Genius Blacksmith's Game

The practice bow-making kit.

That was something familiar to blacksmith users.

Because “My First Bow-Making” with a practice bow-making kit was one of the blacksmith class-change quests.

This practice bow-making kit could be purchased by anyone at a general goods shop for “2 gold.”

And since Hyunsoo had only been practicing to recover his “feel,” he had not needed good materials.

He had no intention of demanding something like that from Parkro, whose finances were surely already bad enough.

So he had practiced using that thing ordinary users never even glanced at—something sold for 2 gold apiece, containing the materials for making a bow “all in one set.”

Was it trash?

To ordinary users, it was trash.

The reason was simple.

Because they crafted by pressing a button, while for Hyunsoo, it served as excellent material whenever he needed practice.

But there was one thing for certain.

[The Agitator’s Information searches for one who forged a Legendary artifact using a practice bow-making kit.]

[No such person exists.]

H-hiiiik?

Pan.

Just because Hyunsoo had said it was only 2 gold, Pan kept activating the skill called Agitator’s Information, a power useful when searching for an opponent’s weakness.

[The Agitator’s Information searches for one who forged a Unique artifact using a practice bow-making kit.]

[No such person exists.]

[The Agitator’s Information searches for one who forged an Epic artifact using a practice bow-making kit.]

[No such person exists.]

No way, no way, no way!!

Even Pan thought it made no sense.

Still, there has to be at least a Rare, right!

[The Agitator’s Information searches for one who forged a Rare artifact using a practice bow-making kit.]

[No such person exists.]

But there was none.

Have I been possessed by a ghost?

Pan, too, was a Legendary class user and a legendary class user at that, having reached level 480.

So Pan checked again, wondering if they were putting on an act and deceiving Pan.

[The Agitator’s Information searches for one who forged a Transcendent artifact using a practice bow-making kit.]

[Such a person exists.]

“......Impossible.”

Pan was speechless.

And for the first time in Pan’s life, a notification appeared that made Pan break out in goosebumps.

[Agitation is impossible.]

That was right.

No lie, and no absurd nonsense that sounded like nonsense, could stir this up.

And then the second first happened.

[Your agitation instead awakens the truth and plants a heart of reverence.]

And Pan, experiencing two firsts in a single day, panicked, and Antro gave the order.

“Bind this one.”

As Pan was restrained, veins bulged in Pan’s neck.

“L-lor.......”

Pan had meant to say, My lord......!

Pan had meant to think, I will kill him. I will not forget this. Hyun, I will tear you apart and kill you.

But—

“My lord......!”

Even Pan could tell it was far too absurd an achievement.

To forge a Transcendent artifact with 2 gold?

The possibilities ahead of Hyun were unimaginably vast.

But Hyunsoo was cold.

“......You think that’ll work?”

Anyway, that was how Pan, the Agitator class, was dragged away.

But even as Pan was dragged off, Pan thought:

......I absolutely have to migrate to Atlas.

Even if it cost a fortune!

Because what Pan had seen from Hyun today. Pan thought it was on a level beyond even Valhalla.

That was right.

Pan had been so shocked that Pan had gone beyond astonishment, terror, and fear, and had come to feel reverence.

And all of it happened because Pan did not know the truth.

That’s random.

When he had reached the 27th attempt, Hyunsoo had heard the notification.

[Hidden Piece: Indomitable Blacksmith completed.]

[You have shown repetitive crafting that anyone can do, but that not everyone does.]

[You receive a reward.]

And Hyunsoo had one question.

This Hidden Piece clearly......

[An item crafted under Indomitable Blacksmith always starts from Legendary.]

It started from Legendary.

Which meant Hyunsoo should originally have gotten a Legendary item.

But what he got was a Transcendent Heavenslaying Bow.

Hyunsoo checked the “Heavenslaying Bow” he had forged.

(Heavenslaying Bow)

Grade: Transcendent

Durability: 7,000/7,000

Attack Power: 765

Restriction: Archer level 450 or above

Special Abilities:

· Accuracy increases by 150%

· Critical hit chance increases by 120%

· Bow Mastery Highest Grade Lv.9

· Passive Skill: Double Shot

· Passive Skill: Owner of the Heavenslaying Bow

· Passive Skill: Together with the King

· Active Skill: Heaven-Slaying

· Active Skill: Heavenslaying Bow

Description: This is a recreation of the Heavenslaying Bow once forged by the Blacksmith God. Crafted tirelessly by the Indomitable Blacksmith, it has been imbued with special power, and in the matter of the Heavenslaying Bow alone, it was created with skill that surpasses even that of a god.

