Genius Blacksmith's Game

“I will not endure. I’ll beat him up.”

Hyunsoo’s words rode the cameras and were broadcast live across the entire world.

Some viewers watching the words stream in real time on their TV screens were so shocked that they dropped the food they had been eating.

“Did I hear that wrong?”

They doubted their own ears.

The reporters at the scene and the greatest tankers in the world doubted their ears as well.

“He’s insane......”

“He says he’ll beat up Baal?”

“That Baal?”

The reason this event was called Endurance was that the being who appeared in it was Baal, an existence beyond comprehension.

After saying that he would beat up Baal, Hyunsoo vanished without responding to a single interview.

All that remained where he had been was an enormous shock.

And that shock—

“Hah......”

—began to spread when one tanker user let out a sound of sheer disbelief.

The tanker users shook their heads.

“He certainly knows how to grab attention. Attacking Baal in an Endurance event...... It’s a reversal of the premise.”

“He pulled aggro properly. Ridiculous. Someone who isn’t even a tanker is using an aggro skill in real life like this.”

The tanker users understood better than anyone why this event was called Endurance.

In particular, when Hyunsoo disappeared, the reporters who had swarmed him rushed toward Ivan and Emily instead.

The two strongest candidates for victory also looked rather shocked.

That Baal......

He says he’ll beat him up?

Neither of them had any particular ill will toward Hyunsoo.

If they had any interest in him, it was only that they wanted to try wearing armor he had made.

What was certain was that both of them realized Hyunsoo had drawn the most attention with that statement.

“What do you think of Master Blacksmith Hyun’s statement?”

Ivan answered.

“I do not think it is wrong to participate in a tournament in one’s own way. What concerns me is that Master Blacksmith Hyun’s total HP is likely only a quarter of an ordinary tanker user’s. I do not intend to belittle Korea’s user Hyunsoo. This is a difference in class.”

Emily made the same argument.

“When warrior classes level up, their Attack Power rises more than that of users of other classes. In the same way, tankers tend to gain more stamina, total HP, and Defense each time they level up, and the core issue is tanker skills. Tanker users learn Body of Steel the moment they advance into tanker classes. The instant they learn Body of Steel, they gain the effect of increasing their base physical defense by 50% compared to ordinary users. But Master Blacksmith Hyun is a blacksmith. Tankers possess five to ten or more defense-type skills like Body of Steel, while Master Blacksmith Hyun does not.”

Emily rubbed her chin and agreed.

“If I were user Hyunsoo and had to participate, I might have chosen to attack as well.”

“Why?”

“Because at least that way, it becomes an issue.”

“Are you saying you think it is a rational decision?”

Emily and Ivan were asked similar questions.

Both of them shook their heads coldly.

“He will not be able to endure Baal’s attacks before he can attack.”

“Doesn’t attacking require surviving first?”

“When I said, ‘if I had to participate,’ I meant a situation where participation was absolutely required. If it were me, I would not have participated at all.”

Ivan and Emily reached similar conclusions.

“Ten seconds.”

“It will be difficult for him to last ten seconds.”

Ivan and Emily were certain.

Under normal circumstances, Korean viewers might have protested that.

But the viewers accepted it.

The mood was quite different from when Lucky Lump had appeared and delivered Korea its first gold medal.

The world’s media also began criticizing Hyunsoo.

There was not the slightest expectation left for Hyunsoo, who had misunderstood the very nature of the Endurance event and arrogantly said he would beat Baal up.

But contrary to that fading interest—

The members of Team Korea looked ready to cry.

*****

Team Korea.

“I’m going hunting. I’ll be back before the Endurance event begins.”

They stared at Hyunsoo in bewilderment as he headed toward the capsule.

He’s going hunting?

No, even if he hunts for half a day, there’s no way the result will change, is there?

After making things this bad, he’s going hunting?

When Team Korea had first entered Jamsil Sports Complex, they had entered to the people’s fervent cheers.

But now, many citizens were jeering at them.

Of course, the majority were not doing so, but it meant that many people were questioning Hyunsoo’s decision and statement.

And at a time like this, he was calmly going hunting?

“I hope tomorrow’s match gives the people a result that meets their expectations.”

Many of them were disappointed in him, but none of them became truly angry.

They were respecting their captain’s opinion.

Soon, all of them went outside.

However, one person remained.

Only Lee Jongha stayed behind.

Lee Jongha recalled the conversation he had with Hyein, who had come to him as coach.

Why does Team Korea need me? I’m not someone that impressive or outstanding. I also have severe social anxiety, and I’m not a famous ranker either.

Lee Jongha was a user who had isolated himself and done nothing but hunt.

He was also curious why he had been chosen for the enormous honor of representing Korea.

Hyein had answered him.

It was the will of the person who was scheduled to participate as captain. Right now, he is in deep grief, so it is uncertain whether he will participate, though.

The captain......?

Team Korea’s captain.

It was only after Hyunsoo appeared not long ago that he learned Hyunsoo had been the one to choose him.

Hyein.

One of the world’s greatest users.

The chancellor of the nation of Hyun, and the woman who had turned the insignificant Golden Hammer Guild into the finest forge.

She had also been acknowledged for her abilities and appointed coach of Team Korea.

She said,

Our captain does not fight battles he will lose. I believe there must be a reason a captain like that chose you.

Hyein said he did not fight battles he would lose.

And the Hyunsoo Lee Jongha knew had never once done anything reckless.

“Have a good hunt. I’ll look forward to your performance in tomorrow’s Endurance event, Captain.”

And so Lee Jongha showed him respect.

