"......Woooooah!"
"Did he really win?!"
"No way!"
"Silver beat Diamond!"
The sparring room inside the training ground filled with cheers.
It was only natural.
Silver and Diamond.
Despite two players with a difference as vast as heaven and earth facing each other, the Silver player had won.
Moreover, his opponent was not an ordinary Diamond player, but one of South Korea's finest players, known as the Sword King.
"What kind of victory was that?"
"The Sword King went easy on him, that's all."
"Honestly, getting that excited over a spar conducted with restrictions is strange, too."
"Agreed."
Of course, not everyone acknowledged it.
Lee Ho-seok had begun the spar against Shin-hyeok with a handicap.
"What are you talking about? The Sword King accepted those terms before the spar began."
"Can a top-ranking Diamond player seriously fight a player who just reached Silver Tier in the first place?"
"It would be easy if he crushed him with stats. But this is a chance to display their skill and technique. And Choi Shin-hyeok's skill and technique defeated the Sword King."
"Why even bother saying it? Those who know nothing are just flapping their mouths."
However, they were only a small minority.
The faint voices of those who could be called the Sword King's fans were quickly buried.
"......I will send the contract concerning Oseong Workshop to Shinhwa Group. I will also have the equipment and artisans transferred immediately."
"Thank you, Senior."
Lee Ho-seok, who accepted his defeat, had a face red as a carrot.
Wanting to leave this place as quickly as possible, Lee Ho-seok sharply turned around and strode toward the training ground's exit.
"Come on!"
"Yes?"
"I said come on! Do you intend to stay here any longer?"
"Ah, no. I-I'll come with you, Father!"
Shin-hyeok watched Lee Ju-ho follow after Lee Ho-seok with a bewildered expression and let out a quiet chuckle.
"That Title effect is really good."
[Disciple of the Martial God (Temporary)]
-All martial arts can be handled more proficiently.
-Proficiency in all martial arts increases.
The greatest reason Shin-hyeok had been able to defeat Lee Ho-seok.
It lay in the Title he had gained this time.
The effects granted by the Title applied not only to Choi Shin-hyeok Style, but also to the Martial God's Heaven-Shattering, Annihilation Style.
Thanks to that, it would not have been an exaggeration to say that Shin-hyeok's techniques had become more than twice as powerful as usual.
The fact that he had broken Lee Ho-seok's restriction by using Heaven-Annihilating Ultimate Thunder Flying Blades, the First Form, Second Section of the Heaven-Shattering, Annihilation Style that he had only just learned, made that clear.
"This will be a great help when I learn new Heaven-Shattering, Annihilation Styles in the future as well."
His delight was even greater because it was clear that this would greatly help him when he learned new Heaven-Shattering, Annihilation Styles from Elder Cheok in the future.
The training ground emptied after Lee Ho-seok and Lee Ju-ho left.
"Director."
"U-uh?"
Shin-hyeok called the training ground's director, Oh Sang-cheol, the Iron Man, who had been staring blankly at the spar.
"Could I ask to spar with you as well, Director?"
"Hah, I am a state-affiliated player. I do not own a business like Oseong Workshop."
Like Lee Ho-seok before him, Sang-cheol gave a bitter smile at Shin-hyeok, who now asked to spar with him.
He was a player affiliated with the state.
He earned a great deal of money as a Diamond player, but he did not own a business on the level of a large corporation.
However, Shin-hyeok did not care.
"It does not matter. I have no intention of winning this time, anyway."
"Hmm?"
"Please go all out. Without any restrictions."
"......Hooh."
The full power of a Diamond player.
Shin-hyeok did not even dare entertain the thought of winning against it in his current state.
At that, Sang-cheol stroked his chin with an interested expression, then took out his main weapon, a gauntlet, from his inventory.
"That is the Unique Grade item owned by the South Korean government. The Indomitable Gauntlets."
"My beloved weapon. Your sword is better, so it is fine, is it not?"
"Yes. Then...... shall we begin?"
"That sounds good."
BANG! BANG!
At Shin-hyeok's words signaling the beginning of the spar, Sang-cheol slammed his gauntleted fists together and gave a broad grin.
Soon afterward, Shin-hyeok and Sang-cheol charged toward each other.
***
"......It fucking hurts."
