Chapter 52
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Chapter 52
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Hamin, Orgo's Heir
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Kang Seol was heading to the place Kibo had described.
To verify the information he'd gained in exchange for severing Heka's neck in his stead.
'That aside, time's a bit tight...'
During the rest period, he'd gotten tangled in far more incidents than expected, leaving only about a fortnight until the next adventure.
And now, he needed to spend that time tracking down traces of Chao—but against his wishes, his feet were carrying him elsewhere, stirring impatience in his heart.
'If it looks like it'll take too long, I'll put it off.'
Chasing Chao's whereabouts was the top priority; no need to stake everything on this intel.
Even so, Kang Seol felt a quiet thrill at the prospect of meeting Hamin, Orgo's direct successor, face-to-face.
'Is it really him?'
Even if things went south and he walked away empty-handed, Kang Seol still intended to track Hamin down.
Hamin was the very legacy he'd left in the Eternal World. Painful as that memory might be for Orgo, Kang Seol wanted to see him.
"Somewhere around here..."
In a corner of Nobira even more devoid of people than most, Kang Seol traversed streets that veered past desolation into outright eeriness.
The surrounding houses stood vacant—whether abandoned or for some other reason—merely claiming space.
This place looks super suspicious;;
Kekeke… he took the bait
Nobira's got spots like this? Spooky!!
As Kang Seol sensed the foreboding and scanned his surroundings, someone made their presence known.
Rustle…
He turned toward the sound.
There stood a young man of striking beauty, gazing at Kang Seol.
'Beauty mark...'
Kang Seol quickly noted the youth's defining feature.
A beauty mark beneath the eye of a handsome man with sun-kissed skin.
'It's Hamin.'
Exactly as he remembered from Orgo's days—though far more mature now.
As Kang Seol stared at Hamin with a nostalgic air, the young man spoke up.
"I've heard from Lord Kibo."
"Was it presumptuous of me?"
Hamin shook his head.
"Lord Kibo is my benefactor. Without him, I'd have died with my mouth stuffed full of sand."
Relief washed over Kang Seol; Hamin's faith in Kibo remained unshaken.
Hamin gave Kang Seol a polite bow, then turned and began to walk away.
"Follow me. There's nothing worth discussing out here in the open."
"Understood."
It was no small thing for an entire row of houses to radiate such a chill. Stranger still, none had windows—peering inside was impossible.
Even slums usually bore traces of habitation.
'Some backstory here, huh?'
Kang Seol pondered as he trailed after Hamin.
Hamin ducked into a modest home amid rough, secluded surroundings.
Kang Seol followed suit, and Hamin—having apparently prepared tea in advance—gestured to a seat before moving to pour.
"Not sure if it'll suit your palate."
"Ah, no tea for me."
"...Pardon?"
"I never eat or drink anything offered by others... occupational habit. Bear with me."
Hamin said quietly,
"You sound just like my master..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Anyway, it looks odd—the host sipping tea alone while the guest sits empty-handed."
"Not your fault, Lord Hamin."
Slurp.
Hamin sipped his tea, locking eyes with Kang Seol. He was a man of few words.
'Same as ever, even as a kid.'
Unlike other children his age, Hamin's sparse dialogue options had always surprised Kang Seol. He could scarcely believe the man before him now was that same boy.
"Something wrong?"
"No."
"Life's full of surprises. Rescued by Lord Kibo in the desert, left to fade into obscurity... and now repaying a debt to a total stranger."
Kang Seol, who'd been curious about that tale, asked,
"Who was chasing you?"
"Those who lusted after my master's creations. Ah, do you know of him?"
Did he ever.
"A fair bit."
"Do you know him from before... that shameful moniker?"
"...Golden Hand Orgo."
Every item he crafted brimmed with uncanny power—no wonder such a grandiose title stuck.
"Spot on."
"Why ask if I know your master?"
"Hearing his name from outsiders brings me immense joy. Did I overstep?"
"Not at all. Just struck me as unusual."
Hamin pressed on.
"When Master grew disillusioned with the world and vanished, his works had either fallen into villains' hands or he'd hidden their trails beyond tracing."
"And you still got pursued?"
Concealing those items' locations had been Kang Seol's own mercy.
So Hamin could forge his own path. Leaving treasures behind would've been futile—he couldn't protect them.
And those relics would only torment Orgo.
"That's when I learned evil clings tighter than good. They watched me relentlessly. Was I living normally? Contacting Orgo in secret?"
"So you fled."
"Yes. Figured a grueling route would deter them—never dreamed it'd lead across the desert."
"Meeting Lord Kibo was a stroke of luck."
"Without him, I wouldn't be hale today. Thanks to that, I carved out a life here."
"And your work these days...?"
Hamin gave a wry smile.
His answer dashed Kang Seol's hopes.
