Video Shooting (2)
Jin-seop answered Hyun-soo's call.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
'We did plan to inject the K-31 shot for his right hand treatment.'
The K-31 shot was a miraculous injection that revived paralyzed nerves for a few days.
But it could only be used once, and it served to check how much performance the patient had achieved before treatment compared to their previous state.
After all, rehabilitation and treatment were ultimately about measuring how much the condition had improved compared to before.
"However, there are conditions. We'll have medical staff on standby at all times in case of emergencies."
-Medical staff?
"Yes, and I'll probably be among them."
Jin-seop ended the call soon after and let out a small smile.
In truth, his primary physician Jin-seop was an incredibly busy man, not someone suited for standby medical duty.
But Jin-seop was curious too.
'Just what kind of power does this blacksmith Hyun-soo possess?'
His curiosity had only grown stronger.
Kim Jin-su, an employee at the National Museum, let out a sigh.
A short while ago, a fragment of the Baekje relic known as the Seven-Branched Sword had been discovered in Daejeon.
What was the Seven-Branched Sword?
It was a sword with a central blade and six branches extending from it.
Surprisingly, one such sword had been designated a Japanese national treasure and was currently stored at the Isonokami Shrine.
Though forged in Baekje, its presence in Japan was attributed to King Geunchogo gifting it to the king of Wa, among various interpretations surrounding this mysterious blade.
In any case, this time a 'fragment' of such a Seven-Branched Sword had been found.
The problem was that the fragment consisted of just two small, branch-shaped blade pieces.
Rusted beyond recognition, its form barely discernible.
Jin-su had been searching for someone who could restore or recreate the Seven-Branched Sword.
But no such person existed anymore.
'Mr. Kang Hyun-tae...'
A bitter taste filled Kim Jin-su's mouth.
Unbeknownst to himself, he stood before the Dragon Light Sword.
Soon, National Museum Director Park Gwang-hoon joined him.
"The reporters are going crazy."
Gwang-hoon was Korea's foremost historian and professor.
Now in his later years, he had become the director of the National Museum.
"Can you restore it or not? Is this the best our restoration technology can do? They came at us hard."
What amused Gwang-hoon was this.
"Restore? How do you restore it without a blacksmith? And we can mimic it just fine."
They could easily produce replicas using 3D technology.
"Then they'd say, 'Printing Baekje's Seven-Branched Sword with machines? Wasn't the real one hand-forged?'"
What the National Museum needed now was a true master craftsman's recreation of the Seven-Branched Sword.
"What should we do?"
"...There's no choice but to exhibit it in this form."
For now, this was the cleanest option. Label it as a blade fragment of the Seven-Branched Sword and project footage of the real one on a monitor.
But employee Jin-su and Director Gwang-hoon were professionals dedicated to their craft.
They weren't satisfied with that.
What was a museum?
A place that brought history vividly to life for the people.
Sometimes preserving the past as-is was fine, but the issue was that only two blade fragments of the Seven-Branched Sword remained.
It was hard to show visitors coming to see the real Seven-Branched Sword just this.
At that moment, Jin-su's phone rang.
He broke into a pleased smile.
"Hyun-soo? How have you been? What? You want to see the Seven-Branched Sword...?"
Gwang-hoon's face twisted sharply.
'Pulling strings to get a look?'
With all the public attention, such people were popping up?
But it was odd.
Jin-su's usual personality would have flatly refused.
He ended the call and cautiously asked,
"Can he come see it?"
Gwang-hoon's face flushed red.
"Now's not the time to—"
"It's Kang Hyun-tae's son."
"What?"
Kang Hyun-tae?
The restorer of the Dragon Light Sword?
Countless armaments in national museums across the country had been reborn under Kang Hyun-tae's hands.
The National Museum owed him a great debt.
'No matter the reason...'
It made sense.
As the son of a blacksmith, he'd naturally be interested in ancient swords.
And with all the master had left behind, they could afford this one favor.
Gwang-hoon gave his approval.
Shortly after, as the visitor entered the National Museum, Gwang-hoon let out a hollow chuckle.
'He's just a kid?'
Gwang-hoon had expected someone in their early thirties at least.
Soon, the boy named Hyun-soo, observing intently, spoke up.
"Can I recreate this sword?"
Hyun-soo understood the National Museum's predicament.
The public had immense interest in the Seven-Branched Sword.
Thanks to the director's consideration, he could examine the fragments up close.
Though mere fragments, they were precious artifacts.
Between restoration and recreation, he judged recreation was the way to go.
"Can I recreate this sword?"
"What? You?"
Jin-su's face filled with bewilderment, while Director Gwang-hoon openly showed his discomfort.
"Ahem!"
"That's a bit..."
Jin-su looked troubled.
They couldn't entrust a potential national treasure to an unproven person.
Then it hit him.
'We're not entrusting it to him?'
Restoration and recreation were entirely different.
Restoration meant returning to original form or building upon remains.
Recreation meant forging something identical anew.
'We're not really taking any risk.'
Jin-su had met Hyun-soo a few times before.
Even as a minor then, Hyun-soo hadn't seemed immature.
Hyun-soo laid out the conditions.
Director Park listened for now.
In short, Hyun-soo proposed displaying the fragments alongside the recreation.
Listening, Director Park showed unease.
"...We won't lose out, that's clear. But this isn't child's play. What you've learned peeking over your father's shoulder is worlds apart. And you just said to display the fragment and recreation together. Good idea, of course it is."
This fragment was originally like this.
Much better than projecting video.
However.
"Do you know the world is overflowing with appraisers even if blacksmiths are gone? I was a university professor, but I worked as an appraiser too."
