What is that?

As Examiner Ren stared at the gigantic hammer covering the sky, Ren doubted Ren’s own eyes.

The hammer looked enormous enough to be nearly 100 meters long.

It was an illusion.

The hammer could swallow only what lay within a maximum radius of 60 meters, and its actual length was only around 40 meters.

What planted that illusion was the oppressive force pouring off the man below it, and the fact that this was the first time Ren had ever faced a Mythic artifact.

Of course, the Sword of Judgment Purung had once wielded was Mythic as well.

But the Sword of Judgment was an aberrant Mythic sword.

It was Mythic because it had been made entirely of Adamantium and because it contained the holiness of Ares, not because it had been crafted so superbly that it reached Mythic.

Unparalleled was completely different.

It was true that Unparalleled, born from the Sword of Judgment, had likewise been made from 100% pure Adamantium.

What made it completely different was the blacksmith who had forged it.

Born from Hyunsoo’s fingertips, “craftsmanship” and “power” had been brought into proper harmony.

If Adamantium had possessed an ego, it would have rejoiced.

Because from a mere Sword of Judgment, it had been recreated by a blacksmith into the arrogant and magnificent thing called Unparalleled.

And only after seeing the name Hyun engraved on Unparalleled did Ren realize it.

This man is the Hyun King...?

It was rare for a king to possess an epithet from the very moment of birth.

And Hyunsoo was nothing more than an outsider.

That was why, even without meeting that figure called Hyun in person, the other examiners had judged the matter at MAX caution level.

They had been certain that such a person would be unfit.

And if they themselves had judged it that way, they had assumed Purung would inspect the matter even more harshly and meticulously.

And yet, incomprehensibly—

Purung had given Hyunsoo high marks and had harbored the improper desire to embrace a king.

And more than that—

Purung had even handed over the Sword of Judgment and returned.

And one thing must not be forgotten: Examiner Ren was, in the end, still an examiner.

Whatever past glory Ren might possess—

Ren was still an examiner.

[Examiner Ren admires the hammer you forged.]

[He is an examiner who judges a king’s qualifications.]

[He acknowledges you for forging a perfect Myth.]

[You gain 2 in all stats.]

Whether Ren wanted it or not, that meant that one who possessed the qualifications would receive the reward.

As Ren watched the hammer falling from the sky, Ren was awestruck.

A human forged that?

Ren, who had once declared that Ren would become the god of the human world, wondered whether that very ambition had been arrogance.

At the same time, Ren looked around.

One thousand Followers of the Martial God.

Stepping stones for the day Ren would become the god of the human world.

They were warriors stronger than any army that existed anywhere in the human world.

Then Ren checked Ren’s own thoughts.

It could just be all show.

Ren understood that it was Mythic, but still thought it might be nothing more than a mirage.

Perhaps this talk of a mere human-forged hammer “covering the sky” was just exaggeration.

Then Ren ran a hand over the armor Ren wore.

Though it was not the Sword of Judgment, among the Judgment items Ares had bestowed upon the examiners, it was second only to that sword.

Its defense was around 50% greater than that of an ordinary Transcendent-grade artifact, and the Adamantium within it protected Ren from all things.

And now, that fact was being proven.

The Adamantium responded to the danger threatening its master.

[Danger is detected.]

[Ares’s Soul activates.]

[The Armor of Judgment changes from white to black.]

[Physical Defense increases by 95%, and Magical Defense increases by 210%.]

Ares’s Soul, which activated only when faced with extreme danger.

The white armor Ren wore darkened into black.

And then—

[Ares’s Soul is special.]

[The armor of all those judged to be allies changes to black.]

As though Ren had become a god, the power that spread out from Ren turned the armor of all the Followers of the Martial God black as well.

[Allied Physical Defense increases by 50%, and Magical Defense increases by 130%.]

The Followers of the Martial God, who had feared the manifestation of the hammer, marveled at the benevolence now wrapping around their bodies.

“The Martial God is protecting us!”

“We are not afraid! Now we fear nothing!”

