Chapter 41
Chapter 41
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Beyond Repair (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Blacksmith Hyeon…?”
Hyun-soo turned his head at the sound of Nel’s voice.
He gave a small smile as he saw her looking at him with trembling eyes.
‘I thought I’d be found out.’
In fact, it was fine if he was. Yes, he needed at least one person to know.
Right now, the community forums were flooded with all sorts of speculation about Blacksmith Hyeon.
He needed at least one person who was certain amidst all that speculation.
After just offering her a smile, he completed the bell’s production.
*Tiring!*
[An artifact imbued with God's Custom Production is complete.]
[The experience and knowledge of a Master Craftsman have been infused, tremendously increasing its effect application rate.]
[Effect Application Rate: 58%.]
[Grade: Unique.]
[Please name the bell.]
[The title ‘God of Blacksmiths’ shines.]
[Would you like to apply the stat increase from crafting an artifact, which can only be activated once a week?]
“Yes.”
[You have gained 4 to all stats.]
[You have gained 50 Dexterity.]
[You have gained 100 Fame.]
Hyun-soo was ecstatic. A Unique-grade artifact, no less.
When he had made the Damascus dagger, it had been an Epic artifact that became Unique only because the Blacksmith's Soul was imbued in it.
But this was different. This was an artifact reborn purely from his own knowledge and experience.
And then, an astonishing notification followed.
[You have repaired an artifact imbued with sacred power.]
[Your proficiency in Sacred Blacksmith's Mastery Lv. 1 has increased by 57%.]
Sacred Blacksmith’s Mastery unlocked!
A smile of sheer joy spread across Hyun-soo’s face.
‘I got a mastery? Isn’t this something only the blacksmiths of the church have?’
This mastery was what allowed one to imbue items with sacred power.
In other words, Hyun-soo was now capable of crafting artifacts imbued with sacred power.
Hyun-soo then looked at Nel, who was examining the bell with trembling hands.
He had deliberately carved the Hanja character ‘現’ (Hyeon) onto the bell.
He knew this bell would change many things in his life from now on.
After inspecting the bell, Nel spoke.
“I want you so badly…!”
“…”
This was exactly what Hyun-soo had hoped for. He wanted many others to harbor that same desire.
But there was no more time to talk with her.
[The gates of Kasel Domain will soon be breached.]
[Please evacuate.]
Placing the bell in his inventory, Hyun-soo dashed toward the castle walls with Nel.
[The ‘Fall of Kasel Domain’ update is nearing completion.]
[Current progress: 85%.]
Standing atop the wall near the gate, Hyun-soo spotted Knight Commander Kal and a monster called the Lord of Death.
Realizing Kal was in danger, Hyun-soo quickly rang the bell.
As the bell chimed, the undead were greatly weakened, while the domain’s soldiers grew stronger in turn.
*Daaaaaeng-*
An unknown power shot out by the Lord of Death struck the bell, but Hyun-soo just smiled.
[The durability of Hyeon's Second Custom-Made Bell is infinite.]
Immediately, Hyun-soo struck the bell with all his might, activating the White Flower’s Flame.
“Kuh, khuaaaaaargh!”
An overpowered ability that unconditionally slashed 70% of the enemy's HP.
The White Flower’s Flame ignited on the Lord of Death, blossoming across his body.
“Keeeeuh…!”
Engulfed in flames, the Lord of Death writhed in unspeakable agony.
What drove him even crazier amidst the pain was that he couldn't move.
‘What… What in the world is that bell! No, who the hell is that guy!’
A three-second stun.
In Ares, sealing an opponent's movement for three seconds was considered an overpowered skill.
There was so much an enemy could do in those three seconds.
*Drip, drip-drip-*
At that moment, a chill ran down the Lord of Death’s spine.
Knight Commander Kal, blood dripping from the hand that gripped his sword, was glaring at him.
The Lord of Death’s face went deathly pale.
