Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: The Most Pathetic Sword (1)
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Lukkeu, one of the kingdom's five prodigies.
He had no ambition to become king.
Unlike his father, who was brilliant, wise, and knew how to earn the love of his people, all he could do was swing a sword with flair.
So he had harbored a dream.
To become the commander of the capital, protector of the king.
And Lukkeu knew this would be a story for the distant future.
He didn't know who the king would be then, but he hoped for one thing.
‘A king who would wisely lead the kingdom through this harsh and jagged world.’
When he first saw Hyun-soo, he was furious.
He had dismissed him for being a mere blacksmith, but was awestruck when Hyun-soo swung the club.
And seeing him stand among the rejoicing crowd, speaking the true essence of the matter, he saw the makings of a true monarch.
As expected…
To him, who was pledging his loyalty, Hyun-soo spoke not of ambition, but of something else.
“Sir Lukkeu, you still need to be punished, don't you?”
“I believe this will be my punishment.”
Yes, this was also a form of demotion.
Lukkeu was a man who could join any royal knight order, be it in this kingdom or another, the moment he left the Arahan territory.
What else could it be but a punishment, for him to choose a mere guild like Gwangmyeong and become the subordinate of someone with the same title as himself?
“I permit it. And stay in the Arahan territory for a while before you come.”
Lukkeu was overjoyed.
First, because he had accepted him.
Second, because he was showing consideration for him.
He was giving him time to say goodbye to his father.
Lukkeu was certain.
He truly had the makings of a good sovereign.
***
After accepting Lukkeu as his subordinate, Hyun-soo stepped outside, unable to hide his anticipation.
Of course, he maintained a clear distinction between public and private matters.
Lukkeu had to pay for his reckless actions, and bringing him along without due process could cause unnecessary trouble for Gwangmyeong.
But as Lukkeu himself had said, if he was being punished by way of demotion, there should be no problem.
Hyun-soo opened the information window for his new recruit, Lukkeu.
(Lukkeu)
Grade: Epic
Type: Vassal
Level: 290
Attack Power: 3,040
Defense Power: 2,805
Special Abilities:
· Passive Skill: Outstanding Commander.
· Passive Skill: Advancing Swordsmanship.
· Passive Skill: A Talent for Learning Many from One.
· Active Skill: Bayard Swordsmanship.
· Active Skill: Awakening.
Potential: 121
Current EXP: 67%
Description: Possesses the talent to potentially become a Sword Saint. Has a talent for learning many things from one. He grows faster than any other knight and is intelligent. From a young age, he was known as one of the kingdom's five prodigies and was already called a potential Sword Saint.
He also brought up the Ares community forums on a hologram to check the status windows of ordinary knights.
‘He's insane, truly…’
The knight Hyun-soo had just looked up was an NPC knight of the same level as Lukkeu, who had just earned his title.
The key information about the knight, posted by a guild master on the Ares community forums, was as follows.
Attack Power: 2,301
Defense Power: 1,999
Potential: 70
But what about Lukkeu?
They were the same level, but completely different.
Attack Power: 3,040
Defense Power: 2,805
Potential: 121.
It clearly showed the difference between a named and an unnamed knight, even at the same level.
And Nel had told him herself.
Named knights.
That is, knights with titles cost about 50 million won or more per month to maintain.
But the Lukkeu that Hyun-soo saw was better than most named NPC knights.
‘Though not as good as Bella, of course.’
Bella was presumed to have talent close to that of a Sword King.
Not long after Hyun-soo left, Lukkeu came out.
‘Time to head back.’
Just as he was about to return to the base, a group approached him.
At the center of the group was a soldier named Pel.
These were the men Hyun-soo had led when he received the quest for Expedition Commander.
“Commander…!”
A soldier named Pel prostrated himself, and the other soldiers followed suit.
They felt a sense of regret that they could not follow Hyun-soo.
Hyun-soo couldn't help but feel the same.
