The NPC's Flower is the Blacksmith 2
Honestly, I hadn't expected it at all. I had given Hespera the armor, but I never imagined she'd actually pull it off.
I'd only managed it thanks to my Residual Mana Detection cheat skill, but Hespera's situation was completely different, so her success shocked me even more.
Then, out of nowhere, she dropped a bombshell, crediting it all to me. The shock turned to confusion, but as if to quell it, Hespera continued.
"I couldn't make armor on the same level as yours, Kim Suho-ssi, but I managed to imitate it roughly. Thanks to that, I could barely engrave one magic pattern on my leather armor, making it usable."
"Th-that's incredible."
I was genuinely awed by Hespera. The fact that she'd synchronized the monster's mana with her own without Residual Mana Detection left my jaw on the floor—even if it was just one pattern.
"Compared to your abilities, Kim Suho-ssi, it's pathetic. It barely holds one magic pattern. Still, that let us hunt SSS-rank monsters, taking our first step into conquering the dungeon."
But her words didn't add up. If adding just one magic pattern made monster hunting possible, shouldn't they have been able to hunt without it from the start?
"Hespera-ssi, I don't get it. If one magic pattern enables monster hunting, shouldn't it be possible without any at all?"
Hespera gave a wry smile at my question.
"Well, the truth is…"
Her explanation left me speechless.
Synchronizing the leather armor's mana had boosted its defense somewhat, but the effect wasn't huge.
The real reason they could tackle an SSS-rank dungeon was sheer numbers.
For the raid, Hespera hadn't gone in solo with Paragon Raid Team. She'd teamed up with two other top-tier teams: Agon Raid Team—one of the world's top ten attack squads, like Paragon—and Truffle Raid Team, which wasn't quite top ten but comparable.
That alone was astonishing, but get this: every member of Paragon Raid Team, plus half of Agon and Truffle's members, wore leather armor engraved with 24-segment magic patterns.
Not just any patterns—24-segment magic patterns.
The rumors I'd heard about engraved magic patterns shocked me anew, and with that setup, taking down SSS-rank monsters seemed obvious.
But the story that followed topped all the surprises so far.
"We entered the dungeon and hunted just four monsters in total."
"Pardon? Four?"
Three of the world's strongest raid teams, over a hundred hunters combined, and they only faced four monsters? It didn't compute.
"What on earth happened?"
"It was…"
"Bureau Chief, could I get reintroduced to that blacksmith you mentioned before?"
"Of course."
"Then, please arrange it as soon as possible."
I requested the blacksmith through Lee Musin.
Since I'd brought it up before, he accepted without fuss.
I sought him out right after hanging up with Hespera because of those SSS-rank monsters.
SS-rank ore-forged weapons barely scratch their defense. Only the world's top blacksmith's gear makes hunting feasible.
SSS-rank monster defense was beyond imagination.
Without SSS-rank ore, the best weapons were SS-rank ore-forged. Even those struggled to wound them—probing attacks left no marks, and only full-power strikes drew blood.
They'd managed four thanks to Agon Raid Team's involvement. Agon was a client of the blacksmith Hespera mentioned—the forge of Zeke, the world's undisputed top blacksmith.
Naturally, they wielded Zeke's meticulously crafted weapons, enabling the four kills.
In other words, only world-class blacksmiths could forge weapons capable of hunting them. Current raid gear levels made it brutally tough—maybe even impossible to take down a single one.
As expected of SSS-rank. But what about weapons made with NPC skills?
I'd planned to learn metallurgy anyway, so this felt timely.
I wondered if NPC-forged weapons could stand up to SSS-rank monsters—and how they'd compare to other hunters' gear.
The next day, the man to answer my questions arrived.
To learn metallurgy, I needed a forge, but the guild building didn't have one. It couldn't—normal structures couldn't handle the mana-fueled heat from a forge's hearth.
Most forges required special construction.
Instead, there was one on Hunter Management Bureau grounds: the one Lee Musin had built when we relocated, remembering my earlier mention.
Word came that the blacksmith had arrived, so I headed straight there.
But.
"You Kim Suho?"
"Y-yes?"
"Young punk already going deaf? I said, you Kim Suho?"
"Y-yes. I'm Kim Suho."
