Genius Blacksmith's Game

To be honest, Hyunsoo’s first impression of Kkoko was that it felt like a clueless, bird-brained idiot.

Whenever he asked it something, it only tilted its head, because even if it had been there and knew it, it couldn’t remember.

But now, Kkoko wasn’t tilting its head like a fool.

With black-pupil eyes, it was staring straight into Hyunsoo’s eyes.

Hyunsoo repeated what the notification had told him.

“A place where it’s the Tiger Year and Tiger Month...?”

“SCREE!”

The notification said it had recalled a place where it was the Tiger Year and Tiger Month.

Only then did Hyunsoo understand.

If this place isn’t in the Tiger Year and Tiger Month, all I have to do is go to a place that already is...

Of course, that excluded the continents of other countries currently opened, aside from Asgan Continent.

They all followed the same year.

But a tiny number of places might be different.

For example, where the General is.

That was the New World—an entirely different world.

Maybe time flowed differently there than it did here.

“Did you remember a way to go to where the General is?”

But Kkoko shook its head.

Even if owner and pet didn’t share words, they could still communicate.

[Kkoko wants to guide you to the Tower of Honor.]

“The Tower of Honor...!?”

The Tower of Honor.

Hyunsoo had already heard about it before.

He recalled the moment he’d first heard its name.

The one who mentioned the Tower of Honor was Bahala.

It was true that Bahala had received many favors from Hyunsoo.

Because of that, Babylon—the sword that annihilates evil—had become even better, and he had completed the Sword God’s Path quest that should have ended in failure.

And when they went together to execute the lesser archdemon Luxiu, he had dismissed Hyunsoo in terms of combat.

But after they fought together as Lamps, Bahala’s thinking back then had completely changed.

After sealing the archdemon Gremory, Bahala had sent Hyunsoo a whisper.

[Bahala: Someday, challenge the Tower of Honor. It’ll help your growth a lot.]

[Hyunsoo: Tower of Honor? Where is that?]

[Bahala: For you—who barely has any money and is weak compared to Asura and me—it’ll help to some extent.]

[Hyunsoo: ...You’re doing it on purpose, aren’t you?]

[Bahala: ...In case you misunderstand, yes. I’m doing it on purpose.]

[Hyunsoo: ....]

Back then, Bahala and Kabel had openly handed over the raid reward—the Ring of Gremory—saying Hyunsoo was broke and poor.

Anyway.

[Bahala: The Tower of Honor is a place permitted only to those who have triggered world messages, and it’s a place you can enter only by meeting conditions multiple times, not just once. Each floor has its trials and rewards, and I also became quite strong through the Hall of Honor.]

[Hyunsoo: ...Then why don’t I know anything about it?]

[Bahala: Don’t forget that only 0.01% of users can trigger world messages.]

[Hyunsoo: So the 0.01% are tight-lipped? Then what reward do you get if you clear the whole tower?]

[Bahala: That question is wrong.]

[Hyunsoo: ?]

[Bahala: Because I only made it to the 9th floor.]

[Hyunsoo: Is the tower only nine floors?]

[Bahala: No. I don’t know how many floors it has, but it’s much higher. Just remember again—only those who can trigger world messages can enter.]

[Hyunsoo: ...Sounds insanely hard. But how do you enter?]

[Bahala: ...That’s why I’m surprised. I thought you might already know, but you really don’t, so I’m telling you.]

[Hyunsoo: Huh?]

[Bahala: Usually, once you trigger world messages a certain number of times, you obtain an entry ticket... and the higher the difficulty of the world message, the more likely it is you’ll receive one.]

[Hyunsoo: ???]

[Bahala: With your level, you should’ve gotten one ages ago.]

[Hyunsoo: ...]

[Bahala: Hyunsoo, misunderstand this on purpose—based on what I’ve seen, you’re a pitiful kid with no luck.]

[Hyunsoo: ....]

[Bahala: Heh?]

