The Genius Blacksmith's Game
The heart of Hyunmu. (4)
The dwarves gradually began to melt away.
Thump thump-
The water dripping from their bodies soaked the floor, and Hyunsu was looking at the name floating above their heads.
[Legendary Weapon. Creator Bao.]
[The King's aide. Arpo.]
[The King's Guard Knight. Sub.]
[Prime Minister Agio.]
[architect……]
The floating names are ominous.
In the case of regular NPCs, only their names were often displayed above their heads.
However, it was written what they had done.
It probably means that they were people who had a standing in the world of dwarves, at least.
In particular, the legendary weapon maker King Baona's bodyguard knight and the king's aide.
Due to their nature, these positions are often super-named NPCs.
Come to think of it, I haven't met any notable dwarves in the Land of Iron so far, except for Penny.
Hyun-su recalled Penny's words.
It was said that the blueprints for the transcendent weapon, Ballong, were created after the failure of the successful project.
However, in the end, they failed to acquire the key materials to operate the Ballon.
The key ingredient is the heart of the Black Tortoise.
Mythical Grade Black Tortoise's Heart.
There is no way they would have sent ordinary people to obtain this.
It's only natural.
I don't know exactly what happened, but at least the leaders of the Iron Kingdom must have been involved.
And here, everyone froze based on the heart of Hyunmu.
Thus, that rapidly worsened the iron kingdom.
As they were still melting, Hyunsu imagined himself in their shoes.
Commander Luxiu, Chancellor Nell, Master Blacksmith Takashi, key executive Bark, Vice Commander Bella, Pirate King Akao, Swordsman Lysen, and others who maintain the foundation of the country have been imprisoned.
“……Fuck.”
I got goosebumps all over my body.
If such a situation had arisen, would he have been able to endure it? No, actually, it would have been more accurate to say that he was dead rather than trapped.
Even if it were a county, at that level, it would not be surprising if the country effectively suffered a collapse.
The Land of Iron, which was unmanaged and had abandoned the desire to develop further, flashed through Hyunsu's mind.
If it were me, I might have given up everything in that situation.
Thump, thud-
It appeared that they would fortunately be released by him breaking Hyunmu's heart here.
However… … .
Even so, can I get closer to them?
Hyunsu asked a question.
The fact that they woke up simply by him obtaining Hyunmu's heart was merely a bonus.
What Hyun-su needed was a rapid closeness.
Their appearances were different, their lives were different, and their ways of living were also different.
Even if they had woken up, they might have been ostracized for being 'human,' and it might have been difficult to maintain such a close relationship… a close relationship with the country of Hyun.
“…….”
at that time.
A thought flashed through Hyunsu's mind.
It’s not like there’s absolutely no way.
Watching them still melting, Hyunsu decided to put that 'plan' into action for the first time in a while.
***
As the cold blood begins to circulate warmly again, the stopped heart slowly begins to pump.
As the dwarves slowly regained their senses, memories of that day were flashing through their minds.
Legendary weapon, creator Bao.
He, the greatest Titan builder among the dwarves, acknowledged the failure of his successful creation and proposed that a new weapon be built.
What was created as a result was the legendary weapon Ballong, and the next king, Baragon, completed the blueprints for a transcendent weapon of an even higher caliber, Ballong.
However, the blueprint for the transcendent weapon Ballong required the best materials.
This is because, no matter how much it is crafted to match a transcendent body, it ultimately cannot exert power commensurate with it without exceptional materials.
The Heart of Hyunmu. If that mythical heart said to have lived here in the past is here, it might be possible.
The dwarves wanted to go out into the world.
I have lived in hiding for too long, avoiding success.
Once this is finished, we can go out again. Will you come with me?
The blacksmiths leading the country smiled at Baragon's question.
If we don't go together, who will?
Your Majesty, I will trust and follow you.
Let's go together.
They arrived at the mine where the Heart of the Black Tortoise is located, along with Baragon.
However, before entering, they told Baragon to stay outside just in case.
Baragon obediently complied, and one of the dwarves struck his heart.
At that moment, the disaster began.
The storm of Hyunmu, which raged before they could even react, quickly froze all the dwarves present.
In a fleeting moment, many dwarves saw their lives flash before their eyes.
From behind the twilight, they gazed at a figure. Baragon, reaching out to them from afar in despair.
That was the end of the memory.
The weakened ice eventually broke apart as they began to move.
“How were we able to wake up again?”
The dwarves were puzzled yet happy.
“I, I’m alive!”
I'm alive!
"We survived!"
“What happened to His Majesty?”
“I think he returned safely that day?”
“How much time has passed? What has become of the land of iron, our country?”
They were filled with nothing but curiosity, and soon the dwarves' gaze turned toward the chains extending from six places and the heart of the Black Tortoise in the center.
“Who took Hyunmu’s heart…? Could it be Baragon?”
While they were surprised, they wondered if they had been released by digging up Hyunmu's heart.
Back then.
“Cough cough…….”
I heard footsteps.
All the dwarves turned their heads.
A man leaning against a side, holding a red pickaxe, was spitting blood from his mouth.
The man in a mess gave a faint smile as he looked at them.
'human being……?'
Why is a human here?
He wore a faint smile, but the dwarves were on guard.