Hyunsoo looked at Lee Jongha.

When everyone else could not understand his actions, it made him very happy that there was someone who respected him simply through trust.

And even walls had ears.

Hyunsoo was the type to believe that saying completely.

That was why he had not bothered to bring this up with the others.

But Hyunsoo trusted Lee Jongha alone.

So Hyunsoo asked him a question.

“Absurd defense versus endless recovery. Which one do you think is stronger?”

“......Pardon?”

Lee Jongha could not understand what he meant.

Hyunsoo smiled faintly and soon entered the Ares capsule.

Jongha, left behind, turned Hyunsoo’s words over in his mind.

Absurd defense versus endless recovery?

Jongha was able to reach a conclusion without difficulty.

If it really is endless, wouldn’t recovery be far stronger?

*****

Hyunsoo had thought the same thing as everyone else.

Because he was a blacksmith.

He had decided that, class-wise, he was different from a tanker.

Because of that, I had concluded I couldn’t perform well in Endurance.

But Liu’s words made Hyunsoo think about many things.

Hyunsoo kept thinking of ways he could perform and endure for a long time in Endurance, and he remembered the endless “recovery power” he possessed.

The source of that endless recovery came from a single sword.

The name of that sword—

Full Bloom.

(Full Bloom.)

Grade: Legendary.

Durability: 6000/6000.

Attack Power: 639

Restriction: Level 500 or higher swordsman, creator

Special Abilities:

· All stats 2.5%

· Critical Rate 110%

· Cutting Power 75%

· Highest-grade Sword Mastery +3

· Passive Skill Demon Prison

· Passive Skill Infinite Growth

· Passive Skill Infinite Regeneration

· Active Skill Full Bloom Transformation

· Active Skill Bloom in Profusion

· Active Skill Summon Grout

· As an effect, when blood is absorbed and Full Bloom Transformation is activated, the sword will be dyed the color of cherry blossoms and bloom wide.

· The notification announcing the appearance of a sword that leads an era may rarely sound, and it can be toggled on or off.

Description: An infinitely growing sword crafted by a blacksmith who leads an era. It is a product of the tale of Full Bloom and the Blacksmith, recorded in history.

Full Bloom was an artifact he had crafted in the past in the Tower of Honor.

The core of this artifact called Full Bloom is that it is a growth-type artifact, and its two main skills are the key.

Hyunsoo checked the two passive skills at the center of it.

(Infinite Growth.)

Passive Skill

Effect:

· Allows the sword to grow endlessly through the power of the demon Grout as its source.

· Each time the sword’s grade rises, the sword’s Attack Power and all skill levels will increase.

· Full Bloom grows by drinking the blood of enemies. When it absorbs the blood of strong and remarkable enemies, or the blood of demons, its proficiency will rise by a much larger margin.

· There is no limit to how far it can grow. At times, it may even reach toward Mythic.

(Infinite Regeneration.)

Passive Skill.

Effect:

· Uses enemies’ blood to recover quickly.

· Recovers 3% of the damage dealt.

· Through synergy with Infinite Growth, when the grade rises, the 3% recovery amount will increase by a large margin.

As written, Full Bloom grew endlessly.

And Full Bloom restored 3% of the damage dealt.

“On top of that, when it grows, the recovery rate based on the damage dealt will rise even more.”

Full Bloom had not grown even once yet.

Even though a truly long time had passed since it was crafted in the Tower of Honor.

That seemed to be why.

[Full Bloom’s EXP is at 98.4%.]

Full Bloom had reached the threshold of growth.

One growth means going from Legendary to Transcendent grade.

Five Legendary artifacts could not compare to a single Transcendent one as a matter of course.

Hyunsoo was curious about just how large that growth would be.

The hunting ground, Griffon’s Nest.

Hyunsoo began hunting griffons.

[Full Bloom’s EXP increases by 0.2%.]

[Full Bloom’s EXP increases by 0.1%.]

[Full Bloom’s EXP increases by 0.1%.]

Like this, Full Bloom’s EXP rose by extremely tiny amounts.

However, Full Bloom was already standing at the threshold of growth.

At a point more than nine months after Full Bloom had been crafted—

[Congratulations.]

[You have reached 100% of Full Bloom’s EXP.]

[Full Bloom grows by one grade.]

[Full Bloom’s grade rises from Legendary to Transcendent.]

Hyunsoo’s expression trembled.

As mentioned, the difference in rank between Legendary and Transcendent was enormous.

If even 5% recovery is applied, this is worth trying.

The key was just how far Infinite Regeneration had risen.

Hyunsoo immediately opened Infinite Regeneration.

(Infinite Regeneration.)

Passive Skill.

Effect:

· Uses enemies’ blood to recover quickly.

· Recovers 6% of the damage dealt.

· Through synergy with Infinite Growth, when the grade rises, the 6% recovery amount will increase by a large margin.

“......Holy shit!”

Hyunsoo could not hold back his admiration.

What would have been worth trying even if it had only risen to 5% had changed.

It was a full 6% recovery amount.

On top of that, Full Bloom was easy to swing and light.

That meant Hyunsoo could swing Full Bloom from one to roughly five times.

And Hyunsoo went straight to the forge.

This alone isn’t enough.

Hyunsoo was the type who did not fight battles he would lose.

At some point, only three hours remained before the Endurance event began.

Hyunsoo placed the Transcendent-grade Full Bloom on the anvil.

Then he took out something else.

[Mythic-grade Evil God’s Enhancement Stone (6).]

It was the finest enhancement stone currently in existence.