Chapter 73
Chapter 73
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Live Auction (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
An archer’s friendship lasts until they die, and that includes their group chat members.
Hearing that a strange and amazing bow was being featured on a broadcast, countless archers flocked to the stream.
The value of a good bow defied common sense.
Among all crafted weapons, swords made up 40% and spears 15%.
Bows accounted for a mere 10% at most.
Given the circumstances, the value of a rare bow was immeasurable.
It was the kind of bow you couldn't get even if you had the money.
In fact, not a single player in the country currently possessed a legendary-grade bow.
No, not even a player who wielded a bow that came closest to legendary, like the one Hyun-soo had just made.
The archers who had gathered to see the strange bow!
As they witnessed its power in real time, they were filled with a mixture of admiration, astonishment, and greed.
I’d empty my bank account to buy it.
It would be brilliant to buy it now and resell it later.
We have to buy that bow, no matter what!
In addition, various blacksmith guilds were quickly reporting up the chain, vying to purchase the incredible bow Hyeon had crafted.
But then, Mad Rookie made a shocking announcement.
“This bow is not for sale.”
-This is Ian, the number one ranked archer. What do you mean you're suddenly not selling? I'll pay you a generous price!
-Rune, master of the Golden Shield Guild. We are also prepared to offer a sum that will satisfy you, Hyeon.
Viewers even revealed their identities, begging him to sell the bow.
And unlike those with a reputation to protect, the other viewers were more blunt.
-This is such a tease… ㅠㅠ
-Wow, the moment I heard it wasn't for sale, my heart sank as if I'd been the one about to buy it… It feels like someone gave me something and then snatched it away…?
-Imagine how on edge the people typing in chat right now must be.
-Ah, please sell it!
-Hyeon, I'll be your fan. Please sell it Hyeon, I'll be your fan. Please sell it Hyeon, I'll be your fan. Please sell it
-Sell it sell it sell it sell it sell it sell iiiiiit!!!
But Hyun-soo was firm.
“I’m sorry, but he says he will not sell it.”
It was then.
[Nel: Hyun-soo, are you sure about this? The backlash might be bigger than you think. It’s like you announced an auction and then canceled it. To others, it looks like you said you'd sell it, but because it's so good, you're backing out.]
But Hyun-soo just smiled faintly. Nel was right. He had said he would sell it, but he wasn’t, because it was too good.
Perhaps this could be seen as deceit.
But it might not be deceitful after all.
‘I never intended to sell the third item I crafted from the start.’
Even if its grade had been lower than this one.
Before this Thousand Geun Bow, Hyun-soo had been using a composite bow made from water buffalo horn, an item from the beginner zone.
He needed a better bow. An exceptional bow that would propel both the blacksmith Hyeon and Mad Rookie to prominence.
[Hyun-soo: I told them I would hold an auction. But I never said I would auction off every artifact.]
[Nel: That’s true, but…]
[Hyun-soo: And what I wanted wasn’t the money from selling this artifact.]
[Nel: …Then, don’t tell me?]
Hyun-soo smiled meaningfully. Before turning Hyeon's Smithy into a guild, they needed to make its name soar even higher.
And they also needed to increase Hyeon's Smithy's subscriber count and ranking.
[Hyun-soo: That’s right. Announcing an auction would have drawn in countless players.]
Yes, the viewers who had started to increase rapidly.
Did they come just out of curiosity to see this bow?
No, the story of the amazing bow’s creation spread quickly, and people flocked in, hoping they might be the one to win it at auction.
At the same time, witnessing the marvelous clear method they had never seen before, they felt both entertained and convinced of the bow's value.
Yes, the auction was merely a means to attract viewers.
[Nel: You have a plan. I’ll trust you.]
Then Hyun-soo glanced at the current viewer count.
[Current Viewers: 149,411]
Soon, the flames of their anger would ignite. But something was holding them back from erupting.
Why?
Hyun-soo was the one who had the bow.
If they got on his bad side, he might not sell it at all.
For a moment, Hyun-soo savored the rewards he was due.
He reviewed the notifications he had set aside.
[You have slain the boss monster, Fragment of Fenrir.]
