Colossus Hunter – Chapter 75

Ch 75: Fragment of the Rift（2）

Someone might say.

They might say, what’s so great about raising it by just 1.

But you have to look at the long term. Looking at it long-term, this 1 is by no means a small number.

For example… when I hit the limit of my growth potential. When looking beyond the ‘wall’, this number is incredibly helpful. If I raise a single ability score to over 90 and then choose it, rather than raising it right now, the effect will be maximized!

The difference between going from 10 to 11 and 90 to 91 was like heaven and earth. The efficiency is so obvious that there’s no need to explain it.

‘The efficiency itself is different.’

A single ability score of 10 is the average for an adult. If it becomes 11, you become 10% stronger, and if it becomes 12, you become 20% stronger based on 10.

If you go over 30 like that, the calculation method changes again. In the past, we tried to find the difference in various ways, and we were able to produce fairly close results.

From 30 to 50, it showed an increase or decrease of about 20%, not 10%. This is a percentage based on 10.

And when it becomes 50, it increases again. To 40%.

Since my current power is 53, it meant I had 8.2 times the grip strength of an average adult male.

This range is maintained up to about 70. In other words, a power of 70 means you are 15 times stronger than an average adult male.

From 70? It doubles again. 80%. It stays that way until 90, and if you reach 90, you become 31 times stronger based on 10.

But this formula changes from 90.

From 90, there was a statistic that a value of 1 showed 500% efficiency. It’s not certain because there aren’t many samples… but it’s said to continue up to about 100, and from 100 it increases exponentially again, so I could roughly guess how strong a Demon Lord was.

Instead, from 90, it’s extremely difficult to raise it that much, and there are many cases where you can’t raise it even if your potential is high. In that case, this ‘Potential Ability Score’ will be a huge help.

My current physical ability scores fluctuate around 50. With a simple calculation, it means I’m 7 to 8 times stronger than an average adult, but since everything like power, agility, and stamina has increased evenly, it wasn’t something that could be calculated with simple multiplication.

Even if I didn’t have any skills or techniques, I would be able to easily handle 100 people right away with just my physical ability scores.

If it goes over 70, and over 90?

Even if a thousand people attack, it wouldn’t work.

It’s the moment a true ‘monster’ is born.

‘Besides, there wouldn’t be just one Fragment of the Rift.’

If I could collect Potential Ability Scores, future growth was a sure thing. In addition, there were things that wouldn’t happen or equipment that couldn’t be lifted if a specific ability score was low. This was mainly the case with Mana.

It felt like a storm was raging in my head.

The Administrator’s Authority. A phenomenon I didn’t know about.

It felt like I had a set of things to do for the next three months.

I searched the entire city even more widely, like combing through it. She would get up on her own and move forward on her own without me having to do anything more.

‘The trigger for a person to change is surprisingly simple.’

At the same time, I realized. Kim Hye-yoon. All I did to make her change was a few words, a fried chicken, and removing the unfair reality.

Then, she regained her color day by day and had a smile on her face. The reality is still difficult, but a very slight change awakened the ‘fire’ she originally had.

It would be enough without me having to do anything more.

I watched her standing in front of the station with a bag of chicken, then turned my back. I wouldn’t go to her again face-to-face. A person who has started walking alone is beautiful in itself. From now on, she will live a life of her own choosing. There was no need for me to interfere.

I didn’t have the arrogant thought of controlling everything and forcibly fixing the world. I could be satisfied with just knocking on the door of hope and blooming the closed flower buds.

As I thought that way, another change occurred.

『You have awakened to another dignity as a Dominator. The spirit of respect and tolerance.』

『There will be a change in the Dominator（9lv） skill.』

『The concept of good and evil has been created. How you will be completed as a Dominator is entirely up to the user.』

『If the value of good is high, you can gain the love, trust, and devotion of those you dominate, and if the value of evil is high, you will gain obedience, subordination, and authority.』

『There may be slight changes to the Dominator depending on the values of good and evil.』

『If the dominated target evolves, it will be affected by good and evil.』

The concept of good and evil had been created.

It seemed like I was being scored for the paths I had taken and walked so far, and of course, I couldn’t help but be curious. So, I expanded the detailed list for the Dominator skill.

『Good 52: Evil 48』

Then, a ratio like this appeared. Good was slightly higher. In fact, it should be seen as not much of a difference.

The Dominator is originally Uriël Diablo’s Authority. At least this Authority is connected to each other and affects each other. No matter how good I act, I wouldn’t be able to completely drive out evil. Of course, I didn’t want to drive it out either.

I am not good. I just keep the standard.