[Hyunsoo: ...I’m not making you items anymore.]

[Bahala: ...]

[Hyunsoo:^^]

[Bahala: ...]

[Hyunsoo: ^___^]

[Bahala: ...Actually, I don’t really know the location either. It exists somewhere, but for now, without a ticket, there’s no answer.]

[Hyunsoo: Heh.]

Hyunsoo admired how quickly he changed the subject.

[Bahala: You should also know that for those who challenge the tower once and fail to climb, the chance of obtaining an entry ticket drops drastically.]

[Bahala: That’s why it’s important to climb as many floors as possible on your first run. So I hope you’ll keep making me items—]

[Hyunsoo has blocked you.]

[Messages cannot be sent.]

[Bahala: ...?]

After cleanly blocking Bahala, Hyunsoo met Kabel to talk.

“Bahala says to unblock him. He wants me to keep crafting items for him.”

“...You should block him too.”

“...?”

Hyunsoo explained everything.

“Bahala called me a pitiful kid with no luck.”

After hearing the whole story, Kabel frowned.

“He’s a strange guy.”

“Right?”

Hyunsoo thought, Kabel really is different.

But then Kabel looked at him with a serious face and said,

“In my eyes, you’re not just a kid with no luck—you’re like a pitiful kid born with cursed luck(?)”

“...”

“You started later than us, but the types of world messages you’ve triggered don’t fall behind at all. The chance rises exponentially once you trigger even two world messages, yet....”

Hyunsoo asked,

“How far did you get?”

“7th floor.”

Back then, Hyunsoo had been shocked.

Kabel and Bahala were unrivaled existences.

Even the gap between them and World Rank #3 was huge.

Yet Kabel’s limit was the 7th floor, and Bahala’s was the 9th?

Hyunsoo couldn’t help being stunned.

“So right now, I can’t climb it even if I want to?”

“...For now, yes. The only known way is the Tower of Honor entry ticket.”

At the time, Hyunsoo had asked because he wondered how far Kabel had climbed—and whether an information broker like him knew the exact location of the tower.

But there had been no way to go at all.

Back then, Hyunsoo couldn’t help becoming discouraged.

Because if you took what Kabel and Bahala said, the Tower of Honor was a place where you could become stronger and gain many rewards.

And Kabel sincerely comforted the sulking Hyunsoo.

“I hope you stay strong. You’re the poorest of the three of us, you have no money, you’re the weakest, and you’re a pitiful kid born with cursed luck, but still. I mean it.”

Are these bastards doing this on purpose...?

But Kabel’s expression was serious.

He just wasn’t used to being a friend—so his method was wrong.

*****

After finishing the memory, Hyunsoo let out a hollow laugh.

Hyunsoo—the pitiful kid(?) born with cursed luck—had triggered world messages several more times after that, but still hadn’t obtained an entry ticket.

“SCREE!”

And through Kkoko, he could hear it.

Tower of Honor, 10th floor.

That floor had already entered the ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Tiger Year and Tiger Month this year.

Each floor of the Tower of Honor has its own trial, and the 10th floor is a place even Bahala hasn’t climbed yet.

And now, he had gained the ability to challenge it.

And if he could reach only the 10th floor, Hyunsoo could forge the Sain Sword by breathing the energy of the Tiger Year and Tiger Month into it.

“A way to make the real Sain Sword might have opened up. Saintess Aria.”

Aria marveled.

“You’re lucky.”

“...”

Of course, Hyunsoo couldn’t say anything to that.

But what was certain was that Aria believed the countermeasure against the unknown danger to come lay at Hyunsoo’s fingertips.

Hyunsoo contacted Nell first.

To ask whether it would be okay even if he wasn’t there.

[Nell: With Kabel and Luxiu there, you don’t need to worry.]

After receiving permission, Hyunsoo asked the most important thing.

“...What will the Ares Church do for me?”

“Of course, we’ll pay an amount that matches the work. And....”

Aria didn’t know whether even this would be possible.

