Genius Blacksmith's Game

CEO Lee Sejin turned off the video call the moment the party formed and headed for the executive office.

The branch heads’ video conference still hadn’t ended, either.

They, too, had the authority to monitor the demon sealing.

—So I wondered who would take the Party of the Supremes title, and it turns out it’s them.

—But whether they can actually succeed at sealing... I have my doubts.

—I agree. This is their first party, isn’t it?

At China Branch Head Tao’s words, every branch head concurred.

A party raid.

One of the most important things in it was teamwork.

In fact, in Ares there were parties that existed solely to clear boss monsters, and with the same people syncing up dozens of times, they came to boast the best teamwork imaginable.

When teamwork clicked and when it didn’t, the difference was stark.

John, the U.S. branch head, chimed in as well.

—Asura Kabel, Bahala who will become the Sword God, and even Luxiu. No one can deny they’re the very best. But Master Blacksmith Hyunsoo won’t be able to fit in with them.

He wasn’t just taking a jab at Hyunsoo.

He was talking about the essence of it.

—That’s true. User Hyunsoo is a blacksmith by nature. If User Bahala and Asura Kabel devote 100% of their time to combat, User Hyunsoo is someone who devoted 70% to crafting and 30% to combat.

A small laugh came from China Branch Head Tao.

—In that case, User Hyunsoo might end up dragging them down.

Among players, there was slang for that: a troll.

Someone whose terrible control skill grabbed their own allies by the ankle and led the team into defeat.

And unlike demon Gremory, the branch heads could see the entire screen.

They could see the ones moving and trading glances where Gremory couldn’t.

A flow of coordination, like water running downhill.

And from that flow, the branch heads realized it.

—...From the start, it looks like they read the battlefield so well they don’t even need to “practice” teamwork.

And when Gremory’s beloved one-headed Cerberus descended—

They had already seen Hyunsoo, right there in front of Hell Path, preparing to activate Absolute Domination.

—...He was waiting. And a power like Absolute Domination produces the greatest synergy only when it’s used at exactly the right moment. The coordination between the three is incredible.

Then, when Cerberus bit down and started chewing on Gremory instead, he corrected himself.

—It’s true he’s the weakest, but I forgot about User Hyunsoo’s greatest strength. The artifacts he possesses are the best among everyone there, and his understanding of how to use them is beyond common sense.

But when Gremory’s demonization began, the branch heads shook their heads.

—When she had 2% HP left, that was the last chance.

—Right. But demonization progression triggers within 0.5 seconds, so they never could have caught it in the first place.

—No one can move under hellfire.

Then the anomaly that followed.

—Impressive.

—Luxiu deleted 20% of her HP in an instant.

—Luxiu was someone so full of rage and hatred toward Gremory they’d throw away even death. I suppose those feelings created this... absurdity.

But as they watched Luxiu collapse, sighs leaked out from all over.

—...Luxiu dying will mean the party’s collapse.

—It means every position falls apart.

—Even looking at the possibilities visible through Berisa’s Eye, it’s close to zero.

Of course, Legion Commander Berisa’s Eye wasn’t absolute.

But even judging by what they could see right now, shaving off the demon’s remaining 30% HP looked extremely difficult.

They were branch heads who led their countries.

They could see far more than other Pureum Co., Ltd. employees, and they held staggering amounts of information.

And then—seeing Killing Wraith’s Puppet trigger—they tilted their heads.

A Killing Wraith could be... cruel.

Sometimes they even brainwashed an ally into killing another ally.

What the branch heads couldn’t understand was the fact that Gremory was a Transcendent species that could break that brainwashing in just three seconds.

And then the branch heads saw it.

—What is he trying to do?

The brainwashed Gremory walked toward Hyunsoo as if bewitched by something.

Hyunsoo murmured,

[Give me your blessing.]

The brainwashed Gremory accepted him without resistance and gripped his hand tight.

—...!?

—...!?

—...!?

The branch heads knew what kind of power Give me your blessing contained.

It was no more than a degraded version of Give me, your loyalty—the power the Holy Lord possessed.

Degraded because this “Give me your blessing” was ultimately consumable.

And for ordinary users, it didn’t display much power.

Because it was a power that only seized strength proportional to the other party once you met a strong one and received their approval—their blessing.

