Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: The God of Blacksmiths (1)
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Hans had lost many of his men to the tough armor of the Orc Warriors.
Today was no different. Despite focusing their attacks on one spot, they couldn't break through.
‘I almost died.’
No one is unafraid of death.
Just before his neck was about to be snapped, Hans had desperately prayed for someone to save him.
The one who saved him was the stranger before him, Hyun-soo.
The one who had crafted an arrow of immense destructive power in a critical situation!
The one who had also subjugated two Orc Warriors.
“You are the hero of our subjugation squad.”
[The Orc Subjugation Squad will remember you as a hero.]
[People in the capital of the Prime Kingdom will recognize and treat you as a hero.]
[You have gained 30 Fame.]
[You have gained 10 Charisma.]
“I, Hans, captain of the subjugation squad, bestow upon you the Hero's Blessing.”
[The Hero's Blessing now rests upon you.]
[You have gained +3 to all stats.]
[From now on, you will start at least as a Decurion in any subjugation squad you join.]
‘A blessing…?’
Hyun-soo had heard about blessings before.
Blessings could only be granted by high-ranking NPCs or named NPCs.
The important thing was that even NPCs couldn't grant these blessings indefinitely.
He knew they could only be given once in a lifetime, or perhaps three times in the case of a king or emperor.
‘A blessing from a level 48 subjugation squad captain gives +3 to all stats…?’
Hyun-soo was amazed. In Ares, there were kings, emperors, and popes.
The thought of how incredible their blessings must be quickly vanished.
It was because Ben, the soldier he'd met when he first arrived, approached him.
“When I first met you, I was worried because you said you were an aspiring blacksmith, but I see you in a new light now.”
[Your affinity with Ben is now MAX.]
“Rookie! Thank you so much!”
“I'm alive thanks to you!”
Hyun-soo smiled slightly as the soldiers gathered around him to express their gratitude.
Before long, the subjugation squad began its return.
Hyun-soo's heart swelled with anticipation on the way back.
‘Can I finally change my class to blacksmith? What kind of power does the legendary blacksmith class have?’
His steps were light as he returned to the tower.
***
The Tower Masters of the Blacksmith's Tower gathered for the first time in ten years. It was because of a single stranger.
The Stone of Talent was connected to all the Blacksmith's Towers. They had all confirmed that the stone had been split cleanly in half.
Ten blacksmiths sat around a round table.
And Colson, the Tower Master of the Bow Blacksmith's Tower, thought he had seized an opportunity.
‘I might be able to drag him down.’
Colson, the Tower Master of the Bow Blacksmith's Tower, despised Daeng, the head of the Tower Masters.
It was a common human greed.
The desire to stand in that position myself.
But now, a perfect justification had presented itself.
“To a stranger who has just set foot in this land, a blacksmith no less, you sent him to an Orc Subjugation Squad and told him to achieve a 70% contribution?”
“Mmm...”
“Hmph.”
The other Tower Masters groaned.
Rek, the Tower Master of the Shield Blacksmith's Tower, sighed.
“He had a natural-born talent. Splitting the Stone of Talent meant his genius surpassed even yours, Master Daeng. So why did you give him such a reckless trial?”
Reckless.
Yes, the trial Daeng had given was reckless in the eyes of any Tower Master.
The Tower Masters of the Blacksmith's Tower had been waiting for the one who would inherit the position of the god.
The Tower Masters could give a subjective trial to one who was qualified.
These trials were mostly very difficult.
But the problem was that Daeng's trial went beyond difficult; it was, by all accounts, nearly impossible.
Colson said in a rebuking tone.
“Master Daeng, we are blacksmiths.”
What kind of profession is a blacksmith?
“Even we, who lead the Blacksmith's Tower, would have a hard time defeating an ordinary knight from the Knight's Tower.”
His voice grew louder.
“And yet, you told a blacksmith—no, someone who hasn't even chosen a class—to achieve a 70% contribution? I looked into it. Strangers who have changed classes in the Orc Subjugation Squad usually only manage a 10% contribution. But 70%? How on earth? What, were you telling him to hunt an Orc Warrior? A man without a class?”
“...That's right.”
“What?”
At Daeng's words, the faces of the Blacksmith's Tower members flushed red.
The Blacksmith's Tower had long been waiting for the one who would become the heir to the God of Blacksmiths.
“Right? You're saying you intended for him to hunt an Orc Warrior?”
Colson planned to use this opportunity to prove Daeng's incompetence to the other Tower Masters.
*Kuuung-!*
He slammed his fist on the table and twisted his lips into a sneer.
“Thank you, thank you very much! The greatest talent in thousands of years has ultimately been barred from walking the path of a god. Telling a blacksmith to hunt an Orc Warrior!”
“Master Daeng, that was too reckless.”
“You shouldn't have forgotten that we are blacksmiths...!”
Daeng, who had been listening with his arms crossed, frowned.
“What's the problem? Do you not know what kind of being the God of Blacksmiths is?”
He looked at each of the Tower Masters, his voice sharp.
“As you all know from the myths, the God of Blacksmiths is known to be able to defeat anyone with a single sword he forged himself.”
The reason the Tower Masters awaited the heir of the God of Blacksmiths.
It was because he would be the only one who could shatter the perception that blacksmiths were ultimately weak.
Even now, blacksmiths held the very important role of crafting artifacts, but it was ultimately one of the most looked-down-upon professions.
This was starkly evident in the classes chosen by the strangers.
Only 2% of the strangers chose to become blacksmiths.
