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SERIES: Regression of the Cursed Blacksmith
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Chapter 30 - The Revelation
“Finally, the last one.”
It was a glittering item.
He picked it up and saw that it was a scale from the Geumgang Anglerfish.
[ Geumgang Anglerfish’s Scale ]
- Type: Item
# A scale from the Geumgang Anglerfish, the reigning boss of the final floor of the Tower of Growth.
# Its strength is beyond imagination.
A simple description.
But this, too, was enough.
“Its very name has Geumgang in it. At this level, its value as a material is a given, but even if it had no value as a material, the symbolic value of having conquered the Tower of Growth alone would make it priceless.”
Of course, that didn't mean he planned to sell it at an auction or anything.
There were plenty of other ways to make money.
So, he intended to thoroughly research this and use it as a material somehow.
The moment he placed the Geumgang Anglerfish’s scale into his inventory.
[ You have acquired 12 “Geumgang Anglerfish Scale” items. ]
The single scale had become twelve.
Material items of this type were recognized as a single unit when they were first picked up, but the quantity was randomly determined the moment they entered the inventory.
“Twelve is a decent amount.”
If you were unlucky, you’d get only one; if you were lucky, you could get up to twenty. So twelve was quite a respectable number.
Of course, the acquisition range varied for each item, so it wasn't a fixed value.
Now that all the checking and collections were done, it was time to go outside.
Choi Hyun headed towards the exit portal with a light step.
* * *
The exit portal didn't just appear inside the tower.
Simultaneously with the portal for Choi Hyun appearing inside, another one materialized outside.
The Association members who saw it quickly set up a police line to prevent a surge of people, and officials, including the police, began controlling the crowd to prevent any accidents.
And then, the moment Choi Hyun finally emerged from the portal.
“He’s out!”
“Mr. Choi Hyun!”
“Sir Choi Hyun!”
“Please look this way!”
Flash, flash, flash, flash!
The popping of camera flashes.
The roar of the crowd.
It was all for Choi Hyun.
Choi Hyun slowly stepped out of the portal.
Outside, it was the dead of night.
But thanks to the swarming people and the bright lights, it felt as if it were broad daylight.
“It’s a perfect day for an interview.”
Just then, an official from The Association approached Choi Hyun.
The official explained the current situation and asked if he would be willing to give an interview now, as reporters were waiting.
The answer was, of course, yes.
Guided by the official, he walked over to the designated interview line and stood there.
Just like before he had entered, a bundle of microphones was handed to him.
“This is Choi Hyun. Thank you all for waiting for me until this late hour.”
Flash, flash, flash, flash!
“Hunter-nim! I have a question!”
“The Tower of Growth you just conquered…!”
“What was the being that appeared on the 50th floor…!”
“What’s your secret in clearing the tower!”
“Are you really a blacksmith class?!”
The questions poured in.
The content was predictable.
Choi Hyun looked at the reporters for a moment before answering lightly.
“It’s late. I would like to answer all your questions here, but I will arrange a formal press conference soon for a more detailed Q&A. On that note, I am currently in a good relationship with the Daesan Guild.”
“Daesan?”
“Daesan, as in, from the Taesung Group?”
“Huh?! Why Daesan all of a sudden?!”
“Since when was he even connected to Daesan?!”
Amidst the flood of questions, Choi Hyun had achieved his one goal.
Mentioning Daesan.
Having accomplished his objective, Choi Hyun gave a slight bow and, with the official's help, tried to leave the scene.
Just then, a familiar face appeared beside Choi Hyun.
It was Han Yu-won, Jang Hae-hyun’s direct secretary and Chief of Staff.
“I’ve come to escort you. This way, please.”
“I thought Mr. Hyun-geun would be the one to come, but the Chief of Staff himself came in person?”
“Mr. Hyun-geun is also on standby. Given the circumstances, I came to escort you myself.”
Thanks to him, he was able to move with ease.
The prepared vehicle was a large sedan, and upon getting in, he saw one more welcoming face.
It was Jang Hae-hyun.
“You’ve worked hard, Consultant.”
“I didn’t expect the Chairman to be here as well.”
“How could I possibly wait quietly at home when something this big has happened?”
“You could have just stayed home… I was about to contact you anyway.”
“It’s no trouble at all for you to contact me. You must be tired, so you can rest well today and we can talk in detail tomorrow. Or better yet, you can take a few days off to rest and recover completely.”
“Haha, how could I do that when you’ve come out to greet me yourself? We have some time till we reach my home anyway, so let’s talk a little. I have something to tell you.”
“I would be grateful if you could. But before that… allow me to express my gratitude first. To think that the first thing you mentioned in your interview after coming out was our Daesan. I never expected it.”
A smile spread across Choi Hyun’s lips at those words.
“We’re partners, aren’t we? It’s a shame, really. If guilds could be listed on the stock market just like corporations, the share price would have soared.”
“Instead, the Taesung Group’s stock will rise from the spillover effect. By the way, how on earth did you do it? I thought the Tower of Growth was an impregnable fortress that even China’s Martial God, Yang-hwi, couldn’t conquer.”
