Genius Blacksmith's Game

The stands of Jamsil Sports Complex.

A middle-aged man named Haeseok sat alone.

He had been born in 2002.

Because of that, ever since he was a teenager, adults had always said things like this to him.

“You’re a World Cup baby.”

“You never got to see the World Cup, did you? It was amazing.”

“I’m telling you, the whole country became one, and the cheers rang out everywhere.”

“Ah, what a shame.”

Because of that, Haeseok had always wondered.

What had that feeling been like for them?

What did it mean for heat like that to sweep across all of Korea?

But until he came here, he had thought {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} something like that would never happen in the more than forty years of his life.

He had felt the same even after entering and taking his seat.

“Last place? They should just forfeit. Good grief.”

If he had not gotten a free ticket, he would not have come.

On top of that, as a perpetual section chief, he had only come because the ticket was a free one he had received from the CEO, which meant he also had to take a proof photo.

That same man now held his breath as he stared at the screen.

“All 208 have been annihilaaated!!!!”

“Not a single one remains. They have all been wiped out!! Team USA is still reducing the number of Combat Golems at this very moment!”

“What the hell?”

“What did I just see?”

The stands.

There were rankers there too, and Haeseok pricked up his ears at one of their words.

“That was insane... He planned it. With their movement speed and attack speed slowed by Freeze and Slow, he blew up every obstacle, then used Cut Them in Two to reduce the HP of over two hundred Combat Golems below 50%.”

“Planned it?”

At his girlfriend’s words, the ranker spoke in a startled voice.

“If they had been hit by the Transcendent Golem’s laser while they were intact, not a single unit would have broken. But Hyunsoo designed the whole thing from beginning to end so they would be hit by the laser after being struck by Cut Them in Two. Deliberately shaving the Transcendent Golem’s HP down to 50% to bait out the laser, then annihilating them through the principle of absolute domination—it was an absurd plan.”

“......”

The spectators who heard him could not hide their astonishment.

Inside the screen.

The highlight scenes from the second round continued one after another, proving that the ranker’s words were true.

He planned all of that......?

Haeseok knew that even if a person could make a plan, carrying that plan through was incredibly difficult.

And deep inside his chest, heat and a thrill began to boil up.

Ugh......

He felt goosebumps rise all over his body.

In 2002.

Korea, which had been certain to be eliminated in the preliminary round, had advanced to the semifinals.

And today, in the 2040s.

If Korea won this match, then because it was a team event, they would gain two gold medals and tie with the United States.

Waaaaaaaah—!

Amid the cheers ringing out everywhere.

“Waaaaaaaah!”

Haeseok was among them.

And Haeseok was curious.

Does he have another plan after this too?

And at that moment.

Haeseok realized that the Combat Golems were not the only things the laser had cut apart.

The giant screen.

Beyond the wall shattered by the laser.

The third stage......?

The gate leading onward was revealing itself.

*****

Ruuuumble—

The Transcendent Golem had a single eye.

As that Transcendent Golem fell under absolute domination, its eye turned black.

However, that color was gradually returning, and Hyunsoo looked at the 208 Combat Golems scattering where the laser had passed, then beyond them.

This is exactly the spot.

After both the Transcendent Golem and the Combat Golems were hunted, the stage door leading to the third round would open on its own and rise.

And now, at the place the Transcendent Golem’s laser had swept through.

The wall collapsed, and thick clouds of dust burst out as though exploding.

When the dust cleared.

Hyunsoo narrowed his eyes, hoping things had gone according to plan, and soon the path to the third stage was revealed.

Nice!

It looked as though the Transcendent Golem could be hunted in around three minutes if Hyunsoo and the party members fought it together.

However, Hyunsoo judged that it would be better for the others to hunt the Transcendent Golem in the second stage while he crossed over into the third stage alone.

[Party leader Hyunsoo: I’ll leave the rear to you.]

[Paul: Yes, sir!]

[Hers: Roger.]

[Kas: We will join you soon.]

Hyunsoo was certain the broken wall would soon repair itself, and he moved forward.

“User Hyunsoo is leaving the second stage’s Transcendent Golem to his party members and heading alone toward the third stage.”

