Hard and Heavy
Seongdo's central district. The black-and-white boundary line dividing east and west between the orthodox and unorthodox sects — two forces that could never coexist. And right on that borderline...
"As expected from those hypocritical orthodox bastards! They twist everything into nonsense to oppress us!"
Paedomun's Great Elder, Gwon Taeo, slammed his enormous greatsword into the ground with a thunderous crash and roared.
"That's right! The Great Elder speaks the truth! Those filthy hypocrites!"
"Cowards who only know how to throw hidden weapons like the rats they are — and now they have the audacity to play the victim and throw a tantrum!"
The Paedomun disciples were practically bursting with rage, veins bulging on their necks.
On the opposite side, the Sichuan Tang family camp radiated a murderous aura no less fierce.
"Hmph! If that doesn't prove you're nothing but unorthodox scum, I don't know what does! Your shamelessness is thicker than a steel mask!"
Tang family's First Elder, Dang Muntae, snorted and barked back.
"You broke the agreement first! You dared to ambush our Third Elder and cripple him!"
At those words, the muscles in Gwon Taeo's face twisted grotesquely. This was truly the pot calling the kettle black!
"What the hell are you talking about! When did we ever break the agreement!"
Gwon Taeo's eyes bulged as he radiated killing intent. In response, Second Elder Dang Mundeok stepped forward, grinding his teeth.
"Your shamelessness knows no bounds! There are hundreds of witnesses in Seongdo who saw that madman carrying an absurdly oversized greatsword on his back and going on a rampage!"
At that accusation, the atmosphere in the Paedomun camp froze solid.
"What? Absurdly oversized? How dare you insult our sect's blade!"
A crimson aura began rising from Gwon Taeo's entire body.
Paedomun — the Tyrant Blade Sect. A group of fanatics who worshipped the blade, not the Dao. For them, insulting their blade was worse than insulting their parents. It was an unforgivable humiliation!
And so Gwon Taeo hoisted his greatsword and bellowed like thunder.
"You're accusing an innocent man! You fabricate a story about our Sect Leader's child that never existed just to insult our blade! You venomous poison freaks really do just spew whatever comes out of your mouths!"
The enraged Great Elder of Paedomun erupted with a presence so fierce it seemed to swallow the streets of Seongdo whole. The Sect Leader had lived his entire life as a bachelor, devoting himself solely to the blade! Where did they get off spouting such nonsense!
But the Tang family showed no sign of backing down either.
"You shut your mouth! And you dare insult our Sichuan Tang family's poison arts! Unforgivable!"
A murky yellow-green poisonous mist began seeping from Dang Muntae's wrinkled hands. Meanwhile, Dang Mundeok gripped a hidden weapon tightly, grinding his teeth.
"No child? There must be some hidden bloodline somewhere! Who else but that mad Paedomun Sect Leader's bloodline — a brainless fool who only knows how to fondle his blade — would carry around a giant sword and pull such insane stunts in the middle of Seongdo!"
These reckless words completely trampled the Paedomun Sect Leader's honor into the dirt. Gwon Taeo's composure finally snapped.
"You old bastards dare insult our Sect Leader! I've been trying to hold back for the sake of the Murim Alliance, but orthodox scum truly are impossible to reason with!"
Gwon Taeo raised his greatsword and charged forward.
"Kill them! Offer all those rat bastards' heads as sacrifices to the blade!"
"UOOOOH!"
The mad bladesmen of Paedomun let out beastly howls and surged forward.
Without hesitation, the Tang camp issued their orders.
"Don't be afraid! They're just brutes swinging swords mindlessly!"
"Let them taste the true venom of our Sichuan Tang family!"
"WAAAAAH!"
The Sichuan Tang family — one of the Eight Great Families. Paedomun — the Nine Prefectures' Black Lotus sect. Two colossal forces had begun to clash for real!
All because of a single flap of a butterfly's wings — a butterfly named Do Gwang — Seongdo was truly descending into chaos.
Around the time the Sichuan Tang family and Paedomun were about to tear each other apart in bloody combat...
The root cause of it all, Do Gwang, had found his way to a quiet blacksmith shop tucked away in a corner of Seongdo.
Slung across his back was a fairly decent greatsword — one he'd taken from some bandit chief who'd pompously called himself the Silver Moon Greatsword or some such nonsense. If this were a game, it was good enough gear to keep using well into the mid-game. He didn't really need to visit a blacksmith for new equipment.
And yet he'd come here because...
'...I'm missing that satisfying feel.'
That's right. He was craving that crisp, heavy impact — the kind that just felt right.
Of course, there was nothing wrong with the clean shiiing! of slicing enemies apart cleanly. But what Do Gwang truly wanted was the visceral satisfaction of smashing things to bits.
