Chapter 361: Base Overhaul (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 361: Base Overhaul (1)
The Citadel of Giants.
This place, which they had initially claimed as their base, had grown to a 'medium-to-large' scale since Jinhyuk took charge of it.
This was not due to the Empire's protection or any internal factors, but purely the result of the reputation Jinhyuk had built up.
And now.
"Wow. We're finally here."
Jinhyuk, Cheon Yu-seong, and Alice visited the citadel for the first time in a while.
Only Teresa was unable to attend, having been urgently summoned back to Europe.
"Hmm. It regained its original shape faster than I expected. That skeleton Antrad went on quite a rampage here," Yu-seong muttered, looking around in wonder.
"Hmph."
Alice was pouting heavily for some reason.
She didn't seem to have enjoyed her recent vacation outside the Tower.
Is she still upset about the shaved ice?
He figured he should probably leave her alone for a bit.
The three of them passed through the citadel's main gate and walked toward the garden.
A place lined with familiar stone walls.
Memories of the frantic battles they had fought here came flooding back.
Well, hard work pays off. All of that laid the groundwork for what we have now.
With a base established, other factions wouldn't dare to mess with them easily.
Reinforcing the base was absolutely essential, especially for the upcoming power struggles on the upper floors.
Having already laid down this foundation, Jinhyuk possessed an advantage on a completely different level compared to other players.
Right then.
"Oh, it's been a while."
A blonde man standing at the entrance of the garden smiled brightly.
Abraham.
He was a Grand Sword Master of the Empire.
Having sided with the Emperor during the civil war against the nobles, Abraham's current status and power within the Empire were beyond imagination.
Even those newly elevated to the rank of Duke dared not speak carelessly in his presence.
And standing right beside him was Penheimer.
"Player Kang Jinhyuk. Thank you for making such a long journey."
"Not at all. I should be the one thanking you for managing this place while I was away."
Jinhyuk greeted them warmly.
No matter what, it was always a pleasure to reunite with those he had shared life-and-death struggles with.
"Just as you requested, we have reinforced the walls and deployed about twenty-three types of defensive magic. All of them are at least 5th-Circle. With this, ordinary monsters or bandits won't even dream of coming near."
Twenty-three types of 5th-Circle magic...
That was certainly a top-tier level of defense for a citadel.
Even within the Empire, castles this secure could be counted on one hand, excluding the imperial capital.
On top of that, with the barriers of the White Tree Tangrasil and Fantasy Lost Paradise, it wouldn't fall short even when compared to large-scale bases.
However...
"The bastards trying to attack this place aren't your average foes."
"It seems you've gotten yourself tangled up in something troublesome again. For a monster like you to react this way, it's almost terrifying."
Abraham asked with an intrigued expression.
For someone who had spent his entire life honing his swordplay, meeting worthy rivals was a lifelong dream.
Yes. This is why I like battle maniacs.
Just a little provocation, and they're itching for a fight.
"They're from the upper floors. We had some friction while conquering the Tower, and they're gnashing their teeth, telling me to watch my back. Since it'll be hard for them to track my movements perfectly, if they target anything, it'll likely be this place."
"Ho. The upper floors, you say? So those guys are going to invade this place? That sounds like the perfect opportunity to test the new swordsmanship I've mastered... Ah, I mean, that sounds incredibly dangerous."
Abraham twitched his fingers, looking rather pleased instead.
On the other hand...
Penheimer added with a worried look.
"This place might turn into a sea of fire again."
The Empire had only just stabilized, and the war with the Murim was currently in a truce.
He probably didn't want to blow away this hard-won golden age of peace and prosperity with yet another war.
Of course, Jinhyuk understood his feelings.
I'd feel the same way if I were in his shoes.
But as the Tower of Trials progressed, there would eventually be no safe place left on any floor.
As the upper floors were unlocked and the Great Crowns gathered in one place, the binding force restraining the 50th Floor would weaken.
Ultimately...
The primordial beings, whose true powers had been suppressed by the system's strict constraints, would eventually crawl down to the lower floors of the Tower as they pleased.
When that happened, the Tower would inevitably turn into a massive living hell.
Knowing this future, Jinhyuk was slowly preparing variables to counter it.
"Lord Penheimer."
"Yes?"
"Do you trust me?"
"..."
It was a sudden question.
Though brief, the weight of the meaning behind it was by no means light.
If anyone other than Jinhyuk had asked this, Penheimer would have retorted, asking how he could expect blind trust with such a momentous matter at stake.
But...
"...I trust you."
He had no choice but to trust him.
The future of the despair-ridden Empire and its numerous kingdoms.
The one who had restored the collapsed imperial authority and allowed them to carry on through days devoid of hope...
...was none other than Jinhyuk.
When everyone said it was impossible, the hero who turned it into reality was the very man standing before him.
"Then please trust me this time as well. The Empire will not be swept up in the flames of war again. I will make sure of it."
"I apologize. I spoke out of turn, thinking only of our immediate future. I momentarily forgot that all of this peace is thanks to you, Player Kang Jinhyuk."
"Hahaha! Feel free to call upon me whenever you need, too. If you wish, my knights and I will ride across the plains to this place, humble though our strength may be."
With this, he had secured the Empire's support.
He could handle the detailed reinforcements of the citadel in his spare time while staying in the Empire.
He had already planned to stay here for a few more days anyway to hand over 'Habelian's Soul' to Orun.
"Well then, we'll be on our way. We'll drop by once more before we leave."
"You're leaving already? We've prepared a banquet in the imperial capital. Will you not attend?"
"A banquet?"
