Luk, one of the kingdom’s Five Talents.
He had no desire to beco king.
Unlike his father, who was intelligent, wise, and knew how to earn the love of all his people, the only thing he himself could do was swing a single sword in a splendid way.
So there was a dream he held.
It was to beco the commander of the capital guard who protects the king.
And Luk knew that was a story for quite so ti in the future.
He did not know who the king would be then, but there was one thing he wished for.
‘A kind and unyielding king. One who leads the kingdom wisely.’
When he first saw Hyun, he was angry.
He looked down on him when he learned that, in the end, Hyun was a blacksmith, and he was awed when Hyun swung a club.
And standing amid those who rejoiced, watching Hyun speak of the true essence of things, Luk thought that he was the makings of a true lord.
As expected......
To him, who was swearing his loyalty, Hyun spoke not of greed but of sothing else.
“Sir Luk, you will have to be punished, won’t you?”
“I believe this will serve as that punishnt.”
Yes, this, too, was a form of demotion.
Luk was soone who, once he simply stepped outside Araham Territory, could beco a knight of the royal knights, whether in another country or his own.
What he had chosen was rely Radiance, and to beco a subordinate of soone whose title was the sa as his own—if that was not punishnt, then what was it?
“I permit it. And stay in Araham Territory for a short while before you co.”
Luk was delighted.
First, because Hyun had accepted him.
Second, because Hyun was showing consideration for him.
He was giving him and his father ti to say their farewells.
Luk was certain.
As expected, Hyun was the makings of a good lord.
*****
After accepting Luk as his retainer and stepping outside, Hyun could not hide his sense of anticipation.
Of course, he strictly distinguished between public and private matters.
Luk had to pay the price for the reckless thing he had done, and if Hyun simply took him away as he was, he thought there was a chance Radiance might suffer damage for no reason.
But if Luk received his punishnt in the form of a demotion, as he himself had said, there would be no problem.
Hyun opened the information window of the newly recruited Luk.
(Luk)
Grade: Epic
Type: Retainer
Level: 290
Attack Power: 3,040
Defense: 2,805
Special Abilities:
·Passive Skill: Excellent Commander.
·Passive Skill: Advancing Swordsmanship.
·Passive Skill: Talent for grasping many things from learning just one.
·Active Skill: Bayard Swordsmanship.
·Active Skill: Awakening.
Potential: 121
Current Experience: 67%
Description: Possesses the talent to perhaps beco a sword-saint. Possesses the talent for grasping many things from learning just one. Grows faster and is smarter than any other knight. Also has, from a young age, been called one of the kingdom’s Five Talents and has already been known by the na of the makings of a sword-saint.
He brought up a hologram of the Ares community and checked the Status Windows of ordinary knights as well.
‘This is insane, seriously......’
The knight Hyun had just checked was an NPC knight of the sa level as Luk, who had only just obtained his title.
The key information on that knight, which a guild master user had posted on the Ares community, was as follows.
Attack Power 2,301
Defense 1,999
Potential 70.
But how about Luk?
They were clearly the sa level, yet completely different.
Attack Power 3,040
Defense 2,805
Potential 121.
It clearly showed the difference between a nad knight and one who was not, even at the sa level.
And Nell had said it herself.
Nad knight.
In other words, knights with titles cost at least about fifty million won per month to keep under you.
But the Luk Hyun was looking at was better than most nad NPC knights.
‘Not as good as Bella, of course.’
Bella was presud to possess talent close to the Sword King.
And it had not been very long since Hyun stepped forward when Luk appeared.
‘Ti to go back now.’
Just as he was about to return to the base, a group approached.
At the center of the group was a soldier nad Pell.
These were the very n Hyun had led when he accepted the Kingdom Quest: Subjugation Captain.
“Commander......!”
The soldier nad Pell knelt, and following him, the other soldiers also knelt.
They were feeling the regret of not being able to follow Hyun.
Hyun likewise could not help but feel regret.
