Hyunsoo’s eyes shook as he heard Atlas’s secret.

Everything that once existed in this place—once the great territory of the past—could awaken again?

The notifications reminded him once more.

[Atlas was the greatest great territory 800 years ago.]

[Countless talented people and geniuses followed him under the name of the Saint.]

[However, Territory Atlas collapsed, and everyone died at the same time on that day.]

Up to there, it was what Hyunsoo had already heard.

[To protect them, the Saint used one of the ancient relics: the Seed of Life.]

[The day it meets its true owner... Atlas, which sank into the abyss, may awaken once again.]

Kern spoke.

“Our newly arrived lord, Lord Hyunsoo, along with the new territory residents and troops, must be acknowledged. That acknowledgment is obtaining the Seeds of Life scattered throughout this territory.”

Hyunsoo understood.

Seed of Life.

In other words, it was a guild quest laid over Hyun’s Forge as a whole.

Quests would erupt across Atlas Territory where he could gather these Seeds of Life.

“A true owner would be a lord with power worthy of recognition by the greatest legendary Saint. You must gather as many Seeds of Life as possible.”

Kern looked out over the land.

“If you fail to reach the required threshold, they cannot awaken. If you surpass a certain level, they may awaken—but only an extremely small portion may awaken. However, if you become a true lord...”

There was faith in Kern’s eyes.

“You might be able to obtain everything the Saint left behind. But it isn’t something you can do right away.”

“Not right away?”

“You can gather ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Seeds of Life and awaken those sleeping since ancient times, but you cannot awaken everyone in a short period. For now, you only need to reach the threshold. You must reach it so the Seeds of Life do not lose their power.”

Hyunsoo could understand what Kern meant.

An invisible second hand was ticking.

Inside that ticking, Hyun’s Forge had to gather enough Seeds of Life to keep the territory’s power from vanishing—enough to meet the threshold.

Then, step by step, he would gather more Seeds of Life and slowly awaken what slept.

“If I gathered them in the short term?”

“It won’t be easy.”

Kern made a bitter expression.

There was one more thing Hyunsoo was curious about.

“Atlas was a great territory. You said it was that incredible—so why did it disappear all at once?”

It was crucial.

Kern, wearing a sorrowful expression, said:

“Because the Saint’s name was too exalted. It was so exalted that it drew the ire of that existence who lived in that era.”

“That existence?”

“Yes. Before he arrived, the Saint scattered Seeds of Life across the entire territory in preparation for the worst. Then that thing arrived, and everyone present met death.”

Hyunsoo focused on that “existence.”

What kind of thing could do that to a great territory?

“And the Saint barely succeeded in killing it. There was tremendous damage, of course.”

After letting it hang a moment, Kern finally named it.

“Balladra, the Dragon of Ruin.”

“...!!?”

Hyunsoo could only gape.

“W-what? Dragons actually exist?”

Of course, they probably existed in the current setting too.

But it still hadn’t been revealed.

“Eight hundred years ago, several dragons were living.”

And Hyunsoo couldn’t help but focus.

Not long ago, he’d obtained Skill Collection, and he’d thought it meant he could finally realize the long-held blacksmith fantasy he’d always had.

That fantasy was forging equipment from demon—or dragon—bones and teeth.

Of course, he’d assumed that was something only possible after he was past level 650.

“So that Balladra guy was killed and completely extinguished.”

Once again, Hyunsoo realized just how incredible the Saint had been.

“That is correct. However, I would say that ‘completely extinguished’ is half true and half false.”

“Half true and half false?”

“It is true the Saint killed it. But it had also prepared for its own death. That preparation was becoming undead.”

Turning undead.

Hyunsoo’s eyes shook.

Even without knowing Ares’s lore, anyone who’d played games or read fantasy novels as a kid would recognize it.

“Don’t tell me it became a bone dragon?”

“That is correct.”

Hyunsoo felt a thrill run through him.

A bone dragon isn’t a true dragon, but it’s still a being that can realize my dream.

The materials Hyunsoo wanted from a dragon weren’t its flesh.

Scales would be nice too, but he wouldn’t get them.

Still, a dragon made entirely of bones might become excellent artifact material.

“Where is it now?”

“It is right over there.”

The bone dragon was closer than he’d expected.

Where Kern pointed—

“The Saint saw it had become undead, and with the last of his strength, sealed it inside that place. But we are afraid. We do not know when the power of the seal the Saint left will weaken and it will burst out. We call that place the dragon’s grave.”

[You have learned about the dungeon Dragon’s Grave.]

“Is it strong?”

“Yes. By becoming undead, it lost half its power, but it will be comparable to any of the Continental Top Ten Legends.”

The Continental Top Ten Legends.

NPCs grew alongside users.

The average level among the legends is currently above 480.

So right now, I can’t hunt it.

Hyunsoo smiled bitterly.

Still, knowing where it is counts for something.

He’d gained a lot.

That he could awaken an ancient territory.

That a dragon’s grave existed.

And third—the Dual Class Saint.

Hyunsoo looked at the Saint’s Sword he had made.

He had to stab it back into the ground again, then pull it out.

And that would be easy.

Because I didn’t add a “cannot be drawn” function to this newly made sword in the first place.

And as Hyunsoo walked with Kern toward the place where the Saint’s Sword had been embedded, he thought:

If this really was a mistake by Pureum Co., Ltd., they’ll try to take measures somehow. It’s way stronger than before.

Hyunsoo, walking with Kern, stopped short.

“Kern, sorry, but there’s somewhere I need to go.”

“Understood.”

