WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈
Chapter 73: Blacksmith Debut (3)
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The heartfelt tribute, practically an acceptance speech dedicated to one’s parents, finally came to an end, followed by applause. What was with the applause? Still, aside from my name taking the place that should have belonged to his parents, it was pretty good. It was moving, too, filled with the sincere feelings of an F-Class who had been completely transformed.
...Moving, but so damn embarrassing! Seriously, how could Myeongu do that without batting an eye? If I were his parents, I’d probably be tearing up with emotion... We were just friends, though. Not even childhood friends who had known each other for twenty years. We hadn’t even known each other for two months.
‘Damn... Everyone’s looking at us like they’re wondering what our relationship is...’
And it wasn’t just here. Questions mentioning my name were coming up at the press conference beyond the monitor, too.
Ugh... Well, it was fine. Myeongu had good intentions. I only had to be embarrassed for a little while. It was a shame the attempt to divert attention had failed, though.
I’d hoped that when a blacksmith capable of making items without a grade limit appeared, people would pay less attention to me. Instead, the opposite seemed likely to happen. Myeongu, why couldn’t you just take the spotlight for yourself? Why did you have to give me credit too?
A little later, the talk ended, and Myeongu and Yerim returned to the waiting room. Yerim was still tightly hugging the Ice Tree Spear instead of putting it in her inventory, while Myeongu was looking straight at me with a broad smile.
Unlike earlier, nobody stopped him as he walked toward me. Everyone just watched, as though they had agreed to it beforehand.
“So, how was I?”
Myeongu asked with a grin. How was he?
“You did well.”
Was I supposed to rain on his parade here? I had to smile.
He really had spoken well. He hadn’t left anything out. Regarding guilds, he had smoothly said that since he had only recently acquired his skill, he planned to focus on training for a while and had no intention of joining any particular guild, though he would accept support from them.
“But wasn’t it a little excessive to give me that much credit? This was your moment, after all.”
Myeongu glanced around before opening his mouth.
“I did it on purpose.”
“...What?”
“Of course, every word was completely sincere, but I deliberately emphasized it all in public.”
...Just two weeks ago, he’d been so sweet, kind, and shy. Was this some kind of skill side effect?
“Uh... Why?”
“To let people know they won’t get away with it if they mess with you.”
Myeongu said loudly enough for everyone around us to hear.
“That’s why I said I wouldn’t go public until I made an S-Class item. I need to put out at least an S-Class weapon for it to have an effect.”
He looked proud and confident. Honestly, I was a little bewildered and dumbfounded.
“Thank you. Really.”
The words came out on their own. How could I not be grateful? He must have wanted recognition even a day sooner, but he held back. Even at the moment when he finally saw the light after such a long darkness, he didn’t keep it all for himself.
He was giving me so much that I wondered if I should even accept it. What else could I say in front of that?
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
Seeing him grow embarrassed, he was still the Myeongu I knew.
“Now nobody will dare mess with me just because they’re afraid of getting on your bad side.”
I said it like a joke, but it was true. Unlike mounts, a blacksmith could improve a Hunter’s actual abilities. What Hunter would want to fall out of favor with one? If I got kidnapped again, every Hunter from high-grade to low-grade might roll up their sleeves to impress Myeongu.
We had flaunted our friendship too much, so someone might use me as a hostage to extort valuable equipment from him. Still, that would not be easy. It could bring a huge profit if done right, but one mistake would leave them without even a pittance.
“Seriously, I feel secure.”
Though the looks filled with ulterior motives were a little uncomfortable.
* * *
The world’s first equipment-crafting Hunter appears with an S-Class top-grade weapon!
Yu Myeongu, Master of the Golden Forge, reveals there is no grade limit on crafted items!
No such thing as grade restrictions, the hand of God has appeared!
F-Class Hunter becomes SS-Class overnight!
What is the secret to obtaining an SS-Class skill?!
The press conference video appeared on the front page of a major portal, and articles about Myeongu flooded every site in no time. The real-time search rankings were also dominated from first place onward by Yu Myeongu, Master of the Golden Forge, Ice Tree Spear, S-Class equipment, SS-Class equipment, no grade limit, and so on. My name was there too, but I pretended it wasn’t.
The comments were going wild as well. There were some hateful ones, but most people were envious. An F-Class, rather than a mid-grade or high-grade Hunter, had struck it big, so public interest was even higher. There were also many comments asking how an F-Class could get a good skill.
‘With this atmosphere, a lot more people will hold off on going straight to the Awakening Center and try to check for special skills first.’
