Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Smelting Sword (4)
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Pureum Inc.
CEO Lee Se-jin received a report.
It was about Lee Mun-su, the former chairman of Hansung Group, being on his deathbed.
Se-jin's chest felt heavy.
Because Lee Se-jin had a connection with him before he developed dementia.
He was a good man.
He also heard another report that Chairman Lee Tae-sung had asked for the restrictions to be lifted.
Naturally, the staff member refused.
His heart was heavy, but he had no regrets.
This game, Ares, was a world created solely by its users.
Real-world power, influence, or anything of the sort was not to exert influence or tamper with the system within it.
‘Chairman Lee Tae-sung, of all people…’
The thought crossed his mind that he, too, was just a son in the end.
Chairman Lee Tae-sung was famous among his peers for being exceptionally prickly and cold.
And for that very reason, he was someone who upheld the rules most strictly.
Just then.
“Sir.”
An urgent voice came from outside. Soon, Kim Tae-seok, the head of the Special User Management Team, entered.
“The user Hyun-soo…”
“What?”
Hearing the report, Lee Se-jin's face was colored with surprise.
He hurriedly brought up a screen in his office to check the direction the falcons sent by user Hyun-soo had flown.
On the screen, split into multiple feeds like CCTV footage showing various NPCs, the falcons were arriving one after another.
“Lord Bans of the beginner zone has issued an order.”
“What kind of order?”
“The order to open all the gates.”
CEO Lee Se-jin was silent for a moment. Then, a small smile escaped him.
One of the things he had hoped for was happening.
‘A world created by outsiders.’
This wasn't a bug.
If it were a bug, he would have imposed restrictions immediately. The supercomputer Ares would have also issued a warning.
But the supercomputer Ares remained silent.
Why? Because this was power that a user had cultivated.
Just like how he acquired the skill 'Grace of the Liege,' this was all based on what Hyun-soo had built up.
But the question was whether it was realistically possible.
“...What do you think?”
“It might be possible.”
Even Lord Bans himself could not freely cross the boundaries of the beginner zone.
However, there were NPCs in the beginner zone who could cross over to the adjacent territory.
Because they procured necessary supplies for the territory through them.
“What should we do?”
At Kim Tae-seok's question, Lee Se-jin gave a small smile.
“What do you mean, ‘what should we do’? This is something a user has accomplished. We should watch with anticipation.”
***
[You have connected to Ares.]
The old man, Mun-su, opened his eyes.
It was strange. Just a moment ago, he seemed to be writhing in pain.
The pain vanished as if washed away, and a sense of comfort washed over him.
Amidst that comfort, the chirping of birds tickled his ears, and he could feel the fresh air.
With his eyes open, Mun-su took in the surrounding scenery like a child seeing it for the first time.
Just then.
“You are Elder Mun-su, correct?”
A man approached him. His head was cleanly shaven, and it was clear at a glance that he was a blacksmith.
“My name is Ren, the blacksmith. I received a carrier pigeon from Master Hyun-soo. I will escort you.”
Mun-su followed him through the mystical world.
“Look at that.”
“What is that?”
“The instructors are escorting that old man like he's royalty…?”
The users wore puzzled expressions at the strange sight.
And the gate leading out of the territory's castle.
A handsome man dressed in noble attire was waiting, and the gate leading outside was wide open.
“I am Lord Bans. Please, get in.”
Mun-su was delighted. Strangers were accompanying him.
And Mun-su hurriedly climbed onto the carriage.
“There is no time. Full speed!”
“Yes, sir!”
The coachman began to race forward at high speed.
Mun-su took in the passing scenery of this amusing world like a child.
Then, Mun-su became frightened.
It was because, from a certain point, terrifying and hideous monster-like creatures began to chase the carriage.
“Normally, outsiders without the proper qualifications cannot cross this area. To do so means being attacked by monsters like this. But do not worry.”
Before he knew it, the creatures were right on the carriage's tail.
As Mun-su covered his head and trembled in fear.
*Swoosh. Th-th-th-th-th-thunk-*
Suddenly, dozens of arrows flew in and splendidly defeated the monsters.
“This is as far as I can escort you.”
And new people arrived.
“I am Hans, captain of the subjugation squad, here at the request of the hero of our squad, Master Hyun-soo.”
This time, it was a very handsome and valiant-looking man. Behind him were his subordinates, the members of the subjugation squad.
“Hold on tight.”
The man named Hans lifted him onto a horse.
Mun-su wrapped his arms tightly around his waist, and Hans used a cloth to firmly tie Mun-su's body to his own.
“Hiyah!”
And they began to ride at full speed.
Mun-su saw the others riding on horseback alongside them.
Ah, didn't it feel as if I had become the protagonist of a fantasy movie?
Mun-su was thrilled.
And he saw an amusing sight.
The riders accompanying them were relentlessly killing the hideous monsters that swarmed around them.
At some point, monsters began to appear that were too much for them to handle.
But then, a knight appeared and cut them down in a single stroke.
“I am the sword of the Kasel territory. I have come at the behest of our benefactor. We will now cross the border.”
He mounted another horse.
And rode with all his might. Before long, they arrived in front of a magnificent and beautiful castle.
A king!
Yes, that man is a king!
Mun-su's spirits lifted upon seeing a magnificent king, just like in the movies.
But that king approached and spoke.
“My friend Hyun-soo made a request. I shall have you taken there swiftly.”
The king did not accompany them.
But soon, something even more cinematic happened.
Knights mounted hundreds of black horses, and at their very front rode a beautiful female knight named Bella.
