episode_0088

“This is the price.”

Heo Yong-tae smiled painfully, his scars revealed around his eyes and his irises distorted.

Well, it’s not that rare of a case.

Just as a once promising athlete feels physically challenged and turns to illegal drugs, or a seasoned day laborer overestimates his strength and tries to carry things too hard, only to end up ruined and broken after making a small mistake.

He was just like that. He was confident in his safety and overconfident in his abilities. Above all, he was impatient.

It was a mistake.

“The price of trying to reach the dream through the apostles by going beyond the level.”

Yeah, big mistake. Irreversible.

After reaching the level of a Master for over ten years, the young and energetic Heo Yong-tae thought that he could easily reach the Grand.

He received the spotlight and praise from many people. He was able to control the mana flames freely and his hammering skills were so powerful that it made his teeth hurt. He was already convinced that his level was no less than that of other Grand Masters.

However, growth was sluggish and stagnant, and I was getting impatient and irritated.

Why? Why can’t I make [Unique Grade]?

Heo Yong-tae, who decided that it was no longer possible to improve his skills through such simple and boring training, turned his attention to something else.

[Skill].

-Yeah, I’ve already reached Baekhyun’s level of skill. Simple tasks are enough for me now.

-[Skill], now other than that, there is nothing lacking in my crafting technique. What I lack is the utilization of [Skill].

An endless staircase called effort.

Tired and fed up with it, he looked for clues in an unlikely place.

I forcibly increased the firepower of the mana flames by using [Fire attribute skills] in various ways. I used hammering roughly and actively used [Processing] and [Crafting].

Of course, I failed. I failed again. I couldn’t admit that my judgment was wrong, and instead, I started relying on [skill] even more.

Finally, Heo Yong-tae crossed the line.

He infused a large amount of mana into the melting pot, along with magic stones, and created equipment while controlling the firepower of the more powerful mana flames with [Skill]. He knew that it could easily become dangerous. However, he thought that if he combined [Skill] and his craftsmanship, as he had done so far, it would be enough. Of course, fire was always on the craftsman’s side. It was on his side.

The result of Heo Yong-tae’s choice, which was full of arrogance, was the fury of injustice.

The grace of fire belongs to the blacksmith, not to the Awakened who ‘was’ a blacksmith.

His specially constructed melting pot and furnace could not withstand the mana overload.

The flames that were running wild due to the mana with different patterns being forcibly mixed exploded and covered Heo Yongtae. The melting pot melted and the furnace was shattered. A terrible accident. The extradimensional particles that were soaked in the flames seeped into his eyes.

“And karma.”

Although Heo Yong-tae barely survived, he was left with aftereffects in both his eyes. Fortunately, he did not go blind, but his eyesight deteriorated significantly.

“The karma paid by a craftsman who neglects his practice and does not respect fire while being distracted by other things.”

After that, I couldn’t see bright light properly.

“Is that what you call lifespan syndrome? It’s a similar symptom. Mine is much more severe, though. … The doctor said he couldn’t cure it.”

He adjusted the sunglasses on his forehead and continued speaking.

“Even if I wear sunglasses with a certain degree of precision, and strengthen my eyes with mana and [skill], I can’t see the light for long. I can only do proper craftsmanship for an hour at most. Equipment making is now dead, and I can’t even wake up, and I’ll collapse after doing a few repairs.”

There was no one left to praise him for his miserable failure.

“The craftsman who was called [Barisan] is dead. He was left behind with his empty dreams.”

He said that he was just tinkering with broken equipment that he could no longer manufacture.

I couldn’t see properly because of the glare, as if my legs were swollen from welding.

“’Tinker’. Isn’t that a perfect nickname for someone like me? Now all that’s left here is another loser who’s called by that derogatory term. … Pathetic, isn’t it? A guy like that, stuck here, acting like a manager, and being a nag.”

“… … .”

