Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Real Beginning (2)
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After Hyun-soo listed his first custom-made sword.
The Ares community was bustling with people, just like always.
[Ah, anything interesting today?]
[Ares is so dead lately.]
[FR lol.]
Just then.
[Yo, guys. I found an insane sword.]
[An insane sword?]
[This dude's hyping things up again lol.]
[No, for real! Go check the auction house if you don't believe me!]
[What's the sword's name?]
[Hyeon's First Custom-Made Sword.]
[Hyeon? Who the hell is that, you weeb lololol.]
[It's number 3 on today's auction items.]
The community users went quiet for a moment. They had clicked the link to check the artifact's information.
A user who had finished checking spoke up.
[Ah, f*ck, it's a piece of junk.]
[Fell for it again? lololol.]
[Are you kidding me? A level 200-350 sword with less than 200 attack power? Isn't it usually around 250?]
[Yeah, it's usually around 250.]
[Wow, this is a rare piece of trash. A level 200 sword that doesn't even give a single stat boost? It's just got one measly skill.]
[Hey, when you said an insane item, did you mean an insanely trash item? Shudder.]
The original poster, frustrated, wrote another comment.
[This is why you guys just lurk on the Ares community all day. Look at the skill info. The skill info!]
A brief silence followed.
[What about it, you idiot.]
[It's a Rare artifact with only one skill lolololol. Mine is Rare and it has three skills.]
[It's even a consumable. Wow, I've never seen such an all-time trash Rare artifact before.]
[Agh, you frustrating idiots...!]
Just then.
[Huh, what is this? This is insane...!]
An old-timer from the Ares community appeared. He was one of the top 10,000 rankers.
His appearance made the other users curious.
[What's so insane about it?]
[Why, why!? Tell me too!]
[Wow, you guys really don't know? The 'Sword that Cleaves Swords' effect is absolutely ridiculous.]
[But it's a consumable. Is it really something to get so worked up about?]
[It is. There's no target restriction for that skill. Whether they're level 500 or 600, you can break their sword based on a probability.]
[Huh? Now that you mention it, that seems right?]
[Here's the important part. It's literally a consumable artifact. You can just keep it in your inventory and swap to it when you need it.]
[Now, let me tell you how to use it. Ares has a huge variety of named NPCs, monsters, and quests. I'll use a recent event as an example.]
[You all know about Sword King Barad's recent duel with a high ranker. Sword King Barad said he would pass on his class if the challenger could land just three successful attacks.]
[Yeah, I remember. The high ranker failed to land even three hits.]
[Right, but what would have happened if that user had this sword?]
[???]
[Uh...? Obviously, during the duel, there's a small chance Sword King Barad's sword would snap, and if that happened...]
[Exactly what you're thinking. A swordsman's broken sword means they've temporarily lost their power as a swordsman. Just like how we players get over 30% stronger from Sword Mastery, it's no different for NPCs. That high ranker might have succeeded in landing three hits if he'd fought with this sword.]
[Gasp...!]
[Whoa...?]
[And as you all know, Barad's class is Legendary, right? Whether this sword costs 10 million won or 20 million, isn't it a worthwhile investment if it helps you win? A Legendary class is priceless.]
[Ooh, as expected of our community guru...]
[Oooh...]
[And you can also use it like this.]
[How...?]
[You can break the sword of some bastard you hate... For example, say the rank 5 player goes to screw over the rank 1 player...?]
[Shudder...?]
[That hits home!]
[Kyah, imagine how badly they must want to screw them over. So they can just buy this and break the rank 1 player's precious sword?]
[Idiot, the rank 1 player has a Legendary artifact, it won't break.]
[It's an example, an exaaample!]
[Huh? Hey, guys. It was 2,000 gold a minute ago, but it's already over 10,000 gold!?]
[Whoa...?]
[Hey, subscribe to Hyeon's Smithy, just in case.]
[Subscribe, like, and turn on notifications...]
[There he goes again with that 20-year-old Jeultube line. Are you a boomer?]
[Yeah... Subscribing anyway...]
[I'm subscribing too.]
[Subscribed...]
At that moment.
In a suite at the five-star Korea Hotel.
Lee Jin-sung, rank 21 in Ares Korea, irritably threw a tissue box.
“Damn it!”
His face flushed red as he let out a sigh.
He was the very high ranker who had recently lost the duel against Sword King Barad that was causing such a stir.
His character name was Lord, and he had just thrown away a golden opportunity to advance to a Legendary class.
*No, it's not over yet.*
Jin-sung recalled his conversation with Sword King Barad.
*'You seem to have potential. You still have one more chance. Come find me when you are ready.'*
But that "preparation" was vague.
The preparation period was only about a month at most.
Clashing swords with Barad, Jin-sung had keenly realized his own limits.
*Three hits? I couldn't even land one.*
The gap between them was just that massive.
*If only I could get a Legendary class...*
Surprisingly, Jin-sung was a player who had reached rank 21 with a normal class.
It could be seen as proof of his exceptional control skills.
*Isn't there some way?*
He had to use any means necessary.
He had to use any method possible.
*But potions are forbidden, scrolls are forbidden...*
His fists clenched tightly.
That meant he had to improve the performance of his items.
But even after camping the auction house for a week, no such artifact had appeared.
