Genius Blacksmith's Game

Dexterity stat.

It was the exclusive domain of production-class users.

Every stat gave users an advantage as it rose.

For example, when a user gained 1 Strength, their Attack Power and HP grew by a tiny amount.

And if they gained 1 Agility, it did not simply make their movement speed or attack speed faster. It increased attack speed, movement speed, and accuracy.

In that way, one stat was minor on its own, but it raised multiple things and helped the “character” grow.

High-rankers.

This was why they went wild over elixirs that permanently raised stat totals.

If two people were the same Level, had the same artifacts, and possessed similar skill, even slightly higher stats could increase one’s chance of victory.

In that same way, the Dexterity stat also helped production-class users with cooking, painting, carving sculptures, and crafting artifacts.

However, Dexterity was different from ordinary stats.

Most stats could be raised through “bonus points” granted when Level increased.

But Dexterity could not be raised with ordinary bonus points.

There were only a few ways to obtain it.

First, through rewards.

Second, through repetition.

That second method—gaining it through repetition—was the problem.

In most cases, using a “skill” did not apply to that repetition.

Painters had a skill called “Painting.”

Sculptors had “Sculpting Statues.”

Blacksmiths had “Crafting.”

They were the way a user who had never painted once in their life could draw a picture.

They were the reason a user who had known nothing about blacksmithing in real life could craft artifacts.

And none of those skills raised the Dexterity stat.

Even though Dexterity was clearly useful to users.

And in Ares’s early days.

When it became known that Dexterity could be obtained through repetition, a worldwide craze for gaining Dexterity broke out.

However, users all over the world stopped immediately because of one statement from “Smith.”

“To gain 1 Dexterity stat point, you must repeat the same action for 3 hours. Moreover, miners must not use the Mining skill that automatically mines for them, and painters must draw by hand. Of course, the Dexterity stat is superior to what are called the five major stats—Strength, Agility, Vitality, Wisdom, and Intelligence.”

The reason was simple.

Dexterity was not used only for production. It was also used for attacks and other actions.

A “hand” was used when swinging a sword.

A “hand” was used when drawing a bow.

Those actions were also partly affected by Dexterity.

However.

“I believe users should spend that time hunting and doing quests instead. And I can confidently say there is no user in the world who would repeat such actions for a month, let alone a year.”

People had simply been sensitive to a trend.

Tanghulu, croffles, omakase.

Just as they had chased after foods according to whatever was fashionable.

The worldwide craze for gaining Dexterity had been nothing more than a small passing amusement, and with Smith’s statement, it vanished just like that.

And what Smith had said was impossible really had been impossible.

What kind of insane lunatic would repeat the same action every day for hours without even activating a skill?

Anyone who logged into a game for that would have to be an insane lunatic.

And now, that insane lunatic was standing right in front of Smith’s eyes.

THUD—

Smith, who had dropped the mineral he had brought over as if to show off, denied it.

“I can understand 40,000. No, even 50,000. But 100,000? Even a bluff has to stay within reason if you want someone to believe it!”

Yes.

Smith understood.

He could accept up to 50,000.

But 100,000 was simply too high a number.

In response, Hyunsoo shared one title with him.

(Dexterity Just for You.)

Unique Title.

Grade: S

Special Abilities:

·All Stats +7

·Dexterity increases by 25.

·Dexterity acquisition rate increases by 200%.

·When Dexterity is acquired, acquisition is applied at x2.

Smith froze in bewilderment.

I have never heard of such a thing in my life...... No, this title is far too outstanding.

Smith asked,

“Where in the world did you get a title this incredible?”

“......In the Beginner Zone.”

“......What?”

“It began opening after I gained 100 Dexterity in the Beginner Zone. When it first opened, it didn’t have the x2 application when acquiring Dexterity, and the Dexterity acquisition rate was only 50%. But as time passed and I reached 40,000 Dexterity, it was upgraded from A Grade to S Grade as a reward for being the ‘first to reach 40,000.’”

Hyunsoo continued.

“Also, my Dexterity rose every time I did handcrafting. When I crafted a Transcendent-grade artifact, I received 200 Dexterity, but for me, x2 was applied, so I gained 400. When I crafted a Myth, I should originally have gained 1,000, but I gained 2,000.”

“.......”

“Those things accumulated and accumulated, and just now, I reached 100,000. Before the match began, you spoke to me about the weakness of a handcraft blacksmith and about your own weapon. This is the strength of a handcraft blacksmith.”