“I just worked hard, and it happened. I didn’t know the 50th floor was the last one, either. In that sense, conquering the Tower of Growth has given me a new goal for my future activities.”
“A goal?”
“Yes. To put it simply, I’m thinking of taking this opportunity to end the era of the Great Cataclysm.”
“What?”
“I’m serious. At the top of the tower, the system showed me some things that only I could see. Seeing that gave me a solid conviction. The thought that maybe, I could be the one to end the era of the Great Cataclysm.”
“Wait, what does that...”
Jang Hae-hyun’s mouth fell open.
His expression clearly said, *Did I hear that right?*
Of course, the part about seeing and hearing things at the top of the tower was a lie.
But it was fine.
From the beginning, the reason he had chosen the Tower of Growth as a foothold for his Hunter activities was because of the unique fact that no human had ever managed to surpass the 49th floor.
“Which means, only I know what happened on the 50th floor.”
In other words, no one would even know if he lied.
Because no one else had ever been to the 50th floor.
“Well, the story might change if someone else reaches the 50th floor later on, but…”
Was that even possible?
When even Yang-hwi, who had China’s full backing, had failed?
In that sense, using the Tower of Growth as a foothold was an indispensable choice, but it wasn't just for the alibi of the 50th floor.
It was also for the fame of being the first to break through the 49th floor.
“To handle people more easily, one needs a reputation and ability that no one else can challenge. In that respect, there is no greater fame or proof of ability than conquering the Tower of Growth.”
Top of the Hunter Exam?
That didn't even register as fame or ability.
But conquering the Tower of Growth was an achievement that even China’s Yang-hwi couldn't manage.
Therefore, there was no other feat as great as this.
And now that he had just accomplished it, it was time to slowly set his plan in motion.
The first step was to be perceived as a god-like existence by the people.
“Well, they’ll probably worship me on their own without me having to try too hard.”
That was just how people were.
When someone truly incredible appeared, they would first elevate them.
Especially if that person was their own countryman, they would get caught up in what you might call nationalistic fervor and try to portray them as a deity even more.
“As long as I don’t cause any major trouble, my influence will become stronger than anyone else’s in the world.”
No, frankly, even if he did cause trouble, as long as he was good at clearing dungeons and gates, Choi Hyun’s influence would still remain intact.
That was the nature of the current era.
A prime example was the cult leaders.
Even in the era before the Great Cataclysm, they didn't need to perform miracles themselves; they could manipulate people with their silver tongues and mesmerize countless followers without magic or skills.
But Choi Hyun would personally perform miracle-like feats and contribute to humanity.
Who would dare to doubt or envy Choi Hyun then?
Choi Hyun continued speaking.
“Due to system restrictions, I can’t tell you the details, but the Tower of Growth held a secret that could end the era of the Great Cataclysm. I saw it, and I plan to use that secret to put an end to this era as quickly as possible.”
“……”
“……”
“……”
A silence fell inside the car.
Beside him was Jang Hae-hyun.
In the driver’s seat was Jin Hyun-geun, and in the passenger seat, Han Yu-won.
Upon hearing Choi Hyun’s words, they all swallowed dryly.
Their hearts pounded as if they were listening to a revelation.
It was Han Yu-won who broke the silence first.
“Um… I apologize, but if I may be so bold, could I ask just one question?”
“Go ahead.”
“How do you plan to put an end to it?”
A smile formed on Choi Hyun’s lips at Han Yu-won’s question.
Showing curiosity was a precursor to belief.
It made sense. As a seasoned secretary, Han Yu-won would never overstep his boundaries in a situation like this.
He had always been that way, had trained his subordinates to be the same, and would continue to be so in the future.
Yet, despite the fact that his master and the being his master was fawning over were in conversation, this man, who would never normally do so, had boldly committed the act of asking a question.
Choi Hyun answered.
“I can’t tell you everything due to restrictions, but another world-shaking Great Cataclysm will come sooner or later. To stop it, we need to clear as many dungeons and gates as possible. From a broader perspective, that is the top priority.”
“Another Great Cataclysm?”
“Yes, that’s what the tower said. That another Great Cataclysm will come. So humanity must prepare for it.”
“…How?”
“I’ve already made a plan. But one thing is certain: I am not going to announce this fact to the world.”
“What?”
This time, it was Jang Hae-hyun who responded.
“Why not?”
“Because if I say another Great Cataclysm is coming, it will cause chaos in the world.”
“Then why are you telling this to us?”
“I told you because I believe you can be trusted.”
“Ah…”
The word “trust.”
At that, Jang Hae-hyun found himself with a thousand things to say, but they all vanished in an instant.
Amid the palpable silence, it was Jin Hyun-geun who spoke next.
“Forgive me for overstepping, but… may I ask a question as well?”
“Go ahead.”
“But how do you plan to handle all those dungeons and gates without revealing this to the world? With my limited insight, I simply can't imagine it.”
“I'm going to use everyone in the world.”
“Everyone in the world?”
“Yes. I'm going to raise humanity's capabilities to their absolute peak, to the point where the dungeons and gates currently appearing are no longer a match for us.”
“How?”
“With the equipment made by Daesan.”
“Ah!”
In that instant, a shiver ran down the spines of the three men, all except Choi Hyun.
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