Genius Blacksmith's Game

Myth is something special.

It is holy because it is something humans cannot dare reach.

And when a mere human comes to touch that myth, it can even defy common sense.

[Your vassal Khan is in danger.]

[He is 453 km away from you.]

[Khan’s HP is plummeting.]

The audience chamber.

Hyunsoo, who had obtained the new Sword Cry, Final Version, received the aid of that power.

There were several activation conditions for that power.

The target had to be one of Hyunsoo’s people, a friend, or someone with whom he had built affinity.

And it could be used when such a person’s HP plummeted and the situation was judged to be a moment of crisis.

Just like now.

[You have met the conditions to use Sword Cry.]

The instant the conditions were met, though the distance was clearly as much as 453 km, the present situation was projected into Hyunsoo’s vision.

[Guardian of Elvenheim Lv.523.]

There were roughly forty-five enormous bears, and they had already converged in one place, trying to devour Khan.

And not only Khan.

The projected vision shone as if showing the entire forest clearly.

He could see the 4th Knight Order and the subjugation force one kilometer away, running swiftly as they searched for a way out.

Hyunsoo understood.

Even if he bought them time, they’ll be wiped out.

The forest leading to Elvenheim.

Massive vines and trees were moving on their own, blocking every entrance and exit.

There was nowhere they could get out.

Hyunsoo’s lips went dry.

Just like when he had lost his father.

He had sworn he would never lose precious people again, yet he had nearly lost precious people like this.

If this power had not existed, Hyunsoo might have received a report that the 4th Knight Order had been annihilated.

But.

The story Hyunsoo had created had given birth to an immense power.

Now I won’t lose them.

He was clearly in the audience chamber.

But he lowered one knee and drew the Twin Dragon Sword behind his back.

KOOHOOOOOOO—!

The sight of him raising an immense energy, if anyone had seen it, would have been close to madness.

The way he stared into empty air with shining eyes would have bewildered anyone watching.

“Sword King’s swordsmanship. Final version.”

The name he murmured was great, and it drew a line through the very concept of swordsmanship.

This was Hyunsoo’s one and only power, something even the previous Sword Kings had never possessed.

SKAAAAASH—!

“Sword Cry.”

At that moment.

[You cut down the enemy, no matter where they are!!]

The true value of this power was revealed to the world.

*****

KIIIIIIIIING—!!

Khan felt at ease at the familiar sound.

It was as if the clear ringing sound made when the flat of a sword was struck stretched out long and powerful.

What is this sound?

And Khan was bewildered.

“GRHOOOOOOGH!”

“GRHAAAAAAANG!!”

“GRHOOOOOOO!!!”

Unlike Khan, who had simply listened to the sound in comfort,

the bears, because of the sound filling the entire forest, covered their ears and bled.

NPCs, too, knew the concept of status ailments.

The beasts pouring blood from their ears, eyes, and noses were even trembling like aspens.

They’ve fallen into Extreme Fear!?

They had fallen into such terror that some of them were drooling.

Others tried to stomp on the things around them in an attempt to overcome their fear.

Because of the aftereffects, Khan’s face twisted as he knelt there, powerless, waiting for death.

After all, he was in danger of dying from the rampaging beasts’ collateral damage!

Right then.

“Sword King’s swordsmanship. Final version.”

Khan was puzzled.

Your Majesty?

Whip, whip, whip—!

He hurriedly turned his head, but nowhere in this place was the owner of that familiar voice.

Yet he found something in the voice he heard.

Final... version?

It was something he had never heard before.

It told him His Majesty had obtained some new power.

Sunlight pierced through the gaps between the trees.

For a moment, he had the illusion of stillness, and in that stillness, at the end of the KIIIIIIING— sound, they finally arrived.

“Sword Cry.”

SHEEEEEEK—!!

A single blade that suddenly appeared surged up from below and split the right arm of a giant bear, one of the guardians.

SHEEEEEEK—!

This time, a formless blade that appeared from the left sliced through the giant bear’s head and passed on.

THUD—!

And then the number of blades that had appeared one by one changed.

Between the trees.

Above the sky.

From the ground.

KIIIIIIIIING—!!!

Through that clear ringing sound came the chilling shriek of blades cutting through the air.

Roughly ninety blades moved everywhere at once.

SKRAAAAAK—!

SKRAAAAAAK—!

