Marga led me to a storage room. To be precise, the second storage room. When we moved into the castle, the number of storage rooms expanded, and this second one was used to store the ore we had discovered deep beneath the castle.
As I gazed upon the countless heaps of ore, shimmering with dazzling, multicolored light, I suddenly understood why Marga had brought up the “Hammer of Wishes.”
“…As long as there’s enough ore, a single strike of the hammer can forge an item embodying the user’s strongest desire, while simultaneously imbuing it with the hammer’s latent magic…”
Because the hammer’s prerequisite was simply “enough ore.” And the sufficient conditions were “a single strike” and “a powerful wish.” I hadn’t expected the stockpiled ore to be used this way.
“Dad, the Hammer of Wishes is a mystical hammer forged from the lifetime of experience and effort of Midget Smith. You could say it’s almost like a living version of Midget Smith himself.”
Marga’s voice was clear and confident as she held up the hammer. The words “Oh, really?” almost slipped out, but I swallowed them and nodded. Feeling a bit proud, I ruffled her hair, and she beamed back at me. She’s adorable.
“So, what’s the plan?”
“As the name suggests, your wish is the most important part.”
“My wish?”
“Yes. What kind of equipment do you want the most?”
“A sword that can destroy the world with a single swing.”
“Ehh—no, not that. No weird wishes like that.”
I joked lightly, but Marga pouted. Hmm, let me think. I already have more than enough swords. I got armor, cloaks, and accessories last time. I even got new boots recently. So what’s left…
“Well, I guess I’d like a good set of clothes.”
“Clothes?”
A helmet would be nice, but I decided on clothes. Of course, high-quality gear is hard to come by no matter what. But comparing everything, a piece of clothing with an effect rating of 10 is harder to find than a helmet with the same rating. The best I ever had was a Noble Mithril Shirt from my brother, and even that’s rare.
Marga still looked puzzled, tilting her head with a blank expression.
“Remember the new armor you brought last time?”
“Oh, the jet-black armor?”
“Yeah. I mean, it’d be nice to have something light to wear underneath it.”
“Oh, I see.”
Now understanding, Marga nodded vigorously, then gripped the hammer with both hands and stepped closer. I watched her with interest. At first, I was amazed at how much she knew, but after checking the resident information, it made sense. Assuming Marga knows how to use the hammer properly, what was she planning to do with it?
Slowly, she began tapping me lightly with the hammer.
“Midget Smith, Midget Smith. This is my dad right here.”
I almost laughed, but the smile quickly faded because—
“Marga wants Midget Smith to make something good for my dad.”
At that moment, the hammer vibrated once, glowing with a deep golden light, as if it understood her words.
“Hmm, you said it’s for wearing underneath, right? It’d be nice to have armor too.”
Marga muttered to herself, glancing around. She seemed to be looking for armor, which was hanging in the third storage room. I quickly fetched it, and she smiled brightly. Then she started tapping the armor with the hammer.
“This is an incredibly good armor, but my dad needs clothes to wear underneath it.”
The hammer vibrated again, showering brilliant golden light in waves. The sight was mesmerizing. What did the resonance mean? Did it understand, or was it absorbing something?
“That’s enough.”
Marga stopped hammering with a satisfied look. “Please wait here a moment,” she said, then hurried off before I could say anything.
She entered the storage room and stopped in front of a pile of ore stacked higher than her. After a brief pause, she raised the Hammer of Wishes high above her head. Could a single strike really create the desired item?
A moment later—
“Yah!”
With a cute shout, Marga struck the ore pile with all her might.
Klang!
At that instant—
Wooooooosh!
The hammer, buried in the ore, emitted a fierce vibration, spraying radiant golden light in all directions like rippling waves. The entire ore pile was bathed in golden hues.
What followed was anything but cute.
It was a breathtakingly beautiful and mysterious spectacle.
『Armor of Chiwoo the Heavenly King』
This armor symbolizes Chiwoo Cheonwang, the supreme warrior and unrivaled king of the mid-tier realm. Wearing this armor, Chiwoo led countless battles and forged an undefeated legend in history. The Armor of Chiwoo the Heavenly King is proof of the divine warrior’s myth.
Ⅰ. Engraved with ‘Impact Resistance.’ It completely negates the opponent’s armor-piercing effects. No ‘defense bypass’ can occur while wearing this armor. Unless wielded by a weapon imbued with powerful divine blessings or a legendary artifact, even minor scratches are nearly impossible.
