Episode 40
040. Welcomed Guests
Bang!
Crash!
Bang-bang-bang! Bang!
Golden Hand began mining with a steady, rhythmic beat, as if a master craftsman striking an anvil. The sounds echoing through the process created regular vibrations throughout the entire cave, like the beat of a giant drum.
Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble…
The entity that felt those vibrations.
It began to writhe in the darkness.
However, there were those who reacted before it even reached Golden Hand.
“Insane… is that even possible?”
Nachal and the Asura guild members watched Golden Hand’s mining scene in disbelief, holding their breath.
“At that speed… he’s going to mine in a day what 100 of our guild’s dedicated miners would take a month to do?”
“Call them miners, not slaves. Anyway, that guy… he’s not normal. Is that pickaxe a legendary item or something?”
“No, it’s not the pickaxe. Look at his movements. Not a single wasted swing. He’s precisely targeting only the weak points of the ore vein. That’s a skill. It must be a hidden skill we don’t know about.”
“That golem beside him isn’t to be underestimated either. If we face it, we’ll have a tough time.”
Nachal’s eyes gleamed.
This unknown blacksmith, Golden Hand.
He wasn’t just creating legendary weapons; his ability to source materials was also beyond common sense.
“Shall we step out now? Play your parts right. Don’t forget we’re the Yeokcheon Guild from now on.”
Nachal revealed himself from the shadows with a sinister smile.
Following him, the guild members surrounded Golden Hand like weasels.
On their chest armor, the Yeokcheon Guild emblem was crudely pasted.
They exuded an aura of predators.
Their appearance weighed heavily on the air in the cave.
“Hey there, Mr. Blacksmith. Let’s have a little chat.”
Nachalspoke in a deliberately arrogant and haughty tone.
Golden Hand, engrossed in mining, slowly turned his head.
His face was expressionless, but his eyes had turned cold.
‘They’re here.’
Golden Hand had already sensed their presence.
And he had instantly seen through who they were.
‘The Yeokcheon Guild? That’s a joke. That poorly imitated Yeokcheon armor, and crucially, the red snake tattoo peeking out slightly from under that armor. They’re unmistakably Asura Guild bastards.’
Their attempt at disguise was painfully obvious.
But they couldn’t fool the blacksmith Golden Hand’s eyes.
Moreover, in his past life, Golden Hand had tangled with countless guilds.
Especially the Asura Guild’s Master, Choi Jin-woong, had been a comrade who fought alongside him for survival until the late stages of the ruin era.
His ruthless and tenacious strategies greatly aided humanity’s survival.
Choi Jin-woong, who created chaos and profited from it.
Golden Hand knew his methods all too well.
Because he had even contributed to creating chaos himself.
Thinking it was Choi Jin-woong’s strategy, he felt an odd sense of nostalgia, as if seeing an old friend’s habits.
‘But… do you think that will work on me?’
Golden Hand felt like laughing out of sheer familiarity.
He held no particular ill will.
This was just a period where everyone struggled to survive in their own ways.
And the Choi Jin-woong of the ruin era.
He was the Choi Jin-woong who ‘hated’ monsters more than anyone.
Thus, his vile strategies were always aimed at monsters, so it didn’t matter.
‘The Asura Guild’s target isn’t the Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword. Their real goal is probably to sow discord between me and the Yeokcheon Guild, right? A transparent trick. Still a bit clumsy, Jin-woong.’
Just by facing his opponent, the situation was already clear.
Because he knew Choi Jin-woong the person too well, he grasped it immediately.
“What is it?”
Golden Hand asked nonchalantly, pretending not to know.
Nachal judged that Golden Hand was intimidated by their show of force.
He got straight to the point with an arrogant attitude.
“Our Yeokcheon Guild is very interested in that ‘Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword’ you made. We’re too impatient to wait for the auction. How about a deal right here? The price… 300,000 gold. We’ll pay generously.”
His tone was as if bestowing a great favor.
Golden Hand inwardly scoffed.
‘That’s actually a reasonable price?’
300,000 gold is about 30 million won in cash.
While not a satisfying amount, considering their claim of being Yeokcheon, it’s a deal worth considering—if one wanted to get in good with the Yeokcheon Guild.
But Golden Hand had no such intention.
On the contrary, not just Yeokcheon but their real affiliation, the Asura Guild, would also need to get on Golden Hand’s good side.
“I’m sorry, but that greatsword is already listed for auction. If you really want it, participate in the bidding.”
Golden Hand refused firmly.
At that moment, the fake smile vanished from Nachal’s face.
