Reinforcement (4)
Gwangmyeong Guild's members marveled every time they saw Hyun-soo.
Back when Nel first met him, he was only in the level 50s.
He'd been around level 60 when Bak met him, and much the same when Riesel did.
Everyone here had once surpassed Hyun-soo—been stronger than him.
But not anymore.
And under the banner of lord, it felt like they were all riding on the back of his relentless growth.
Barad's guild quest—National Power Reinforcement—had played a huge role in lightening that load.
Total contribution reached 265%.
Goyad Kingdom's national power increases by 2.6%.
Acquire Charisma 130.
Acquire Fame 100.
Guild quests tallied the contributions from all guild members.
Amazing achievement! Guild quest completed.
Having proven their contributions through the sword of appraisal, they exchanged words.
"Contribution-wise, that's enough for 130 soldiers. With our current garrison at just 200, it's a tangible gain."
"Hyun-soo will love it."
Nel gave a wry smile.
"But we're still short. I hear Hwarang Guild's total forces exceed a thousand."
"Ah...?"
Nel had a knack for sprinkling salt on the rice just as it was done.
But some things had to be addressed head-on.
"We don't know what might happen next."
Nel was pulling out all the stops to bolster their forces.
"We've killed the fifth and fourth Calamities, even a demon. They worship demons, after all."
"Step forward."
Bella, Barad, and Phillip advanced, with Nel representing Gwangmyeong as they entered.
Barad, eyeing them, cut straight to the chase.
"In recognition of your contributions, we grant Ballus Territory 300 troops."
"...!"
Nel was stunned. They'd expected around 130 at best.
"From the kingdom development projects you proposed, we see great potential. Though they won't fill the treasury immediately, we judge they'll boost national power by over 5% in time—not just the 2.6%."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Barad, who had been watching them intently, spoke.
"That eases my worries."
Nel caught the king's faint smile.
A man of iron will, bearing the title Sword King, yet gray strands now threaded his hair.
"The talents who endured at Boldrom Fortress near the capital are reuniting before departing tomorrow. Enjoy the feast as well."
"...Thank you."
Nel felt Barad's consideration.
It was a nudge to build ties with the other nobles.
Indeed, nobles from across the nation had gathered for this national power reinforcement event.
Nel and Gwangmyeong's members moved on.
Nel shared the good news with Hyun-soo.
Nel tilted her head.
Such words rarely escaped Hyun-soo's lips.
'Gotta wrap up the feast and rush back.'
Ending the guild chat, Nel headed to the feast hall.
Hyun-soo gave a wry smile at Nel's guild chat window.
He gazed at the Twin Dragon Swords, about 80% complete.
As he lifted the hammer to forge once more, he froze without realizing it.
"Huff... huff."
Hyun-soo panted heavily.
"Too heavy."
What he'd called "not easy."
An overwhelming pressure bore down.
Saga Stones like this existed in scant quantities in the world.
'If I fail this, when will I ever reach Legend?'
At least level 450, minimum.
The current Legends made that clear.
Not one of the top ten Legends was below 450.
"Gotta create the first of its grade. Can these Twin Dragon Swords make it happen?"
Hyun-soo was usually brimming with confidence, but this was different.
Crafting the world's first unseen grade.
It weighed on his shoulders, kept him in endless tension, forced him to second-guess his work.
Doubt gnawed amid the unease.
"Have I made these swords worthy of that first grade?"
He approached with unusual caution.
But excessive caution was choking him instead.
After days of nonstop forging, he paused.
In Gyeongju's forge lay the charred Twin Dragon Swords he'd made with his father.
'Need to see that.'
Hyun-soo logged out.
Meanwhile.
"?"
"...?"
"?"
"...?"
Purum Corp's CEO Lee Se-jin and the Special User Management Team were fixated on the artifact Hyun-soo was crafting.
New grades weren't slated for another year.
They wore puzzled expressions because the alerts contradicted Hyun-soo's words.
Saga Stone reacts most intensely.
