The Hero is Hunting me!

Chapter 133: The Blacksmith’s Request

Jinhoo glanced around the workshop.

Countless swords of various kinds, chains, and strange pieces of metal hung from every wall.

"There’s a lot of weird stuff in here."

"Hm? Ah, those are all failed creations. I was planning to melt them down or sell them."

Renald replied while carefully examining the shape of Jinhoo’s black mask in his hands.

Jinhoo slowly walked around, observing the items displayed on the walls.

His eyes eventually landed on a bundle of neatly coiled white thread.

"Thread? What do you even need something like this for? It’s not like you’re sewing swords or weapons."

"Of course not, idiot. Those are someone’s old weapons. They don’t need them anymore, so they left them here."

Jinhoo slowly reached out and touched the thread.

"Hmm... Did that person actually use these threads as weapons?"

"I’m not entirely sure. But judging from the request they gave me back then, they wanted me to create crimson threads with extraordinary sharpness. It was obviously meant to be used as a weapon."

"I see..."

Looking at these threads... I’m starting to miss someone.

A memory from Jinhoo’s past surfaced.

A cute little baby with black hair happily played with a bundle of thread, laughing innocently.

"I miss my little brother... I wonder if he’s doing well over there..."

Jinhoo murmured quietly.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"Ah! No, I was just talking to myself. Don’t mind me."

Hearing that, Renald returned his attention to Jinhoo’s mask.

Jinhoo walked closer to him.

"So... roughly when will it be finished?"

"It’s hard to predict because your request is absolutely insane. But it’ll probably take around two months."

"Two months!? Isn’t that way too long?!"

Seeing Jinhoo’s shocked expression, Renald frowned and turned toward him.

"Hey! Just so you know, that’s already the fastest possible! Any other blacksmith would probably take two years!"

"Ugh... Alright then..."

"Hmph. Fusing tungsten into thread is already ridiculously difficult, let alone graphene into a mask."

Renald said as he turned around, preparing to begin forging.

"Wait. Tungsten? Fusing tungsten into thread? Especially if it’s meant to be used as a weapon... wouldn’t that be incredibly deadly?"

"Hah... Of course it’s deadly. I even tried to talk that customer out of it, but they paid me far too much."

Jinhoo fell silent.

...In the original story... not a single hero or villain used thread as a weapon. Most of them were elemental users, buffers, or non-magic fighters. So... who exactly was that person...?

"Uh... Could you tell me a little about the person who used these threads?"

"No."

"Eh? Why not?"

"Of course not! My customers’ privacy is absolutely protected here. I don’t reveal anything about them, whether they’re heroes or villains."

’Tch... What a stubborn old man.’

Jinhoo sighed in disappointment.

"Huh... Fine. Just finish my mask. I’ll come back in two months with the rest of the payment."

He turned toward the exit.

"Wait!"

Renald called out.

Jinhoo stopped.

"Hm? What now?"

"Where’s the deposit?"

"I’ll pay you when it’s finished."

"I don’t want that."

"..."

"You’re seriously troublesome."

Jinhoo muttered irritably.

He pulled out a thick stack of cash from inside his clothes.

"Twelve... no—twenty million won as the deposit."

Renald caught the bundle of money.

He held it up to the light, checking whether it was counterfeit.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Now that’s what I call a customer."

"Just do your job."

Jinhoo replied before leaving the workshop.

---

Back at Jinhoo’s house, night had already fallen.

Elvera sat in the living room, watching television while snacking.

The news was on.

The news anchor spoke.

> "Breaking news. The number of child kidnapping cases continues to rise. The police are still investigating, but no significant progress has been made. Authorities urge parents and guardians to keep a close watch on their children to prevent further incidents."

"Huh... Why are people these days so cruel? They’re even kidnapping children."

Elvera muttered to herself while chewing on her snack.

"What are you watching?"

Jinhoo asked as he returned home through teleportation.

"Hmm? Ah~ Jinhoo, welcome back."

"I’m just watching the news about the increasing number of child kidnappings."

"Hmm... Those people really don’t have any hearts."

"Oh~? Even an S-Rank Villain says child kidnappers have no heart? That’s quite surprising~"

Elvera teased.

"Hmph. Even if I’m a villain, I still know who deserves to be my enemy and who should be my target. If they’re innocent children, I’ll never lay a finger on them."

Jinhoo replied with a troubled expression.

Just then, Min-seo and So-ah walked into the living room.

"You stole my diamonds!"

Min-seo shouted as they walked.

"Hah!? At least I only did that! You killed my Villager Trader!"

"That’s because you blew up my base!"

"You killed my pet dog first!!"

The two continued arguing as they walked.

"Huh... Those two... Fighting over a game."

Jinhoo looked around before turning back to Elvera.

"Where are Donghyun and Mira?"

"Oh, those two are in the kitchen preparing dinner."

Elvera paused before continuing.

"By the way... when are you going to make your next move?"

"Hmm? Didn’t I already make one today?"

Elvera chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. I’m asking about the next one."

"Oh... Hmm... Probably in two months."

"Two months? Isn’t that a bit too long?"

"It has to be. My mask is being repaired, and it’ll take around two months."

"Uh... As far as I know, repairing a mask like yours should only take three days. A week at most."

"Yeah, I know. But this time it’s different. I asked the blacksmith to fuse another material into it."

"A material?"

"Graphene."

"Graphene? What kind of material is that?"

"Uhm... You probably wouldn’t understand, but you could say it’s the strongest material humanity has ever discovered."

"Oh! No wonder it’ll take so long! If that’s the reason, then I bet it isn’t cheap."

"Of course it isn’t. I already paid twenty million won just as the deposit."

"My goodness! That’s a lot of money. Aren’t you afraid of going broke?"

"Why would I be? If I run out of money, I’ll just steal it from bad people."

"Your principles are really strange..."

"Why? Isn’t it true? If you find an evil person, then become the villain in their eyes."

Elvera burst into laughter after hearing Jinhoo’s reasoning.

"You really know how to make me laugh!"

"What’s so funny? I wasn’t joking."

"I know, I know. I know you’re serious. That’s exactly why it’s funny."

’Hmm... Looks like Elvera has been infected by Min-seo and So-ah’s brain disorder after spending too much time here. It seems I’m the only normal one left.’

Jinhoo thought as he closed his eyes and smiled strangely.

"Uh... That smile is weird. You look like some kind of pervert."

Elvera commented.

Just then, Donghyun and Mira entered the living room carrying several plates of food.

"Alright, alright. Dinner’s ready. Let’s eat first."

Donghyun announced.

The moment they heard the word food, Min-seo and So-ah instantly stopped arguing.

"Food!?"

they shouted in perfect unison.

Donghyun and Mira placed the dishes on the table.

Everyone took their seats on the sofas and began eating together.

Watching them, Jinhoo quietly joined the meal.

For Jinhoo, it was a rare moment of peace.