Chapter 141
Chapter 141: The Blacksmith (2)
“I’ll have the official contract ready by tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
With Yoo Ji-han and Nam Ho-yeol shaking hands, Nam Ho-yeol’s recruitment was confirmed.
“Just a moment! I need to call my wife.”
Now belonging to the Sweet Fun guild, Nam Ho-yeol wiped his red-rimmed eyes with the back of his hand and called his wife.
He wanted to share the happy news with her first.
Keeping a little distance from him while he was on the phone, Yoo Ji-han looked at Kim Si-hu and said, “Honestly, this decision needed to be yours more than mine… I’m sorry it feels like I’m the one deciding and notifying you.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. If it’s a decision that benefits the whole guild, I’m all for it.”
“I’m grateful for your understanding.”
“Anyway, soon you’ll be taking on the role of vice guild master, so you should have some authority.”
“Me?”
Vice guild master. It’s like being a vice president in a company.
Upon hearing that he would take on such a position, Yoo Ji-han looked astonished.
Kim Si-hu replied, almost incredulously, “So, you were going to receive that much equity and not take the position?”
“No, I just hadn’t really considered it.”
“The guild is small right now, so we haven’t designated roles separately, but we’ve already made the arrangements internally.”
“You’ve got everything planned out.”
Yoo Ji-han nodded after hearing some of Kim Si-hu’s future plans.
Even though Yoo Ji-han, the party leader, made many decisions, Kim Si-hu was undeniably the guild master representing the entire guild.
It wasn’t just a title worn for show.
“Ho-yeol, are you done with your call?”
“Yes, yes… My wife wants me to thank you all.”
“It’s a bit early for thanks, though.”
Yoo Ji-han turned to look around the shop.
The display shelves were noticeably emptier than before.
Thanks to the sale of the equipment Nam Ho-yeol had made before.
“Given the situation, it seems best to close this workshop and exit the open market.”
“Understood.”
Nam Ho-yeol quickly agreed to the idea of closing the shop and leaving the open market.
He had no lingering affection for remaining in a place where the surrounding blacksmiths were hurling harsh criticisms at him.
“Let’s check if there are any decent properties nearby to use as a workshop.”
“As it happens, I have a licensed realtor friend! I came here through them as well.”
“That’s fortunate. Contact them right away and ask if there’s a property similar to this workshop.”
Nam Ho-yeol called his realtor friend.
After hearing a brief account of the situation, the friend was slightly surprised by the sudden request but, being a professional, reviewed Nam Ho-yeol’s needs.
And…
—In those conditions, there happens to be a good property available.
“Really?”
—There’s a landlord who opened a workshop as a hobby and then crashed and burned after a few months. It’s all set up for production, so moving in should be easy for you.
Luck was on their side, as a very suitable property had just hit the market.
Just from the description, it sounded like the perfect space for Nam Ho-yeol.
“Clap!”
Yoo Ji-han clapped his hands and said, “There’s no need to drag this out. Let’s go see it now.”
With that, Yoo Ji-han’s party moved with Nam Ho-yeol to the workshop that had apparently failed.
The place was a bit of a distance from the open market.
The property recommended by Nam Ho-yeol’s friend was clean, had a decent location, and the rent was quite reasonable.
“It’s not great for business, though.”
However, given its location, it lacked much for selling to heroes.
Yet it was just the right condition to set up a dedicated guild workshop.
Min Yu-ri looked at the entrance of the workshop and said, “If we just replace the door with a bigger one, Chilla would fit right in.”
“Snap!”
“What do you think, Ho-yeol?”
“This is more than enough for me.”
“Great! Then let’s sign the contract right now.”
“N-now?”
“Is there a problem?”
“None at all!”
With the property confirmed, they quickly completed the lease agreement.
*
The landlord of the vacant workshop seemed quite pleased upon hearing that Yoo Ji-han’s party would be moving in.
Thanks to that, the contract was finalized promptly, and Nam Ho-yeol called a recognized special moving company to transfer all his materials and equipment to the new workshop.
The existing workshop in the open market was set to terminate the contract soon.
“Oh…”
Suddenly becoming the owner of a new workshop, Nam Ho-yeol was in a daze.
It was understandable, as everything had flowed so smoothly from the real estate contract to moving the workshop under Yoo Ji-han and Kim Si-hu’s guidance, all done in less than a day.
Nam Ho-yeol looked over the tools he had brought from the previous workshop, like hammers, and said, “A lot has changed in just a few hours. Maybe even my life…”
“Do you regret it?”
“Regret? No way! I’m actually happy to be with you all.”
In a more comfortable and spacious workshop.
From now on, he only had to make equipment for Sweet Fun as their exclusive blacksmith.
With a steady salary promised, all the worries unrelated to crafting equipment had completely vanished.
He could now focus solely on what he loved.
“Now that things are more or less sorted, shall we get to the main topic?”