"Haven't touched anvil or hammer in ages. I run a teahouse in the city now."
"...I see."
"Ah, but a debt's a debt, separate from all that. I'll repay Lord Kibo's grace somehow. So, tell me—what does Snowman desire?"
Hamin has asked what you desire.
What will you request from him?
1. [Requirement: Persuade Hamin] Weapon
2. [Requirement: Persuade Hamin] Armor
3. [Requirement: Blacksmith] Secret Technique Transmission
4. Item Repair or Enhancement
...
Dismal options.
'All locked.'
Everything in gray.
Barring one or two, utterly useless.
'No time to persuade Hamin...'
An unexpected windfall, but no buffer for delays.
Mountains of worries just finding Chao—no room for dead ends.
Kang Seol abandoned hopes of a new creation and picked another path.
Two items vanished from his inventory.
One was Karuna's Moonlight Sword, gleaming with razor-sharp azure; the other, a battered helmet.
A helmet forged from rare spirit stone. Imbued with the creator's resentment, it has corrupted. Now fully destroyed—even restored, it won't regain its original power.
Basic Abilities: None.
Special Abilities: None.
This helmet came from the Hall of Moderation—a treasure Borgo wielded back then.
"Ho..."
Hamin's interest piqued; he examined the Moonlight Sword and helmet in turn. Such fervor lay hidden within him.
'Just like always, Hamin.'
Thumbs up for every new Orgo creation.
In the void Orgo left behind, Hamin had endured.
"This helmet's spirit stone, right?"
"Yes."
"We'll need to melt it down. Patching it as-is won't yield half the stone's power."
"I see."
Hamin turned from the helmet to the Moonlight Sword.
Kang Seol waited. Anticipating the same spark, followed by an offer.
But.
"Hmm..."
No reaction for ages.
"Uuum..."
"Something wrong?"
"One moment..."
Hamin pulled a thick tome from the bookshelf, poring over its pages.
More time ticked by.
Hamin... such a Hamin oppa...
Wanna peek at the private goods?
Taking forever;;
Kang Seol stayed statue-still.
At long last, after an eternity, Hamin spoke.
"Where'd you get this...?"
"Where? Nowhere special..."
"Could you tell me?"
Not a tough secret—details poured out: unearthed from the Forgotten Moon Ruins, lost to memory.
"...As I thought."
"Why?"
"Items bear records. The era, purpose of creation. Embarrassing to say, but I have the eye to read them."
Kang Seol hesitated.
"No trace on the Moonlight Sword?"
"None. How does something like this even exist...? Would Master have known?"
"Even Master wouldn't."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing."
Hamin murmured on.
"Likely from before our current civilization."
"Pardon?"
"You might find it odd. But that's my judgment. Materials, latent power—all unknown. Most baffling: some unprecedented force counters the sword's own power."
"Meaning?"
"In a word, it's suppressing the blade's strength. These inscriptions are suspicious."
Kang Seol hadn't sought the sword's origins. This rabbit hole was a detour.
"And?"
"I'm hooked—properly! Mind if I ask who's wielding it? Not you, Snowman?"
Whoooong...
Swish-!
The steadfast knight Karuna materialized at Kang Seol's side.
"...A shadow?"
"Right. It's his."
"A shadow wielding a sword... intriguing."
"Which one will you handle?"
Moonlight Sword meant enhancement; helmet, repair. No forcing a new make if the helmet stayed powerless.
Yet Hamin chose unexpectedly.
"Both. I'll take them."
"Pardon?"
"This sword's got me fired up."
Sword alone made sense—why the helmet?
As Kang Seol eyed it, Hamin explained.
"If uninterested, I'd refuse the helmet. But the spark's lit—I'll handle both."
"I've only a fortnight, Hamin."
"Plenty. Leave it to me. I'm one of the few on the continent who can awaken that dormant power."
"...Very well."
Once Kang Seol handed over the sword and helmet and departed, Hamin gathered them and headed off.
Clunk-
Creak...
To the basement.
No ordinary one.
A long passage snaked deeper underground.
Clunk-
"Phew... been a while."
Dust-shrouded tools: anvil, hammer, bellows, forge.
Despite claims of abandoning them, the space brimmed with everything needed.
These were the windowless houses that puzzled Kang Seol.
Hamin had joined their inner walls into one vast smithy.
He hadn't brought only the helmet and sword.
Shing...
A blade radiating prismatic brilliance.
Beauty to captivate at a glance.
Its name: 'Storm'.
Orgo's very first creation.
Treasure grade—impressive for a debut, yet modest amid the continent's rarities.
Hamin's pursuers hadn't hounded him on mere suspicion of knowing relic locations. It was this sole inheritance from his master.
"A mere treasure... why'd they covet even this from me?"
Click-
Sheathing Storm, he exhaled softly, vowing like steel.
"Orgo, this time... I'll surpass you."
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