And now—

The branch heads understood the Second Ares better than anyone.

In fact, John, the U.S. branch head, sprang to his feet without realizing it.

The other branch heads on the video call did the same.

China Branch Head Tao, looking dazed, defined the situation.

—It was applied to the most transcendent existence in existence...?

In the Second Ares, demon Gremory was the strongest and most influential existence there was.

You couldn’t even compare her to Bahala, Lucky Lump, or Arte.

Of course, Hyunsoo had achieved explosive growth by using Bahala and Lucky Lump.

That happened because of the pure potential those two possessed.

But “potential” ultimately meant possibility—and it couldn’t be compared to an existence with overwhelming power right now.

At that, every branch head shared the same question.

How strong can he possibly become?

John expected to hear the branch heads begin throwing out estimates, calculator tapping filling the call.

But no voice came from beyond the video chat.

Then John realized it.

Sweat had soaked his tightly clenched hand.

And his heart was pounding like it had gone mad.

The reason they weren’t reacting was the same as his.

This is fun...

Branch heads didn’t feel interest in most things that happened in Ares.

It was only natural.

Their eyes weren’t like ordinary viewers’, and it was exceedingly hard for something to entertain them.

But right now, every branch head was so immersed and entertained they couldn’t even react.

John marveled.

If we’re like this, how much fun would ordinary viewers have watching this?

Then John couldn’t help letting out a hollow laugh.

[Recording in progress.]

All three users were recording.

Which meant this Party of the Supremes raid would be released someday.

*****

Hyunsoo could feel it.

In this party, I’m the weakest.

Dropping Gremory’s HP by 10% through Absolute Domination—

That was all thanks to Bahala and Kabel.

Come to think of it, before they set out for the prison, Bahala had bluntly told Hyunsoo he was weak.

And Kabel saw him as “someone who needs protecting.”

He wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with them.

A desire ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) any user couldn’t help but carry.

And inside that desire, he’d been waiting.

For my growth.

Even if he hadn’t hinted anything to Kabel and Bahala, Hyunsoo had judged that Gremory might be able to become even stronger.

The moment demonization progressed, the perfect opportunity arrived—and unlike when Kabel, Asura, had been the one dragging her in, this time Hyunsoo dragged her in.

Hyunsoo had also heard about Hell King Asura.

[KkakkaoTalk chat room]

[Hyunsoo: Kabel. Can you brainwash Gremory?]

[Kabel: I can, but it’ll be too short. With just that, nothing can possibly chan—]

[Hyunsoo: Do it. Trust me.]

Kabel trusted Hyunsoo.

And watching him step forward and reach out his hand to Gremory, Kabel couldn’t help but be awed.

“...!?”

On the battlefield, humans can’t stay cold-blooded.

Especially not in front of an existence that could kill them all so easily.

You created possibilities.

Bahala awakened through Luxiu.

Kabel created it by killing Asura and becoming the Second Legend.

Hyunsoo’s possibility—through Give me, your loyalty via Luxiu?

Compared to them, it was far lower.

But this time would be different.

GRIP—!

The brainwashed Gremory clasped the hand Hyunsoo offered.

Hyunsoo squeezed back with all his strength, and the thundering upheaval inside his chest spread all the way into his ears.

Thump—!

A Transcendent species.

The strongest demon in Ares right now.

Through an enemy like that, Hyunsoo crossed his limits into infinite growth.

[Gremory’s blessing descends.]

Lucky Lump’s blessing had been 49%, and Bahala’s blessing had been 56%.

[You acquire 72% blessing.]

He reached a blessing percentage beyond reason.

[You acquire 3% of all stats.]

[Maximum HP and MP increase by 8%.]

[All masteries increase by 2.]

[All weapon attack power increases by 17%, and magic attack power increases by 17%.]

[All weapon defense increases by 20%, and magic defense increases by 20%.]

[Attack power of all attack skills increases by 20%.]

[All skill cooldowns are reduced by 20%.]

[Attack power against good is......]

[Corrected.]

[Saint’s aura flows.]

[It is converted into attack power against evil.]

[Attack power against evil increases by 10%, and critical hit chance increases by 25%.]

[This is irrational growth.]

A massive power settled into him—something incomparable to before.

And Hyunsoo, who’d amounted to no more than support, now had the strength to lead the party.

