Chapter 123

Chapter 123

Imbued with internal energy, Choi Yeonseung’s fists were more powerful than any other equipment. He could easily treat a solid lump of metal like mud, and that was only one of the most basic things he could do. To top it all off, Choi Yeonseung had completely mastered control over his body.

After sending internal energy to his fingertips, he kneaded the metal, read its movements, then shaped it again. He had never done this before, but he shaped it as skillfully as someone who had been doing this for thousands of years. Having been trained in different ways, he molded the metal with craftsmanship so great it was akin to that of a master’s. The dantian releasing endless internal energy also helped smelt the metal.

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ admires your talent, which it has underestimated.]

The cat constellation was very satisfied with Choi Yeonseung’s talent. Now that he had thought about it, Choi Yeonseung had to do a good job since he was using his fists for this.

-It seems I’ve more or less shaped it. Can I stop here?

He kneaded, folded, and hammered the metal into the form of a short sword. He was a bit cautious when it came to self-evaluation, but he felt that he had made something decent.

‘This isn’t so bad for someone doing this for the first time, right?’

-Examine.

Choi Yeonseung checked the unfinished artifact’s attributes with his constellation eyes.

[Blue Short Sword:

Durability: 90/90 Attack Power: 80

Contains the skill ‘Blessing of the Cold.’

Level Requirement: 65.]

It has a level requirement of 65, but its attack power was higher than that. It seemed to be quite durable as well. Choi Yeonseung asked the cat constellation with pride.

-Now I can just stick the hilt here and finish it off, right?

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says absolutely not with a serious face.]

-......?

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says to hammer and fold it a thousand more times!]

-No... Do I really have to do that?

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says not to take it lightly.]

-... I understand. You are absolutely right.

Choi Yeonseung reflected on himself after listening to the cat constellation. Just as Choi Yeonseung didn’t take every punch and posture lightly, the cat constellation felt the same way toward blacksmithing.

-I should take it seriously just like my trainings.

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is touched now that you understand its feelings.]

[The ‘Overcome Oneself to Become Strong’ skill has been activated. Creating a great masterpiece will increase your power of existence!]

Having found a new path of training, Choi Yeonseung’s power of existence started to expand.

Ttang, ttang, ttang, ttang—

“... H-How long does he plan on doing this?”

“Should we stop him?”

The bewildered researchers stared at Choi Yeonseung. Watching him knead and shape the metal with his bare hands already surprised them, yet they were met with another surprise. Choi Yeonseung was silently repeating the same process over and over again.

“Did he notice it and got mad?”

“W-What? He couldn’t have.”

“What? What did he notice?”

“This bastard glared at him earlier.”

“Anyone who still does that despite knowing the fuss hunters can make when they’re angry is immature...”

“Y-You’re wrong.”

“If he’s angry right now, I think we should go and stop him.”

However, Choi Yeonseung looked very peaceful. He wasn’t even listening to the researchers, but the cat constellation was still talking to him.

[Hit once, take a short rest, hit twice, and immerse your body in the rhythm...]

-......

Choi Yeonseung wanted to tell it to be quiet, but he held it in.

First of all, the cat constellation was hundreds of times better as a blacksmith than Choi Yeonseung. It was also rare to see it so excited...

‘I’ve received a lot from the cat, so this is the least I can do for it.’

[The cat constellation says that if you hammer the top of the sword guard 180 times and twist it slightly, its durability will increase.]

[The cat constellation says that if you hammer the blue iron stone and release strong cold air, the sword’s skill will become stronger.]

The cat constellation gave him all types of advice, showcasing its excellence as a blacksmith. It was like a shortcut to creating artifacts.

-Wait. How do I release cold air?

“Maybe he’s just biased toward that hunter.”

“Everyone, be quiet.” Frank, their team leader and chief designer, quieted all the researchers. “We have to measure it and check the results before we can talk about it. Let’s begin!”

“G-Got it.”

Frank looked puzzled as he looked at the backs of the researchers rushing to measure it. If the artifact created by that hunter really performed better...

What should they do?

***

“Ah. Hello, Chairman. We’re on a tour right now. Do you have other plans in mind?”

Puzzled, Nguyen handed a smartphone to Choi Yeonseung.

-Yeonseung.

-Yes, Hyung.

-Isn’t it fun and exciting to see the way a huge company runs and makes money?

-Uh, I don’t really care. Why did you call?

-... It isn’t fun?

-It was, but...

He could hear Hwang Gyeongryong stomping his feet with joy over the phone.

‘?’

-I called you because an invitation has arrived. I think you should come and see this yourself.

***

Hwang Gyeongryong was sitting with a serious expression on his face.

“What’s going on?”

“Alex has invited you.”

“Who?”

“... At least try to remember names. The head of the Parker family, which owns that company you recently screwed over.”

Alex Parker, chairman of the Parker family, a conglomerate group that was as powerful as Hwang Gyeongryong.

“He invited me?”

“Yes. I don’t know what he’s up to.”

“Hmm...”

Choi Yeonseung pulled out a chair, sat down, and thought about it. He had probably heard that it was Choi Yeonseung who stole Ronald. Choi Yeonseung had taken him out very confidently.

“He isn’t trying to get revenge, is he? He has no justification, and he wouldn’t just attack openly.”

“I think so as well, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s our enemy. Honestly, what if he has gone crazy and dug a trap? That bastard Alex is an evil old man with no blood or tears.”

Hwang Gyeongryong cursed Alex nonstop. They had bumped into each other a few times while leading their groups, so they had developed a bad relationship. For Hwang Gyeongryong, there weren’t enough bad words in the world to describe Alex.

“But a trap isn’t that much of a problem for me, is it?”

“......”

Hwang Gyeongryong felt unknowingly convinced. After all, Choi Yeonseung was a constellation.

“N-No. You could get caught.”

“I don’t think they can drive me to the point where I’ll get caught. Even if so, I can always just use a bit of strength when I’m in trouble.”

“?”

“They’ll just think my master has given me strength.”

If Choi Yeonseung’s internal energy suddenly increased, the constellations wouldn’t say, ‘That guy is a constellation pretending to be a mortal all along?!’

Rather, they would think Choi Yeonseung’s master had lent him some strength.

“... That’s actually plausible.”

“Right?”

“Then while you’re there, why don’t you break down their mansion and double the number of bones in his body?”

“......”

“I’m just kidding, dude...”

Hwang Gyeongryong hurriedly tried to retract his statement, but Choi Yeonseung thought he was half serious, especially when he saw Hwang Gyeongrong smacking his lips.

‘I think he would’ve liked it better if I was an evil god constellation.’