Hyun could not hide his bewilderment.A retainer?A retainer meant exactly that—an NPC vassal—and they were usually kept by guild masters who held territory.There were multiple ways to obtain a retainer.You could pay and employ them for life, or a guild master could be bestowed one by the lord of a territory or by NPCs.I’ve never heard of someone volunteering to become a retainer—and he’s supposedly a talent who will become a legendary miner?While Hyun was confused, he swiftly calmed.If the retainer is a miner, then perhaps…?Hyun weighed the efficiency of coming to a mine to extract ore himself versus doing blacksmith’s work.He had already concluded that coming to the mine himself was a loss.It’s certainly a shame; there will be chances to obtain special ore, and I’d be letting those slip.But Banya, kneeling, spoke:“I will do my utmost to mine the ore you need in your stead, Hyun.”“For now, stand up, Banya.”Hyun took both his shoulders and helped him to his feet.“I’m still very lacking.”In truth, Hyun’s level was only 80 now.He needed at least Level 100 to found a guild.Without a set guild or a place to establish himself, he couldn’t take Banya along.“You’re not… refusing me, are you…?”Banya’s eyes trembled with anxiety. In them, Hyun felt an intense longing to be with him.“No—that’s not it. Because I’m lacking, when I decide on a base location I’ll send a courier. Come there then.”At that, Banya’s face lit up.DING![You have taken Banya as a retainer.][You can view Banya’s information.](Banya)Grade: EpicType: RetainerLevel: 165Attack: 504Defense: 430Mining Power: 1,672Special Abilities:· Passive Skill: Special Ore.· Passive Skill: Tireless Miner.· Active Skill: Ore Detection.· Active Skill: Ore Effect Amplification.Potential: 111Current EXP: 19%Description: A talent who will become the most special miner in the world. Grows far faster than other miners and possesses an exceptionally high growth ceiling.When an NPC becomes a retainer, their grade is determined.That grade is not decided by level alone.It depends on the special powers they possess, their prowess in their field—And on potential and various other factors.Banya is currently Epic.Retainer grades are divided as Common, Rare, Epic, Unique, Legendary.To be honest, since he was said to be someone who would become Legendary, Hyun thought his grade would be that high already.So he felt a pang of disappointment—but seeing the Potential erased that thought entirely.I know Potential indicates how far one can grow.The higher the Potential, the higher the cap.As I recall, ordinary retainers’ Potential was around 30.Rare: 50.Epic: 70.Unique: 90.And 111…Banya was only Epic for now, but he possessed truly absurd Potential.Of course, high Potential didn’t mean everyone would become Legendary.According to something Hyun had read once, even if Potential exceeded 100, nine out of ten never reached that height.That was due to surrounding environment and many factors; whether Banya would become Legendary remained to be seen.We’ll grow together, then?Hyun smiled faintly.Then Banya—now Hyun’s first retainer—spoke, face flushed.“When might I come find you?”“It won’t take long.”At that, Banya said with confident eyes:“Then until I can see you, I will mine ore here for you.”From the moment he became a retainer, Banya seemed to think only of Hyun.Nor was Banya a fool.The greater ore Hyun uses to craft superb artifacts, the higher my name will rise as well.Banya set out at once, saying he would obtain ore for Hyun.And after a day had passed—RRRRRRRRRR—Hyun couldn’t help but marvel at the flood of ore the miners poured out.[You obtain 415 Iron Ore.][You obtain 51 Cold-Iron.]Just the value of the ore the miners brought reached roughly ₩5,000,000.I won’t have to worry about Cold-Iron for a while. I’ll sell all the Iron Ore.Selling the Iron Ore alone would net ₩2,000,000 immediately. Then Hyun frowned in puzzlement.“Where did Miner-Captain Lex go?”“He is still mining Thousand-Year Cold-Iron.”And three hours later, Lex found Hyun with a face full of emotion.With the pickaxe Hyun had lent him, Lex had mined the Thousand-Year Cold-Iron he’d failed to mine before.Breathless with excitement, Lex said:“Be ready—this Thousand-Year Cold-Iron turns out not to be the ordinary kind.”“Not ordinary—how so?”“I suspect it was buried for over six thousand years. Buried in frozen earth for fully six thousand years, it grew harder and was steeped in chill.”Lex carefully handed over the Thousand-Year Cold-Iron wrapped in cloth.[You obtain Thousand-Year Cold-Iron](Thousand-Year Cold-Iron)Grade: UniqueRestriction: Blacksmith Level 300+Difficulty: Supreme.Special:· Fire-Attribute Resistance +91%.· Ice-Attribute Skills up to Unique.· Sword Cutting Power +150%.· Sword Skill Attack +58%.· Durability rises to Infinite.Description: Cold-Iron that lay buried underground for six thousand years. Though the name is the same, it cannot be compared to common Thousand-Year Cold-Iron.That’s incredible.Hyun couldn’t help but be impressed. Hundred-Year Cold-Iron was Epic-grade ore; this was Unique.Hundred-Year Cold-Iron’s info was:Fire-Attribute Resistance +56%, Ice-Attribute Skills up to Epic, Sword Cutting Power +112%, Durability to Infinite.And this overwhelmingly surpasses it.A smile formed at Hyun’s lips. In this quantity, it was enough to make the shield Uncle Hyuksoo had requested.