The Genius Blacksmith's Game
The heart of Hyunmu. (2)
“So you’re saying there is a Black Tortoise here?”
Now that Hyunsu had become king after going through all sorts of hardships, there were not many things that surprised him.
However, the phrase "Hyunmu's heart" made his heart tremble.
Hyunsu met two of the Four Divine Beasts.
It is a white tiger with pure white fur and Bengal markings, and a phoenix whose entire body is engulfed in hot eternal flames.
I have also met a fake Hydra.
It was summoned by the Poison King Liu during the Continental War.
“No. If Hyunmu, one of the Four Divine Beasts, had been here, we dwarves would not have been persecuted by dragons or killed off by successful creatures.”
“Then why is Hyunmu’s heart here?”
“……You know it’s not a real heart, don’t you?”
Penny made a surprised expression.
It is surprising that an ordinary person knows that the divine beast's 'heart' is not a real heart.
"They'll probably turn everything upside down if they find out I have the Heart of the Phoenix."
However, Hyunsu had no intention of telling him.
“I heard that the dwarves and Hyunmu were friends before the Land of Iron was established. However, for some reason, Hyunmu eventually had to leave, leaving his heart behind.”
I would like to ask what kind of power you possess.
“I, too, cannot give you a definitive answer regarding that. What will you do? Will you return ownership of the Ballon to us and hear where the Heart of the Black Tortoise is, or will you continue to possess the Ballon?”
Hyunsu stroked his chin.
What they are currently offering is the best material they have at their disposal. Just obtaining that information and location would be enough, as Penny said, to hand over the Ballon d'Or, which is currently of little use to me.
"Okay, I'll hand it over."
However, there is a condition.
"condition?"
“Yes, I am not only making a deal with you, Hyun-su, regarding Ballong and the Heart of Hyunmu, but also commissioning you. If you obtain the Heart of Hyunmu, you must give us half of it.”
"Half? Then this is a different story."
"yes?"
Penny looked puzzled.
The heart of the Black Tortoise is a material that anyone would be tempted by, and half of it is a kind of insurance.
“The fact that the Heart of Hyunmu existed long before the Land of Iron was established means the dwarves couldn't obtain it easily, right? And yet you're asking for half of it if I get it for you? That's practically being robbed blind.”
“……?”
The Overlord is known as the strongest man in human history and a madman.
But I didn't know it would be this sharp.
“Whether he gives half or not will depend on what the Baragon King gives.”
Interest was by no means easy to deal with, nor was it willing to be easily taken away.
Penny failed in his attempt to reclaim the Ballon d'Or and seize control.
"Understood. Then I'll do that."
Now I finally like it.
Ding!
[Hidden Quest: Heart of the Black Tortoise.]
Grade: S
compensation:???
Restriction: Those who received Penny's offer.
Penalty on failure: None.
Description: In the Land of Iron, there exists a heart said to have been left behind by the divine beast Hyunmu. If you obtain that heart and hand over 50%, you will receive a reward.
This is where the heart of the Black Tortoise is located.
Penny handed over an old map, and Hyun-su also summoned Ballong.
[Transfer ownership of the Ballon d'Or to Penny.]
squeak
Boom-
Ballon stood next to Penny, and Hyunsu walked away.
There is no way a merely strong Overlord could obtain what even the dwarves haven't been able to acquire for a long time.
In the end, he will return the Ballon d'Or and end up gaining nothing.
At that time.
Screeeeek
Kuuuuung-
Suddenly, the Ballon crumbled like a screw loose.
"what?"
Penny looked at Ballon with a puzzled expression.
Outwardly, it certainly didn't look any different from when the man took it away.
Soon, Penny was flustered.
Several connecting parts, which could be called the 'main components' of the ballon, were missing.
These parts are the core components that connect the ballong, and if even a few are missing, movement becomes difficult.
In other words, taking the legs as an example, it is like having all the blood vessels in the legs drained out.
'Hey, you damn bastard…!'
It was by the time Hyunsu had already disappeared right before his eyes.
In the meantime, Penny sensed something puzzling.
How did they manage to pick out only these things… …?
***
[Ballon's black screw (6).]
[Ballon's black screw (13).]
[Ballon's black long screw (18).]
Hyunsu tossed a long screw into the air and caught it again.
You're messing around.
Those screws are not made of common materials.
I knew from the moment I first saw it that it was made of a special metal.
Even if you try to replace it, it probably won't be that easy.
Why?
In contrast to using standard screws in most places, these black screws were used only in the important parts that make up the ballong.
In other words, it probably means that because there wasn't enough parts, they divided the most important parts with the less important ones.
Hyun-su had already picked him even before meeting Penny.
It was a precaution in case something foolish happened.
[Where the heart of Hyunmu is.]
The moment he unfolded the map, an arrow was drawn in front of Hyunsu's eyes, and he followed the arrow.
The place where Hyunmu's heart was located was also a treacherous path, just like the journey from the Valley of Iron to the Land of Iron.
