Genius Blacksmith's Game

A well-raised pet leaves no reason to envy a Legendary artifact.

It was a proverb known to every user in the world who played Ares.

The story behind that proverb began in the early days of Ares.

There was once a pet called the Big-Nosed Wolf.

It was neither useful nor strong, yet strangely enough, it was Unique-grade.

In the early days of Ares.

Unique-grade pets were extremely rare and drew everyone’s attention.

But for a Unique-grade pet, the Big-Nosed Wolf was good at absolutely nothing.

The public was disappointed, and people pointed fingers, saying its owner had gotten a trash pet.

But its owner, Edro, raised the Big-Nosed Wolf with utmost devotion.

Simply because he liked the creature.

Then, one day.

Owner Edro fell into a labyrinth, and the Big-Nosed Wolf found the escape route through that labyrinth, using an extraordinary sense of smell through its “big nose” to lead Edro out.

At the time, Edro thought it was simply trying to help him escape.

But that was not it.

Hidden at the place the Big-Nosed Wolf led him to was a “Legendary artifact.”

At the time, it was only the second Legendary artifact ever obtained by a user.

After that incident, people would say:

“A well-raised pet leaves no reason to envy a Legendary artifact.”

“I want a very well-raised pet too.”

They said it while thinking of Edro and the Big-Nosed Wolf’s story.

But now.

—A well-raised Lucky Lump... leaves no reason to envy a Mythic artifact.

Roughly three years.

It was the moment the protagonist of the proverb once built around Edro changed to Hyunsoo and Lucky Lump.

—He really was Lucky Lump...?

—He brings good fortune with him.

—What exactly did he get?

—You have to consider that Lucky Lump’s contribution exceeded 60%. Also, although there was no World Message, this was the first divine beast ever hunted.

But the world had no choice except to speculate.

All they had heard was the contribution ranking. The reward portion had been heard only by Hyunsoo.

—Judging by Master Blacksmith Hyunsoo’s expression, it seems he received something tremendous.

—I’m so, so jealous. This proves that Continental War: World Championship can also become a stage of opportunities for things we could never normally experience.

—The Mascot Selection Match is not over yet.

—The match continues.

And Lucky Lump, who had been in the form of the King of Divine Beasts...

[Little Lucky Lump, Big Lucky Lump.]

[Active Skill]

[Grade: Legendary.]

[Mana Cost: 100]

[Level: None]

[Effect:]

[· You can transform between the form of a baby puppy and the form of the King of Divine Beasts.]

[· While in baby puppy form, recovery speed doubles.]

With divine beast Hydra’s death, he returned to the form of a mixed-breed country dog.

And then.

“Maaang...”

In front of the entire world.

He sprawled out spread-eagle on one side of the arena, turned his pink little belly toward the sky, and fell asleep just like that.

That day.

The match continued, but the eyes of the entire world were fixed on Lucky Lump.

Pureum’s mascot team immediately released “Sleeping Lucky Lump” merchandise, and hundreds of thousands of units sold worldwide.

The world of Lucky Lump was beginning in earnest.

And the Mascot Selection Match proceeded as expected.

[Korea’s gold medal is confirmed.]

[China’s silver medal is confirmed.]

[Russia’s bronze medal is confirmed.]

Lucky Lump won the gold medal.

Divine beast Hydra won the silver medal.

Russia’s Azure Dragon took the bronze medal.

The entire world was swept into shock.

Because Korea, which everyone had believed would fail to win even a single gold medal, had taken the very first gold.

Moreover, Hyunsoo, the protagonist of “A well-raised Lucky Lump leaves no reason to envy a Mythic artifact,” was swept up in another wave of emotion.

[You are Lucky Lump’s owner.]

[You acquire a gold medal.]

[You acquire All Stats +2.]

My stats rose by about eighteen, and almost ten million gold dropped just from hunting one monster...

It was an amount close to ten billion won.

But what was far more valuable than that was the “material of a divine beast.”

[Hydra’s Fang.]

[Grade: God.]

[Restriction: Level 650 or higher Master Blacksmith.]

[Difficulty: Highest.]

[Special Abilities]

[· Effects related to poison increase by 500%.]

[· Up to nine types of poison can be imbued within it.]

[· Attack success rate increases by up to 800%.]

[· It cannot be resisted.]

[Description: The fang of divine beast Hydra. Divine beast Hydra possesses a total of nine heads. Each of those nine heads emits a different type of poison, and all of them are contained within this single fang.]

“...”

Hyunsoo was left speechless.

In the past, Hyunsoo had once obtained the Black Tortoise’s shell.