Ⅱ. Engraved with a crowd control ‘Fear’ effect. The legend of Chiwoo Cheonwang terrifies enemies on the battlefield.
Ⅲ. Engraved with ‘Mana Activation.’ The wearer can boost their mana flow by up to 2.5 times.
Ⅳ. Engraved with top-tier lightweight magic. The wearer feels no weight from the armor.
Ⅴ. Engraved with automatic size adjustment magic. The armor shapes itself perfectly to the wearer’s body.
Ⅵ. ? (Sealed)
『Cloak of the Blood Moon』
A cloak woven from the crimson moonstone of the ‘Red Place,’ where a red moon shines year-round. Made partly of metal, it offers substantial physical defense and excellent mana responsiveness.
Ⅰ. Engraved with ‘Absorption’ magic. It detects and absorbs damage from ‘sniping’ or ‘ranged’ attacks. The amount absorbed is minimal and gradually recovers over time (absorption speed varies depending on the attack type).
『Blessing of La Silas』
A bracelet blessed by La Silas, the goddess of beauty. Crafted exquisitely as an offering to the goddess, La Silas bestowed a blessing of magical protection upon it.
Ⅰ. Engraved with ‘Magic Resistance.’ Provides ‘complete defense’ against magic of rank B or lower, and ‘reduced defense’ against rank A or lower.
『Shirt of Wish』
A masterpiece created by a noble fairy of royal blood, wishing for her father’s safety. The ore used is a blend of Black Heat Stone and Water Rock—originally opposing elements—harmonized through the power of the Hammer of Wishes.
Ⅰ. Thanks to the Black Heat Stone, the wearer gains deep resistance to fire.
Ⅱ. Thanks to the Water Rock, the wearer can breathe and move freely underwater.
Ⅲ. Through the power of ‘Wish,’ when worn beneath armor, the wearer feels a seamless unity between the shirt and the armor. Even the heaviest armor feels weightless.
Ⅳ. Through the power of ‘Wish,’ the wearer’s body remains comfortable anytime, anywhere.
『Obello Knight Boots』
“Ha ha.”
Looking at the five pieces of equipment neatly arranged on the desk, I couldn’t help but smile. I had agreed with Seraph’s earlier comment that I needed new protective gear, but deep down, I’d felt uncertain. It wasn’t impossible, but I had no idea when I could get a perfect set.
So I planned to take it slow, piece by piece. But thanks to an unexpected stroke of luck, I almost have a complete set of protective gear now. I think it’s time to say goodbye to my old, worn-out Glory Set.
“No matter what, this is…”
I struggled to suppress the twitch at the corner of my mouth as I picked up the Shirt of Wish. It was a precious piece Marga had made for me a few days ago. The shirt was so thin it was almost invisible to the naked eye—like the sleek wing of an insect. Since it’s meant to be worn underneath, its appearance doesn’t really matter, but still, this shirt is truly remarkable.
The reason I’ve been wearing a gi instead of armor all this time is because I’m a swordsman specialized in agility. What matters most to me is the speed and feel of swinging the sword—the sensory connection. Armor always felt cumbersome and restrictive, so I tended to avoid it. Even the Chiwoo Cheonwang armor’s only flaw, as I experienced it, was that same feeling of interference. Sure, its weight was solved with lightweight enchantments, but the inherent discomfort of armor never truly went away.
But this Shirt of Hope solved that problem in one fell swoop. Can you believe it? It grants a sense of complete unity with the wearer.
No, even aside from that, the shirt itself is incredible. Shirts are usually considered secondary gear—there’s decent demand, but supply is extremely limited. So most elite users either wear regular clothes or very thin leather armor.
Yet this shirt boasts no less than four distinct effects. Considering that the noble mithril shirt I had two years ago was completely useless after it broke, the value of this shirt I now hold will surely skyrocket beyond imagination.
Of course, I have no intention of selling it. Naturally, I’ll wear it everywhere. After all, it was a gift from Marg. I still can’t forget how happy he was, clapping his hands with joy when I showed my delight.
That said, I haven’t forgotten to keep an eye on Marg’s potential. After checking with my third eye, I confirmed that Marg holds information that can’t be ignored. Not using it—or rather, not putting it to good use—would be a waste. So I thought it’d be best to nurture him properly. I’ve already instructed the clan members to test Marg’s talents in various ways. The results should come soon.
“Lulu, Lulululu.”