[KkakkaoTalk chat room]

[Hyunsoo: Can you move?]

[Kabel: I can.]

[Bahala: Me too.]

[Hyunsoo: I’ll lead.]

Gremory had said it was impossible even if they landed every attack.

But this growth—

It didn’t lag behind Sword God’s awakening or Asura’s job advancement in the slightest.

FWOOM—!

Gremory, coming back to her senses, panicked.

In an instant, she felt a massive power heave within her body.

And that heaving power made the man in front of her stronger.

The aura she felt from him couldn’t be compared to just moments ago.

Gremory couldn’t hear notifications because she was a demon, but if she were a user, she would have heard something like this—

[Berisa’s Eye is corrected.]

[Sealing is possible!]

There was no notification, but Berisa’s Eye was already warning that it could happen.

Me... sealed by a mere human?

What was even harder to believe was that it would be by that man in front of her.

He was, in the end, a craftsman.

“How dare you—do you believe a mere blacksmith can seal me!?”

But Gremory—

The backlash of breaking free of brainwashing left her body unnatural.

She’d shouted to make the arrogant human in front of her recognize reality—

And that shout made her recognize her own reality instead.

Letters were etched into the Twin Dragon Sword, raised high and held at a slant.

[Twin Dragon Sword]

Because she was still reeling, still calling him a mere blacksmith, still panicking—

The status ailment that slipped in and burrowed deep took hold.

[You fall into stun.]

[You cannot move.]

Gremory’s eyes widened wider and wider.

Before two immensities, she began to shrink back.

Those two immensities—

One was the human before her, who had achieved that insane growth.

The other was the aura flowing along the massive blade he held.

[Having forged the Twin Dragon Sword, its spirit is grand for a thousand autumns.]

The great sword aura and the human’s power met and crushed her.

[With a vow sworn to mountain and sea......]

[Loyal righteous wrath is the same, then and now.]

A single transcendence and a single powerhouse met and broke her momentum.

[Legendary artifact. Gremory’s armor shatters.]

[Legendary artifact. Gremory’s crown shatters.]

[Legendary artifact. Gremory’s pauldrons......]

It said “Legendary,” but it was a grade beyond legend—beyond legend itself.

KRRRRAK—!

Even a demon had things meant to protect it.

All of them cracked, fissures spreading—

[Demon Gremory’s information is downgraded and updated!]

Ding!

[Demon Gremory Lv.589]

The move that had waited for an arrogant demon to fall into overconfidence landed.

In raw numbers, it was only a drop of 50—but the downgrade of her armor meant something far worse: they could deal much bigger damage.

Gremory realized it, too.

Hyunsoo shot upward as he looked down at her, broken and sagging.

FLAP—!

In that instant, he swapped to another Twin Dragon Sword, and a massive oppressive force whipped up like a storm.

[Three-Foot Oath to Heaven.]

[Mountains and Rivers Lose Color.]

With letters branding red across the Twin Dragon Sword, the debuff activated.

The massive pressure controlled her—crushing the demon species until it couldn’t move.

Kuuuuurrrrr...

Stunned and pinned, Gremory fell into fear, but forced a calm smile.

“Even if you seal me now... nothing changes.”

[One Sweep, Total Purge]

But the overwhelming aura gathering on Hyunsoo’s blade still didn’t cool.

“Even if I’m sealed, two years from now I’ll come for you, and I will destroy everything you’ve built—everything you’ve made!!”

It was a terrifying warning.

A Transcendent species demon, taking hatred toward a single human and swearing to destroy them no matter what—

And it even came as a system consequence.

[You have become the target of Demon Gremory’s grudge.]

[She will pursue you no matter what, and destroy you.]

Words that could make everything collapse.

A realization.

That even if he sealed her now, it would be nothing but buying time.

Right now, Gremory allowed the attack, believing she’d won a mental victory.

His entire world should have been crumbling.

Even if he survived now, he should be afraid—despairing at the thought that everything would shatter in two years.

But Hyunsoo, coat fluttering high in the air, gave a crooked little smile.

“Go ahead.”

He drew the Twin Dragon Sword back, wearing an arrogant expression.

That face was full of certainty—and it sketched the figure of two years from now.

“By then, I’ll be a king.”