Chapter 289

Chapter 289 Following the worldwide release of Se-Hoon and Ludwig's provocation against the Sacred Craftsman, a predictably fierce reaction from the public ensued. “Rising Star Lee Se-Hoon Challenges the Sacred Craftsman!” “Mysterious Booming Sound in Mount Huangshan, Sacred Craftsman’s Stronghold—Has the Giant Stirred?” “The Battle of a Perfect One vs. A Master Blacksmith Inching toward Ascension!” It wasn’t even an active S-rank hero. Of all people, it was a student—a first-year at Babel at that—calling the Sacred Craftsman, a Perfect One who was revered as the best in this field, a “washed-up relic.” It was an unbelievably audacious statement that shocked the world, raising questions about Se-Hoon’s intentions and inevitably sparking hostility from various factions. “Caden Miller: ‘Everyone needs to go through this transitional phase. Hopefully, this will be a good lesson for him.’” “Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: ‘Their motives are obvious. There’s no need to pay attention to a foolish mantis blocking the wheel.’” Caden, the Sacred Craftsman’s disciple and CEO of MT Industries, publicly dismissed Se-Hoon as a mere rookie, while the Chinese sneered and called Se-Hoon a clueless idiot. Unlike others, who refrained from expressing their opinions due to their fear of Se-Hoon's powerful backers—the Emperor of Ascension and the Eternal Nocturne—those who sided with the Sacred Craftsman had no such hesitation. “Hm...” Se-Hoon scrolled through his phone, keeping track of the public's reaction. “It looks to be about eight to two... no, maybe nine to one?” Though few said it openly, the majority seemed to think the challenge was overly reckless on his part. After all, challenging a Perfect One publicly truly was an audacious feat. However, there were a few individuals who recognized Se-Hoon's potential, and their reasoning was straightforward. “Technique Left by Li Kenxie in his S-rank Hero Days—Can this New Prodigy Surpass It?” “Meister CEO: ‘There’s no such thing as an unbeatable technique in this world. Why should we limit our potentials?’” The technique Se-Hoon challenged was Sacred Craftsman’s Principle of Steel, which he’d created back when he was an S-rank hero before ascending a Tower of Heroes. Because it wasn’t crafted by a Perfect One, many believed Se-Hoon, who had already come up with incredible techniques like mass production of sword aura equipment, stood a chance. People tend to overrate Perfect Ones. Se-Hoon acknowledged their near-supernatural abilities; however, he knew they excelled only in certain areas. Their overwhelming power made them seem limitless—just seem; it didn’t mean they had no limits. Well, everyone will see once this is over. He was well-aware that words alone couldn’t convince the world, but actions could. Just then, a platter piled high with sushi appeared before him. “Eat up.” At those words, Se-Hoon looked up to see Kasar—the former lead professor of the Department of Swordsmanship who was now the Dean of Aqar Quf—in a spotless chef’s uniform. “Thank you for the meal,” Se-Hoon said, giving Kasar a respectful nod before eating. Observing Se-Hoon, Kasar watched him eat with a peculiar expression. He’s as calm as ever, even after all this trouble... Although Kasar knew of Se-Hoon’s extraordinary nature through their previous conversations and dealings, the provocation didn’t sit easily with him. “Do you see yourself handling this?” Suddenly asked a question by Kasar, Se-Hoon swallowed the sushi in his mouth before replying, “What exactly do you mean?” “Don’t play coy. I mean challenging Li Kenxie.” “Ah. Well, it’ll probably get a little bothersome”—Se-Hoon calmly picked up another piece of sushi—“I mean, a first-year student beating a Perfect One will be quite the scandal, won't it?” “...” The absolute certainty in his voice, as though he’d already seen his victory, left Kasar looking somewhat perturbed. This kid is really... He wanted to say Se-Hoon was overconfident, but Se-Hoon had yet to fail anytime he had the same level of conviction. And while it hadn’t been revealed to the public yet, Se-Hoon had been marked as having possibly forged a Legendary weapon. The hero community was abuzz recently with the rumor that Jake now wielded an extraordinary sword—one he could only have obtained from Se-Hoon. He just breaks all expectations. Barely six months into his public debut, Se-Hoon had supposedly become a Legendary-tier blacksmith. Of course, others might have aided him along the way, but even when factoring that in, forging anything Legendary-tier was monumental. “Hm...” Thinking about something, Kasar finally made up his mind. “All right. I’ll help you out.” “...Pardon?” Se-Hoon was taken aback by Kasar’s sudden offer. He hadn’t even asked for anything yet, so why was Kasar offering to help? Seeing Se-Hoon’s reaction, Kasar, who seemed to have already pieced together the situation, calmly explained, “You came to me right after provoking him, so there’s only one reason, right?” “That’s... true.” “And...” Trailing off, Kasar glanced over at Se-Hoon’s companion, Lea, who straightened up with a jolt, stopping mid-sushi bite. “You even brought along your partner. I have a pretty decent idea of what you want, so just tell me your conditions, and I’ll do my best to assist.” Calming his surprise from Kasar’s willingness, Se-Hoon nodded and got straight to the point. “I’d like to borrow Ashen Smoke.” Ashen Smoke, the legendary sword the Sacred Craftsman had entrusted to Kasar, was a well-renowned weapon even among the Sacred Craftsman’s collection. And Se-Hoon intended to borrow it. “Hmm. What do you need