They advanced swiftly.
Suddenly, Mun-su grew curious and asked.
“Where are we going?”
“...We are going to meet a dragon.”
Mun-su's heart pounded.
Before he knew it, the hundreds of horses that had been around them naturally disappeared.
And the horse carrying him and the woman named Bella arrived at a place with a sign that read 'Prea Territory'.
The horse cut swiftly through the territory.
And Mun-su drew closer to a smithy.
The moment they arrived in front of it.
“It is finished…!”
Along with the voice of a man coming from inside the smithy.
[A second legend is written.]
[It began at the fingertips of a humble blacksmith.]
Having dismounted, Mun-su could see.
A beautiful sword resembling a Hwandudaedo.
The blade curved once like a wave, and the name 'Smelting Sword' was inscribed on it.
From the grip of the sword, a blue dragon began to unfurl its coiled body as if stretching.
[By crafting a truly perfect Smelting Sword, he has revealed his true worth.]
[He is likely the only person to have ever succeeded in imbuing a weapon with a dragon.]
[This legend was completed at the fingertips of a humble blacksmith, through a Smelting Sword of perfect quality.]
*Tiring!*
[Those Who Can See the Dragon.]
[The creator has designated those who can see the dragon.]
The dragon, having unfurled its body, swam up toward the tip of the sword held by the man.
Then, it moved past the sword's tip, gradually growing larger, and slowly lowered its head, bringing its face before Mun-su.
*Hmph-!*
Feeling its hot breath, Mun-su rejoiced like a child.
“Hahaha, it's a dragon! It's a dragon, see!? A dragon!”
And the dragon slowly began to ascend into the sky as if returning to the heavens.
With a happy expression, Mun-su watched the dragon, taking in the sight.
The dragon swam through the sky as if it were the sea.
And beside him, watching the dragon with Mun-su, were Tae-sung and Tae-ha.
***
Among the family, only Tae-ha and Tae-sung had characters in Ares.
Tae-ha was somewhat surprised that his father had a character, but this was not the time to worry about that.
Tae-ha watched his joyful grandfather and took a step forward with his father.
“Grandfather, how do you like the dragon? Are you happy? I wonder why my grandfather wanted to see a dragon so much.”
Watching him with affectionate eyes, Tae-ha's own eyes grew moist.
Seeing his grandfather, with his gaunt frame, jumping up and down with joy, his eyes reddened.
But then, Mun-su noticed Tae-ha and Tae-sung and gazed at them blankly.
His childlike expression faded, replaced by a small smile.
“Because…”
He realized. For a brief moment, his grandfather's mind had returned.
“Your father, Tae-sung, wanted to see a dragon.”
“...?”
Standing to one side, Tae-sung was surprised. The National Museum he had visited as a child, holding his father's hand.
And the image of himself as a child, reading a storybook and exclaiming, "I really want to see a dragon, Dad."
Yes, the reason Mun-su had wanted to see a dragon.
“I really wanted to show you. A real dragon.”
The three of them watched the dragon ascending into the sky together.
And so, watching that dragon, Mun-su, in his right mind, spoke his last words.
And a few hours later.
He closed his eyes, looking more peaceful and happy than ever.
***
Hyeon's Smithy in the Prea Territory.
Nel couldn't hide her excited expression.
Because the stories she was hearing from Hyun-soo were more incredible than she had imagined.
Not a single part of the story could be left out.
Crafting the second legendary sword was one thing, and escorting the old man Mun-su from the beginner zone all the way here was another.
And the biggest point of interest was this.
“He told you to write anything?”
“Yes.”
Nel's mind raced. Putting it all together, Hyun-soo might really be able to write anything he wanted on it.
“How much are you going to write? I think a billion won would be perfectly reasonable.”
Nel was as excited as if it were her own business.
“No, even a billion seems low compared to what you've accomplished, Hyun-soo.”
Then Hyun-soo spoke.
“I'll get a commission fee, of course, but I didn't write anything like that.”
“Huh…?”
Nel looked puzzled.
That meant Hyun-soo had already written the note and sent it.
Though a little flustered, Nel asked.
“Then maybe a building? Ah! Or...”
Nel listed several possibilities.
But Hyun-soo shook his head.
“No, I wrote down what we need most right now, something that money can't buy.”
The one thing we need most, that money can't buy?
Nel looked puzzled, but after hearing what it was, she was impressed.
‘That's really something we desperately need, isn't it…?’
***
Tae-ha felt relieved. It felt like a weight that had been knotted in his chest had been lifted.
They say that when someone passes away, everyone is left with at least one small regret.
But Tae-ha's heart felt so unburdened and light that he didn't have to feel that way.
After the funeral, Tae-ha returned to his home. As he was smiling at a photo of himself and his grandfather, something suddenly came to mind.
“Ah, the commission fee…!”
He had forgotten the most important thing.
The blacksmith named Hyun-soo who had given him this relief.
It was time to pay him for his work.
And Tae-ha had already exchanged personal numbers with Hyun-soo.
Tae-ha could see a message from Hyun-soo that had already arrived on his phone.
When he opened the message, he saw that Hyun-soo had sent a screenshot.
“I wonder what he wrote? A billion and a supercar? Or maybe a small building?”
Whatever he had written, Tae-ha was sure he wouldn't feel any resentment.
His gratitude toward Hyun-soo was so overwhelming that he couldn't contain it.
Soon, Tae-ha saw the contents of the note he had given, captured in the screenshot, and he laughed.
“Hahahaha!”
He stared at the note for a long time. Only one word was written there.
[Risel]