The MVP reward let you choose one of three.

A top-grade Legendary artifact of your desired type.

A top-grade Legendary skill of your desired type.

A new grade of ore and crafting materials.

World experts said the third reward was basically filler.

The continental war was, in truth, a festival for combat classes.

But if the rewards offered nothing for production classes, people would tear it apart.

And everyone said the same thing—that no idiot would ever pick the third reward.

The reason was simple.

A new grade. The first-ever grade of material that didn’t exist in Ares. The rarity alone was insane.

The problem was that even Legendary-grade ores could only be handled by artisan-and-above crafters.

A brand-new grade?

‘What’s the point of having it if you can’t even use it?’

Sejin could tell—just as he’d expected—that Hyunsoo had chosen that reward.

And one of the reasons the MVP reward was so good was this:

Other viewers didn’t know what the user picked.

Once, Lee Sejin had compared Transcendence-grade materials to a bag of chips.

If an average blacksmith—an average user—opened it, it was like an overinflated bag full of nitrogen.

‘But when user Kang Hyunsoo opens that bag, he’ll actually see it filled with chips.’

And the MVP reward wasn’t what Hyunsoo thought it was, either.

‘He probably expected to see what kind of chip he’d get.’

A sweet chip someone handed to him.

But he was wrong.

Hyunsoo wasn’t being handed a chip.

He’d been given the right to choose the chip himself—from the store.

Hyunsoo’s eyes were stained with shock.

Sejin smiled where no one could see.

The rewards still weren’t over.

“All continental war participants will receive an experience reward. It will be distributed after the war ends, based on contribution.”

MVP mattered, but the other rewards mattered too.

“And for the Korean server—the winning nation—experience x2 and artifact drop rate x2 will be applied for three days.”

The commentators spoke with laughter in their voices.

Three days. A full three days of experience x2 and artifact drop rate x2.

Guess I’m doing nothing but hunting for three days.

The Korean viewers’ reactions were a riot.

Oi, oi, Hyun. I believed in you!

Old man!

Isn’t this basically Hyun applying a double event for us?

Yeah, yeah. We should send Hyun a deposit or something. 9002-1646...... Hanmaeum Bank.......

You bastard above, you posted your own account LMAO

LOL the ceremony isn’t even over yet.

Lee Sejin looked toward the camera view and spoke.

“I will announce the final reward. Many guilds participated in the continental war.”

Everyone focused.

That last reward was just as important as the MVP reward.

The reward for the participating guild.

“This reward will go to Hyun’s Forge. Congratulations to everyone.”

Everyone? Where’s ‘everyone’ LOL

It’s just Hyun!!!

Ah, but... fair.

Yep yep.......

It was Hyun’s war.......

“I’ll see you at the United States vs. Russia continental war.”

CEO Lee Sejin scattered into light.

The camera began to close in on Hyun’s face—wearing a small smile for the viewers.

He’s seriously handsome......

You guys hit subscribe?

Yeah.

Slowly, the screen sank into darkness, and the continental war broadcast ended completely.

*****

[The continental war is ending.]

[If you log out, you can exit the continental war arena.]

Left alone, Hyunsoo couldn’t control the mad pounding in his chest.

His prediction had been completely wrong.

He’d thought he would receive a Transcendence-grade ore or material.

And what he’d been curious about was what kind of material it would be.

‘This is way crazier.’

[You obtain a Transcendence-grade Material Box.]

He clicked it in his inventory.

[You may select the desired form of material and receive it.]

From this box, Hyunsoo could obtain what he wanted.

‘Ore that can be used to make a sword.’

‘Wood materials like a small World Tree that can be used to make a bow.’

Another reason this reward was good was that you could obtain materials based on need.

Everyone eventually ended up needing something they absolutely had to have.

And like that, Hyunsoo—being a blacksmith—could one day have a material he desperately needed.

‘That’s when I open the Transcendence-grade material.......’

What to make, and what to pull out—those were problems he’d need to think through deeply.

And Hyunsoo was also receiving notifications for the contribution-based reward from the continental war.

[You obtain 2,110,010 experience.]

[You level up.]

[You level up.]

[You level up.]

[You level up......]

Back when he hunted the Blood Demon Graut, the experience had been in the 3.3 million range.

‘Even 2.1 million is already insane.......’

Hyunsoo’s level became 345.

He opened the title MVP.

(MVP)

Multi-title

Grade: S

Special Abilities:

·All stats +0.5%.

·Physical attack power and magical attack power +1%.

·Physical defense and magical defense +1%.

·Status resistance +5%.

·Charisma +10%.

·Creates one skill judged to be suitable for you at present.

“......?”

Reading down the MVP title, Hyunsoo couldn’t understand it.

‘Why is this Grade S?’

Raising various things by percentage was definitely great.

But the percentages themselves were too low.

Then he read the line beneath—and understood.

‘Creates one skill judged to be suitable for you at present......?’

Hyunsoo’s eyes went wide.

*****

The continental war organizing team was a joint team built by the Korean and Chinese branches together.

Their work included setting the war’s detailed parameters, linking it to broadcasters, setting rewards—everything.

Korea vs. China.

Because it was the first continental war, it was true that there were shortcomings.

And the eyes of Jincho from the reward-setting team shook violently.

