Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Joseon's Ultimate Weapon (3)
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Surveying the battlefield, Hyun-soo quickly assessed the situation.
‘If one more Orc Warrior joins the fray, the subjugation squad will be wiped out.’
By firing an arrow at the Orc Warrior locked in a fierce battle with Hans, he became certain of one thing.
‘Neither my Gwangmyeong nor the Water Buffalo Horn Bow can pierce that armor.’
The situation was turning dire.
Hans, the squad leader, looked particularly vulnerable.
Of course, if he joined the fight against the Orc Warrior with his Gwangmyeong and Water Buffalo Horn Bow, things might improve slightly.
But he was convinced that the thick armor would still make it impossible to kill the Orc Warrior.
Then, the image of a certain arrow flashed through Hyun-soo's mind.
‘An arrow as fast as a shotgun, with the same piercing power.’
As a manual blacksmith, Hyun-soo had a habit.
He saw everything in nature as potential blacksmithing materials.
In fact, many handcrafted items utilized natural materials.
That's why he had noticed something while traveling with this subjugation squad.
‘Bamboo…’
Bamboo was an essential material for that arrow.
As Hans and the Orc Warrior fought their brutal battle, he sprinted away.
He quickly cut down a stalk of bamboo.
Then, he took a 'Beginner's Arrow' from his inventory.
Holding the two materials, Hyun-soo was about to start working on them.
“So, in the end, it can't be pierced…”
The voice of Squad Leader Hans reached him.
Hyun-soo needed him.
A strong man who could hold out while he crafted this arrow.
“We can pierce it.”
Hyun-soo's voice was filled with conviction.
Hans looked at Hyun-soo with trembling eyes.
“One minute. Just hold on for one minute!”
“Uwoooooh!”
Hearing his words, Squad Leader Hans's fighting spirit blazed anew.
Now, all Hyun-soo could do was repay Hans for his trust.
Spreading the bamboo and the beginner's arrow on the ground, he immediately began to shape them with his dagger.
***
Special User Management Team.
Team Leader Kim Tae-seok and employee Lee Ji-hee's faces were etched with tension.
“There's no way he can pierce the Orc Warrior's armor.”
The Special User Management Team had a deep understanding of the game's monsters.
The Orc Warrior, classified as the boss monster of the Orc Subjugation Squad, had physical abilities equivalent to only around level 30.
However, its level was set to 50 because of the armor and horned helmet it wore.
A monster's level is typically a representation of all its attributes combined.
That meant the armor it wore was incredibly tough, almost impenetrable.
The two of them watched Hyun-soo's incomprehensible actions, tilting their heads in confusion.
“He said he can pierce it?”
To Team Leader Kim Tae-seok, it seemed impossible.
No matter how outstanding his Water Buffalo Horn Bow was, it had its limits.
They watched intently as the user, Hyun-soo, began crafting something with the bamboo and the arrow.
Just then, an image of a particular arrow flashed through the mind of Team Leader Kim Tae-seok, a huge fan of historical dramas.
“…Huh!”
“What is it?”
Lee Ji-hee looked puzzled at Team Leader Kim Tae-seok's shocked cry.
Team Leader Kim Tae-seok quickly tapped at his keyboard.
[Pyeonjeon]
[A type of arrow significantly shorter than a standard one. In Korean, it is called an aegisal, or 'baby arrow.']
[The pyeonjeon is characteristically fired from a tongah, a split-bamboo guide, and was known as the ultimate weapon of the Joseon Dynasty.]
[It is said to have possessed astonishing power comparable to a shotgun, as well as the ability to pierce armor.]
“…Is he making that right now?”
Team Leader Kim Tae-seok's eyes widened.
On the monitor, Hyun-soo was already placing the shortened arrow inside the split bamboo tube.
***
Aegisal.
This *aegisal*, a perfect match for the Gakgung bow, was something Hyun-soo had crafted many times.
Whenever he had useless arrow shafts and bamboo tubes lying around.
His ancestors had used these *aegisal* to counter enemies armed with shotguns.
It pierced the armor worn by their foes.
When they fired normal arrows, the enemy would split them mid-air or pick them up and fire them back.
But the *aegisal* was completely different.
An arrow that could neither be split nor blocked.
The arrow known as Joseon's ultimate weapon.
[You have skillfully and quickly crafted an arrow.]
[The grade is being assessed.]
[Grade: Rare.]
[From now on, all arrows crafted in the same manner will receive the same grade.]
Having finished, Hyun-soo checked the newly crafted arrow.
(Aegisal)
Grade: Rare
Durability: 100/100
Attack Power: 95
Requirements: None for the creator. Level 5 or higher.
Special Abilities:
· Piercing Power +70%
· Arrow Speed +60%
Description: With its short shaft, it flies faster than any other arrow and possesses enough destructive force to potentially shatter even rock.
‘As expected…’
The great thing about the game Ares was that everything was quantified and visible.
In reality, Hyun-soo knew that the *aegisal* was far superior to a normal arrow.
But seeing the difference after crafting it himself made it starkly clear.
‘The Beginner's Arrow I was using just now had an attack power of 22 and an accuracy bonus of 5%.’
In contrast, the *aegisal* had…
‘A 70% increase in piercing power, plus a 60% increase in arrow speed!’
And he shouldn't forget.
Hyun-soo also possessed the Water Buffalo Horn Bow, an item no other user at his level could have.
A bow's damage is the sum of the bow and the arrow.
Having finished his inspection, Hyun-soo quickly placed the *aegisal* inside the split bamboo tube.
[The Gakgung and Aegisal have activated a set effect.]
[The arrow's attack power increases by 5%, and piercing power increases by 10%.]
