Genius Blacksmith's Game

Though they had been torn into three, he would pour the greatest blessing into the sword and declare it.

That they had once been one.

Hearing those words, the Northern King felt a sharp pang in his chest.

Even if such a sword existed, it is uncertain whether they would accept it.

But for now, the Northern King judged that it was better to try whatever could be tried.

“It would be a fine sword. I will entrust you with the making of it.”

In any case, the Northern King had nothing to lose.

That was all there was to it.

Perhaps he might attempt a new challenge.

And Hyunsoo let out a quiet sigh of relief.

[The Floor 10 trial has changed.]

[End the war using your own method.]

Hyunsoo had almost failed Floor 10 without even getting the chance to try anything.

And Hyunsoo had not forgotten the reason he had come here.

It was to craft the Four Tiger Sword.

And for that, he needed even more perfect materials.

Of course, the Northern King before him was indeed a tiger possessing tremendous power.

But the Four Tiger Sword Crafting Method might not simply have meant that.

It might also have been hinting that a being with such powerful tiger aura would possess materials comparable to that aura.

“May I ask for a favor?”

“A favor?”

“...In truth, I came here because there is a sword I wish to make, and that sword requires the power of a tiger.”

The power of a tiger?

The Northern King was intrigued.

After all, he himself was a being born from a great tiger.

“And so I was wondering whether Your Majesty possesses any materials related to tigers. And if I succeed in ending this war, whether you might grant them to me.”

“Of course I do. This land is filled with tiger aura from myself, the Eastern King, and the Western King. In the mines here exists a special mineral called Tigerfire Stone. Tigerfire Stone is a legendary mineral that has received the pure aura of the tiger. I shall give it to you. For reference, the Western King and the Eastern King also possess Tigerfire Stone.”

At last, Hyunsoo felt as though all the materials were coming together.

The Year of the Tiger.

The Month of the Tiger.

And even the legendary mineral Tigerfire Stone, which contained the aura of tigers.

With all those powers gathering together, he could hardly imagine the strength the Four Tiger Sword would possess when forged.

But he did not forget the premise.

That first, he had to craft the sword successfully.

Finally, Hyunsoo followed the guidance of the officials and headed to the forge.

When he heard about Tigerfire Stone, a quest had triggered, allowing him to confirm the material listed in the reward list.

*****

(Tigerfire Stone)

Grade: Legendary

Restriction: Blacksmith level 500 or above

Difficulty: Highest Grade

Special Abilities:

· A mineral filled with tiger aura.

· Possesses optimal power for creating status-effect related properties.

· When imbued into an artifact, it can cause effects such as stun, bleeding, fear, and bleeding, and sometimes may ignore defense.

Description: A special mineral that can only be obtained in the land where the three Tiger Kings live. A mineral that represents the tiger itself.

*****

[The Four Tiger Sword Crafting Method reacts.]

[It will demonstrate outstanding effects in status abilities against evil.]

Though he had found the material, Hyunsoo did not relax.

After all, it was a mineral that could only be obtained once the story of ending the war was completed.

It was improvisation.

And the hint for creating a single sword that could receive the blessings of the three kings had come from one inspiration:

Give me your blessing.

And so Hyunsoo thought this was the most important element of the sword to be created.

The blessings of the three kings will be extremely powerful. The key is creating something capable of containing that strength.

Hyunsoo began the crafting process.

As he watched the molten metal flowing, he felt once again how important the story was.

The importance of that story came from the fact that the three beings had once been one.

And that he might be the one to reconcile them.

Before he realized it, Hyunsoo had fallen into a trance as he worked.

Meanwhile—

After entrusting the request to Hyunsoo,

the Northern King walked toward his chambers.

In the chamber was his beloved daughter, who had only recently been born.

“Kyahahaha!”

“You are beautiful today as well, my princess.”

Before he was a king, he was merely a father.

And because this child had come only after many long years, she was a daughter he cherished beyond measure.

Before his officials he was colder and harsher than any king.

But with the princess, he was different.

After playing with her for a while, the Northern King suddenly remembered the blacksmith’s question.

I was wondering whether Your Majesty possessed any minerals related to tigers.

He had told him about Tigerfire Stone.

But one more mineral had come to mind at the time.

And yet he had concealed that one.

Or perhaps “concealed” was not quite the right word.

He simply had not felt the need to mention it.

Even to the Northern King, it was precious.

The day we were split into three.

Minerals symbolizing the Northern King, the Eastern King, and the Western King had been born together.

*****

There were those who had watched the conversation between the Northern King and Hyunsoo with nervous tension.

The Special User Management Team.

Team Leader Kim Taeseok stared at the Northern King on the monitor, who was gazing lovingly at the princess.

“User Hyunsoo almost got a hint about that mineral.”

That mineral.

In truth, it would not have been a problem if the Northern King possessed one of them.

It was merely a Transcendence-grade mineral.

Transcendence-grade minerals had already begun appearing in the world, so obtaining one more would not have been a great concern.

“Do you know why I was worried, Employee Lee Jihee?”

Jihee had now become a proper full employee.

Taeseok occasionally tried to tighten her focus when she became too relaxed.

“Of course. The moment you obtain one of those minerals, you gain a hint. And in that hint is information the Northern King did not mention.”

“What information?”

Jihee answered as though something like this was now easy for her.

“The day the great tiger split into three pieces. A mineral was born that received the auras of the Eastern King, Western King, and Northern King. And if those three are combined—”

Jihee swallowed the rest.

The reason was simple.

It was something that must not yet appear in the world.

“The true mineral symbolizing the great tiger will appear. That is the legend.”

Jihee deliberately did not mention the grade of that mineral.