This must be proof that it is the most remarkable material the dwarves possess.
As he continued walking, a glint appeared in Hyunsu's eyes.
The arrow stopped in front of a huge mine.
Standing in front of the mine, Hyun-su realized that Penny's words were true.
The mine gate standing before him was shaped like a giant shell.
The bumpy shell looked very hard, and the pattern of the Black Tortoise was drawn on it.
Hyunmu is shaped like a combination of a snake and a turtle.
It had a turtle's shell and legs, but the upper body of a snake.
[You are the first user to enter the Black Tortoise Mine.]
[Physical Defense and Magic Defense increase by 1%.]
Hyunmu is in charge of protection among the Four Divine Beasts and possesses the power of life and defense.
[All materials from Hyunmu will be excellent for crafting armor.]
There was an amazing reward just for being the first to reach what Hyunmu left behind.
“Nell commissioned Cavell to search for Hyunmu, but they haven't found it, have they…?”
To that extent, Hyunmu is an existence shrouded in mystery.
An existence possessing the materials capable of creating the strongest defense.
Hyunsu, swept up in excitement, pushed the door with all his might.
Screeeeeeek-
The moment I pushed it, dust rose up, revealing the hidden interior, and the light suddenly switched on.
Six huge iron bars connected to the wall surrounded the blue 'heart' in the center.
Is it a mineral… …?
No, I couldn't make a definitive judgment yet.
Hyunsu approached him.
It was huge.
If calculated as a mineral, it would easily weigh 30 kg.
However, Hyunsu could tell that not all of those were materials.
“Just like Hyunmu.”
Hyunmu is ultimately closest to the turtle.
Although it has the head of a snake, Hyunmu will also hide its head inside its shell in dangerous situations.
As such, the exterior of this heart appeared like a shell, and it was determined that the 'real' thing was inside.
Summon, Golsuni.
[This is a non-summoning area.]
It was what he had expected. Hyun-su took out his pickaxe.
And he struck with all his might.
At that moment.
Crunch crunch!
[The Storm of the Black Tortoise is activated.]
A massive wave of cold spread out and began to freeze everything around it.
The cold spreading in an instant enveloped Hyunsu's entire body, as if it were freezing immediately after a wave crashed.
[HP drops below 80%.]
[HP drops below 50%.]
It was a speed so fast that it was impossible to respond to.
What happens in a mere 0.2 seconds paralyzes Hyun-su.
The cold, which began freezing his hands, froze everything from the pickaxe to all the artifacts, and soon it was freezing even the blood flowing inside Hyunsu's body.
“Damn it……!”
My mouth was frozen, so I hurriedly tried to pull my body away, but I couldn't.
[HP drops below 20%.]
[HP drops to less than 5%.]
It is a forced logout.
Just when I thought it was unavoidable.
A huge power began to stir.
“The materials that make up the ballon?”
“Yes, it is incredibly surprising how they managed to pick out only those.”
Baragon was taken aback as he looked at Ballon kneeling.
He is one who transcends thought.
With this, the Ballon d'Or was further weakened.
If we use replacement parts, it will be much weaker than before.
“That’s right. Because he won’t be able to come back in the end.”
"……yes."
It is not that Baragon held a grudge against humans.
The same goes for Penny.
only…….
"To gain immense power, you must also take immense risks; it is the way of the world that everyone knows."
"yes……."
Countless of us dwarves also failed to return based on that principle. I, too, witnessed many freezing before my eyes. If the dwarves hadn't told me not to come in and to wait outside back then, I would have met the same fate.
May I ask what happened?
Baragon's face turned pale.
“Everyone froze in an instant; it was a fleeting moment. Upon my return, I learned about the ‘Storm of the Black Tortoise,’ one of its powers. The Black Tortoise is the strongest divine beast possessing the ice element; no power can stand against it. It is said that in the past, a place called the Parion Empire in the human world sent tens of thousands of troops to capture it, but they were all frozen solid by that storm, and it is said that they could never melt it in their lifetime.”
There was a bitterness in Baragon's voice. There was sadness that his comrades would never be able to return.
“So, Your Majesty, you wish for him to freeze and never return. That way, you can eliminate the dangerous figure known as the Overlord and keep the location of the Black Tortoise’s heart hidden.”
“No, quite the opposite. I, too, would rather he succeed. That way, he will be able to obtain the materials.”
But Baragon and Penny knew.
That is nothing but Baragon's wish.
[You have been afflicted with the Frozen status effect.]
[You are frozen and cannot move.]
Hyunsu, frozen to the bottom except for his eyes, was no longer able to speak or move.
[If it freezes completely, the character remains here.]
In other words, this means that Hyunsu must remain in this state even after a forced logout.
You should be able to connect.
However, the fact that Hyunsu will be in this frozen state every time.
And then, just as even the snow was about to freeze.
[The heart of the Phoenix unleashes its power.]
The fire that started in the right side of the chest flared up hotly.
Rumble-!
His blood, which had been growing cold, was boiling hot again.