But if the Black Tortoise’s shell was the lowest tier, then this Hydra’s Fang was the highest tier.

This is absurd...

Hyunsoo lifted it.

The snow-white fang had a curve to it, and its tip was sharp.

From that pointed tip, it looked as if Hydra’s Poison might pour out at any moment.

Judging only by the description, Hydra’s Fang is one of the simplest materials I’ve obtained so far.

But its effects were certain.

There’s a power called Poison Immunity.

Poison Immunity.

It was a Legendary skill that absolutely resisted all poisons.

That skill, exactly as its name suggested, resisted every poison.

But Hydra’s Fang could pierce even that Poison Immunity.

And the poisons possessed by Hydra’s nine heads.

Not all of them had appeared in the Mascot Selection Match, but Hyunsoo was able to check the detailed contents of each poison.

[Nervous system, mental derangement, breathing difficulty, corrosion, bleeding, nausea, hydrochloric acid, pain, fainting.]

At a glance, it might not look like much, but that was not true at all.

Reading it as text and experiencing it for real are completely different things.

The hydrochloric acid written there was one example.

The poisonous rain that had fallen on the mascots had melted everything.

Even while ignoring the Defense of Legendary monsters.

Looking at each of those effects one by one, if an artifact made with this was crafted well, it seemed likely to unleash top-tier power.

And also.

Six Evil God’s Enhancement Stones?

The reason Evil God’s Enhancement Stones were special.

The fact that they only enhanced from +1 to +3 did not change.

But the reason Evil God’s Enhancement Stones were special lay elsewhere.

Enhancement stones that can enhance Mythic-grade items...?

That was right.

Mythic-grade items could not be enhanced.

That was something everyone knew.

But now, that had changed.

Because Hydra had dropped these “Evil God’s Enhancement Stones.”

It meant he could enhance the White Tiger Sword and the Great Bow of Demon-Slaying.

Moreover, the reason Hyunsoo was so happy was that this was an entirely unexpected reward.

Continental War: World Championship.

Especially in battles between mascots, nothing was supposed to drop even if something was killed.

That unwritten rule had been broken, and he had obtained this.

“Hehehehe.”

Because of that, the smile would not leave Hyunsoo’s lips.

The people sitting in the same Team Korea area were surprised.

So Master Blacksmith Hyun has this side to him too?

Actually, I like it. It makes him feel human.

Rather than being put off, they liked seeing this side of Hyunsoo, who had only ever felt difficult to approach.

At that moment.

A certain ranker, furious all the way to the top of his head, came looking for Hyunsoo.

*****

Poison King Liu.

He had won China the silver medal, but Poison King Liu believed he was finished.

My level dropped by twenty. I can’t even see how far my ranking has fallen...

The reason Liu had wanted the gold medal badly enough to throw everything away was partly because he wanted the Chinese people to acknowledge him, even if only once.

And perhaps...

I wanted to show off in front of you, too.

He hated Master Blacksmith Hyun.

Because he had suffered bitter defeat at Hyunsoo’s hands several times.

Even in the past, when he had summoned the Legendary Hydra, Hydra had been unable to shine because of Absolute Domination.

Instead, that Hydra had annihilated users from his own country, causing Liu to be cursed by the Chinese people.

This time would be the same.

Hydra became a side character.

Before the great divine beast called Lucky Lump.

Unable to endure his resentment, Poison King Liu came running.

Then he spoke to the grinning Hyunsoo.

“You must be delighted after trampling all over me. In your eyes, I’ll be remembered as an eternal loser. Since I’ll be completely gone from the rankings for a while!”

Liu shouted in agitation.

Hyunsoo looked at him.

Liu and Hyunsoo had clashed for a long time.

But Hyunsoo rejected the idea of him being an “eternal loser.”

“...There’s no way someone who summoned divine beast Hydra could be a loser, is there?”

Hyunsoo was instead looking at Liu with admiration.

What...?

Liu was shocked.

If Liu had won the gold medal this time, he had planned to come running over to mock Hyunsoo, who had always clashed with him.

And Hyunsoo was sincere.

“It really was incredible. Who would have even imagined you’d summon divine beast Hydra?”

“...You’re only saying empty words. Right now, even my own country’s people are probably saying they’ll kill me.”

Hyunsoo tilted his head.

“Huh...? You don’t use social media? Right now, it’s nothing but praise for you.”

“What...?”

Liu had been too afraid to check his phone.

Only then was he able to check the current state of social media and the press.

—I offer endless praise to Liu, who tried to win China a gold medal even at the cost of losing twenty levels.