It was only natural.
Just then, his phone rang.
"Jin-sung, about clearing that Barad quest with an item..."
“I told you it's not allowed!”
Jin-sung snapped at his fellow guild member.
He quickly realized his mistake and said.
“Sorry, I've been on edge lately.”
"I get it. But Jin-sung, I'm serious about trying it with an item."
“You...!”
*Is this bastard messing with me?*
He scowled deeply. His guildmate knew full well he'd been searching for an artifact, right?
“Are you messing with me right now...?”
"Check out 'Hyeon's First Custom-Made Sword' in the auction house. I think that might do the trick."
“Hah... Fine, I'll look.”
Jin-sung calmed himself down.
He could get angry after checking.
Entering the auction house, Jin-sung found the artifact listed as number 2 among today's items.
*Hyeon? An unfamiliar blacksmith.*
And then he checked the artifact's information.
*What is this trash artif... Huh?*
Jin-sung's entire body began to tremble.
It cleaves the enemy's sword?
*No, is this even logically... possible...?*
It seemed impossible no matter how he looked at it.
Did it mean it could cleave the opponent's sword even at 100% durability?
“If their sword breaks, it means the opponent becomes defenseless, right?”
He thought of the sword Barad wielded.
Just because he's Sword King Barad, does he necessarily wield a Legendary artifact sword?
No, that's not it.
But a sword is a precious weapon to a swordsman.
Even if it was only a Rare-grade weapon, it would be possible to inflict a nearly 20% loss in combat power.
I have to buy this.
“I have to buy it, no matter what...!”
The bid had already surpassed 13,000 gold.
Jin-sung started raising the bid continuously.
“Those Golden Shield bastards, they're really sticking to it!”
That wasn't all.
Other blacksmith guilds were also quickly placing bids.
While Lee Jin-sung needed it the most right now, they intended to buy it first and use it later.
In an instant, the price shot past 40,000.
But once it surpassed 40,000, many guilds started dropping out.
*If only it had 50 uses...*
No, if it were permanent, this artifact would have been worth hundreds of millions of won.
It was a valuable item, but it only had 17 uses left.
Statistically speaking, it could probably only break two or three swords.
If he was unlucky, he might barely break one.
And in the end, Lee Jin-sung successfully won the bid.
-You have won Hyeon's Custom-Made Sword for 53,310 gold.
Jin-sung couldn't hide his excitement.
As soon as he logged in, he checked his message box.
He went into his messages, clicked on the artifact, and saw the sword appear in his inventory.
With that sword in hand, Jin-sung immediately went to find Sword King Barad.
[Sword King Barad Lv. 475]
One of the super-named NPCs currently in Ares.
King of a kingdom and Sword King Barad.
“I thought you were a man of thorough preparation.”
Sword King Barad.
He couldn't hide his displeasure.
This man named Lord, who showed a sprout of talent.
He had thought this man would come for his final challenge after meticulous preparation.
But to think he would return after only a few days?
“Is that sword the only thing that has changed?”
A wry laugh escaped him.
Having been a swordsman for a long time, Barad could tell the power of a sword just by looking at it.
“Do you intend to face me with a sword even more pathetic than your last?”
The sword Jin-sung had carried before was a Unique artifact. Compared to that, this one looked shabby.
“Hah...”
Barad let out a sigh of disappointment. His expression showed his regret at losing a potential successor to his power.
Barad charged forward rapidly.
I'll teach this arrogant, utterly unprepared brat a lesson...
*Shhhhiiiing—*
The swords of Barad and Lord clashed.
No, they were about to clash. In that instant, Barad's eyes widened.
Lord's beast-like eyes flashed. And with an unidentifiable sound, something fell slowly to the ground.
*Clang—!*
Staring at the sword, Barad was, for a moment, utterly stunned.
[Sword King Barad's combat power is weakened by over 25%.]
A bizarre phenomenon he had never witnessed, even with his title of Sword King, was unfolding before his very eyes.
He didn't miss the opportunity.
The moment a sword breaks, an NPC, much like a player, loses many of their effects.
They cannot perform sword dances with their bare hands.
They cannot block a swinging sword with their bare hands.
All he could do was grab the decorative sword hanging on the wall.
Before Barad could move, Lord was a step faster.
*Fwoosh—!*
Using a skill, he slashed Barad's body 11 times in a single pass.
“...”
Barad was completely unscathed.
His attacks were trivial. However, it was a fact that three attacks—no, a total of 11 attacks—had landed on Barad.
[Congratulations.]
[You can now change to a Legendary class.]
[You have changed your class to Heir of the Sword King.]
Lord was ecstatic. A massive thrill coursed through his body.
But Barad's expression was even more of a spectacle.
He was still staring down at his broken sword.
Then, looking at the sword Lord held, he let out a shocked voice.
“I am curious. The creator of this strange masterpiece, the likes of which I have never seen in my life.”
He wore a greedy smile.
Lord understood that look in his eyes.
*I want it.*
*I want it so badly I could go mad.*
Unable to contain his desire, he burst out.
“Will you pass on a message? Ask if he can craft a sword for me.”
“...!”
Lord was stunned.
Sword King Barad, one of the strongest NPCs in existence.
He was looking for the blacksmith, Hyeon.