'I need a blunt weapon...'
Do Gwang bitterly regretted not bringing along that giant iron pillar he'd originally pulled out to crush those Cheongseong bastards.
'That had the best feel. The most satisfying impact.'
The makeshift human clubs he'd used since then had terrible durability. A few swings and the flesh would separate from the bone, turning into a bloody pulp.
'Well, I could just keep swapping them out with the bastards lying around everywhere...'
But that was a hassle. And getting blood all over you was gross. So he'd come looking for a sturdy, satisfying weapon.
"Welcome."
A bald, heavily bearded man who clearly looked like a blacksmith greeted him gruffly. Do Hwa cheerfully pointed a finger at him.
"Kyahahaha~"
The little girl aimed her chubby finger at the blacksmith's gleaming head.
"Bald head! Kyahahaha~"
At that innocent observation, the blacksmith's face twitched.
"Bald...?"
Calling him bald the moment they met! What an ill-mannered little brat!
But... the customer is king, as they say. And judging by the silk clothes they wore, they seemed to be from a well-off family. Plus, the man carried a massive greatsword on his back — clearly a martial artist. Getting riled up over a child's comment might end badly for him. So the blacksmith forced down his rising anger and barely managed to speak.
"Kkeu... Is there something you're looking for, sir?"
"Hmm..."
Do Gwang swept his gaze over the weapons displayed in the shop. Since this was real life and not a game, it was a bit inconvenient. He couldn't just pull up a system window in midair to check equipment stats or durability. And since he wasn't a real martial artist, he didn't have the trained eye to intuitively judge good equipment.
'Well then, there's only one thing for me to do.'
Having reached his conclusion, Do Gwang unstrapped the greatsword from his back.
"Excuse me, I have a request."
"Yes, go ahead. If you pay well, I can also forge whatever weapon you need."
The blacksmith answered with a merchant's smile. But not long after, he would find himself on his knees, struck by a shock greater than any he'd experienced in his life.
The Divine's bellows and the unquenchable forge.
"Iron does not lie. It grows stronger with every honest strike, and shines brighter with every ounce of sincerity poured into it. What I forge now is not merely a weapon — it is the natural order of the world."
In The Tale of the Righteous Wanderer, players could train not only in martial arts but also in various crafts. There were many such crafts — medicine, poison arts, cooking, the art of camouflage and divination... but the most commonly trained craft was...
Clang-!
Clang-!
Blacksmithing — the forging of weapons — filling the smithy with the cheerful ring of metal on metal!
Clang-!
Clang-!
The rhythmic and majestic sound of hammer and anvil colliding echoed continuously.
And...
"...Ah... Ah..."
The completely bald blacksmith was on his knees, tears streaming down his face.
When Do Gwang had casually handed him the greatsword and asked — "I'll give you this, so can you teach me how to forge? Oh, and I'll need materials too." — the blacksmith had thought this young martial artist was incredibly arrogant. No matter how skilled a martial artist, this kid didn't even look twenty. He seemed utterly ignorant. It felt like he was disrespecting the sacred art of heating iron and hammering metal, which rubbed the blacksmith the wrong way.
But the greatsword Do Gwang handed over was a piece of equipment so valuable that he couldn't have obtained it even if he sold every weapon in his shop. So he couldn't refuse.
'No, I actually thought I'd caught a fool to take advantage of...'
He never imagined he'd be this happy — no, moved to tears by what happened next!
'How is this possible! I only taught him how to swing a hammer! Just the basics!!!'
How! How could he swing a hammer with such perfection, such divine inspiration!
Clang-!
Clang-!
The sound of hammer and anvil colliding shook the soul itself!
The result wasn't finished yet! But the blacksmith could instinctively tell what kind of result would emerge from those hammer strikes! He didn't know exactly what Do Gwang was making, but he was certain it would be a peerless divine weapon!
"Ah...! Ah...! Divine Smith...!"
The blacksmith pressed his forehead to the ground and clasped his hands together in prayer.
One might ask why he was making such a fuss! But there was no way he couldn't, because...
Do Gwang, possessing such an extraordinary trait, was swinging that hammer.
Clang-!
Clang-!
"..."
Do Gwang hammered the metal in complete silence, and his figure was truly indistinguishable from the legendary divine smiths passed down only through oral tradition!
The forge's flames blazed with a brilliant blue light, their heat warping even the surrounding air. With each hammer strike, the earth trembled; with the second, the clouds seemed to part!
This was not the sound of metal — it was a sublime declaration establishing the principles of the world!
'Ah...! Ah...!'
The blacksmith was so overwhelmed with emotion he couldn't even breathe properly.