—Liu’s sacrifice was far too valuable. Though it was only a silver medal, to me, it feels like a gold medal.

—I know a good hunting ground. If Liu sees this post and contacts me, I’ll share the hunting ground information.

—I heard China’s top company is offering him an advertising deal. Apparently, this image of sacrificing everything can create advertising impact.

It was true.

The Chinese people were praising Liu highly and cherishing him, and in that moment, Liu had established himself as a star of China.

And Hyunsoo said:

“You were cool, Liu.”

At that, Liu realized something.

He and Hyunsoo had been enemies.

But he alone had been thinking of Hyunsoo as an enemy.

Hyunsoo praised what deserved praise, punished what deserved punishment, and respected what deserved respect.

Like that.

Liu’s thoughts about Hyunsoo changed somewhat.

Thank you...

Having his effort not denied.

And perhaps nothing could be more joyful than being acknowledged by someone he had thought of as an “enemy,” only to realize that person had actually been a “rival.”

Then, at that moment.

Liu grew curious about something.

“...Why isn’t Team Korea entering tomorrow’s event, ‘Endurance’?”

Continental War: World Championship had many different events.

But they were divided into popular events and unpopular ones.

Today, the Mascot Selection Match had been the main event, and tomorrow, this event called “Endurance” would be the main event.

Hyunsoo answered as if it were obvious.

“...Because Team Korea doesn’t have any players who can win a medal in Endurance.”

“So you mean you will not even attempt it?”

And Liu.

This was a criticism from him, but it was also repayment to Hyun, who had acknowledged him just moments ago.

“That is unlike you.”

“...?”

“The Master Blacksmith Hyun I know is not someone who refuses to challenge something just because it is impossible. Does it end once you put it down like that? How disappointing.”

The moment Hyunsoo heard that, he received a massive shock to the head.

Just as Liu had said, he had not even entered the event because he had decided, There’s no one on our team who can win a medal in that.

But the moment he heard Liu’s words, he realized that he had given up without even trying.

At that instant, Hyunsoo’s eyes changed.

“Who said I gave up? I’ll find a way somehow.”

That gaze was the same as when he had made the Twin Dragon Sword.

And during the Great Atlas War.

It was the same as when he had stood alone as a Monarch and stepped into an impossible situation, facing hundreds of high-rankers.

Looking at his expression, which had changed in an instant, Liu said:

“...That look suits you.”

Watching him, Liu gave a small snort and smiled.

At the time, Liu had no idea.

He had no idea that these words of his would create a new Myth in Continental War: World Championship.

Then Liu left the arena just like that.

No, he tried to leave, but some strange people approached him.

Like Liu, they had once hated Hyunsoo, but they had realized that all of it had come from their own greed.

They were also among the greatest high-rankers in the world.

First was Rund, the world’s number-one-ranked mage.

“Nice to meet you. I am Hyunsoo’s younger sibling.”

Next was Kali, America’s number-one-ranked user.

“I’m his son.”

Finally came Vietnam’s Divine Archer Mio.

“I’m his granddaughter. Hoho.”

“???”

They soon explained the whole situation.

Originally, they had been Hyunsoo’s family, but they had been removed from the family register.

However, during the sealing of the Great Archdemon Gremory, Hyunsoo had sincerely thanked them for their contributions.

Because of that, although they had not told Hyunsoo, they were still maintaining the family gathering.

Even though it was a family gathering without Hyunsoo himself.

“The gathering’s name is ‘Hyunsoo’s Family.’”

At archmage Rund’s words, Liu was dumbfounded.

“What kind of insane nonsense are you people talking about?”

Liu looked at them in disbelief and tried to turn away.

At that moment.

[Hyunsoo: Oh, right. Restoring your levels will be rough. If you need gear later, visit the nation of Hyun. Since it’s you, I’ll craft it for you at a special 30% higher price. The reason I’m charging 30% more is because of everything you’ve done until now~]

“...?”

Artifacts crafted by Hyunsoo were impossible to obtain even if someone wanted them.

And yet he was extending this favor?

Liu changed his attitude instantly.

“Do you have any open spots?”

“The only one left is daughter.”

“...Then, starting today, I am Hyunsoo’s daughter.”

“How do you look like a daughter in any way?”

“Please look at me without prejudice.”

“...”

“...”

“...?”

Liu had no prejudice, and thus Hyunsoo gained a daughter simply by breathing.

For reference, Hyunsoo’s daughter was the summoner of divine beast Hydra.

Though if Hyunsoo found out, he would probably look at him as if he were a bug.