Genius Blacksmith's Game

Hyunsoo wasn’t reckless.

Before starting anything, he always thought through whether it could actually be done.

Common sense said a level 120 blacksmith fighting Jack alone to rescue the Saint was insane.

After listening to Belia, he’d run more than a few dozen simulations in his head.

There was a way it might be possible.

Guild Radiance had Dragon Knight Ressel, who had grown into the best DPS, and Bark, the strongest tanker operating as an unofficial ranker.

[Guild Master Hyun: How would you feel about hunting the Fifth Calamity?]

[Ressel: I’m down. None of the Calamities have ever been raided before. If we could be the ones to take one down, it’ll have a massive effect on Hyun’s Forge’s future reputation.]

[Nell: I think it’s a good idea too.]

[Bark: I’m looking forward to it ^^?]

[Nell: Here’s the core point. The power of the Tome of Calamity is something no one can break through head-on.]

Hyunsoo had calmly thought it over, then laid out his plan.

[Guild Master Hyun: It’s not like the barrier is cast over the sky too, right? How about you wait up above the barrier, riding the dragon created by the Dragon-Flame Sword? I’m thinking this Jack guy will probably want to restore his weakened power before he sacrifices the Saint.]

[Nell: You sound like a goddamn genius right now......?]

[Ressel: But now that I’m actually thinking about fighting the Fifth Calamity, I’m kind of freaking out. Can we even win......?]

[Nell: It won’t be easy. Named NPCs have insanely high HP and Defense. And Jack’s level is higher than either Ressel’s or Bark’s.]

Hyunsoo agreed.

[Nell: On top of that, even at the same level, a named NPC is way stronger. That’s why how much HP you can shave off Jack beforehand is going to be the key, Hyunsoo. Just because the Tome of Calamity’s penalty disappears doesn’t mean his wounds heal.]

The plan was perfect, and once every piece of it had actually played out, Hyunsoo pointed his sword at Jack and said,

“Guild Radiance. First raid, starting now.”

[Fifth Calamity Jack Lv.365]

[HP is below 32%.]

Jack had already taken significant damage from Hyunsoo’s Gungnir and Sword’s Cry, and the odds of the raid succeeding had skyrocketed.

“Wh–what.......”

As Jack stumbled back in shock, Ressel and Bark launched their attacks simultaneously.

Watching their clash, Hyunsoo walked toward Aria.

I need to do what I can do.

Jack was a level 365 named NPC. In a fight like that, a level 184 Hyunsoo jumping in would only get in the way.

That was why Hyunsoo chose to focus on what he could do.

He was going to use God’s Emergency Crafting to make the Four Tigers Sword.

God’s Emergency Crafting was already on cooldown.

But according to Belia, Saint Aria could erase that cooldown for him.

And this Four Tigers Sword would be far stronger than the one he’d made before.

Belia told me. Saint Aria is carrying a tiny amount of Asnium.

The mineral Asnium, said to have been created by Asca.

It was the mineral known to hold more Divine Power than anything else in the world.

*****

Ressel, who had been retreating backward as he closed in, rushed Jack in a blur.

KIEEEEEEEEK-!

Just from swinging the sword, a rough dragon’s roar rang out.

Jack, who had been backpedaling, quickly calmed down.

Even so, he’s still weak in the end.

The gap that came from level difference was enormous.

There was a difference of more than 30 levels between Jack and Ressel.

No matter how badly he’d been wounded and weakened, that was a gap that couldn’t be closed.

On top of that, the difference between a named NPC and a user was clear as day.

Yeah. Right now, what Ressel was doing was like a child charging at an adult.

KRRRRRRRAK-

Dozens of black-magic blades formed, merging into a single shield.

Then, something strange happened.

The black-magic blade shield, and the Sword Imbued with Dragon that this Ressel fellow was swinging.

When those two weapons collided, they should have made a ringing CLAAANG!

But instead, the black-magic blade shield was, quite literally, cut.

SLAAAAASH!

“Ghhp!”

Jack’s body was cut along with it, crimson blood spraying out.

Jack’s eyes shook.

Why?

An enormous amount of damage had gone through.

Jack’s Defense and HP were twice the norm for his level.

And from the sword that swung at him once more, he felt that same murderous edge brush past.

Is it because of that sword?

Blink.