it for?” “I’m working on a new weapon, and I think it could be useful. Plus, I’d like to examine its craftsmanship.” “Is it the weapon you mentioned in the news?” Noticing Kasar’s intrigue about the ultimate weapon forged from iron, which was to be forged to show how it surpassed the Sacred Craftsman’s technique, Se-Hoon shook his head. “No, it’s not for that one.” “Why not?” “Well, that one’s already done with its preparations.” “The preparations are already... finished?” Kasar was left momentarily stunned. He’d assumed Se-Hoon was borrowing Ashen Smoke to finalize his project. But it seemed everything was already set up. “Of course. I wouldn’t have gone public with my challenge unless I was fully prepared.” “That’s... true.” While Kasar was torn between admiration and disbelief, Se-Hoon calmly asked for permission once again. “So, am I allowed to borrow it?” “Huh? Uh... sure. Just don’t hold on to it for too long; I might need it for work.” “Understood. If you do happen to need it later on, you can retrieve it from Lea.” Hearing her name called, Lea’s eyes widened in surprise. “Me?” “Yes, you.” “Oh... all right...” Though she looked like she had plenty more to say, she lowered her head and focused on her sushi again. However, it was clearly not so much out of hunger, but out of a desire to escape the situation. Watching her hurried bites, Kasar glanced between her and Se-Hoon with a bemused expression. “What, did you threaten her or something?” “Of course not. She’s just feeling a little guilty over a recent mishap.” “Hmm. Whatever it is, don’t be too harsh on her.” “It cost tens of billions, though.” Blanking out, Kasar finally processed the number and looked over at Lea, who had lowered her head even further. Then, after a brief pause, he commented, deadpan, “A final supper, indeed.” *** Successfully securing Ashen Smoke from Kasar, Se-Hoon headed straight for Lea’s workshop. “...” “...” Arriving, an uncomfortable silence immediately filled the room, although it was Lea alone who felt that way. However, despite the obvious tension, Se-Hoon made no attempt to alleviate it. “Miss Lea Claudel.” He had addressed her formally, with her surname, in a way that felt like a death sentence. Lea swallowed dryly. “Y-yes...?” “Looks like you have a lot you’d like to say, so let’s make one thing clear first,” Se-Hoon firmly said, intently watching Lea, who avoided his gaze. “The money lost and the research that failed—I honestly don’t care about those. These things happen naturally when exploring new fields.” Though he now didn’t do so, Se-Hoon, too, had experienced countless failures during his first life, blowing through staggering sums of money in the process. So he didn’t intend to fault Lea for failing. But the real problem lay in what happened after. “Creating disruptions in the shopping district three times over the same issue, without informing me even once, though... don’t you think that’s a bit of a problem?” Initially, he’d thought the large-scale incident Jake mentioned was a one-off. But when he looked into it, he learned it was far from the first. There had been numerous small and large disturbances originating from Lea’s workshop, all affecting nearby facilities, which culminated in the major incident a few weeks later. While I can accept anything else, concealing one’s own failure is never acceptable. Before the regression, he had seen countless heroes trying to hide their mistakes, treating them as trivial, only to end up bringing about their own downfalls. His own master, Meirin, had met her end for similar reasons, making it something he refused to overlook. “...I’m sorry.” Lea lowered her head further, looking contrite, as Se-Hoon watched with his arms crossed. Then, after a short while, Se-Hoon let out a sigh before asking, “So? Why did you hide it this time?” Surely she hadn’t kept it from him without a reason, knowing it would come out, eventually. Prompted, Lea hesitated, glancing around, and only then replied in a barely audible voice. “...felt like it.” “Louder.” Lea bit her lip, hesitating again, before closing her eyes tightly and admitting, “I... just felt like it.” For no reason at all, she simply didn’t feel like telling him, even despite the mistake costing tens of billions. It was an answer that would have left anyone furious, and even Lea herself knew how absurd it sounded. But that’s actually how it was! Normally, she’d have asked Se-Hoon for help when she hit a wall, but this time, the thought didn’t cross her mind. She even went as far as shutting off her phone and sealing off her workshop so that she could throw herself into her research without interference. If only I’d found some excuse... Later, she found her behavior odd and had herself checked out, but everything was normal—it turned out to be nothing but her own impulsive choice. Because of that, she became too embarrassed to admit it, so she’d kept quiet all summer. However... “Wait, really?” Se-Hoon’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “One day, without any warning, you just suddenly didn’t want to talk to anyone or even meet anyone?” “Y—yeah... but why does that matter?” Lea was taken aback at Se-Hoon’s sudden interest. Grinning slightly, Se-Hoon explained, “It’s a sign of you awakening your unique skill.” “...What?” “I’m saying that it’s an indication that your unique skill is close to awakening.” A unique skill—a one-of-a-kind ability—was a skill that reflected the user’s very being. Naturally, it required an undiluted connection to the user’s inner self. So that’s why she unconsciously rejected any outside interference. The doubts and failures arising during