Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: The Saintess's Prayer
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Hyun-soo watched as the fifth calamity, Jack, scattered into dust.
In agony but unable to even scream, the vanishing Jack met an end most befitting of evil.
Hyun-soo’s heart pounded in his chest.
‘I actually did it.’
Even as he had laid out the plan, he had been plagued by the thought of whether it was even possible.
Slaying the fifth calamity, Jack, would bring immense benefits to Hyeon's Smithy and to himself.
This calamity hunt had already been recorded by all the guild members.
It would propel Hyun-soo to even greater heights, starting right now.
Reward notifications flooded in.
[You have hunted the fifth calamity, Jack.]
[Your contribution was very high.]
[Calculating rewards based on your contribution.]
[Contribution: 55%.]
[Acquiring a large amount of experience.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Congratulations.]
[You have reached level 200.]
[Leveling up…]
[You have gained over 40 levels at once.]
Hyun-soo couldn't hide his astonishment.
He, who had been level 184, was reborn in an instant as level 227.
Since levels above 200 were considered quite high, he had taken a step into a higher echelon.
[Acquired 31,803 Gold.]
31,000 gold. It was a fortune, equivalent to about 30 million won.
The gold drop alone generated a massive profit.
[Acquired 4 Blessed Enhancement Stones.]
[Acquired Calamity's Coat.]
[Acquired Calamity's…]
[Acquired Jack's…]
[Acquired 500 Fame.]
[Acquired 100 Charisma.]
The notifications rang endlessly.
Hyun-soo was so overwhelmed he could barely think straight.
Blessed Enhancement Stones were expensive items, worth about 3 million won each, and could be used to enhance weapons or armor.
The other miscellaneous items Jack dropped were also quite valuable.
Just by succeeding in the raid, he had generated a profit of nearly 100 million won from the gold and miscellaneous items alone.
“Oh, I leveled up once.”
“I gained a level too, haha!”
It seemed Risel and Bakeu had also gained a good amount of experience.
They looked ecstatic, and Hyun-soo smiled faintly.
Their growth was the growth of Guild Gwangmyeong.
Moreover, both of them were high-rankers.
‘Leveling up is even more special for high-rankers.’
A single level could change their rankings, and the difference in their strength was significant.
Hyun-soo looked at the Tiger Blade disintegrating in his hand.
A bittersweet smile unwittingly crossed his face.
‘The only reason I could hunt Jack was because I crafted this Tiger Blade.’
The regrettable part was that he had created the Tiger Blade through Emergency Production.
He couldn't help but recall the notification from when he first made it.
[This is likely the most perfect crafting method for a Tiger Blade.]
A weapon made through Emergency Production had to be configured in just two to three seconds.
The crafting method Hyun-soo had configured in those few seconds was something no one else could ever hope to match.
About forty Tiger Blades existed in Korea.
All the Tiger Blades made in the present day had come from his father's hands and his own.
[Your experience is astounding.]
[Effect Application Rate increases by 12%.]
The experience of the sole creator who had crafted it countless times.
[Your understanding is exceptional.]
[Effect Application Rate increases by 14%.]
The one who understood the true meaning of the Tiger Blade, the reason for its creation, and could imbue the sword with that spirit.
Hyun-soo was confident.
He was the only one in the world.
And so, the Tiger Blade was born, even if it was through Emergency Production.
But now, he felt he would never be able to create another Tiger Blade with such effects and rank.
‘It’s not because my skills are lacking.’
It was because of the system.
When blacksmiths created artifacts with similar effects, if they had already reached a high grade once, the probability of reaching that grade again dropped significantly.
Of course, artifacts were crafted based on Hyun-soo’s skill.
Even so, it was the system, not Hyun-soo, that applied the effect rates.
Therefore, it would be difficult to make it a legendary item again.
‘I should be satisfied with all I’ve gained thanks to the Tiger Blade.’
It was something he couldn't change, so he decided to just brush it off.
Just then.
Hyun-soo’s expression turned to one of confusion.
*Sssk,* the disintegrating Tiger Blade suddenly stopped, its form remaining intact.
‘What is this…?’
It had abruptly stopped dematerializing.
As he wondered about this bizarre phenomenon…
[Job Quest: God's Wish - Complete]
[You have completed it with phenomenal results.]
[You can receive your reward from Saintess Aria.]
Phenomenal results.
What part of it was considered phenomenal?
The God's Wish quest was to rescue the Saintess.
The quest itself didn't include instructions to kill the fifth calamity, but Hyun-soo had succeeded in doing so.
[The God of Blacksmiths assesses the current situation.]
[He judges the given reward to be insufficient.]
Hyun-soo’s heart began to race.
The reason the Tiger Blade, which should have vanished after Emergency Production, hadn’t disappeared might be related to this notification.
*Tiring!*
[The God of Blacksmiths offers a hint.]
[Saintess Aria possesses a special power.]
[One of those powers may help prevent the Tiger Blade from being destroyed.]
[The power of the God of Blacksmiths will help prevent the Tiger Blade from being destroyed for 10 minutes.]
Hyun-soo’s face lit up.
A flicker of hope ignited—he might not lose this Tiger Blade after all.
‘Saintess Aria’s special power?’
He calmed his excitement and checked the Tiger Blade, which now remained solid in his hand.
(Tiger Blade)
Grade: Legendary
Durability: 10,000/10,000
Attack Power: 517
Restriction: None for the creator; Level 300-450 among those who wield divine power.
Special Abilities:
· Divine Power increased by 10%.
