Genius Blacksmith's Game

After Hyunsoo listed the First Custom Craft Sword—

As always, people were loitering around the Ares community.

[Ugh, nothing fun today?]

[Is Ares super dead lately.]

[fr lmao.]

Then—

[Yo yo, guys. I found an insane sword.]

[Insane sword?]

[There he goes hyping garbage again lol.]

[No, I’m serious. Go check the Auction Board!]

[What’s the sword called.]

[Hyun’s First Custom Craft Sword.]

[Hyun? Who even is that, you nerd lol.]

[It’s #3 on Today’s Auctions.]

The community regulars went quiet for a while. They were following the link to check the artifact details.

One user finished reading and said:

[Ah, ffs it’s total junk.]

[Fell for it again? lolol.]

[Are you kidding? A sword with a Level 200–350 restriction has sub-200 Attack? Normally that’s like 250, right?]

[Yeah, 250-ish is normal.]

[Wow, that’s a rare trash heap. A Level 200-restricted sword with zero stat boosts? It’s got a single skill, that’s it.]

[So when you said “insane item,” you meant “insanely trash”? sheesh.]

The original poster replied, sounding exasperated.

[This is why you clowns just lurk the Ares boards all day. Read the skill. Read. The. Skill!]

A brief silence.

[And why should I care, clown.]

[It’s a Rare artifact with one skill lol. My Rare has three skills.]

[It’s even a consumable. Wow I’ve never seen a Rare artifact this historically bad.]

[God, you people are dense...]

Then—

[Uh... what is this? This is actually cracked...!]

A community old-timer appeared. He was a top-10,000 ranker.

Other users looked confused at his entrance.

[What’s cracked about it?]

[Why? Why!? Tell me!]

[Wow, you seriously don’t get it? “Sword-That-Cuts-Swords” is absurd.]

[Come on, it’s consumable, is that really worth freaking out over?]

[It is worth freaking out. There’s no target restriction in the skill. Whether the opponent is Level 500 or 600, you can break their sword on a proc.]

[Huh? Now that you say it, that kinda tracks?]

[Here’s the critical bit: it’s literally a consumable artifact. Keep it in your inventory, swap it in when needed, pop the effect.]

[Now let me spell out where you’d use it. Ares is packed with Named NPCs, monsters, and quests. I’ll use a recent example.]

[We all remember Sword King Barad dueling that high-ranker, right? Barad said if the player landed just three successful attacks, he’d pass down his class.]

[Yeah, I remember. The high-ranker failed to land three.]

[Right. Now what if that player had this sword?]

[???]

[Uh...? Then during the duel, low chance or not, Sword King Barad’s sword gets snapped and then...]

[You’re thinking the right thing. If a swordsman’s blade breaks, it means he loses a chunk of his power, even if just momentarily. Just like how we players get 30%+ stronger from Sword Mastery, NPCs aren’t different. That high-ranker might have landed those three hits if he’d fought with this sword.]

[gasp...!]

[no way...?]

[And as you probably know, Barad is treated as a legendary class. Whether this sword costs ₩10,000,000 or ₩20,000,000—if it lets you win, isn’t that a worthy investment? A legendary class is priceless.]

[Ooo, as expected of our community guru...]

[Oooooh...]

[Also, here’s another use.]

[How?]

[Cut the sword of someone you hate... say Rank 5 goes to punk Rank 1.]

[shivers?]

[Now that hits home!]

[God, imagine how badly he’s wanted to destroy him. So you buy this, then snap Rank 1’s beloved sword?]

[You idiot, Rank 1’s using a legendary artifact—it won’t snap.]

[It’s an example, an ex-am-ple!]

[Uh? Hey, guys. It was 2,000 Gold a minute ago and it’s already over 10,000!?]

[what...?]

[Yo, subscribe to Hyun’s Forge first.]

[Sub, like, turn on alerts...]

[Bro’s dropping a 20-year-old YouTube line. Okay grandpa?]

[yeah yeah... subbed...]

[I’m subbing too.]

[subbed...]

At that moment—

In a five-star hotel suite at Korea Hotel.

Jin Seong Lee, #21 in the Korea Ares rankings, angrily flung a tissue box.

“Goddammit!”

Face flushed red, he sighed.

He was the high-ranker who had lost in the buzzed-about duel with Sword King Barad.

His character name was Lord, and he’d just thrown away a chance to step into a legendary class, right before his eyes.

No, not yet.

Jinseong replayed his conversation with Barad.

You seem to have potential. You still have one chance left. Come back when you’re prepared.

But that “preparation” was vague.

And the prep time was, at best, about a month.

Crossing swords with Barad had made Jinseong taste his limits.

Three strikes? I didn’t even land one.

The gap between them was that vast.

If only I were legendary class...

Astonishingly, Jinseong had climbed to rank 21 with a common class.

It was proof of just how exceptional his control was.

Is there no way?

He had to use any means necessary.

Whatever it took.

But potions are banned, scrolls are banned...

His fist clenched tight.

That meant he had to raise the performance of his own items.