Indeed, skilled appraisers still abounded.
"If it's just a whim, don't bother. Appraisers will flock to see the recreation, and if it's subpar, the media will roar. 'This is supposed to be a recreation?' they'll say."
Hearing this, Jin-su suddenly recalled a memory.
'Wow, this is so cool. What would we have done without you, Uncle Hyun-tae! Stay our national treasure master craftsman forever!'
Hyun-tae had smiled wryly then.
'It'll be fine even without me.'
'No way, we need you, Uncle. Haha!'
'Could it be...?'
Jin-su cautiously suggested,
"What if we let him try?"
Director Park frowned.
Why was this guy acting up today?
Of course, no real loss.
"You never know."
"Hmm..."
Director Park had already warned him.
Yet Hyun-soo wouldn't back down.
Worst case, if he deemed it poor as appraiser, they just wouldn't exhibit it.
Then Hyun-soo said,
"If you're satisfied, I'd appreciate an interview too."
Jin-su glanced at Director Park.
Of course, the interview request was for Jin-su.
Fearing the hot-tempered director's reaction, Jin-su quickly mediated.
"A-alright. If it's done excellently, sure. Oh, can I observe too?"
"Of course."
After much back-and-forth, Hyun-soo finally secured approval.
Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongju-si.
Cars pulled up to the forge.
Those stepping out signed the contract Hye-in had prepared.
It stipulated nondisclosure of the Seven-Branched Sword production process and creator.
Medical team: Jin-seop and nurse Ji-hye.
From the National Museum: Jin-su.
Filming: Ho-beom and his crew.
Soon, Jin-seop arrived with the K-31 shot.
"You might feel a burning sensation upon injection."
He injected it into Hyun-soo's right hand.
Sssshhh—
"Ngh..."
Hyun-soo let out a faint groan.
An alien sensation filled his long-unused right hand.
In truth, his right hand was fine for daily life.
Only fine details or overexertion posed issues.
Once the heat faded, Hyun-soo's heart raced.
'Four years.'
Nel and Hye-in watched anxiously too.
'The first production video to be revealed to the world...'
And it was Baekje's Seven-Branched Sword.
The sword was already a global hot topic.
Domestically, the recent relic discovery made it scorching.
'If it succeeds...'
What ripple effects would it cause?
And if they learned it was the work of blacksmith Hyun?
Production began.
Rumble—
All eyes turned to the roaring furnace.
Smelting.
Refining.
Hyun-soo clamped the crimson ore with tongs for forging.
But something strange happened.
His right hand, poised to strike, wouldn't move.
'The moment I've waited so long for...'
Cold sweat trickled down Hyun-soo's back.
For a split second, the image of the falling pillar flashed before his eyes.
Anxiety gripped him—that if he struck now, he'd never swing again.
"What's he doing?"
Beyond the camera screen.
Ho-beom's crew from the broadcasting station, here at his request.
"He's scared?"
A blacksmith afraid of forging?
Was this shoot okay?
Jin-seop, assessing the situation, spoke.
"Trauma..."
One of the risks Jin-seop had feared.
Even with a healed hand, past trauma tormented Hyun-soo.
One man watched.
Newly arrived Director Park Gwang-hoon.
Soon, Jin-seop's explanations reached his ears.
'Such a thing happened?'
He vaguely recalled hearing it.
The son had saved Hyun-tae in the forge but suffered severe burns.
Separate from blacksmithing skill, of course.
Gwang-hoon hadn't planned to come but did anyway.
Why? He was curious about the Seven-Branched Sword recreation too.
But he held no expectations.
Truthfully, he hadn't approved inwardly.
Seeing Hyun-soo yesterday, he'd thought,
'Is this kid trying to exploit it commercially?'
Relics.
National treasures etched in history. Countless had died for them.
Hyun-soo was young.
The boy seemed to take it lightly.
Finally, beyond the camera.
"Ngh!"
Hyun-soo collapsed to his knees.
"Huff... huff."
He gasped raggedly.
"S-stop the shoot!"
"Get some water!"
Chaos erupted on set.
Hyun-soo lay sprawled, breathing heavily.
Bitter taste filled Director Park's mouth.
'As if such a thing exists.'
2040.
Everything mechanized, robots replacing humans.
New generations shunned old relics and trades alike.
Besides, the Seven-Branched Sword was a king's gift over a millennium old.
'No way a young man like that could forge it.'
Director Park turned away.
He felt foolish for his brief hope.
Then.
"Wait, I can do it."
A voice rang out.
Gasping for breath, Hyun-soo knew.
Real-world forging was as crucial as in Ares—no, more so.
The fear, anxiety of never using his right hand again.
If he couldn't overcome it, he'd never grip the hammer with his right hand, healed or not.
Suddenly, a memory of his father surfaced.
'Engrave it in your mind and cherish it.'
His father had illustrated production methods for countless relics in books.
Sadly, he'd said,
'Hyun-soo, protect history.'
A heavy charge.
But now he understood its meaning.
"Wait, I can do it."
His ragged breathing steadied, body relaxing.
All stared at Hyun-soo in bewilderment.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes."
Hyun-soo gave Jin-seop a wry smile.
He gripped the hammer again.
Time had passed, and now he comprehended his father's words.
Countless relics in the world.
'Only I can recreate and restore them.'
The Seven-Branched Sword was one.
With that thought, infinite confidence surged.
Unconsciously, he glanced around.
None here had seen Hyun-soo's real-world blacksmithing.
'I want to show them.'
Hyun-soo raised the hammer.
Finally.
Claaang—
A blacksmith moved for history.