I Became an SSS-Grade Time-Transcending Almighty Blacksmith - Chapter 1

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 1
Episode 1
Final Gate.
A game that once held promise of becoming the world’s finest.
And.
The most famous player in that game was not Geom-jwa, the swordmaster who first defeated the final boss monster.
Nor was it Arcana, the supreme mage who laid waste to Gates with a single spell.
Nor was it Glory, the priestess who brought all her allies back from the dead with a single prayer.
[ Status Window ]
Name: Kang Cheol-mangchi
Job: Blacksmith
Level: 100
Titles: Legend’s Polisher, Heavenly Blacksmith, Master of Divine Blades, King of Smiths, Iron Master, Grand Black Smith…….
Skills: Smelting Lv 100, Repair Lv 100, Enchantment Lv 100, Precision Strike Lv 100, Inscription Lv 100, Polishing Lv 100…….
Strength: 999
Dexterity: 999
Vitality: 999
Intelligence: 999
Wisdom: 999
He was a blacksmith.
The reason was simple.
[ Dragon Slayer +18 ]
Form: Longsword
Grade: SSS
Requirements: Level 100, Strength 999 or higher, Grand Sword Master
Description: A dragon-slaying blade forged solely to kill dragons, to curse their age, to end the era of dragonkind.
Attack Power: 8800
Abilities: Dragon Slaying Lv 10, Dragon Destruction Lv 10, Wrath Lv 10, Severance Lv 10, Lethal Lv 10
The greatest blacksmith in Final Gate.
A weapon forged by Kang Cheol-mangchi.
That weapon determined every ‘king’ and ‘legend’ in Final Fantasy.
– Geom-jwa was only able to defeat the final boss monster because of Kang Cheol-mangchi in the first place
– Yeah, that’s true
– The attack power and abilities of that sword Kang Cheol-mangchi forged are seriously brutal lol
– A whole different league from other blacksmiths lol
– If I’d gotten that sword I could’ve taken down the boss too right?
A sword forged by Kang Cheol-mangchi.
Because the Dragon Slayer existed, they were able to defeat the final boss monster of Final Gate.
[ The Arcane King’s Epilogue +19 ]
Form: Staff
Grade: SSS
Requirements: Level 100, Intelligence 999 or higher, Grand Arc Mage
Description: A legendary staff signaling the end of the Arcane Arts, forged for one who has reached the pinnacle of magical mastery.
Attack Power: 8950
Abilities: Arcane Magic Lv 10, Amplification Lv 10, Domination Lv 10, Annihilation Lv 10, Meditation Lv 10
– Arcana’s situation is the same.
– Wow, ‘The Arcane King’s Epilogue’ is insane?
– Seriously broken power levels lol
– With that staff I could destroy not just Gates but whole fields lol
And she obliterated every threatening Gate that emerged.
[ The Final Commandment +19 ]
Form: Chalice
Grade: SSS
Requirements: Level 100, Divine Power 999 or higher, Holy Maiden
Description: A chalice of commandments that manifests the absolute authority of the divine, crafted through interpretation of the final law left by God.
Attack Power: 9010
Abilities: Healing Lv 10, Salvation Lv 10, Grace Lv 10, Resurrection Lv 10, Repose Lv 10
– Same goes for Glory
– Well, all of Glory’s equipment was made by Kang Cheol-mangchi too
– In fact, even Glory’s ‘Grand Resurrection’ that brought all her allies back was thanks to Kang Cheol-mangchi’s equipment lol
After all, Glory came to be called the Holy Maiden.
In truth, Geom-jwa rose to rank 1 among swordsmen thanks to the equipment Kang Cheol-mangchi crafted for him, allowing him to defeat the final boss monster.
Arcana became rank 1 among mages and brought the Gates under her dominion.
And Glory became rank 1 among clerics, earning the title of Holy Maiden.
Thus.
— King Maker, Kang Cheol-mangchi
— Just Kang Cheol-mangchi making gear and boom, instant rank 1 lol
— Truly blessed Cheol-mangchi
— Kang Cheol-mangchi, he’s a god!
