A blessing.
It carried the aning of “to protect.”
That was what a blessing in the world of Ares was: sothing born from the desire to protect that user.
An expert once said this about blessings.
-“A blessing is a special power that can only be bestowed by selected nad NPCs, and at tis by beings of even higher rank. Depending on how special that being is, and what kind of station they occupy, the number of blessings they can bestow is determined.”
-“For example, the commander of an order of knights guarding a certain territory. He will likely be able to bestow a blessing only once. But if he bestows such a blessing on soone, that ans that user has built a very high bond with that NPC.”
-“Because that ans that being truly wanted to carry out the act of ‘protecting’ them.”
It served as a wake-up call to users who had always ignored NPCs.
At one point, people even tried a “living together with NPCs challenge.”
Even so, the number of users who received blessings did not increase.
-“A blessing is not sothing you can gain simply by becoming friendly with them. There has to be a reason strong enough to make them want to protect that person.”
-“Have you created a reason why they must protect you?”
People realized it.
Those who possessed blessings were, at minimum, figures on the level of knight commanders.
Ordinary users could not receive blessings from them.
Then soone asked this.
-Who can bestow the greatest blessing current users can receive?
People thought it was a stupid question.
Because everyone who saw that question, and the person answering it, thought the sa thing.
-“Kings [N O V E L I G H T] who lead nations. They are beings born with it from birth. How many users could receive the blessing of the parent of that nation? To satisfy them is an overwhelmingly great task, and for them to co to hold the desire to protect soone, the size of their vessel is too great.”
It was sothing many people agreed with.
And after wondering if it was truly impossible—
-“Even though it seems impossible like this, I do not want to use the word ‘absolute.’ Soone capable of grasping sothing they absolutely need. And among the 1.3 billion Ares players, an extrely small few who can build a high bond with them.”
-“That soone may be making a king want to protect them today. And a blessing carries the aning of ‘to protect.’ Especially a blessing bestowed by a king—it would be the most special and precious blessing in this world. Because it ans the king is protecting you.”
Hyunsoo ca back to himself.
He had recalled what he had once seen about blessings in the past.
He turned over the notification he had heard again.
[The three kings will protect you!]
“......”
The three kings smiling gently were, to other users who t them, nothing more than fearful, terrifying, dreadful great beings.
But to one man among those 1.3 billion players, the North King was the being who had placed a hamr back into his hand.
The West King, who had once been unable to overco his own overwhelmingly powerful status ailnt, was a being who could smile like a child.
And the East King was soone who had co to hold “the desire to protect him,” a blacksmith who had poured his sincerity into Reconciliation.
“......”
There was sothing that felt like a lie.
Only a few hours ago, it had been Hyunsoo who had summoned Gremory here.
Because of that, the three kings had seen Gremory from afar, and had spoken those words.
That they would walk with him.
The three kings would protect him.
With the three greatest blessings in this world called Ares.
The North King, because he led the greatest number of soldiers,
with the blessing of Leading Tiger.
The East King, because he was a being with the most unbreakable spirit,
with the blessing of Valiant Tiger.
And the West King, though he wore the shape of the youngest child, because he contained the strongest force,
with the blessing of Mighty Tiger.
Because those three would guard and protect him, even the fear he had felt toward Gremory—
Can I really do this?
—even that doubt he had held.
I want to stop.
Even the desire to give up vanished like a lie.
Through that interview from the past and the situation now, he ca to understand it.
That he was one of those 1.3 billion players.
And as proof of it—
[It has been proven that you are the user who has received the most blessings thus far.]
[You obtain the title One Protected by Ten Thousand.]
(One Protected by Ten Thousand...)
Unique Title
Grade: S
Special Abilities:
·When soone bestows a blessing upon you, the blessing’s effects beco 30% greater.
·When soone bestows a blessing upon you, you additionally obtain 1 to all stats.
·When soone bestows a blessing upon you, the probability of creating a superior artifact additionally increases by 2% each ti.
Description: You are one whom the greatest number wish to protect. In whatever adversity or hardship, you will be able to endure because of those who support you!
