From Today, I'm a Player

Chapter 33: A Test Pt. 3

The Dragon's Bloodstone was an incredibly rare material. It was next to impossible to obtain in the future and had only been received through a Sponsor in the past. Even the book of the Demon King mentioned it.

‘It was a rare mineral. Only three were said to have ever appeared.’

Otherwise, there was theoretically a one in-a-billion chance of finding it at a gate.

‘This is…’

That very same object that was the size of a fist was currently being held in the palm of Lee Jun-Kyeong’s hand. If, by chance, he sold it to someone who knew its value in the current era, then he’d get enough money such that it would be child’s play for him to purchase an entire city. Lee Jun-Kyeong was mesmerized as he looked at the bright gem in his hand. However, he soon came to his senses and looked around warily.

“This isn’t something you should take out so easily in a place like this,” he said as he quickly tried to hand it back to Jeong In-Chang.

“It’s fine.”

“Huh…?” Lee Jun-Kyeong couldn’t help but be bewildered by Jeong In-Chang’s reaction.

“I will give the Dragon's Bloodstone to you, Mr. Lee.”

“What… What did you just say?” Lee Jun-Kyeong’s eyes popped open, and all he could do was blink. Did Jeong In-Chang just say he would give it to him for free?

“Do you not know how much this is worth?” Lee Jun-Kyeong stammered out after barely overcoming his shock.

He knew that he’d still place the gem into his inventory without any hesitation, regardless of what the other man said. After all, a single Dragon's Bloodstone was as important as the existence of Jeong In-Chang, who would later become the Hero Siegfried.

Even though Jeong In-Chang may not have known about how to actually use it or the object’s actual identity, there was no way he didn’t have an inkling about how valuable it was.

Buzz.

All he had to do was just look at it, a red gem that pulsed profusely with mana. Hunters who were able to sense mana would at least be able to gauge its value a little. Despite that, Jeong In-Chang still willingly handed it over to Lee Jun-Kyeong as if it was nothing. Lee Jun-Kyeong couldn’t comprehend just what the other man was thinking.

“Judging by your reaction, it seems as though you understand its value much better than I do, Mr. Lee.”

“But…”

Lee Jun-Kyeong swallowed his greed for a moment.

“This is an item you received through sponsorship. Is it okay to just give it away this easily?”

Basically, the Sponsor had chosen to specifically give a gift to the Incarnation. Anything that was selected to be granted as sponsorship…

“It's an item that would be of great help to you, Mr. Jeong.”

These are generally handed down to focus on the growth of the Incarnation. It was also the key item that would complete the Hero, Siegfried.

Jeong In-Chang shrugged. “The Northern Army Guild has fallen apart anyway, and there are no reliable blacksmiths.”

Lee Jun-Kyeong didn’t think that would actually be a problem. Also, while it would have been great as part of some armor, it would have had other uses for him anyway.

“Mr. Lee.”

“Yes.”

Jeong In-Chang lowered his voice.

“Please take care of me. You have believed in me and have acknowledged me. So this is a gift that I’m gifting you.”

‘He’s a gullible idiot.’

Jeong In-Chang was so bad that it was to the point where it couldn’t be expressed in words.

Still, it was only fitting to use a guy like him.

“Alright.”

Of course, he decided to ensure that Jeong In-Chang wouldn’t fall prey to anyone else’s obvious trap in the future. The only person who currently knew that Jeong In-Chang was so naive was himself, and he thought that it was enough for him to be the only one. Lee Jun-Kyeong hurriedly put the Dragon's Bloodstone in his inventory as if he was scared that someone was watching him.

[<The Sky of the Apocalypse> smiles cheerfully at you.]

Obviously, his own Sponsor knew the value of a Dragon's Bloodstone. It would only be happy that its Incarnation had acquired one.

But something else occurred that surprised him.

[<The Prince on a White Horse> sends you a vague smile.]

Jeong In-Chang’s Sponsor had expressed interest in him. To think it would smile when its Incarnation had handed over a gift it had sponsored.

Lee Jun-Kyeong shouted loudly internally without making a sound.

‘Sir, I’ll do my best to help your Incarnation not be such a gullible idiot in the future.’

[<The Prince on a White Horse> smiles with less worry.]

In response, a satisfied voice rang in his ears.

***

To be honest, Lee Jun-Kyeong had already thought of getting a Dragon's Bloodstone from Jeong In-Chang anyway, as the latter wouldn't have known how to use it, nor was it the right time anyway. He just didn’t think he would have been able to get it this way without any effort.

‘Is this what you would call a colleague?’

They had only just become allies. Even though they hadn’t built any bonds yet, Jeong In-Chang showed a strange level of trust in him. Lee Jun-Kyeong wondered if it was because the other man thought that he had just morals. Although he was suspicious of Jeong In-Chang’s baffling kindness and trust, a strange emotion appeared.

