Babylon (8)

Wherever you go, substitutes are bound to exist.

The moment they realized the information from Kabel was wrong, those thrown into the dungeon found their substitute.

Unfortunately, this substitute only had 60% accuracy compared to Kabel's 100% precision.

'Kabel just had information too outstanding.'

Even so, 60% was tremendous.

The chance to obtain the information you wanted with 60% probability.

The second-in-command informant, a man named Luxo, had said:

'The way to find Hyun's Forge is to scour remote areas.'

'Reports of territory residents coming and going from somewhere in those remote spots. Follow that lead, and I'll provide the intel based on it to guide you.'

A month after server integration.

For others who didn't know, the mere presence of territory residents in an unknown territory was reason enough to suspect.

Musashi of Japan had received four pieces of information.

'If it had been Kabel, he'd have pinpointed the exact location. And sold it to only one person.'

But Luxo was different.

Give him money, and he'd sell to anyone besides you.

Top players from other worlds would buy from Luxo too, converging on the same path.

'The opportunity is now.'

Musashi's eyes gleamed. He and the continent's apex players were unaware that Chinese users had been swept out of the Endless Maze.

Back then, Hyun-soo had recorded everything.

But he hadn't released it. To keep them unprepared and complacent.

Ironically, the Chinese users were keeping quiet too.

First, out of shame. Second, hoping it would stay buried forever since Hyun-soo hadn't gone public yet.

In any case, Musashi believed now was the only chance to monopolize Hyun's Forge.

Other packs of hyenas would soon catch the scent and swarm from all sides to tear him apart.

Before that, Musashi planned to knock Hyun-soo down and seize Hyun's Forge with his guildmates.

Infinite kills until they submitted.

'Monopolize Hyun's Forge, and I become the world's best.'

Musashi entered the marked spot on the map.

He furrowed his brow at the unidentified man.

'User? NPC?'

No info popped up.

"You can't pass here."

The man spoke.

That marked him as a thorough enemy.

'Why block us? Hyun's Forge? Or in the second Ares, are there NPCs whose info isn't public?'

This was just one of the suspect points.

Soon, thirty ninjas, led by Musashi, hands on grips, leaped into the air simultaneously.

Movements on par with assassins—utterly irrational.

As they soared through the air, closing in at once—

"Before a single sword."

Swaaaaaaaa—!

Musashi and all the ninjas were slashed mid-air.

Musashi couldn't believe what unfolded before his eyes.

Blood from the ninjas sprayed into the sky.

'Even if ninjas have low total HP, this is…'

His HP plummeted below 50% in an instant.

Regular ninjas dropped below 20%.

Considering their average level of 400, this was absurd.

Especially all thirty taking damage simultaneously!

'What the hell is this guy?!'

Meanwhile.

Bahala, who had just tested "Before a single sword" infused in Babylon, marveled.

'100% hit rate? Insane.'

Another 100% hit skill that slashed everything in a 30m radius.

Meaning, even hundreds within 30m would all be cut.

'Not just specialized for demon hunting. Hyun-soo packed in so much that the wielder can use this sword normally too.'

Bahala's heart raced.

'Thrilling and fresh.'

If it were usual, Bahala would have dropped Musashi's HP below 70%, not 50%.

Just holding this famed sword made him far stronger.

The emotion he felt now.

It resembled a certain Korean user.

I-hwan.

Though Hyun-soo didn't know, the budding leader of the Hyun-soo cult(?) now shared a similar sentiment.

Then Bahala chuckled.

'Heh, cute little guy.'

Hyun-soo had urged Bahala to join the guild, even briefly.

'Bahala. Join us. This is your chance.'

'Chance?'

'Apex players from the continent will gather near Atlas. In territory war state, you slaughter them and gain EXP, right?'

'True.'

'And they'll bring their server's top elites—quasi-boss EXP givers followed by boss-level ones. Such an opportunity?'

'None.'

'Exactly! So join the guild temporarily for territory war? This is all for you. With Lukio's uncertain capture, you can't pass this up, right?'

'Fair point.'

Bahala was convinced.

He'd been a bit moved by Hyun-soo, who sincerely supported his Sword God path(?).

But seeing the alert, he realized.

Bahala.

World rank 1. The moment he became a contribution farmer.

'It does aid my growth too.'

Thus, Bahala planned to sweep every quasi-boss and boss-grade foe coming here.

Nel was flustered.

Admiral Yi Sun-sin's famous words came to mind.

'One man holding a pass can make a thousand enemies tremble.'

And while that one held the pass, Hyun's Forge built its defenses.

'No territory war gathers such powerhouses.'

Yet one overwhelming individual would cut them all down.

Contribution explosion alerts now yielded this.

The contribution shop opened after second Ares launch.

Present in all territories.

It sold items to enhance the territory.

Of course, no 'troops' or 'residents'.

But a vast array otherwise.

'Troop growth potions.'

'Tamed monsters.'

'Troop enhancement ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠potions.'

Plus, Chinese users and rebels had already piled absurd contributions.

Bahala's rampage pushed it over 100,000 first.

Leading to another reward.

"……!?"

Advancing toward uniqueness beyond others.

'You knew, didn't you?'

Bahala was merely the first barrier.

Repelled by him, they circled back.

But by then, Hyun's Forge had higher contribution and some defenses ready.

Nel stared blankly at Hyun-soo focused in the forge.

He saw one step ahead of her.

'Are you truly becoming a lord?'

His growth as a lord, day by day.

And.

Claaaang—!

The cheerful hammer strikes reminded her.

He advanced another step as both lord and blacksmith.

The world's evaluation of Hyun-soo.

No world message even for Babylon's restoration recently.

User world messages have conditions.

If already achieved or same realm, no message.

Requires a year or higher realm.

The world's view held some merit.

Blacksmith skills drop exponentially after high-peak artifacts.

But they were wrong.

Hyun-soo wasn't skill-based.

Also.

'Why judge me?'

Strangers he'd never met judging Hyun-soo.

Hyun-soo immersed deeper, focusing extremely.

What he aimed to craft now was no easy feat.

'Trait Storage'.

Hyun-soo felt it keenly.

'Store this at 100%? Ecological disruption artifact.'

He just wanted to fix his current weakness.

As Bahala said, he was weak there.

Compared to the apex Bahala now faced, victory wasn't assured.

Most of Hyun-soo's abilities stemmed from swordsmanship.

But Trait Storage could twist that framework.

The shape emerged gradually.

A dagger he aimed to make.

Not for swinging.

'This dagger will become a necklace.'

Soon, completion sequence.

On the blade of the short sword, mixed black and white with faint dark sheen, the 'Desire' rune engraved.

As work ended, Hyun-soo gripped the elegant dagger.

Completion process wasn't over.

"Shrink."

The dagger shrank in his palm to necklace size.

Alert followed; Hyun-soo grinned wide.

'Hear that, Bahala? The sound of me catching up.'

Alerts sometimes phrased for user feel.

Like this.

"Master Craftsman Hyun."

Seeing the resounding world message, Hyun-soo smiled faintly.

Before ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠checking the dagger, he named the artifact.

"Desire Dagger."

The birth of the first Desire series representing Hyun-soo.

But there was regret.

It being a necklace meant no Calamity Necklace.

Calamity Necklace had little use save one effect.

But that effect was huge.

'Absolute Domination.'

The domination tool that briefly controlled the hydra.

Couldn't use it now.

Then an unexpected alert.

'New skill addition?'

Next alert made Hyun-soo cheer.