Chapter 223

"Swallowing the sun? What does that mean?"

Seong Jihan handed over Eclipse and the Queen's finger to Artmu as he asked for clarification.

Is the enhancement of Eclipse some grand tale?

[It seems you do not yet know why Eclipse was created.]

Eclipse and the Queen's finger floated in the air, and

Bang! Bang!

Twenty arms simultaneously wielded hammers and pounded them.

Rather than elevating both Eclipse and the finger to a new level of synthesis, the method seemed to ruthlessly just smash them together.

Yet, despite countless hammer strikes, neither Eclipse nor the Queen's finger showed any sign of deformation.

Seong Jihan continued to watch intently and pursued his inquiry further.

"Why was Eclipse created?"

[I had once received a similar commission from the Shadow Queen. She named her sword Eclipse and declared, 'With this sword, I will swallow the sun.']

Seong Jihan remembered the meaning behind Eclipse.

It referred to a solar eclipse, a celestial occurrence when the moon covers the sun.

Was the sword's name not just given on a whim but with such a purpose in mind?

"But why attempt to swallow the sun?"

[Are the Shadow Elves not enemies of the World Tree? From the perspective of the World Tree Alliance, they are a minor rebellion.]

[We are no triviality at all. How many planets have been liberated so far?]

[Oh? This sword has the luxury to talk back? Hit harder!]

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Artmu laughed amusedly at Ariel's offended response to being called a minor rebellion.

[This barbaric…!]

[Heh. Stay quiet, will you? Any more from you, and it'll only take longer to integrate.]

[...]

As Ariel fell silent, Seong Jihan continued with his questions.

"What does the World Tree have to do with the sun?"

[There's a rumor in the BattleNet community about the World Tree Alliance. Have you heard of Yggdrasil?]

"I'm aware. They tried to sponsor me in exchange for lifting my Hideout status, offering 100 trillion GP."

[What, what? 100 trillion?? Why didn't you take it right away?]

Artmu paused hammering.

The eyes of the combined robot sparkled fiercely as they homed in on Seong Jihan.

"I can't risk exposing information to such a dangerous entity."

[….That may be so but, oh. It's a pity I met you face-to-face, and you're still in Hideout status. Can't you lift that shadow curtain over your face a bit?]

"Why, you planning on selling my info to Yggdrasil?"

[Yep.]

"You'd do that?"

[Well… no, I wouldn't.]

Bang! Bang!

As Artmu resumed hammering, he peered intently at Seong Jihan.

[Back to earlier conversation. Yggdrasil has apparently already established its own planetary system.]

"A planetary system?"

[Essentially, Yggdrasil has become an artificial sun.]

"…What? The sun? A tree?"

Yggdrasil, literally meaning a cosmic tree.

The name was certainly tree-like, but was it actually an artificial sun?

Seong Jihan felt dumbfounded as the scale exceeded his imagination.

[Yes. A tree becoming the sun is truly a phenomenon beyond imagination, even for BattleNet. But… I've heard the artificial sun isn't entirely complete. To compensate for that, I've heard they're planning to incorporate World Tree Alliance planets into the Bronze League.]

Bang! Bang!

How much circulating information was there in the BattleNet community?

Artmu seemed to be well-informed about the affairs of the World Tree Alliance.

He then added.

[It's just as well the number of planets in the World Tree Alliance isn't high. Chances of them being included in the Bronze League like us are astronomically low.]

"We already have the World Tree Alliance elves."

[…Really? That's some terrible luck. If there's no way out, abandon your race and run quickly. I can use one of the forge vouchers to craft you a decent spaceship.]

Artmu, suggesting to ditch his race due to being part of the same league as the elves, highlighted just how infamous the World Tree Alliance was across the cosmos.

Seong Jihan, however, had no thoughts of fleeing.

"Why would I, when I plan to deal with all of them?"

[Impetuous and bold… Though the future is unpredictable, I guess I'll purchase spaceship materials in advance.]

"So Eclipse is aimed at usurping artificial sun Yggdrasil?"

[Correct. The Shadow Queen declared her intent to use the sword to swallow the sun. Preposterous, but…]

Bang! Bang!

After relentless hammering, the finger eventually started to merge with Eclipse.

[I was curious, as a blacksmith, to see how far her sword could go. That's why I helped her in the past. We failed though. Despite everything, the shadow sword never achieved an EX grade. But this sword…]

Artmu, who had been glaring at Seong Jihan still in Hideout status, finally turned his gaze to the sword.

[…This has potential unlike before.]

Chiiiiik…!

After prolonged hammering, black smoke rose from Eclipse, and the finger and sword fused completely.

[Okay, you wield it now, and find the last touch to perfect it.]

The shadow sword floated towards Seong Jihan.

Seong Jihan took hold of Eclipse.

'The shadow power has increased tremendously.'

Eclipse, now fused with the Queen's finger, had clearly grown stronger.

But Seong Jihan could not shake off a feeling of something missing.

'Seems like it could be further improved…'

Swoooosh…

While tending to Eclipse, Seong Jihan noticed an anomaly.

Inside the sword, a section harbored a different density of shadow energy compared to the rest.

[Why is this area hollow… Master? If you fill it, I think the sword will certainly become stronger.]

Ariel requested Seong Jihan to fill this void, but he hesitated.

"Hmm…"

Seong Jihan pondered the blade.

Would just bolstering the shadow energy be right?

'If the Shadow Queen's objective to engulf the sun is Eclipse's aim, then amplifying shadow energy is the correct direction…'

However, that was the Queen's business.

The Eclipse Seong Jihan intended to use had to be tailored to his capabilities.