“GRHOOOOOOGH!”

“GRHAAAAAAANG!”

“GRHANG!”

Every time those blades brushed past, blood sprayed.

The guardians of Elvenheim.

They were high-level monsters over Level 500, somewhere between semi-boss-class and ordinary.

And those blades raged through the creatures, each of which possessed overwhelming power capable of annihilating the 4th Knight Order and more than a hundred soldiers.

SKAAAAK—!

SKAKAKAKAKAK—!

KRRRRRK—!

SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLASH—!

“GRHOOOOOOO!”

The blades did not stop.

As if they would only stop once they had annihilated every enemy here.

And soon.

KUUUUUNG—

The moment the last guardian of Elvenheim collapsed.

SKAAAAAAAAK—!!!

The ninety-odd blades shot up into the sky at the same time, rising so high they could no longer be seen, and only the chirping of birds echoed through the forest.

Chirp, chirp—

“.......”

That day, while kneeling, Khan saw his king and god, who protected him even when they were not together.

And he was able to complete his mission.

[The entrances to Elvenheim Forest have opened again.]

[You have learned the path that leads to Elvenheim.]

Filled with emotion, Khan completed one final task for His Majesty, the new god who had appeared in this world.

God had spoken.

Does money come out if you dig up the ground? It does not. Let us treasure drop items.

Rustle, rustle—

Though he was covered in blood, Khan hurriedly gathered the spoils.

Without leaving behind so much as a single coin.

“Commander!”

“You’re alive!”

The 4th Knight Order and the soldiers, who had returned after seeing the entrances open, rejoiced.

Khan smiled and said,

“Let us return to His Majesty.”

He was overcome with emotion.

Ah, His Majesty saved us, and he will welcome our return with the magnificent bearing of a god!

Khan hurried back on horseback, drank a potion, received treatment, and had an audience with Hyunsoo.

Then Hyunsoo spread both arms and said,

“Could there be any story in this world more beautiful than this? The most beautiful story in the world, of a king saving his subject even from far away!”

What is the matter with him?

Khan wondered at Hyunsoo’s words.

But at the same time, Hyunsoo’s words were true.

“Your Majesty.”

“Khan......!”

“Your Majestyyyyyy.......”

“Khaaaan!”

“Nghuuuuh!”

Khan sobbed in Hyunsoo’s arms, and Hyunsoo kept shouting.

“Ah, beautiful. Beautiful! The most beautiful thing in the world!”

“It is beautiful! It’s beautiful! All of this is so beautiful!”

And Hyunsoo.

He was emphasizing beauty for the sake of “If you create the most beautiful story, something even more special will happen.”

He had more than enough reason to do so.

(Sword Cry, Final Version.)

Active Skill.

Grade: Mythic

MP Cost: 10,000

Cooldown: 12 hours.

Level: None.

·Can be activated when your people, your bonds, or anyone with whom you have built affinity falls into grave danger.

·It can sometimes be activated instantly against the enemies before you, but all effects are reduced by 30%.

·You can strike an enemy no matter where they are, and when the activation conditions are met, you can look into the current situation.

·Inflicts the status ailment Extreme Fear.

·Approximately 100 blades annihilate all enemies within range with damage equal to 900% additional attack power.

·Ignores defense.

·It appears like the descent of a god, causing those who witness it to feel greatly increased faith toward you.

It was fucking incredible.

As long as someone precious to Hyunsoo was out there, he could protect them with this power no matter where they were.

Of course, it only shows its full strength when they’re in danger.......

But in exchange for all abilities being reduced by 30%, it could also be activated instantly.

At first.

What had the reward he received from the Sudden Quest been like?

Hyunsoo had not felt any particular need to use it.

But this was different.

I’ll save thousands, tens of thousands of people from now on.

The world of Ares would not disappear.

And during that time, this power would save countless people.

And the most beautiful story in the world, which had given him such an incredible myth.

“It’s beautiful, right? Right? Say it is.”

“Waaaaaaah.......”

Clap, clap, clap, clap—

Everyone applauded as they watched Khan crying in broad daylight and Hyunsoo hugging him while “forcing beauty” on him.

And Hyunsoo waited for the notification.

They said the third one would be even more special!

But.

“Waaaaaaaah.......”

The knights only applauded, and no notification came.

“Nghuuuuh.......”

Hyunsoo came to his senses as he looked at Khan, who was still nestled in his arms.