‘It’s not a bad feeling.’

The tickling sensation that came from obtaining someone’s trust was a strange and alien feeling.

"Whew…"

Lee Jun-Kyeong shook his head. Because Jeong In-Chang had shown confidence in him, it was time for him to repay it. Unfortunately, only three Dragon's Bloodstones had ever appeared to his knowledge, so the proper way of using it wasn’t widely known among most Hunters.

Naturally, that wasn’t an issue for Lee Jun-Kyeong. His book had the method written down.

[A Dragon's Bloodstone is made by solidifying the blood of a divine dragon.]

‘Because he was also the owner of a Dragon's Bloodstone.’

Lee Jun-Kyeong recalled the specific passage.

[The usage of a Dragon's Bloodstone can be divided into three main types: crafting weapons, improving a Familiar, and strengthening an Incarnation.]

Among them, the Demon King had chosen to strengthen his Familiar, resulting in his Bone Dragon the dragon of death that knew no defeat.

Of course, Jeong In-Chang killed it, but that was purely due to luck and an unlikely combination of several factors. Generally speaking, the Demon King’s Bone Dragon was indestructible. In any case, Jeong In-Chang had been sponsored because of that incident.

‘The second Dragon's Bloodstone.’

Jeong In-Chang had chosen to strengthen the Incarnation. In other words, he had used the Dragon's Bloodstone and earned himself the title Siegfried the Immortal. Lee Jun-Kyeong also knew that the remaining Dragon's Bloodstone had been used to create armor. However, neither of these three methods were available to him at this point.

To proceed with strengthening his familiar was impractical.

-It’s too much for me to digest, Master.

Hyeon-Mu was too weak, and the same was with himself. If he tried to absorb the power of the Dragon's Bloodstone, his body would explode, and he would die. So his remaining option with the highest probability of success was to use it to make armor with Park Jae-Hyun’s help…

‘But it’s too much of a waste to use the entire Dragon's Bloodstone to create armor.’

While Park Jae-Hyun was a great blacksmith, he wasn’t at his peak power yet. At this point, the Dvergr wouldn’t be able to make use of all of the Dragon's Bloodstone’s power and would still end up using the precious Dragon's Bloodstone entirely.

Regardless, there was still a reason why he had hoped that Jeong In-Chang would get sponsored with the bloodstone.

Because there was still another way to use it.

***

Lee Jun-Kyeong knocked on the door and opened it at the same time.

“Which bastard is it?” said an irritated voice.

“Is it you again?”

However, when the annoyed person confirmed that the intruder was Lee Jun-Kyeong, the irritation in their voice lessened. In fact, it even seemed a bit approving.

“It’s been a while.”

Lee Jun-Kyeong had come to Park Jae-Hyun’s workshop.

“Tsk. I’m only letting it go because it’s you.”

Lee Jun-Kyeong wondered if it was the gifts that he had given the blacksmith that had such a significant effect, but he had been welcomed more warmly than he had expected.

“Thanks to you, I was able to learn a lot.”

The Dvergr spoke all willy-nilly while pointing at the things displayed on the wall. The items on the wall were all well-refined and beautiful weapons.

“If that punk were here, it would have been better, but…”

The blacksmith began to mutter to himself in a voice so low that it was indecipherable. Lee Jun-Kyeong shrugged and looked toward the wall.

"Incredible."

Those were his true feelings. The quality of the armaments on the wall were significant enough that it wouldn’t be an issue if everyone called them luxury items. If they were released in the market immediately, extravagant rewards would be offered for the blacksmith’s identity. They were masterpieces. People would be scrambling to invite him to join their guilds if they knew about them.

“They still aren’t finished yet. Although the fire did get a little better with your help… the supply of the materials is a mess.”

It was to be expected. After all, while the blacksmith's skill was important, the quality materials themselves were just as necessary. This was still before the cataclysm. There was no way that there would be enough materials that could be smoothly supplied to satisfy him.

Pulse.

That was why when Lee Jun-Kyeong took out a Dragon's Bloodstone from his inventory, the Dvergr’s eyes widened to the point where it seemed as if they would tear.

“You… you… that… What is that?!”

As soon as he saw the Dragon's Bloodstone, Park Jae-Hyun immediately ran toward Lee Jun-Kyeong. Lee Jun-Kyeong grinned but quickly took a step back.

“It’s not a gift.”

He didn’t have much time left. Sooner or later, he would have to undergo Odin’s tests. This was just one of the many preparations he had to make before then. He couldn’t waste any time before then.

“Yeah, I know that much! Such a precious and mysterious… Where in the world could you find a dimwit, no, a gullible idiot like that in the world?”

‘There clearly is one though. Well, better to say that there was one.’

Lee Jun-Kyeong barely swallowed those words and put the Dragon's Bloodstone on the floor. Park Jae-Hyun really was a great blacksmith. Even though he was staring right at a defenseless Dragon's Bloodstone, his patience and enduring attitude were exemplary of a craftsman.

