The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 204

204.

Leohn possessed a deep sense of pride.

He took pride in his superior enhancement skills, believing he surpassed everyone else in the field, even if his knowledge was limited to this specific area.

He was proud to be the best at what he did.

Of course, when he was being honest with himself, he knew he wasn’t truly the best.

In the Artisan Competition, four artisans were ranked higher, and above them all stood the Grandmaster, the ultimate artisan.

‘But I’m still young,’ he thought.

Unlike most artisans, who averaged around their mid-30s, he was only 28.

A promising age, full of potential.

He firmly believed he could become the best someday.

He had dedicated himself to enhancements with that conviction, and it had brought him to where he was now…

Clang- Clang-

‘I… I can’t believe it.’

Now, that conviction was on the verge of being shattered for the first time.

Clang-

The clear sound of the weapon and hammer colliding echoed sharply.

“Oh… That’s a great sound.”

“It’s somehow comforting to listen to.”

“But is Kaiser doing better than we thought? Or is it just luck?”

He could hear the admiring exclamations of the users, their words triggered by the clear sound that cut through his thoughts.

But Leohn couldn’t bring himself to admire it.

To be precise, he didn’t have the luxury to.

That sound wasn’t just the sound of a hammer hitting a weapon.

‘The sound of the weapon resonating…’

Why is an artisan considered an artisan?

What makes an artisan’s enhancement have a higher success rate than ordinary users?

Why do enhancement NPCs always claim their hands slipped, resulting in weapon explosions!

In reality, the enhancement NPCs weren’t entirely wrong.

Ordinary enhancers, regardless of the auxiliary skills and probability-boosting items they used, ultimately relied on luck.

But artisans were different.

‘Identifying the hitting point and the vital point through the vibration of the metal transmitted to the hammer upon impact. The skill in doing that is what separates an artisan from an ordinary blacksmith.’

It was all thanks to ‘Resonance of Iron,’ a skill acquired upon becoming an artisan.

A cheat skill that heightened the ability to sense the hitting point and vital point, and to feel even the slightest vibrations with greater sensitivity.

At higher enhancement levels, luck was still a factor, but skill could compensate up to a certain point.

‘That’s what makes artisans special. And only after becoming an artisan does the path of a true blacksmith truly open up.’

However, even with the ‘Resonance of Iron’ skill, fully feeling the resonance was difficult.

It was challenging for modern people to connect with iron and feel its resonance.

-The state of becoming one with iron and having a conversation.

Blacksmiths referred to it as the realm of dreams, and the person who could achieve it was called a Grandmaster.

Like all artisans, Leohn dreamed of becoming a Grandmaster.

While he lacked talent for crafting, he possessed a natural aptitude for enhancement.

‘But how…’

Because of that, Leohn could feel the resonance better than anyone else.

Even the resonance performed by someone else’s hand, not his own!

Clang- Clang-

A sound that felt clearer than clear, almost refreshing.

Without any impurities.

A unique sound that could only be produced when iron and hammer resonated perfectly, without a trace of turbidity.

‘…How the hell can a guy like you be hitting the hitting point so accurately!’

The sound that only a Grandmaster could create was coming from that man.

An ordinary combat user who hadn’t even acquired a production skill was demonstrating the skill of a Grandmaster.

‘This doesn’t make sense. Th-that’s right. This is a coincidence. It can’t be skill. It must be beginner’s luck.’

It’s said that the first reaction to something unbelievable is denial.

Leohn was experiencing that firsthand.

It had to be a coincidence.

Beginner’s luck. A random hit that he didn’t even realize had just produced that sound.

That’s how he rationalized it.

Clang- Clang-

[You have perfectly succeeded in enhancement.]

[The highest stat is granted due to the perfect enhancement achieved with a wondrous technique.]

[+2 Nimble Green Sword is created.]

“Now it’s your turn.”

“Wow… Perfect enhancement? Highest stat? What is this?”

“Jackpot… Isn’t that a message that only Grandmasters or top-tier artisans can get?”

“I know that even Leohn hasn’t been able to get that message many times… Isn’t that the title he’s trying to get right now?”

However, that rationalization didn’t last long.

Wondrous technique.

It was a phrase that appeared when achieving perfect enhancement with a technique that went beyond mere admiration.

It was a phrase that even artisans rarely saw because it required hitting all the hitting points from beginning to end without a single mistake.

And that phrase came from that guy?

‘I-it’s a coincidence…’

Clang- Clang-

[You have perfectly succeeded in enhancement.]

[The highest stat is granted due to the perfect enhancement achieved with a wondrous technique.]

[+4 Nimble Green Sword is created.]

‘…T-twice could be luck. I’ve done it twice too…?’

Clang- Clang!

[You have perfectly succeeded in enhancement.]

[The highest stat is granted due to the perfect enhancement achieved with a wondrous technique.]

…..

No matter how much he denied it, the guy’s hammering didn’t stop.

Every time the hammer fell, a clear sound rang out, and soon the Resonance of Iron reacted, and a message popped up.

Clang- Clang!

[You have perfectly succeeded in enhancement.]

[The highest stat is granted due to the perfect enhancement achieved with a wondrous technique.]

[+10 Nimble Green Sword is created.]

[You have performed 5 consecutive perfect enhancements with a wondrous technique.]

[Conditions are met.]

[You have acquired the title ‘Wondrous Enhancer’.]

[Wondrous Enhancer]

-Rank: Heroic

-Description: A title given to an enhancer who has demonstrated a wondrous technique.

-Effect: The number of enhancement stones required for enhancement is reduced by 20%.

Enhancement success rate increases by 5%. All stats +5

[A hidden option is unlocked when you succeed in perfect enhancement with a wondrous technique 100 times.]