His eyes narrowed like a snake’s.
“Listen here, friend. It’s better to listen when we’re being nice. Do you even know what it means to reject Yeokcheon Guild’s offer? This is deep in the mine where no one’s around, and you’re… alone? Do you think that hunk of junk next to you can protect you?”
As soon as Nachal finished speaking, the Asura guild members simultaneously drew their weapons and took a step toward Golden Hand.
Naked hostility.
To such hostility, Golden Hand merely responded.
“Walker.”
At Golden Hand’s low call, Iron Walker moved his colossal body to block his path.
The core in his chest emitted a blue light, entering combat mode.
“Oho, you’ll resist? To trust a piece of scrap like that… pathetic.”
Nachal wore a vile smile.
He was enjoying the situation.
Rather than a legitimate transaction, taking by force was Nachal’s way.
It was more thrilling, more efficient.
“Alright, then let’s decide by force. I won’t just kill you and take that greatsword; I’ll take everything you have! Those ores are all ours too! Don’t forget we are Yeokcheon!”
At Nachal’s incensed voice, the guild members seemed ready to subdue Golden Hand.
Tension filled the mine.
Golden Hand also tightened his grip on the hammer.
Combat seemed unavoidable.
But at that very moment.
GRRRRRRRRRRRR-!
The entire cave began to shake violently as if an earthquake had struck.
Dust and rocks rained down from the ceiling.
“Wh-What’s that! An earthquake?”
While the Asura guild members hesitated in confusion, the ground beneath their feet split open like the maw of a giant beast.
KRRRAAAAAAAAAA-!
And from within that fissure.
Something massive surged upward, accompanied by a horrific stench.
KUGWAGWAGWAGWAG-!
The sight of it tearing through the earth and rising was truly overwhelming.
A giant worm, dozens of meters long, with a diameter thicker than Iron Walker’s torso.
But it was no ordinary worm.
Its entire body was covered in a disgusting green mucus. Whenever that mucus dripped onto the ground, it sizzled—Chiiiiiik-—melting the floor and emitting a foul odor.
On its head, what could barely be called a mouth had hundreds of sharp teeth arranged in concentric circles.
Moreover, at its center, a red eye gleamed greedily.
[Master of the Corrupted Mines, Corrupted Earthworm Lv.65]
KSSSHHHHHHH-!
The Earthworm’s roar was no mere sound.
It was a sonic attack that shook the entire cave, a potent mental assault.
[Corrupted Earthworm uses ‘Roar of Terror’.]
[Holy Power clears your mind.]
[You resist the status ailment ‘Confusion’.]
[Holy Power clears your mind.]
[You resist the status ailment ‘Fear’.]
Thanks to his open Holy Power stat, Golden Hand was immune to the creature’s mental attack.
Unfortunately, the Asura Guild side didn’t seem to be.
“Gyah!”
“My, my ears…! I’m dizzy!”
“S-Save me! I can’t breathe! It’s too dark!”
Several Asura guild members who took the roar head-on without preparation screamed, clutching their ears.
Their eyes were filled with extreme fear and confusion.
“Wh-What, what is that thing!”
“The Corrupted Earthworm! Damn it, why now!”
Nachal was similarly flustered.
He tried to quickly assess the situation, but the Earthworm didn’t even give him time.
It plunged its massive head toward the closest Asura guild member.
“E-Evade!”
CRUNCH-!
Without even being able to scream properly, a guild member was sucked into the Earthworm’s gigantic maw.
Crunch-
Grind-
Crunch-
The horrific sound of bones and flesh being crushed echoed.
Witnessing this, the faces of the other guild members turned deathly pale.
“Insane… in one bite?”
“We, we have to run! That’s not something we can handle!”
Guild members who had completely lost their will to fight began scattering in a panicked flight.
But the Earthworm had no intention of letting them go.
Green mucus shot from its body in all directions.
Chiiiiiik-!
“Gah! M-My armor is melting!”
“Save me! I-I can’t get it off!”
“Potion, even if I use a potion… ah, no!”
The armor of the guild members hit by the mucus instantly melted away, eating into their skin.
Writhing, they soon turned into viscous liquid and were absorbed by the ground.
Golden Hand watched the Asura Guild elites crumble.
In his hand, he already held the Highest-Grade Acid Neutralizer.
“Walker, get ready.”
“Waaaaaaalker! Walker! Walkeeeer!”
Iron Walker seemed somewhat excited.
Probably thinking he had finally met a worthy opponent after seeing the Corrupted Earthworm’s size.