· Attack Power against Evil or Undead increased by 140%.
· Defense against Evil or Undead increased by 25%.
· Ignores 40% of Defense against Evil or Undead.
· Visual effect of meteors showering down and imbuing the sword.
· Active Skill: Tiger's Aura.
· Active Skill: Light of Divinity.
· Passive Skill: Evil Purge (滅惡).
Description: A Tiger Blade created through Emergency Production. No other holy sword can compare to it.
Just looking at the details revealed how incredible this sword was.
‘With this sword, the Church of Ares will gain a great power to fight the Calamity Cult.’
The Tiger Blade was a masterpiece among masterpieces.
But an artifact's user had to be considered.
For now, Hyun-soo didn't need this artifact.
And he still had treatment costs, amounting to hundreds of millions, that felt like a debt hanging over him.
‘If I can just restore this Tiger Blade, I might be able to pay that off and start a new life.’
But that was only if he could recover the complete Tiger Blade.
‘How do I ask Aria to restore this sword?’
It was then.
He felt an unknown pressure.
Jack, who he thought was completely scattered and gone…
A remnant of Jack’s ashes pierced through Hyun-soo.
[Death Curse]
[The curse activated upon the death of the fifth calamity, Jack, lulls you to sleep.]
[You will slowly die.]
[If you fail to resist within 10 minutes, you will be forcibly logged out.]
Hyun-soo’s skin turned black. His vision blurred, and he collapsed.
[You have been afflicted with the status effect: Stun.]
Even as he fell, Hyun-soo couldn't let go of the sword.
“I have to get the Tiger Blade back…”
With that last thought, he lost consciousness completely.
***
“H-Hyun-soo!”
“Hyun-soo-nim!”
The members of Guild Gwangmyeong rushed over to the suddenly collapsed Hyun-soo.
Bellia, who had arrived late, also approached when she saw him fall.
‘I can't believe Jack left a curse behind…’
To imbue a power that harms others even in death.
It was a truly horrifying curse.
Bellia gently laid Hyun-soo’s head on her lap.
‘What should I do…? He’s going to be forcibly logged out soon…’
Hyun-soo’s HP was steadily decreasing, and his darkening skin looked perilous.
Just then.
[The appearance of Saintess Aria!]
[The most noble light appears.]
[Saintess Aria Lv. 348]
Saintess Aria.
The most sacred light, on par with the Ten Legends of the continent.
With Jack's death, she had regained the power she had lost.
Dozens of shafts of light descended around the Saintess.
From the light, famous holy knights and priests of the Church of Ares materialized.
Escorted by them, Saintess Aria walked forward.
She looked down at the fallen Hyun-soo.
She remembered him.
‘Could I get a small amount of the mineral Asnium?’
‘Asnium? I promised to give Asnium only to the descendant of the God of Blacksmiths.’
‘I am that descendant. It is necessary to kill the calamity Jack and to save the Church of Ares.’
The value of Asnium was astronomical.
But seeing the honest and righteous gaze in that man’s eyes, Aria had given him a minuscule amount.
The man had taken it and run.
With a calm gaze, she now looked at the sword in Hyun-soo’s hand, which had stopped disintegrating.
“Why is that sword scattering?”
Nel explained.
“Artifacts made with Emergency Production are destroyed.”
“…Destroyed? Then can’t he just make it again?”
“No, he can’t craft it again.”
Nel explained the reason, making it clear that Hyun-soo could never create such a sword again.
“Then why…?”
Aria already felt a deep sense of gratitude towards him and had planned to reward him.
He had not only rescued her but had also killed the fifth calamity that the Church of Ares had long pursued.
Bellia chimed in.
“It must have been for something more precious than this sword.”
“And what is that?”
Bellia didn't answer, simply gazing at Aria.
Saintess Aria’s eyes widened. The meaning was clear—it was for her.
Her voice trembled as she asked.
“What kind of person is he?”
“Goodness.”
That single word resonated deeply in Aria’s heart. Bellia spoke with a look of conviction.
“At least, that is how I see him. I have class-changed to a Child of the Saintess.”
The Child of the Saintess had a lamentable restriction.
A rule that forbade them from going anywhere other than the Church of Ares.
Breaking this rule would result in the revocation of their title.
Yet, she spoke.
“He is the person who made me harbor such a thought.”
What was that thought?
“I want to be with this man.”
That struck Aria the most.
The Goodness that had made Bellia, the Child of the Saintess, feel that way.
Aria approached the sleeping Hyun-soo and placed a hand on his forehead.
“May no evil ever harm you…”
A warm power flowed from her fingertips, enveloping Hyun-soo.
[Saintess's Benevolence]
[The Death Curse is dispelled.]
The blackened skin of the unconscious Hyun-soo returned to its original color, and his expression softened into one of peace.
Then, Aria took the Tiger Blade, which had stopped disintegrating.
Holding the sword, she offered another prayer.
[Prayer of Birth]
[Something that was disappearing is born anew.]
The scattered remnants of the Tiger Blade met the sword once more, and it slowly regained its original form.
A notification reached the sleeping Hyun-soo.
[The Tiger Blade regains its complete form.]
“Hyun-soo, I will not forget. Your grace.”
[Saintess Aria and the Church of Ares will never forget you.]
Aria rose to her feet and said.
“When he wakes, will you tell him to come see me?”
Bellia asked with pure curiosity.
“Why?”
Aria smiled a lovely smile.
“The Church of Ares’s reward has only just begun.”