Genius Blacksmith's Game

The conference room at Pureum headquarters.

An emergency meeting of branch heads had been called, and Lee Sejin looked at the branch heads appearing one by one as holograms.

Usually only the key thirteen to sixteen countries took part in meetings like this, but today more than forty countries had joined.

The founding of the first kingdom was enough to cause that much upheaval.

Remarkable...

A user born in Korea had left the branch heads of every nation staring blankly.

The Turkish branch head spoke first.

“I can’t believe it. One thousand five hundred Unique artifacts sold out in less than two minutes? They had to cost over 10 million won apiece.”

Even Sejin thought it sounded absurd.

This time it was the French branch head.

One of the few women among the branch heads, she spoke in astonishment.

“...The migration application rate jumped by over a million all at once? How is that even possible? No, how...?”

That too was far outside the bounds of ordinary common sense.

The Russian branch head let out a hollow laugh.

“...Insane. A million? Those people won’t last even a month before they leave, and Atlas will only be left even more exhausted because of it.”

Every branch head agreed with the Russian branch head’s words.

“To put on a stunt like this. A stunt is always exposed in the end, and the people disappointed by that stunt are bound to leave.”

There was a reason the migration rate had risen this high.

It was also because those 1,500 Unique artifacts had sold out.

The Chinese branch head, Yuhwan, shot back,

“...Even though it’s being defended by four knights in full gear?”

“So what? Do those four knights never die?”

“......”

That was true as well.

“The nation of Hyun has been established, and the countries of the world will start targeting that newborn state. Not organizations this time, but nations and empires. Do you think users don’t know that? The people drawn in by a spectacle like this will scatter the moment the kingdom is founded, and Atlas will end up even more depleted.”

Everyone nodded.

Then Sejin cleared their throat.

“Ahem.”

All eyes turned to Sejin.

“I don’t think... that kind of mass departure is going to happen.”

“What? Then are you saying CEO Lee Sejin believes he really is qualified to be king right now? That’s ten months earlier than we projected.”

Sejin gave a bitter smile.

“This is the reaction I confirmed to those 1,500 Unique artifacts.”

At a time like this, did the reaction to the Unique artifacts really matter?

But Sejin cut straight to the heart of it.

“Why do you think they sold out? Because of symbolism?”

“...Of course not. Ten million won and up is serious money. What kind of fool would spend that for symbolism? It’s not as if they’re all chaebols.”

Sejin nodded.

As they spoke, the users who had bought those Unique artifacts were exploding with reactions on the screen.

The users who had bought the 1,500 Unique artifacts were praising them to the skies.

“They didn’t sell because of a stunt. They sold because people had to buy them. And the more astonishing part is that every artifact Hyun bought up was marked with the words ‘Hyun brand.’”

A brand.

There were plenty of those in reality too.

Naiki, Pyoma, Louis Vitton, Sharel, Liol.

“The difference is that other brands can be substituted. But the goods from Hyun’s Forge can’t.”

“......!”

“......!”

“......!”

That statement stunned the branch heads.

Looking at the users’ reactions right now, it was true.

And Sejin could not help admiring it.

In the beginning, the young blacksmith who had started the game had built a forge under the name Hyun.

Almost as if he had intended to launch a brand called Hyun.

And now, with the founding of a kingdom, that vision was becoming reality.

“...People wait in line for hours outside department stores just to buy a single luxury bag. In the same way, there is no reason for them to leave the nation of Hyun, which is now the best place to obtain what he makes. Of course, there are many real concerns.”

Because he had become king ten months ahead of schedule, stories even Pureum had not anticipated would now erupt.

“The first king will receive several first-of-their-kind quests, and those may become dangers in themselves. But right now, there is something even bigger right in front of us. There’s something everyone here already knows, isn’t there?”

The Russian branch head now wore an expression of understanding, and everyone’s attention settled on the same point.

“The reward will change.”

That was right.

The reward for becoming the first king ten months early.

*****

[A world message rings out.]

[The first man to become a king by founding a kingdom under the name the nation of Hyun has been born.]

[The king’s name is Hyunsoo.]

That single message struck the entire world.

Viewership soared, and people flooded in to see the first king.

And they were curious.

Because everyone knew one thing.

The first.

And because the second Ares had already revealed the existence of the path of kings, they all knew the reward for this would be extraordinary.

Naturally, Hyunsoo too had been waiting for that notification.

[Congratulations.]

[You are the first user to become a king.]

[You receive a reward for becoming king.]

It had taken a long time to get here.

Hyunsoo’s chest burned.

[It is a wondrous achievement.]

[You have become king faster than anyone.]

Did Hyunsoo know the date Pureum had predicted?

No.

Whatever the case, Hyunsoo was still just a user.

And he himself did not know.

He had become king a full ten months earlier than expected.

Of course—

There’ll be a lot of side effects, but you still have to do it. Hyunsoo, please become king.

That was part of his conversation with Nell.

Nell believed in Hyunsoo more than anyone. She believed he was someone who could become king.

So while he had wavered over whether becoming king now was truly the right move, Nell had planted certainty in him.

And then the notification Hyunsoo had been waiting for appeared.

[You do not possess unrivaled strength like the Overlord.]

“...?”

Hyunsoo was dumbfounded.

