The man who had turned away, holding a broken greatsword.
He watched the gently crumbling waves as the light fell across them.
When it was calm, the sea was more beautiful than anything, and it soothed the heart.
But when it raged, nothing was more terrifying than the sea.
The man who had to protect this sea knew sothing.
The fact that their stories are reaching us ans there isn’t much ti left.
Even he didn’t know.
What would happen once the world beyond this sea opened.
“Most of the ti, that’s how it goes.”
When sothing new opens, the strong of that world commit plunder against the new.
At the stroke of their pens, young people die.
The young gain nothing.
The ones who gain are the strong who hold the pen, and to them it’s nothing but a number—‘2,000 fatalities occurred.’
Of course, it hadn’t happened yet.
But the road this man had walked so far had always been like that.
Even now, the shattered state of his greatsword forced him to relive past battles.
Can I do it again this ti?
He didn’t know.
All he had left was a broken greatsword and the will of soone who intended to protect this land.
Then...
He needed a counterasure.
And so the thing he’d only found “interesting” a mont ago changed.
I need it.
The Twin Dragon Sword that existed in another world.
But then a subtle smile ford on his lips.
Do I need the Twin Dragon Sword? Or do I need... that man.
He still couldn’t know.
He only knew that he needed sothing connected to him.
He raised his arm.
KIIIIEEEK—
A single flaming hawk landed on his left forearm.
A legendary bird spoken of in myth, bearing mysterious power.
A bird that lived far longer than humans.
But now, even its power had grown too faint.
KIIIIEEK?
As if it was happy to see him, it rubbed its body against his face.
Yet it also seed to carry concern.
“I know. Even if I send you now, I have no way to bring him here. I only intend to borrow my power for a mont and see sothing from him.”
KIIIIEK?
The thing he wanted to see—the Myriad Mile Bird understood.
“Go.”
KIIIIEEEEEEK—!
The Myriad Mile Bird shot into the sky, tearing across the heavens.
It could cross between this land and another continent—reach the rumored man—only once.
FWOOOSH—
As it rose, it flared hotter, then vanished.
I’m curious...
Whether he is soone worth spending this final chance on.
*****
SMACK—!
Hyunsoo slapped both cheeks with both hands.
You thought becoming the first user to beco a king would be that easy?
A user becoming a king could never be easy.
A re outsider trying to beco a king would cause too many changes.
And aside from Ben and Brad, it was only natural that most NPCs would oppose it.
Yeah. If I said I didn’t have this level of resolve, I’d be lying.
For now, Hyunsoo had to think of the best he could do.
First, I need to increase people like Hwarang.
And after that...
It was right to talk it through with Nell.
When Hyunsoo told Nell about the notifications he’d received, she imdiately pierced the core.
“Hyunsoo, you’ve essentially beco the user who has dug deepest into the second main episode of Ares.”
It was true—she looked deeply worried too.
“So first, you need to keep bringing residents into Atlas, expand the territory, and establish a host. Of course, we do have trump cards like Luxiu and Kabel.”
But Nell shook her head.
“Even so, those two can’t oppose the colossal king Bolond, and they can’t stop the tyrant either. And now we can’t receive help from King Brad, Your Majesty.”
It was true.
“The mont we declared ourselves an independent territory, we left King Brad’s protection. And that’s not all. Unofficial rankers will move now as well.”
“Unofficial rankers?”
Nell’s expression was grave.
“Yes. Just like how you hid that you’re both a blacksmith and Crazy Rookie.”
There were always those who deliberately didn’t reveal themselves.
“So will move with the goal of placing soone on the throne as king. Others will start moving to beco a king themselves. And in the process of obtaining the modifier ‘first,’ you’ll beco the biggest obstacle.”
“That ans...”
Hyunsoo almost lost strength in his legs.
“Yes. Right now, you’re the only one who’s exposed.”
Hyunsoo asked calmly.
“Then what do I need most?”
“That would be...”
Nell thought briefly, then answered.
“A solid ally with that level of power.”
A solid ally with that level of power.
“Soone the other kings wouldn’t dare covet, and who would make them hold their breath in fear because they dread a war with them.”
Hyunsoo felt like his head was starting to ache.
He even thought, If there’s a Paejon, wouldn’t that change things?
But then he thought—
Why would Paejon help ...?
And he didn’t even know exactly where Paejon was yet.
Right then—
FWOOOOSH—!
“...?”
The two of them flinched at the sa ti.
[A legendary Myriad Mile Bird.]
A noble bird had appeared inside a blaze of fla.
But—
KIIIIEE......
Huh? Its condition...?
The thing hovering in the air wobbled.
Like soone staggering after overdoing leg day.
And of course, that was only natural.
The Myriad Mile Bird had crossed a place no one °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° else could cross—between lands, and between worlds that hadn’t even opened yet.
Hyunsoo reached out his arm, and the exhausted Myriad Mile Bird dropped down limply.
In that instant—
[The Myriad Mile Bird sent by the king of ??? reacts to you.]
[A portion of his power dwells within the Myriad Mile Bird.]
[Through the Myriad Mile Bird, he requests a crafting thod.]
[If you accept the crafting thod request, you will be able to et him for a brief mont.]
DING!
[Hidden Quest: Crafting thod]
Grade: SSS
Reward: Gain 2 to all stats
Restriction: Proposed by the king of ???.
Penalty on failure: Unable to set foot in the New World.
