Chapter 335
Chapter 335
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 335
Chapter Title: Demir's Magnum Opus (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Noon.
In front of the panoramic view of Baekun Lake, where warm sunlight poured down on the lake.
Step, step.
A woman was walking.
The identity of the woman with hair reminiscent of black pearl and snow-white skin was none other than.
World Ranking No. 2, Heavenly Demon Haseara.
"Haaaah...."
Above her.
Kang So-so, with her hands behind her back, let out a deep sigh.
"In the end, after going around in circles, we end up here...."
Grind, grind!
Kang So-so ground her teeth.
The anger she had been suppressing and holding back could no longer be contained.
Her face soon flushed red as she exploded.
"Kyaaak! Didn't I tell you to go right away?! You, you! Frustrating fool! Do you not even consider how I feel watching this?!"
She could've just come straight here, but she went forward and backward....
Not exaggerating, she repeated it thousands of times.
On the day of the company dinner.
After going out for some air, the sun set, and now it was noon with the sun rising again.
She had been walking for a full day.
"Aigoo, dying from being hit by a wooden sword was unfair enough, but watching you, this frustrating girl, will make me die of frustration! I'll die twice!"
'Sorry.'
At Kang So-so's outburst.
Haseara gave a hollow smile and coolly admitted it.
Ah, Master was right.
She was going to come anyway.
She should've come sooner.
She just wasted time for nothing.
'Yeah.'
She was the type who couldn't contain her curiosity.
'Let's clash.'
Haseara was a swordmaster.
A swordmaster had to cross swords with an opponent to gauge them.
She had decided to challenge Joo Dong-hoon to a duel.
In battle, whatever he was hiding would reveal itself.
And so, they arrived at the entrance of the 「Drel Workshop」.
More precisely, in front of the portal leading to Martial Paradise, installed between the two dragon statues.
Murmur, murmur.
A huge crowd of people was swarming.
There were Koreans,
but also many foreigners with various skin tones.
"Move!"
"Everyone, let's line up! There are too many people!"
"Ugh, don't push! You crazy bastards! Don't you know if you touch the wrong thing there, you'll wander the universe forever?"
"Hey, Star Realm staff, control this!"
Recently.
Kim Jin-ah had permitted residency in Martial Paradise, the city.
At an ex~tremely high price.
She had endowed it with rarity as the first city in Star Realm, meticulously crafted by Demir.
But despite that price.
People from all over the world flocked in without a care, packing their belongings.
- P-Please calm down! Anyway, those not invited need permission to enter!
The Martial Paradise portal was permitted only to Star Realm members or staff, residents,
and their immediate family and allies.
Other tourists could tour the city under strict surveillance with the guild master's permission.
"I've come to apply for residency!"
"I'll give you as much money as you want, so let me in first!"
"Hey! I'm first! I'll double it! Money! Good, right? I'll pay up!"
And.
The majority gathered here were residency hopefuls.
"...."
Haseara watched the scene with wonder.
She hadn't expected.
The necklace from Delaila to be used in such a way.
Haseara had one too.
But she only used it for closed-door training.
'Smart.'
Haseara thought the one who came up with this business was incredibly clever.
'Residency....'
Lick.
Haseara unconsciously licked her lips.
'Should I get one?'
With so many people gathered, it seemed to have some scarcity.
It felt full of value.
She had plenty of money, so residency wouldn't be hard.
'Above all.'
Joo Dong-hoon.
It would give her an excuse to see that man more closely.
She could be nearby as a resident.
Moreover, rumors had already spread far and wide.
That Joo Dong-hoon was holed up in Martial Paradise and didn't even come to Earth.
To see the Skeleton Emperor, one had to reside in Martial Paradise.
'Hmm.'
For now.
Haseara narrowed her eyes and lowered her stance.
If she revealed her presence, chaos was certain.
But still.
She absolutely hated squeezing into that crowd for resident verification and requests.
So then.
Shall she test Star Realm's security once?
"That's right! Now you're acting like the Heavenly Demon."
Ta-at!
She lightly kicked off the ground and soared into the air.
Her destination was the dark mist encircling the statues.
Shooooaaaa....!
