Luk, one of the kingdom’s Five Talents.

He had no desire to become 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 become the commander of the capital guard who protects the king.

And Luk knew that was a story for quite some time 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 something else.

“Sir Luk, you will have to be punished, won’t you?”

“I believe this will serve as that punishment.”

Yes, this, too, was a form of demotion.

Luk was someone who, once he simply stepped outside Araham Territory, could become a knight of the royal knights, whether in another country or his own.

What he had chosen was merely Radiance, and to become a subordinate of someone whose title was the same as his own—if that was not punishment, then what was it?

“I permit it. And stay in Araham Territory for a short while before you come.”

Luk was delighted.

First, because Hyun had accepted him.

Second, because Hyun was showing consideration for him.

He was giving him and his father time 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 punishment 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. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

·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 become 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 name 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 same 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 same level, yet completely different.

Attack Power 3,040

Defense 2,805

Potential 121.

It clearly showed the difference between a named knight and one who was not, even at the same level.

And Nell had said it herself.

Named 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 named NPC knights.

‘Not as good as Bella, of course.’

Bella was presumed to possess talent close to the Sword King.

And it had not been very long since Hyun stepped forward when Luk appeared.

‘Time 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 named Pell.

These were the very men Hyun had led when he accepted the Kingdom Quest: Subjugation Captain.

“Commander......!”

The soldier named 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 moment.

[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 something 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 come 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 come to get us?”

“Well? If it’s Sir Hyun, wouldn’t a year be enough?”

Raising a title by one rank was an extremely 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 came one knight.

And five men whose appearances seemed 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 members?”

To that, Hyun gave a wise answer.

“The Storm Brigade are nameless soldiers. I think we can prepare their quarters around here and station them in various places.”

To station them meant 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 moment they stepped into the jaws.

Seeing that Hyun was thinking the same way she was, Nell was inwardly amazed.

Then something 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 hammer 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 something deeply meaningful.

“It doesn’t look like anything special will happen for the time 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 treatment 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 seemed to fill him with energy.

And he also thought it was something 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 game 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 remember? 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 treatment for your case that’s waiting for FDA approval in America. 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 times, 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 home 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 treatment 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 American treatment, but even that was not something he could guarantee.

“Sigh......”

Jinseop had seen countless patient disappointments up to now.

Among those many disappointments, this was the most heartbreaking story.

A few days later, Jinseop received a puzzling phone call.

—Hello, my name is Kim Hyein.

She said she was a user with the nickname 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 moment, 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 came 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 assume 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 flames blossoming before his eyes, he fell # Nоvеlight # into a trance.

Without realizing it, his lips parted.

“......”

He watched silently.

It was the first time.

The first time 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 time in his life, the movements 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 come to his senses.

Jinseop was a doctor.

He did not believe in miracles.

Medically 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 something that could not be explained medically.

No, this was—

‘H-his left hand......!?’

—something only possible because it was Hyun.