The Hwarang guild was, before the Great Atlas War began, the undisputed number-one guild in Korea—boasting the largest territory and the biggest roster of guild members.

But after Hyun’s Forge and Atlas were revealed to the entire world, it ended up stuck in the de facto number-two spot.

And Benjers, along with the guild members who served Master Lee Hwan—the number-one ranked player in Korea—couldn’t understand him.

Especially one person.

The master of a guild.

The current number-one ranked player in Korea was seriously taking part just to build some Turtle Ship?

Of course, in the end, it did benefit the master.

In a little over twenty days, all stats went up by 1, and there was even a level-up.

But the real problem was the mouths of the people who saw him.

—Anyone see Lee Hwan carrying bricks?

—Back in my day, I was rank one too... and I was the master of a place called the Hwarang guild...

—Hey, you, stop spouting nonsense and carry bricks!

—HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

He became a laughingstock.

And Benjers and Hwarang’s executive staff couldn’t understand it either.

What was one sword, anyway?

Sure, it was outstanding—and it was true that Lee Hwan had shown results in the continental war because of it.

But was it really that serious?

And after he finished building that Turtle Ship, he came back and said this:

“He taught me the true meaning of the Turtle Ship, and I took part with a reverent heart. Hyunsoo even let the Turtle Ship builders enter first so we could receive the buff.”

It was true that Hyunsoo repaid them that much.

But that was only because the outcome turned out well, and it wasn’t wrong to say that Benjers had seen through Hyunsoo’s shallow intentions.

“He’ll want Master Lee Hwan.”

“He has to. Hyun’s Forge is going to need Hwarang’s power badly right now.”

Hyun’s Forge had declared itself an independent territory.

In other words, Hyun’s Forge was no longer part of the Goyard Kingdom—it was a small nation.

And to become a real nation.

And to save Hyun’s Forge, which was currently in the most danger,

It would need Hwarang’s strength completely.

But as long as they held their ground, that wouldn’t happen.

And also—

“There will never appear an artifact good enough to satisfy Master Lee Hwan. You all know that, don’t you?”

There was one secret about Master Lee Hwan that only the executives knew.

It was the penalty attached to Master Lee Hwan’s class.

Because of that penalty, Master Lee Hwan, in truth, could never obtain an artifact that would satisfy him.

And then—

The executives voiced their concern.

“But what if...?”

“Isn’t Hyun the one who repairs even irreparable artifacts?”

Old man Benjers spoke with confidence.

“Ahem! That won’t happen, even so!?”

Even so, the executives were worried.

“If that happens, I’ll go to Hyun’s Forge and do the Zero Two dance that used to be popular twenty years ago!!!”

The executives flinched.

Benjers was a well-maintained, muscular man in his sixties.

A man like that doing the Zero Two dance?

I... I just pictured it...!

That was how certain Benjers was.

Because Master Lee Hwan’s penalty was that overwhelming...

After all the executives left,

Benjers—the same man who had declared he’d do the Zero Two dance—stared out the window.

Honestly, it’d be fine to stand on Hyun’s Forge’s side.

Benjers truly cherished and loved Master Lee Hwan.

And if he was being honest—

It’d be fine if I went to Hyun’s Forge and did the Zero Two dance.

That was how much he wanted it too.

Because with that class penalty, all that remained for Master Lee Hwan now was a fall.

*****

Hyunsoo was honestly disappointed.

My honey pot...

That man, Master Lee Hwan, was like free honey he could scoop out whenever he needed it.

Whenever Hyunsoo ran low on money, hadn’t Master Lee Hwan rented the Twin Dragon Swords—an item that cost more than ten million won a day in rental fees?

And now I have to put my own honey pot away with my own hands...

Even so, Hyunsoo intended to do his best.

The Hwarang guild had an enormous number of guild members and rankers.

And after Hyunsoo rose to the rank of count, many people rose to the rank of count as well.

One of them was Master Lee Hwan.

So Hyunsoo truly needed Hwarang’s power.

If possible, a Transcendent grade...

That resolve shattered in five minutes.

“My class, Drawmaster, exerts power in the early stages that surpasses any other class. It gets more benefits than most legendary classes.”

That was the secret to how Master Lee Hwan could reach rank one.

