Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: The Sword King's Swordsmanship (1)
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The moment he woke up, Hyun-soo logged into Ares and was greeted by a curious notification.
[Hyeon's Smithy has reached 310,000 subscribers.]
‘So suddenly? Did something happen?’
Hyun-soo opened the auction house to check his subscriber count.
[Hyeon's Smithy Subscribers: 313,161.]
[Currently ranked 81st among Korean smithies by subscriber count.]
Hyun-soo was dumbfounded to see he had broken into the top 100 in an instant.
Considering he had been hovering around 230,000, that meant he had gained 90,000 new subscribers overnight.
Upon accessing the auction house, he found the reason.
[Is this the legendary smithy that crafted Sword King Barad's sword?]
[How long is the waitlist here?]
[A lifetime. If Blacksmith Hyeon doesn't accept your commission, you wait forever.]
[Screw this, I'm out...]
[Did Blacksmith Hyeon really make Barad's sword?]
[You didn't see yesterday's address? Lmao.]
[When are you going to start taking user commissions?]
‘An address?’
Hyun-soo tilted his head in confusion. What address?
He went to the community forums to check and was surprised by what he found.
‘Barad attended an address? And placed the sword somewhere clearly visible?’
A small smile played on Hyun-soo's lips.
The rewards from that single death were proving to be incredibly sweet.
He entered the hologram and went to the main Ares community forums as well.
Previously, Hyun-soo had only been a hot topic within the blacksmith community.
But now, his name was popping up here, too.
[Did anyone see Hyeon's Smithy trending at number 19 on Naver overnight? Whoa.]
[Yeah. It's been a while since a user trended. Who's Hyeon?]
Hyun-soo found a post explaining who he was.
[Blacksmith Hyeon (現). Started getting known after selling the Sword-Slicing Sword to Lord. Blacksmith guilds have had their eyes on him since he sold his very first sword.]
[Recently got famous for selling arrows marked with ‘Hyeon (現)’ to the winner of the Super Rookie tournament, the one they call the Mad Rookie.]
“Huh?”
Hyun-soo cocked his head.
The username on the top-voted post looked familiar.
‘NyangMeongPunch?’
As far as he knew, this was Nel. Not long ago, Nel had said to him:
‘I don’t know if I’m your first guild member or your manager, but I’ll do my best for you~’
She had called herself his manager and said she would work hard to elevate his name.
‘She’s really putting in the work.’
Thanks to her, the community was buzzing.
[Yeah! The blacksmith acknowledged by the Sword King.]
[But nothing's been revealed about Hyeon, right? Not his age, level, or even gender, lol.]
[Rumor has it he's a fat, middle-aged guy in his 40s?]
[Seeing as he hasn't shown his face yet, that's totally possible, lol.]
*Pfft.*
Hyun-soo laughed it off. He honestly didn't care what others said about his looks.
For some reason, he'd always been popular and had many girls flocking to him since he was young.
Because of that, he knew this kind of speculation was actually a good thing.
‘It’ll be fun when I eventually reveal myself.’
The day would come when he would have to show his face.
[I subscribed too. But what I'm most curious about are the stats on Sword King Barad's sword.]
[What if we go to Sword King Barad and ask him to show it to us just once...?]
[Dude, you'd get a kill order put on you...?]
[Dammit ㅠㅠ lol.]
[I'm so curious too...]
[I subscribed because I'm curious about that too! Hyeon! Are you reading this!? Reveal the stats of the sword you made for Barad right now!]
‘I can use this to my advantage later.’
Hyun-soo was the only one who knew the details of Barad's sword.
The king's retainers were tight-lipped, so they would naturally keep quiet.
He checked his subscriber count again and saw it was still steadily increasing.
‘It even made the news.’
A satisfied smile on his face, Hyun-soo began to walk.
He hadn't forgotten one crucial fact.
‘I might become a target for many people.’
Of course, for now, he was playing under two names: the Mad Rookie and Blacksmith Hyeon.
In the future, Hyun-soo might face numerous attacks.
The stronger he became in preparation for that time, the better.
His fighting spirit ignited, Hyun-soo headed for the audience chamber.
***
Barad understood the words of Benson, the Knight Commander.
“To think you would bestow your swordsmanship upon another outsider, Your Majesty. Your techniques must not be spread so indiscriminately. Furthermore, the god Ares himself may impose a restriction.”
The god Ares.
The supercomputer Ares was regarded as the god governing all aspects of this game.
“Your Majesty, you only recently appointed Lord as your successor and have already passed on your swordsmanship to him.”
Yes, that was the problem.
It had been too recent since he had last bestowed it.
“He must prove his worth. I am, of course, grateful to this person named Hyun-soo for saving Your Majesty’s life. However, your swordsmanship cannot be passed to one who is unworthy.”
Yes, worthiness.
It was a matter of qualification.
Hadn't even the high-ranker Lord struggled desperately to prove his worth to Sword King Barad, and succeeded?
Moreover, Barad had known this would happen.
‘I have no intention of teaching just anyone, either.’
The Sword King's swordsmanship was his legacy.
He needed a way to ensure that Ares would not interfere, and that loyal subjects like Knight Commander Benson would not object.
“...And have you heard what kind of power this blacksmith possesses?”
What kind of power this blacksmith possesses.
That referred to his class.
Barad stroked his chin.
‘Come to think of it, I never considered that.’
It was something he never needed to know. Hyun-soo was a man who had impressed him with pure skill, without any mysterious power.
“If he is merely an ordinary blacksmith... I question whether he is a being worthy of learning Your Majesty's swordsmanship. I fear it may tarnish your name instead.”
But Barad was not a man who would refuse to teach because of such words.
This was all expected.
‘Hyun-soo is my friend.’
It was a promise he had made to a friend.