A new title had opened—one obtained only by Hyunsoo.
It’s getting lighter...
As he looked at the hamr the North King had put back into his hand, all the pressure crushing Hyunsoo vanished.
It was as if the three kings, along with the many others he had t until now, were loosening the grip Gremory had around his throat.
And within that release—
Have I ever faced sothing with a heart this unburdened before?
No.
Not even when he made his first artifact.
Not even when he crafted Radiance.
He had always forged as though pursued by the need to change his life.
But now, he was so light he felt like a feather.
That was why.
Instead, his mind beca clearer, his body—once so heavy—grew lighter, and the emotion of joy arose within him.
SHWAAAAAAH—!
The blueprint of the White Tiger Sword, which he had thought of as so complicated, was suddenly drawn cleanly in an instant.
And for the first ti in over ten years, he fell into a feeling like the pure joy he had felt as a child when he tried sothing for the very first ti and loved it.
The heat of the forge he had first felt.
PSSSSSSH—
The humidity.
RUMMMMMBLE—
The sweltering heaviness.
And yet—
KRAAAAAK—
The blacksmith who had once watched the blazing furnace within that place with shining eyes had now beco an adult.
SHIIIIIIK—!
That adult, who drew out the quenched White Tiger Sword and placed it atop the anvil,
had grown so tall without noticing that he now struck with skill beyond even rembering that day.
CLAAAAANG—!
CLAAAAANG—!
CLAAAAANG—!
It was not easy to sink into sothing like one had in childhood.
It was certainly difficult to lose yourself in sothing so fun, so enjoyable, so happy.
But today was different.
The White Tiger Sword, sothing original forged in the spirit of learning the old and knowing the new—
[The blacksmith’s soul reacts.]
—drew him into the joy and delight of that day.
Everyone rembers so day when they were fully imrsed.
But everyone also says it.
Back then, I was young.
It was fun back then...
Now isn’t the ti for that.
But the mont Hyunsoo sank into it now, the fact that this was a ga gave it a special quality.
[You fall into a trance.]
Within that trance, where he forgot everything—
SHIIIIK—
CLAAAAANG—
SHIIIIK—
CLAAAAANG—!
Feeling the rhythm, the blacksmith—already sunk into it, without a single stray thought—moved toward that one thing drawn in his mind.
White.
Just as its first aning implied, astonishingly, the blade being forged was white.
Tiger.
And to contain the tiger’s great force and strength, he was asuring the length of the blade and the edge in a way completely different from the Four Tiger Sword.
He abandoned the Four Tiger Sword that could not cut, and instead forged it with a sharp edge so one side could slice through an enemy in an instant.
CLAAAAANG—!
The sword’s length was neither that of a typical phantom blade, nor that of a greatsword too unwieldy to swing—it lay sowhere in between.
CLAAAAANG—!
By achieving an excellent balance point, he forged a sword that was not difficult to wield in one hand,
and would be even more destructive when swung with both hands—
sothing impossible in reality, yet possible in Ares.
Then he set down the almost-completed white blade and began making the grip by which the sword would be held.
This grip was not so flashy grip embroidered in gold or covered in all kinds of patterns.
The long white blade already proved that this sword was White Tiger.
And so, the scabbard and grip were made hard and easy to hold, yet outwardly as plain as could be.
He wrapped them round and round in cloth, giving them practicality too—so that at tis the cold grip would not tear his hand apart, so that even after cutting down enemies, his own hand would not be injured.
At last—
THUD—!
As he raised it for the engraving work, the corners of his mouth curved upward.
He’s smiling?
He’s enjoying this?
...A true blacksmith indeed!
The three kings marveled.
And anwhile, in Hyunsoo’s notification window—though he did not know it as he remained sunk in trance—a trendous frenzy was erupting.
[You fall into a deeper and purer trance.]
[The title Trance is upgraded from Grade S to Grade SS.]
[An additional 20% is added to the probability of producing a superior artifact while in a trance.]