Is it mocking me right now, saying I’m lacking?

The truth was, Hyunsoo knew it was early.

But if he did not rise today, Atlas, weakened by the aftermath of war, would become a target in short order.

And he had needed to seize a power that would, for a while, keep others from coveting it under the name of first.

And then—

[You are not, like the Tyrant, the master of millions of undead.]

“......”

Hyunsoo had been excited, but for the moment he listened silently.

Let’s admit what deserves admitting. It’s true.

And it was nothing to be ashamed of.

Those were the ones who had been called the absolute monarchs.

Even so, the notifications made him feel a growing urgency.

[You are not one who can unite the continent like the Saint King.]

That almost felt like a denial.

And it was also true.

[You have not left behind legendary achievements like the Story King.]

That too was true.

He had heard the Story King’s tale from Kkoko.

He cut down tens of thousands alone and held back a Great Archdemon?

That story felt holy and immense.

A hero far greater than a small hero like himself could ever compare to.

And then—

[You will likely find it difficult to become the lord of hundreds of millions of citizens like the Great King.]

That referred to Emperor Bolond of the Parion Empire.

And the notification was implying that becoming such a king would be difficult for him.

His mouth turned bitter.

Because it was true that he could not yet compare to those five kings.

[However.]

That voice jolted Hyunsoo awake.

And then he saw the members of Hyun’s Forge approaching to stand beside him.

Nell came to his right, and Bark stood to his left.

Dozens of others stood with them as well.

Every one of them wore a white cloak bearing the crossed anvil and hammer that signaled Hyun’s Forge.

And at least in this moment, what the founding of this kingdom had made them see was not a friend, not a boy like a son, not a guild master, not simply someone they liked.

In front of the entire world—

[You are an example to all.]

That voice struck Hyunsoo in the chest, and now he could see it.

The soldiers of Atlas, who had fought against an army of hundreds of thousands.

And behind Atlas’s walls, the citizens who had been afraid because of the war, yet had still believed.

And the four knights who respected him, cherished him, and cared for him above all others—and because of that, had offered him their spoils.

At their head—

“All ranks, attention!”

Bella raised the +5 Hero’s Twin Dragon Sword straight up, and among those who had once belonged to the User Kingdom Union—and those who were now citizens—

“Loyalty!!!!”

he saw citizens saluting.

And those standing beside him urged the others to step farther forward, looking out from atop the wall.

Even among the citizens swearing loyalty, the ones who had only just migrated were now clumsily, jokingly, imitating the same gesture.

[You are everyone’s hero.]

Not just anyone could become king, and even now the commentators kept chattering that a nation created by users would not last long before collapsing.

But the fact that he had become king ten months earlier than expected was itself proof acknowledged by the whole world.

And now he understood.

It was not that he could never become like them.

[His path will be different.]

It meant he would become a king different from them.

And only now did Hyunsoo realize it.

From the moment the message You are an example to all had appeared, every user here had started hearing the notifications as well.

To the countless users nodding along, Hyunsoo truly ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ was an example to follow, an object of respect, an idol.

And then the reason these notifications had begun like this was revealed.

[The new king’s epithet will be remembered for a long time.]

[Please choose the new king’s epithet.]

“A new king’s epithet?”

“Like the Tyrant, the Saint King, the Overlord—Master Blacksmith Hyun is going to become a king with an epithet of his own!?”

The entire world was aghast.

This king, who had only just founded the nation of Hyun, was being given an epithet of his own, just like the absolute monarchs—or the monarchs now leading the age.

Because they all knew just how incredible a reward that was.

Even Nell, watching him, was amazed.

It’s a name that’ll be recorded in history. Forever, in Ares!

Resil and Bark were equally overwhelmed.

He’s going to become the owner of a name as great and glorious as the Tyrant, the Overlord, and the Saint King!?

And Hyunsoo, worthy of that, looked out at everyone.

Normally Hyunsoo had no sense for naming things, but today would not be one of those times.

This was a name that would be remembered forever.

After thinking for a long time, he finally came to a careful decision.

Good. This is it. There’s nothing else.

Hyunsoo lifted a noble gaze to his new citizens and the whole world and declared,

“Hyun King. My epithet is Hyun King!”

At that, Hyunsoo thought the entire world would be moved and filled with admiration.

But...

[Nell: Hyunsoo, you didn’t just make it Hyun King by taking the first part of the brand name, did you?]

[Resil: No, that’s a little...]

[Bark: ...Damn, that’s one hell of a brand promotion. Makes you look like a capitalist king, and honestly I kind of respect it(?).]

The entire world fell into shock.

As if he had expected exactly this reaction. As if there were another meaning behind it.

With the whole world worrying, Hyunsoo revealed the real meaning.

“Hyun—as in virtuous. King—as in ruler.”

Virtuous.

Kind-hearted, good, wise, noble in character.

“I’ll become that kind of king.”

[A king with a new epithet has been born.]

[Like the other kings with epithets, he too has become king bearing an epithet of his own.]

[He will become the benevolent and noble king of all.]

“Now that’s cool.”

“The benevolent and noble king of all? Hah!”

The reaction flipped completely.

The new king.

Beneath the name of the Hyun King, everyone was cheering.

End of Part 1