“Oh, what is it? A title popped up? Is it okay to get it this easily?”

“……Th-that is.”

Unlike Dohyun, who was thoughtlessly admiring the sudden title, Leohn was in shock and widened his eyes.

His pupils were shaking as if he couldn’t believe it, and it was understandable.

“Wow. That’s the title Leohn was trying to get this time. Wasn’t that why you came here?”

“Jackpot… Kaiser got it? Even though he’s not a production class?”

“Honestly, Kaiser seems to be doing better, doesn’t he? It feels faster and clearer.”

“Did you feel that too? I thought so too…”

“Aside from that, the wondrous technique message only pops up when Kaiser does it. Leohn, you’ve only gotten it twice, right?”

“Actually, two times is great, but Kaiser is really * 넘사벽 [Neom-sa-byeok, Korean slang for ‘the wall you can’t overcome,’ meaning someone is far superior]. How can he be so good at fighting and enhancement?”

The reason Leohn came here was all because of that one title.

He had seen the wondrous technique message up to 4 consecutive times here, so he felt good and came, but… he achieved 5 consecutive times?

‘The one I repeatedly failed at, that guy got it? In one go?’

He couldn’t believe it at all.

It didn’t make sense.

‘Yes, this is a dream. I’m definitely having a terrible nightmare.’

Faced with a series of absurd events, Leohn soon reached the stage of denying reality.

But unlike his wishes, this place was a cold reality.

As if to emphasize that, a cold, low-pitched voice was heard.

“What are you doing? It’s your turn.”

“……”

Looking down at the Nimble Green Sword, which was now failing to live up to its name and was tinged with blue, Leohn was sweating coldly.

‘The highest enhancement for a Heroic grade is +12…’

And the Nimble Green Sword was a Heroic grade sword.

In other words, this was the last enhancement.

If he succeeds this time, will that guy fail?

He shook his head.

The hammer that had been swung without hesitation was still vivid in his mind.

‘If that happens, the order of the next weapons will be changed.’

Then he would be the first to attack, and he would be the one to do the final +12 enhancement.

And the final highest enhancement of each weapon boasts an extremely low probability.

All enhancements boasted an extremely low probability at the maximum stage.

There was a reason why they were called the Devil’s +10, +12, and +15.

Gulp.

If it were a Rare grade with +10 as the last enhancement, it wouldn’t be impossible. As an artisan with the Resonance of Iron skill, he was confident up to +10.

But what if it was a Heroic grade +12?

‘…Even I’m not confident in +12.’

If he had enough time and opportunities, it wouldn’t be impossible.

But to succeed in just one try?

No artisan could be sure of that.

Unless they brought ‘that Grandmaster,’ the legendary blacksmith.

“What are you doing? Hurry up.”

As Dohyun urged Leohn, who was hesitating to receive the weapon, the surrounding voices grew louder.

“What, why aren’t you taking it?”

“…Could it be that he’s scared?”

“An artisan is scared of an enhancement battle against a user who isn’t even a production class? Leohn, who was in the top 5 in the Artisan Competition?”

“But honestly, looking at the current situation, doesn’t Kaiser seem like the artisan instead of Leohn?”

“What, then is he really scared? That’s too much.”

At this point, there was no way the users wouldn’t be able to figure out the situation.

If he delayed any longer, he would become known as the artisan who ran away because he was afraid of being defeated in an enhancement battle by a combat class.

But would anything change even if he continued the enhancement?

Either way, if he lost, he would be tarnishing the name of the artisan.

‘What the hell am I supposed to do!’

Leohn, who was frantically rolling his eyes in a dilemma, finally couldn’t stand it and shouted.

What Leohn chose was to make unreasonable demands.

“Damn it, this is a scam. It’s a scam!! What kind of ridiculous situation is this! He’s an artisan but he’s lying! How the hell is that a combat class!”

“Ah, my ears hurt. What’s with the sudden scam talk? We just got to the Empire, where would I have had a chance to enhance?”

“Th-that’s…”

Leohn was at a loss for words at Kaiser’s reasonable argument.

Everyone in the Empire knew that Kaiser had just set foot in the Empire.

And enhancement was a system that was unlocked from the Empire.

In other words, Kaiser had proven that he was doing enhancement for the first time in God’s Odessey.

But he couldn’t back down like this.

He couldn’t let go of the reputation he had built up so far.

Leohn, he himself, was a promising artisan with a bright future!

“You bastard!!! What kind of trick are you using!! An ordinary combat class who isn’t even a blacksmith succeeds in 5 consecutive wondrous enhancements? You want me to believe that! You’re definitely doing something fraudulent…!”

“Gaaaaah!!”

When he was desperately trying to deny it.

Suddenly, Leohn shut his mouth at the heavy shout that came from behind. A voice that his body reacted to first. It was a very familiar voice to Leohn.

‘…Th-this voice, could it be?’

And that prediction was spot on.

“Tsk tsk… What a pathetic guy. To be so stubborn like a five-year-old child because you don’t want to admit defeat… I’ve never seen such a disgrace.”

A white-haired old man walking with his hands behind his back.

The old man with a snow-white mustache and beard like his hair, and full of wrinkles, looked like a solid giant tree.

It was a face that anyone interested in enhancement would know.

“Wow… Isn’t that Aison?”

“Jackpot, that artisan NPC?”

“Why is Aison here?”

“I heard that the rumor that Leohn and Kaiser were having an enhancement battle had already spread… Could it be that Aison heard about it and came?”

An artisan among artisans, a quasi-Grandmaster NPC who was said to be about to become a Grandmaster.

An artisan with few rivals in the enhancement world, an NPC that blacksmith users who dreamed of becoming enhancers wanted to be taught by.