The man had been on the verge of death.
No, he had been just one swing away from being finished.
But now, he himself was 35% weaker than usual, which in turn made the knight stronger against the undead.
*Pshhhhhh-*
Smoke rose from the Lord of Death.
And a sacred aura flowed from Kal’s sword!
*Slaaaash-!*
Kal cut through the Lord of Death without hesitation.
Kal was exultant.
‘Thank you… I’m truly grateful…’
For helping me protect our domain.
The reason Kal hadn’t fallen. It was to repay the will of the stranger named Hyun-soo by cutting down the Lord of Death.
Only after striking him down did Kal finally drop to his knees.
And then, the eyes of the Lord of Death, who had sensed his own demise, snapped wide open.
[The Lord of Death's HP has dropped below 1%.]
He was alive.
The Lord of Death. He had narrowly escaped death.
He looked back to see Knight Commander Kal staring at him with wavering eyes.
But the knight soon lost consciousness and collapsed.
Only one second of the stun remained.
After this one second, he would flee.
He would return to his domain, recover all his strength, and then come back!
In the end, victory would be his…
Just then.
“It's not over yet.”
The Lord of Death’s eyes widened. The unknown man from the castle wall.
The man who had struck the bell with a hammer now stood a short distance away, his eyes cold.
The Lord of Death’s eyes grew wider and wider.
*Click-*
The man nocked an arrow into a strange bamboo contraption.
He was drawing the bowstring with all his might, aiming for his head.
***
[By crafting a new bell, you have greatly weakened the undead.]
[You can now prevent the update and create a new story.]
[New Story: If you create the ‘Peaceful Domain of Kasel,’ you will receive a special reward from Lord Kern.]
A special reward from Lord Kern.
The possibilities were limitless.
It could be money, it could be that unknown mineral, or it could even be a blessing, like the one Hans the Subjugation Captain had given him.
The update had been all but stopped.
But he needed to stop it more definitively.
To make the undead lose their will to fight, to keep them from ever approaching Kasel Domain again.
And to make them lose their focal point.
The way to do that was to kill the Lord of Death.
He had seen the look in Kal’s eyes as he closed them and fainted. It was as if the knight was pleading with him.
Hyun-soo, who had run hard, caught his breath.
‘I’m just a level 40 blacksmith…’
*Click-*
A class treated as the weakest in all of Ares.
The gap between the Lord of Death and him was as wide as the heavens and the earth.
But it was fine.
[The Lord of Death's HP has dropped below 1%.]
He was within five meters of him, aiming for his head.
*Zhwiiiiiing-*
He pulled the bowstring with all his might. The tip of the small arrow was nocked on the string.
A fierce aura of sacred power swirled around it.
[You have activated White Flower's Flame.]
[For one attack, your attack power against evil increases by 450%.]
Yes, this was nothing more than a last hit.
And this last hit was also the greatest opportunity he might never get again.
In Hyun-soo's eyes, the Lord of Death's HP bar was a mere thread.
A tiny red thread was all that remained.
Users had a name for this.
‘A sliver.’
[Sure Shot]
The arrow, aimed at the space between the monster’s eyes, flew.
*Swoooooosh-*
A harsh sound of tearing air rang out.
The single arrow that ripped through the air soon embedded itself in the enemy’s forehead.
*Thwack-!*
The Lord of Death, struck squarely by the arrow, was bewildered. The force was so trivial, so insignificant.
The attack had landed, but the damage was just too little…
Just then.
*Fwoosh-!*
The sacred flame that began at the arrowhead spread out from his forehead.
The flame soon became a blaze that filled the Lord of Death’s entire vision.
No, to be precise, that’s what he believed.
The Lord of Death was turning to ash, swallowed by the light.
And Hyun-soo, watching him, gave a small smile.
[You have hunted the boss monster, the Lord of Death.]
A hot thrill ran through Hyun-soo.
