One Who Flies Above the Runner (1)

Level 300 is called the true beginning.

The first reason is that from level 300 onward, it's considered the benchmark for high-level players, and the required experience needed for level-ups increases to an absurd degree.

The second reason is that the moment you hit level 300, most classes unlock a new job quest.

Completing that job quest grants class-exclusive items, skills, or whatever else is essential for that class.

Hyun-soo, logging into Ares, remembered the job quest notification that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had popped up for him too.

He hadn't checked the details back then.

On purpose.

He'd been in the middle of clearing a time attack, and he'd hit level 300 during the process, so he'd gotten it that way.

Sage Arte.

One of the Continent's 10 Legends, but not someone known for being incredibly strong.

Just that, true to his name, he was said to know every piece of information about Ares.

"Something related to the Blacksmith of God from Arte...?"

Hyun-soo couldn't help but feel expectant.

He opened the quest details.

"What the God left behind...?"

Hyun-soo was moved.

The Blacksmith of God.

According to Daeng, this class was the highest existing class.

But thinking back carefully, Hyun-soo hadn't gained much from it.

'Custom Forge, Emergency Forge, Reversal, and Asnium.'

Especially those skills—they wouldn't look that great from a regular user's perspective.

If he'd only been churning out rare-grade or normal-grade artifacts day in and day out?

Other users would've spat curses like, "What kind of God's skill is this crap?"

So this quest to obtain what the Blacksmith of God left behind was exactly what Hyun-soo needed.

'Maybe I'll get an attack skill, or perhaps some outstanding ore like last time.'

And Hyun-soo knew what was coming soon.

'It won't be long.'

His subscriber ranking had climbed to 2nd place recently.

With all the worldwide anticipation focused on him, it was only a matter of time before people tracked down Hyun's Forge.

That made him wonder.

'Hmm...'

Hyun-soo recalled his conversation with Nel.

'It's fortunate. With your influence now, Hyun-soo, I thought the information broker Kabel would be chasing you, but it seems he's after something even more valuable than you.'

He'd heard Kabel was the type to do anything for money or profit.

But since things were quiet, maybe Nel was right—he was chasing other intel.

Right on cue, Nel entered with one of the territory residents.

The resident was holding Bok Deong-i in his arms.

"This is resident Raon. He wants to take charge of walking Bok Deong-i from now on. It'd be great if you could approve."

Neither Hyun-soo nor Nel knew it, but he was actually the information broker Kabel.

Kabel had the ultimate disguise skill called Disguise, which gave him a new identity, name, and appearance, turning him into a completely different person.

And it was good news for Hyun-soo.

He was basically raising Bok Deong-i out in the open anyway.

Not that he didn't cherish the little guy—it just meant letting him roam freely.

So Bok Deong-i was often spotted all over the territory.

Sometimes near the forge.

Or waddling along with an apple from the fruit stand in his mouth, la-la-la.

Occasionally, he'd sprawl out flat at the territory entrance for a nap.

Bok Deong-i even seemed to like this Raon guy.

"Approved."

Soon after the man disguised as Raon—Kabel—left, Hyun-soo told Nel about it.

She reacted positively too.

"Please give Hyun's Forge the power to protect itself."

Hyun-soo set off right away to meet Sage Arte.

The Beres Mountains were famous for the endless snowfall.

The Sage's Tower stood in this sub-zero hell, dipping below -20 degrees.

People were heading to this usually deserted place.

Surprisingly, they were the ones who dominated the entire Asgan Continent.

The 10 Legends.

Even with one seat empty.

Sage Arte sat at the center of the round table.

Grand Mage Ruwon and Absolute Shield Peya.

And Sword King Barad.

Soon, the last to arrive—an elderly man—entered.

"Sword nut, you're here early."

"...Spear nut, hurry up next time. Spear nuts are always so slow."

"...?"

The legends at the table looked at the one called "sword nut." Sword King Barad.

"Spear nut" was Heavenly Spear Ben.

They weren't surprised by the nicknames.

It was because the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠two's conversation flowed smoothly and felt friendly.

They'd always been at each other's throats before.

But now they seemed close.

And it stemmed from one blacksmith.

Ben had sent a gift to the Goyad Kingdom and said something like this:

My close friend Hyun-soo's friends are my friends too.

Roughly that kind of friendship.

'Hey, this is my buddy Kim Kaedong. Get along with him.'

'Your friend is my friend. Nice to meet ya!'

Anyway, the two had grown quite familiar through one link named Hyun-soo.

With everyone gathered, the meeting began.

Grand Mage Ruwon spoke.