‘If not for the system restrictions......’
He wanted to take all of them with him.
At that mont.
[The Loyalty of 29 soldiers is MAX.]
[If you later obtain the title of Baron, you may select and recruit approximately 50 soldiers of your choice.]
[However, their wishes will be respected.]
What he had shown them and achieved for them had been sothing astonishing.
In response, just as the God of Blacksmiths had given him the hint so the Four Tigers Sword would not scatter, the god was now giving him another kind of hint.
Before he left, Hyun said to them,
“Wait just a little, I’ll co to get you soon.”
“We will be waiting!”
Together with Pell, the soldiers pressed their right fists hard to their left chests.
It was the Ares-style greeting that signified loyalty.
And as Hyun began to head back toward the base, Pell spoke.
“When do you think he’ll co to get us?”
“Well? If it’s Sir Hyun, wouldn’t a year be enough?”
Raising a title by one rank was an extrely difficult thing. They did not know.
That they would be seeing him again sooner than they thought.
*****
Nell’s chest burned hot.
A small forge in a single territory.
Hyun entered first, his coat fluttering, and behind him ca one knight.
And five n whose appearances seed no different from ordinary soldiers.
Nell was the one who knew their true nature.
Just a single knight was a future sword-saint in the making, who would lead an ever-growing force.
And the five soldiers would exert the power of knights and, going forward, would be put into soldier training and covert missions.
‘He said to bring back three soldiers......’
Hyun had brought back people better than a hundred ordinary soldiers.
After sending them out, they talked.
“What are you going to do about the Storm Brigade mbers?”
To that, Hyun gave a wise answer.
“The Storm Brigade are naless soldiers. I think we can prepare their quarters around here and station them in various places.”
To station them ant to hide them in disguises as fruit sellers, weapon sellers, or passersby.
In the future, their enemies would not know their strength and would be swallowed the mont they stepped into the jaws.
Seeing that Hyun was thinking the sa way she was, Nell was inwardly amazed.
Then sothing occurred to her.
“Didn’t you say you were going to hear the results of your rehabilitation today?”
“That’s right.”
A faint expectation was showing on Hyun’s face. Nell could feel it.
‘He wants to grip the hamr again not only in Ares but in reality as well.’
It was only natural.
In the end, Ares was a virtual world.
And for Hyun, who had lived his entire life as nothing but a blacksmith, the rehabilitation of his right hand was sothing deeply aningful.
“It doesn’t look like anything special will happen for the ti being, so go with an easy mind. I hope it goes well.”
And Hyun logged out, carrying his expectations with him.
Once he logged out and stepped outside, Hyun’s heart pounded.
‘I’ve paid all the treatnt costs, and soon I’ll be able to erase the scars, too.’
But what Hyun needed most right now was not that.
Hyun looked at his right hand, covered in scars.
Fortunately, his right hand as it was now had no problems in day-to-day life.
But what Hyun wanted was to start working as a blacksmith again with this hand.
Because of that, Hyun was more ready than anyone to give his all to rehabilitation.
With an excited heart, he headed for the hospital.
*****
Doctor Kim Jinseop had been in a good mood lately.
Strangely enough, just seeing one young man put him in a good mood and seed to fill him with energy.
And he also thought it was sothing only possible because that young man was Hyun.
He had been happier than anyone when he received the call from the administration office saying, “Mr. Hyun has paid all of his hospital bills in full.”
Even Jinseop knew at least that Hyun would not have earned it by doing anything bad, and recently he had heard from Hyun that it was money earned from a ga called Ares.
Jinseop wished,
‘I hope he keeps rising higher and higher.’
But his feelings were in tatters, and the expression on Hyun’s face, sitting across from him, was even worse.
Jinseop felt miserable that he had to deliver these words.
In front of them lay an X-ray image of Hyun’s hand.
“Do you rember? When I said I’d do my best?”
Back when Hyun had said he wanted to start rehabilitation, Jinseop had told him it might be impossible.
