Reunion (11)
One year ago.
The entire world was turned upside down.
The shock was as massive as when Bahala, the user who first appeared, rang four world messages over the course of a year.
The reason? Something no one had broken in three years had finally been shattered.
The Wooden Dummy Breaker achievement.
The feat was on par with Bahala's debut.
Because it was the one and only way officially announced by Purum Corp to trigger a world message.
Everyone around the globe had challenged it.
No, they had to.
Anyone stepping into the Barlin Beginner Zone had to go through pounding the wooden dummy!
And since every player worldwide had tried it themselves, they knew.
'Purum Corp bastards...'
'How the hell do you break this?'
'Whoa, only 20% durability damage? For real?'
Humans have a habit of knowing shit only after tasting it.
They'd tasted it, so they knew just how insane this achievement was.
A world message for being the first? Sure, someone would pull it off eventually.
But this? No way.
Even after 20 years, no one thought it'd fall.
Critical hits? Nope.
God-tier control? Still nope.
Every artifact in the beginner zone? Fat chance.
There was nothing this brutally unfair for level 1s.
Yet someone smashed the dummy, rang the world message, and went anonymous.
People lost their minds.
'Who the hell was it?!'
'What trick did they use?!'
One top global ranker even said:
"The user who broke the wooden dummy? That's a promising sapling."
And now, a year later, that promising sapling had revealed itself to the world.
Korean Ares community users were panicking amid the flood of Chinese players.
Then.
A single screenshot flipped the entire board. It came from Hyun's Forge.
They rushed to click it.
The Chinese players stared at the screenshot in shock.
Congratulations!
You are the first user to successfully break the wooden dummy.
This will be announced to all users worldwide about your achievement.
An anonymous someone has successfully broken the wooden dummy for the first time.
The 0-tier world message that Hyun the blacksmith achieved the moment he started the game.
2.5 billion users failed, but only Hyun succeeded!
Korean users cheered.
Shocked Chinese responses poured in.
Chinese players could no longer deny Hyun.
Especially since one of China's tycoons had once jokingly posted on EnjoyTube: 2 billion won to whoever breaks the wooden dummy.
A life-changer! Tons tried desperately and failed.
Korean community erupted.
Even Chinese communities started admitting Hyun outshone Bahala this year.
One Korean summed it up perfectly, earning universal agreement.
The post rocketed to best with 10k likes.
Meanwhile.
Reporter I-hwan, who'd rudely questioned Han-na, seethed over Hyun leading China to defeat.
He'd cranked out provocative headlines to sway Chinese hearts and force Hyun to relinquish #1.
He'd led the charge against World Ares and Hyun.
'World Ares Vice Director Han-na's ties to the Korean branch...'
'Vice Director Han-na: Suspected lover of Hyun.'
'Hyun. He can't compare to Bahala.'
And he'd said:
'The public always believes the papers. Hyun rang 3, Bahala 4—that's fact, truth? Who cares? Make it seem true!'
Yeah, he stirred doubt and speculation, facts be damned.
But one line from Hyun's Forge flipped everything.
Even in China, the tide had turned to recognizing Hyun.
And the brainwashed Chinese needed a scapegoat.
Dragged to the director's office, I-hwan caught a flying ashtray.
"You dog^@!#!#!#!$%!"
That evening, I-hwan met his old friend to vent.
He arrived first, resignation letter tucked sadly in his pocket.
His friend walked in— a mess. Hair wild, face wrecked.
"...?"
I-hwan blinked in confusion.
His friend? Jin-cho from the Continental War compensation team at the China branch.
I-hwan subtly flashed his resignation.
Director's orders: Take responsibility and leave.
But wait.
"You too?"
Jin-cho pulled his out too, thumbs-up with a bitter grin.
"..."
"..."
Then they wailed together.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"It's basically firing!"
"We're both screwed!!"
"No resume means no jobs ever!!"
"Our lives are over!!"
They vowed never to touch Hyun again.
(Not that they'd have the power anyway.)
Birds of a feather, they say.
These two got screwed together.
At that moment.
An unknown someone watched Hyun's achievements.
News anchors chattered.
The mystery figure logged into Ares Forge.
With trembling hands, he clicked into Hyun's Forge.
A number popped up.
His eyes widened in shock.
"In just one year, it reached this?"
Hyun-soo woke up, uploaded the screenshot to Hyun's Forge, then headed to the hospital.
Fresh emotions washed over him. The staff celebrated like it was their win.
Most shocking? The director rushing over for a handshake.
'Like shaking hands with a World Cup goal scorer?'
Hyun-soo gave a wry smile.
The director gripped tight and said:
"We'll do everything to keep your father's info private."
Patient confidentiality, full effort.
"Thank you for caring."
"They call you a world tree now?"
World tree? Huh?
Anyway, Hyun-soo headed to his father's VVIP room.
He recalled his father's words.
'Become a king.'
Hyun-soo got it: Don't crumble, keep pushing forward.
But there was more to it.
"...One step closer, at least."
From chief physician Jin-seop, he heard the daily miracle update.
His father was now listening to his stories.
And the odds of waking? Way higher now.
Right on cue, Hye-jin called.
Her consideration shone through.
Hyun-soo had run an insane path in one year.
"No need. Things to do."
Hyun-soo hung up, face bittersweet.
Time to sprint faster.
High up, sure—but road's long.
Like a marathon.
Mid-run, fatigue hits.
Quit then? Worse exhaustion.
Push on—adrenaline kicks in, breathing steadies.
Not just that, though.
Hyun-soo eyed his hand gripping his father's.
Faint scars lingered on both.
When father said become king, there was a prior word.
Burned deep in Hyun-soo's mind.
His eyes chilled.
Cooling the legend heat, he embraced calm, replaying father's whisper.
Father had murmured close, cautious.
Lest broadcast catch it.
Others didn't hear, but Hyun-soo did clear.
'Hyun-soo.'
That hit like thunder.
Past five years flashed by.
Father, charred black, rushed to ER.
Hyun-soo, half-burned, right hand—blacksmith's lifeline—ruined.
Hell followed.
Father barely revived via CPR, vegetative.
Hyun-soo sold everything, fought to save him.
Hell days—and finally, a sliver of truth.
This hell of years.
'Someone was at the forge that day.'
Someone made this hell.