[You fall into Extre Trance, which activates with a 20% probability.]
[The 20% probability of producing a superior artifact is applied imdiately by entering Extre Trance!!]
And then—
[Deng’s Hamr of Replication shines.]
[The probability of producing a superior artifact increases by 15%.]
Without stopping—
[The Crown Forged by God shines.]
[The probability of producing a superior artifact increases by 15%.]
And again—
[The stat Will is activated.]
[You will not grow tired!!]
And then, just as the notification A new story is beginning had applied to Bahala, it worked on him as well.
[Though you may break.]
[At a mont of certain death and utter crisis, you have found a breakthrough.]
[The completed artifact’s effects beco 5% better.]
As if to say it still was not over, at last the three tigers in human form began changing into the shapes of tigers.
The North King beca the largest tiger, with brown fur.
THUMP—!
The East King beca a tiger a little smaller than the North King, with white fur.
KOOONG—!
The West King beca the smallest tiger, but one with black fur.
KOOOONG—!
Those three tigers ran around the forge like mirages.
RUMMMMMBLE—!
At last, the force of the North King standing highest rose first.
KRAAAAAAGH—!
[The blessing of Leading Tiger descends!!]
[Various powers capable of imbuing the White Tiger Sword with many buffs for allies take root within it!]
Next ca the East King’s force.
KRAAAAAK—!
[The blessing of Valiant Tiger descends!!]
[The White Tiger Sword is imbued with many offensive skills capable of triumphing over any enemy, and with power that increases all stats!]
Lastly, the tiger called the West King, containing the strongest force of all, struck down.
KRRRRRRR—
[The blessing of Mighty Tiger descends upon the White Tiger Sword!!]
[A trendous status ailnt that even a god cannot resist takes root within it!]
At last, the three tigers joined again and beca one.
That was what happened within a single sword.
[The greatest tiger becos one once more, if only briefly.]
[The enormous power of the White Tiger begins to stir within the White Tiger Sword!]
[The title Pledge Your Loyalty to shines!]
[The system recognizes the blessings bestowed upon the item you were crafting and grants privileges to the sword!]
[The blessing of Leading Tiger takes root in the sword and produces effects 20% greater!]
[The blessing of Valiant Tiger takes root in the sword and produces effects 20% greater!]
[The blessing of Mighty Tiger takes root in the sword and produces effects 20% greater!]
And together with that—
THUUUUD—!
At the mont the three exhausted tigers collapsed,
Hyunsoo, gripping the sword’s hilt and lifting it, ca out of Extre Trance.
[Extre Trance is canceled.]
He stood there at the end of the insane flood of notifications, the effects that had occurred now, and the final effect at the end of them all.
Just how many effects went off...?
Notifications that still had not ended were pouring upward.
[The blacksmith’s soul activates!!]
[Correction.]
[The White Tiger Sword is already a sword that leads the current era!]
[The blacksmith’s soul is about to lose its light!]
Behind that power, activating more noisily than at any other ti—
[The blacksmith’s soul does not break!]
[You poured your story into this sword as you made it!]
[According to your story, you fell into the joy, delight, exhilaration, and imrsion of the ti when you first made a sword in childhood, and crafted with a greater degree of imrsion than ever before.]
[The blacksmith’s soul reacts once more to your originality!]
[Though it was changed from the original Four Tiger Sword into the White Tiger Sword, the White Tiger Sword has co to contain the power of the greatest tiger!]
[A wondrous achievent!!]
[The White Tiger Sword has been completed!]
And with that, Hyunsoo—holding the White Tiger Sword, its white blade wrapped at the grip with cloth—began to hear it.
Kr... uh... uh... uh... ung...
A small cry beginning to spread from the sword started spreading across all of Ares.
KRAAAAAOOOAR—!!!!
It was a shocking event.
And the creator, Hyunsoo, knew better than anyone why it was happening.
Its true nature—
[The effect corresponding to the forging of the White Tiger Sword is activated!]
[The cry of a tiger resounds across all of Ares!]
It was an artifact forging effect.
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