'Like when I infused the fire attribute into the Crimson Thunder Cannon. Combining it with the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods yielded an unexpected synergy effect.'

The life energy owned by the elves.

Contrary to the expectation of discordance with shadow energy, it proved useful when combined.

'I should experiment with the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods, perhaps taking it in a similar direction.'

Determined, Seong Jihan infused life energy into the central part of Eclipse.

[Master… what, what are you doing? You're joking, right?]

"Just as you felt last time, mixing it with life energy produced good effects."

[No, not good. It feels weird. It feels like I was not a Shadow Elf anymore!]

"Adapt to it."

[No!!]

Despite Ariel's shriek,

Swoooosh…

Seong Jihan relentlessly poured life energy into the central part of the sword.

And then,

With a flash of green amidst the black blade,

the sword began to resonate with the life energy from within.

'Hm.'

As if waiting for this moment, Eclipse responded.

The green light emerging concentrated at the center of the black blade,

settling like a gemstone at the heart of Eclipse.

[You've inserted something foreign into the center. A life force similar to elves'… your choice?]

"Yes."

[Magnifying the shadow power would've been immediately more beneficial… peculiar choice. Perhaps why the Shadow Queen willingly handed over her finger is now apparent. She had left the center empty on purpose?]

Had the Shadow Queen wished to see the fusion of two energies in action?

As Seong Jihan pondered,

[The name 'Shadow of the Sun' has been changed to 'Shadow of Life'.]

[Grade assessment is impossible.]

Eclipse's original name, 'Shadow of the Sun,' had been replaced, and its grade changed to '?'.

[Shadow of Life]

– Grade: ??

– Once a sword used by the 'Shadow Queen' constellation.

– Can be transformed into the form of the shadow sword, 'Eclipse'.

– Eclipse combines the power of life, which restricts shadow power manipulation.

– However, depending on how the power is wielded, there is a possibility the sword grade could reach EX-Grade.

Starting off as an SS grade 'Shadow of the Sun', it had now transformed into the 'Shadow of Life', reflecting both a downgrade and upgrade in potential.

'Possibility to reach EX grading… this alone is sufficient.' Seong Jihan focused on the description's end.

Had he added more shadow energy earlier, Eclipse might have peaked at SSS+ grade.

But by infusing life energy, albeit seemingly reducing efficiency for now,

it allowed a look into a much further future.

As Seong Jihan was content with how the sword had changed,

zzzzztt…

One of the twenty arms that Artmu had conjured began to crackle with electricity and then,

Pop!

The whole arm exploded.

[It seems the shadow sword is not so simple after all. One whole arm has been expended.]

Artmu seemed familiar with parts of himself flying off.

He asked Seong Jihan,

[And what about next time… Will you be using the three forge vouchers now?]

At that question, Seong Jihan thought of Yoon Seah.

Now that the opportunity arose, maybe she should have her bow crafted, he pondered.

"Got any good bows?"

[Are you thinking of using a voucher or purchasing with GP?]

"Oh, you have some for sale?"

[Yes. I had a previous commission from a constellation of some minor race. To make a bow for his daughter, centering on growth… I devoted much effort to it.]

Artmu murmured while opening his inventory, rummaging through it.

"But why was it not sold?"

[The wandering martial god invaded that planet. No news since then.]

"So active, he is, that martial god."

[He has killed almost hundreds of my clients. Recently, though, he's been quieter… Ah, here it is.]

Artmu fetched a bow from his inventory.

[Currently SS grade, but it's a weapon that grows with its owner. It'll quickly reach SSS grade. It could even surpass that. What do you think? Will you buy it?]

"It looks good. How much is it?"

[Hmm… only 20 billion GP.]

20 billion GP?

What an expensive bow.

'The item seems fine…'

As Seong Jihan contemplated,

[Hmm… it can be paid in installments. Five years. Might seem pricey, but it's worth every GP. It's really tough to create. Cost more in materials alone.]

Artmu had never been so talkative.

"Hmm, shall we negotiate?"

[Ne…negotiate?? This is one of my masterpieces! The idea of price negotiation with the universe's greatest Blacksmith… That's an affront to my pride!]

"No, not money. I noticed something unique about your light energy. Can I take some of that with me?"

[Light energy… Alright, I'll give you a Sunstone full of light energy. But in exchange, keep the price as it is, alright?]

"Alright. No need for installments. I'll pay in full."

[Oh, Customer…!]

Upon Seong Jihan's announcement of a one-time payment, Artmu instinctively bowed.

[Let me assist you with the payment!]

This was by far the most polite demeanor he had seen.

* * *

March 1st, at the World BattleNet Association Conference Room in New York.

This day was one of the most important days for the World BattleNet Association.

For good reason.

"We'll begin the meeting."

"Today's agenda is related to the selection of the 'Guild of the Year'."

It was the day to choose the Guild of the Year by the BattleNet Association, which occurs once a year.

'This year it's just the People's Association's turn…'

'Why did the People's Association call this meeting?'

Representatives from powerful guilds across all nations looked meaningfully at the Peoples' Association representative who had initiated today's session.

Seong Jihan declared that if the People's Association wanted in, they had to cede this year's Guild of the Year title.

Most insiders predicted the People's Association would refuse, given the significant benefits the title would confer.

But the People's Assembly calling this session was curious.

'Could it be…?'

The Daegi guild…

Despite Seong Jihan's outrageous demands, people thought it was unlikely they would comply.

With that in mind, the representatives awaited the words of the People's Association representative.

And then.

"… We, the People's Association, nominate the Daegi guild as the candidate for this year's Guild of the Year."

As the Peoples' Association representative clenched his teeth and began to speak,

the conference room immediately stirred.