Royal Shop (6)

Bahala, locked in fierce combat with Lukio, suddenly froze.

Amid the lingering effects of Myeolak's splash damage.

His eyes captured Hyun-soo standing there and Legion Commander Robus collapsing.

The notifications left Bahala bewildered.

The targets of this message: "Even the Sword God cannot surpass."

These were the alerts he'd heard in his level 300s, confronting legends across the continent.

But once he surpassed level 400, they never rang again.

This was a notification that sounded only when facing an immense wall.

'Right now... am I the one feeling that wall?'

Of course, Bahala knew it too.

That power was nothing more than a fluke, triggered by the most extreme stroke of luck.

But standing at the pinnacle, and knowing Hyun-soo had drawn it, he couldn't deny it.

'That's ultimately Hyun-soo's power.'

Even if that force was overwhelmingly strong, it couldn't fell a legion commander in one blow.

The reason it had been possible.

Even under status ailments, he'd slammed Legion Commander Robus into the splash damage radius.

And he'd refused to retreat despite knowing defeat was certain, searching for a way—that's what made it happen.

It stung.

"You're too weak."

"......"

"Pathetically so."

Words that had gutted him when Hyun-soo sought his companionship.

They pierced deep.

'When will I be able to deal damage like that in a single ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠strike?'

Bahala stood at the peak.

But today, one who'd held that summit had been dethroned by another.

'Two of them?'

This year's number one too. Already the second.

Bahala thought.

'I want to fight the you of a year from now.'

The undefeated rank one Bahala's fighting spirit boiled over.

Pulling his thoughts together swiftly amid the battle.

'Losing focus mid-fight... Hm?'

Turning his head, Bahala ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠faltered in surprise.

The lesser demon he'd been clashing with fiercely moments ago.

The one with eyes pure sword energy, no whites or pupils.

Now whites had formed in his eyes, and he stared at Hyun-soo with even greater shock than Bahala's own.

***

For a moment, the brainwashing blurred.

But Lukio couldn't stop fighting, endlessly clashing with the man before him.

In that instant, the splash remnants stole his gaze, and he witnessed one man savagely torn apart.

Having seen it in the gap as the brainwashing lifted, Lukio fell into delusion.

Lukio understood the demonic hierarchy better than anyone.

An ordinary demon. Power around level 350.

Weak for a demon? No.

It meant an ordinary demon wielded level 350 strength.

Even among ordinary humans, few reached level 100.

Anyway.

Ordinary demon: 350.

Trained demon: 400.

Above that, another rank.

Combat demons equivalent to human knights: 450.

Then above them, legion commanders at commander level: 480 to 550.

And legion commanders outclassed other races at the same level.

Their blood was made for it.

A combat race optimized solely for battle.

Surpassing humans by leaps in regeneration, superior even to dark elves born for war.

As a legion commander, even when slashed, he'd recover to some degree almost immediately.

Yet.

Plop.

His head fell.

And the cross-section of that severed head was impeccably clean, refusing even to regenerate as if proclaiming death.

Lukio reeled in massive shock, and one of Hyun-soo's powers activated toward him.

A power that triggered upon deeming an unforgettable favor received.

Lukio had long suffered torment from Legion Commander Robus's inferiority complex and sense of inadequacy.

Excuses like "This is Lady Gremory's test," slashing his own body with a blade and cackling, "How's a lesser demon's recovery?"

Stomping on his head was routine.

Especially the order to erase his own family and the kingdom where his unknown-surviving father might be—with his own hands.

Even the undefeated knight Lukio was just a man with emotions.

No matter the man's intent in beheading Robus in one strike, years of rage and resentment melted away.

And just moments ago, he'd declared:

"I too am a legend."

The pinnacle humans could reach.

Ironically, the aura from the man felt insignificant.

But did you know?

'It's because his power is insignificant that he can still grow.'

He harbored dreams and saw hope.

Lukio's whites darkened again as brainwashing reclaimed him.

'Please grant me a chance at vengeance.'

He'd thought it before.

If anyone gave him a shot at revenge, he'd do anything.

But his eyes had already turned pitch black once more, reverting him to a lesser demon.

***

'I am a legend, yet I felt an immense wall from other legends.'

An undeniable reality.

He knew he shared their realm but couldn't stand shoulder-to-shoulder.

The alerts he'd heard, Hyun-soo's low level, and the continentals' reactions proved it.

However.

Today, one wall crumbles.

Beyond that fallen wall loom taller ones, but now certainty and confidence take root.

'Soon, I'll tear down those walls one by one.'

A low level meant.

'More room to grow faster than other legends.'