The mist swirling around the dragon let out a menacing hiss like a snake.
The Heavenly Demon Cult and Star Realm were not strictly allies.
Thus, the mist automatically defended against Haseara's approach.
'Indeed.'
But Haseara was relaxed.
Even knowing that if hit by the mist's attack, she'd be thrown into the middle of space and drift forever.
Her steps were calm.
Sring!
The sword slipped from her waist.
Sruk!
In an instant, her figure vanished like a shadow.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Heavenly Demon Step Technique.
Heavenly Demon Stealth Technique.
Paat!
So fast that.
Even the alarm spells tightly surrounding the area couldn't detect it.
Was that the movement of one who had reached the realm of Entering the Demonic Path?
Susuk!
The alarm system Eldrin had diligently set up was breached in one step by Haseara.
* * *
Sruk!
Having lightly passed through the portal, Haseara.
'Hmm?'
Was soon startled by the refreshing scent flowing into her nose.
Fresh.
Not even on Earth, no....
Not even in the place she trained, had she smelled such a forest aroma.
"Hoo, what a mysterious space."
Even Kang So-so, who rarely reacted to anything, let out an exclamation.
How could one not marvel at the wide-open scenic view below the entrance and the beautifully built city!
'Trees....'
Haseara blankly blinked.
Having reached the realm of Entering the Demonic Path, the greatness of nature became visible.
Each tree embedded in the forest there.
She could tell they had been carefully planted and tended by someone.
'More than that.'
The surrounding land and life energy felt abundant.
An energy so deep and profound she couldn't even grasp it.
"But you know."
At that moment.
Kang So-so furrowed her brow sharply.
"What's that sound?"
'Huh?'
As Haseara lifted her head accordingly.
Kugagagaga....!
Kwang, kwang, kwaaaang!
From far outside the city, an enormous rumbling sound echoed.
At the same time, a golem of tremendous size came into view.
'What is that?'
Haseara's eyes widened.
Both the energy enveloping Martial Paradise,
and that absurdly powerful golem.
Thud, thud!
Her heart pounded.
What Joo Dong-hoon, that man, had been hiding.
Was it something like that?
Sssst!
Excited, she quickly kicked off the ground.
Haseara's exquisite footwork reached the city outskirts from the portal in less than three breaths.
'Whew.'
Upon arrival, she lightly exhaled and looked around.
Just like at the 「Drel Workshop」 entrance, a boiling crowd of people.
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Waaaaah! Amazing! So amazing!"
"Right after entering as a resident, this show.... The money was worth it!"
They cheered like spectators at a match.
And rightly so.
'What is this....'
Haseara stared blankly at the scene before her.
Drip, drip!
A man sweating profusely, slamming the hammer clang, clang!
A dwarf assisting beside him.
And moreover.
Kwaaaang! Kwang!
Beings embedding countless attacks that even she would be wary of.
'Those.... Joo Dong-hoon's subordinates?'
No, more than that.
They seemed to be making weapons right now....
How could weapons be forged so brutally!
"No one in this world forges like that except that guy."
Even Kang So-so stuck out her tongue.
And it wasn't just forging?
The tempering process was beyond words.
Normally, tempering involved rapidly cooling and reheating the metal repeatedly.
Joo Dong-hoon did it with elemental power.
Raising it with fire energy.
Cooling it with water energy.
Truly supernatural tempering!
Kang So-so, admiring the bizarre weapon-making process.
"Huh?"
Soon spotted something.
Clang, clang!
Hanging from the waist of the man swinging the hammer.
"That...."
Kang So-so's pupils shook.
Haseara also looked at her master with puzzled eyes.
"....A wooden sword?"
A familiar wooden sword.
Thump!
Kang So-so's heart raced.
Thump!
Haseara's heart raced too.
At that moment.
[Ding!]
[Joint Quest generation conditions achieved!]
'Joint.... Quest?'
Haseara's eyes widened.
It was the first message she'd seen in her hunter life.
'What is that?'
* * *
Clang! Clang!
I'd been hammering away for a while when I frowned.
'What?'
Something buzzed into my view.
[Joint Quest generation conditions achieved!]
