A man was watching a Korean documentary through JoyTube.

On the screen, a museum staffer was being interviewed on camera.

-What are some of the most loved exhibits at the National Museum?

-Originally, the Dragon Light Sword restored by Master Blacksmith Hyun, and the Seven-Branched Sword he reproduced, received the most love. But now, works made by other craftsmen are also in the spotlight.

The reporter made a puzzled face.

-Not Master Blacksmith Hyun’s work—someone else’s work is in the spotlight? That’s surprising.

-It’s because that craftsman is Takashi, who was once called Japan’s master craftsman. He donated a Sakai sashimi knife to the Korean National Museum.

-A sashimi knife is one of the representative crafts of Japan, along with Japanese swords....

-Master Blacksmith Takashi made it and donated it, and because it carries the meaning of a return gift from Japan—who obtained Baekje’s Seven-Branched Sword—many people love it.

The man narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow.

“...No. That is absolutely not a sashimi knife Takashi made.”

What ordinary eyes couldn’t see, he could.

All artists—everyone who makes things—has habits.

And the difference was far too subtle.

“It’s something Hyun made, but the crafting method follows Takashi’s....”

Soon, the reporter continued.

-Master Blacksmith Takashi, due to the Osaka Japanese-sword stabbing incident about ten years ago...

-It has been revealed that Takashi’s whereabouts are currently unknown....

I didn’t touch Takashi because I was sure he’d never craft again... but this changes things.

Just by looking at him, the man could tell.

Hyun and Takashi were close.

Hyun shouldn’t have been able to grow anymore...

No matter how talented a soccer player is, without a coach or a manager, he’ll settle in place and stop moving forward.

But Takashi was different.

A man from a prestigious family that had continued for over twenty generations.

And an old man who had reached the very peak of a realm carried an enormous depth of experience.

You must not become king. That seat is mine.

He, too, was one of those who wanted to become king.

And it felt frightening.

Because Hyun’s growth with Takashi at his side would be something even he couldn’t imagine.

He pulled out his phone and logged into TelegrTalk.

TelegrTalk was a special app where records and tracking were impossible.

He exchanged messages with someone.

The core of it was this:

-After donating the Sakai sashimi knife in Korea, unable to endure his guilt, he takes his own life.

*****

Meanwhile.

Lee Minwoo, who received the request through TelegrTalk, knitted his brow.

Since he was young, he’d learned countless sports—UFC-style training, jiu-jitsu, judo, and more.

But he was never good enough to live as an athlete.

He could have scraped by as a regular employee at a security company, but his temper was so filthy that the only work he could do was errands, beating people for someone, and collecting overdue money.

So when he read the details, he scoffed.

What era do they think this is...

Then he saw the fee, and froze.

[1.5 billion.]

“...?”

Now the story was different.

He slapped on a “reasonable” justification.

He’s an old man who could plausibly kill himself, isn’t he?

The odds of raising suspicion were high in his favor.

He was Japanese, he had no family, and he was said to be crushed by enormous guilt.

No one to suspect. No reason for an autopsy!

After securing the old man’s face photo, he arrived in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

*****

“The King of Stories?”

Kabel listened to what had happened in the dream.

And how, at the end, the man had revealed that he was the King of Stories.

Kabel had abandoned the path of an information broker and was now walking the path of Asura, but he was still someone who held more information than almost anyone.

And because he knew Atlas’s growth was the path that could protect Lucky Lump, he was still gathering information.

“The King of Stories is something even I don’t know well. But I have heard rumors that a continent connected to ‘stories’ may be pioneered.”

Pureum Co., Ltd. doesn’t dump everything at once when it releases something new.

It uses connected existences and spreads rumors little by little.

“I heard a story about a fisherman who was swept away by a tidal wave while fishing, drifted briefly into a new continent, and when he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the original continent.”

Even a being that entered that continent through a lucky encounter couldn’t remain long, because it was bound by constraints.

“That’s how information starts to leak out, one by one. And the most important point is this—if the King of Stories needs you, then information will accelerate and spill out. So you built up some connection with him, didn’t you?”