"Crafting something this incredible, yet he says that?"
Lee Ji-hee spoke, and Se-jin nodded in understanding.
"Like a chain of links. An outsider must earn recognition to become king, and becoming a Legend is essential for that. But the mineral opening that path? Barely enough for two artifacts. Anyone here would buckle under that pressure—not just him."
"...Even under that pressure, he's crafting perfection. Incredible."
Tae-seok marveled.
"For Hyun-soo user, it's just what he needs now: certainty that he's doing it right."
And Se-jin had high hopes.
'We planned to release the new grade in a year.'
'But if he forges it within that time...?'
'What ripple effects?'
A recent article flashed in his mind.
Se-jin's heart raced.
Hyun-soo had become Korea's first to top World Ares.
'But if he claims number one...'
It would be a historic shake-up for Ares in Korea—and the world.
'Can he do it? With Saga Stone for just two artifacts?'
Se-jin watched the monitor with eager anticipation.
Arriving at the Gyeongju forge, Hyun-soo pulled the great sword from storage.
The day of the fire, this Twin Dragon Sword—made with his father—had burned.
Part of the hilt had melted, the once-rigid blade crumpled under a collapsed pillar.
Hyun-soo ran his hand along the blade.
'We made it together, but I did all the forging.'
His father had assisted, teaching the method.
As he wiped the blade clean of soot, Hyun-soo froze.
'...What?'
Master blacksmiths possessed an eye untrained eyes lacked.
The sword's resonance.
Feel, texture, weight.
Resulting completion.
His shock stemmed from this.
"The game-forged one is superior?"
Seven years had passed.
And he pinpointed the reason.
In-game, he'd forged countless swords.
His father had been a sword artisan; he, a bow one.
But endless repetition in-game had surpassed his past self.
Memories sometimes exaggerated.
Hyun-soo had recalled that sword as his most perfect Twin Dragon Sword.
Of course, showing it to the world would have earned high praise.
'Excellent. This matches the original creator.'
His father's words echoed.
Which meant...
'I can surpass the original now?'
His chest burned.
Proof his swordcraft had advanced.
The doubt, anxiety, overcaution halting his Ares forging.
'That sword outshines this one.'
Confidence surged.
Hyun-soo logged back in swiftly.
He yearned to finish it.
A Twin Dragon Sword superior to his seven-year-old self's.
On the bus back to Seoul, his phone buzzed.
Vrrr.
"...!?"
Hyun-soo's face twisted.
Hyun-soo's eyes shook.
'First and Second Calamities descending on the capital together?'
He and Nel had stayed ever vigilant.
Demons. The price of slaying the fifth Calamity, fourth Calamity—even a demon. They might target them.
He rushed into Jeoltube.
Clicked the main screen's "Goyad Kingdom in Crisis!" stream.
Experts analyzed the situation.
Kingdom message.
A watered-down world message, broadcast to kingdom players.
Hyun-soo knew.
'They won't last long.'
Home reached, he dove into the capsule.
Hyun-soo eyed the near-complete swords.
Hyun-soo issued instructions to Nel.
Hyun-soo wryly smiled.
Nel is in an area where guild chat is blocked.
Calamities had severed the chat.
Hyun-soo resumed forging.
Twin Dragon Swords surpassing the original creator.
Time flew as completion neared.
The silent Saga Stone—and system—finally reacted.
Saga of Protecting the Nation reacts most intensely.
System reacts to sword forging.
System has stored your entire forging process as data.
Displaying the superior forging method from all processes.
Effect application rate: 100%.
Saga Stone's power draws out maximized strength.
Most perfect forging method.
System searches Twin Dragon Swords data.
Engraving the patterns, completion approached.
Twin Dragon Swords: Two blades total.
Greatest power when united.
"..."
Regrettable, but true.
The Saga Stone reacted to stories, demanded perfection.
Yet his skill made even one blade mighty.
At last, he understood.
Legend's successor.
First Transcendent inscribed.
Transcendent artifact.
The world's one and only.