The reason Hyunsoo paused before stabbing the Saint’s Sword back in—

[Wang Wook: Hello. I’m Team Lead Wang Wook, and I work at Pureum Co., Ltd.]

Because the first bite had come.

*****

[User Hyunsoo is summoned to the Operator’s Room.]

Team Lead Wang had received an order from China Branch Head Tao: recover the Saint’s Sword by any means necessary.

“Any means” meant a compensation offer user Hyunsoo could accept.

There was a sofa in the Operator’s Room, and Hyunsoo appeared there wrapped in light.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

They exchanged brief greetings, and Hyunsoo made a puzzled expression.

“...You look extremely tired?”

“N-no. Haha.”

Team Lead Wang gave a bitter smile. Since this was virtual reality, he should’ve looked different than usual—so maybe it was showing anyway.

In any case, the two sat on the sofa, and Team Lead Wang got to the point.

“So you’re saying the Saint’s Sword was a sword with a mistake applied? And I made it Legend Above Legendary, so now it’s closer to a bug? How did that even...”

Hyunsoo had noticed already, but he played dumb.

Team Lead Wang said:

“Unfortunately, it seems we must retrieve the Saint’s Sword. More precisely, it would be accurate to say we will revert it to its original state.”

Team Lead Wang didn’t miss Hyunsoo’s expression twisting.

“So we prepared a compensation offer for user Hyunsoo.”

In a calm voice, Team Lead Wang continued.

“The compensation will raise all stats by 3, and we will provide 100,000 gold.”

It sounded better than expected.

100,000 gold. In other words, about 100 million won.

All stats +3?

Hyunsoo had around eight stats.

The basic four, plus Willpower, Charisma, Dexterity, Holy Power, and so on.

If all of them went up by three, it meant he’d be stacking dozens of stat points at once. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

But it also told Hyunsoo something.

This is way more serious than I thought.

And Hyunsoo spoke firmly.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think I can accept that offer.”

Team Lead Wang replied calmly.

“As you know, Hyunsoo, those aren’t bad terms.”

Hyunsoo pointed at a different issue.

“Sure, they aren’t bad terms. But what you’re saying right now is that you’re going to take away a sword created through a user’s effort and skill.”

Team Lead Wang listened in silence.

“Even if you exclude Saint’s Blessing, do you acknowledge that sword is currently equivalent to Legend Above Legendary?”

“...I acknowledge it.”

Team Lead Wang had already been impressed by the Saint’s Sword becoming a famous blade because of Hyunsoo.

“Ordinary users can’t craft Legend Above Legendary even once in their life, and even for me, creating Legend Above Legendary is difficult. And the value of that sword is over 1 billion won—even without Saint’s Blessing.”

Team Lead Wang acknowledged everything.

“Tell me what you want.”

Hyunsoo felt it—this was the table he wanted. The plan he’d intended from the start was taking shape.

Hyunsoo used Anium even though he knew the Saint’s Sword was born from a mistake, and even though he knew it would be reclaimed.

“First, return double the amount of Anium I used.”

“I acknowledge the original amount. But double...?”

Anium was a mineral that was hard to obtain in the first place.

Hyunsoo had obtained it through progressing the Blacksmith God quest.

Still, Team Lead Wang conceded.

The Anium Hyunsoo had originally possessed, and what he’d achieved with it.

“Understood.”

“Second.”

“Th-there’s more?”

Team Lead Wang realized it.

This bastard is going to suck us dry.

But the problem was, it was logical.

“Everything about the Saint’s Sword except Saint’s Blessing came from my hands. Do you acknowledge that?”

“I acknowledge it.”

That was true.

A better blacksmith did the restoration, and used better materials, producing that sword.

“You can patch Saint’s Blessing. But leave the Saint’s Sword itself as it is.”

In other words, if they did that, Hyunsoo could keep the Saint’s Sword—now a famous blade.

“And Saint’s Blessing shouldn’t be deleted. It should be nerfed, and—”

“Then let’s talk about that nerf.”

The two wrapped up the negotiation and shook hands.

“It’s already nearing 11 p.m. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

In that moment, something flashed through Hyunsoo’s mind.

“When will the patch for the Saint’s Sword happen?”

“We were planning to do it at 12, but...”

Team Lead Wang narrowed his eyes.

“As one of the contract conditions, I must inform you that you cannot leave a 1-kilometer radius within Atlas while holding the Saint’s Sword until the patch.”

Team Lead Wang was preparing for any possible scenario.

Thankfully, Hyunsoo agreed without hesitation.

“Of course. How could I leave a 1-kilometer radius carrying a sword like that? I have a conscience. And there’s your position too, as the team lead who signed the contract.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Team Lead Wang finally let out a sigh of relief.

The two were wrapped in light, and Hyunsoo said:

“It was a good deal.”

Seeing the smile at the corner of Hyunsoo’s mouth, Team Lead Wang gave a small laugh.

Thank god.

When Team Lead Wang returned to the China Special User Management Team, they told China Branch Head Tao:

“User Hyunsoo didn’t demand anything unreasonable. He’s someone you can reason with. The patch will happen in an hour and thirty minutes.”

“Good work.”

Everyone there felt relieved.

Team Lead Wang turned their gaze to the monitor to watch Hyunsoo again.

Then they made a puzzled expression.

“...?”

User Hyunsoo was sprinting along with an excited expression like a child, holding the Saint’s Sword in one hand and the Twin Dragon Sword in the other.

“Ehehehehehehe.”

Then, at the notification that followed, everyone went speechless.

[User Hyunsoo has entered Dragon’s Grave.]