Outside, it had already grown dim.
After sending Min Yu-ri and Kim Si-hu home first, Yoo Ji-han began discussing the new equipment creation with Nam Ho-yeol.
“This is the budget we’ll allocate for the equipment creation and our requirements.”
“Let me take a look.”
Swish!
Several papers were laid out on the desk.
Nam Ho-yeol, arms crossed, scanned the requirements written on the papers one by one.
“All equipment should have basic poison resistance, and the weapons need lightweight magic and…”
“We also need acid resistance. As you know, there are monsters out there that can melt equipment at Rank 3 or higher.”
“Are these the materials for the bow Yu-ri is currently using?”
“Yes. For the bow frame, I layered Maple Goemi, Giant Goemi, and Soft Cow horn, and for the bowstring…”
“You want something with a bit more elasticity than this, right?”
“Exactly.”
Uncrossing his arms, Nam Ho-yeol picked up a pen and began noting things down on a blank sheet of paper.
Swish!
Swish!
His pen danced on the paper.
He was listing materials that would match the user’s requirements based on their requests.
Depending on which materials they chose and how they combined them, the equipment’s effects would vary drastically.
Moreover, the performance of the equipment based on combinations was being simulated rapidly in Nam Ho-yeol’s mind.
“This will be made exactly as requested.”
“Hmm…”
“But if we add a few more things…”
Nam Ho-yeol added his blacksmith’s insights to the requests from Yoo Ji-han’s party.
To create even better equipment within the budget allowed.
Listening intently to his suggestions, Yoo Ji-han slowly nodded.
“That seems feasible. No! The direction Ho-yeol suggested is definitely better.”
“I just have one concern: the materials listed here are ones I haven’t handled before…”
“Have you looked up videos or reference materials for them?”
“Yes.”
He had a clear understanding of the pros and cons of the materials he hadn’t worked with before.
Until now, he just hadn’t had the budget to purchase extra materials beyond what he needed.
And just when most of the requests were sorted, Yoo Ji-han handed a stack of papers to Nam Ho-yeol.
“This is my gift to you.”
“What’s this?”
“It’s the latest research paper on artifact creation.”
“Artifacts?”
“Yes. Take your time; it’s okay if it doesn’t yield results immediately. Please study artifacts slowly.”
Nam Ho-yeol accepted the printed paper and said, “I will do my best.”
*
While Yoo Ji-han’s party was busy experimenting with Rank 3 MA alongside their academy activities,
Nam Ho-yeol poured all his energies into creating the equipment they had ordered.
“Hello!”
“Welcome!”
During moments when mana intervention was needed during crafting, Kim Si-hu was called to the workshop.
While it could have been easily replaced with magic stones containing mana, Kim Si-hu had offered to be called as much as necessary to enhance the quality of the equipment.
“Ho-yeol, it’s better to use mana over here instead.”
“…!”
“Watch how I do it.”
Kim Si-hu’s skill in controlling and handling mana exceeded ordinary levels.
He was always precise in following requests, occasionally offering advice on mana usage as well.
“Wow!”
As Nam Ho-yeol followed Kim Si-hu’s advice in real-time, the mana processing of the equipment became much cleaner than before.
In that process, he gained new insights.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
He pounded sturdy monster bones with a hammer.
He cut and stitched leather to create the foundation for armor.
The process was fundamentally no different from what he had done before.
But he now poured an unprecedented level of care into every task.
‘I feel like I’ve truly become a blacksmith.’
There hadn’t been a moment as relaxed and pleasant as this while making equipment.
Including the time he first opened the workshop in the open market.
He felt like a genuine blacksmith, no longer a mere merchant selling equipment!
He savored that feeling.
‘This is fun!’
Even while sweating profusely in front of the hot forge, a bright smile warmed his face.
How long had it been since he felt joy while working?
Not only was his skill improving, but his mental growth was also unfolding.
“Hmm?”
Perhaps due to that growth.
Occasionally, a very strange sensation lingered at the tips of Nam Ho-yeol’s fingers.
Warm, like the sun’s rays, yet cold, reminiscent of touching Antarctica’s glaciers.
Whenever that strange and thrilling sensation arose, his hands would uncontrollably move elegantly.
And…
Sparkle!
Some of the equipment he was crafting gleamed with an unprecedented light.
*
Kim Si-hu lifted the bow crafted by Nam Ho-yeol to eye level.
“Hm, hmm…”
He inspected the bow closely from various angles with a hint of nervousness.
Infusing mana into his fingertips, he lightly tapped the bowstring.
As a result, his mana seeped into the thin bowstring.
“How is it?”
Min Yu-ri asked with a bit of unease.
After slowly lowering the bow onto the desk, Kim Si-hu replied, “This is definitely an artifact.”
“Wow…”
“Unbelievable…”
Yoo Ji-han and Min Yu-ri gaped at the bow laid on the desk.