“.......”

Goosebumps rose over Hyunsoo’s body.

If that’s true, then the Hidden Piece is what pulled it up to Legendary, but what pulled it beyond that was the skill I piled up through repeating it 27 times?

At that, Hyunsoo despaired.

Why, why did this happen......?

He could not help it.

At the 20th attempt, Hyunsoo had received from King Antro several of “those kinds of materials” that Pan the Agitator had brought up.

They were materials the kings of the Parkro Kingdom had gathered for a very long time.

[Legendary Grade: Great Horse Tendon.]

[Legendary Grade: Astagio’s Essence.]

And tucked into his possession was the greatest “bow-making” material in Ares at present.

It was this.

(Horn of the Great Archdemon Gremory)

Grade: Transcendent

Restriction: Blacksmith level 500 or above

Difficulty: Highest

Special Abilities

· When used in bow crafting, can inflict demonic status effects

· When used in bow crafting, triggers the status effect Extreme Fear from sight alone

· When used in bow crafting, can use Gremory’s Authority

Description: A horn that once rose from the forehead of the great archdemon Gremory. It is a concentrated mass of demonic energy and the finest material for making bows.

It was an insane material.

Just because it had once been attached to the forehead of the archdemon Gremory, if I forge a bow with it, I can imbue it with Gremory’s Authority or various demonic status effects.......

To Hyunsoo, who understood the true value of this material, it was utterly absurd.

If he shot an enemy and struck them, that enemy would be afflicted with “various status effects” and would not be able to recover their senses.

And if he struck them with it, there were times when Gremory’s Authority could be imbued as well.

That was right.

Damn it......!

Hyunsoo’s face turned pale.

Because through all the surrounding circumstances, he had understood.

Legendary Grade Great Horse Tendon.

Legendary Grade Bartagio’s Leaf.

Transcendent Grade Horn of the Great Archdemon Gremory.

And just as the description of the “Heavenslaying Bow” said—

When it came to crafting the Heavenslaying Bow, I surpassed the previous god.

That was why he was filled with resentment.

If I had used all of these materials, my skill had backed it up, and this Hidden Piece had triggered?

He could say it with certainty—it would have been Mythic.

The road to a second Mythic had been right in front of him!

Then he suddenly realized something.

“......Huh?”

No.

This was better.

This result was much better!

“......This can’t be.”

“You really forged the Heavenslaying Bow with 2 gold?”

“Y-you mean this is even possible!?”

If this had been Mythic?

In the end, I was the commissioned craftsman. I would have had to give it to Antro.

That was right.

He would have had to hand over a Mythic-grade bow as “nothing more than a quest item.”

Of course, he would have earned an enormous amount of money.

But in this bow’s case, things were different from when he had forged the White Tiger Sword.

First, unlike back when he forged the White Tiger Sword, his limitations were no longer purely financial.

Second, even if they were an allied nation, giving them ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) a Mythic item might still have left a bitter taste in his mouth.

And only when he reached the final reason did he understand the real reason this was better.

I didn’t use a single material.

Hyunsoo looked down at his hand.

“......”

The “feel” at his fingertips from when he had forged a guaranteed Legendary into a Transcendent still lingered like a tickle, and he still had the unused “Heavenslaying Bow Crafting Method.”

Of course, the Heavenslaying Bow Crafting Method would need revision.

But in the mind of a blacksmith with genius-level knowledge, it split into hundreds of pieces in an instant.

No, this would be different from the Heavenslaying Bow.

Because it uses a demon’s horn.

Right, then from time to time there should be a massive birth of demonic energy.

Uh-hah, uh-hahaha? This is insane!

Inside Hyunsoo’s head, a crafting method was completed.

Its name.

Great Bow of Demon-Slaying.

An artifact that might even become Mythic had just been assembled in his mind!

Meanwhile—

“......Why is the Master Blacksmith acting like that?”

“......They say geniuses are always a little lacking in some way.”

The citizens of Parkro, seeing this, were puzzled.

Because Hyunsoo kept laughing by himself, then looking sad, then widening his eyes in shock, over and over again.

At one point, he even started making strange noises.

“Hhk! Hhk, khk!!!”

Why was that?

This was the Heavenslaying Bow.

The Heavenslaying Bow once forged by the Blacksmith God.