FWOOOOSH!
The spar with Sang-cheol ended in Shin-hyeok's defeat.
It was unavoidable.
Even if an ant possessed world champion-level boxing technique, it could not defeat a lion.
Shin-hyeok, who had been thoroughly beaten, was a miserable sight.
His clothes were in tatters, and his entire body was covered in bruises.
He had needed to use expensive potions and even draw upon Divine Power to heal his injuries himself.
"Still, his shocked expression was entertaining, so I suppose it was worth it."
However, a broad smile hung on Shin-hyeok's lips as he healed his wounds.
After all, Sang-cheol had suffered several injuries when Shin-hyeok broke through his senses and charged at him again and again.
The reaction Sang-cheol had shown when Shin-hyeok injured him despite the enormous difference between Silver and Diamond remained vivid in Shin-hyeok's mind.
After honing his instincts by fighting two Diamond players, Shin-hyeok considered his next plan.
"Now, all that remains is the Global Top 100 Promotion Match."
The Global Top 100 Promotion Match.
It was what every player dreamed of.
Of course, it did not exist in Iron or Bronze Tier.
It existed only from Silver Tier onward.
The Global Top 100 Promotion Match was remarkably simple.
One hundred of the finest players in each tier were selected from across the world.
Those one hundred players fought and fought in a death match until only one remained in the end.
That was the Global Top 100 Promotion Match.
"To enter the Global Top 100 Promotion Match, I need to reach the end of Silver 1 and earn the System's recognition. I should focus on Dimension Arena for the next few days."
The System's recognition required to participate in the Global Top 100 Promotion Match was already as good as secured.
He was the only player in the entire dimension to receive Silver 1 from the Placement Exam.
He was the player who had perfectly cleared the Hidden Stage that had seemed nearly impossible.
It would have been absurd not to give someone like him entry into the Global Top 100 Promotion Match.
There was only one thing that mattered.
He needed to reach the end of Silver 1 to enter the Promotion Match.
"Ah, before that, I should deal with this first."
Having finished thinking, Shin-hyeok took out Demonic Steel from his inventory.
True to its nature as steel imbued with demonic energy, thick demonic energy rose from it the instant he took it out of his inventory.
An ordinary player would have shuddered at the sensation of sinking into a viscous swamp the moment they touched demonic energy, but Shin-hyeok was different.
"I need to obtain demonic energy as soon as possible."
Demonic energy was vital to Shin-hyeok.
It was the energy he needed in order to claim an overwhelming first place in the future Global Top 100 Promotion Match.
Having finished that thought, Shin-hyeok tossed Demonic Steel back into his inventory and headed for Shinhwa Workshop.
***
-Uh, that goes over there.
-The materials warehouse is this way.
-Newly arrived artisans, please gather here.
'What on earth is going on?'
Se-jin, who had become the master of Shinhwa Workshop, could not hide his surprise and confusion at the sudden situation.
'Shin-hyeok told me not to be surprised, but how could I not be surprised at this?'
The call from Shin-hyeok several hours ago.
Se-jin had been unable to hide his confusion even after receiving the call, and now, several hours later, he was bewildered by what had happened.
Blacksmithing equipment bearing the Oseong Workshop emblem was being brought in one after another. Artisans from Oseong Workshop entered while tilting their heads, their expressions much like his own.
Finally, as wooden crates containing materials ranging from Normal Grade to Rare Grade, and even Unique Grade, were stacked neatly in the materials warehouse, Se-jin gave up trying to understand.
"Se-jin, I'm here. Oh, you're already moving in. You really are fast."
"S-Shin-hyeok. What on earth is going on?"
"I told you."
"You only told me not to be surprised. You never explained anything!"
"Ah, did I......."
Se-jin let out a hurt cry toward Shin-hyeok, who had visited the workshop in the meantime.
Se-jin looked almost ready to cry, and Shin-hyeok scratched his cheek with an awkward smile.
"Well, what happened was......"
In the end, Shin-hyeok spent quite a long time telling Se-jin what had happened at the training ground.
"T-the Sword King visited the training ground and challenged you to a spar?"
"Yes."
"And you wagered Shinhwa Workshop and Oseong Workshop?"
"You heard correctly."
"......And you won that bet, so Oseong Workshop was merged into Shinhwa Workshop?"