"Yes. Since our heroes have graced us with a visit after so long, we have prepared a gathering fitting for the occasion. It would be a great honor for us if Lord Cheon Yu-seong and Lady Alice, who is standing beside you, would also grace us with their presence."
"Hmm, I appreciate the offer, but... a banquet is a bit..."
Just as Jinhyuk was about to politely decline...
"I-I-I-I want to go! The banquet!"
Alice, who had been pouting all this time, suddenly burned with intense determination.
"Alice?"
"I'm going. I am absolutely going."
"Why are you suddenly being so proactive?"
"T-That's..."
Alice recalled another trump card she had stored in her subspace inventory.
[Lost Imperial Dress of the Ancient Empire]
A dress worn by the last princess of the Felshtain Kingdom. Crafted by countless artisans over several years, this dress is a gem among gems, so precious that even dragons would covet it.
Durability: 5,000 / 5,000
Special Effect: Increases Charm by +100 when equipped.
I failed outside the Tower, but I will succeed this time.
With that idiot Saintess out of the picture, my chances are even higher.
A scrawny, unresponsive blue-haired girl like her doesn't even feel like a rival.
"Do whatever foolish things you want among yourselves."
Cheon Yu-seong turned away, having lost interest.
However...
"Hmm. That is a pity. I was hoping to have a sparring match with you this time."
Abraham shrugged, speaking in a casual tone.
"You wanted to spar with me?"
"You seem to know your way around a sword, so I thought you'd make a decent practice partner."
At those words...
Yu-seong's footsteps ground to a halt.
"Ho. So... you're saying I'd make a good 'practice partner'?"
"Yes. Well, that is what I think."
"I'll attend that damn banquet of yours right now. You'd better not touch a single drop of alcohol. Unless you want to regret it after losing an arm."
"I shall look forward to it."
Out of nowhere, a duel between the two had been arranged.
Well... looks like I'm being dragged to this banquet whether I like it or not.
* * *
Clang!
"Whoops!"
Clang!
"Whoops! My bad!"
Snap!
"My hand slipped. Dammit!"
"You crazy old geezer! What the hell are you doing breaking perfectly good kitchen knives?!"
Shouts and screams of despair echoed in unison from the blacksmith shop.
Seeing how their voices were louder than the sound of hammering, it seemed he had come to the right place.
"Ahem! Well, since I made a mistake, just give me 2 silver. That doesn't even cover the labor cost."
"Two silver, my foot! I'm going to have the guards arrest you soon. Keep your neck clean and wait! Ptooey!"
A man stormed out of the shop, huffing and puffing while holding a kitchen knife snapped in half.
"Tsk, tsk. Youngsters these days have absolutely no faith in a master's craftsmanship..."
"People only trust those who are trustworthy. I thought you'd have gone out of business long ago, but you're somehow still open, Old Man Orun."
"Huh? You are...?"
Orun's eyebrows furrowed into an inverted 'V' shape.
The person he wanted to see the most—yet also wanted to avoid the most—had just walked into his shop.
"Dammit, you're still alive and back again... Ah, I mean, haha! Good to see you. So, what brings you back here?"
"I'd like you to craft a weapon out of a certain material. It's a pretty high-grade material, so I don't think I can handle it with my current skill level."
Jinhyuk pulled out 'Habelian's Soul' from his subspace inventory.
A long crystal swirling with blue light radiated a brilliant glow.
"T-This is..."
Orun's pupils dilated in shock.
He swallowed hard, his throat dry.
He couldn't help it.
A material this rare was not something one saw every day.
In a way, it was inevitable that his instincts from his past life as a royal blacksmith would begin to stir.
"Can you do it?"
"O-Of course I can. Absolutely."
"I don't know, I'm feeling a bit uneasy. Especially with all those complaints posted outside."
"Ahem! Although I made a mistake just now, that was only because I was dealing with a measly kitchen knife. With a rare material like this, I will show you my true skills. Didn't I successfully complete Balmung for you before?"
"Well, that's true."
Although it was still difficult to wield properly, Orun's help had definitely played a major role in completing Balmung.
Crack!
"Now, shall I show you what I'm truly capable of for the first time in a while?"
Orun hummed a tune as he gripped the massive hammer resting in the forge.
"This cool, heavy sensation. It's been a while."
"I haven't told you to start yet. Maybe you should warm up a bit more—"
"Heave-ho!"
[Orun activates Lv. 18 'Blacksmith of the Fallen Kingdom'!]
Hummmm!
A golden mist rose along the hammer.
Clang!
[Due to clumsy workmanship, the enhancement success rate of 'Habelian's Soul' has decreased!]
[Remaining Attempts: 2]
"Fufu. As expected, this is no easy material. Good. Very good. This is what makes it worth doing."
This is starting to feel extremely sketchy.
However, Orun's hammer was already raised high once more.
Clang!
The hammer struck the side of the crystal.
Beautiful sparks scattered as the hammer resonated softly.
[Due to an absurd mistake, the enhancement success rate of 'Habelian's Soul' has decreased!]
[Remaining Attempts: 1]
Another failure.
"It's not over yet! The final attempt is always when the true essence of a blacksmith shines! Trust me until the very end."
Trust him, huh...
Of course I should trust him.
However...
"Just so you know," Jinhyuk added with a bright smile right before the final strike. "If that breaks, this forge is going to break right along with it."
He fully intended to reduce it to dust.
Leaving not even a trace of its existence in this world.
"Haha... Ha, hahaha..."
A drop of cold sweat rolled down Orun's forehead.
He knew better than anyone else that those words were absolutely not a joke.
Hummmm!
The hammer glowed with a far more intense light.
And at that very moment...
"H-Heeeeeave-ho!"
Clang!
The final hammer strike exploded.