Description: The king of ??? is curious about you. Complete the crafting thod and satisfy him. However, you cannot actually give him anything that has been completed, and you likewise cannot gain anything within it. Everything accomplished through this power will vanish and disappear the mont your eting with him ends.
“The king of question marks?”
At Hyunsoo’s words, Nell reacted at once.
“The king you said was all ??? earlier? This is the bird he sent?”
“I think so. The quest triggered like that, at least...”
Then a strange light rose in Nell’s eyes.
“How did we not think of that?”
Hyunsoo could see it too.
“If there are those who beco enemies, those who grow curious, those who want to bring down... then there could also be soone who wants my existence.”
Hyunsoo realized this wasn’t a situation made of nothing but despair.
It was proof that his path wasn’t only producing bad outcos.
“At the very least, right now, he’s curious about you. And he’s one of the kings who still hasn’t revealed himself.”
“An unrevealed king...”
That was why he couldn’t know anything.
Whether this was a good one.
Or whether he was a villain who dread of slaughter through weapons Hyunsoo made.
“Still, I don’t think it can be a threat.”
Hyunsoo focused on the “crafting thod” in the quest.
It looked like whatever was made would be discarded imdiately afterward.
Is he testing my power?
But for a re test, the reward was extrely good.
Two to all stats?
Considering Hyunsoo’s current stat totals, it was an absurd reward.
And the notification made it clear it was only a “brief” eting.
Nell and Hyunsoo t eyes.
“At least, it’s clear we aren’t losing anything.”
There was a penalty—being unable to set foot in the New World—but that was only if they failed.
[You have accepted.]
Hyunsoo looked at Nell and said sothing that made her heart pound.
“I’ll go make him feel like he’ll go crazy without .”
Finally—
THUD.
Hyunsoo fell into sleep.
“So you et him like this.”
Nell was curious. What kind of person was one of the four kings who led the era, still completely veiled.
He’s going to make soone like that go crazy...
What a line.
Then Nell tilted her head, puzzled.
“Huh? Where did the Myriad Mile Bird go?”
She cocked her head, then let it go.
It was only natural that a bird who had finished its work would return ho.
That’s a sha.
Nell, who loved “data,” wouldn’t get to confirm what kind of power the legendary Myriad Mile Bird had, or what kind of existence it truly was.
*****
[You will et him for a brief mont.]
[After a certain amount of ti passes, you will awaken from sleep.]
Hyunsoo’s vision began to return as he realized that “falling asleep” was how he would et the unknown king.
Hyunsoo knew.
I don’t know what this one eting will lead to, but...
He knew it would matter enormously to him.
What will he look like?
Hyunsoo opened his eyes, expecting to et a new king.
But disappointnt flooded him.
He was in a space that was pure white—everything.
He couldn’t see the appearance of a new world he’d been anticipating, nor the face of the unknown king hidden behind the veil.
Only one thing—
“So you are the one. The blacksmith called Hyun, who is said to be a god.”
“......”
Hyunsoo could hear a voice, and he felt embarrassed.
Of course he would—hearing soone call him “Hyun the blacksmith who is said to be a god” was mortifying.
Then the voice spoke again.
“Create a crafting thod for a Phantom Blade.”
Hearing it, Hyunsoo nodded.
A Phantom Blade.
A representative sword of Korea, and the request itself didn’t seem difficult.
But Hyunsoo was irritated.
“You don’t show your face, and you still want a lot from . Are you not going to reveal yourself at all?”
“......That is my intention.”
“So you want sothing from , but you won’t yield anything yourself. Seriously.”
“......”
A strong pressure flowed from Hyunsoo.
It was the aura being emitted by his Overwhelm stat, which had grown endlessly high.
And Hyunsoo needed allies, yes—but he had no intention of getting dragged around.
Honestly, Hyunsoo preferred this.
I told Nell I’d make him feel like he can’t live without .
After boasting like that, he couldn’t let himself be played by this man.
At minimum—did Hyunsoo need to pour his whole being into soone whose face he couldn’t even see?
And even if Hyunsoo made a perfect crafting thod, the man might refuse to show himself and just strip the thod clean.
Why should Hyunsoo trust soone whose face he didn’t even know?
Why should he do anything for him?
And Hyunsoo was going to beco a king.
The first user to beco a king.
So what—was he supposed to worry about “how are you going to handle it if you sour relations like this”?
Hyunsoo didn’t care.
“I’m not going to show you the completed crafting thod.”
“...?”
“...If you’re curious, co out and look at it yourself.”
“...!?!?!?!?”
At the unexpected words, the man hiding behind the white space began to panic.
*****
And it wasn’t only the King of Stories who panicked.
“...What the—”
Sejin was more stunned than he had been in a long ti.
What user Hyunsoo had just done—was it right?
If it were an ordinary person, they might’ve called him a lunatic.
But Sejin believed Hyunsoo was insanely smart.
User Hyunsoo wasn’t soone who would speak like that to just anyone.
If you’re curious, co out and look at it yourself.
“...He’s saying if you’re that curious, then reveal yourself and see it.”
But there was a premise.
The crafting thod has to be outstanding.
So outstanding that the king would have no choice but to reveal himself.
Knowing his face or not.
Confirming the identity of the king of ??? or failing to confirm it.
The value gap was astronomical.
SCRITCH SCRITCH SCRITCH—
Ha, it’s drawing really well today!
You’re not going to look at this!? This!?
Krr—ha—wow—!
Sejin could see it.
...!
KRAAASH—!
The King of Stories clenched his fist and trembled.
Even our king was being moved by the Legendary Mouth.
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