‘If it weren't for the system's limitations…’
He wanted to take them all with him.
Just then.
[The loyalty of 29 soldiers is at MAX.]
[When you later attain the rank of Baron, you will be able to select and recruit up to 50 soldiers of your choice.]
[However, their own will must be respected.]
What Hyun-soo had shown and accomplished for them was nothing short of miraculous.
In response, the God of Blacksmiths was giving him a hint, just as he had about keeping the Tiger Blade from scattering.
Before leaving, Hyun-soo spoke to them.
“Wait just a little longer. I'll be back for you soon.”
“We will be waiting!”
Along with Pel, the soldiers placed their right fists firmly over their left chests.
It was the Ares-style salute, a sign of loyalty.
And as Hyun-soo began to return to the base, Pel spoke.
“When do you think he’ll come back for us?”
“Who knows? For Sir Hyun-soo, maybe a year will be enough?”
Raising one's title was an incredibly difficult task. They didn't know.
That they would meet again sooner than they thought.
***
Nel’s heart burned with excitement.
A small smithy in a single territory.
Hyun-soo entered, his coat fluttering, followed by a single knight.
And behind them, five men who looked as ordinary as common soldiers.
But Nel knew their true worth.
The single knight was a talent who would one day become a Sword Saint and lead their growing forces.
And the five soldiers could fight with the strength of knights and would be deployed for soldier training and covert missions in the future.
‘I asked him to bring back three soldiers…’
Hyun-soo had returned with men better than a hundred soldiers.
After sending them out, they talked.
“What are you going to do with the members of the Gale Squad?”
To that, Hyun-soo gave a wise answer.
“The Gale Squad are nameless soldiers. We can set up their lodgings around here and deploy them in various places.”
Deploying them meant having them hide in plain sight, disguised as fruit vendors, weapon merchants, or passersby.
Future enemies, unaware of our true strength, would be swallowed whole the moment they walked into the lion's den.
Nel was inwardly impressed with Hyun-soo, who thought just as she did.
Then she remembered something.
“Weren't you going to hear the results of your rehabilitation therapy today?”
“That's right.”
A small glimmer of anticipation flickered across Hyun-soo’s face. Nel could feel it.
‘He wants to hold a hammer again in reality, not just in Ares.’
It was only natural.
In the end, Ares was a virtual world.
And for Hyun-soo, who had lived his entire life as a blacksmith, the rehabilitation of his right hand would be incredibly meaningful.
“It doesn't look like there will be anything special for a while, so go with a peaceful mind. I'll be praying for good results.”
And with a heart full of hope, Hyun-soo logged out.
After logging out, Hyun-soo’s heart pounded in his chest.
‘I've paid all the medical bills, and I can get the scar removed soon.’
But those weren't the things Hyun-soo needed most right now.
Hyun-soo looked down at his right hand, covered in scars.
Fortunately, his right hand was currently fine for everyday activities.
But what Hyun-soo wanted was to start blacksmithing again with this hand.
Therefore, Hyun-soo was prepared to do his absolute best in rehabilitation.
With a fluttering heart, he set off for the hospital.
***
Doctor Kim Jin-seop had been in a good mood lately.
Strangely, just seeing a certain young man seemed to lift his spirits and fill him with energy.
And he felt it was only possible because that young man was Hyun-soo.
He was overjoyed when the administrative office called to tell him, ‘Mr. Hyun-soo has paid all his hospital bills in full.’
Jin-seop knew he wouldn't do anything illicit, and he had recently heard from Hyun-soo about the money he had earned from the game Ares.
Jin-seop hoped.
‘I hope he succeeds and prospers.’
But his own heart was heavy, and the expression on Hyun-soo's face as he sat across from him was even worse.
Jin-seop felt miserable having to deliver such news.
Between them lay Hyun-soo's X-ray images.
“Do you remember? When I said I would do my best.”
When Hyun-soo had said he would start rehabilitation, Jin-seop had told him it might be impossible.