When he hurriedly separated him, Khan quickly cleared his throat.

Hyunsoo considered receiving the report, then shook his head.

These were people who had returned from a battle on the edge of life and death.

“Rest enough first, and mourn the deaths of your comrades. We’ll talk after that.”

“......Yes, Your Majesty.”

Khan and the knights withdrew.

With a bitter smile, Hyunsoo wondered whether the story with Khan just now might become a beautiful story of “a king who saved his subject.”

But that was forced.

It meant it could not be the kind of moving moment he himself felt.

Let’s put that aside.

Hyunsoo decided to do his utmost in his duty as king.

He moved to comfort the bereaved families of the soldiers who had died.

*****

—It’s beautiful, right? Right? Say it is.

—Nghuuuuh......

Watching Hyunsoo on the screen as he tried to induce the most beautiful story in the world, the branch heads in the video conference let out hollow laughs.

—There’s no way that would work.

John, the American branch head, laughed hollowly.

—It’s astonishing. To think a user who achieved two stories exists......

Yuhwan, the Chinese branch head, exclaimed in admiration.

—There are four people who have achieved it once. And the most beautiful story in the world grants the greatest reward in the current Ares.

All the branch heads agreed.

In fact, it had appeared on the screen, and the names of the most beautiful stories had been decided as well.

There had been two beautiful stories Hyunsoo had created so far.

[Gift.]

[Farewell.]

Gift.

It was the story that had begun with Barsen and the Overlord.

Farewell.

It was the story born from the farewell between Barad and Ban.

Both names were fitting.

Through Hyunsoo, the Overlord had given Barsen a “gift” he would never forget for the rest of his life, concluding the story.

And by creating a memorial exhibition, he had allowed Ban to “part” without a shred of sadness or pain, and Barad without longing.

—......But I do wonder whether this is enough to become a meeting topic. In the end, were these not stories created by coincidence?

It was the sharp remark of the Spanish branch head.

—You all saw what happened just now, didn’t you? Do you think someone like that can create a third story again?

The branch heads recalled the somewhat forced way Hyunsoo had emphasized, “Beautiful, isn’t it!”

But Sejin shook their head.

“I’m not so sure. If Master Blacksmith Hyun had not emphasized ‘beauty’ just now, the mood in the audience chamber would have become a sea of tears. I believe he acted in a way that fit the situation so those already exhausted people could gain even a brief moment of laughter.”

—He thinks that far?

—Isn’t that too much of a stretch?

“It is not a stretch. The Master Blacksmith Hyun I have seen is that kind of king.”

—.......

—.......

—.......

Everyone there fell silent.

Lee Sejin had a habit of thinking too deeply about certain users, and that was a bad habit.

Quite a few of them thought so.

But soon, Hyunsoo went to visit the bereaved families of the soldiers and knights who had died.

Hyunsoo personally comforted the women and children who collapsed at the news of death he delivered himself.

—It was thanks to Soldier Park. Because Park fought until the very end, eighty people were able to come back alive.

—They say Knight Rua was brave. He was a hero who fought several guardians and never knew retreat.

—It was thanks to the youngest soldier, Areum. Thanks to Areum, the nation of Hyun opened a path to reach a new race, and our nation of Hyun finally took one step toward the place where that new race lives.

Before the weeping bereaved families.

—I will take responsibility from now on. Do not worry about anything.

He promised compensation for the dead and their futures, shouldering a heavy burden, and a notification he could not yet hear rang out to the branch heads.

[Small stories are accumulating.]

[Someday, they may become a special story.]

Sejin looked around at the astonished branch heads.

“The first story and the second story were also created when such small stories came together and grew.”

Sejin sounded a warning to the branch heads.

“It means hundreds, thousands of small stories can accumulate, and later, the most beautiful story can be created. And the third story may arrive sooner than expected.”

Click.

When Sejin pressed the remote, the screen changed.

—Ha......

—I see.

—There was this story.

—My god......

All the branch heads recalled the story they had forgotten.

The changed screen.

It showed an old man roaming Hell, struggling desperately to become a Guardian Deity.

“I am confident this will be the most beautiful story so far, and for that reason, I gave this story a name.”

This was a story even the branch heads and Lee Sejin had been waiting for.

When Sejin pressed the remote button, the name of the third story appeared.

[Reunion.]

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!