abcnovels
Chapter 203
Chapter 203
Chapter 203
“...”
Tearing his gaze away from the achievement message in front of him, Se-Hoon closely examined the newly created Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx, floating above his palm.
[Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx]
[Tier: Legendary] [Quality: Excellent]
[A piece of equipment made with Wurgen Kruger’s left index finger bone in mind.
Mimicking a bone of a necromancer who traverses the boundary between life and death, it serves as a powerful catalyst for necromantic magic and exercising control over the Netherworld.
Imbued with the power of Boundaries, it allows the user to exercise the same power by infusing mana into the finger bone replica.
*Allows the user to utilize the power of Boundaries by consuming mana
*Enables the user to exercise control over the Netherworld]
Finally, a Legendary-tier piece...
Befitting of its name, the Legendary tier was reserved for weapons that deserved to be passed down in legends. As such, equipment of this tier was desired by countless heroes and served as the aspiration of many blacksmiths.
It was a tier Se-Hoon had added to several times before, but the current moment was still of some significance since it was the first time since he regressed.
“...”
Yet, while standing before it, he didn’t feel entirely happy.
Firstly, it didn't feel like he had crafted it entirely with his own power.
“Legendary-tier with Excellent quality. Not bad.”
And secondly, someone else had applied the finishing touches.
He snatched the chance to do the finishing touches and yet is pretending to be generous.... What a petty and dirty guy.
He felt like the last strawberry he had been saving on a cake had been snatched away, the thief asking if he wasn’t going to eat it. Annoyed, Se-Hoon’s eye twitched, and he glared at Wurgen’s eye, which had reappeared in the air.
“You don't look too pleased. Maybe you think I'm bragging too much about completing an already finished item?” Wurgen taunted, smirking.
“...How could I dare think that? If it weren’t for your help, I wouldn’t have managed to get even halfway.”
“Heh. You’re quite the blacksmith yourself, seeing as how you can’t hide your emotions right now.”
Still smirking, Wurgen turned to look at the Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx.
“Of course, it would have still turned out similar if you had done the finishing touches. After all, you seemed to have some understanding of Vision of the Abyss... and even the power of Boundaries.”
“Then...”
“But then this finger bone would have been turned into a weapon, lacking the representation of a Perfect One’s body.”
At Wurgen's words, Se-Hoon quickly turned to reexamine the Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx that was in his palm.
What difference is there between the two?
He immediately fell into thought, trying to find the subtle difference between a weapon containing the power of a Perfect One and the body of a Perfect One.
“So, what are you going to do now?”
Se-Hoon looked up at Wurgen, who was looking at him with interest.
“Will you report this to the Heroes Association and get ranked up to S-rank?”
If he reported and proved that he had created Legendary-tier equipment himself to the Hero Association, he would be immediately recognized as an S-rank hero and gain various benefits.
Among them were privileges like summoning an S-rank hero in an emergency or priority over rare materials. To any ordinary blacksmith, they were enticing privileges.
“No, I’m not planning to do that right now.”
However, they were irrelevant to Se-Hoon.
“Really? Isn’t it better for you to do so, though? Technicians, especially blacksmiths, get far more benefits than ordinary heroes when they get promoted to S-rank.”
“That's true, but right now, the disadvantages of revealing my skill to the public outweigh the benefits.”
If news of the genius blacksmith who succeeded in mass-producing sword aura equipment had forged Legendary equipment leaked, it would spread worldwide in no time—including to the Demon Force.
“I’m already under the surveillance of the Dream Demon, Puppeteer, and Tuner. If I get any more attention now, it wouldn’t be strange if I suddenly found myself as a corpse on the streets.”
“So you’ve already attracted the attention of those three. I see now. If it increases further from here, you might become a top priority for elimination.”
“Also...” Se-Hoon paused, debating whether to continue. But then, he recalled what Wurgen often said officially and made his decision. “I don’t think the Heroes Association is that trustworthy.”
“...Ho.”
At that declaration, Wurgen became even more interested.
“Are you trying to curry favor with me now?”