Smith nodded.

“......I see. It was my misjudgment.”

Instead, Smith felt as though he could now give even more than his best.

He returned to his forge.

And just as he sensed this match would not be easy and was about to burn hotter than ever—

One thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

Wait. 100,000 Dexterity?

A chill suddenly ran down his spine.

100,000 Dexterity.

It was a symbolic number.

In other words, it might also have been a number that gave a reward.

He looked at Hyunsoo in his forge.

Then what reward did he receive for reaching 100,000 Dexterity?

*****

[You have reached 100,000 Dexterity.]

[You acquire the title One Whose Dexterity Even a God Would Envy.]

(One Whose Dexterity Even a God Would Envy.)

Unique Title.

Grade: S

Special Abilities:

·When you craft artifacts with excellent skill, the probability of producing a better artifact rises without limit.

·The lower the grade of the mineral used for the artifact, the more greatly this applies. It does not apply when using Legendary or higher minerals.

In the past, when Hyunsoo first saw this title, he had clicked his tongue and thought, “Huh. It’s useless.”

It was because of the restriction.

It did not apply when using Legendary or higher minerals.

Hyunsoo’s time was limited, and from a certain point on, he had been using only high-quality materials to make that limited time worthwhile.

Also.

Dexterity doesn’t help me as much as I thought.

It was true that his Dexterity had risen exponentially.

However, if ordinary users had 100,000 Dexterity, it would be helpful to them.

Because they would receive Dexterity’s “correction.”

But for Hyunsoo, who was a blacksmith of true skill, doing things himself was far better than receiving help from Dexterity.

And the various corrections granted by Dexterity—

Higher accuracy and increased Attack Power when drawing a bow.

Higher Cutting Power and piercing power when swinging a sword.

Those, too, had stopped increasing once he passed 50,000.

But now, he realized once again that he had been arrogant.

After the event began, Hyunsoo had repeatedly refined and purified Lowest-Grade Iron Ore.

Then—

[The probability of producing a better artifact increases.]

The title he had thought useless spat out a notification.

There was something else that made him feel he had been arrogant.

It’s been so long.

Iron ore.

In the end, it was iron ore.

The material used most often in a real forge was iron ore.

Mithril, Orichalcon, Adamantium.

Tale Stone, ten-thousand-year cold iron.

Those were unfamiliar things that did not exist in reality, and they were not familiar to Hyunsoo.

But as he repeatedly refined and purified the material, he heard this.

[Your understanding is abnormally outstanding.]

After only a short time refining and purifying it, the system had acknowledged him.

That was right.

This iron ore was the material Hyunsoo had used most in his life.

And the title he had thought useless, One Whose Dexterity Even a God Would Envy, would harmonize with it.

CLAAANG—!

Hyunsoo had spent his time repeating only refinement and purification.

He understood it more deeply, more properly, and after thoroughly examining Lowest-Grade Iron Ore again for the first time in a long while, he finished his preparations.

The reason he had done that was because time was limited, and the opportunity came only “once.”

“There are 11 hours left.”

“Can he do it when he’s starting that late?”

The other blacksmiths were finishing the middle stages of their work.

But soon, they saw Hyunsoo begin moving busily.

RUMBLEEEEE—!

Lowest-Grade Iron Ore was placed into the Furnace.

HSSSSSSS—

Watching the steam billow out as the mineral melted, Hyunsoo moved.

He immediately began making the sword’s handle.

The blacksmiths of the world, who had been doing their own smithing, stopped for a moment and watched him.

SKRITCH, SKRITCH, SKRITCH—!

Hyunsoo’s hands moved without hesitation as he carved away the wood.

Crafting that used the system existed somewhere between the movement of a robot and the movement of a human.

It seemed awkward, yet it was not awkward.

At that moment, the movement of someone whose work was done 100% by hand was different.

If any person spent their entire life doing one thing, they would perform that work as if possessed.

Just like that.

Hyunsoo ruled the forge.

SHK, SHK, SHK—!

But the blacksmiths denied it.

“If he’s that distracted, how will he control the temperature of the fire?”

However.

WHOOOOOSH—

The oxygen burned away.

CRACKLE, CRACKLE.

The flames blazed.

RUMBLEEEEE—

Amid the sound of combustion roaring out, Hyunsoo finished carving the entire handle and timed the melting point using only “sound.”

ROOOOAR—

When he opened the entrance, orange mineral poured out.

[Lowest-Grade Iron Ore has been melted for the most proper length of time.]