[You have gained 24,862 EXP.]
[You have acquired 1,890 Gold.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled…]
Hyun-soo had already surpassed level 85 while hunting the Degenerate Trolls.
The level difference between the Fragment of Fenrir and Hyun-soo had been nearly double.
[Congratulations.]
[You have reached level 100.]
A thrill ran through Hyun-soo. He had gained 16 levels in an instant, reaching level 101.
Of course, level 101 only meant a player once called a beginner was now considered an intermediate.
But it was an incredibly valuable number.
[You can now establish a guild.]
[You can now proceed with the Class Quest: The Sword Left by the God of Blacksmiths.]
Hyun-soo could now officially become a guild master.
Additionally, he could now undertake the class quest he had heard about from the master of the Tower of the Sword Blacksmith: The Sword Left by the God of Blacksmiths.
That wasn't all.
‘His Majesty Barad told me to come find him when I reached level 100.’
There was much to do.
It felt as if level 100 heralded a new beginning for Hyun-soo.
The notifications didn't end there.
[You have acquired Fenrir’s Torn Cloak.]
[You have acquired Fenrir’s Damaged Helm.]
[You have acquired Fenrir’s Rotten Tooth.]
[You have acquired the Shining Axe of Fenrir…]
[You have acquired 12 Enhancement Stones.]
He obtained a variety of items. The most impressive were Fenrir’s Torn Cloak and Damaged Helm.
Surprisingly, both artifacts were Epic-grade.
When worn together, they formed a set that increased all effects by 5%.
As he was checking this,
a massive tremor shook the time attack dungeon.
Ruuuuuumble-
[The record has been updated.]
[You have achieved 1st place with a total clear time of 11 minutes and 39 seconds.]
Ting!
[Hidden Piece. You have achieved the true dungeon clear method.]
[The rankings will now change.]
[You are the only one to have followed the true clear method, slaying all the werewolves and the final boss, the Fragment of Fenrir.]
[This is an undisputed 1st place.]
[Congratulations.]
[You have achieved a new accomplishment.]
[You will be recorded as 1st place in the Dungeon of Three Trials.]
[You may leave your name anonymously or with your character name.]
Time attack dungeons, as the name suggested, normally ranked players by who cleared them the fastest.
However, this dungeon had a system where the one who slew the true final boss could take 1st place.
Hyun-soo had unintentionally achieved the true 1st place.
‘What name should I use?’
Using his main character name wouldn't be right.
Hyun-soo would have to continue leaving his name in the future.
He had to be careful, at least until his true identity was revealed.
After a moment of thought, Hyun-soo decided on a name.
[The names of Mad Rookie and Hyeon will be recorded.]
[You receive a reward for your accomplishment.]
[You gain +10 to all stats.]
[The title ‘Hunter Who Defies Common Sense’ has been upgraded by one level.]
(Hunter Who Defies Common Sense)
Multiple Title
Grade: A
Special Ability:
·When fighting a being 50 or more levels higher than yourself, all stats increase by 3%.
It was a series of incredibly sweet rewards. And the ‘Hunter Who Defies Common Sense’ title had gotten even better.
‘Is it because I took down a foe with a nearly 90-level difference?’
But Hyun-soo didn't forget.
The ‘Hunter Who Defies Common Sense’ title was still listed as a ‘Multiple Title.’
A Multiple Title meant that others already possessed this title.
In other words, there were others in the world who, like Hyun-soo, had hunted mobs with a 90-level difference.
-IAmTheBest has donated 5,000,000 Won.
The promised donations started pouring in.
-Kenson has donated 1,000,000 Won.
-KongAbeom has donated 500,000 Won.
Besides those.
-BbingBbangBbong has donated 10,000 Won.
-Crown has donated 30,000 Won.
-Gazua has donated 100,000 Won.
Producer Kim of AJ Internet Broadcasting had stated that all donations would go to the guest.
[You will be warped out of the Dungeon of Three Trials.]
Now outside, Hyun-soo looked at the chat, which was still being flooded with messages even after the donations.
Why aren't you selling?
Sell it to us!
Are you going back on your word?
The tone of the heated chat was about to turn ugly.
