Chapter 80
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: The Young Blacksmith
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The Orb of Eternal Slumber was a ridiculously overpowered item that granted stat points.
'It's technically a necklace, but it's more accurate to call it a consumable.'
Its durability wore down every time you killed a monster.
Once the durability ran out, it shattered and disappeared.
That was its only drawback.
But that was only when its durability ran out.
'If you could just restore its durability, there'd be no item more broken than this.'
That's why it was the perfect item for blacksmiths.
They could use the Repair skill to infinitely restore its durability, allowing for a permanent stat increase.
'But getting the orb isn't easy.'
If you didn't kill the Orc Shaman in the fifth round, you lost your chance to get it.
Later on, it would occasionally appear on 'PlePle,' the social open market, but the price was so astronomical that most blacksmiths couldn't even dream of buying it.
'But there's no rule saying only blacksmiths can benefit. After all, anyone can have its durability restored.'
That was why Ryu Min planned to go abroad.
Because the blacksmith who would one day become the undisputed best in the business was overseas.
'I need to ask him to repair the orb's durability.'
Ryu Min immediately began preparing to leave the country.
He had already gotten a passport just for an occasion like this.
"What are you doing?"
Seeing Ryu Min packing a suitcase, his sister asked, puzzled.
"Going somewhere?"
"I'm heading abroad for a bit."
"Huh? So suddenly?"
"I'll be back soon. Three days should be enough."
All he needed to pack were clothes and toiletries for the hotel stay.
He could buy anything else he needed there.
"What for? Is it for business?"
"You could say that."
"If you were going for fun, I was going to ask to tag along. Guess not."
"Who'd be traveling for fun in times like these?"
"Ah, right."
"Make sure you eat well while I'm gone."
"So, where are you going?"
Ryu Min grinned and said,
"England."
* * *
Russell Daniel, who lived in England, had dropped out of school early.
For no other reason than his love for smithing, he had moved into a cabin in the mountains, where he had been living for six years now.
He was now a respectable blacksmith, recognized by his clients for his considerable skill.
Clang— Clang—!
He hammered a piece of iron heated in the scorching fire.
It was a process of shaping the metal and increasing its strength.
"Hoo, this should be good enough."
Russell was making a 15-centimeter dagger.
Once it had taken a decent shape, he sharpened the blade on a whetstone.
Then, after heating it in the fire again, he plunged only the blade into water.
Tssss—
This would make the blade even sharper.
As a final touch, he honed the blade with a special whetstone coated in iron filings and attached the handle.
"All done."
The dagger, a personal project, was complete.
It was just a hobby.
Not for sale.
"Hoo… Is it time to quit this line of work?"
He gave a self-deprecating smile as he gazed at the sharply honed dagger.
"It'd be nice if I could sell even one a day."
He had boldly taken up smithing at a young age, but that was a story for when he actually had customers.
Now, you could count the number of people who sought him out on one hand.
"This is all because of those damn angels."
January 2022.
While routinely forging a weapon for a client in his cabin, Russell was suddenly summoned to another world.
He'd hastily created an avatar and was forced to fight against goblins, crammed together with other people.
'It felt like being drafted into a war out of nowhere while living peacefully in the countryside.'
After surviving up to the fifth round and looking back, he saw the world was showing signs of ruin.
The population that had started at 1.8 billion had plummeted to 19 million. The economy faltered, and his customers dwindled.
'Well, I expected it would turn out like this, didn't I? It was always a tough profession to make a living in.'
The cost of materials for smithing was no small sum.
He had managed to get by until now, but he was at his limit.
His bank account was nearly empty.
He didn't want to ask his parents for money anymore.
"Should I start looking for another job…?"
He had wanted to keep smithing for as long as possible… but that dream was now crumbling.
The world was rapidly changing, revolving around Players.
'They said they'd grant a wish if you clear all 20 rounds, right?'
A wish.
Russell's wish was nothing grand.
To survive for a long time and continue the smithing he loved.
It was, quite literally, a small wish, nothing extravagant.
'Right. I can't give up on smithing. What's the point of being young if you don't have some fire? A man's got to have ambition!'
He shook off his gloomy feelings and decided to move forward.
He set a new goal.
'I'll clear the final round and make my wish come true!'
If he had been surviving passively until now, he decided he would now actively tackle the rounds.
'A blacksmith might not be a combat-oriented class, but as I am now, I can manage.'
He didn't know how, but Russell had managed to obtain the Blacksmith class-change item early on.
At first, he was thrilled, thinking it was destiny.
But on the flip side, as the world fell apart, it became difficult to continue his profession.
'I have to make it to the 20th round, one way or another. It's the only way I can keep doing the smithing I love.'
It would be difficult, but he didn't think it was impossible.