Wurgen, who often advocated for weakening the Heroes Association's authority, had assumed that Se-Hoon was just being agreeable, when he was, in fact, speaking genuinely.
“No, I actually do feel that way. The Heroes Association, as an enormous organization, has holes everywhere.”
Their role of managing heroes and Danger Zones worldwide was necessary, but their size to do so came at a cost.
Watchers has already easily infiltrated.
While having a moderately cooperative relationship with the Heroes Association wouldn't hurt, revealing all of his cards to become close with them would. If Se-Hoon had to show his cards, it would only be to those he could fully trust, like Seon-Woo or those he knew well before the regression.
“Hmmm...”
Thinking about something, Wurgen then calmly asked him a question.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“...Pardon?”
“I have about eighteen daughters of marriageable age. Would you like to meet them one by one—”
“Sir.”
A cold voice echoed in the workshop, drawing Se-Hoon’s and Wurgen's attention. Its owner was the woman standing nearby, Eun-Ha.
“Please refrain from making such suggestions to a student who hasn’t even graduated yet.”
Her icy yet fiery gaze was chilling. Her fierce demeanor would have shocked anyone who knew how explosive she could be, including Se-Hoon.
He tensed up slightly.
This is a bit dangerous.
Wurgen had been relatively mild due to his relationship with Ludwig, but such open hostility could provoke an unpredictable reaction from him. So his mind began to race, trying to figure out how to prevent a potential fight.
“Hmm. Okay. I’ll put it off for now.”
But to his surprise, Wurgen backed down without much reaction.
“...Thank you for understanding,” Eun-Ha replied, looking at Wurgen with curiosity.
That’s not like him at all...
He wondered if it was senility, considering his age.
“You're thinking of something presumptuous again, aren't you.”
Once again, Wurgen's voice had echoed directly in his mind, just going through the Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx this time.
“Our settlement isn’t over yet, so I’ll put it off for now. The conditions will remain unchanged regardless.”
“Ah...”
Wurgen was firm in his stance on not rewarding Se-Hoon until he subdued Puppeteer's Single Number. Understanding, Se-Hoon looked at Wurgen again.
I even remade what was originally Hero tier into Legendary tier, but he’s still insisting... the wealthy really are quite cocky.
He internally complained about Wurgen’s personality, carefully avoiding revealing his thoughts to prevent them from being read.
“So, what will you make with the remaining materials?” Wurgen then asked, looking at the leftover Nimbus Steel.
“Hm? Why do you ask...?”
In response, Wurgen began drawing more and more darkness mana from the Netherworld. And then, he calmly remarked, “Forging equipment turned out to be more fun than I thought. So I’ll help as much as you need if it’s at this level.”
Staring at the ample amount of darkness mana perfectly suited for forging new equipment, Se-Hoon made a blinding smile.
“Thank you!”
Wurgen was such a magnanimous person.
***
Se-Hoon’s daily routine in Germany was split into two parts.
“Faster!!”
“Screech!!”
The undead pursued him in the morning, forcing him to scale the buildings. Then, following lunch, he made his way to the UD Group's forging lab.
“No, not there! Over here!”
“What a rude way of speaking to me. Do you want to die?”
“Over here, please!”
He worked late into the night with Wurgen’s help, forging new equipment until exhaustion. After that, he would finally return to the dorm.
“Good night, Lee Se-Hoon.”
“Good night.”
Unlike the first day, he now shared a room with Eun-Ha. However, not much had changed since they used separate beds.
His day would then end, repeating once again when he woke up the next day refreshed.
Like that, three days passed and he finally succeeded in completing the new piece of equipment, to some extent, with Wurgen’s active help and had begun a new kind of training in the afternoon instead.
Bang!
He dodged Benjamin’s attack, a punch that narrowly missed his earlobe and scattered a shockwave.
Retaliating, Se-Hoon quickly used the boundary's power to draw out the darkness of the Netherworld in his fists.
Whoosh!
The darkness coating his right hand instantly transformed into a spear, which was then swung at Benjamin, who was pressing an attack in front of him.