If a legend's sole feat was crafting a transcendent artifact.

'It means I can forge countless new achievements through battles and tales ahead.'

Finally, he realized.

It wasn't that legend fell short; now he could build upon it.

In truth, at this moment, Hyun-soo—lagging legends in level—grew stronger.

An extraordinary EXP haul. Solely for slaying a legend alone, he gained 12 levels.

Twelve levels in the 300s was astonishing.

Over 500 million won in Korean currency, plus items.

And he anticipated more.

That anticipation tied back to his initial purpose here.

When first encountering Robus, Hyun-soo had seen the black light of his legendary skill Gathering.

Alerts like these informed him he could harvest two materials.

Regrettably, Hyun-soo had struck Robus only once.

'None...'

Gathering yielded target materials with 3% chance on successful hits.

Disappointing, but Hyun-soo was plenty satisfied.

A fine title, distinct from the effects born of Hyun-soo's legendary Overwhelm stat.

Overwhelm typically triggered mid-battle.

Of course, with far more Overwhelm, it might differ, but for now.

But this Master Craftsman's Pride activated on first encounter.

And showing pride again mid-battle further weakened foes.

The key difference: Master Craftsman's Pride targeted only enemies.

Overwhelm, as Charisma's superior, affected allies and territory folk too.

If Overwhelm was a lord's inherent majesty, Master Craftsman's Pride crushed and subjugated enemy morale.

One drawback, though.

'MP cost 100?'

This seemed per target.

Overwhelm a foe for a mere 100 MP?

But another angle:

'If used on thousands gathered or hundreds of monsters, my MP drains without notice?'

No skill could be utterly broken.

Perhaps this was the gap between NPCs and users.

Now, eyes on something else.

Hyun-soo watched Lukio charging fiercely at Bahala.

'My Bond and Lord's Grace triggering together...'

It meant high odds of securing Lukio. Thrilling just imagining it.

But an absurd reality persisted.

'Impossible.'

Lukio had to die.

He couldn't yell, "Bahala, stop—make him my vassal!"

The moment he pondered, Hyun-soo and Bahala would face forced logout.

Lukio was that insanely strong.

Even more astonishing: sword strikes exchanging between Bahala, treading the Sword God's Path, and lesser demon Lukio.

'Skill-wise, he's Bahala's equal.'

This path prioritized Bahala's job quest, after all.

"Kuh!"

Bahala shaved 6% off Lukio's HP but took 30% damage himself.

Hyun-soo had no choice; it was necessary.

Hyun-soo joined the fray.

His chest burned hot and raw.

He had to kill with his own hands a potential vassal.

Though weaker than Bahala, his stats rivaled a level 430 high-ranker.

Plus his cheat artifacts shifted the tide upon entry.

Transcendent swords swung from both sides ravaged Lukio's body.

The climax approached.

'Finally, toward a new Sword God's Path.'

Bahala brimmed with immense anticipation.

'Farewell, Lukio.'

Hyun-soo slashed his flank, a pang of bitterness rising.

For the finishing blow, Hyun-soo raised his Twin Dragon Swords—then froze.

Joy and despair crashed over him simultaneously.

'Jackpot...!'

Joy first.

All puzzles complete.

Despair followed at the end, drawing curses from Hyun-soo and Bahala.

"Fuck!"

"Insane!"

Robus's corpse.

From within, a massive horned woman emerged in an instant.

A seductive woman before a demon.

Yet her power contrasted sharply.

Endless alerts flooded in.

The transcendent being's power overwhelmed the two.

Genius Blacksmith’s Game

Royal Shop (7)

Crunch, crackle.

From Robus's corpse rose black demonic energy, and the emerging entity stretched languidly.

"Haaah."

An elegant stretch contrasted by the grinding of her joints aligning.

If Saintess Aria embodied goodness's beauty, she was evil's beauty.

Voluptuous form, black skin.

A being blending decadence and allure.

She seemed merely beautiful, yet her identity was revealed.

She too was a tamer of sorts, like Legion Commander Robus.

But leagues beyond the likes of him.

Robus merely led demons and beasts at levels 370-430.

She commanded 22 such commanders, queen and lord over a million-plus.

No one in the demon world formed such a peerless army.

Moreover.

Bahala and Hyun-soo denied it desperately.

'This make sense?'

'One being inflicts five status ailments...'

Hyun-soo and Bahala weakened by about 25%.

Just facing her choked their breath, legs trembling like aspen leaves.

And the lesser demon Lukio, needing only the final touch.

The two, stiffened by debuffs, strained to muster strength against him.

But meeting Gremory's chilling gaze, they couldn't even move their arms.