Golden Goblin (3)
I wonder if they arrived safely?
Old Per gazed toward the spot where Atlas's army had departed just a few hours earlier, thanks to Hyun-soo. He'd crafted an artifact closer to legend grade than ever before and ascended to artisan blacksmith rank.
He watched the tower masters preparing to return and the Ballus Territory blacksmiths with whom he'd stoked the forges for days on end.
I can't believe it.
Fresh emotions welled up in Per.
Ballus Territory had once been on the path to ruin under the thumb of the blacksmith examiners.
Despite being called a blacksmith's domain, hardly anyone visited.
But Hyun-soo's arrival had changed everything.
Guests now overflowed the territory, and blacksmiths who'd been crumbling like alcoholics were finding new life.
And now, something even more unbelievable.
I'm about to craft a legend.
It hadn't been long since he'd made that "closest to legend" artifact.
His confidence stemmed from his own explosive growth in skill—and witnessing other astonishing feats.
They're reaching new heights too. Or maybe they've already arrived?
The blacksmiths tasked with crafting artifacts from dragon materials—for soldiers' armor, weapons, and more.
But their work had surpassed mere soldier gear.
It's all thanks to the lord.
In the end, Ares's blacksmiths drew power from some mysterious force.
Yet Ballus's blacksmiths possessed something unique: their skills amplified by Hyun-soo himself.
In other words, the current Ballus blacksmiths operated a full rank above their original level.
And this mass production run proved it.
Leron crafts an Epic artifact.
Kal crafts a Unique artifact.
Kolon crafts an Epic artifact.
Since starting the dragon gear production, countless blacksmiths had broken through to new realms, forging artifacts they'd never dreamed of before.
Why?
It was the synergy between their exceptional skills and the superior materials Hyun-soo had provided.
Of course, the materials for ordinary blacksmiths topped out at epic grade.
But which territory equipped soldiers with artifacts—let alone letting regular blacksmiths use epic materials?
And now, four thousand troops marched out armed with those creations.
"Is this the world Your Highness envisioned?"
Per had initially thought the Sword King was overrating Hyun-soo.
He had no choice.
Hyun-soo wasn't even Asgan Continent's top player, yet Barad treated him as a king's heir.
But now, everything had changed.
The advantage of dragon materials is their lightness and unmatched durability—they never break. As weapons, they boast superior cutting and piercing power. Fittingly draconic, they offer absurd magic resistance. And they amplify soldiers' and knights' swordsmanship to the max.
Troops and knights equipped with such gear had set out.
Atlas has become what the Sword King dreamed of.
A territory where blacksmiths' power synergized with soldiers' might.
A microcosm of what Barad desired.
Per wondered just how much power those artifact-armed soldiers would unleash.
A suffocating tension freezes your body.
Immense terror and crushing pressure make movement nearly impossible.
Fond and the Chinese users nearly choked on their breath.
They could scarcely believe the figures approaching before their eyes.
What the hell...?
Just 600 troops, right?
The guilds that topped the continental war got territories with only about 500 soldiers each...?
How many thousands is this...?
Spot-on intel, reasonable deduction.
The top-contributing guilds in the continental war.
Guild masters eager to flaunt had boasted their gains.
Plus, Asgan Continent buzzed with rumors of Hyun-soo's debuffs.
Corroborated by Sword Master Roman himself.
"Wh-what in the world...?"
As an NPC, not a user, Sword Master Roman knew better.
True to his prestigious swordsmanship lineage, he wielded marquis-level might in Goyad.
Before his rebellion, he'd reviewed kingdom records for leaked troops under Barad.
There were none like this.
So where did this absurd horde come from?
Were they a god-sent army?
And Roman's suspicion of divine origins stemmed from elsewhere too.
Are these things soldiers wear and wield?
Even at a glance, their ivory-like gear screamed extraordinary, defying common sense.
Naturally so.
No territory equips soldiers with anything beyond the most standard issue.
Even the finest were top-tier normal grade.
Soldiers were disposable like that.
So why did these gleam with artifacts?
Is Viscount Hyun-soo an idiot?
Arming cannon fodder with elite gear made no sense on the battlefield.
But he was wrong.
Not because Hyun-soo was foolish.
Typically, lords bought gear off-the-shelf. Hyun-soo alone could craft it in-territory.
Realizing this, Sword Master Roman stepped back.
"I desire a nation where blacksmiths and knights coexist."
Barad's declaration before the kingdom's pillars.
Roman had thought the man mad.
Yet here it was, unfolding before him.
An achievement even he, daring to claim kingship, couldn't match.
That was why.
The suffocating pressure left him immobile.
Why can't I move?
NPCs and users alike questioned it—the cause was the Overwhelm legend stat.
Users analyzed and calculated Hyun-soo.
But they were off.
Hyun-soo had gained new powers.
No, it's just flashy appearances.
Equipping soldiers with top artifacts? Absurd.
Unless their territory swims in cash!
They rationalized.
That crumbled instantly.
The moment Hyun-soo lowered his raised hand.