“I can’t see him again today.”

The woman, Kim Hye-yoon, muttered quietly while standing in front of the station.

“I want to say thank you at least…”

There was no longer death in her eyes. It couldn’t be said that she was very hopeful, but it was clear that she was at least in a transition period of change.

She waited standing until late in the evening, then started to return again. The night wind was cold, and her face and hands were red from standing for hours, but she would no longer think of exploding herself.

I watched her from an alley in a building far away, then turned my body. If there is a connection, we will meet again, but I hope she will live a life that illuminates her surroundings like a flame from now on.

◈◈◈ * *

“Awakened One! Step back!”

“Step back! Step back!”

“Superhuman crime! What are you saying!”

“What are you saying! What are you saying!”

From early morning, the city was noisy. The natural pain that comes with rapid change. I passed them and found a blacksmith in a corner of Seoul.

「Cheol’s Blacksmith」

A shabby blacksmith with a rather cute name, about 30 pyeong.

It was a small blacksmith where there were hardly any customers anymore, except for one owner who was old and only specialized in small farming tools.

“You want to rent the blacksmith?”

“Yes. I’ll rent it for about three months. I’ll pay you a good price.”

“Hmm, I don’t mind… but what are you going to do with a blacksmith, young man?”

“There’s something I want to make.”

I smiled faintly.

I didn’t have a shortage of money. I had more than enough cash to live on, even if it wasn’t a lot. Besides, if I could solve things with cash instead of points, I would welcome it.

“You’re a strange young man. Do you know how to handle iron?”

“I know the basics.”

Even though I learned it for a short time, I learned directly from Eunhu, a master blacksmith with Blacksmithing skill 9Lv. I definitely kept that knowledge and feeling.

“Then do as you please. There are hardly any customers coming anyway.”

His tone was tinged with bitterness. Well, places called blacksmiths were all dying out. It’s because of the products that are pouring out of factories these days.

Because of the perception that handmade is more expensive, people rarely visited blacksmiths. Perhaps this blacksmith will also disappear into the annals of history within a few years.

The old man rented out the blacksmith with a cool attitude, saying, ‘I can take a trip away from my workplace for the first time in a while.’ There were no extra farming tools as if he had made them only when he received orders, and it was fortunate that he gave me some iron.

Immediately, I started working.

‘I have to find the Fragment of the Rift and build up my skills.’

There was a lot to do.

Especially the blacksmithing skill was important in many ways.

There was nothing better than hammering to learn the Jin Soul-Stealing Ruthless Sword, ‘Wind’, and Taeul Mugeuk Mind Method. I couldn’t neglect other things just because I was looking for the Fragment of the Rift.

‘I’ve also recovered the Fragment of Ge Asal’s Spear and the Stone Containing Kthuga’s Power. Now, all that’s left is to run.’

Items obtained at a secret auction on the Blue Coral Island.

I was able to recover both items I sent from the Abyss yesterday. Fortunately, they were in places that weren’t too difficult in the white ‘Gate’, so I just had to recover them and come back.

Thanks to the Fragment of Ge Asal’s Spear, I also received the benefit of +1 to all ability scores, and the Stone Containing Kthuga’s Power was of particular interest to me.

‘I didn’t know at first, but when I actually saw it, it looked like a small anvil.’

It was completely different from modern anvils, just flat like a stone pedestal, but it wouldn’t be strange to call it an anvil.

So I decided to try it once.

It wouldn’t hurt to try. It wasn’t like I had found a use for it anyway.

Clang━! Clang━!

Ilmangmuje. While chanting the incantation of the Taeul Mugeuk Mind Method, I placed the iron on top of Kthuga’s Stone and started forging. Melting the iron, rapidly cooling it, and hitting it again is a very important act that determines the strength and hardness of steel.

‘The fire burns better.’

Is it because it’s a stone containing the power of fire?

I couldn’t fall into a state of trance because I was watching closely, but when I struck with the hammer, the energy of the wind flowed through my hand as it was.

This wind cools the steel and softens the structure, preventing the quenched steel from breaking again due to internal stress.

In other words, it means it makes it stronger.

On top of that, the fire attribute of the stone was continuously heating the steel from below, so the steel was barely withstanding the force that would have broken it.

What was completed after four hours was a small dagger. I was allowed to use some of the materials in the blacksmith, so I had the capacity to make a few daggers.

The materials were ordered with the help of the original owner, so it was enough.

『’Hard Dagger’ has been completed.』

『Intelligence bonus（52）. The proficiency of the blacksmithing skill has slightly increased.』

This is why it’s easier to raise the level of a skill if your intelligence is high.