Thud!
A dull sound echoed from the collision between the spear and Benjamin’s body. Unlike how a blade made from Celestial Infinity Blade was composed of sword aura, the spear he just created consisted of pure force, making it sound like a blunt club despite the spear blade.
Boom! Crash!
Continuously clashing with Benjamin’s fists, Se-Hoon’s spear slowly split in half. However, instead of panicking, Se-Hoon just transformed the broken spear into two swords and began fighting again.
“...”
“He’s quite a talented kid.”
Watching on the side, Eun-Ha remained silent as the fierce battle unfolded on the training ground.
Not minding, Wurgen’s eye hovered in the air beside her and continued watching.
“To think he’s skilled in not just blacksmithing but also combat.... Now I see why Ludwig is paying so much attention to him.”
Though initially remaining silent, Eun-Ha finally opened her mouth to slowly ask, “What do you think of Lee Se-Hoon, Sir?”
“Hmm...”
Wurgen observed Se-Hoon. Despite having just finished morning training, he was moving without showing any fatigue at all. That was what Wurgen found more fascinating than anything else.
Anyone else would’ve been exhausted all day.... How is he moving around like that?
Every day since Se-Hoon had arrived, he attended a morning training session. During it, his body was torn apart repeatedly, regardless of whether he achieved success or not. It was harsh but a crucial component of Wurgen's lessons nonetheless.
To understand the Netherworld, he’s been experiencing death firsthand since it’s the most useful method...
By vividly experiencing death in extreme situations, one could enhance their affinity with the Netherworld and deepen their understanding of souls. It was the fastest way to achieve meaningful results, albeit a painful one.
With Se-Hoon, that still held; however, Se-Hoon’s rate of growth was twice as fast as Wurgen expected, with no side effects.
At first, I thought he was just talented, but... there's something different about him.
Watching the fight before him, it felt more like Se-Hoon was recalling something forgotten long ago than learning something new to Wurgen. It was a weird sensation that he had to ponder over.
“It's still hard to judge. There's not enough data.”
“I see.”
Eun-Ha’s voice was dry and unreadable.
So, with a slight smile, Wurgen returned the question.
“What about you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. What do you think of him?”
From what he had seen, Wurgen knew Eun-Ha cared for Se-Hoon quite a bit. But what he didn’t know, was the extent of it..
After a moment of contemplation, Eun-Ha slowly gave her answer.
“I think he is irreplaceable.”
“Irreplaceable?”
“Yes.”
Gazing unwaveringly at Se-Hoon, she added, “No one can replace him. That's what I think.”
At the high praise, Wurgen looked at Eun-Ha with intrigue.
I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but they were actually underestimating him.
He now realized just how important Se-Hoon had become to Eun-Ha.
Just then, Benjamin's hand broke through Se-Hoon’s two swords and stopped before Se-Hoon's neck, prompting Se-Hoon to raise his hands.
“I lost.”
“Good work today.”
With the training session over, the two descended, and Eun-Ha handed a prepared towel to Se-Hoon.
“You’ve done well today.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Wiping his sweat with the towel, Se-Hoon glanced at Benjamin, who was standing next to Wurgen.
He certainly feels different from ordinary undead.
Despite being dead, Benjamin exuded a sense of life, making it obvious that his creation and operation were different from those of typical undead.
Well, I got what I needed.
Now, the question was how effective his hidden card would be in actual combat. At that thought, Se-Hoon looked in front of him at Eun-Ha.
To test that, I need to send her somewhere first.
Knowing how cautious the Single Number hiding on the outskirts of the city was, he couldn't send Eun-Ha off anywhere without careful consideration.
Striking first... would also require sending her away.
When he had called her for his safety, he hadn’t expected it to end up becoming a hurdle.
“Are you feeling alright?” Eun-Ha asked quietly, having seen his inadvertent troubled expression.
“Ah, no. It's just that my body feels a bit stiff. Moving right after morning training might have been too much.”
“Then you should rest for today.”
“Hmm... that sounds good. I'll take a shower first, so go ahead.”