Four thousand dragon baby arrows fired from crossbows in unison.
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew!
Those hit head-on were pierced, skewering those behind.
Shwaaaaa—
Each arrow scattered a thousand knights and users to ash.
Click.
Another volley.
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew!
This time, two thousand more vanished.
Just four seconds.
Fond and Roman lost three thousand allies in a blink.
They froze deeper.
Hyun-soo, the golden goblin, eyed the scattering foes coldly.
Soldiers' level-ups—not just once, but averaging 2-3 times each.
The enemy averages knight-grade.
Allies were mere soldiers.
NPCs or users, slaying higher-grade foes yielded massive gains—naturally.
Plus ample gold and artifact drops.
Hyun-soo knew.
They figured I had only about 500 troops.
So they'd planned to wipe them out.
Wei, marching out this time, had boasted:
"Slaughter them all, then broadcast Hyun-soo kneeling worldwide."
Hyun-soo's teeth ground.
Had they known of his four thousand? Would they have boasted? Invaded?
No.
They'd eyed the perceived weakling.
Hyun-soo itched to swing his tyrant blade.
No five hundred near-death troops this time.
"Draw swords!"
Shiiiing!
Four thousand blades rang out in unison.
"Charge!"
At Hyun-soo's command, his army surged.
Roman's knights, panicking, sneered.
"These mere soldier scum...!?"
A charging knight's horizontal slash met a soldier's chest—and faltered.
Claaaang!
"...?"
The bone armor had slight gaps between plates.
But penetration was tough.
Dense interlocked bones blocked the blade. Slicing? Harder still.
So sturdy, massive, yet light.
And even as knights, they were exhausted and wounded.
Stab!
Soldiers' blades pierced weary knights, pressing forward. Mages unleashed wide-area spells amid them.
"Explosion!"
"Wind Cutter!"
"Fire Wall!"
Kwaaaaa!
Kwa-kwang!
Kwarararak!
Fond and Roman anticipated carnage in Hyun-soo's ranks from blasts and wind blades.
But those emerging from the explosions were battered yet intact.
"...?!"
"...?!"
Magic Defense +73%
They didn't know.
Hyun-soo's army wore not mere ivory, but dragon armor—defying magic with absurd resistance.
Skreeek!
Shwaaaa!
Each time Hyun-soo's soldiers sliced through foes with disciplined poise, ash piled up.
Ten minutes into the battle.
No allied casualties!
4,434 enemies slain.
Atlas's forces forge a new legend!
The fight was legendary in the making.
Meanwhile, Roman and his knights weren't failing because Hyun-soo's soldiers or gear were overwhelmingly superior.
I can't use aura...
They'd exhausted all mana, unable to manifest aura. Chinese users too.
Skill cooldowns...
Only passives left.
Endless Maze blocks potions too.
Ultimates depleted.
In the knight clashes.
Take Riu's Hydra Summon as example.
Had it landed on four thousand soldiers, easy win.
How did they time it so perfectly...?
No way...?
They shuddered at Hyun-soo's chilling timing.
Then Hyun-soo moved.
To block his high leap, a woman vaulted up.
> I'll block him. Buy time for skill cooldowns.
True to her assassin nature, Yongwol analyzed ruthlessly.
Twin Dragon Swords' swing speed, Hyun-soo's skill, DPS, stats—all calculated.
Even artifacts tailored for this fight.
Splat!
Stabbing upward at Hyun-soo, coat flapping midair, Yongwol thrilled.
My calcs were spot-on. Factoring his speed and mine, I can hold!
Her dagger thrust for his chest.
Shwick!
She panicked.
Hyun-soo's blade had sliced her first—faster than predicted.
Twin Dragon Swords dealt massive damage.
Slashed once, Yongwol stared at Hyun-soo in disbelief.
This isn't right... What?
She didn't know their calcs were thoroughly wrong.
Boosted by Grant Me Your Blessing, Hyun-soo had surged in power.
Plus level-ups from the bone dragon hunt.
He was 20% stronger than they'd scouted.
My analysis was perfect... Even posts said he vanished from hunting grounds.
Hyun-soo had gone off-grid.
No sightings anywhere.
Watching him ready Twin Dragon Swords again, Yongwol's world crumbled.
Loss.
Despair.
Overwhelmed.
[CRITICAL STRIKE]
Cleaved in half, Yongwol hit the ground.
Of course.
Golden goblin style.
Thud.
Surviving high-rankers gaped at Hyun-soo landing lightly.
Riu, Fond, Wei.
Three overwhelmed by one.
Normally, not this bad.
But their cooldowns foretold doom.
All three thought the same.
We haven't been wiped yet.
Say we turned back in the Endless Maze without meeting Hyun-soo.
Yeah, no witnesses. Align stories, and nothing happened.
Defeat leaked? Disaster.
Then Hyun-soo approached, eyes narrowing.
He'd dance the tyrant waltz.
Tyrant's first swing: total annihilation.
The second:
"This is being recorded."
No rat holes spared.