[It is the most perfect refinement.]

[The title One Whose Dexterity Even a God Would Envy shines.]

RUMBLEEEEE—!

The blacksmiths were flustered.

Although they could not hear the notifications, the sight of the flowing mineral bewildered them.

Mineral.

In the end, everything depended on how well one melted it.

And the orange glow of Hyunsoo’s Lowest-Grade Iron Ore as it flowed down—

It was clear and beautiful, without the slightest murkiness.

Even more so than the “Legendary” grade minerals they had melted until now!

“......That’s insane.”

“I’ve never seen metal flow that beautifully.”

And the moment that mineral was received and began to cool, Hyunsoo took out another material.

The main material among Normal Grade materials was not only Lowest-Grade Iron Ore.

Anything classified as lowest-grade could be used.

Hyunsoo selected one material.

The selected material that appeared °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° was leather.

In that moment, Hyunsoo looked like a veteran chef at a sashimi restaurant.

SHRIIIIIP—!

He stripped the leather and prepared the correct part for use.

Then he began wrapping it around the sword’s grip.

One user understood the material.

“Shark!”

“It’s sharkskin!”

Then again.

He delicately purified the well-solidified mineral.

“He’s like a Master Blacksmith who’s spent decades staring into watch mechanisms.”

Just that delicately.

GRRRIK, GRRRIK, GRRRIK—

Impurities fell away from the Lowest-Grade Iron Ore.

And the true “iron ore,” perfect and undamaged, was revealed.

[It is the most perfect purification.]

[The title One Whose Dexterity Even a God Would Envy shines.]

And Hyunsoo placed that iron ore into the Furnace once more.

It was as if Hyunsoo was dancing.

SHK, SHK, SHK—!

He used the gaps in the melting time to complete the sword’s handle.

And when the iron ore melted at the most perfect moment, he moved quickly and hammered it.

CLAAANG—!

CLAAAAANG—!

Smith was hammering too.

But his was machinery.

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—!

It struck at regular intervals.

Unlike him—

CLAAANG, CLANG-CLANG, CLANG, CLANG-CLANG, CLAAANG—!

Hyunsoo distinguished between when force was needed and when it was not.

[It is the most perfect forging.]

[You are more delicate than anyone.]

He placed that blade into water once more.

HSSSSSSS—

Leaving the rising smoke behind, this time he began making the sheath.

For that as well, he used sharkskin, rolling and shaping it.

[You sink into the depths of Extreme Trance.]

Hyunsoo continued sinking into it and ruling the space.

The viewers had thought that a long crafting process would be boring.

It was not.

Hyunsoo’s crafting was enjoyable, entertaining, and burning hot.

And just as Hyunsoo was nearing the end—

“It is complete.”

Smith spoke.

A Judge approached and examined his work, then reached the point of shock.

“U-Unique Grade......!”

After one Judge exclaimed in astonishment like that—

Several Judges for the evaluation approached and poured out praise.

“Unique Grade from Normal Grade materials?”

“This is insane. The sword’s name is Azure Dragon Sword. It’s a lower-compatible version of the Azure Dragon Sword, the Mythic sword he previously crafted.”

“I guarantee it. No one can make something of this level from Normal Grade materials!”

The Judges praised it.

And yet, even as they did, the Judges’ attention turned to Hyunsoo.

Within the depths of Extreme Trance, Hyunsoo was also reaching the end.

The unknown object had a blade roughly 90 cm long, a handle between 53 and 55 cm long, and a sheath estimated at roughly 100 cm long.

At last, Hyunsoo, too, reached the finish.

CLACK—!

The blade and sharkskin came together.

The sword, reflected by sunlight and gleaming with sharpness, had a curved tip.

—Is it a reverse-blade sword?

—No, it is different from an ordinary reverse-blade sword! It looks like a reverse-blade sword, but only the very end has the form of a reversed edge!

The temporary commentators—

In other words, appraisers from all over the world grew excited over the artifact and shouted in curiosity.

At last, the Judges approached.

And the Judge who had just confidently declared that nothing could catch up to the Azure Dragon Sword—

More precisely, the Judge who was a Judge here and an actual appraiser in “reality”—was broadcast to the whole world as he stood there in bewilderment.

“......The king’s sword.”

His trembling voice seized Smith and everyone around the world.

And while the whole world grew curious over the word “king”—

The Judge lifted the sword toward the sky, revealing the characters written on its grip.

Jeoneodo.

That was the name of the sword.