Sending Eun-Ha ahead, Se-Hoon took a quick shower and went down to the first floor of the lab.
“Let's head back together.”
“Are you going to keep acting like that?”
Aside from Eun-Ha, who was exuding a colder air than usual with a frustrated expression, there was another woman opposite her.
Approaching the two, Se-Hoon narrowed his eyes at the somewhat familiar figure, and, having noticed his presence, the two women turned to look at him.
“Hmm. Mr. Celebrity is also here, I see.”
“Wait a minute...”
“Step aside.”
Walking past Eun-Ha, the woman with reddish-brown hair approached Se-Hoon and handed him a business card.
“Nice to meet you. I'm Yuriel Oppenheimer, head of the Seraphim Guild.”
The Seraphim Guild, which once operated a hero training institution called Eden, was now engaged in the weapon industry. They were the ones who raised Eun-Ha in the past and were also currently acting as her sponsor. They also had a cooperative relationship with the Flame Sect, making them quite significant in the world.
Why is she here all of a sudden?
Though puzzled by her unexpected appearance, Se-Hoon took the business card.
“I'm Lee Se-Hoon, a first-year student of the Department of Blacksmithing.”
“You could have introduced yourself as the first-year honor student. How humble of you.”
Smiling, Yuriel then naturally began explaining.
“I apologize for dropping by unannounced. I contacted Eun-Ha several times regarding sponsorship duties, but she hasn't replied or even read the messages for days, so I came directly.”
At her explanation, Se-Hoon recalled the day Eun-Ha abruptly hung up the phone.
So it was from then.
He knew their relationship wasn't great, but he hadn’t expected her to completely ignore her sponsor's contact.
Kindly smiling, Yuriel asked, “Would it be okay to take her for a little while? It won't take more than a few hours...”
Intervening, Eun-Ha stepped in between them and glared at Yuriel with unusually cold eyes.
“I said I would go after this was over. Leave now.”
“How many times must I tell you that it will be too late? Business isn't child's play. Do you think you can do whatever you want?”
“I'm asking you nicely for the last time. Leave now.”
“Sorry, but not today.”
Silently watching the two, who seemed ready to explode, Se-Hoon’s eyes gleamed upon thinking of something.
“Just go,” he said, breaking their standoff.
Eun-Ha's eyes widened.
“But...”
“Though I did ask for your protection, it shouldn't be too dangerous with Mr.Wurgen here. And it will only take a few hours, right?”
Also not expecting his response, Yuriel, who had been watching, nodded.
“Of course. I promise.”
“...”
“I appreciate your concern, but you don't need to abandon everything else for me. Go ahead and follow her.”
For a few moments, Eun-Ha just looked at him silently. Then, she slowly nodded.
“Alright. I'll be back soon, so don't go anywhere alone.”
“Don't worry.”
After warning Se-Hoon, Eun-Ha turned to Wurgen, who had been quietly observing the entire time.
“Please, put additional security around the hotel.”
“You’re being overprotective... I'll handle it, so don't worry.”
“Thank you.”
Having finished making her requests, Eun-Ha turned to Yuriel.
“Let's go.”
“Stop glaring at me like that... follow me.”
Following Yuriel, Eun-Ha got into a luxury car waiting nearby first, and right before Yuriel got in as well, she turned to Se-Hoon.
“Thanks for helping today. Let's grab a meal together sometime.”
Waving, Yuriel got in and the car drove off.
Then, once the car disappeared, Se-Hoon and Wurgen looked at each other.
“It’s here.”
Yes, it’s time.
Finally, the long-awaited opportunity had arrived.
***
“...”
In a shabby building, Puppeteer’s Single Number puppet Nine was currently observing his target through a small telescope.
Se-Hoon had returned to the hotel from the lab, and the most troublesome person had left in a car. Security around the hotel had also tightened, but it was within expectations.
Now.
Confirming all conditions were met, Nine connected his consciousness to the puppets he planted beforehand.
Explode.
Boom!
A massive explosion occurred in the basement and first floor of the hotel.