I was stunned by the blacksmith's appearance. A middle-aged man with yellow blond hair and blue eyes spoke flawless Korean.
His name was Kim Seok-jung, but where was the Korean in this foreigner?
So this is what 'a bit unique' meant?
Lee Musin had called him quirky, but I hadn't expected this.
"What're you staring at? Weirded out 'cause a blond blue-eyed foreigner speaks Korean too well?"
Cough. I choked, startled by him calling himself a "blond blue-eyed foreigner."
"N-no, sorry."
I bowed hastily in apology.
"It's fine. I'm used to it by now. But I'm Korean through and through—Kimhae Kim clan, Ankyeonggong faction, 36th generation. Oh, and I can't speak a lick of English, so no English."
As I caught my breath, his next words made me choke again. I apologized repeatedly.
"Really sorry."
Lee Musin had said he was quirky but a first-gen hunter with world-topping metallurgy skills. He hadn't explained why he'd set down his hammer, just that their connection made him bring him specially.
I didn't need someone that elite, but couldn't refuse when Lee Musin insisted. Plus, curiosity about what made him so great played a part.
Having delivered that shocking first impression, Kim Seok-jung spoke again.
"Alright, let's get started. Musin said you've never swung a hammer—is that right?"
"M-Musin?"
I stammered, shocked at how casually he called Lee Musin "Musin."
At least I didn't choke this time.
"What? 'Musin' weird you? Been calling the kid that since he was a brat—irks you?"
"No, just surprised. He doesn't look that old."
I knew Lee Musin was over 50, give or take. But Kim Seok-jung looked early-to-mid 40s at most, treating him like a kid? Shocking.
Now "young punk" made sense.
No way he's over 60 looking like that…
"62. Had my sixtieth last year."
Cough, cough. I choked hard this time.
He'd read my mind, but the real age floored me. How could those blue-eyed blond looks, thick features like a foreign actor, 190cm-plus frame, and arm muscles straining his work clothes scream 60?
"Truly sorry."
I bowed again.
"I said it's fine—for the third time. Saw the curiosity on your face, so I answered. Got more questions? Ask now. Once we start real metallurgy training, no time for chit-chat."
He could've been offended, but Kim Seok-jung seemed genuinely unbothered—encouraging questions, even. More straightforward than I'd thought.
"No, really none."
"Fine. Then I'll teach you real metallurgy. But first—answer about never picking up a hammer?"
I replied quickly to his follow-up.
"Yes, first time. Never held one."
"Huh, weird guy. Whatever, not my business. Promise kept—I'll teach metallurgy. But a question first. In your eyes, first-gen hunters or now—who's stronger?"
"Now."
Obvious answer. Another question followed.
"Gear then or now—which better?"
"Now."
Obvious too.
"Last one. Past metallurgy or now—which superior?"
"Now…"
I trailed off.
I'd planned to say "now" again. Hunters had advanced, so modern crafting outshone early days.
But Kim Seok-jung's vibe shifted subtly.
Something's up.
Lee Musin wouldn't bring him pointlessly. He skipped vetting despite my request, due to their tie? Unlikely.
Lee Musin chose meticulously—the best for my metallurgy needs. Bringing a first-gen like Kim Seok-jung over trendy smiths meant a reason.
I held my answer.
Kim Seok-jung picked up.
"Not clueless, good. Musin told me why he called. You're right—hunters and gear now crush then. Top hunters back then averaged 200-300 stats max. Gear from B/A-rank drops vs. S/SS? No contest."
Matched my thinking. I nodded.
But what came next flipped it.
"Ask if modern metallurgy's superior? I'd say no. Depends on your view of progress, but by mine, it's declined. Give those old smiths SS-rank ore now—they couldn't smelt it. But same A-rank ore for a sword? Old smiths' blades beat modern ones, guaranteed."
What? Same materials, yet old smiths superior? Nonsense.
Metallurgy hadn't vanished and been rebuilt—it evolved continuously like everything hunter-related: potions, leather armor, all advanced.
Why regress only in smithing? I asked straight.
"Not doubting, but honestly, I don't get it. How?"
His answer explained why Lee Musin brought him. I wanted to thank him.
To be continued in the next chapter...