What was this?
But.
"Master!"
Demir's bellow prevented me from checking the message.
"Focus! This is the finishing process! No distractions! Do you want to ruin all our effort so far?!"
"No way."
Clang, clang!
I snapped back and hammered again.
But wait.
Who was the master and who was the subordinate here?
"Master!"
"Yeah, got it."
Clang, clang!
How much time passed.
My arms were numb, and I'd lost all sense of time.
With my subordinates, I just enjoyed it and hammered like mad.
The forging work was already underway with Demir's detailing.
Design engraving and leatherwork finishing.
Mysteriously, Demir handled forging and finishing simultaneously with his hands.
And finally.
Plop.
As my sweat drop fell on the last ornament.
[Completion 100%]
[Congratulations!]
[The weapon has been infused with 'soul'.]
"Huff, huff!"
Rough breaths escaped.
The fatigue I'd barely held back with Pure Blue Heart Technique flooded in at once.
"Huaaaah!"
I threw the hammer and shouted.
Ah.
Could there be a moment more satisfying than this!
"It's complete!"
"Maaaasteeer!"
Demir also threw his hammer and hugged me tightly.
"Kuhahaha! Master! We did it, we did it!"
As Demir and I rejoiced purely.
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Uwaaaaaaaah!"
"It was the best!"
"Skeleton Emperor! Skeleton Emperor!"
The watching crowd erupted in cheers all at once.
Not just that?
Even my polymorphed subordinates hugged each other in joy.
The clueless Spirit Kings smiled brightly in delight too, that said it all.
"Aigoo, watching was exhausting."
"Coming out every day wore me out, wonder how they feel."
"Didn't sleep at all? Whew, I won't attach the 'master craftsman' title lightly anymore. A true 'master craftsman' is like that."
People gave thumbs up.
And messages scrolled in my view.
['Destruction Dragon Sword' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Spear' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Bow' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Shield' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Staff' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Hammer' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Sacred Relic' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Gauntlets and Boots' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Necklace' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
['Destruction Dragon Ring' (SSS Grade) acquired.]
'Jackpot.'
Ten weapons.
All SSS Grade.
'Me! I, myself!'
Weapons made by my own hands were constellation-grade!
Of course.
The jackpot wasn't just that.
[Congratulations.]
[A once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece is born.]
['Demir's' vitality increases by 400!]
['Demir's' grade rises to SSS Grade!]
['Demir's' all stats increase by 20!]
'Crazy.'
I inwardly stuck out my tongue.
Rising right away like that.
Demir really became a constellation?
[Name: Demir]
[Vitality: 1,100/1,100]
[Unique Ability: Skeleton King]
[Class: Blacksmith]
[Grade: SSS]
[Strength: 124] [Agility: 123] [Stamina: 120] [Mana: 122] [Technique: 124]
[Held Skills]
-'Supreme Refining' (Lv.Max)
-'Supreme Weaving' (Lv.Max)
-'Supreme Item Creation' (Lv.Max)
-'Supreme Alchemy' (Lv.Max)
-'Skeleton Summon' (Lv.Max)
'Wow.'
Look at those skills.
This was insane.
All supreme grade, all Max.
For reference, most renowned blacksmiths on Earth were mid-grade.
And only a tiny few had barely reached advanced.
And that recently.
But our Demir was all supreme Max.
Truly the constellation of blacksmiths.
The ultimate Blacksmith.
"Kuhahahahaha!"
The dream of his lifetime.
Achieved by becoming my subordinate, Demir burst into happy laughter.
"Master! Thank you, truly! Kuhahat! This damn hammer! It was hard work, but now I don't need it!"
Demir kicked away his old 'Demir's Hammer' (S Grade) with his foot refreshingly.
A dwarf who cherished weapons kicking a weapon.
How happy must he be?
'Anyway.'
I looked around.
Many people were watching, and guests wanting to see me seemed to have arrived.
"...."
But now was an important time.
"Kids, gather up."
It wasn't over yet.
The final step and ceremony.
The 'Weapon Bestowal Ceremony' to present the weapons to my precious subordinates remained.
Only after that.
Would all schedules proceed.