research weren’t just setbacks. They were part of the process that solidified her spirit. In a way, it was akin to a caterpillar entering a cocoon, poised for transformation. “I have a... unique skill?” Lea’s eyes went blank with wonder. She had dreamed of having one but had never expected it to actually happen. “It won’t manifest right away. But it’s only a matter of time if it’s this close to the surface.” “I... I... what am I supposed to...?” Lea was still reeling from the revelation, struggling to process it all. While she’d imagined what it might be like to have a unique skill, the reality was overwhelming. Sensing her rising panic, Se-Hoon placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her. “Don’t overthink it. Just treat it like an independent project you have to tackle alone. Nothing more, nothing less.” “A... project?” “I’ll make sure everything else is taken care of, so you can focus entirely on your research. Can you do that?” Thanks to Se-Hoon’s soothing voice, combined with him altering her blood flow with Soul Honing to enhance her focus, Lea was brought to a concentrated state. Quickly, her normally anxious gaze became resolute. “I can do it.” “Good. Then I’ll be going. Contact me when you’re done.” Giving her a reassuring pat on her shoulder, Se-Hoon left quickly, ensuring nothing would disturb her focus on his way out. Once outside, he activated the Veil of Whitespace. “Chairman, can you hear me?” No response came. Then a pause later, Ludwig’s voice sounded in his ear. “What’s the matter?” “It’s nothing urgent, but could you help isolate the workshop behind me from external disturbances?” “Hmm. Has there been a shift in Lea Claudel’s condition?” “She’s showing signs of awakening her unique skill, so it’s best to minimize outside contact.” Seemingly surprised, Ludwig only replied after a brief silence, his tone laced with amusement. “That’s good news indeed. I’ll proceed as you suggest.” With a soft hum, a transparent barrier enveloped Lea’s workshop, subtly dampening any outside presence. It was a display of elegant, unobtrusive spatial magic worthy of a Perfect One that Se-Hoon couldn’t help but admire. “This is perfect.” “I’ll inform Professor Rebecca to manage the rest.” “Thank you.” “Think nothing of it. You take care as well.” Their conversation ended there, and Se-Hoon took another look at Lea’s workshop. Could she have been spurred by something during the battle in the Pleasure District? Perhaps since then, she’d been seeking ways to counter Puppeteer, likely hardening her resolve and strengthening her spirit, which brought about the conditions for a unique skill to manifest. Lea’s unique skill... He had heard of her fame before he regressed, but never that she possessed a unique skill. Perhaps it was kept hidden from the public, or perhaps the butterfly effect of his regression had led her down a different path. Either way, it was a favorable development, especially if her unique skill turned out to be a powerful asset against Puppeteer. Wrapping up his thoughts on it, he turned his attention to Ashen Smoke, which was in his void pocket. I’ll have to work on this alone. Originally, he had intended to study it alongside Lea while refining the Fire Heaven Greatsword, but the current timing wasn’t ideal. Revising his plans, he suddenly remembered the news he’d read on his phone. When will that old man decide to show up? With the Sacred Craftsman’s fiery temperament, he could either rush over at any moment or decide it was beneath him and lose interest. Se-Hoon hoped for the former, but he knew it wasn’t likely. China is sure to beg him not to go... Though the Sacred Craftsman himself wouldn’t care, China—particularly the Seven Saints—would be uneasy at the thought of him going near Babel. If Ludwig could persuade the Sacred Craftsman, it was certain he would come to a decision on the spot, without listening to the advice from the Seven Saints. He’s a spirited man by nature. Because the Seven Saints and his disciple Caden knew that too, they would undoubtedly do everything possible to keep him away from Babel. The Seven Saints wanted to protect their influence, and Caden, as the leader of Offering, wanted to prevent the Sacred Craftsman from venturing into enemy territory. By the looks of it, he’ll most likely come after the tournament wraps up. If Se-Hoon’s new weapon could outshine traditional ones in the tournament, it would definitely catch the Sacred Craftsman’s attention. At that time, Se-Hoon could work with Ludwig to persuade him while taking the chance to learn more about his powers. Looks like the next three weeks are going to be busy. He still had plans to visit Gehenna and Paradise, the two new Special Districts, as well. Adjusting his plans, he suddenly sensed something strange. “...?” He glanced around. Rumble- A slight tremor reverberated through the ground as the flames of the Vermilion Bird pulsed beneath Babel, reacting to something. Just then, Se-Hoon’s eyes widened. He had detected a familiar presence nearby. Turning toward their direction, he spotted two figures emerging from the Void Space Terminal a few kilometers away. “...” “Whoa...” There, an old man in a crimson martial robe stood, with a young girl in his arms gazing around in wonder. The sight transfixed everyone in the vicinity. Under everyone’s gaze, the old man—Sacred Craftsman Li Kenxie— looked down for a moment. Then, lifting his head, he looked across Babel and drew a deep breath. “HAAAA!” CRACK! With a resounding shout, every glass pane around the terminal shattered, unmistakably announcing one fact to all. The Sacred Craftsman had arrived at Babel.