He had enhanced the performance of his main weapon, an axe, with a skill he learned at level 20 called [Weapon Tempering].
Thanks to that, he could take down orcs with ease.
'I don't know how hard the sixth round will be, but I'm confident!'
Of course, surviving in the other world was one thing, but he had no intention of giving up on his life here just yet.
'I'm just putting it on hold until I can save up some money. Once I have enough to cover materials, I'll come back to the cabin and start again, even if it's just as a hobby.'
If he didn't have money, he just had to earn it.
That didn't mean he was going to resort to robbery like some other Players.
'I'd rather die than harm others. Well, the slaughter in the fourth round was unavoidable…'
For now, his plan was to leave the mountain and look for a job.
'I don't know if there are any decent jobs available in times like these…'
A situation where 23% of the world's population had died.
With billions of people dead in just a few months, the economy was naturally in shambles.
'I saw a news article saying that most shops had closed down because of Players looting…'
It seemed finding a job wouldn't be easy.
'Still, I have to try! I'm not the type to give up without even looking.'
If worst came to worst, he planned to sell the items in his inventory to make money.
'Though I'm not sure if anyone would buy this stuff.'
Having made his decision, Russell began to tidy up his cabin.
Just then, he heard the crunch of footsteps behind him.
Russell turned around without thinking and was surprised.
He had turned his head, expecting to see a wild animal, but instead, a person was walking toward him.
An Asian man, at that.
'What's this? It's rare to meet anyone out here…'
Especially since he had purposely built his cabin in a secluded spot to avoid bothering anyone.
"Can I help you? Are you lost?"
He wasn't sure if they'd be able to communicate, but he spoke first anyway.
But then.
"You're Russell Daniel, right? The famous young blacksmith."
The man not only spoke fluent English but also knew his name.
Russell's gaze turned cold.
"Who are you?"
"Judging by your reaction, I've come to the right place."
"Where did you hear about me? None of my clients are Asian."
"I didn't hear it from anywhere. I saw it."
"Saw it?"
Ryu Min revealed his hand first.
"I am a Prophet. I can see the future."
"A Prophet? What is this guy talking about…?"
"Russell. Level 21. Class: Blacksmith. Your designated zone is C-EUKE008. Correct?"
"…"
Russell could only gape in response.
He was too stunned to speak.
'He could have guessed the level and class by pure luck. But to get the zone name right…'
Seeing as he knew the zone name, which Russell had told no one, his claim of being a Prophet didn't seem to be a lie.
"Can you really see the future?"
"Yes."
"I've never heard of a class called Prophet."
"That's understandable. It's not a common class."
"Not common?"
"You may not know this, but there are countless classes in the other world. Among them are Unique Classes, which only one person can possess. Prophet is one of them."
"So why has someone so incredible come all the way out here?"
"No need for sarcasm. Russell, I came here to make a deal with you."
"A deal?"
"Just repair one item for me with your Repair skill. Do that, and I'll give you some valuable information."
'Information?'
His interest piqued, Russell asked cautiously.
"What kind of valuable information?"
"Information about the sixth round."
Russell's eyes widened.
'If I can know about the next round in advance, it'll be a huge help in clearing it.'
Repairing one item?
Honestly, it wasn't a difficult task.
It was even easier than smithing.
All he had to do was touch the item and cast the skill.
'The problem is, it's too easy.'
The reward was too great for such a simple task.
Information on the sixth round, no less.
As someone who was more cautious about relationships than most, Russell couldn't help but be wary.
"So you'll really give me information on the sixth round just for restoring an item's durability?"
"That's right."
"That doesn't add up. Do you have some other motive?"
As Russell watched him with suspicion, Ryu Min smiled.
He had expected this reaction.
'Just as I'd expect from Russell.'
He's suspicious and on guard, even though it's an offer with no downside for him.
'I would have been disappointed if he'd just accepted it without a second thought.'
When someone is this suspicious, you can't deceive them.
You have to open up first and take a direct approach.
"May I speak frankly?"
"…?"
"I want to become friends with you."
"W-What?"
"I saw it in the future. You, at the pinnacle of smithing."
'M-Me? At the pinnacle?'
Ignoring Russell's wide eyes, Ryu Min continued.
"You survive until the 15th round without anyone's help. That's an amazing feat. But that's as far as you go. The future you envision doesn't exist beyond that point. It's a despairing thought, isn't it?"
"…"
"But I can help you. If you join hands with me, you'll be able to grow more easily and aim for beyond the 15th round. And even continue the smithing you so desire."
"…!"
Just a moment ago, Russell hadn't believed the Asian man's words.
He had been thinking it was a trick, not a prophecy.
But hearing him correctly state his deepest wish changed his mind.
"…What do you want from me?"
"I don't want much. Just…"
Ryu Min smiled faintly.
"For us to help each other."