Regression of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 09

========== REGRESSION OF THE TRANSCENDENT BLACKSMITH CHAPTER 9 ==========

Six years ago, a mysterious tower appeared before humanity along with the system.

However, people could not even tell what the tower looked like or where it was located.

They only knew it was a tower because of the translucent message windows that popped up through the tower’s system.

At the same time the tower appeared, a small number of Awakened were chosen as beings who could climb it.

The Awakened were able to use superhuman abilities by accumulating and utilizing the tower’s Qi within their bodies.

Through the testimonies of the Awakened who climbed the tower, its existence was officially acknowledged.

The mysterious minerals and technologies brought back by those who climbed the tower presented new advancements for humanity.

However, the tower was not just a precious existence from which one could only gain things.

The tower urged the Awakened to climb it.

And a time limit of one month was given for each floor.

If a country failed to update its highest floor within one month, it had to pay the price.

Following these changes, the number of challengers climbing the tower became a new measure of national power.

As humans who have survived by adapting to their environment, humanity began to adjust their lives to the change that was the tower.

Each country created a Management Bureau to support and assist the Awakened within their borders.

At the same time, they protected their own Awakened while preventing them from leaking out to foreign countries.

And now.

An emergency meeting was held at the Korea Awakened Management Bureau from the morning.

Ppiririri-!

A high-pitched phone ringing sound echoed through the meeting room.

But no one said anything.

That phone was the ringtone of the Management Bureau Director, Oh Jin-hyuk.

Oh Jin-hyuk, the Management Bureau Director, sighed as he covered his phone, which was ringing incessantly even during the meeting.

“How was it, Section Chief Im? Was there anyone among the challengers belonging to the Management Bureau?”

At Oh Jin-hyuk’s words, the gazes of those in the meeting room gathered on Im A-young.

Im A-young shook her head with a gloomy expression.

“It is not. There have been no new challengers who have conducted the Tutorial at the Management Bureau for the past few days.”

“Then, did a regular Awakened really clear the entire Tutorial?”

“I checked with all the guilds via official documents, but since the guilds also say there is no one… the possibility is high.”

The meeting room buzzed.

A few days ago, a notice from the tower suddenly appeared to the Awakened.

The content of that notice was, surprisingly, that the first Tutorial clearer had emerged.

That alone was surprising, but there was something even more shocking.

“I can’t believe it. They cleared the entire Tutorial without support for items or strategy? And it’s a Korean, not some other country?”

The United States, China, Germany, Japan.

Besides those, there were many countries in the world that were economically and militarily stronger than Korea.

And yet, for the first Tutorial clearer, whom no other Awakened in the world could achieve, to come from Korea.

Before other countries could even be suspicious, it was hard to believe even in Korea.

Switching his phone to silent as it started ringing again, Oh Jin-hyuk looked around.

“We must find them. We absolutely must find and protect them first.”

Oh Jin-hyuk said seriously in a heavy voice.

The quick-moving United States and China, as well as the entire world, were searching for the identity of that Awakened.

It was obvious that they would say it was to obtain information about the Tutorial on the surface.

But unless one was an innocent child, one could immediately tell that was not all there was to it.

In the modern era, an Awakened is a resource provider that increases economic power and a national defense force that protects the country from the tower.

There was no reason why every country would not want the first Tutorial clearer.

“We must find them. Since they just finished the Tutorial, they will come to register as an Awakened. Focus all available personnel on the registration office!”

“Yes!”

“Section Chief Im, contact the National Intelligence Service and request cooperation from overseas Management Bureaus to restrict access!”

“Understood!”

The people who answered loudly had their eyes shining.

Their eyes sparkled with anticipation at the thought of finding the Awakened who first cleared the Tutorial.

There were cases where only a very small number of beings who reached a certain level in each class received special perks and titles.

The most famous one was a Mage being called an Archmage.

And in the warrior class, it was receiving the title of Master of the weapon that the class used.

Metamorphosis was a special perk that a warrior class could receive before obtaining a title.

Accumulating Qi in the body, depositing that Qi into one’s own flesh to refine it into Aura.

Metamorphosis was when that Aura finally changed the very composition of the body, allowing one to ascend to a new level.

‘But why on earth did I get that Metamorphosis…?’

Shin Tae-ho stood in front of a full-length mirror and examined his body.

The thin body he had returned with upon regression was nowhere to be seen, and firm muscles were visible.

Even his height seemed to have grown, as his eye level was higher.

It was definitely a good thing, but Shin Tae-ho was in a difficult position.

‘I wonder if I can wear the armor.’

The size of the armor was set to the body Shin Tae-ho had when he was in the Tutorial.

Due to the nature of the armor, if his height and physique changed like this, a disaster where he couldn’t wear it could occur.

Shin Tae-ho took the armor out of his inventory.

As expected, the armor felt smaller than his body.

Even by eye, it was a size that was impossible to wear.

However, Shin Tae-ho, who had read the item information, knew that the armor had elasticity as one of its unique effects.

‘If it’s Level 2 elasticity, it might be able to cover this much.’

Elasticity was an ability that increased flexibility and allowed the volume one could wear to increase.

Moreover, since it was level 2, it might be able to handle this much size.

As he forced his body into the armor, he could feel the volume of the metal armor increasing little by little.

“Whew. That’s it.”

Shin Tae-ho, who had barely managed to put on the armor, checked the fit.

It was so tight that it felt more like he was wearing a tight rash guard than armor.

But since he was just glad he could wear it, Shin Tae-ho didn’t have any complaints.

“Since it’s come to this, I should enter the 1st floor of the Tower.”

