kabel.

Kabel turned around and looked at Atlas in the distance.

Not bad.

Kabel had gained a friend named Hyunsoo.

A forced kind of friend—but it was the first time in Kabel’s life they’d ever felt anything like this.

That was why.

What Kabel had written in the note.

I’m certain of it: this will make you grow tremendously. And it will become a foothold that brings you closer to a truth you didn’t know.

Kabel started walking again.

I prepared two repayments.

One was the gift meant for Hyunsoo’s growth.

And Kabel had no doubt what kind of power the next gift would exert.

That power will protect you, Lucky Lump, and Atlas when you’re in danger.

*****

The Supreme Blade of Ares.

A user who had been named the single most influential person for three consecutive years.

The idol of all users—unofficial and official, world rank #1.

The only user nearing level 500: Bahala.

And Bahala had a problem.

“So I’m supposed to solve it myself? At this point, Pureum Co., Ltd. feels like it has some sick hobbies.”

Bahala looked at Babylon, the sword said to have split a demon.

Long ago, Babylon had supposedly cut down a demon.

It had been the greatest sword—and the moment you held it, the alerts even proved it.

[No sword can compare to it.]

But Bahala let out a bitter laugh.

Because Babylon—the famed sword—had lost its edge, melted down completely, and was unrecognizable.

[It cannot be repaired.]

An artifact that couldn’t even be repaired.

“I got a Transcendent-grade sword and I can’t even use it. Ridiculous.”

Bahala had a dream to achieve—and a quest that had to be cleared.

To clear that quest, Bahala needed this sword... but it looked like it would only be possible years from now.

Bahala wore a bitter expression and put the sword back into Inventory.

That was when—

What?

A whisper arrived from someone.

When Bahala checked it, Bahala’s eyes shook.

[Kabel: There is only one person in the world who can repair Babylon.]

It was a message from the world’s greatest informant.