No matter where you go, a substitute always exists.

The moment the people thrown into dungeons realized that the information Kabel gave them was wrong, they went looking for that substitute.

Unfortunately, compared to Kabel’s 100% accuracy, the substitute only had about 60% accuracy.

It was that Kabel’s information network was just that absurd.

Still, even 60% was incredible.

A 60% chance of getting the information you want.

A person named Luxo, the second-best information broker, said:

“The way to find Hyun’s Forge is to search places that are out of the way.”

“We have reports that territory residents are coming and going from somewhere in those remote areas. You’ll have to move by following that. Based on that, I’ll gather information and guide you.”

One month after the Server Merge.

Just the fact that there were territory residents in a territory other people didn’t know about was reason enough to suspect something.

Japan’s Musashi received four locations.

If it were Kabel, he would’ve pointed to the exact one. And he would’ve sold it to only one person.

But Luxo was different.

If you paid, he’d sell it to people besides you, too.

Strong players from other worlds would buy information from Luxo as well, and they’d reach the same route.

The chance is now, and only now.

Musashi’s eyes glittered. The continental top-tiers—including him—didn’t know that the Chinese users had been swept out of the endless maze.

Back then, Hyunsoo recorded everything.

But he didn’t release it, so they wouldn’t be fully prepared—and would let their guard down.

And ironically, the Chinese users were keeping their mouths shut, too.

First, because it was humiliating.

Second, because Hyunsoo still hadn’t released the footage, so they had this hope it might be buried forever.

Anyway, Musashi believed that if not now, he would never be able to monopolize Hyun’s Forge.

Because other packs of hyenas would catch the scent and rip him apart from every direction.

Before that happened, Musashi planned to beat Hyunsoo into the ground and seize Hyun’s Forge with his guild members.

They intended to hunt them down without end until they submitted.

If I monopolize Hyun’s Forge, I can become the best in the world.

Musashi stepped into the location marked on the map.

Staring at the unknown person, he furrowed his brow.

User? NPC?

No info appeared.

“You can’t pass here.”

The man spoke.

Those words made it clear he was an enemy.

Why block me? Hyun’s Forge? Or is there an NPC whose information isn’t revealed yet in Second Ares?

This was only one of the suspected points.

[Musashi: Cut through in a single stroke.]

He wasn’t afraid. There was only one enemy.

Soon, thirty ninjas—Musashi at the head—moved as one, hands landing on their grips as they launched upward.

Movement so irrational it was on par with assassins.

[Musashi: Everyone, activate Ninja Step.]

Ninja Step.

A power that closes distance with the enemy in an instant.

Just as they were about to close in from midair—

“Before a single sword.”

[All enemies within a 30m radius are cut.]

[It exerts additional attack power damage of 660%.]

[It hits 100%.]

SHKAAAA—!

Every ninja, Musashi included, was cut in midair.

[HP drops below 49%.]

Musashi couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Blood sprayed into the sky.

Even if ninjas have low total HP, this is...

In an instant, his HP fell below 50%.

And the ordinary ninjas dropped below 20%.

Given that their average level was over 400, it was impossible.

And the fact that thirty people took damage simultaneously made it even more insane!

What the hell is this guy?!

Meanwhile—

After trying “Before a single sword,” which was embedded in Babylon, Bahala marveled.

100% hit rate... insane.

And a 100%-hit skill that cuts everything within a 30m radius.

Meaning: even if there were hundreds within 30 meters, it would cut all of them.

It isn’t simply specialized for demon hunting. Hyunsoo packed in a lot so the wearer can use this sword in everyday fights, too.

Bahala felt their chest tighten.

Thrilling. And new.

Normally, Bahala would’ve dropped Musashi’s HP to below 70% with a single blow—not below 50%.

Just holding a famous sword had made them drastically stronger.

The emotion Bahala felt right now—

It resembled a certain Korean user.

Lee Hwan.

Hyunsoo didn’t know it, but for a moment Bahala’s heart aligned with someone who was becoming the leader of the Hyunsoo Faith(?) crowd.

Then Bahala let out a small chuckle.

Cute little bastard.

[It is considered a territory war.]

[You can acquire territory contribution.]

[An individual is facing a majority.]

[The majority’s strength is judged as a high-level force.]

[When an individual faces a strong majority, they can acquire higher contribution.]

Hyunsoo had urged Bahala to join the guild, even if only briefly.

“Bahala. Listen. This is a chance.”

“A chance?”

“The continent’s strongest will gather near Atlas. In territory-war status, if you butcher them, you can eat the experience, right?”

“That’s true.”

“And they’ll come with the strongest elites from each server. Meaning—mini-boss-tier experience sources and boss-tier experience sources will come one after another. Do you ever get a chance like that?”

“No.”

“Riiight! So you have to join the guild for a bit and make it a territory war. I’m saying this for you. We don’t even know if we can kill Luxiu, so you know you can’t throw away a chance like this.”

“That’s certainly true.”

Bahala was convinced.

And they were a little moved by how sincerely Hyunsoo seemed to be cheering for them to become the Sword God(?).

But looking at the notifications, Bahala realized the truth.

[Territory contribution begins stacking at an irrational rate.]

Bahala.

World Rank #1.

The moment they fell into the role of “the person who stacks territory contribution.”

Of course, it’s also my growth.

So Bahala intended to sweep away every mini-boss-tier and boss-tier opponent who came here.

*****

Nell panicked.