[Yu Myeongu, Master of the Golden Forge. This first-ever blacksmith Hunter is receiving intense attention not only domestically but abroad as well.]
Even the television I had left on was repeating, “Our Myeongu is this amazing!” again and again and again. Keep it coming. More.
“Wow, Yerim, look at this. It says it has a sure way to get an SS-Class skill.”
Yerim, who was playing with Blue while destroying a single-seat sofa, burst out laughing. Yerim, I only bought that yesterday.
“What’s the method? There are lots of skills I want!”
“‘These days, the world is abuzz over the SS-Class Master of the Golden Forge skill. Acquiring such a high-grade skill can completely change your life. But usually, Awakening itself is difficult, and...’ Why is there so much pointless padding?”
“Come on, it’s clickbait. It’ll go on about how you can get one, then talk about the weather and health or whatever, and end with, ‘Anyway, SS-Class skills are the best.’”
Yerim said as she threw Blue high enough to nearly reach the ceiling.
Kyaaah!
“But I thought you didn’t like looking up stuff like that, mister. There were tons of articles and real-time searches when it happened to you too. Back then, you only watched a little TV and that was it.”
“Is it the same as when it was about me?”
Back then, after seeing the articles, I hadn’t even opened an internet browser for days. Why would I look at that? No matter how favorable an article was, there would always be hateful comments. Even if a kind Messiah descended and performed miracles and showed mercy, there would never be a shortage of people posting things like, “Isn’t this a staged scam?” “What a show-off.” “He thinks he’s Jesus, how annoying.” That was why I still avoided articles that mentioned me even a little.
Even if it had all been undone, I’d already been beaten up enough. Why would I go looking for something to hurt myself with again? I barely even looked at comments on my social media.
“Yujin, is there any item you need? Or something you want?”
Myeongu, apparently embarrassed only now, asked while unable to look directly at the television. It seemed he wanted to make me something. Something I needed...
“I can only use equipment that gives flat bonuses to my stats... But deliberately making equipment with flat stat bonuses would be a waste of time and materials.”
“What about special effects?”
“Special effects? Hmm...”
Special effects. What would be useful? Something that helped the kids grow? Or would it be possible to pass skills or titles on to others without touching them? That would be too versatile, though.
“Special effects can’t just do anything, right?”
“Yeah. They’re basically based on the materials. To put a special skill into an item, you need materials that provide the foundation for it. Like how the Ice Tree Spear was made from materials with powerful cold energy.”
So it wasn’t all-purpose after all.
“Do you think there are any materials that could transfer skills?”
“I don’t think there are.”
“Then how about defensive skills? Not the kind that completely blocks everything so even allies can’t touch you, but something that raises the body’s own defense. Even if it only lasts an hour or two.”
To share another skill by touching someone using One More for the Road, I couldn’t use ordinary barriers. If the body itself temporarily had at least A-Class defense, I could safely share the title that doubled attack skill effects in an emergency.
“Defense-related materials are the most common. I’ll try making something.”
“Don’t push yourself. It’d be nice to have, but it’s not essential.”
Even if dungeon difficulty rose faster, it would still be over a year before high-grade dungeon breaks began. If I worked hard to raise the kids before then, there would be no need to share skills.
The best thing would be for me to never have to get involved in anything while dragging around this F-Class body.
* * *
A full month had already passed since the day I first cleared a dungeon after returning to the past. That meant the waiting time for My Kid Is the Best, which I had used on the kids, was over. Time really flew.
For Yerim, there was nothing to think about. I chose Cold Resistance A. Since she had gained Ice Attribute Enhancement through the Ice Tree Spear, a resistance skill was essential. Resistance skills matching one’s own attribute usually grew quickly, so it was best to get one early and raise it to S-Class.
This time, Yerim only needed to raise her level by one, with no other conditions.
Myeongu, on the other hand, was not easy to choose for.
‘Just looking at the skill names, I can’t get a sense of which would be best.’
The problem was that many of them looked like special skills.
[Unacquired Optimized Skills
Master of Hammering (A)
Delicate Fingertips (A)
Fire Resistance (A)
Metal Classification (A)
Knife Sharpening! (A)]
For now, there were five unacquired optimized skills. Except for Fire Resistance, they all seemed related to Crafting Skills. And all four looked useful.
‘Should I just have him get them in order?’
It wasn’t like a skill description window would appear no matter how much I thought about it. The waiting time for My Kid Is the Best was only one month, so I could simply let him acquire them all.
Master of Hammering first. When I selected it, the conditions appeared. Unlike Master of the Golden Forge, it only required five level-ups. He seemed to have already fulfilled the other conditions. Maybe something like hammering a thousand times.