What came after Transcendence grade?

In truth, even those three Transcendence-grade minerals were merely fakes hiding the real one.

But since the feared event did not seem likely to happen, Team Leader Kim Taeseok picked up his bag to leave work and said,

“It’s ridiculous that I even worried about him getting it. The Northern King clearly has his own thoughts if he’s hiding it like that. There’s no way he’ll obtain it.”

The moment Taeseok finished saying those words—

Freeze.

Freeze.

W-What did I just say?

Team Leader Kim panicked.

Not long ago, Team Leader Yoo Hwan from the Chinese branch had said “There’s no way,” and ended up suffering through massive overtime.

And the Story Team had said “Come on, there’s no way~,” and spent two weeks in overtime hell.

The forbidden Hyunsoo-exclusive flag across Pureum Co., Ltd. had just been activated.

“There’s no way he’ll do that.”

“There’s no way he’ll get it.”

“There’s no way...”

But Kim Taeseok denied it.

“L-Let’s go home. It’s just a superstition anyway. It doesn’t make sense to believe in that.”

“......”

Jihee, sitting in front of the monitor, looked grave.

Because countless previous cases had proven otherwise.

And sure enough—

She called to the team leader with a trembling voice.

“Team Leader...”

“Y-Yeah...?”

“I think the flag has been planted properly...”

Soon Team Leader Kim looked at Jihee’s monitor to see the disaster he had caused.

“......”

“......”

A group of figures was secretly climbing over the walls of the Northern King’s castle.

*****

If there were those who wished for the war to end, there were also those who did not.

Abeo.

An assassin living in the land of the Western King.

Recently, he had delivered news to Blen, the second-in-command of the Western King’s nation.

The news that the Northern King was attempting to summon a hero.

And Abeo knew this because he had already infiltrated the Northern King’s country.

That “hero” was not actually a hero.

Due to an error, a mere blacksmith had been summoned instead.

But that blacksmith was crafting a weapon that might reconcile the kingdoms.

A messenger pigeon from Blen, the second-in-command of the Western King’s nation, who desired no peace, arrived.

[Kidnap the princess and kill the blacksmith.]

Abeo belonged to the Western King’s country.

He was the leader of its assassins.

He was not someone to be taken lightly.

After all, most beings in this land ruled by tigers were far stronger than those on the continent where normal users existed.

Abeo alone had reached Level 470.

And Abeo possessed an unusual power.

Though he was an assassin, he could command a special being.

That being was a Vampire Duke.

Of course, the Vampire Duke was so powerful that he did not listen well to Abeo.

But in a crisis, one of the Legendary Vampire Dukes would surely lend great strength.

“A full-scale war.”

Abeo realized it as he looked at the thirty assassins who had gathered after scaling the castle walls.

The kidnapped princess would die.

And once that happened, even the peace-seeking Northern King would have no choice but to start a war.

They moved as swiftly as light.

Their first target was the bedchamber.

Fortunately, the Northern King had stepped away for a meeting.

They say the Northern King cherishes the princess dearly.

She was still just a newborn.

But Abeo felt no sympathy.

Cradling her, Abeo ran with the thirty assassins.

Their speed was extraordinary.

It showed just how elite they were.

Then—

Abeo suddenly ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) raised his hand.

CLANG—!

CLANG—!

CLANG—!

One final mission remained.

To kill the hero—

No.

The wrongly summoned blacksmith.

They approached while hearing the sound of hammering.

And Abeo sneered.

He really is just a blacksmith.

The man wore short sleeves and shorts, absorbed in his work, unaware of their presence.

Since he was called a hero, Abeo had suspected there might be something special about him.

But he could not even sense their presence?

Yet Abeo was a professional.

Even against a weak opponent, he would do everything possible.

At the same moment—

Thirty assassins.

Thirty daggers flew simultaneously toward Hyunsoo.

They were incredibly fast.

But there was someone faster.

Hyunsoo snapped out of his trance in an instant.

And the moment he quickly donned his armor and helmet—

CLANG CLANG CLANG—!

“...!”

“...!”

Abeo was stunned.

All the daggers except his own—

had bounced off without leaving even a scratch on that armor.

Abeo also noticed something else.

Just moments ago, Hyunsoo had been wearing short sleeves and shorts.

Now he wore black full plate armor that fit his body perfectly.

The helmet showed only his eyes and nose.

But the most important thing was this.

“That hurt.”

His tone was blunt, like someone who had bumped into something while walking.

And a notification rang in his ears.

DING!

[Emergency Quest: Rescue the Princess]

Grade: S

Restriction: Witness the princess’s kidnapping

Reward: Increased affinity with the Northern King

Failure Penalty: War breaks out

Description: The Northern King has something more precious than anything. That is his daughter Atali, born after more than ten years of effort with his wife.

Now Atali has been kidnapped by unknown assailants.

Rescue the princess!

Hyunsoo’s eyes narrowed sharply.

Seeing the fierce gaze inside the helmet, Abeo flinched.

This... is a blacksmith?

Those eyes belonged to someone who had crossed the line between life and death many times.

And Hyunsoo looked at the newborn princess in Abeo’s arms.

Hyunsoo was human.

So he knew exactly how he should react.

The moment he drew ManGae—

“...!”

“...!”

“...!”

For the first time in their lives, Abeo and the assassins felt themselves captivated by a sword.

Because when it unfolded with a metallic CLICK, it resembled something that could only be seen on a warm spring day.

“Bloom.”

The beautiful skill name itself felt hypnotic.

And the moment they came to their senses—

Abeo and the assassins were horrified.

Crimson cherry blossoms pierced through the assassins.