Kang Cheol-mangchi held the epithet of King Maker within Final Gate.
And.
Having earned the epithet of “King Maker,” I—
Clang!
Today as well.
I sat before the anvil of my personal forge, swinging the hammer with all my strength.
Clang!
I couldn’t afford to miss the timing.
Not even 0.1 seconds off.
Not even one frame—0.0166 seconds—could be wrong.
“Please, please, please!”
The strongest weapon of Final Gate that I’d crafted myself: the Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword.
I was enhancing it now.
And specifically.
[ Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword +19 ]
I was attempting the final enhancement stage of Final Gate, the +20.
If I succeeded, this weapon would become the undisputed strongest weapon in Final Gate.
Clang!
Enhancement in Final Gate doesn’t rely solely on probability.
Probability matters, but the most crucial element is “control.”
There are various elements similar to a mini-game, but among them, “timing” is paramount.
Clicking the right spot at precisely the right moment.
Through this, I could increase the success rate of enhancement.
Clang!
I sank so deeply into concentration that I seemed to reach a state of complete absorption.
Finally.
Crash!!
[ You have successfully enhanced Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword +19. ]
[ Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword +20 ]
Type: Greatsword
Grade: EX
Requirement: Level 100
Description: A truly supreme blade, forged from the flesh of the Black Dragon Nadan who dyed the world in fear and suffering, and quenched in the Black Dragon Nadan’s very soul.
Attack Power: 9999
Abilities: Execution Lv EX, Sentencing Lv EX, Judgment Lv EX, Condemnation Lv EX, Annihilation Lv EX
I had succeeded in enhancing the Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword.
Attack power of 9999.
The highest attack value permitted by Final Gate’s system.
The abilities affixed to the weapon were not only ultra-rare, but their levels transcended the limit of 10, reaching EX rank.
Thus, the strongest weapon in Final Gate.
I had succeeded in creating the Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword +20.
“Kyaaaaaah!”
Before I knew it, I’d leapt from my seat.
A cry burst from my lips unbidden.
Even if someone from the next room came to complain about the noise, nothing could stop me today.
This was the finest moment of my entire life.
I wanted only to savor this instant completely.
[ Kang Cheol-mangchi has successfully enhanced Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword +19. ]
Did Final Gate itself acknowledge my achievement?
News of my enhancement spread across the entire server.
All the more so.
– Wow wow wow wow wow
– And it’s insane
– Black Dragon Nadan’s +20 is crazy ㅋㅋㅋ
– You actually made this ㄷㄷ
– Kang Cheol-mangchi, congratulations ㅠㅠㅠ
– You finally achieved your dream ㅋㅋ
Every user in Final Gate learned of the existence of Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword +20.
All those who had me added as a friend sent their congratulations through the whisper function.
– Black Dragon Nadan’s +20 ㄷㄷㄷ
– Kang Cheol-mangchi’s name isn’t for nothing ㅋㅋㅋ
– With that, you could take down Black Dragon Nadan in one hit ㅋㅋ
– If you brought down Black Dragon Nadan with Black Dragon Nadan’s +20 in one hit, that’d really be something to see ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Even users who didn’t know me sent their congratulations through the broadcast message system.
People even flocked to my forge just to see Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword +20 once.
And so I showed off the effects of Black Dragon Nadan’s +20.
Demonstrated its performance.
They all followed me around in a crowd, marveling at the display as I wielded Black Dragon Nadan’s +20.
The more they did, the more indescribable pride welled up inside me.
– How much would you sell that for?
– At least hundreds of millions, I’d say
– Hundreds of millions? Someone ambitious would pay tens of billions for it.
– Right, it’s the final weapon of Final Gate ㅋㅋㅋ
The users’ chat continued.
Right.
It’s literally the endgame item of Final Gate.
I’m not sure what the real-world market price would be, but with an item like this, someone really might pay tens of billions for it.
That would be absolutely wonderful.