But even after camping the Auction Board for a week, there was nothing like that.

Naturally.

Then his phone rang.

—Jinseong, about clearing Barad’s quest with an item...

“I said that won’t work.”

Snapping at a guildmate, Jinseong spoke irritably.

He immediately realized he’d slipped and added:

“Sorry. I’m on edge lately.”

—I get it. But Jinseong, I’m serious—try using an item.

“You...!”

This bastard, is he mocking me?

He scowled. The guy knew Jinseong had been hunting artifacts.

“Are you messing with me right n—”

—Check ‘Hyun’s First Custom Craft Sword’ on the Auction Board. I think that one would work.

“...Fine. I’ll look.”

Jinseong cooled his head.

He could be mad after checking.

Soon he opened the Auction Board and found the artifact sitting at #2 on Today’s Auctions.

Hyun? That’s an unfamiliar blacksmith.

He opened the artifact details.

What is this trash artifa— huh?

Jinseong’s whole body began to tremble.

Break the opponent’s sword?

No way. Is that even... possible?

It looked impossible no matter how he read it.

Could it cut a sword even if the opponent’s Durability was still at 100%?

“Breaking a sword means the opponent becomes defenseless, right?”

He pictured the blade in Barad’s hand.

Just because he was Sword King Barad didn’t mean he must be gripping a legendary artifact sword.

No, that wasn’t it.

But a sword is precious to a swordsman.

Even if it’s just Rare, taking roughly a 20% hit to combat power is possible.

He had to buy this.

“I have to buy it...!”

The bidding had already passed 13,000 Gold.

Jinseong kept pushing his bids higher.

“Those Golden Shield bastards are glued to me!”

And not just them.

Other blacksmith guilds were piling in fast.

Right now, Jinseong needed it most, but they wanted to buy and bank it for future use.

In a blink it blew past 40,000.

But once it crossed 40,000, many guilds began to drop off.

If it had 50 charges...

No—if it were permanent, the artifact would fetch hundreds of millions ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) of won.

It was that valuable, but only seventeen uses remained.

Probability-wise, it would break maybe two or three swords at best.

With bad luck, he might barely break one.

And finally, Jinseong won the auction.

—You have won Hyun’s Custom Craft Sword for 53,310 Gold.

Jinseong couldn’t contain his excitement.

He logged in and immediately checked his inbox.

Clicking the artifact in his mail sent it straight into his inventory.

With the sword in hand, he went straight to Sword King Barad.

[Sword King Barad Lv.475]

One of the highest-tier Named NPCs currently in Ares.

A king of a kingdom, and Sword King Barad.

“I thought you were the sort who prepares thoroughly.”

Sword King Barad.

He couldn’t hide his displeasure.

A man named Lord, in whom he saw the budding sprout of talent.

He’d expected this one to prepare meticulously and make his final challenge.

And yet only a few days after that event, he had come back already?

“The only thing that has changed is that single sword?”

A derisive laugh slipped out.

Having lived long as a swordsman, Barad could tell a sword’s strength at a glance.

“You intend to cross blades with a worse sword than before?”

The sword Jinseong had previously carried was a Unique artifact. Compared to that, this one looked paltry.

“...Hmph.”

Barad sighed in regret. He looked like a man lamenting the loss of one who might have inherited his power.

Barad surged forward in a flash.

He would teach a lesson to this unprepared, arrogant fledgling—

SKRRAAAANG—

Barad’s blade and Lord’s blade met.

No—they almost met. In that instant, Barad’s eyes flew wide.

Lord’s beastlike gaze flashed. And with an unplaceable sound, something drifted down to the floor.

TANG-CLANG—!

Staring at that sword, Barad froze in shock for a moment.

[The combat power of Sword King Barad is reduced by 25% or more.]

A phenomenon he had never once witnessed—not even as the Sword King—unfolded before his eyes.

He didn’t miss the timing.

When a blade is split, an NPC, like a player, loses many effects.

He cannot perform sword arts bare-handed.

He cannot block a swung sword with his empty hands.

All he can do is grab a decorative sword hanging on a wall.

Before Barad could sprint, Lord was faster by a step.

FWOOOOSH—!

Using a skill, he slashed across Barad’s body eleven times in an instant.

“......”

Barad didn’t have a single scratch.

The attacks were trifling. But the fact remained that three attacks—no, a total of eleven—landed on Barad.

[Congratulations.]

[You may advance to a legendary class.]

[You have advanced to Heir of the Sword King.]

Lord was ecstatic. A vast thrill wrapped around his body.

But Barad’s expression was even more striking.

He was still staring down at his broken blade.

Then, looking at the sword in Lord’s hand, he let out a voice filled with shock.

“I am curious—about the maker of that strange and peerless blade I have never once seen in my life.”

Greed curled his lips.

Lord understood that look.

I want it.

I want it so badly it hurts.

He couldn’t hold back the desire. It burst out of him.

“Will you deliver a message? Ask if he can forge my sword.”

“...!”

Lord was stunned.

Sword King Barad—one of the strongest NPCs alive.

He was seeking out the blacksmith Hyun.