Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: The Judge (3)
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He judges blacksmiths and forces wagers on them.
In the ‘rapid crafting’ trial set by Buks, Hyun-soo had crafted even faster.
At that moment.
[A new story begins.]
‘Hmm?’
He could guess the reason.
‘Pureum Inc. probably didn't expect a user who could beat his trial to appear so soon.’
In fact, the one called Buks was a named NPC.
The sword he had just forged in the holographic smithy was of the Unique grade.
Hyun-soo smiled.
New stories always brought greater trials and, in turn, greater rewards.
Ding!
[Sudden Quest: Judgment of Buks the Blacksmith]
Grade: A
Requirement: One who has passed Buks's trial
Reward: Development +20%
Failure Penalty: Buks escapes.
Description: Buks is a key figure in the Edroll Merchant Guild, having effectively seized control of the Balas territory under the guise of the guild. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Use the temporarily granted power of judgment to punish him.
Hyun-soo was surprised. The Development would increase by a whopping 20%.
In addition, he learned one more thing.
‘A key figure in the Edroll Merchant Guild.’
Yes, this Edroll Merchant Guild was a guild in name only.
The key figure was Buks himself. Did the Development increase just by winning the trial against him?
Of course, Hyun-soo had freed the blacksmiths from the 70% tax and double workload that Buks had shackled them with.
‘Even so, the root cause hasn't been eliminated.’
Right, as long as Buks was alive, it could all happen again.
That was why the Development increase had been measured so low when he won the trial.
[The power to judge is temporarily granted.]
[You can temporarily decide the content of the judgment.]
Buks wore an expression of disbelief.
Hyun-soo said to him.
“The judgment begins.”
[The judgment begins.]
“W-What…”
Finding himself on the receiving end, Buks couldn't hide his bewilderment.
He was supposedly a level 101 blacksmith.
How did that blacksmith craft a sword faster than him?
Buks tensed. What kind of judgment would Hyun-soo impose?
And Hyun-soo was staring at Buks with a dry, emotionless gaze.
Even if this place was different from reality, as a fellow blacksmith, he had committed an unforgivable act.
Hyun-soo spoke.
“The trial is simple. We will strike our finest creations against each other once. The stake is your life.”
At that, a delighted smile spread across Buks's face.
[If you fail to pass the judgment, you must fulfill the condition.]
The word ‘audacious’ nearly escaped Buks's lips.
‘Arrogant.’
His arrogance pierces the heavens, leading him straight to his own doom.
Just because he could craft quickly didn't mean he knew everything about me.
Buks had once crafted a spear so magnificent it would have astounded the master of the tower of blacksmiths he had served.
It nearly reached the realm of Legend. It was among the highest tier of artifacts closest to Legendary.
It was a spear born in a fleeting moment, thanks to luck and various other factors.
That spear was the starting point; feeling no need to remain in the tower any longer, he left.
And yet, this man dares to challenge me.
‘Clash our finest creations?’
A common blacksmith's duel.
This was similar, but slightly different.
Moreover, this ‘judgment’ seemed to exude a mysterious power. The opponent seemed to know this as well.
The spear materialized, at least as a hologram.
Fzzt-
A spear crackling with wild sparks.
And the man named Hyun-soo also gripped a single sword.
The name ‘Hyeon (現)’ was inscribed on the sword.
Whatever that sword might be, Buks knew the limits of mortals.
In this era, no true Legend had ever been born from human hands on the continent of Asgan.
‘No matter what it is, you will lose.’
Buks smiled.
“The condition if I pass the judgment is to reinstate the 70% tax that was just lifted. And I'll take your life as well. After you're dead, I'll increase the workload for all the blacksmiths in this territory!”
No one would care about this small territory.
That's how things got to this point.
Besides, I've heard the rumors.
That this territory might soon be wiped out!
Before it disappears, I'll work all the blacksmiths to the bone.
“I'll work them all to death, hahahahahaha!”
The man said nothing. He simply gripped the sword with both hands.
He, too, pulled the sparking spear far back.
The terms of the judgment were simple.
The two weapons would clash, and the superior one would win.
And as he swung it fiercely, Buks's face froze.
“……?”
The moment their weapons collided, he felt everything around him freeze over.
The spear in his hand froze.
White mist escaped his lips.
The immense sparks from his spear were completely devoured by the chill.
Looking around, he saw massive shards of ice jutting out, as if raging waves had been frozen solid.
[The opponent's sword is a Legend.]
[Your spear is the closest to a Legend.]
‘A Legend…?’
The man wasn't arrogant; he was certain.
A chill ran down Buks's spine. An intermittent tremor ran through his body and wouldn't stop.
He couldn't move.
Because one who loses a judgment and defies it receives divine punishment.
“Spare me.”
Shhhh-
The two holographic artifacts vanished.
He spoke, trying to sound as pathetic as possible. Even in this moment, his mind was racing.
If the man just agreed, the terms of the judgment would be nullified.
Then he could escape.
After escaping, he could plot his revenge.
“I'll give you everything I have, pleeease!”
Hyun-soo replied.
“Give it to me first.”
What a relief. Buks was ecstatic. This outsider was reasonable.
Then again, aren't all those greedy outsiders the same!?
Aren't they all fanatics for gold and mad for leveling up?
Buks handed over everything he currently possessed.
[You have acquired 51,014 Gold.]
Hyun-soo had obtained a huge sum of 51 million won in an instant. But he wasn't satisfied.