But she said it to raise his motivation—and for the sake of the Ares Church’s future.

“Perhaps Pope Karsel will pray for you, Master Blacksmith Hyunsoo.”

Someone might find it ridiculous.

But Hyunsoo knew.

Karsel’s prayer was a “blessing.”

A blessing like Grant me your blessing, or Grant me your loyalty.

And that blessing changed depending on the power the person possessed.

Pope Karsel was an existence comparable to the kings who led the era.

No—maybe his influence surpasses them.

As Hyunsoo nodded, Kkoko released its power.

[Fire Bird]

[You are moved in an instant to the place you desire.]

[All scenery you brush past in an instant is engraved into your memory.]

FWOOOOSH—!

As Kkoko flew in a circle around Hyunsoo, a ring of fire formed.

Then a fierce blaze surged up from Hyunsoo.

Aria felt her heart pound at Hyunsoo’s last words.

“...I’ll make the real Sain Sword and come back.”

Humanity’s hope blazed up like the hottest flame.

The destination was the Tower of Honor.

*****

Meanwhile.

A high-level hunting ground that ordinary users could never reach.

There was a user who, from start to finish, was every user’s idol and guide.

Sitting atop a pile of monster corpses, he made a startled expression.

Because a whisper had come from Hyunsoo.

Hyunsoo told him that he had found a way to reach the Tower of Honor—and about Kkoko.

“...”

Bahala’s eyes trembled, unlike his usual self.

This changes everything.

Bahala had called Hyunsoo a pitiful kid born with cursed luck.

And half of it had been meant as a joke.

Otherwise Hyunsoo would get too depressed.

But now, he had to think differently.

This is insane...

He corrected himself.

“Not someone born with the worst cursed luck... but someone born with Heaven’s Fortune...?”

That’s right.

This could be called Heaven’s Fortune.

For two reasons.

First.

The Tower of Honor can only be reached if you have an entry ticket.

And once you fail a tower climb, the odds of obtaining an entry ticket grow thinner and thinner.

But Hyunsoo, through Kkoko, had learned the path.

Meaning—unlike others, Hyunsoo was being granted the privilege of entering whenever he wanted.

Second.

“To climb the Tower of Honor at that level of growth....”

The Tower of Honor was something people were supposed to challenge early.

It gave far greater rewards than most would expect.

Those who triggered world messages were, aside from luck, mostly high rankers.

One of the few ways for high rankers to become strong in a short time was the Tower of Honor.

That was why.

Even if you want to delay it, you can’t...

No one is stupid enough to delay when a way to become stronger is right in front of them.

But Hyunsoo had been forced to delay it.

“Of course, the Tower of Honor’s difficulty shifts slightly depending on level, but....”

That wasn’t the important part.

Hyunsoo was originally a blacksmith.

So his combat ability had been below most high rankers.

Back when Bahala first told him about the tower.

But now, he had grown tremendously in skill.

That was why.

Because he was challenging late, he might be able to climb higher floors—and gain even more rewards.

...This is dangerous.

For the first time in a long while, cold sweat ran down Bahala’s back.

Because of what Hyunsoo had said at the end.

[Hyunsoo: Wait for me, Bahala. I’ll climb up soon.]

That line made Bahala’s chest churn.

That tension—something he hadn’t felt in a long time—reminded him that Hyunsoo was the one who had stolen the title of the year’s #1, and one of the Lamps.

Bahala gave a small smile.

Because he was the one who stood highest, most proud.

Because he was the one who kept moving forward, refusing to be taken from.

And because he wasn’t narrow-minded enough to wish failure on a rival of good faith, he sent a reply that was truly him.

[Bahala: I’ll be waiting.]

[Hyunsoo has blocked you.]

[Messages cannot be sent.]

“...?” 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

But what Bahala didn’t know was that unlike him, Hyunsoo was narrow-minded and held grudges like a vice.

Bahala had been blocked for about five months.

For reference, he was World Rank #1.