Even as he listened to the bitter reminiscence, Si-hyuk silently lit the brazier that he had preheated. As he watched him put the magic stone in, Heo Yong-tae, who had been taking out a cigarette, moved away from the brazier and began to light a cigarette.

“But you know, it doesn’t seem like someone else’s business. It’s hard, I don’t want to get sick, so I gave up trying and settled down, and it seemed like those losers were looking at me.”

The red light at the edge and the toxic smoke hurt my eyes.

Heo Yongtae looked up at the silent Shihyuk. The atmosphere inside the gate premises was hazy. It was because it was contaminated with extradimensional particles. Ironically, because of that, except on rainy or cloudy days, this was the only place where the tinker could look up at the sky.

“When I saw those who were eventually pushed to the edge of a cliff and couldn’t even afford to repair their equipment, and those who were struggling in places where conditions weren’t good, I wanted to do something about it.”

A frog in a well who jumped excitedly while dreaming of the sea, but misstepped and rolled down in a big way. He looked up at the sky that was no longer blue, holding other frogs besides himself.

“So, I want Lee Si-hyuk to help them out a little bit instead of me. I’ll pay for the repair costs a little bit. Please.”

Shihyuk didn’t bother to answer the sad voice. He just fixed his ugly longsword and picked up his hammer.

-!!

The sound was loud.

It was a loud and clear sound that was enough to drown out the voices of everyone who was shouting out loud to do business.

There was no other way to compare that magnificent sound, which burst out like a thunderbolt across a raindrop. It was simply the sound of a giant hammer. The sound of a blacksmith’s hammer.

Despite being a [normal grade weapon] with the lowest mana conductivity, a very thin but distinct mana pattern like cellophane was applied to each hammer strike.

The gray mana began to erode the rust stained with the blood and remains of monsters that clung to the weapon’s surface, swaying dizzily like a candle in the wind.

While the rust was completely gone, Shihyuk picked up a small chisel and hammer. He tapped the dented handle head and the joint at the bottom of the sword, and the groove, completely separating them. He hit the bare longsword, which only had the blade and the handle left, a couple of times, breaking the cracked and loose blade part like a saw blade, and then filled the defective part with soft, well-melted mana crystals as if soldering them.

After hammering it back and forth a few more times, a sword that looked like it was completely reborn appeared. I took out the special whetstone and sharpened the blade, smoothed out the dents, made a new joint to secure the handle head and the bottom of the sword, and reattached it to the handle using a blunt chisel and hammer.

That was the end. Shihyuk neatly placed the repaired longsword in a corner. The entire process didn’t even take 10 minutes. Even though the equipment being repaired was a [normal grade weapon], the completion rate and repair speed were ridiculous.

“… Wow.”

Suddenly, in the quiet surroundings, a sound was heard.

A small exclamation from someone who was watching that brief moment, startled by the loud voice. Starting with that, all sorts of voices began to burst out from those who had been focused on it.

“What is that?”

“Meister? Is that guy a Meister? That’s awesome. This is my first time seeing a Meister craftsman.”

“Are you stupid? At that level, he’s not just a master, he’s a promising prospect with a [title]. I’ve never seen his face before, but how can someone with such skills come to a remote place like this?”

Just as the audience applauds after a great performance, everyone cheers and looks in awe at the amazing craftsman’s performance, and on top of that, all sorts of speculations are added.

“That’s ridiculous. You’re saying that you can transform a mana crystal into [Magic Iron] by only hitting it that much and containing that much mana?”

“[Skill]? I guess that’s like a [Unique Skill]? I’m jealous. Those talented people.”

“[Unique Skill]? How can you use [Skill] like that when the amount of mana shown is so small?”

“Then does that make sense? I said unconditionally. I’m sure. Otherwise, I’ll buy all the magic stones here.”

Here and there, there were looks of shock and jealousy. They were craftsmen from other gates and auction house merchants who had come over from other regions to purchase goods.

Their guess was just that. Their vision was low and their vision was narrow. Everyone knew that it was great, but they did not understand how great it was. It was like a fish playing in a ditch not being able to tell the difference between a river and the sea.