“Myeongu, while you’re at it, level up before your stat grade rises any further. It gets harder to level up once your grade goes up.”
At my words, Myeongu, who was marinating ribs, nodded. It looked delicious. I felt a little guilty that a Hunter receiving worldwide attention was doing this to feed me, but still.
“I was already planning to level up as much as I could while it’s easy.”
“Yerim says she’ll be taking about ten days off soon. Should we go together then?”
“I’d like that.”
Myeongu’s stats were C-Class, but he was low-level and not a combat Hunter, so a lower mid-grade D-Class dungeon would be suitable. Could he use the move to his forge inside dungeons, too?
“You said your forge has living facilities as well, right?”
“Yeah. On the second floor.”
“Once your stats rise enough for you to enter high-grade dungeons, that’ll be really useful. It’s like having a safe space where you can rest comfortably.”
Clearing high-grade dungeons meant spending days combing through lands swarming with terrifying monsters. A safe place to rest would feel as sweet as honey even to tough, healthy high-grade combat Hunters.
If he could really use it inside dungeons, Myeongu was completely versatile. I wanted to ask him to clear dungeons with Yoohyun, but he would be too busy making equipment.
The next target whose My Kid Is the Best waiting time ended after Yerim and Myeongu was none other than Peace.
[Time Required for Adult Metamorphosis (56:15)]
Thanks to playing with Peace whenever I could, there were only fifty-six hours left, about two and a half days. During the skill’s active period, I could shorten the time by up to three times, so it would be over in a day.
I had put on equipment focused on stamina and strength, filled the training room with training tools, and prepared fatigue recovery potions.
“Okay, Peace. Let’s get this done quickly.”
Kkiang!
Peace answered energetically, tail going thump, thump.
Then a whole day passed. I felt half dead.
“...Peace, could you find my phone for me?”
I said it while sprawled across the cot. I’d taken it out because I was afraid of breaking it while training, but I couldn’t remember where I put it... Even if I did remember, I couldn’t go get it.
Kyang.
Still in its juvenile form, Peace carried my phone over and placed it on my hand. So smart. It almost seemed like Peace understood every word people said.
“It’s a little past seven.”
It was evening. I had to go feed the kids and eat dinner myself. I would close my eyes for just thirty minutes, then go upstairs.
That was what I thought, but when I opened my eyes again, it was eleven. Damn it. Peace, who had somehow climbed onto the bed and pressed against my side, tilted its head.
“Weren’t you hungry? You should’ve woken me.”
Grrr.
I was about to call Myeongu, then belatedly remembered Myeongu had turned off his phone because he was getting so many calls. Instead, I contacted the dormitory management office. They connected me to the intercom at home. Fortunately, Myeongu had already left the forge.
[Don’t worry. I fed them. I also let the people looking after the unicorns know you probably wouldn’t be able to make it today.]
“Really? Thanks!”
[Take care of yourself while you do this.]
He had no room to talk. Still, it was a relief. Now that Myeongu was C-Class, he could look after Blue too. That was nice.
After ending the call, I got down from the cot. Peace jumped down too. Ugh, my back.
“Peace, aren’t you done growing?”
Kkiang?
“Could you grow bigger just once so I can check? Please?”
When I asked with gestures, Peace backed away. Then, moments later, something like flames that gave off no heat flared up, and Peace’s body grew larger.
It was bigger than when it had been a subadult. About twice as big.
Its majestic red body was adorned with a splendid golden mane. It was huge, but did not look clumsy. Though it was a feline, it had the sleek lines of a leopard rather than a lion or tiger. Its pointed ears and lush tail still gave it something of a foxlike appearance.
[Grade 2 Unicorn Subspecies, Flame-Horned Lion Peace
Current Stat Grade: S
Potential Growth Stat Grade: A to S
Optimized Initial Skills
Flame Breath (S) acquired
Flame Sprint (A) acquired
Enlargement (A) acquired
Fire Resistance (A) acquired]
“Great! S-Class stats, and you acquired all your initial skills too!”
I had only helped Peace grow, not given it an optimized Awakening, so I had been a little worried. What a relief. Our Peace was really all grown up now. When I held out my hand, Peace lowered its head against it. Even hugging just its head filled both my arms now.
“Our Peace is handsome too.”
Grrrr.
Even the rumble in its throat was completely different from when it had been small. Would Yoohyun bring Peace along when he cleared an S-Class dungeon in a few days? It seemed too soon, but I should let him know first.
Shortly after I sent word that Peace had finished growing, Yoohyun came down to the training room.
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