“The problem is the penalty: ‘Cannot equip artifacts above legendary grade.’”

“...?”

Can a penalty like that even exist?

It was that kind of worst-case penalty.

Ah. So that’s why...

Now Hyunsoo understood why Master Lee Hwan had been so obsessed with the legendary-grade Twin Dragon Swords.

Even if they couldn’t compare to a Transcendent-grade pair, the legendary-grade Twin Dragon Swords were still among the very best legendary-grade artifacts in existence.

“Then even if I make you a Transcendent-grade artifact...”

“It’s useless to me.”

He couldn’t equip it in the first place, so what was the point of having it?

This was the “cake in a picture” people talked about.

And Hyunsoo could see the shadow falling over Master Lee Hwan’s face.

It looked like a sign that his brilliant life didn’t have much time left.

It can’t be helped...

In the first Ares—where things only unlocked up to legendary-grade artifacts—Master Lee Hwan used the early-stage advantage of Drawmaster to become Korea’s number-one ranked player.

The problem was the second Ares.

From here on, Transcendent-grade artifacts would keep coming out.

It was to balance users against each other.

But even if Master Lee Hwan wanted them, he couldn’t buy them.

And once that happened, it wouldn’t be a question of skill—because of gear alone, Master Lee Hwan would struggle to stay in the world top 100.

In truth, you could say the rankers representing Korea were Kang Hyunsoo and Master Lee Hwan.

And Hyunsoo already knew—through a notification.

[Your faith is extremely high.]

“...?”

That man, Master Lee Hwan—

He was a fervent believer.

And Hyunsoo also knew how hard Master Lee Hwan had worked during Turtle Ship Construction.

He must have been clinging to even a rotten rope.

Even if there was a good artifact, he couldn’t hold it—but it was still better to do something than to do nothing.

Hyunsoo liked that mindset.

So Hyunsoo said it honestly.

“Actually, I was going to say that in exchange for making you a good artifact... if a ‘Transcendent’ grade comes out, you should protect Hyun’s Forge...”

“I figured you would.”

Master Lee Hwan let out a hearty laugh.

Hyunsoo was the type to squeeze out even a little more profit.

And Hyunsoo also had another reason to make that kind of offer.

If Hwarang turns into an enemy, it’s terrifying.

You never know what happens in life.

They could point that weapon at Hyun’s Forge.

But if he secured a promise in exchange for crafting, that was a different story.

“Is it impossible even to equip a legend beyond legends?”

“Yes.”

Hyunsoo felt like his head was starting to ache.

“Then the best option is something top-tier even among legendary-grade artifacts.”

Master Lee Hwan nodded.

All Hyunsoo could do was make a weapon optimized specifically for him through custom crafting.

What is faith, anyway?

Hyunsoo thought about it.

It meant looking up to someone.

Honestly, if Hyunsoo just made him a good artifact, Master Lee Hwan would probably remain a willing fanatic.

But even that was brutally difficult right now.

“I’ll do my best.”

That was all Hyunsoo could say.

“Thank you!”

Master Lee Hwan looked like he’d be grateful for even top-tier within legendary grade.

“I’ll bill you separately for materials. And of course, the crafting fee is separate too.”

“Of course. Our guild members will be coming to Atlas soon—will that be okay?”

“It’s fine. Atlas is open now.”

“Then... I’m counting on you.”

The hand that reached out for a handshake trembled faintly.

As Master Lee Hwan turned and walked away, his back looked endlessly pathetic.

Even if top-tier legendary-grade came out, all it would do was delay his fall by a few months.

For now, I do my best.

Hyunsoo started sketching on paper which sword he would craft first.

The most perfect Korean-style blade.

Watching the molten metal flow, he began crafting.

Then someone came to visit.

It was an old man named Benjers.

“Honestly, I dislike you.”

“Out of nowhere?”

“...Even so, I want you to craft something excellent for Master Lee Hwan. Whether it’s asking him to protect Hyun’s Forge or anything else... if you can make that happen, I promise I’ll push anything with everything I have. So please...”

The old man Benjers, his eyes even reddening.

In truth, Hwarang had made a mistake with Ian in the past.

But if you thought about it carefully, that had been the best choice for the guild’s interests.

