Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Founding a Guild (1)
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Before the AJ broadcast, Hyeon's Smithy had about 320,000 subscribers and was ranked 83rd.
Hyun-soo's goal had been around 370,000 subscribers and a rank of 60th.
Hyun-soo accessed Hyeon's Smithy from the auction house to check the subscriber count and ranking.
[Hyeon's Smithy Subscribers: 417,413.]
[Current Korean Smithy Subscriber Ranking: 49th.]
“Wow…”
The increase in subscribers was far greater than Hyun-soo had expected.
*Is this the power of broadcasting?*
Especially since the AJ Internet Broadcast had been hitting rock bottom in viewership recently.
When he left the dungeon, PD Kim was there.
PD Kim had been getting real-time updates on the situation.
*Unbelievable…*
They had just recorded their highest viewership in two years.
And in fact, there had been recent talks at AJ Internet Broadcasting about scrapping their current content and creating something new.
The director had said.
*"Our viewership is dead last among all internet broadcasters… I can't even show my face. We need to do a complete overhaul."*
Those words had put immense pressure on PD Kim. The fear of being fired!
But then.
[Director Lee Tae-ho: This broadcast was excellent. To reverse the trend and surpass the viewership from two years ago… I'll be issuing bonuses. Casting Mad Rookie and Hyeon was a stroke of genius.]
PD Kim's mood lifted after receiving the whisper. It was all thanks to Mad Rookie and Hyeon standing before him.
“Mr. Mad Rookie? The viewership for this broadcast was incredible. I hope we'll have the chance to work together again. Also, if there are any other shows you'd like to appear on or if you need any help, please let me know.”
[AJ Internet Broadcasting Station, PD Kim Min-woo]
As Hyun-soo took the business card, he could see PD Kim's expression was completely different from when they first met.
“The total donations came to 37 million won. After fees, we'll be depositing about 25 million won, along with the 10 million won prize for breaking the record. By the way, about Blacksmith Hyeon…?”
“Hyeon asked for it all to be sent to my account so he can split it. You'll see if you contact him.”
“Understood. Well then, I'll see you next time.”
After PD Kim logged out and disappeared, Hyun-soo smiled with satisfaction.
*25 million won from donations alone…*
It was by no means a small amount of money. A moment later, Hyun-soo heard another notification.
[Hyeon's ninth custom-made gauntlet has been sold to Ian for 65,000 gold.]
That was a whopping 65 million won.
Including the production time, he had spent about 10 in-game days to earn nearly 100 million won.
He then found an interesting message in Hyeon's Smithy.
[This is Roun, the Guild Master of Black Anvil Smithy. I would like to personally present the terms for recruiting Blacksmith Hyeon.]
[You may name your price, Blacksmith Hyeon. Whatever amount you write, we are prepared to match it, and we promise you more comprehensive support than any other guild.]
Roun.
He was the one who had issued a mission to Hyun-soo.
His attitude, which had felt like a test, had completely changed after watching the broadcast.
Hyun-soo stated his firm intentions as always before checking the other messages.
[Hello, this is Fly Chicken. We're contacting you in hopes of placing our brand as an advertisement in Hyeon's Smithy.]
[Greetings, Blacksmith Hyeon. We are a startup company…]
They were advertisement offers. A subscriber rank within the top 50.
Hyun-soo recalled his conversation with Nel.
*"Someday, we'll even be shooting commercials. They'll have a tremendous effect on our profits."*
The day he would film his first commercial.
He looked forward to that day.
Hyun-soo immediately returned to the capital of the Goyad Kingdom. He then submitted a guild charter to the Guild Founding NPC in the capital.
The guild's name was temporary.
[You have founded the Guild Gwangmyeong.]
[You have become the Guild Master of Guild Gwangmyeong.]
*Tiring!*
[You have acquired the title 'Liege's Grace'.]
Hyun-soo checked it with a puzzled expression.
(Liege's Grace)
Unique Title
Grade: S
Special Abilities:
・Activates with an 8% chance when someone feels they have received a life-changing favor from you.
・Upon activation, that person will develop a desire to be with you, or a high sense of respect and loyalty, and may also develop other emotions.