“He said he wanted me as an ally... Ha, it gave me chills. The General needs me.”

“...An ally?”

Kabel was shocked.

The fourth king was veiled—perhaps a being even more special and stronger than the other kings.

And because of that, he was the hardest to get close to.

“What on earth did you make....”

Hyunsoo handed over the crafting method for Ten Thousand People.

Kabel’s eyes wavered as he read it.

...He’s growing.

Kabel marveled.

A large portion of Hyunsoo’s artifacts had been born from some kind of story.

In generous terms, they # Nоvеlight # were born from stories.

In harsher terms, they were close to imitation.

But now, it was different.

Even if only as a crafting method, he had created “Transcendence” in his own way.

And just as the Sain Sword is a blade of national peace and wellbeing that prays for the people’s safety and tranquility—

Ten Thousand People is a sword for everyone.

This, too, was an immensely noble sword. In Kabel’s eyes, it did not fall behind the meaning carried by the Sain Sword.

He’s creating an achievement that will be recorded in history.

Kabel was praising him inwardly.

...I’m scared of you climbing up.

That’s how people are.

When someone who used to be better feels someone catch up to them, fear naturally follows.

But something outweighed that fear—joy.

Thanks to you, I think I can devote myself even more.

At the very least, Hyunsoo and Kabel were rivals of good faith.

“The General said I absolutely have to arrive first—what’s the reason?”

“...There are constraints. No matter how omnipotent an NPC is, there are things they can do and things they cannot do before something is opened. That’s why NPCs can’t just hand everything out. There is only one way to make it possible.”

Hyunsoo listened closely.

“Either the user finds the way on their own, or the user comes to know it through the power they already possess. Other than that, there’s nothing. That’s why he wants you to find him first.”

“Me first....”

SCRITCH SCRITCH—

Hyunsoo’s flaring nostrils and a grin he couldn’t hide.

“So that means I’m just that necessary to the General, right?”

“That’s what it means.”

Kabel gave a bitter smile.

Then he thought for a moment.

If a story-related continent opens, it’ll draw the world’s attention.

Maybe every continent would send ships there.

The appearance of something new meant more to gain through plunder, invasion, and war.

And Pureum Co., Ltd. would have known that.

Kabel imagined it.

The story will unfold the way Pureum Co., Ltd. expects. Then does Hyunsoo become the maker of the Turtle Ship?

Of course, Pureum Co., Ltd. probably didn’t predict even that far.

Still, as Kabel considered how plausible it felt, goosebumps crawled across his body.

He, too, loved the story of Admiral Yi Sun-sin.

No—Hyunsoo is unlikely to craft the Turtle Ship then.

The King of Stories is a “king.”

It didn’t match his “position.”

So he could ask Hyunsoo.

To protect the sea.

Kabel imagined it.

Hyunsoo, with the broken Twin Dragon Sword at his waist, standing in the sea as a naval commander—facing thousands of ships that came to plunder.

...

That day, he might end up fighting the entire world.

...Sounds fun.

Just imagining it made Kabel happy. And he realized—

At some point, Hyunsoo had become incredibly precious to him, too.

“Hwaaam. I knew it—I must’ve ridden the Turtle Ship in my past life. I probably even rowed hard. Yeah. You should’ve been on it with me in your past life, too.”

Hyunsoo said nonsense like that sometimes.

“I couldn’t sleep. I’m going to log out and crash.”

After Hyunsoo logged out, Kabel logged out as well.

His real name was Kang Yoonchan.

Lately, he’d been staying near Hyunsoo’s Forge—his only friend—and sometimes he checked the bodyguards, too.

“Anything unusual today?”

“Yes. Nothing in particular related to Hyunsoo.”

“Related to Hyunsoo? Then was there something else?”

“Yes. Someone asked if we’d seen an elderly Japanese man nearby.”

“...?”

Even the bodyguards didn’t know Takashi existed.

And plenty of foreign tourists came here to see Hyun.

But this was different.

Specifically an elderly Japanese man.

They’re targeting Takashi?