It was arduous, they couldn't hunt properly, and they couldn't easily join the group hunts that strangers often did.
What good was being an outstanding blacksmith?
There were eight types of towers on the continent.
The Knight's Tower, the Mage's Tower, the Archer's Tower, the Assassin's Tower, the Tamer's Tower, and so on.
But among them, the Blacksmith's Tower was the most neglected.
Why? Because they were weak.
“The martial prowess of the God of Blacksmiths is said to be extraordinary. So, are you all saying it's fine for the one who will become that god to be weak, unlike in the myths? Or are you hoping he'll grow strong by borrowing the god's power? The one who is worthy must become the God of Blacksmiths! If he cannot even kill an Orc Warrior, then it's right that he cannot inherit the name.”
Daeng's words also had a point.
Of course, Daeng's standards were incredibly strict.
It wasn't for nothing that he was called a once-in-a-generation genius.
“Still, it was too much to push him to hunt an Orc Warrior.”
It was the sigh-filled voice of Rek, the Tower Master of the Shield Blacksmith's Tower.
“Mmm...”
Daeng also let out a soft groan.
In truth, Daeng was also regretting it. A regret that it might have been his own greed.
It was a task impossible by common sense.
For someone who had just set foot here to kill an Orc Warrior.
Furthermore, as they said, he was classless, not yet having chosen a profession.
But his thoughts remained unchanged.
‘Isn't it that only one who achieves what no one else could can rise to that position?’
“His talent has already been proven by splitting the Stone of Talent. However, if he can't even make the sword budge, let alone draw it, I will not stand by. It would mean you've lost the greatest talent in thousands of years.”
Colson, the Tower Master of the Bow Blacksmith's Tower, warned with a cold expression.
One who received a mission from a Tower Master to become the heir of the god had to return and perform a ritual.
Through this ritual, they could see whether he had truly completed the given mission.
The ritual varied depending on which tower the mission was received from.
One who received it from the Bow Blacksmith's Tower had to hold a bow imbued with divine power and shoot an arrow.
But this wasn't something one could do just by wanting to.
Someone who completed the mission and was acknowledged by the bow could shoot it, but those who failed could not.
In the Shield Blacksmith's Tower, it was a ritual of lifting a shield.
In the Hammer Blacksmith's Tower, one had to lift a hammer placed on the ground.
And since the stranger named Hyun-soo had received his mission from the Sword Blacksmith's Tower, he had to prove his completion by pulling a sword buried deep in the ground.
Moreover, how far the sword was pulled would indicate the level of his achievement.
As Colson had said, if the sword didn't even budge...
It would be proof that the man had failed the mission miserably.
“I understand.”
Daeng conceded to Colson's warning.
Perhaps, because of his overly demanding trial, the Blacksmith's Towers had truly lost the one they had long awaited to become a god.
Just then.
“Tower Master, that stranger named Hyun-soo has returned!”
At Han's voice, the members of the Blacksmith's Tower showed a glimmer of interest.
“Bring him to the top floor.”
It was time for the ritual.
The reason the God of Blacksmiths required such a ritual.
The weapons and armor used in the ritual were creations made by the god himself.
It was so that these weapons, which possessed a degree of ego, could see on his behalf whether the candidate was truly worthy.
The Tower Masters left the conference room and headed to the top of the tower.
And there, they met the stranger named Hyun-soo.
***
Guided by Han, Hyun-soo ascended to the top floor of the Blacksmith's Tower.
On the way up, he had heard a rough explanation of what he had to do.
‘I just have to pull out the sword?’
Beyond the transparent door on the top floor of the Blacksmith's Tower.
Hyun-soo could see a single sword buried deep in the ground.
‘Is it because it's a legendary class? This is quite grand.’
Hyun-soo's heart pounded. The legendary class held by the number one ranked blacksmith, Smith!
He couldn't hide his excitement at the fact that he too would rise to that position.
Just then, Hyun-soo saw the blacksmiths who had come up with Daeng, the Tower Master he had met before.
[Rek, Tower Master of the Shield Blacksmith's Tower Lv.345]
[Colson, Tower Master of the Bow Blacksmith's Tower Lv.365]
‘Whoa...’
Hyun-soo couldn't help but be amazed.
The Tower Masters were super-named NPCs.
Of course, Daeng's level was the highest, but it wasn't easy to see such high-level named NPCs all in one place.
He suddenly thought that if he obtained a legendary class, he might one day stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them.
Soon, Daeng approached and spoke.
“You've likely heard the explanation, but you just need to pull out the sword. Now, go on in.”
Nodding, Hyun-soo opened the door to where the ritual would take place and stepped inside.
The moment he entered.
*Krrrrrrrrr-*
A massive vibration filled the area.
[Class Change Quest: Participate in the Orc Subjugation Squad has been completed with phenomenal results.]
[The Sword of ??? reacts to you.]
[The ??? Sword acknowledges your talent.]
[The ??? Sword yearns to be in your embrace as soon as possible.]
Hyun-soo's gaze turned to the source of the vibration.
The firmly embedded sword pulled itself out of the ground.
*Fwoooosh-!*
Immediately after.
*Paaaaat-*
The sword, now free, erupted in a brilliant light and shot toward Hyun-soo like a flash.
*Wooooong-*
The resonating sword seemed to be speaking to Hyun-soo.
*Hurry and take hold of me.*
*I'm dying to have you.*
*I covet your talent like mad.*
[Only you are worthy of wielding this sword.]
The notification proved it.