“Come! We who bear the Martial God’s protection shall fear no calamity!”

“WOOOOOOOOOO!”

When they saw the effect of the Armor of Judgment, and Ren’s lofty and grand expression as Ren seemed to sneer at the hammer manifested in the heavens, the followers erupted in fervent cheers.

[Allied morale rises sharply.]

[They will fear no danger any longer!!]

In the middle of that, Ren—whose Physical Defense had risen by 95% and Magical Defense by 210%—curled Ren’s lips in a faint, mocking smile.

Hyun’s hammer ultimately counted as a magical attack.

In other words, because Ares’s Soul displayed even more dramatic power against magical attacks, that hammer would not be able to display much force at all.

CRAAASH, CRRRRUMBLE, CRRRRRRRUMBLE-!

BZZZT, BZZZZZZZT-!

As Ren watched the hammer finally begin to descend amid thunder and sparks, Ren brought Ren’s own power into play as well.

THUD, THUD-THUD-THUD-!

Ren pressed the pressure points all over Ren’s body, and the defense of that once-fragile human flesh rose by an additional 80%.

The drawback was that, because this method involved pressing the pressure points and raising defense to an absurd level, Ren’s movement was resisted for the brief span of four seconds.

But at this moment—when every possible means of being perfectly “protected” from harm had been mobilized—

Ren was certain that the man called Master Blacksmith Hyun would fall into frustration and disappointment when the power Ren believed to be the finest move possible failed to crush anyone.

And then—

“Examiner.”

Someone came running up.

It was a familiar face.

Among the Judges, it was the one Ren had been watching most closely.

A bug that bore the name Grand Thief, yet was only skilled at theft.

The one Ren had ordered to steal the Sword of Judgment, and who had failed.

And yet—

Seeing this insect, of all things, run forward with blazing eyes, worrying over the safety of Ren, its “master,” made it almost commendable.

“Are you all right?”

At those words, a smile naturally rose to Ren’s lips.

The Martial God nodded with a magnanimous expression.

“I am not so feeble a being that I would need the concern of a vermin thief. By using the Martial God’s pressure points, I have maximized every layer of defense, and by virtue of this armor bestowed by Ares, I have become a body akin to absolute invincibility. So yes.”

Ren smiled arrogantly.

“At this moment, I am a god.”

For Ren possessed, if only briefly, a body like that of a god.

“Ohhh, is that so? That’s a shame. I was hoping you wouldn’t be all right.”

“???”

Ren could not understand what those words meant.

Had this fool meant to say, I’m glad you’re all right, and simply spoken wrong?

Soon, Raon’s eyes sharpened.

“You said it to me, didn’t you? That I was a lowborn runt who had learned nothing but theft, a bug of a bastard, and that if I listened well enough you’d at least give me water and food in a dog bowl. And that water and food in that dog bowl—those were what counted as rewards for a user like me.”

“It was delicious stuff. But then I met someone different. Someone who pointed out what I’d done wrong, separated what I should do from what I shouldn’t do from here on out, looked at me not as a ‘bug’ or a ‘thieving dog’ but as a person, let me eat a proper human meal instead of dog food and dishwater, called me a friend, held out a hand, and showed me a new road. And you? You told me that if I wagged my tail nicely and sat properly, maybe you’d toss me a snack, so I should eat that and stay there.”

“What in the world are you babbling about? A filthy thief who learned nothing but stealing dares—”

As Ren’s eyes turned cold, Raon gave a faint smile.

“What am I doing? I’m trying to turn over a new leaf.”

To abandon the road of wrongdoing and live again as a better man. To be reborn as someone new with the will to live rightly.

Ren burst into wild laughter.

“KUHAHAHA, KUHAHAHAHAHAK!”

Ren laughed so hard there was a wet rattle in the throat.

“And how exactly are you going to change? In the end, you are still one of the Judges. If you defy me, you will pay the price. And besides—”

Ren looked at Raon with contempt.

“What can the likes of you possibly do?”

At those words, Raon smiled.

He really was different.