“To be honest, Team Korea has never even reached the boss before, and even if they had, the result likely would not have been good.”

“The third stage is where the boss monster of this Dungeon Breakthrough appears. This boss monster is a humanoid golem, and while it resembles the Transcendent Golem, it is on an entirely different level.”

“Every one of them is a legendary golem. You can tell what kind of class-based legendary golem it is by the weapon it holds.”

“To use Team Japan as an example, the golem that appeared was holding a dagger and attacked in the manner of an assassin. In the same way, it is possible to infer what class a golem has from the weapon it holds.”

“Of course, it cannot be completely confirmed through that alone. In Team USA’s case, the golem held a sword, but it was a magic swordsman that used magic at the same time.”

“Also, according to what Pureum has revealed, the traits of these golems in the third stage change for each team. Because of that, since the first and second stages have already been cleared before, teams may be able to become faster there, but the third stage is not like that.”

Just then, Hyunsoo crossed over the wall.

What kind of being will it be?

What Hyunsoo wanted most was a mage type.

Hyunsoo had high status ailment resistance and magic defense, and his instantaneous damage output was high as well.

That means I can hunt it quickly.

What mattered was a fight decided by seconds.

The reason Hyunsoo had left the second stage to his party members was also because of relative strength.

At the start of the boss fight, they were more likely to get in the way than to help.

Please, mage, mage, mage.

The boss monster’s area looked like a small colosseum.

[The boss monster appears.]

[Legendary Golem Lv.532.]

Hyunsoo, who had entered, finally encountered the boss monster golem.

A greatswordsman?

It stood two meters tall, had no nose, and possessed only two eyes and a mouth.

The most eye-catching part was that the creature, with its hard-looking golem body, held a greatsword as long as the Twin Dragon Sword.

It also wore a red cape fluttering behind its back.

Its level was higher than Hyunsoo’s.

More importantly, since it was classified as Legendary, its strength would transcend common sense.

A greatswordsman is a first.

Since over a hundred countries had participated, all kinds of artifacts had appeared.

There had been iron maces, spears, swords, and even kitchen knives.

But among them, this was the first greatsword.

If it’s a greatswordsman......

Destructive Power.

Its stats were also highly likely to be poured into stamina and strength.

And it was likely to overwhelm Hyunsoo with appropriate warrior-type skills commonly used by close-combat classes.

The one fortunate thing was that in most cases, greatswordsmen were simple.

At that moment.

Boooooom—!

The creature moved, and Hyunsoo braced himself, putting power into the foot planted against the ground.

If it’s strength, stamina, and greatswordsmanship, I’m no worse.

Hyunsoo drew back the Twin Dragon Sword, and his blade collided with the creature’s greatsword.

Craaaaaang—!

At that moment, Hyunsoo’s eyes widened.

It’s fast.

In his own case, he had the effect of Dante’s Blessing, so he was fast even when swinging at explosive speed.

However, Hyunsoo spun half a turn from the impact.

Craaaaaang—!

Then he struck the creature with a massive blow.

[You have dealt 53,013 damage.]

Only after landing the blow did he realize one thing.

“A greatswordsman. In other words, the advantage of warrior classes. And if it is a Legendary class, then its total HP itself must be on an enormous level.”

That was the boss monster’s merit.

Because a greatswordsman fought in close quarters and therefore generally had high HP, it possessed a monstrous total HP.

Also, Hyunsoo had thought of it simply as a greatswordsman, but that was wrong.

If it were merely a “greatswordsman,” it could not have been classified as Legendary.

That was because it had its own unique traits and powers, and one of them was now being revealed to the entire world.

“Break.”

A stiff voice like a mechanical sound, not a human one.

If Hyunsoo’s great blade, the Twin Dragon Sword, had taken the form of a thin, long ring-pommel great blade, then the creature’s greatsword had a classic shape.

Its blade was much wider and thicker, and it was white.

At a glance, Hyunsoo instinctively felt it had to be at least 50% heavier than the Twin Dragon Sword, and only after seeing the creature’s line and the thickness of its greatsword did he intuit it.

“Don’t tell me......?”

Craaaaaack—!

The moment the Legendary Golem struck Hyunsoo, its identity was fully revealed.