“Thank you for everything.”Miner-Captain Lex and the miners looked reluctant to part with Hyun.“Come by anytime.”“Yes.”Then, before leaving the Mine of Frost, Hyun held out the Damascus Longsword to Banya, now his retainer.“Banya, I want you to use this.”Banya was sincerely moved.But Hyun’s inner thought was a little different.If Banya mines with this Damascus Longsword, efficiency will be far better. He’ll pull down twice what he does now.Whether he knew it or not, Banya’s eyes even reddened.“Your heart is astonishingly generous, Hyun. I’m overjoyed to serve you.”[Banya’s Loyalty rises.][You gain 1 Charisma.]At last, Hyun stepped into the warp out of the Mine of Frost.Once outside, Hyun headed straight for the forge.Before starting production in the forge, he sent Hyuksoo a whisper.[Hyun: It’s Hyun. I’ll start on the shield now. Heh, I should be able to send it in about 3 days.][Bark: Thank you^^]With a small smile, Hyun rechecked the artifact specs Hyuksoo wanted.[A shield with high Fire-Attribute Resistance, and it would be good if it could also attack the enemy. Must not melt even under high heat. If it could have the power to freeze a 2 m radius, that would be good.]Frankly, there was far too much required in a single shield.First, what Hyuksoo wanted was a shield with both “defense and offense.”Ordinary blacksmiths would struggle to make this.It would require applied skill for both defense and offense.Come to think of it, this is my first proper piece of armor.Smiling at the shield on the finished blueprint, Hyun smiled again as he began production.I want to gift Uncle Hyuksoo a Legendary.He was Hyun’s greatest benefactor.Fortunately, Hyun was now convinced that the shield he was making would be the best shield he had in mind.Hyun began raising the temperature of the furnace. ****[Bark: Thank you^^]Bark, who had just whispered with Hyun, smiled faintly.Then, whispering with someone else, his expression darkened.The one Bark was whispering with now was Vain, the blacksmith ranked #11.[Vain: The shield you requested is, within the bounds of my knowledge, absolutely impossible.]Bark’s face crumpled.[Vain: I am also the #11 ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ ranked blacksmith. I will explain why it’s impossible.]Bark chewed on the contents.[Vain: Your conditions are too demanding. High Fire-Attribute Resistance, a shield that must not melt, high base defense—and on top of that, a function that lets the shield attack enemies.]Even in a whisper, a touch of incredulity bled through.[Vain: Not even the current #1 ranked blacksmith can make it. The biggest reason is that you cannot embed that many desired effects. The second is that it’s far too original a piece.][Bark: What do you mean, original?][Vain: The reason this shield cannot be made is because such a shieldmaking method does not actually exist in Ares.]Bark had searched for a recipe, even paying high prices, to obtain such a shield.But such a shield recipe did not exist—just as Vain said.[Vain: Ares is a game, in the end. Artifacts are born through set frameworks, set items, set methods. But this has no recipe, so it would have to be made using the blacksmith’s own experience, knowledge, and applied skill. Do you think there’s a user with that level of knowledge, experience, and application?]A precise, pointed fact.[Vain: I’ll speak bluntly because I think you’re clinging to a false hope. Our guild wants you—Bark, an unofficial ranker and tank—to join.]Vain belonged to Hwarang, the #1 guild in Korea.They easily numbered over a thousand members, with a legion of rankers.They had consistently invited Bark, the unofficial ranker and tank, to join.Even so, Vain said:[Vain: If there is a blacksmith who can craft such a thing, then go to the guild he is in.]Bark’s pupils shook. This struck him the hardest.A blacksmith advising him to go wherever that blacksmith is?And that’s coming from the #11 ranked blacksmith?It etched itself deeper in his chest.So it’s that impossible a craft…?Bark sighed.If you cleared Salamander’s Dungeon and completed the class quest, you could obtain a tank-exclusive artifact.If I got that, I could go to #2 in the tank rankings, officially and unofficially.But understanding Vain’s words, Bark finally decided to give up on commissioning such a shield.Instead, he decided to use the Auction Hall to purchase a high Fire-Attribute Resistance armor-and-shield set.Three days later, Bark grimaced.Damn it, there isn’t a single set armor or shield worth buying.Bark had already attempted Salamander’s Dungeon multiple times.Moreover, the strategy window closed today; he had to go in no matter what.Am I really going to blow a class quest like this?If you failed a class quest, you could never receive it again.In other words, Bark would lose this class quest forever—and the reward.With a hollow face, Bark stood before Salamander’s Dungeon.Above the dungeon, a timer only he could see floated up.[Time remaining to complete Class Quest: 2 hours 32 seconds.]I’ve tried several times—should I just give it one last go?But he soon shook his head. It would be a dog’s death.He wouldn’t make it halfway—he would die and lose a level.Right then—[A gift sent by Hyun has arrived.]

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