Genius Blacksmith's Game

Pureum Co., Ltd.

CEO Lee Sejin received a report.

They said former Hansung Group chairman Lee Moonsoo would likely pass away soon.

Sejin’s chest felt tight.

He’d had a connection with him before the dementia.

He’d been a good man.

And the report also said that Chairman Lee Taeseong had asked them to lift the restrictions.

Naturally, the person in charge had refused.

His heart felt heavy, but he had no regrets.

Ares was a world built only by its users.

Real-world power, real-world strength—none of it could be allowed to exert influence in here or tamper with the system.

‘And to think what kind of person Chairman Lee Taeseong is......’

Even he, in the end, was just someone’s son.

Among chairmen, Lee Taeseong was known as especially prickly and cold.

And for that very reason, he was also the one who enforced rules most rigorously.

Just then—

“Sir.”

An urgent voice called from outside. Soon, Special User Management Team Leader Kim Taeseok came in.

“User Hyunsoo has......”

“What?”

As he listened, Lee Sejin’s face filled with shock.

He quickly brought up a screen in his office to check where the falcons sent by user Hyunsoo were flying.

On the screen, split into multiple windows showing NPCs like CCTV footage, the falcons were arriving one after another.

“Lord Vance of the Beginner’s Territory has issued an order.”

“What order?”

“An order to open every gate.”

For a moment, CEO Lee Sejin said nothing. Then he let out a small laugh.

One of the things he’d hoped for was happening.

‘A world outsiders create.’

This wasn’t a bug.

If it had been, he would’ve slapped a restriction on it immediately. The supercomputer Ares would have thrown up a warning.

But the supercomputer Ares was silent.

Why? Because this was power built up by a user.

Just like when Hyun had acquired the title Liege’s Grace, this was the result of what Hyun had accumulated.

The question was whether it was actually possible in practical terms.

“......What do you think?”

“It might be.”

Even Lord Vance couldn’t just leave the Beginner Zone at will.

But among the NPCs of the Beginner’s Territory, there were those who could cross into the neighboring territory.

They used them to bring in the supplies needed for the territory.

“What should we do?”

At Kim Taeseok’s question, Lee Sejin gave a small smile.

“What else? A user made this happen. We watch in anticipation.”

*****

[You have logged into Ares.]

The old man, Moonsoo, opened his eyes.

It was strange. Just a moment ago, he could have sworn he’d been writhing in pain. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Now the pain was scrubbed away, and a sense of ease washed over him.

Within that comfort, the chirping of birds tickled his ears, and he could feel the fresh air.

Eyes open, Moonsoo watched his surroundings like a child seeing the world anew.

Then—

“You’re Mr. Moonsoo, right?”

A man approached. His head was cleanly shaved, and anyone could tell at a glance he was a blacksmith.

“I’m Blacksmith Ren. I got a courier from Hyun. I’ll escort you.”

In this mysterious world, Moonsoo followed him, moving his feet.

“Look at that.”

“What is that?”

“The instructors are escorting an old man like he’s some kind of VIP......?”

Users stared at the strange sight, brows furrowed.

Then they came to the gate leading out of the lord’s castle.

There, a handsome man in noble clothes was waiting, and the gate to the outside stood wide open.

“I’m Lord Vance. Please, get in.”

Moonsoo was delighted. Strangers whose names he didn’t know were staying by his side.

He quickly climbed up into the carriage.

“There’s no time. Full speed!”

“Yes, my lord!”

The coachman spurred the horses into a full gallop.

In this fun world, Moonsoo took in the passing scenery with childlike eyes.

Then he grew afraid.

Because from a certain point on, terrifying, grotesque monsters started chasing the carriage.

“Normally, outsiders without the proper qualifications can’t pass this point. If they try, they’ll be attacked by monsters like this. But don’t worry.”

Before long, the creatures had drawn right up to the carriage’s tail.

Moonsoo clutched his head and trembled in fear.

FWEEEE—

THWIP-THWIP-THWIP-THWIP-THWIP—

Dozens of arrows suddenly flew in and smashed the monsters brilliantly.

“This is as far as I can escort you.”

And new people arrived.

“I’m Subjugation Captain Hans, here at the request of the hero of the Subjugation Force, Hyun.”

This time, it was a man who looked truly gallant and brave. Behind him stood his subjugation force members.

“Hold on tight.”

The man named Hans lifted him up onto a horse.

Moonsoo wrapped his arms around Hans’s waist, and Hans tied their bodies together tightly with a cloth.

“Hyah!”

And they took off at full speed.

Moonsoo saw the riders around him, galloping alongside him on their horses.

Ah, didn’t this feel like he had become the protagonist of a fantasy movie?

Moonsoo was thrilled.

He also saw something entertaining.

The riders around him were cutting down the hideous monsters that kept swarming in, without a moment’s rest.

At some point, monsters began appearing that these people could no longer handle.

But then a single knight appeared and cut them down in one stroke.

“I am Carl of Cassel Territory. I’m here at my benefactor’s command. Now we will cross the border.”

He changed horses again.

And they sped off at a hard gallop. Before he knew it, they were standing in front of a grand, beautiful castle.

The king!

Yes, that man was a king!

Seeing the marvelous king he’d only ever seen in movies, Moonsoo’s spirits soared.

Then the king stepped forward and spoke.

“I had a request from my friend Hyun. I’ll see that you’re taken there swiftly.”

The king did not go with him.

But soon, something even more like a movie happened.

On hundreds of black horses, knights took their places, and at their head rode a beautiful female knight named Bella.

They raced forward.