Hyunsoo had said that because Raon could do anything, Hyunsoo would not accept Raon into Hyun’s Forge right away.

Hyunsoo had recognized Raon’s potential and acknowledged it.

“What can I do?”

Grand Thief Raon took a step forward, dreaming of a new life.

[Legendary Plunder]

Ren felt something profoundly unpleasant.

It was a groping touch, as though every part of Ren’s body were being observed and searched.

And yet Ren sneered.

This was a body no thief could dare covet, and a resistance no such creature could ever overcome.

[The target’s status ailment resistance is too high!!]

[You cannot seize it.]

[You cannot seize it.]

And yet—

RUMMAGE-!

RUMMAGE-!

Raon did not give up.

Raon had always had a good eye, and had been observing Ren the entire time.

The moment Ren pressed the pressure points, Ren’s status ailment resistance dropped sharply and the body was left wide open.

[You have successfully plundered the Armor of Judgment!!]

“...Wh-what!?”

Ren was visibly shaken.

It was a bestowed treasure Ares had granted specifically for Ren.

Of course, it could not compare with the Sword of Judgment, but it too had been made from 100% pure Adamantium.

The urge to scream for it back rose all the way to the throat, but pride would not let the words out.

And at that very moment—

[Mythic grade. You have succeeded in stealing Ares’s armor.]

[The system determines whether it is suitable as a great cause.]

[Examiner Ren has killed 2,317,390 innocent people over the course of life.]

[Grand Thief Dakuan acknowledges the great cause!!]

Grand Thief Raon was filled with ecstasy.

[Class Quest: Grand Thief complete.]

[You have accomplished a greater cause than any of Dakuan’s disciples!!]

[You have become the master of Dakuan’s disciples!!]

[The disciples of Dakuan number 17.]

[Dakuan’s disciple Along is a guild master.]

[Dakuan’s disciple Bailan is a territorial lord.]

[Dakuan’s disciple Pebit is a thief close to Legend.]

Across all of Ares—

Some as lords, some as guild masters, some as famous thieves.

Dakuan’s disciples had hidden themselves away within their own spheres, expanding their territories, raising thieves, and building their power in secret.

And even the countless masses under them—

[The thieves raised by Dakuan’s disciples are your citizens.]

[They are thieves loyal to you.]

[When they hear the name of Grand Thief Raon, who succeeds Dakuan, they will serve him and promise their loyalty!!]

[The total number of thieves is 963,130.]

[You have become the king of thieves.]

[A world message rings out.]

Amid the endless stream of notifications—

“......”

Ren stared at Raon’s sharp gaze and faltered.

What was the source of Ren’s panic?

The first was that the Armor of Judgment Ren had been wearing had been plundered away.

The second was what that theft had caused.

[The Armor of Judgment has been taken from you.]

[Ares’s Soul is nullified!!]

The body that had hardened enough to endure the hammer returned to mere fragile flesh.

And—

[The effects of Ares’s Soul bestowed upon your allies are nullified!!]

“R-Ren?”

“Martial God!”

“Hhk!”

Those who had praised and fawned over Ren, trusting in the power called Ares’s Soul, now cried out in despair.

Ren panicked.

The theft of that armor was setting off consequences in every direction.

And Raon heard it as well.

[You are one of the Judges, yet you have defied Ren.]

[You are afflicted with a restriction of –5 to all stats.]

[Your level drops by 10.]

But Raon smiled.

[963,130 thieves await the king’s command.]

Hearing that voice, and watching Ren’s panicked, startled, horrified face as the hammer came crashing down, Raon—the one who had once been nothing but a dog—spoke.

“All thieves.”

[All thieves hear your voice!]

“From this moment on, steal everything the Followers of the Martial God possess.”

[All thieves carry out your command!!]

[They will not stop until they have stolen everything from the Followers of the Martial God!!]

“And everything you steal from those followers.”

Raon looked at Ren, who was beginning to be crushed beneath the descending hammer, and gave the order.

“Lay it at Hyunsoo’s feet.”