Unfortunately, the relatively low-level raiders and craftsmen who roam around the D-rank gate and the area just above it were limited in what they could infer.

Regardless, unlike the arrogant feelings of those who witnessed the process, Si-hyuk, who actually completed the work, had an indifferent expression. Although there were some parts where the change in emotion was not clear to begin with, he actually felt similar. Hmm, the flat breathing that he exhaled left only the impression of, ‘Is this it?’

What. He could easily repair the weapon in a shorter period of time, without using any tools other than a hammer. In fact, he could even create a more powerful weapon in the same amount of time. No. If he wanted to, he could even transform it from a fixed [grade].

One, it was pointless.

If you try to strengthen your weapons by force, those who choose to settle for stagnation will sell their weapons at high prices and use cheaper [ordinary grade weapons]. After that, it would be better if you don’t use the equipment that is molded in the factory. Even if you showed such power in the first place – Sihyuk glanced at the naive figure who was blowing his stuffy nose because his eyes were stinging – you wouldn’t be an example to that rookie craftsman. So he adjusted his mana amount and level.

More than anything, I wanted to use the tools the tinker had given me.

… The exact reason was unknown to Shihyuk himself. It wasn’t a feeling of showing off or mockery. He just wanted to show it off. He wanted to tell that regretful craftsman, whose dream had died, about the end of eternal effort, the process of grinding his soul, and the end of polishing.

“… … .”

Only then did Shihyuk realize that everyone’s attention was focused on him. Was it because he was holding a hammer? Was it because he was not only Shihyuk, but also a blacksmith who was called that? The sense of rejection or burden felt from the gathered gazes was less than he had thought.

Unlike before, when he would just sit blankly at the stall and kill time, Sihyuk opened his mouth as people swarmed around him.

I stared blankly at the open-mouthed tinker head-on.

“I am an anonymous blacksmith who was introduced by Master Heo Yong-tae.”

A low, heavy voice fell on the ears of those who had been chattering like a weight. As the presence that had been hiding in plain sight began to show its tail, everyone stopped talking and listened to his voice.

“I heard that the people in the strategy group who go to [Chakgapsa] are using equipment that is not in good condition.”

“No, Tinker Brother. Why are you talking about that… .”

“Huh, hmm.”

A few awakened members of the strategy series, who felt a sting somewhere in the emotionless voice without any ups and downs, secretly covered their weapons or armor with their hands or hid them behind their backs and coughed in shame.

“So today, I’m going to repair your gear for a reasonable price.”

At those words, someone snorted.

That’s a great blacksmith. How much would the repair cost be? In a world where a bag of snacks costs 70,000 won. Maybe they’d be asking for such an outrageous price that it’d be better to just buy new equipment, shouting about premium, tradition, and handmade.

A completely unexpected story came to their ears, who felt as if they would lose interest at any moment, as if they had somehow cooled down.

“Repair costs will only be paid in the amount of low-grade magic stones needed to create the fuel and crystals for the melting pot.”

You won’t stop getting your equipment repaired by a craftsman like that, and even if you have a lot of money for repairs, it’s just a cheap stone that won’t sell?

At first, they doubted their ears, but soon their eyes widened and they began to shout loudly. People are thirsty even after seeing an inedible persimmon and free lye water. They tried not to miss this opportunity.

“My helmet! ”

“Shut up and take my magic stone!”

“Please, me first! Before we go to the gate, how about I… !”

“Me first!”

“Me too… . I’ll get it fixed too!”

Like pigeons flocking to corn where rice bran has been spread.

In an instant, a crowd filled the forge.

The thick cursing of the tinker who had come to his senses was what cleared up the chaos in which some people were being stepped on and others were being pushed.

“Line up slowly, you little shits!! If you start a fuss and get turned over, you guys will all get turned over too!!”