There would be many retainers like Benson.
Even a king could not do everything by his own decree.
To do so would be to collapse the kingdom's structure.
That was why Barad had intentionally set the stage.
“How about you test his worthiness yourself?”
“Pardon?”
Benson looked perplexed. A small smile touched Barad’s lips.
“If he earns even your acknowledgment, who would dare to raise an objection?”
The knight commander of Goyad, the land known as the Nation of Swords. If the king acknowledged him, and Knight Commander Benson acknowledged him too?
“Just as I tested Lord, you will test his qualifications yourself. I demanded he complete 70% of the training, but we can simply change the condition for him.”
“...That is a fine idea.”
Benson thought it was not a bad proposal.
“If Hyun-soo successfully lands more than three attacks on you, we shall proceed with teaching him the Sword King's swordsmanship.”
“Understood. It seems I will also need to know what kind of power this blacksmith possesses.”
“I shall ask Hyun-soo that myself.”
Commander Benson wondered if the king had changed his mind. Perhaps his words had been persuasive.
A short while later, Hyun-soo entered the audience chamber.
***
Hyun-soo wore a puzzled expression.
“...Therefore, Commander Benson wishes to test your qualifications, Hyun-soo.”
*Ting!*
[Skill Quest details have been updated.]
[Skill Quest: The Sword King's Swordsmanship]
Grade: S
Requirement: One who has received Barad's offer.
Reward: The Sword King's Swordsmanship.
Penalty for Failure: Decrease in affinity with Barad.
Description: The Sword King's swordsmanship cannot be obtained by just anyone. Successfully land more than three attacks on Commander Benson.
Hyun-soo saw something in Barad’s eyes.
Very slowly, Barad was nodding. In that gaze, Hyun-soo saw trust.
An unwavering belief that he would easily overcome such a trivial obstacle.
‘Thank you, Your Majesty.’
Barad’s intention to teach him the Sword King's swordsmanship remained firm.
This situation was something he had created for him.
Sir Benson spoke.
“I ask for your understanding as to why His Majesty has no other choice.”
And with that, Hyun-soo understood the entire situation.
‘I definitely need to consider His Majesty Barad’s position.’
Of course, as a player, Hyun-soo would be happy just to receive the reward, but he had already been given so much.
Barad had allowed him to participate in the address, spreading his name far and wide, and had even added a 30% premium to the value of the three swords.
Furthermore, the Blessing of a Friend was an invaluable boon that couldn't be obtained anywhere else.
“As the gap in your strengths is vast, the commander shall not use magic.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
Benson readily agreed.
As he walked to the training grounds, Hyun-soo pondered his strategy.
‘That should work.’
A small smile formed on his lips.
***
Benson intended to end this ridiculous test of worthiness quickly.
He knew the man had won the Super Rookie tournament and was called the Mad Rookie.
But the difference in their power was simply too vast.
On top of that, Benson was in peak condition today.
And he had already taken note of the necessary precautions.
‘He is the creator of the Sword-Slicing Sword.’
He could potentially create such a weapon.
Moreover, Benson had watched the Super Rookie tournament himself.
‘He forges artifacts on the spot.’
Benson gave a bitter smile.
Did he think Benson wouldn't have a countermeasure for that?
‘I’ll destroy it the moment he starts making it.’
Any power could be nullified if it was destroyed before its invocation was complete.
From the start, this man named Hyun-soo was no match for him.
The two men stood facing each other.
Bella, who had accompanied them, announced immediately.
“You may begin.”
At that moment, a translucent mineral appeared above Hyun-soo’s head.
“A pity.”
Seeing such a simple pattern, Benson moved.
The mineral melted rapidly, then underwent refinement. Benson leaped lightly into the air.
“A trifle like this can be nullified with ease.”
The refined mineral had already taken the shape of an orange-hued sword blade.
An unfinished sword.
It was the moment he was about to swing his own sword to cut it down.
“...Done.”
Benson’s thoughts froze.
What did he mean?
The blade was still glowing hot.
That couldn't be called a completed sword.
And yet.
*Crack-!*
Cracks began to spread across the red-hot blade.
‘Don’t tell me...!’
He realized Hyun-soo’s plan.
But his own sword had already made contact with that one.
*Craaash-!*
The moment of impact seemed to stretch in slow motion.
The sword shattered. Into hundreds of pieces.
Did his own sword break it?
‘No.’
Hyun-soo had made it shatter on its own.
*Fwoooosh-!*
Hundreds of sword fragments scattered in all directions.
*Swish-*
*Swish-swish-swish-swish-swish-*
Those hundreds of red-hot fragments grazed Benson’s body all over.
[1st successful hit.]
[2nd successful hit.]
[3rd successful hit.]
[4th successful hit.]
[...]
[...]
[A total of 59 successful hits have been landed.]
Not just three, but fifty-nine successful hits.
Of course, to Benson, they felt like the tickle of a child's prank.
In a state of panic, Benson asked.
“What level of mastery have you reached as a blacksmith, Sir Hyun-soo?”
“Are you asking for my class?”
He looked toward Barad.
“It will not be spoken of outside this room.”
Benson had acknowledged him. The problem was his class.
Every time he used that swordsmanship, Hyun-soo’s fame would grow. That was why he needed to have at least an Epic class...
“I am the God of Blacksmiths.”
Benson’s eyes widened. The God of Blacksmiths. He had heard of it once, when he was very young.
The greatest of blacksmiths, and a powerful warrior!
His Majesty asked.
“Well? Is this sufficient proof?”
To which Benson replied.
“No, Your Majesty.”
Barad’s brow furrowed. Even this was not enough proo—
“I am simply overwhelmed with emotion that the God of Blacksmiths would deign to learn Your Majesty's swordsmanship!”