“For now, please leave.”

And then, once again, someone else visited.

It was another of Hwarang’s executives.

“I dislike you, Hyunsoo.”

“Again?”

“Even so, please... for our guild master... a good sword...”

A little later—

“I hate Hyun! But... for our guild master...!”

Watching them come and go, Hyunsoo put up a sign.

[Hwarang guild entry prohibited]

Then he laughed.

“Hwarang was even more valuable than I thought.”

Hyunsoo understood.

They weren’t coming for Hwarang’s survival, or even Master Lee Hwan’s survival.

With one heart and one purpose, they just wanted their master to be happy—despite his slump and his penalty.

Which meant that if Hyunsoo gave them an excellent crafted item, every one of them would feel indebted to him.

The problem was that there were things humans couldn’t do even if they wanted to.

Like right now.

DING!

The crafted blade was incredibly excellent.

It truly deserved to be called a “masterwork.”

Hyunsoo even deliberately embedded an active skill called “Master of the Phantom Blade.”

That active skill helped cover Master Lee Hwan’s weakness, at least a little.

For several dozen seconds, the sword’s attack power and special abilities would rise to a legend beyond legends.

The problem was that a Transcendent-grade item exerted that kind of power just by being equipped.

This wasn’t that.

And Hyunsoo handed it to Master Lee Hwan.

“...It’s a masterwork. It’s mid-tier legendary grade, but if I equip it as I am now, I can hold this position longer. Thank you, Hyunsoo.”

There was no notification saying his faith went up or down.

“I’ll transfer the commission fee right away.”

Hyunsoo could tell he was smiling sadly.

“...”

There was nothing more Hyunsoo could do for him.

Even so, Hyunsoo kept thinking.

He can’t equip Transcendent-grade... a way to solve that...

Soon, Master Lee Hwan became light and disappeared.

But no matter how Hyunsoo thought, he couldn’t find a solution either.

That concluded Master Lee Hwan’s crafting commission.

I feel depressed.

This was the first case where a client wasn’t satisfied with Hyunsoo’s crafted item.

And it was absurd, too.

I couldn’t have made that blade Transcendent-grade in the first place, and I’m blaming Master Lee Hwan’s penalty?

Hyunsoo felt like his head was starting to ache.

He knew there was only one person who would listen to this complaining.

He logged out and went to a soup rice restaurant to meet Takashi.

Hyunsoo ordered a “meat-only soup rice,” and Takashi set down a “blood sausage-only soup rice.”

Two steaming bowls, hot enough for the steam to curl upward.

“...So I feel depressed, sir.”

But Takashi only ate.

“The broth is incredible.”

MUNCH—

“Isn’t it strange, the menu items called meat-only soup rice and blood sausage-only soup rice?”

CRUNCH—

Takashi popped cubed radish kimchi into his mouth and chewed.

Why was he suddenly talking about soup rice?

“That there’s soup rice with only blood sausage for people’s tastes, and soup rice with only lean meat.”

SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK—!

Hyunsoo started to find him irritating.

Then Takashi lifted the bowl and drank even the last of the broth, and said:

“KRAH! In the end, the ultimate is simply ‘blood sausage soup rice.’”

“Blood sausage soup rice?”

“They aren’t separated. You can eat blood sausage, and you can eat organs ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) and lean meat, too. Where is there a more perfect soup rice than that?”

“...?”

Takashi wiped his mouth with a tissue and chuckled.

Hyunsoo, without realizing it, sprang to his feet.

“Ha! You useless brat. I sentence you to three meals of soup rice a day, for one month!”

It was a horrifying punishment just to hear.

But Hyunsoo welcomed it.

“Sounds good, sir. I’ll get going!”

And watching Hyunsoo dash off, Takashi drew a small smile.

Seeing his little disciple grow made him happy.

Then—

“That young man didn’t pay...?”

Takashi’s paycheck got docked. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

*****

When Hyunsoo logged into Ares, his eyes shone.

Absurdly, he’d found the answer in meat-only soup rice and blood sausage-only soup rice.

A sword is...

But the inspiration was too great, and it gave him a huge realization—himself, who had only been thinking about one thing.

A sword needs a scabbard to finally become whole.