Those who had been screaming at the threatening words of the short giant with his sleeves rolled up, cowered and became a flock of innocent sheep. Yesterday, as if looking at the entrance of the Awakened during the most active period, a long line of people, some slowly moving ahead and some behind, formed in front of Shihyuk.

“I’m feeling better now. Do you need help?”

“It’s okay.”

“Of course. Take it easy. Hey, you! Don’t be shy and come here! Come and see! ”

At Heo Yong-tae’s gesture, the novice craftsman, who wanted to watch but did not have the courage to get involved in this commotion, came running over, blushing.

He scolded the reckless craftsman, hitting a chestnut on his head.

“Oh my, you’re just a timid girl. If there’s a place like this, you should stick to it with your eyes lit up. Don’t you think it’s easy to see the craftsmanship of such a craftsman in a place like this?”

“Hehehe… . I’m sorry, Ssabu-nim.”

Heo Yong-tae continued to complain with a sigh, looking at the guy who was awkwardly feeling the spot where he had been hit.

“Don’t call me Master. … Anyway, watch it carefully. And remember it. If you miss this, it will be a regret for the rest of your life.”

“Is that guy really that great, sir? No, he does look great. I’m not really… .”

“What are you talking about? You may not know it now, but you will know it later. Remember what I said. That is the goal that every craftsman should dream of.”

-!!

The hammer struck again.

Hearing that sound, he sincerely hoped that this young craftsman would never become like him. He repeatedly urged him and silently watched Shihyuk’s work with the craftsman who was like his disciple.

There are things that hit home even more because I missed them.

Due to the mistake, he lost his eyesight, but his hearing and touch, on the contrary, became more sensitive, and he could hear the sound contained in the hammer, and he could feel the vibration of the ground shaking with the waves with the soles of his feet.

I had a rough idea that he was a serious guy. I figured he had great skills. I don’t know why he came, but I figured he could be of help to frogs like me. But…

Seriously, I didn’t expect it to be this bad.

[Unique Skill]? Heo Yong-tae snickered.

It wasn’t some kind of shallow trick. It was the completion of a dream that a human being showed after much effort. It was a sound that only those who challenge themselves toward their ideals and push themselves to their limits can make.

Long ago, the sound of a hammer I heard at the lecture of [The Greatest]. The sound I had once thought I had reached. That clear sound full of value and nobility. The sound of the hammer that Sihyuk made was similar to that.

No, maybe even more than that-

“Fuck.”

“Mr. Ssabu?”

Heo Yong-tae let out a short curse.

It would be a lie if he said he wasn’t jealous. But he wasn’t jealous. He had come too far for that. He had walked the wrong path, given up on his dreams, lost his ideals, and was left empty. All that was left for him was regret for his dead dreams. That was all.

If I said I wasn’t angry, it would be a lie. However, that anger was anger at my old self. Why couldn’t I do that? Why couldn’t I run until the end? As I looked at the craftsman who had achieved the position I had admired, I regretted my bad past.

At that moment, at that time. If only I hadn’t been arrogant, if only I had endured a little longer, if only I had persevered and burned with a little more passion.

“I wanted to be like that too.”

Could he have become like that too?

“… Sir.”

The young craftsman felt a bitterness in the past tense tone.

It was resignation.

Whenever you feel regret, it is always too late. It is too late. Heo Yong-tae looked down at his hands.

It was already the hand of a ‘tinker’, not [Barison]. It was no longer the same as before. He had lost all his courage, passion, and the blood of his youth. His body and mind were too cold and drenched in defeat to be rekindled.

“… So fucking cool.”

“… … .”

Now, more than anything else, I was most upset at myself for not being able to express anything other than that when I saw something like that.

My sunglasses seemed to be broken. My vision was blurry. Something ticklish and itchy kept dripping down my eyes and cheeks.

The young disciple listened to his incompetent master’s sobbing and carefully observed each and every movement of the unknown blacksmith.

A blacksmith who will soon become famous throughout the world.

And watching him, another inexperienced blacksmith was growing up with a dream.