But Hyun-soo had one very big thing that could quell the storm.
“I’ll say it again, Hyeon is stating firmly that he will not sell this bow.”
Just as the mood was about to turn, Mad Rookie spoke.
“Instead, he says he will accept one crafting commission, limited to archers.”
He needed to appease them.
But Hyun-soo knew what their reaction would be.
-If you craft and sell a new bow, can you guarantee it will be the same grade as this one?
-This is Ian, the number one ranked archer. Even if it’s not Legendary, it’s at least Unique. In my personal opinion, isn't this the closest artifact to Legendary-grade?
The fire wasn't dying down. This was also something Hyun-soo had anticipated.
-Among the so-called ‘Three Master Craftsmen,’ the number one has crafted four, the second has crafted two, and the third has crafted one. And you're saying you'll craft an artifact that comes once in a lifetime through a commission? This just looks like you're playing with words.
But Hyun-soo was confident.
And he had expected this kind of response.
Right, the number two ranked blacksmith had only made two in the three years he'd been playing the game.
Hyun-soo executed the final part of his plan.
“Then I will reveal the information for this arrow.”
***
Bill received a call from Tae-hyun, the guild master of Black Anvil.
‘Wow, 3 billion?’
Tae-hyun, who had mentioned 2 billion at the start of the time attack dungeon, had proposed revising the contract to 3 billion after watching the whole thing.
3 billion.
It was the highest amount in the industry. And that 3 billion was just the signing bonus for a one-year contract.
When Bill went to the conference room to get the final signature, he saw Kim Tae-hyun with a dazed expression.
“…At least a rank 2 level blacksmith?”
He was checking the information of an artifact on his computer. Bill, who peeked over, couldn't hide his shock either.
‘An arrow closest to Legendary…?’
Unbelievable.
But the name ‘Hyeon’ written in the description proved it.
People had never dreamed that the unidentified arrow would be the closest thing to Legendary.
“Yes… this way, it’s possible. It’ll calm the angry public—no, the public will welcome it. The hope that maybe I, too, can get something closest to Legendary. Or perhaps, the expectation that the man who crafted something ‘closest to Legendary’ might one day craft an actual Legendary item for them…”
Kim Tae-hyun was so impressed by the blacksmith Hyeon’s meticulous planning that it gave him goosebumps.
The information on the Aegisal, which he had kept hidden. By revealing it at this moment, everyone was left speechless.
Why?
Because no one would dare to antagonize a craftsman who had made two artifacts ‘closest to Legendary.’
Indeed, the viewers who had questioned if he could create such an artifact again fell silent.
Because he had already created two.
“…Bring me a check.”
Bill looked puzzled.
“The 3 billion Won check?”
To which Kim Tae-hyun replied in an excited voice,
“Not that chump change, a blank check! Present it to Hyeon. Tell him that whatever amount he writes, Black Anvil will match it!”
Black Anvil, the number one ranked blacksmith guild.
“Our guild, Black Anvil, will devote all its resources to recruiting Hyeon. He might even be able to create a Legendary artifact one day!”
He never dreamed.
That the blacksmith Hyeon had already created a Legendary item.
***
The broadcast ended smoothly. Those who saw the information on the Aegisal now saw the possibility and fell silent.
‘The plan went off without a hitch.’
He was certain.
His subscriber count must have skyrocketed because of the Thousand Geun Bow.
On top of that, revealing the information of the previously crafted arrow as backup would have boosted his subscribers even more.
In fact, when he turned on the auction house notifications he had disabled, he saw these alerts.
[Your subscriber count has been updated.]
[Your subscriber count has been updated.]
[Your subscriber count…]
[Your subscriber count…]
A dozen or so notifications.
And.
[Nel: Hyun-soo, this is huge! Absolutely huge!]
Nel was unusually excited.
[Bakeu: Aren't you getting a little too famous before we've even founded the guild?]
Bakeu also sent a congratulatory whisper.
The subscriber count and ranking would play the most crucial role in branding Hyeon's Smithy in the future.
‘Just how much did it go up to get these kinds of reactions?’
With a fluttering heart, Hyun-soo checked his subscriber count.