Besides, the blade of the dagger was somehow warm. Feeling puzzled by this, I brought up the related explanation.

● A dagger that doesn’t break easily.

● It is sharp and well-finished.

● It contains the energy of fire, so the temperature of the iron is kept high. It cuts even more easily.

『This is a dagger made by a novice blacksmith. Due to a special anvil, it is imbued with the energy of fire, and a good dagger has been completed compared to the blacksmith’s skill.』

The explanation at the end wasn’t very satisfactory, but a novice blacksmith wasn’t wrong. Also, it was hard to deny that a decent dagger had been completed compared to my skill.

I held the dagger and made a small cut on my finger.

If your stamina is high, your skin becomes thicker than usual when such a danger is inflicted. My stamina was close to 52, so a dagger like this shouldn’t even be able to scratch my body.

Swoosh.

There was a slight bouncing feeling, but it definitely cut. A tiny bit of blood formed on my finger.

‘Was it really the right use for the anvil?’

Anyway, it’s better than not being able to use it at all. The Stone Containing Kthuga’s Power. The energy of Fire was also very compatible with iron.

‘Let’s keep going.’

I focused on the new discovery.

My proficiency increased day by day. The blacksmithing skill, which was only 1lv, was reborn as 3lv in just 3 days.

An incredible speed. It was thanks to concentrating that much.

“Aigoo. Is Lee-ssi not here?”

When I turned my head, an old man with white hair, wearing plain clothes, came to the blacksmith.

I stopped what I was doing for a moment and approached the old man.

“I rented it for a while for three months. Should I contact you separately?”

“No. I was going to ask you to make a sickle, but if you don’t have it, there’s nothing I can do.”

He seemed to be a pretty old customer.

As the old man turned his back to go back, I said one word.

“Shall I make one for you?”

“You, young man?”

“Yes. Well, it’s not a difficult task.”

“Is he a disciple taught by Lee-ssi?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then it’s okay. Lee-ssi’s sickles can be used for 10 years without any problems. The blade doesn’t dull easily.”

It was a blacksmith that originally only produced what was ordered. It was dying out because it didn’t really promote itself or get known, but its skills were outstanding as it had been in the field for half a lifetime.

So the customers also seemed to have a certain pride in it.

‘What that guy said was true.’

I knew the child of the owner of this blacksmith, Lee-ssi. At this time, he would have left home and be living alone, but later he would become a fairly famous blacksmith. The reason I came here was also because of what that guy said.

“Why don’t you trust me and give it a try? If it’s not good, I won’t take your money.”

“Hmm, if you say that much… okay. I’ll do that. When will it be finished?”

“Three hours is enough.”

“Then I’ll wait.”

The old man in plain clothes sat down roughly inside the blacksmith and started staring at me intently.

I shrugged my shoulders and took my place in front of the furnace again.

‘Farming tools. A new challenge.’

It’s not making weapons. The use of farming tools is different from the start.

I took a deep breath and melted the iron in the furnace.

Clang! Clang!

Quench, heat, loosen, and repeat that process continuously to increase the strength.

For three hours, I was only focused on handling iron. This concentration also helps to enhance the harmony of the Taeul Mugeuk Mind Method.

Besides, swinging a hammer is no different from swinging a sword. With a desperate determination, I was handling the hammer as if I was unfolding the Soul-Stealing Ruthless Sword.

Concentration of power. Piercing only one point and expanding the area. There was even a strange pleasure in seeing the iron spread.

When I finished shaping it and completed the sickle, my whole body was covered in sweat.

“It’s finished.”

When I handed over the sickle, the old man’s eyes had definitely changed.

“You’re definitely not Lee-ssi’s disciple. The way the blade is sharpened. I was worried that the farming tool would be imbued with Killing intent, but it doesn’t seem to be that way…”

He had a face that said he had seen something quite strange.

The old man took out a 50,000 won bill and thrust it out.

“I don’t need this much.”

“I’ll come back for a refund if it’s not good, so keep it for now.”

Then, the old man, who had roughly put the sickle in a bag, left the mill with his hands behind his back.

It was the first time I was being evaluated by someone else, so I was also a little nervous. About whether the things I made would be used properly.

Especially, I wondered how my method would be for farming tools, but those worries were just a needless concern, as it was confirmed not long after.

Exactly three days later, the old man who had bought the sickle returned, handed me a coffee milk, and gave me a thumbs up!

“It was very good. It cuts better than the ones Lee-ssi made. You’re not a disciple, but now that I see it, you’re a full-fledged blacksmith!”