"...Frankly, I can't wrap my head around it. A craftsman becoming a legend?"

"Craftsman" was slang for production classes like blacksmiths, sculptors, cooks, and so on.

Even becoming a legend, if these people here didn't acknowledge it, that'd be a big problem.

Absolute Shield Peya said,

"It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠won't happen right away anyway."

Peya's voice held certainty.

Everyone there knew why.

One of the conditions for becoming a legend, and the blacksmith Hyun hadn't met it.

"His level still doesn't even touch the dust on ours."

Ruwon smirked.

Yes, one condition was systemically reaching level 400.

"Since he hasn't hit 400, the odds are high he hasn't even been told how to become a legend."

Grand Mage Ruwon elegantly tilted his teacup.

And Ruwon understood precisely.

Hyun-soo's Legend Quest: Master Craftsman Hyun was structured like this.

He'd only met half the qualifications.

Half was reaching level 400.

From this, it was clear.

The actual method to become a legend wasn't provided.

And soon, Sage Arte spoke.

"He'll come to meet me soon."

"...!"

Everyone there was quite surprised.

Sage Arte.

He didn't say Hyun-soo was coming because he was the Blacksmith of God.

Besides.

"Why would he come to see you?"

He didn't answer the others' questions either.

He just said he'd come.

And Sword King Barad and Ben knew.

'Proof from these people here will be the true proof of a legend.'

If Arte acknowledged him among them, it'd help.

And Arte flipped the hourglass.

"This hourglass will run for three days."

Arte crossed his arms.

He didn't say it, but he knew information about the Blacksmith of God.

And by his promise with him, if the heir came, he had to reveal the position of the divine power.

But.

Not easily.

"Once he starts climbing, the hourglass will flow. But if he doesn't arrive before all the sand pours out, I won't meet him. Ever."

Ruwon grinned in delight at those words.

In other words, he had no intention of ever acknowledging him as a legend.

There was one reason the Sage's Tower was in these mountains: sages were never easy to meet.

The path was too treacherous, crawling with powerful monsters—only legends could ascend with ease.

A blacksmith climbing here in three days?

'Absolutely impossible... Huh?'

But then Ruwon turned and looked at Barad and Ben.

They wore remarkably calm expressions.

The meeting soon ended.

They agreed to reconvene in three days, and they departed.

Barad and Ben walked together.

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too."

Then Ben asked,

"Sword nut, you still haven't grasped the most important part of this meeting."

Barad stopped and gave a puzzled look.

"What are you talking about?"

The two knew Hyun-soo was the Blacksmith of God.

And they could guess that's why he'd meet Arte.

"Meeting Sage Arte gives Hyun-soo one chance."

A chance?

Barad looked puzzled, and Ben clicked his tongue.

"Tsk tsk, that's why you sword-swinging types are hopeless. Arte knows all information."

"True."

"Our friend hasn't reached level 400 yet."

That's why Barad thought it was far off.

But Ben said something intriguing.

"Suppose, when Hyun-soo gets a chance to ask Arte a question, he asks this: What do you think would happen?"

A chance to ask a question.

That would be after clearing Arte's trial or the task he demanded.

If he succeeded, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Arte would answer the desired question.

Barad still looked uncomprehending, and Ben drove it home.

"'Teach me how to become a legend.'"

"...!?"

Barad was impressed.

It wasn't impossible.

Sage Arte knew all the world's information.

Even if the method to become a legend wasn't guided to Hyun-soo, it could be revealed this way.

Of course, both thought the same at that moment.

"It'll be tough, of course."

"Yeah, climbing here in three days isn't easy."

But a strange smile played on their lips.

It was the smile of those who knew the infinite potential of the man named Hyun they'd witnessed.

After everyone left.

Sage Arte looked at the hourglass.

The hourglass was a kind of invisible test.

'The things left by the Blacksmith of God himself. Can't let just anyone take them.'

If he didn't arrive in three days, Hyun would ultimately fail to obtain the divine power.

And Arte himself knew.

"Hyun, I know what you need."

If he arrived within three days, Arte would ask him to fulfill one of the longings he'd failed to achieve in 300 years.

After confirming everyone was gone.

"Nearly died of frustration."

Arte.

He removed the wig he was wearing.

His gleaming bald head was revealed.

He was a man who knew all the world's information, but in 300 years, he hadn't figured out how to grow hair.

He'd tried everything.

Even rubbing troll blood on his scalp, slathering on all sorts of rare potions.

But no hair grew.

"If you fulfill my unachieved longing..."

He would give information on what he desired.

In truth, he knew it.

The way Hyun could become a legend.

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