“Where's everything you've siphoned off from this place until now?”
“If you go to the guild building, there's a stash hidden in the basement.”
Buks felt relieved. He slowly got to his feet.
It was fine to give everything away. He could just come back and take it all again.
But then, Hyun-soo's sword sliced through his neck.
Shhhk-!
“I never said I'd spare you.”
As he fell, Buks's eyes widened. Right, he had never said he would spare him.
“You ignored the pleas of the blacksmiths who were dying from the harsh labor, didn't you?”
Those were the last words Buks ever heard.
***
Hyun-soo felt not a shred of guilt as he cut off Buks's head.
Forced labor for the blacksmiths. Double the workload. A 70% tax.
According to what he'd heard from old man Pere, countless blacksmiths had died, unable to withstand the workload.
[You have executed Buks, the cause of the Balas territory's downfall.]
[You have acquired a large amount of EXP.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up……]
You don't gain experience just by killing NPCs indiscriminately.
Only by killing someone designated as a villain by the system could you gain experience like this.
Hyun-soo gained a whopping 19 levels in an instant.
This was due to the level difference between Buks and Hyun-soo.
[Sudden Quest: Judgment of Buks the Blacksmith Complete]
[Development has increased by 20%.]
[The Edroll Merchant Guild was able to control the Balas territory because of its head, the blacksmith Buks.]
[All restrictions on the blacksmiths have been lifted.]
[The members of the Edroll Merchant Guild are scattering and beginning to flee.]
[Please eliminate the remaining forces.]
Hyun-soo could soon see blacksmiths rushing out of their forges.
“We're free!”
“We don't have to do forced labor anymore!”
He could see old man Pere celebrating among them. Hyun-soo had somewhere to be.
He said to old man Pere.
“The Lord should be free from the wager now, so it should be fine to go get her.”
He'd heard that after losing the wager, she was practically a prisoner.
“I'll go on ahead to the Edroll Merchant Guild's headquarters.”
“Ah, alright!”
Hyun-soo went straight into the Edroll Merchant Guild's headquarters.
Fortunately, the remnants had all fled by then.
Hyun-soo opened the door to the basement. Inside was the money Buks had mentioned, stolen through taxes.
A total of 323,000 Gold.
[This is money collected as taxes from the Balas territory.]
[If you are discovered after acquiring it, you will be exiled from the Goyad Kingdom.]
Now that Buks was dead, the Balas territory would first track down the stolen tax money.
Hyun-soo didn't feel the slightest bit of regret.
Exile from the Goyad Kingdom meant ruining his relationship with King Barad. That relationship was priceless.
‘What's needed to raise the Development?’
There was a simple answer. The territory needed money to develop.
In Ares, that money's value was much greater.
But even if he couldn't take the money, he could still use it.
‘The Lord can just grant it to me, right?’
Hyun-soo formed a plan.
[Nel: Where are you? I got worried and came to the Balas territory.]
[Hyun-soo: Come to the coordinates I'm sending.]
And having someone to help would make things much more reliable!
After arriving in the basement, Nel heard the whole story.
And she heard Hyun-soo's plan.
“T-That'll work?”
Nel was doubtful.
“Have you ever lost anything by listening to me?”
Nel was still skeptical, but she decided to go along with his plan.
***
Lord Bellin.
Rumored to be the most beautiful woman in the Goyad Kingdom, she was the lord of Balas.
Having lost the wager to Buks, she was confined to her bedroom as if it were a prison.
But then, all the restrictions binding her were lifted.
Just then, Pere entered.
“My Lord, we must hurry to the Edroll Merchant Guild's headquarters.”
As she went with him, Bellin heard the full story.
“An outsider, you say?”
At first, Bellin had thought the one responsible was someone sent from the kingdom.
“An outsider… I can't believe it…!”
Bellin knew the greed of outsiders.
They were the kind who called us NPCs and would stop at nothing to obtain gold and artifacts.
Would such a person truly understand our plight?
“I heard him talking with Buks.”
It was certain.
Bellin's pace quickened. But when she reached the first floor, no one was there.
Just then.
“……Here.”
The voice of a dying woman was heard.
She descended into the basement.
She was horrified by the tragic scene before her.
A woman was dying, leaning against a wall.
On the other side, she saw a man who had collapsed, kneeling before a pile of gold and jewels.
Spears and arrows were stuck all over the man's body, and he appeared to be unconscious.
Bellin's eyes wavered.
“What happened here? Who are you?”
“……I'm his companion. I came after he contacted me. We fought against the remnants who were trying to take the money. And Hyun-soo… he didn't back down.”
Bellin's gaze fell upon Hyun-soo.
He had passed out while on his knees.
In other words, he had protected the money until the very moment he collapsed.
“Why… why go this far…?”
“……He said it was money for the blacksmiths. That he had to protect it at all costs to revive this territory. And he asked me to pass on a message.”
Bellin's heart sank.
“That this money is for you all.”
The woman, who had been smiling faintly, gave a bitter smile and passed out.
And Bellin slowly walked over to Hyun-soo.
She trembled as she saw the weapons piercing his body.
“Ah, ahhh…… Thank you……! Thank you!”
[Lord Bellin will never forget your grace.]
***
A furtive glance.
Opening her eyes, Nel was bewildered to see Lord Bellin sobbing.
She had thought the plan to win the NPCs' favor with an act was ridiculous, but…
‘I-It actually worked?’
And Hyun-soo was hearing a notification.
[The Lord's Grace has been activated.]