Having watched enough, I started humming a tune as I neatly packed away my gear. Honestly, ever since I inherited the “Lord of Swords” title last time, my body’s been itching with anticipation. The urge to try out the new equipment is growing stronger by the minute.
I hope some incident breaks out soon, or better yet, a clan war erupts. Although we skipped the Warring States period, the possibility of a clan war isn’t zero…
Thump thump thump thump! Thump thump thump thump!
Bang!
“Clan Lord!”
That was the moment. While I was lost in absurd thoughts, someone burst in loudly, kicking the door open. Curious about who could be so rude, I turned my head—and was immediately shocked. Shin Jaeryong’s face was flushed red, and he was gasping for breath.
“User Shin Jaeryong?”
“It’s an emergency!”
Our voices overlapped. Frowning in confusion, I asked what was going on. He hurriedly pointed toward the terrace.
“Ou-outside! Outside!”
“Outside? What’s happening all of a sudden?”
“Y-you have to see it! The city is in complete chaos right now!”
“…?”
I had no idea what was going on, but Shin Jaeryong’s voice carried not just urgency, but desperation. I grabbed my sword and rushed out onto the terrace. The moment I tilted my head back without hesitation—
“That is…?”
Suddenly, my body stiffened.
A space where only pitch-black darkness exists. A void so deep that not a single ray of light is allowed, where the human eye can see nothing but absolute blackness.
Click.
Flare!
From that void came the sudden sound of a match striking, followed by a faint wisp of pale smoke drifting out.
“Fwoop.”
The sound of someone drawing on a cigarette.
“Fwoo.”
Then exhaling.
After a couple of repetitions of this ritual—
“This is strange, very strange…”
A low voice finally emerged from the black silhouette. The smooth, pleasant bass suggested the speaker was a man.
“This is truly odd… Why, why all of a sudden like this…?”
What could be so strange? The black figure kept tilting his head in confusion, muttering questions nonstop. As if staring at something, he occasionally waved his hand through the air, stirring the emptiness here and there.
“Sigh, I just can’t figure it out. This phenomenon is completely beyond understanding.”
But in the end, he sighed deeply and sank back into the darkness. His murmurs sounded like soliloquy, but at times it seemed as if he was speaking to someone. Probably the former—there was no one else in this silent space except him.
“Is that so?”
No, that wasn’t the case. Though there had been no one moments ago, someone had just intruded into the space. Because the deep voice saying “Is that so?” did not come from the black figure holding the cigarette.
“Yes, that’s right. An abnormal phenomenon has occurred. And it happened very suddenly.”
Yet the black figure showed no sign of surprise. Instead, as if aware of the intruder, he answered calmly while still staring ahead.
“Could it be, this is similar to last time?”
A strange, almost chuckling sound. The intruder’s voice was rough and grating, like metal scraping—unpleasant to hear.
“No, no, it’s not.”
But the black figure didn’t seem bothered at all, slowly shaking his head.
“It’s not a failure. On the contrary, it’s improved.”
“…Improved?”
The intruder’s response came half a beat late.
“Yes. It’s definitely better. The outcome has been brought forward significantly. I wonder what’s going on…”
Having said that, the black figure finally rose slowly to his feet and calmly took a step toward the intruder.
“Anyway, this is the first time I’ve seen anything like this… Ah.”
At that moment, he stopped abruptly with a sudden exclamation.
“Have you come to kindly explain this incomprehensible situation to me?”
His voice lowered further.
And he bowed deeply.
“O Satan, King of all Demons.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Hmm. Honestly, I agonized quite a bit over the name for the Hammer of Hope. I debated between “Hammer” and “Mallet.” The Midget Smiths are a race of natural blacksmiths who plant a mystical tree the moment a child is born. When the child reaches adulthood, they cut down the grown tree to craft a hammer, which then grows alongside the smith, almost as if it has a life of its own. So “Mallet,” meaning a wooden hammer, fit the lore perfectly.
But after setting all that up, I realized it would take up too much space in the story. So, with a heavy heart, I decided to cut it. Since it doesn’t affect the plot much, I wrote it off as “Hammer” to let go of my attachment. Haha. It’s not important—just a little rambling, so please bear with me.
Also, I want to sincerely thank Ruelryeong for their help. (__) If you visit my page, you can find an Excel sheet neatly organized by Ruelryeong with user information. I highly recommend checking it out. :)
Wishing all readers a wonderful day! :D