[Territory contribution explodes at an irrational rate.]

[A member of Hyun’s Forge is going berserk.]

[You acquire unprecedented, explosive contribution.]

A quote from Admiral Yi Sun-sin came to mind.

If one person holds a choke point well, they can make a thousand enemies tremble.

And while that one person held the choke point, Hyun’s Forge could build the foundation needed to defend itself.

In no territory war can people with that level of power gather.

But one overwhelming person—surpassing them all—was going to cut every last one of them down.

The “contribution explosion” notifications now produced a result like this:

[Hyun’s Forge has become the first to surpass 100,000 territory contribution.]

After Second Ares opened, a contribution shop opened as well.

It existed in every territory.

And in the contribution shop, they sold things that could make that territory even stronger.

Of course, they didn’t sell “forces” or “territory residents.”

But there were countless items.

“Soldier Growth Potion.”

“Trained Monster.”

“Force Reinforcement Potion.”

On top of that, the Chinese users’ suppression of the Rebels had already piled up irrational contribution.

And now Bahala’s performance pushed it over 100,000 for the first time.

That led to yet another reward.

[You obtain a hint about the Royal Territory Shop.]

[If you accumulate 150,000 contribution, the Royal Shop will open.]

“...!?”

They were moving toward a specialness unlike anyone else’s.

You knew, didn’t you?

Bahala was only the first line of defense.

The ones repelled by Bahala would circle around and come back again.

But by then, Hyun’s Forge would have built part of the foundation needed to defend itself through even higher contribution.

Nell stared blankly at Hyunsoo, who was focused in the forge.

He was looking one step ahead of her.

Are you really becoming a lord?

Day by day, his growth as a lord continued.

And—

CLANG!

The crisp, continuous hammering made her understand.

He was taking another step forward—as a lord, and as a blacksmith.

Master Blacksmith Hyun, you forged Transcendence for the first time and entered the Top Ten Legends. I still can’t forget the world message from back then. But Hyun’s next world message will be years from now. Maybe we’ll never hear it again.

Even experts say it. The Twin Dragon Sword was made through an extremely rare, incredible mineral, and it’s nothing more than a masterpiece propped up by luck.

Does anyone not know it was forged because his luck was through the roof?

That’s what a blacksmith’s skill is like in the first place, isn’t it?

Reaching the top faster than anyone means you reached your limit faster than anyone.

That was the world’s evaluation of Hyunsoo.

Even in the recent restoration of Babylon, no world message rang out.

World messages have conditions.

If you’ve already qualified once, then even if you achieve something of the same level, a world message won’t ring out.

For it to ring again, either a year had to pass, or you had to reach a higher level than before.

The ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ world’s evaluation was partially reasonable.

Because when a blacksmith skill creates a high-ceiling artifact, the probability drops exponentially.

But they were wrong.

Hyunsoo wasn’t skill-based.

And also—

Why are they evaluating me?

People who’d never even seen his face were judging him.

Hyunsoo immersed himself even deeper, focusing harder.

What he was trying to craft right now was never going to be easy.

Trait saving.

Hyunsoo felt it clearly.

If this stored traits at 100%, would that even make sense? It’d become an artifact that wrecks the ecosystem.

The level Hyunsoo wanted was simply to compensate for his current shortcomings.

As Bahala said, he was weak by that standard.

And compared to the peak-tier opponents Bahala was currently facing, he couldn’t even confidently predict a win.

Because most of Hyunsoo’s abilities were based on swordsmanship.

But trait saving could twist that swordsmanship-based frame.

A shape began to emerge, slowly.

What he wanted to make was a dagger.

Not a dragon to swing.

This dagger will become a necklace.

Before he knew it, he was entering the final steps.

On the short blade—where black and white mixed into a pale dark sheen—a pattern was carved:

Desire.

And the moment he finished, Hyunsoo gripped that stylish dagger.

But the completion process didn’t end there.

“Shrink.”

The dagger grew small enough to hang around his neck, right from the palm of his hand.

Then, at the notification that followed, Hyunsoo beamed.

Can you hear it, Bahala? The sound of me catching up.

Sometimes, notifications express things in a way that makes it easy for the user to feel.

Like this.

[A record-breaking masterpiece is written.]

[It is the greatest Transcendent artifact among all existing Transcendence.]

[It is Transcendence above Transcendence.]

[Congratulations.]

[As the first user, you have reached the pinnacle of Transcendent artifacts.]

[World Message.]

[Your achievement will be announced to users worldwide.]

[You may choose anonymity, or write the name you want, or your character name.]

“Master Blacksmith Hyun.”

Watching the world message ring out, Hyunsoo smiled faintly.

Before checking the dagger, he named the artifact.

“Dagger of Desire.”

It was the birth of the first Desire Series that would represent Hyunsoo.

But it was true that something felt disappointing.

Because the Dagger of Desire was a necklace, he wouldn’t be able to wear the Calamity Necklace.

The Calamity Necklace didn’t have much use, aside from a single effect.

But that effect was enormous.

Absolute domination.

The control skill that had briefly dominated Hydra.

He would lose access to it.

Then, an unexpected notification came.

[Surpassing your own masterpiece is a very difficult thing.]

[That you achieved it and became the first to create Transcendence above Transcendence will be an extremely rare event.]

[We search for the skill you need most right now, and add it to the Dagger of Desire.]

A new skill being added?

At the notification that followed, Hyunsoo let out a triumphant shout.

[Artifact Skill Absorption is added.]