The bow was not an ordinary weapon but had transformed into an artifact, crafted over several days by Nam Ho-yeol.
Even Yoo Ji-han’s sword was also…
“Ho-yeol… How on earth did you do this?”
“I… I’m not sure myself.”
Nam Ho-yeol, the very person who created two artifacts, shook his hands side to side rapidly.
All he could explain was that the moment he finished the weapons based on feelings, each weapon shone with bright light.
“I can draw spider silk from the bow.”
“It’s not just any spider silk; it’s the kind used as the main weapon by Rank 3 monsters.”
The bow recognized as an artifact had a skill to extract spider silk from the monster used to create the bowstring.
Nam Ho-yeol had drawn out the potential inherent in the materials infused with mana.
If Min Yu-ri became the owner of the equipment, she would be able to utilize that skill with her arrows.
“This sword also has a heat-generating skill.”
A sword capable of heating its blade to an extremely high temperature.
Testing showed that it could heat up enough in just five seconds to feel the heat in the air.
It was an excellent ability that could be used for sudden burst damage.
Yoo Ji-han looked at Nam Ho-yeol and asked, “How does it feel to have achieved your dream?”
“I’m still a bit dazed…”
“That’s truly impressive.”
“But this isn’t the result I intended, and the usage count is limited, so I feel a bit disappointed.”
“That alone is already amazing.”
Equipment that must be used semi-permanently until broken or used up.
The skills attached to them would only last for approximately six uses.
Excluding the instances used for testing, the maximum usage count was around five.
It was a disappointing result, but undeniably an artifact had been born.
It was not perfect, but it was still an astonishing outcome.
“Still, I feel like… I’ve grasped something.”
“…!”
Does that mean he has grasped the technique to create artifacts?
In that case, the news was far too significant to warrant mere applause.
‘I must capture this person without fail.’
Yoo Ji-han glanced down at the research paper he had gifted.
The once pristine sheet was now filled with notes written in black ink, crumpled here and there.
Nam Ho-yeol, who leaped from the open market to join the guild, had become an incredible craftsman!
Now, it was the guild that found itself in a much more desirable position than him.
“It seems we should adjust the contract.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ll make the contract conditions much more favorable for you.”
“That…”
“You understand what that means, right?”
Yoo Ji-han licked his chapped lips as he said this.
With fewer than 400 artisans globally capable of independently creating artifacts,
He couldn’t afford to lose a remarkable Korean craftsman who could go down in history.
Stressing past connections, he was willing to make sacrifices to meet all of Nam Ho-yeol’s conditions.
But Nam Ho-yeol shook his head and said, “No, you don’t need to do that.”
“…?”
“I plan to settle down here in Sweet Fun anyway.”
“Oh… well then, that’s great for us.”
“I will definitely turn all your equipment into artifacts!”
Thump thump!
Nam Ho-yeol declared emphatically, pounding his chest with his fist, filled with ambition.
In response, Yoo Ji-han looked at Chilla with an expectant expression.
“Snap?”
The ambition to create a magical armor Chinchilla enveloped in artifacts might just turn into reality soon.
*
At the secret base of IUPC, located deep underground in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do,
The members gathered were either on the phone or looking down at their mobile phones.
Most of them had dyed their hair in unusual colors not typically attempted by others, such as very deep pink or red.
One peculiar aspect stood out among them.
The roots of their hair were all white.
“The team that went down to the South Sea seems nearly ready.”
“We’re waiting for orders from Jindo, Haenam, and Goheung.”
“It seems we need to observe Mokpo a bit longer. What’s the situation in Seoul?”
“The regular staff are staying behind to handle the police and media, while the awakeners are secretly descending.”
The pink-haired woman nodded at her subordinate’s words.
“The department head will contact us with updates on the international situation, so let’s wait.”
“Yes.”
Boom!
At that moment, a monster trapped in a strong and large iron cage at the front of their conversation banged vehemently against the bars.
“Ah, you scared me!”
The woman frowned, and a man rushed in from somewhere, bowing his head to her.
“I’m sorry!”
“Hey! How much time has the alliance given you, and you still can’t manage a single creature?”
“……”
“You’ll be examined twenty minutes from now. If you don’t want to end up as monster feed, do better.”
“Yes, understood!”
The man and the drooling monster on the other side of the bars drifted away.
Tsk-tsk, the woman looked at the others in the same space.
Except for a few who were inexperienced with monster control, each person was comfortably managing over ten monsters.
It looked like a scene with dozens of tamers gathered.
“Team 1! Come here!”
Pitter-patter!
As the woman gave a short command, five giant birds flying in the air landed in front of her.
All responding to her command were mutated and special individual creatures.
Although they possessed beaks capable of crushing a human skull, she affectionately stroked the head of one of the black birds.
“Heehee…”
The joyful start of a festival was approaching.