・They may offer to become your vassal.
Hyun-soo remembered when he gained the miner, Banya. Along with a notification that something special was happening, Banya had suddenly declared he would become a retainer.
This was the reason.
And looking at the guild he had created, Hyun-soo was pleased.
The guild name could be changed.
He planned to change it to 'Hyeon's Smithy' later, when he revealed that Mad Rookie and Hyeon were the same person.
Hyun-soo checked the information for Guild Gwangmyeong.
(Gwangmyeong)
Guild Master: Hyun-soo
Guild Members: None
Territories Owned: None
Guild Achievements: None
Vassals: None
Hostile Guilds: None
Description: The newly started Guild Gwangmyeong.
It was utterly shabby.
But Guild Gwangmyeong was a little different from other guilds just starting out.
[Nel has joined Guild Gwangmyeong.]
[Bakeu has joined Guild Gwangmyeong.]
The guild chat window soon became active.
[Bakeu: Gwangmyeong. A bright future, I like the sound of that.]
[Nel: I have a good feeling about it too. The first thing our guild needs to do is decide on a base and gather a small, elite group of members. I'll start looking into potential locations for our base.]
A base of operations was important.
It was where the guild would primarily operate.
Since Guild Gwangmyeong was a blacksmith guild, it needed a smithy.
Not a temporarily rented one, but a 'guild-owned smithy'.
And guild members.
*Since we'll be operating as a small, elite group for now, we can't just accept anyone.*
They had to be trustworthy.
And it would be best if they were people who could hold their own against the massive groups that might threaten this guild, even as a small elite force.
[Guild Master Hyun-soo: I'm going to stop by the smithy and then go see Sword King Barad. He asked me to visit him once I created a guild.]
[Nel: I'm looking forward to it.]
[Bakeu: Fighting!^^ I'll be busy power-leveling.]
After closing the guild chat, Hyun-soo headed straight for the smithy. The reason he came to the smithy.
*I realized it. I'm still too weak.*
Hyun-soo was only level 100.
People like Ian and Roun who appeared on the broadcast.
Most of them were over level 300.
*Our guild has to remain a small, elite group for the time being.*
It had to be that way.
The love calls from countless guilds were certainly a good thing.
But there were also those who didn't view the world with such kind eyes.
*There could be people who want to bring down the small but strong Gwangmyeong.*
That's why he had created Guild Gwangmyeong in secret.
And to prepare for any eventuality, he had to get stronger; after all, he was the Guild Master.
How to get stronger?
Fortunately, there was a relatively easy way for Hyun-soo right now.
(Fenrir's Damaged Helm)
Grade: Epic, Unrepairable
Durability: 500/4,000
Defense: 148
Requirement: Level 100 or higher
Special Abilities:
・Strength +8, Stamina +11
・Magic Defense +12%
・Lightning Resistance +27%
・Active Skill: Lesser Wolf's Howl.
・Passive Skill: Rend.
・Equipping two of the three set artifacts increases all effects by 3%.
・Equipping all three increases all effects by 10%.
Description: Fenrir's Damaged Helm, so heavily damaged that its original form is completely lost. Only the original creator can repair it.
(Fenrir's Torn Cloak)
Grade: Epic, Unrepairable
Durability: 1,000/8,000
Defense: 201
Requirement: Level 100 or higher
Special Abilities:
・Axe Mastery Lv.2 increase.
・Magic Defense +15%
・Lightning Resistance +32%
・Active Skill: Wolf Charge.
・Passive Skill: Wretched Wolf's Eyes.
・Equipping two of the three set artifacts increases all effects by 3%.
・Equipping all three increases all effects by 10%.
Description: Fenrir's Torn Cloak, so tattered it resembles rags. Only the original creator can repair it.
*It's amazing that it has these effects even in its damaged state.*
Fenrir's Helm was shaped like a wolf's head. But it was so damaged that the facial features were indistinct.
Fenrir's Torn Cloak was also a sight to behold.
The red cloak looked like a pile of rags.
If you put it up for sale in any market, anyone looking at its appearance would think you were selling a piece of garbage.