Then Hyun-su bit his cheek and let everything he had been holding in his mouth burst all at once.
“Cough! Cough cough!”
Whoosh!
Blood gushed from his mouth. The dwarves were startled to see the blood splattering on the floor, and Hyunsu spoke.
That's a relief.
“What do you mean, ‘fortunately’?”
Now all the dwarves had no choice but to take an interest.
Hyunsu, with his blurry eyes, said.
“I used all my strength to obtain the Heart of Hyunmu…….”
“You got the heart of Hyunmu…?”
"Good heavens, did you succeed in obtaining that?"
The dwarves have personally experienced what happens when you strike the heart of the Black Tortoise.
"You obtained the heart of such a Black Tortoise? Even if you dug it up, it is remarkable that your body endured it."
It wouldn't be unreasonable even if my body were completely battered.
However, after obtaining Hyunmu's heart, I saw you all frozen in place. I could not bring myself to return. After all, you must have families and friends waiting for you as well.
“But I don’t understand. Can’t you go back, get enough rest, and then rescue us together with the other dwarves?”
“……I was afraid.”
“What is it?”
“This place is full of anomalies. What if something had happened after I returned? I hadn't anticipated the Hyunmu storm in the first place. I thought that if not now, there would be no more time. Therefore…”
Hyunsu slowly lifted the red pickaxe.
The dwarves' eyes wavered.
The reason they were able to wake up after being asleep for so long.
“……Did you smash the ice by striking us one by one with that pickaxe? All of this place……?”
“……Ah, ahhh……!”
The dwarves were moved. Hyunsu said nothing more.
“Haa haa haa…….”
He just gasped for breath, then slowly closed his eyes and dropped the pickaxe.
Tang-
The dwarves' hearts pounded as they saw the unconscious human, and one dwarf was so moved that he burst into tears.
“Oh, human!”
"Thank you!"
“I will never forget this grace!”
[Your affinity with the Dwarves, the foundation of the Iron Kingdom, will reach MAX.]
Dwarves are a species that is extremely wary of other races.
[It is nothing short of miraculous that the affinity with those dwarves has reached MAX.]
[Title: Friend of the Dwarf.]
(Dwarf's friend.)
Unique Title.
Grade: S
Special Ability:
If you reveal your identity to certain dwarves, you will start with a fairly high level of affinity and be able to easily gain their favor.
You can purchase items from dwarves at a 15% discount.
You can learn or acquire any of the dwarf skills if you wish.
A smile spread across Hyunsu's lips.
"Do you mean to laugh with such joy at saving us?"
“Yes, he is relieved. That we survived!”
“You are a truly grateful person!”
They didn't know. That Hyunsu's smile stemmed from something else.
I miss you…
The audience chamber of a castle that is no longer maintained.
Baragon, the dwarf king with empty eyes, gazed at the moonlight pouring through the car window.
We will go in and dig, just in case.
Now, rise above failure and open a new world!
Let's finish up and go have some dark beer!
The events of that day took everything away from Baragon.
Childhood friends who grew up together.
The aide who built the Iron Kingdom.
A genius dwarf known as the rising star.
The knight dwarf in charge of escort.
Even the capable elders who led this land of iron.
I lost everything in a single moment and became a loner.
From that moment on, Baragon fell into ruin like this. He vowed that he would do nothing more.
I just wanted to live and die like this.
He thought that it was right for a king who had lived so incompetently and alone like himself to die like this without doing anything.
only…….
I miss you, I miss you!
Like the sorrow I repeat countless times every day, I pour out that sorrow.
If only they had gone in together, he would have died peacefully as well.
“H-hahahahaha…….”
It is a wish that can never be fulfilled in a lifetime.
Meeting those who were precious to me again. Conversing with them, listening to the sound of them hammering.
Gardening.
Managing buildings.
The thing they were teaching the dwarf children.
It will absolutely never be possible to achieve it forever.
“Baragoon!”
Now I even hear auditory hallucinations.
Their cheerful voices calling out to him became a hallucination, echoing… … .
“Your Highness Baragon!”
“I hoped…….”
“My friend, Baragon…… My friend, Baragon!!!”
Baragon opened his eyes wide.
He hurriedly stood by the window where the moonlight was pouring in.
About 50 dwarves were entering from a distant land of iron as night fell.
Unlike Baragon from over 50 years ago, they were dwarves who had not aged at all.
“Baragon!”
“Hey!”
How have you been!
“Our King!”
“Hey friend, I heard it’s already been over 50 years!?”
“You’ve gotten old, too! Haha!”
On that day, about 50 core dwarves who led the Iron Kingdom and were believed to have died along with Hyunmu's heart were waving at him.
“How did you guys?”
It felt like I had seen a ghost.
Baragon is the one who witnessed the storm power of Hyunmu firsthand.
That is why I was puzzled by the dream-like event that had just unfolded.
Soon, tears flowed ceaselessly from Baragon's eyes.
“Haha, there’s no greater crybaby king!”
“Even when we were little, Baragon cried the most!”
The dwarves waved their hands even harder, thinking of their friend Baragon, who had endured loneliness for a long time.
“You all, you’ve all returned! You really have returned! Hahahaha!”
The weeping, disheveled king finally saw the last human being being carried in.
The bond between the dwarf master and the human master was beginning.