'I am witnessing the historical moment of a divine weapon's birth!!!'
The blacksmith stared at Do Gwang's fingertips, his eyes bloodshot. So he could remember every fleeting moment for eternity!
Clang-!
Clang-!
How much time had passed? The cheerful ring of metal gradually began to fade.
Shiiiiiz-!
The red-hot lump of iron was plunged into cold water, releasing a burst of coarse steam.
"Hoo..."
Finally finished with the forging, Do Gwang wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a light sigh.
"Oooh!"
The blacksmith cried out in admiration and scrambled to his feet. What kind of spiritual sword could it be! Or perhaps a demonic blade that could slice through the heavens themselves! Filled with anticipation, he checked the finished product!
"Eh...?"
A foolish, dumbfounded sound escaped the blacksmith's lips.
What caught his eye was not a famous sword that would command the world, nor a sharp treasured blade.
Just...
"A... a club...?"
Indeed. It was the very embodiment of brutish simplicity. A thick, rounded iron club — a steel bat.
"Uh..."
The blacksmith's jaw dropped to the floor.
"Th-this is strange...?"
He rubbed his eyes vigorously and stared at the club again. In all his years of sweating blood as a blacksmith, he had never seen such a bizarrely crude weapon. The result of that sublime hammering was nothing but a brutish iron rod...?
Unlike the blacksmith lost in confusion...
'Oh... this is actually pretty nice.'
Do Gwang swung the finished iron club back and forth, a very satisfied smile spreading across his face. The grip fit perfectly in his hand, and the weight pressed solidly against his shoulder.
'Perfect for bashing heads in.'
It seemed he wouldn't have to worry about the satisfying feel anymore when crushing the skulls of those he didn't like.
Just then...
"S-sir, I'm terribly sorry, but... could I touch it just once?"
The blacksmith pleaded with a trembling voice. He still couldn't accept this reality.
"...? Ah, sure. Go ahead."
Do Gwang coolly held out the club. As permission was granted, the blacksmith ran his trembling hand down the surface of the iron club.
And in that moment...
"Th-this can't be...!"
The blacksmith's pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck. He was utterly astonished. Despite its crude exterior, the iron's density was unimaginably tight, and its center of gravity was balanced as perfectly as a feather!
He had never personally seen or handled famous swords or treasured weapons in his life, but his soul as a smith was screaming at him. This might look like a club on the outside, but it was truly a divine weapon greater than any strange sword!
"But why..."
Tears finally began streaming down the blacksmith's face in thick droplets.
"Why a brutish club like this instead of that excellent greatsword you were carrying, or a sharp blade!"
The blacksmith cried out as if vomiting blood. His bald head gleamed in the forge's red light, making him look even more pitiful.
"...?"
Do Gwang scratched his brow.
'What's wrong with this bald ajusshi?'
He genuinely couldn't understand why the man was sobbing over a simple iron club. So he answered with absolute honesty and simplicity.
"Because I like things that are hard and heavy?"
That was the best for impact, after all. The reason was refreshingly clear.
"Hard... and heavy...?"
The blacksmith echoed with a dazed expression.
"Yeah. Hard and heavy."
Do Gwang nodded lightly.
"Heh... heh..."
The blacksmith slumped to the ground and let out hollow laughter like a man possessed. It was the moment his soul as a blacksmith shattered into pieces.
Whether he floundered in that abyss of despair or not...
"Do Hwa, is there anything you want?"
Do Gwang slung the iron club over his shoulder and looked after his little girl. Since they were at a blacksmith, he wanted to get her a new weapon too.
"No, I'm fine!"
Do Hwa hugged the dagger she kept precious in her arms and answered brightly.
"I like this one — the first thing you ever gave me!"
"...Is that so?"
"Yeah! This is all I need!"
"Alright, got it."
It was something he'd taken from a Blood Shadow squad member whose name he didn't even know and just given to her. And she treasured it that much. He'd wanted to give her something nicer and newer while they were here, but Do Gwang decided not to push it. If the kid liked it that much, there was no need to force something else on her.
Now that he'd gotten what he wanted, there was no reason to stay longer.
"Well then, we'll be going. Take care."
Do Gwang slung the iron club over his shoulder and walked out of the blacksmith shop.
"Bye bye, bald ajusshi~"
Do Hwa waved her little hand to say goodbye to the blacksmith and followed after Do Gwang.
And so, the quiet blacksmith shop was left with only one man.
"Bald head... hard and heavy..."
The blacksmith remained alone, trapped in an eternal demonic heart deviation between the philosophy of hard and heavy and the reality of his bald head.
He could never have imagined just how many martial artists' heads would be bashed in by that hard and heavy iron club born today.