It was so hard to put on once, so it would be a shame to take it off without doing anything.

Besides, one could only enter the tower once a day.

If he wanted to climb from the 1st floor, he needed to climb the tower diligently.

Having made up his mind to climb the tower, Shin Tae-ho prepared to enter.

However, there was one problem.

“Why won’t this go in.”

Shin Tae-ho looked at the egg with a troubled expression.

The egg he had received as a Tutorial reward from Arimir.

But for some reason, the egg could not be put into the inventory.

It wasn’t that the inventory could hold anything.

He couldn’t put in modern firearms like guns or grenades, nor could he put in modern food.

The only things that could be put into the inventory were items originating from the Tower.

But he couldn’t understand why the egg couldn’t be put in.

‘Was I originally unable to put things like eggs in the inventory? I’ve never heard of it, so I don’t know.’

With no other choice, Shin Tae-ho wrapped the egg in a blanket.

Shin Tae-ho, who had put it in his bag in that state and locked it tightly, put the bag on his back.

‘I have no choice but to go like this until I find a way.’

Shin Tae-ho gulped down the Americano he had prepared in advance.

With his mind cleared by the caffeine, Shin Tae-ho thought about wanting to enter the tower.

[Will you enter the Tower?]

As soon as it sensed Shin Tae-ho’s will, a message window popped up.

Shin Tae-ho nodded.

“Enter.”

[Entering the Tower.]

As soon as he answered, Shin Tae-ho’s body floated lightly.

In less than a second, Shin Tae-ho’s figure disappeared from the room in an instant.

[You have entered the 1st floor of the Tower of South Korea.]

The 1st floor of the tower was a rainforest where trees grew densely.

While Shin Tae-ho was looking around, a new message window popped up.

[1st Floor Trial: A giant caterpillar that invaded the peaceful forest one day is gnawing on the trees. Protect the forest from the giant caterpillar.]

[Clear Condition: Kill 10 Giant Caterpillars.]

[Time Limit: 3 hours]

[You cannot move outside the tower until you die, fail, or give up.]

[You have 10 give-up chances remaining.]

“A giant caterpillar.”

Shin Tae-ho took out his hammer from his inventory.

Shin Tae-ho, who had taken a ready stance with the hammer on his shoulder, took a deep breath.

Along with the scent of phytoncides emitted by the trees, the tower’s Qi could be felt vividly.

[The trial begins.]

Simultaneously with the message that the trial was beginning, the space on the 1st floor, which had been stopped like a photograph, began to move.

Shin Tae-ho scanned his surroundings while walking calmly.

Inside the forest, all kinds of natural sounds, such as birds chirping and the sound of the wind, were mixed together, making it noisy.

As he continued to walk, Shin Tae-ho recalled information about the tower.

Unlike the Tutorial, if you died in the tower, that was the end.

Furthermore, if you returned without passing the trial, the injuries you sustained in the tower were reflected in reality as they were.

But that meant.

‘It means that if I only succeed in clearing it, I will be fully healed when I leave the tower, even if I leave with my breath still in me.’

Kkudeudeuk-

A heavy and damp sound was heard.

As Shin Tae-ho watched while hiding his body behind a tree, a caterpillar the size of a bull was gnawing on a tree.

Shin Tae-ho, who had discovered his first target, took a deep breath and his eyes shone.

‘First, gather Qi.’

Shin Tae-ho spread his Qi sense and gathered the tower’s Qi that was melted into the 1st floor.

Qi is the source of power for the challenger climbing the tower.

As the Qi flowed into his circuit, his mind cleared and his body overflowed with strength.

‘Shall I go all out?’

The first battle he had since obtaining the War-smith class.

He needed to grasp the abilities of the War-smith if he was to climb the tower in the future.

Kwang!

Shin Tae-ho, who had strengthened his leg power using Qi, shot toward the giant caterpillar.

He was momentarily flustered by the stronger-than-expected propulsion.

But soon after, the hammer swung with the shot power struck the giant caterpillar’s body.

Ppeong!

“Ugh?!”

Shin Tae-ho, covered in body fluids, was flustered.

The giant caterpillar hit by the hammer did not just get crushed, but literally exploded and breathed its last.

‘What is this? Giant caterpillars should have high defense even if their attack power is low.’

Kkudeodeok-

While Shin Tae-ho was surprised.

Before he knew it, the giant caterpillars noticed Shin Tae-ho’s presence and began to gather one by one.

It was a situation where he was surrounded by enemies, but Shin Tae-ho was rather glad.

‘Good. I can test it right away.’

Shin Tae-ho struck the head of the giant caterpillar closest to him.

He didn’t use his full power with added propulsion like before, but just hit it moderately like playing Whac-A-Mole.

However.

Ppeong!

“…Confirmed.”

Shin Tae-ho, whose head was smashed and was covered in body fluids again, was certain.

The reason the giant caterpillar exploded just now.

It was because the Elite-grade hammer damage far exceeded the giant caterpillar’s defense.

Kkudeodeok-!

Perhaps enraged by the death of their comrade, the giant caterpillars ran over quickly.

But not even a hint of tension appeared in Shin Tae-ho’s eyes.

“Come quickly.”

Ppeong-

Shin Tae-ho finished his words as he nonchalantly popped the head of the giant caterpillar that had crawled diligently right in front of him.

“I’ll send you off comfortably in one hit.”

As if it were a waste to even use it here, he drastically reduced the amount of Qi used in his circuit.

Shin Tae-ho approached the opponents who were hesitating instead with long strides.

To be continued in the next episode ▶