[Your contribution is very low.]
[Rewards will be calculated based on your contribution.]
[Contribution: 4%.]
[You have gained 9,862 EXP.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up…]
[Congratulations.]
[You have reached Level 50.]
Hyun-soo couldn’t hide his shock. He had gained 10 levels in an instant.
‘Even with only 4% contribution…?’
Then again, even if his contribution was that low and he only landed the final blow, the level difference between him and the monster was beyond common sense.
[You have acquired 185 Gold.]
[You have acquired the Lord of Death's Finger.]
“…?”
Hyun-soo was perplexed. What was he supposed to do with a finger?
He found himself resenting Ares’s ‘contribution’ system.
The contribution system was designed to completely prevent kill-stealing.
Of course, landing the last hit usually granted the highest contribution, but…
Kal would probably get most of the real rewards.
Hyun-soo clenched his fists.
‘The smithy…’
Kal had made a promise.
If he repaired Lamas’s Bell, he would give him a fitting reward.
‘I can find it… I can find my father’s smithy…!’
A hot thrill ran through him.
Now he had to go see the Lord.
Once he met the Lord, his father’s smithy…
Huh?
[Fatigue is accumulating.]
[You are entering the Stunned status.]
[Sleeping in Ares has the same effect as sleeping in reality.]
Hyun-soo’s vision blurred.
He hadn’t slept for a week while making Hyeon’s Second Custom-Made Bell.
In real-world time, he had been awake, repeating the process for over two days.
Hyun-soo had already reached the limit of his mental strength.
‘No… the smithy… I have to find it… I need to get the contract payment from the Lord.’
*Thump-*
Hyun-soo fainted.
After he collapsed, Nel ran to his side.
“Hyun-soo, Hyun-soo…!”
Nel had taken naps from time to time during the crafting process. She understood why Hyun-soo had passed out.
‘He’s truly an amazing person.’
Nel smiled faintly as she looked at the sleeping man.
Just then.
“…”
Nel noticed a crowd gathering around them.
The people had eyes for only one man.
“I saw it. For a whole week, these two made the bell without a wink of sleep.”
“This young lady was sleeping every time I passed by.”
“…Anyway, I saw it!”
A woman cried out, tears streaming down her face.
Everyone was looking at the stranger named Hyun-soo.
‘What is this…?’
It was a sight Nel had never seen before in her life.
Soon, the massive crowd parted, bowing their heads.
A man emerged from within.
[Lord Kern]
With bloodshot eyes, he silently looked down at Hyun-soo.
Kern, who had been drunk, had sobered up in an instant. He had ultimately decided to flee.
Not to abandon the domain, but to plan for the future.
Kern looked at Hyun-soo for a moment, then asked Nel.
“…What kind of blacksmith is he?”
Nel understood the gist of his question.
She answered with what she had honestly witnessed.
“…I don’t know either.”
Right, she didn’t know. This stubborn man with an unknowable power. But there was one thing she could say.
“I know that he gave it his all.”
Kern’s fists clenched.
In the end, he had tried to run away.
But this blacksmith had not.
Kern commanded.
“Take him… no.”
He looked at Hyun-soo and gave a small smile.
“Escort our benefactor.”
A notification spread to the sleeping Hyun-soo.
[You have been recorded as the Benefactor of Kasel Domain.]
[Your affinity with all residents of Kasel Domain has increased.]
[The people of Kasel Domain spread the tale of their benefactor.]
[The story reaches some who need you or whom you have passed by.]
[You have gained 300 Fame.]
[You have gained 50 Charisma.]
[You can now purchase all goods in Kasel Domain at a 30% discount.]
*Tiring!*
The notification Hyun-soo had been waiting for so eagerly also reached him.
[Quest: Repair Lamas's Bell - Complete]
[The reward is being changed.]
[The original reward was 30,000 Gold.]
[The reward will improve to a degree beyond measure.]