Jincho was Chinese.

After endless discussion with the organizing team, he said this:

‘A top-grade Legendary artifact, a top-grade skill—those are excellent, that’s true. But for the one who achieves MVP across both countries... isn’t it lacking?’

They’d assumed the MVP would receive one billion won and choose one of the top-grade rewards.

That top-grade reward was worth about 1.1 billion won—making the total only around 2 billion won.

He recalled the World Cup.

In the 2022 World Cup, the winning nation received prize money of roughly 55 billion won.

Even after the players split it, it was still over 5 billion won per person.

So Jincho proposed it.

‘Add a kind of hidden-piece concept to the MVP reward.’

First: MVP wouldn’t just be a name—it would be a title.

Second:

‘Let them obtain one created skill suited to them.’

Jincho proposed it, but the Korean side accepted as well. It had enough persuasive power.

Everyone agreed.

The MVP reward was a little lacking.

But they also had to consider CEO Lee Sejin’s stance: If you hand out too much, the balance collapses.

‘Then we put this into the MVP skill creation as well.’

In the conference room, Jincho was brimming with confidence.

‘We have to consider balance, so we give it based on how high a contribution the MVP user achieved. That way, we can fully justify that it’s the result the user earned—just like CEO Lee Sejin says. And we set the threshold extremely high.’

Perfect.

Jincho swore, at the time, it was a perfect rhythm.

First beat: he proved his own competence.

Second beat: the Korean users wouldn’t know it, but he believed it could help China’s sky, Pond.

‘Even if I set the threshold too high...’

That power would only create a truly usable skill if you achieved contribution so high it defied common sense.

And Jincho was 99.9% certain China would win.

As Pond’s fervent fan, he believed that with Pond’s performance, Pond would become MVP and gain something with Epic-level strength.

That was why he built the reward like a hidden piece—then set the threshold to an absurdly high standard.

But after the continental war ended, Jincho was biting at his nails.

‘W-why... why did it... why did it go to him...!’

What terrified him most was that user Kang Hyunsoo’s contribution was beyond common sense.

The proof was right there—in the experience.

If Pond obtained around 700,000 experience, an Epic-grade outcome was what would’ve appeared.

“......Team Lead Jincho, the Branch Head is looking for you.”

Jincho’s eyes widened.

Yes, he had to act as team lead, too—but one of the reasons he’d built this in was for Pond.

And now, it had gone to the user who crushed China.

As he headed for the China Branch Head office, Jincho prayed.

‘Let it be bad. Let it be bad. Let it be bad......!’

That power granted something fitting for the class.

And all Jincho could do now was hope something bad—and low-grade—would come out.

Arriving at the Branch Head office, Jincho greeted China Branch Head Tao.

Tao was staring at the monitor, pressing a throbbing temple.

“Congratulations, Jincho. You gave Hyun wings.”

Tao looked like they had a splitting headache.

Because they were Ares insiders, they knew exactly what Hyun lacked.

Tao turned the monitor around.

“See it with your own eyes—what skill that MVP reward vomited out, the one that only produces a good skill if you clear that absurdly high threshold!”

Jincho stepped forward. It looked like Hyunsoo had already obtained the skill.

His eyes bulged.

He had no choice but to understand Tao’s words—hundreds, thousands of times over.

“.......”

It was a skill so powerful that Jincho’s proposal could truly be said to have given Hyun wings.

“Hey, you bastard!”

Jincho got chewed out like a dog... no, he took an unbelievable amount of abuse—and had to write a statement of remorse.

*****

[MVP shines.]

[Creating a blacksmith skill.]

To be honest, Hyunsoo wondered if the god of blacksmithing resented him.

The first god-class.

It was true—an unparalleled, unique class.

But the number of blacksmith skills he possessed wasn’t even that many.

Considering that blacksmiths around Hyunsoo’s level typically had about ten to twelve exclusive skills, he had only about half.

Of course, the half Hyunsoo possessed was stronger than most people’s ten to twelve.

Even so, Hyunsoo felt like he was cursed—he rarely got chances to obtain blacksmith skills.

Even when he became Hyun, the Ten Legends Master Craftsman, the system decided it was better for him to become stronger than to gain blacksmith power.

And yes—Hyunsoo becoming dramatically stronger was part of why he led Korea to victory in the continental war.

But there was still something he regretted.

‘Come on—at least give me a Legendary blacksmith skill or something!’

And fear gripped him that even this MVP blacksmith skill creation would trigger his rotten luck.

‘Pureum Co., Ltd., you vicious bastards.......’

Then—

[MVP skill creation varies depending on the contribution you have accumulated.]

If you don’t expect anything, you can’t be disappointed.

Hyunsoo—who’d been wearing a flat expression—snapped his head up like a meerkat.

[Skill creation rate 77%...... Skill creation rate 91%...... Skill creation is complete.]

Seeing the skill that appeared, Hyunsoo felt his heart thudding. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

There was one area where he was truly, desperately lacking.

Finding good materials was ridiculously hard.

Skill alone didn’t produce something great.

Materials had to support it.

And for him, the perfect skill appeared.

[Legendary skill. You obtain Gathering.]

Hyunsoo checked it—and was left in awe.

“Waaaaaaah.......”

It was the kind of skill that made you say exactly that.