Jack jumped up above them.

Looking down at Ressel and Bark staring up at him, he brought down a massive power.

KRRRRRRRK-

This time, “blades” wasn’t even the right word.

Dozens of long greatsword-shaped streams of black magic poured down.

At that moment, the man named Bark slammed his shield into the ground in front of Ressel with all his strength.

The two of them huddled together behind the shield.

“How foolish. That shield is about to crumple like paper.”

Those black-magic greatswords had an additional Attack Power of 400%.

Until now, no shield had ever managed to block Jack’s black-magic greatswords...

CLAAAAANG-!

With a crisp sound, the black-magic greatswords were knocked away.

Only scratches remained on the shield.

Dozens of greatswords fell from the sky.

The shield labeled Aegis blocked every one of them without letting a single strike through.

“Frost Wave.”

KRRRRRRRAK-

On top of that, power surged up from the shield.

At that moment, Jack felt the air around him freezing solid, and he looked down at himself.

Before he knew it, everything up to his neck was frozen stiff.

Why is this happening?

Jack couldn’t understand it.

*****

Pureum Co., Ltd. conference room.

They had expected the Fifth Calamity’s death to come about two months from now.

After successfully calling down the Evil God and destroying numerous temples, the Fifth Calamity was supposed to descend as a quest for the top rankers in Korea to hunt.

But the hunt was being attempted from a completely unexpected angle.

“Radiance is only level 1, guild-level-wise.”

CEO Lee Sejin let out a dry little laugh.

A guild’s level wasn’t based on its members’ levels, but on what they had accomplished.

Judged by that metric, Radiance, which hadn’t done anything notable recently, was bottom-tier.

Jack’s startled expression filled the screen.

Everyone here knew exactly why he was panicking.

“Right. No matter how strong Ressel and Bark are, there’s no way they can match Jack.”

That was the standard, textbook answer.

But there was something throwing that textbook answer out of line.

“One Legendary, and a Unique that’s practically a Legend.”

There weren’t even ten Legendary items on the entire Korean server.

That meant Jack was, in pure value and rarity, above even those.

Even so, Story Team Department Head Lee Hae-seok spoke in a voice full of certainty.

“They can’t kill him.”

“......I agree. The gap in power is just too big. And if Jack judges himself to be in real danger, he’ll manifest his Calamity.”

Named NPCs had traits, and this one was special even among them.

That was the conclusion they reached as they kept their eyes on the screen.

And then, five minutes later.

“Did he do it again......? And with God’s Emergency Crafting, for the first time?”

Lee Sejin’s eyes shook violently.

Story Team Department Head Lee Hae-seok shot to his feet, and Team Leader Kim Taeseok let out an unconscious gasp of amazement.

A moment later, Lee Sejin spoke.

“They might actually be able to kill him.”

The reason his opinion flipped in an instant was the notification that had just appeared on the screen.

[You approach the third Legend.]

*****

Ressel and Bark.

Their hearts were pounding; their muscles repeatedly tensed and released, putting their entire bodies on edge.

That was how exhilarating the fight with Jack was for them.

They were swept up in arrogance and confidence—the belief that they could kill him even without Hyunsoo’s help.

Bark slammed his shield down on Jack with all his might.

And then Bark froze.

Because Jack had caught the bottom edge of the shield with one hand and was holding it back.

Bark and Ressel couldn’t understand it.

Wizards were supposed to be weak in close combat.

That was why they had thought Jack, who had closed in on them, was prey they could definitely finish off.

But they were wrong.

Jack was smiling a slow, sticky smile.

“At first, I was surprised. The second time, I was impressed. And then I wanted to know why.”

Bark couldn’t make sense of what he was saying.

“I wondered why strong people like you were following him. It turns out he’s worth it. The artifacts he crafts are excellent. Now that I know the reason, I’ve lost interest. I’ve also sensed the danger.”

For Jack, who hadn’t found a worthy opponent in a long time, this had been a fresh source of enjoyment.

Jack was petty and vicious. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

[Fifth Calamity.]

[Calamity of Enhancement is being activated.]

The reason those beings were called “Calamities.”

It was because they manifested their personal traits like disasters.

[Jack grows even stronger.]

Jack’s Calamity lay in making himself stronger.

[Magic Defense increases by 44%.]

[Magic Attack increases by 56%.]