Hans's face was turning red, his throat caught in the Orc Warrior's brutal grip.
“C-Captain…!”
“Captain Haaaans!”
The soldiers' cries filled the air, thick with despair.
Just as Hans's neck was about to snap.
[Sure Shot]
[70% chance to accurately hit the intended target.]
As a blacksmith, Hyun-soo sometimes felt it.
A sense of how great the piece he was making would turn out.
A fleeting certainty, an intuition that flashed by in an instant.
And now, like a master archer, Hyun-soo knew the moment he released the bowstring.
“It's over.”
The *aegisal* would pierce the Orc Warrior's head!
Swiiiiiish-!
K-k-k-krack-
The arrow flew with a vicious tearing sound, piercing through the Orc Warrior's head.
Thwack-
Such was the power of the *aegisal* that it even gouged the tree behind it.
Srrrrk-
“Keoheok!”
Hans could breathe again as the Orc Warrior dissolved into a pile of ash.
[You have hunted the boss monster, Orc Warrior.]
[You have acquired 1,560 EXP.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up…]
[You have acquired 34 Gold.]
[You have acquired Orc Warrior's Worn Greatsword.]
[You have acquired Orc Warrior's Plate Armor.]
[Contribution: 65% achieved.]
He gained four levels in an instant, reaching level 10.
Considering a normal orc gave around 75-85 EXP, he had just earned nearly eighteen times that amount.
Even more surprising was his contribution.
His contribution, which had been less than 30%, had jumped by about 37% in a single moment.
But Hyun-soo was still thirsty for more.
He still needed more.
“Y-You…”
Ben stared at Hyun-soo as if looking at a prodigy.
One step.
Two steps.
With every step Hyun-soo took, the soldiers watching him parted to make way.
Click-
Hyun-soo fitted another *aegisal* into the *tongah*.
“Krrrrrrr!”
Letting out a ferocious roar, the second Orc Warrior had already closed the distance.
It leaped toward Hyun-soo, who stood at the very front, pulling its greatsword back.
Fwoooo-
Hyun-soo's breath hitched.
This time, he didn't have the Sure Shot effect from his Gakgung.
But after a few shots, his hands had grown accustomed to the feel of the bowstring.
“Kraaaaaaah!”
The creature's greatsword was just above his head.
Hyun-soo was one step faster.
Twang-
He released the bowstring, and the *aegisal* flew straight into the creature's chest.
P-thwack-!
With a loud boom, it pierced through the creature's tough armor, the impact sending the Orc Warrior flying back about a meter.
“Kuheeeeeek!”
The Orc Warrior, which had been launched into the air, crashed awkwardly to the ground.
Thud-!
The Orc Warrior wore a look of disbelief.
Though it was a monster, it knew just how formidable and sturdy its armor was.
That was why it enjoyed showing off its might among the humans while wearing it.
But now, its armor had been completely pierced.
“Kraaaaa!”
In denial, it tried to scramble up and charge with its greatsword.
But he had already nocked another *aegisal* to his Gakgung and fired.
P-thwaaaack-!
His arrow flew true, piercing the helmet that hid the Orc Warrior's brow.
Srrrrk-
The last thing the Orc Warrior saw was the human turning away, his gaze impassive.
***
Silence filled the battlefield.
The soldiers and Squad Leader Hans could only stare blankly as Hyun-soo turned and slung the bow over his back.
The orcs, whose morale had been sky-high with the appearance of the two Orc Warriors, now wore looks of terror as they saw their two leaders vanish in an instant.
“Chwi, chwiiiik…!”
“A monster…”
“Chwiik, run, must run!”
“Chwiiik, chwiiiiiiik!”
The silence was broken by the screams of the orcs.
Squad Leader Hans, quickly regaining his composure, gave an order.
“This time, we will drive out every last orc. Don't let a single one escape.”
“Yes, sir!”
Hyun-soo listened to the notifications that followed.
[You have hunted the boss monster, Orc Warrior.]
[You have acquired 1,600 EXP.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up…]
[You have acquired 38 Gold.]
[Contribution: 92% achieved.]
[You have acquired the title: Orc Slayer.]
(Orc Slayer)
Unique Title
Grade: A
Special Abilities:
· Attack and Defense +15% against Orcs.
· Orcs will be afflicted with the [Fear] status effect upon encountering you.
This time, he gained three levels, but unfortunately, no artifacts dropped.
‘92% contribution.’
Hyun-soo let out a small smile.
Daeng, the head of the Sword Blacksmith's Tower, had said he would guide him down a special path others couldn't walk if he just achieved 70% contribution.
And now, Hyun-soo had achieved a whopping 92%.
‘Can I finally become a legendary class?’
Tiring!
[You have completed the new episode with an astonishing achievement.]
[Squad Leader Hans will bestow a reward for this astonishing achievement.]
Hyun-soo looked around and saw that most of the orcs had been cleared out.
Squad Leader Hans walked over to Hyun-soo.
Hyun-soo had a gut feeling that what he had just done was quite remarkable.
‘Isn't Squad Leader a pretty high position?’
Of course, Hans was only a level 48 Squad Leader.
But the value of a reward and an NPC's status was all relative to the user's level.
To Hyun-soo, who was only level 13, Squad Leader Hans was a very high-ranking figure.
As proof, wasn't he leading a company of over fifty soldiers?
Furthermore, he knew that users normally received a reward of 1 Gold for completing this Orc Subjugation.
Soon, Squad Leader Hans stood before Hyun-soo, bowing his head respectfully.
“Thank you, stranger. No, thank you, warrior.”
[Squad Leader Hans bows his head to you in gratitude.]
Considering his position, it was an unimaginable gesture.
Hyun-soo had a hunch. He was about to receive an incredible reward.