Kang Yoonchan immediately started running at full speed.

This is bad...!

Was it because, foolishly, he hadn’t attached a guard to Takashi?

In the first place, there was no need to attach a guard there.

Kang Yoonchan at least collected minimal information about Takashi, guild members, and people around Hyunsoo.

The reason was spies from other guilds.

People targeting Hyunsoo.

And people aiming for Lucky Lump.

He gathered that information to keep them all in check.

And in the process, he even confirmed the identity of the man who was both a Hyunsoo fan-club member and the “grandson” who had first taken Takashi to the soup shop.

That identity was truly surprising.

Yes. The reason Kang Yoonchan thought it was a big problem.

If someone threatens Takashi’s life...

It was because he might beat them to death.

*****

DING-DONG—

“See you tomorrow, grandma.”

Lee Minwoo watched Takashi as he left work.

He had gone inside Premium Soup House, eaten there, and confirmed who Takashi was.

He was nothing like the rumors.

...If I look at the articles I checked, he should’ve been suffering so much he couldn’t endure it...

Takashi didn’t have lifeless eyes.

If he made a mistake while carrying soup, he’d scratch his head in embarrassment.

While packing cubed radish kimchi, he’d laugh and say, “Aren’t I faster than anyone now? Hah.”

Sometimes he’d laugh and tell people he was “definitely going to open a chain store in Japan.”

Now in his sixties.

Lee Minwoo could see exactly why he had once reached the peak in his field.

Even after building a whole life, he didn’t treat something like serving soup as “beneath him”—he kept walking toward a new dream.

But me...

His remorse lasted only a moment.

From the start, Lee Minwoo was trash among trash.

With 1.5 billion, he could live loud, and he had no need to live earnestly like that old man.

And isn’t this too easy?

A powerless old man in his sixties.

He pulled out a handkerchief soaked with anesthetic that he’d prepared in advance.

The surroundings are perfect, too.

Near the soup shop was basically rural—barely any streetlights.

Which means no CCTV.

As Lee Minwoo took out the handkerchief and crept closer, he suddenly panicked.

THUMP—!

A hand clamped over his mouth and dragged him away.

Then the man threw him down.

The pride of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Ten years ago, the one who’d said on TV, “I love my grandma’s soup!”—and rose to become the top champion in ssireum.

Also a Hyunsoo fan-club member, nickname “HyunsooSirItemsPlease,” and—Lee Taeho.

His face twisted into something vicious.

“...When I heard Kabel’s words, I thought there was no way something like that could happen in the 2040s.”

It had been barely a month since Takashi started working here.

When he first asked to be hired here, it had been awkward.

But he worked so hard that both the grandmother and Lee Taeho had completely opened their hearts.

Why is he so huge?

Lee Taeho had lost weight compared to the past, but he still trained hard.

Lee Minwoo panicked and hurriedly pulled a knife from his pocket.

“You piece of shit—do you know what level I am in mixed martial—”

SWISH!

“Huk!”

Lee Minwoo froze.

That dull-looking man snatched the knife like light—and then, with a clean motion, sliced his own forearm.

“Now it’s self-defense.”

That’s right.

No CCTV...

It was a disadvantage for him, too!

And Lee Taeho’s guts—an ex-athlete—were something a lowlife like Lee Minwoo could never compare to!

KRAKAAAANG—!

THUD-THUD, BANG, KRAK, BOOM—!

“Ugh—khuuk—kahk! Kk—s-save... me....”

Lee Minwoo was beaten right up to the edge of death.

“P-please... I’m s-sorry... s-save me....”

Half-dead, Lee Minwoo thought:

Am I an idiot...? Why did I pick someone around Hyun...?

How could there be a guard like this around a single old man?

That meant Hyun had predicted everything and arranged it all!

That was the misunderstanding he clung to.

His mistake was not knowing that there was a truly smart person beside Hyun—Kabel.

I’ll never touch Hyun again...!

But he was wrong.

Already a wanted man, he had attempted-murder added to his charges—and ended up sentenced to twenty years in prison.