[Physical Defense increases by 54%.]

[Physical Attack increases by 43%.]

[Jack temporarily transcends himself.]

“Do you know why I let you come this close?”

Bark and Ressel groaned.

A massive surge of black magic erupted from Jack’s body.

In the next instant, that black magic turned into spears that burst outward in all directions.

PUKPUKPUKPUKPUKPUK-!

[HP has fallen below 90%......]

[HP has fallen below 60%......]

[HP has fallen below 40%......]

Dozens of spears pierced the two of them before they even had a chance to dodge.

“Ghhk...... Dragon’s Claw!”

Even as he was blown away, Ressel launched a counterattack.

Two razor-sharp claws appeared in midair and raked down Jack’s chest.

KWAJAAAAAK-!

Bark and Ressel, who had taken massive damage, fell into a stun lasting over five seconds.

Jack steadied his chest and walked toward the two of them.

He would kill these two first, then kill that blacksmith.

There’s nothing left to be afraid of now.

[Fifth Calamity Jack Lv.401]

[HP is below 11%.]

He had been drastically strengthened, and it felt like no one could touch him anymore.

At that moment, he felt an enormous pressure from behind him.

And then, something strange happened.

As if someone had flicked a switch, the bright surroundings went dark like night.

Jack lifted his head to look up at the sky.

Twenty-eight stars were shining there.

What is that?

Jack soon realized what it was, and a chill ran down his back.

Artifacts came with effect visuals.

But never before had he seen a mere artifact turn day into night like this.

Just what has he crafted.......

Cold sweat beading on his skin, Jack slowly turned his head.

Hyunsoo was standing there, holding a single sword as he looked straight at Jack.

*****

Hyunsoo had received a small amount of Asnium from Aria.

The Asnium resting on his palm slowly floated up.

The white mineral that was said to hold more Divine Power than anything else in the world.

A white sword, beautiful in form, was forged, and Hyunsoo wrapped his hand around its hilt.

It’ll be nothing more than a mirage.

The sword he’d just created ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) would vanish in thirty seconds.

But that was fine. Something just as valuable would come back to him in return.

Forged by his knowledge and experience, which included understanding why his ancestors had created this sword.

[The third Legend is being written.]

The effect visual triggered, and darkness swallowed the surroundings like night.

Jack turned, and his gaze met Hyunsoo’s.

With pure curiosity, Jack asked,

“......What the hell is that sword?”

“It’s a sword called the Four Tigers Sword.”

The twenty-eight stars in the sky turned into shooting stars and flowed into the sword.

“This isn’t a sword meant for cutting. It was forged with a ritual purpose.”

ROOOOOAR-!

A tiger’s roar blasted out from the blade. The violent force of Divine Power turned into wind and crashed down over Jack.

[Tiger’s Energy.]

[A massive surge of Divine Power weakens you.]

[You are weakened.]

[You are weakened.]

[Fifth Calamity Jack Lv.331]

[Fifth Calamity Jack Lv.301]

[Fifth Calamity Jack Lv.287]

[You are stunned for 3 seconds.]

Jack was hit with a debuff he had never experienced in his life, and Hyunsoo spoke about the Four Tigers Sword.

“The king wished for something.”

Guktaeminan (國泰民安).

“For the people and the nation to live in peace.”

Taepyeongseongdae (太平聖代).

“For it to be that way, at least while he ruled. So he ordered a sword like that to be made.”

Hyunsoo swung the sword once more.

[Light of Divinity]

[Deals 640% damage to evil beings and undead, extending out to a radius of 15 meters.]

A massive light of Divine Power swallowed Jack whole.

“This sword, crafted for him, is the Four Tigers Sword—the sacred sword of Joseon.”

Jack felt it.

His body was slowly being erased.

It was a force he couldn’t resist.

The powerful energy that burned through his entire body, and the pain, were so intense he couldn’t even scream.

Along with that, his opinion of the man he’d dismissed for his “pathetic” level changed.

This was not someone he could afford to ignore.

He was the blacksmith who crafted the greatest weapon in the world.

A different kind of powerhouse.

SSSSSSSSS-

And so, the Fifth Calamity Jack met a complete and final death.

And for Hyunsoo, who had killed one of the top named NPCs and a pillar of evil, a flood of enormous reward notifications began to pour in.