“What are you going to do…?” Park Jae-Hyun asked carefully.

Leaving him behind, Lee Jun-Kyeong took a step forward.

"Can I borrow your hammer?"

Park Jae-Hyun looked confused. “Uh… Hmm… I mean, you could…”

A blacksmith’s hammer was the same as a Hunter’s weapon. It was easy to see how crazy Park Jae-Hyun was simply by the fact that he lent it out so easily. Lee Jun-Kyeong was prepared to surprise him even further. He went to the Dragon's Bloodstone and raised the hammer.

“Hey! Hey! What are you doing?!” Park Jae-Hyun shouted. “Hey! Hey! You son of a bitch! Don’t! I’m telling you not to!”

As Lee Jun-Kyeong looked at the crazed Park Jae-Hyun, he suddenly smiled.

“Please take a careful look.”

‘Ahhhhh!’

The hammer swung down. His strength stat had gotten close to 100, so Lee Jun-Kyeong’s arm began to swell as he cried out. The hammer had been made with the heart and soul of Park Jae-Hyun, the greatest blacksmith of the current time, and it slammed down onto the Dragon's Bloodstone.

Clang!

The unbelievable sound of the small mineral and hammer clashing echoed through the workshop.

"Hey… Hey, you motherfucker... I told you, you couldn’t..."

Seeing Park Jae-Hyun muttering blankly, Lee Jun-Kyeong felt the congested feeling in his chest seemingly disappear as if it had been washed away. He felt light and free, so he smiled.

Crack.

He continued to mutter until the sound of the Dragon's Bloodstone splitting in half rang out.

“You son of a bitch-!”

In the end, Park Jae-Hyun rushed toward him.

***

One of Park Jae-Hyun’s eyes was bruised. He spoke up while he rubbed at it with an egg.

“So you’re telling me this is the way you’re supposed to use it in the first place?” he asked, smiling as if he couldn’t even feel the pain in his eye. Lee Jun-Kyeong wondered if he was really that happy just to learn the secrets of a new mineral.

“Yes,” Lee Jun-Kyeong said while smiling in a relaxed manner and looking at the Dragon's Bloodstone split in two.

[The Dragon's Bloodstone had a secret.]

It was said in the book of the Demon King that even in the future, only three Dragon's Bloodstones had appeared.

One of the owners was Siegfried.

Another was the Demon King.

‘The Demon King.’

And the last, was the Demon King again.

[I continued hunting alongside the Bone Dragon. One day, a new Dragon's Bloodstone appeared in his heart.]

It was unbelievable that could happen

[I thought it had been possible because it was a dragon. But that wasn't it.]

The Demon King had studied the newly appeared Dragon's Bloodstone several times and finally uncovered the secret.

“Please put half of the Dragon's Bloodstone into Muspel’s Spear. There shouldn’t be any need to mess with it or try to craft it into anything.”

“Y…yeah…”

“As for the other half Dragon's Bloodstone…”

Lee Jun-Kyeong spoke as he handed Muspel’s Spear and a piece of paper to the blacksmith. A single image filled the paper.

“It’s a mess. Even an elementary school student could draw better than this,” Park Jae-Hyun remarked.

Lee Jun-Kyeong breathed deeply, swallowed his anger, and responded, “Make it and put the other half of the Dragon's Bloodstone into it.”

“Hm… It’s a mystery. But it seems like it has value.” Park Jae-Hyun looked quite content.

“As for the payment…”

Lee Jun-Kyeong took out his smartphone and was about to use it

The Dvergr interrupted, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll do this one for free.”

“...?”

“Thanks to you, I was able to come into contact with these precious minerals, and I also was able to learn a secret. We’ll just count that as the payment.”

“Then, I’ll accept it gratefully,” responded Lee Jun-Kyeong.

“Tsk. You annoying little punk,” Park Jae-Hyun mumbled to himself. However, he couldn’t hide the smile that was blooming across his face. Lee Jun-Kyeong left him behind and exited the workshop.

[The Dragon's Bloodstone will regenerate once it absorbs a certain amount of blood.]

He was happy to be able to clone the Dragon's Bloodstone.

1. The term ?? (hogu) means Tiger’s Mouth, and in Korean, refers to a play in Go, otherwise known as ?? (baduk), where you have three pieces laid in a trap formation that can “eat” the opposing player's position. It’s an exceedingly simple trap, and you have to be incredibly stupid or naive in the game to fall for it, similar to the Scholar's Mate in Chess. It’s become slang for an incredibly naive idiot.

2. The word ??? translates to vague or hazy but is used to express frustration (at his own Incarnation) in this instance.

3. In Korea, we rub eggs on bruises. It’s an old wives’ tale. Apparently, it sucks out the bad blood and helps with circulation.

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