To that, Hyun had said he still wanted to try.
“......Yes.”
Jinseop had wanted to do his best.
But the results had not been good.
“As I said, if you continue forging with your right hand, I, too, cannot guarantee what will happen to it.”
Hyun’s expression was not good.
“Right now, you’re at a level where you can play catch, drive, do anything without overstraining it, right? But what I’m saying is that if you start working in a forge, you might not even be able to do those things anymore.”
Seeing his expression grow more and more devastated, Jinseop’s chest also ached.
And it wasn’t that what he had to say was only pessimistic.
“There may soon be a treatnt for your case that’s waiting for FDA approval in Arica. Let’s wait until then.”
In truth, even for Jinseop, he had no way of knowing whether that would take half a year, two years, or never receive approval at all.
Perhaps because Hyun also understood that, his expression did not improve, and Jinseop spoke in a bitter voice.
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do for you.”
At tis, Jinseop also had to deliver stinging words.
“Mr. Hyun, you said you wanted to try doing your physical therapy in the forge, right?”
Jinseop recalled his conversation with Hyun from a few days prior.
Hyun’s forge.
Thanks to Chairman Lee Taeseong’s help, it was being built quickly.
In fact, the forge was almost finished, and he knew that now all that was left was to rebuild their ho that had been connected to the forge.
Jinseop spoke firmly.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think that will be possible. For now, we need to focus treatnt on making your daily life better, not on your work as a blacksmith.”
He saw on Hyun’s face the look of a young man whose world had collapsed.
Watching Hyun’s slumped shoulders as he left with no strength, he could not say anything.
Of course, there was the tiny hope of the Arican treatnt, but even that was not sothing he could guarantee.
“Sigh......”
Jinseop had seen countless patient disappointnts up to now.
Among those many disappointnts, this was the most heartbreaking story.
A few days later, Jinseop received a puzzling phone call.
—Hello, my na is Kim Hyein.
She said she was a user with the nickna Nell and that she worked together with Hyun.
—Mr. Hyun hasn’t been answering his phone for days. Did he perhaps say anything to you, doctor?
“...Pardon?”
Jinseop was taken aback.
For a mont, a thought crossed his mind, then he shook his head.
‘The Mr. Hyun I know would never do that.’
He was certain.
Even when he tried calling, the phone was switched off.
All of a sudden, Hyun’s forge ca to his mind.
Late at night, in a rush, Jinseop drove his car toward the place where Hyun’s forge was supposed to be.
At the late hour of night.
Jinseop felt uncontrollable anger.
Because he could see the forge lit by a distant fire.
He understood Hyun’s heart better than anyone.
But there had been a reason he had warned him so earnestly.
Jinseop had seen people who, after taking on reckless challenges, ended up completely paralyzed.
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario, but for him as a doctor, it was only natural to assu the worst.
He ran, panting.
‘What do you think you’re doing right now!’
He had thought he would shout and drag Hyun out of the forge.
But as he saw the flas blossoming before his eyes, he fell # Nоvеlight # into a trance.
Without realizing it, his lips parted.
“......”
He watched silently.
It was the first ti.
The first ti he had ever seen his patient Hyun smile so happily.
And it was awe-inspiring.
In the forge, filled with a hot heat that took up the entire space, he was watching, for the first ti in his life, the movents of a master craftsman.
Without knowing it, he stared, dumbfounded.
At Hyun’s happy smile, he himself could not help but wear a happy smile.
And......
CLAAANG
CLAAAANG—!
CLAAAANG—!
Only when the beautiful sound rang out did he finally co to his senses.
Jinseop was a doctor.
He did not believe in miracles.
dically speaking, Hyun’s right hand was a hand that absolutely could never work in a forge again.
‘Then how......?’
Jinseop involuntarily took a step back.
This was not a miracle.
It was not sothing that could not be explained dically.
No, this was—
‘H-his left hand......!?’
—sothing only possible because it was Hyun.
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