"That's right. Didn't I do well?"
"......Haa."
It was absurd enough that Shinhwa Workshop and Oseong Workshop, both businesses with a scale rivaling most large corporations, had been wagered on a mere bet.
But Shin-hyeok, looking at him with sparkling eyes as though asking for praise, was even more absurd.
"......Are you hurt anywhere?"
"After that, I sparred with the director and got hurt, but I healed completely thanks to potions and Divine Power."
"The director...... Iron Man Oh Sang-cheol?"
"You know him too."
"It would be stranger not to! He is one of the strongest Diamond Tier players in our country!"
"If the director is regarded as being at that level...... our country's situation really is bleak."
"Why?"
"No, it's nothing."
Once his bewilderment passed and was replaced by concern for Shin-hyeok, Se-jin looked distraught. Shin-hyeok waved his hand, saying he was fine.
After hearing Sang-cheol's current evaluation, Shin-hyeok's face stiffened, but it did not last long.
"Now, let us deal with this first."
"......Demonic Steel!"
Before Se-jin could say anything more, Shin-hyeok took Demonic Steel out of his inventory.
As a heaven-sent blacksmith, Se-jin showed intense interest in Demonic Steel.
Shin-hyeok had known Se-jin would react this way from the moment he woke in the hospital room, and he grinned.
"We cannot leave the new materials, equipment, and artisans unused."
"Of course not. Leaving unused the things you brought us would be unthinkable."
Se-jin returned Shin-hyeok's grin with one of his own. Then, with a confident expression, he called out to the artisans moving in an orderly fashion.
"Everyone, assemble!"
"......Assemble!"
The artisans moved quickly, as they had already heard that Se-jin was the Workshop Master.
Amusingly, the artisans who had only just arrived from Oseong Workshop gathered more quickly than those from Shinhwa Workshop.
As Shin-hyeok silently resolved once more to replace the staff of Shinhwa Workshop, Se-jin spoke.
"From this moment on, we will forge the finest spear. I need your help. Will you help me?"
"......!"
The artisans of Oseong Workshop could not hide their surprise at the calm humility of Se-jin, the master of Shinhwa Workshop, which had become South Korea's finest workshop after merging with Oseong Workshop.
They had always dealt with people who believed equipment would appear if they pressured the artisans hard enough.
To them, Se-jin was a savior who had appeared for the first time in their lives.
That was why they raised their tools high into the air and nodded.
Shin-hyeok looked at Se-jin in surprise as Se-jin won dozens of artisans over to his side at once.
Feeling Shin-hyeok's gaze, Se-jin smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.
"I cannot remain the man hammering away at Cheonggyecheon forever. Now, I am the master of Shinhwa Workshop, the one you support and believe in."
"......That's exactly it, Se-jin."
Shin-hyeok smiled brightly at Se-jin, who had broken out of his shell and grown another step.
He was no longer merely Bang from Cheonggyecheon.
He was the one and only Workshop Master of Shinhwa Workshop.
Having developed the charisma and leadership befitting that position, Se-jin led the artisans as they gathered materials needed to make the Demonic Spear and operated the equipment.
As Shin-hyeok watched the workshop grow more than twice as noisy in an instant, Se-jin approached and handed him a hammer.
"Se-jin?"
"I learned of your talent during our last production. You will forge the Demonic Spear we make today yourself. I will assist you, so do not worry."
"......Can I really do it?"
Shin-hyeok looked at Se-jin with trembling eyes as Se-jin readily handed him the hammer that was as precious to a blacksmith as life itself.
Seeing Shin-hyeok look like a young lamb pleading for an answer, Se-jin chuckled and patted him on the shoulder.
"It is a master's role to help an apprentice become an artisan. Today, at this very moment, one apprentice will die, and one artisan will be born."
"......!"
At the sight of Se-jin believing in him completely, Shin-hyeok's entire body sprang in surprise, but for some reason, he felt warmth in his heart.
"Of course, you cannot make something better than mine."
"Don't you know the saying? Blue comes from indigo, yet surpasses indigo."
"No, I don't."
"How childish. You ruined the whole moving moment."
Shin-hyeok let out a hollow laugh at Se-jin, who winked and made a joke to ease his tension, then tightly gripped Se-jin's hammer.