In response, Hyun-soo had said he would try anyway.
“...Yes.”
Jin-seop had intended to do his best.
But the results were not good.
“As I've said, if you continue to forge with your right hand, even I can't guarantee what will happen to it.”
Hyun-soo’s expression was grim.
“Right now, you can play catch, drive a car, or do anything else without trouble, right? But what I'm saying is, if you start blacksmithing again, you might lose even that.”
Seeing his devastated expression, Jin-seop’s heart ached.
But it wasn't all bad news.
“There might be a treatment for cases like yours coming soon, it's currently awaiting FDA approval in the United States. Let's wait until then.”
In truth, even Jin-seop didn't know if it would take six months, two years, or if it would ever be approved at all.
Hyun-soo seemed to know this as well, as his expression didn't improve, and Jin-seop spoke in a bitter voice.
“I'm sorry. There's nothing more I can do.”
Sometimes, Jin-seop had to be blunt.
“Mr. Hyun-soo, you said you wanted to try physical therapy at your smithy, didn't you?”
Jin-seop recalled a conversation he'd had with Hyun-soo a few days ago.
Hyun-soo's Smithy.
With Chairman Lee Tae-sung's help, it was being built quickly.
The smithy itself was nearly finished, and he knew that now only their home, which was connected to it, needed to be rebuilt.
Jin-seop said firmly.
“Unfortunately, that will be difficult. Right now, we need to focus on treatment for general improvement in your daily life, not on blacksmithing.”
Jin-seop saw the expression of a young man whose world had just collapsed.
As Hyun-soo walked out dejectedly, he couldn't find any words to say.
Of course, there was the tiny glimmer of hope in the American treatment, but that too was uncertain.
“Haaa…”
Jin-seop had seen countless patients fall into despair.
Among all those stories of despair, this one was the most heart-wrenching.
A few days later, Jin-seop received a strange phone call.
-Hello, my name is Kim Hye-in.
She introduced herself as a user with the nickname Nel, and said she worked with Hyun-soo.
-Hyun-soo hasn't been answering his calls for a few days. Did he happen to say anything to you, Doctor?
“What?”
Jin-seop was taken aback.
A thought crossed his mind, but he shook his head.
‘The Hyun-soo I know wouldn't do something like that.’
He was certain of it.
He tried calling, but the phone was off.
Suddenly, Jin-seop thought of Hyun-soo's smithy.
Late at night, Jin-seop urgently drove his car towards the location of Hyun-soo's smithy.
It was late.
Jin-seop felt an unbearable anger.
Because in the distance, he could see a smithy, illuminated by fire.
He understood Hyun-soo's feelings better than anyone.
But there was a reason Jin-seop had warned him so sternly.
Jin-seop had seen others who had made reckless attempts and ended up completely paralyzed.
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario, but as a doctor, it was his duty to assume the worst.
He ran, panting.
‘What do you think you're doing!’
He planned to shout as he dragged him out of the smithy.
But as he watched the flames dance before his eyes, he fell into a trance.
His lips parted unconsciously.
“...”
He watched him in silence.
It was the first time.
The first time he had ever seen his patient, Hyun-soo, smiling with such joy.
And it was marvelous.
Inside the smithy, filled with searing heat, were the movements of a Master Craftsman, the likes of which he had never seen in his life.
He found himself staring, mesmerized.
At his happy smile, he too found himself smiling happily.
And…
Claaang
Claaaaang—!
Claaaaang—!
The beautiful, ringing sound finally brought him back to his senses.
Jin-seop was a doctor.
He did not believe in miracles.
Medically, Hyun-soo’s right hand was absolutely incapable of blacksmithing ever again.
‘But how…?’
Jin-seop took a step back.
This wasn't a miracle.
Nor was it something that couldn't be explained by medical science.
Yes, this was…
‘His… his left hand…!?’
It was something only possible because it was Hyun-soo.