Hyunsoo had not known the crafting method, but the Blacksmith God must have used materials far better than Hyunsoo’s for this.

And yet a successor, one who was not even a complete god yet, had forged a Transcendent item with a mere “practice bow-making kit”?

Wouldn’t the Blacksmith God acknowledge that the Hidden Piece had played a role?

No. This is still something I accomplished myself!

And naturally, the achievements Hyunsoo had built upon the god’s trail would lead to a reward.

As proof of that, Antro said,

“......There is a saying in the legend—that one who perfectly recreates the Heavenslaying Bow receives a gift.”

And with that—

[You have completed the Secret Quest: The Trail of a God.]

The contents of the quest, which had not been visible at first, appeared.

But Hyunsoo was soon seized by a tremendous anxiety.

Is this really okay?

This was the Blacksmith God.

What kind of being was a god?

Holy and great beings.

Such a being had been vastly surpassed by a mere successor.

That was enough to inspire jealousy.

Enough to make one’s insides burn, and enough to make them guard against the appearance of a new being greater than their once-holy self.

I still don’t know the exact personality of this god.

But that worry was unfounded.

[The Blacksmith God is delighted.]

The Blacksmith God was not the kind of god with such a petty, narrow heart.

And then—

[The Blacksmith God wishes to bestow a reward, praising you for leaving behind a myth.]

But then—

[The system mediates this.]

Huh?

Hyunsoo was startled.

Who was the system?

Simply put, it was the supercomputer Ares, and the one known in this world’s lore as the “absolute god,” Ares.

Right now, Ares was trying to interfere with this for the sake of balance.

A curse nearly burst from Hyunsoo’s mouth.

But then—

[The Blacksmith God objects.]

[The Blacksmith God says it is an achievement no one else could accomplish.]

[The system falls silent.]

“......?”

It felt like, Hey! If he did this much, then you have to give it to him!

That’s it, well done. That’s the way!

And then he heard it.

[The system acknowledges it!]

[You more than deserve a reward!]

[The Blacksmith God is delighted!]

Hyunsoo smiled, and the god smiled too.

All right, then what are you giving me!

At that, an astonishing notification sounded.

[The Blacksmith God wishes to give you the Iron of Anrlo.]

[It is a Mythic-grade material for making shields.]

Ghk!?

Hyunsoo was stunned in admiration.

A Mythic-grade material.

Wouldn’t he be the first to receive a Mythic material this directly?

But then something unexpected happened.

[The system rejects it.]

This stupid system......?

[The system judges it insufficient.]

No, I mean, the magnificent and glorious King-God-General, virtuous and handsome and beautiful Lord Ares?

[The Blacksmith God suggests something of a higher order.]

[The Blacksmith God wishes to give you the Armor of Partro, which he forged.]

[The Armor of Partro is Mythic-grade armor.]

Kghk!

Hyunsoo was now almost out of breath.

No, it had been upgraded from a material to armor.

But then?

[The system rejects it.]

[The system judges it insufficient.]

No, you’re saying even this is insufficient!?

Only now did Hyunsoo understand. The system’s role was not simply to prevent all balance collapse at all costs—it also helped ensure that one received a reward that was “appropriate.”

Forging a Transcendent item with 2 gold really was that insane.......

That was right.

It really had been insane!

And it continued.

[The Blacksmith God wishes to give you the Bow that Splits the Sky, which he forged.]

[The system judges it insufficient.]

[The Blacksmith God wishes to give you Patasha’s Necklace, which he forged.]

[The system judges it insufficient.]

[The Blacksmith God stares at the god with absolute power.]

Hyunsoo could feel it.

It was almost as if this—this system, meaning Ares—was saying, Come on, offer more.

And soon, Hyunsoo could not help but stare in shock.

[The Blacksmith God wishes to give you the swordsmanship he left behind.]

[It is swordsmanship that reaches Mythic!!]

Soon—

[The system approves it.]

[The system is extremely satisfied!!]

[The Blacksmith God is extremely satisfied!!]

“......???"

Hyunsoo was not stunned by the fact that it was swordsmanship left behind by a god.

What is this?

Because Mythic-grade materials,

or Mythic-grade artifacts,

were apparently worth less than this single piece of swordsmanship that reached Mythic.

[Congratulations!]

[You have obtained the swordsmanship left behind by a god!]

And so, as Hyunsoo moved his finger to check it, his heart began pounding like mad.