[The Legendary Breaker Golem reveals its power!]

[Overlord’s Armor has taken a direct hit, and for 5 seconds, you cannot use its defense or any of its effects!]

What......?

More detailed notifications appeared for Hyunsoo.

[As Overlord’s Armor is dispelled, the additional 10% stat increase applied through the set effect disappears.]

[All stats and all attack power increase effects disappear.]

[The 30% damage reduction against all magic attacks disappears.]

[You cannot use Absolute Invincibility.]

[Total defense decreases by 18%.]

Being unable to use Overlord’s Armor, one of his set artifacts, even temporarily, was fatal.

And.

Puuuk, puuk, puuk!

Once, twice, three times......

Under its attacks, which continued in succession, Hyunsoo’s HP dropped faster than usual.

[You are judged as not wearing armor!!]

[You take critical hit damage!]

[You are judged as not wearing armor......]

[You take critical hit damage!]

[HP falls below 94%.]

[HP falls below 90%.]

“Keuk.”

Hyunsoo was flustered by the damage, which was coming in far too heavily.

“Armor is one of the main defensive pieces of equipment. When its power is completely lost, even for only 5 seconds, the damage received is inevitably large.”

In other words.

It was as though he was allowing attacks against bare skin.

After allowing three consecutive attacks, Hyunsoo staggered.

The Breaker Golem.

Its eyes shone.

It disliked this one human.

Because he was a greatswordsman like itself.

He was armed with splendid and incredible artifacts.

That was why.

The Breaker Golem was a being with high intelligence comparable to a human’s.

Each time it broke something one by one, it watched human pain and weakness closely and felt pleasure.

So it broke them one by one.

Craaaaaang—!

“Keup!!!”

[The Legendary Breaker Golem reveals its power!]

[Overlord’s Helmet has taken a direct hit, and for 5 seconds......]

Craaaaaang—!

[The Legendary Breaker Golem reveals its power!]

[Overlord’s Boots have taken a direct hit, and for 5 seconds......]

“It can activate infinitely? You’re... ridiculously broken!!!”

His reaction, admiration, and shock.

The bewilderment and despair of this arrogant human gave the Breaker Golem dopamine.

Humans were weak lifeforms that relied on things called weapons.

Five seconds.

Just by restricting his weapons for 5 seconds, he floundered in despair.

Also, the slang term the human had used—“ridiculously broken.”

The golem understood it.

It meant that it was that great and incredible.

The Breaker Golem would end this battle now.

By clashing its own greatsword against the giant greatsword swung toward it!

Craaaaaang!!!

[The Legendary Breaker Golem reveals its power!

[The Twin Dragon Sword has taken a direct hit, and for 5 seconds......]

His gleaming greatsword lost its sharpness.

He was finished.

Five seconds.

His armor pieces would eventually regain their power, but he had lost the power of his most important weapon, and for a full 5 seconds, he might have to fight bare-handed.

The Breaker Golem’s eyes curved into half-moons, and it cackled as though mocking him.

At that moment.

“I really am ridiculously broken, aren’t I?”

“......?”

The Breaker Golem was confused.

It had thought the human was calling the Breaker Golem ridiculously broken.

Now it realized that the phrase had been referring to the human himself.

What did that mean?

Just as it wondered that.

The Breaker Golem, which had believed the human could no longer use a weapon, was startled.

Sliiide—

Because he had taken out a hammer with “Peerless” written on it.

[Head-Cracker.]

Kwaaaaaaang—!

He smashed the hammer into its head.

The Breaker Golem staggered, then once again struck the creature’s hammer with its greatsword and broke it.

[The Legendary Breaker Golem reveals its power!

[Peerless has taken a direct hit, and for 5 seconds......]

But then......

Sliiide—

“???”

This time, he took out a sword with “For the New King” written on it.

And then.

[Longing occurs!!]

Boooooooom—!

He struck it and sent it flying.

“Kihiiiik!”

The Breaker Golem, slammed into the wall, was bewildered.

It had clearly broken his weapon.

But another weapon came out?

At that moment, the man with a bored expression quickly swapped the many kinds of weapons in his hands and said,

“I have seventy-five weapons.”

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