But there was a decisive factor.
*'Unrepairable Artifact.'*
*Pfft.* Hyun-soo chuckled. He already understood the concept of an 'unrepairable artifact'.
*I wonder who the original creator mentioned in the description is?*
Still, he was curious about the person who had created artifacts using Fenrir's hide and fangs.
But he quickly shook off the idle thought.
*After I finish the repairs, I should go see His Majesty Barad.*
Hyun-soo began the repair work.
***
The Royal Garden.
Marquis Vallo, a powerful figure in the Goyad Kingdom, had an audience with the king.
The king was stroking a wolf's head.
His Majesty, having decided to live again, had recently taken up raising a pet(?).
But these pets were anything but ordinary.
The one whose head His Majesty was stroking was a white-furred wolf, level 270.
It was also classified as a boss monster.
Several other black-furred wolves were strolling elegantly through the garden.
The king looked to be in good spirits. Marquis Vallo, who was conversing with him, asked.
“I heard that Your Majesty commanded a man named Hyun-soo to seek an audience after founding a guild.”
Marquis Vallo had a few ears in the royal court.
“That is correct.”
And Marquis Vallo was one of the few people who could sometimes oppose the king's decisions, a man with the power to summon the other nobles.
“May I ask why?”
“I intend to give him something that money cannot buy.”
Something money cannot buy?
Marquis Vallo thought about it for a moment.
What could that be?
Then Vallo's eyes widened.
“Y-You mean to grant him a territory?”
Barad nodded slightly while stroking the wolf's head.
“That is too much.”
Vallo spoke his mind frankly. It was the duty of a loyal subject who cared for the king.
“I have heard stories about him. A blacksmith and a skilled warrior. But even so…”
He swallowed the rest of his words. The part about him being too insignificant.
Yes, he acknowledged the blacksmith's skill.
But never before had a territory been granted to a blacksmith, and wasn't his current level merely that of a beginner among the Outsiders?
Barad waved his hand dismissively.
“Do you not know me?”
True, the king was not one to give things without reason.
“He will have to accomplish something worthy of it.”
But even this was astonishing.
*How… could he even consider granting a territory to such a person among all the Outsiders?*
When there were so many other outstanding and incredible Outsiders?
“I am certain he is of sufficient caliber. Of course, I intend to have him work his way up step by step.”
At those words, Vallo inwardly disagreed. Such considerations could be made later.
Granting a territory implied considering him for appointment as the lord of that land. Step by step, he said, but Vallo sighed.
*When the time comes, I'll have to summon the other marquises and stop this.*
The favor His Majesty received was too great. A single sword was clouding his judgment.
Just then.
“…Your Majesty, a visitor has arrived.”
Barad, who had already received a carrier pigeon, smiled.
“Let him enter.”
A visitor?
Vallo frowned. And the moment the door opened.
“Grrrrr…”
“Grrrroooowl!”
The wolves suddenly rose, growling at the entrance.
*Killing intent? No, this is a different kind of feeling.*
Vallo's face twisted horribly. An incredibly dangerous aura was emanating from the entrance.
And the moment the man exuding this unknown aura appeared.
*Whimper, whine, whimper…*
The white-furred and black-furred wolves backed away.
*What is this…*
Vallo's entire body trembled. He looked back at the wolves.
The retreating wolves now had their bellies pressed to the ground like meek lambs.
It was as if he were witnessing an act of worship.
And then, the man walking in finally came into Vallo's view.
He was no ordinary man.
A height and sturdy build that matched His Majesty's.
The red cloak he wore was emblazoned with the symbol of Fenrir, king of wolves.
And on his head, a fierce Fenrir wolf's head helm and a mask covering his face.
*An assassin?*
An assassin disguised as a visitor. Vallo moved to shield His Majesty.
Just then, the man in front flipped up his mask. He then knelt on one knee and spoke to the king.
“I have come for an audience, Your Majesty.”
Barad spoke as if his expectations had been met.
“Allow me to introduce my friend, Hyun-soo.”
Vallo began to see him in a new light.
*I felt the same way I did when I first met His Majesty.*
Yes, in that man, Vallo saw a legend.