Moonsoo suddenly grew curious and asked,

“Where are we going?”

“......To meet a dragon.”

Moonsoo’s heart pounded.

At some point, the hundreds of horses around them gradually faded away.

Only the horse bearing Moonsoo and the woman named Bella arrived at a place marked Frea Territory.

The horse pushed quickly through the territory.

And Moonsoo drew near a certain forge.

The moment they arrived at its front—

“It’s complete......!”

With the voice of a man coming from inside the forge—

[Your second Legend is being written.]

[It began at the fingertips of a small blacksmith.]

Moonsoo dismounted and saw it.

A beautiful sword resembling a ring-pommel sword.

Its blade bent once in a gentle wave, and the words “Dragon-Flame Sword” were engraved on it.

From ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) the sword’s grip, a blue dragon stretched out as if unfolding from a crouch.

[By crafting a Dragon-Flame Sword of near-perfect quality, he has revealed his true worth.]

[He will be the first and only person to successfully imbue a dragon into a weapon.]

[This Legend was completed at the fingertips of a small blacksmith through a Dragon-Flame Sword of perfect quality.]

DING!

[One Who Can See Dragons.]

[The maker has designated those who can see the dragon.]

The dragon, unfolding from its crouch, swam through the air toward the tip of the sword in Hyun’s hand.

Then, leaving the tip of the blade, it began to grow larger and larger, slowly lowering its head to bring its face before Moonsoo.

HFFFFRRR—!

Feeling the dragon’s hot breath, Moonsoo rejoiced like a child.

“Ha-ha-ha! It’s a dragon! It’s a dragon, huh!? A dragon!”

And the dragon slowly rose, ascending into the sky.

With a blissful expression, Moonsoo took in the dragon with his eyes.

The sky was an ocean, and the dragon swam through it.

And beside him, watching the dragon with Moonsoo, were Taeseong and Taeha.

*****

Among the family members, the only ones who had Ares characters were Taeha and Taeseong.

Taeha had been a little surprised to learn his father had a character, but now wasn’t the time to care.

Watching his grandfather rejoice, Taeha started forward with his father.

“Grandpa, how does it feel to see a dragon? Are you happy? Why did you want to see a dragon so badly, Grandpa?”

Taeha’s eyes grew moist as he watched his grandfather with eyes full of affection.

Seeing his stick-thin body hopping up and down in delight, his eyes reddened.

Then Moonsoo spotted Taeha and Taeseong and stared at them.

And the childlike expression vanished from his face, replaced by a small smile.

“Because......”

They realized it. For a brief moment, his grandfather’s mind had returned.

“Your father, Taeseong, wanted to see a dragon.”

“......?”

Standing off to the side, Taeseong was stunned. He remembered holding his father’s hand as a child at the National Museum.

And the way he’d cried, reading fairy tales, “I really want to see a dragon, Dad.”

Yes, the reason Moonsoo had wanted to see a dragon.

“I wanted to show him. A real dragon.”

The three of them watched the dragon ascend into the sky.

And so, looking at that dragon with a clear mind, Moonsoo spoke his final words.

A few hours later—

He closed his eyes with the most peaceful, happiest expression.

*****

Hyun’s Forge in Frea Territory.

Nell couldn’t hide their excited expression.

The things Hyun was telling them were even more incredible than they’d imagined.

There wasn’t a single part of it you could leave out.

Crafting his second Legendary sword, and escorting the old man Moonsoo all the way from the Beginner’s Territory to here—both were the same.

And the biggest point of all was this.

“He really told you to write anything?”

“Yes.”

Nell’s mind raced. Putting the situation together, it seemed entirely possible that Hyun could truly write anything on that paper.

“How much are you going to write? I think one billion won would be perfectly reasonable.”

Nell was as excited as if it were their own business.

“No, actually, even one billion would be too little considering what you’ve done.”

Then Hyun spoke.

“Of course I’ll take a commission fee. But I didn’t write anything like that.”

“What......?”

Nell’s expression turned perplexed.

Which meant Hyun had already written on the note and sent it.

A little thrown, Nell asked,

“Then was it a building? Ah! Or maybe......”

Nell rattled off possibilities.

But Hyun shook his head.

“No. I wrote down the thing we need most right now, something money can’t buy.”

Something they needed most, something even money couldn’t buy?

Nell’s expression turned puzzled, and then, hearing what it was, they let out a breath of admiration.

‘That really is exactly what we need......’

*****

Taeha felt lighter. It was like he’d taken one heavy lump of guilt from his chest and set it down.

They say when someone passes away, everyone is left with at least one small regret.

But Taeha felt so at ease he didn’t think he’d have any such regrets.

After the funeral, back home, Taeha was smiling as he looked at a photo of himself and his grandfather together when something suddenly occurred to him.

“Oh, the commission fee......!”

He’d forgotten the most important thing.

The blacksmith Hyun, who had given him this freedom in his heart.

It was time to pay him for his work.

And Taeha and Hyun had already exchanged personal phone numbers.

On his phone, Taeha saw that he already had a KkakkaoTalk message from Hyun.

When he opened it, he found a screenshot Hyun had sent.

“I wonder what he wrote. A billion won and a supercar? Or maybe a small building?”

No matter what Hyun had written, Taeha was sure he wouldn’t feel the slightest resentment.

That was how overflowing and uncontainable his gratitude toward Hyun was.

Then he saw the note he’d given Hyun in the screenshot and the words written on it, and Taeha laughed.

“Ha-ha-ha-ha!”

He stared at that note for a long time. There was just one word written on it.

[Ressel]