– Of all times, on the server’s last day ㅠㅠ
– Damn
– But still, you achieved your wish
– Exit while the applause is loudest! (forced)
– Such a waste ㅠㅠㅠ
– Why is Final Gate shutting down ㅠㅠ
Unfortunately, I couldn’t sell Black Dragon Nadan’s +20.
Today was the last day for Final Gate.
Service Shutdown.
It had been a fairly successful game, but there were many theories about why the service suddenly ended.
One of them was that the government had pressured them because the game beautified Gates—a genuine threat to humanity—too easily.
“The real reason, nobody knows.”
Final Gate declared the shutdown without any proper explanation.
The exact reason is unknowable.
Thinking about it that way, the sense of accomplishment that had filled me just moments before drained away completely, replaced by emptiness.
“Gates, huh……”
A few years back.
Gates suddenly appeared in Korea. No—across the entire world.
The monsters pouring out of those Gates plunged humanity into crisis.
Fortunately, at the same time the Gates appeared, people began to awaken and gain new abilities.
Thanks to them, humanity was able to successfully hold back the Gates.
Ever since, the Mana Stones that dropped from monsters have been recognized as a new energy source, and Awakeners now hunt monsters, collect Mana Stones, and earn massive fortunes, or so they say.
“I wish I could awaken too. Then I could clear Gates and become a billionaire.”
Wait, actually, I’m not so sure about that.
While Awakeners do make good money, honestly, you could call it hazard pay.
Even if you awakened, you’d be swinging swords and hunting monsters.
I could never do that.
If anything, maybe a mage?
“No, not a mage either. Smart monsters target mages first, right?”
Being a ranged class doesn’t guarantee safety.
So the ability I really want is.
“After all, a blacksmith is the best.”
A blacksmith.
That’s what makes it the best.
I could swing a hammer in a safe place without ever facing a monster directly, and earn serious money doing it—that’s precisely what being a blacksmith meant.
Which is why my job in Final Gate was also that of a blacksmith.
But then.
“The problem is, not a single Awakener has ever awakened to a blacksmith-like ability yet.”
Most Awakeners’ abilities were designed for combat.
Summoning fire, unleashing brute strength, calling forth spirits—things like that.
As far as I know, nobody has ever awakened to an ability tied to item crafting.
I was lost in such fantasies for a moment when—
[ The Final Gate server will shut down shortly. ]
The system message announcing the end of Final Gate floated before me.
– But Final Gate was popular, so why are they closing it ㅠㅠ
– They should at least give us a reason!
– For real;
– Can’t another game company buy it and reopen it?
– If they reopen it, does the Black Dragon Nadan’s Execution Sword +20 disappear?
– Then Kang Cheol-mangchi would be wailing ㅋㅋ
– Goodbye
– Anyone want to do some Leaf Talk together? Final Gate King << whisper
– Everyone, thanks for everything ㅠㅠ
"Sigh……."
Now it's really over.
It was the game I poured all my youth into.
What am I supposed to do now that it's ending?
Should I play a new game?
But even if I do play something new, I don't think I'll ever feel that electric thrill I got from Final Gate's crafting system.
That's when—
A comment in the chat caught my eye.
– Now that I think about it, when the game ends, people must awaken to game abilities ㅋㅋ
– Please stop reading fantasy novels, mister;
– Even if you did awaken, you'd need to be ranked first or something in Final Gate for it to work, someone like you couldn't possibly awaken ㅋㅋ
"Heh."
A tired trope straight out of web novels.
The story where the top-ranked player gets pulled into the game world or awakens to an ability the moment the game shuts down.
Well, that had nothing to do with me.
Even if blacksmith rankings counted separately, there were dozens of rankers ahead of me on the overall leaderboard—people who'd kept farming experience even after hitting max level.
And then, a moment later—
– 3!
– 2!
– 1!
– Goodbye goodbye
The instant the server shut down.
[ You have awakened. ]
[ Congratulations on becoming an Awakener. ]
[ You have acquired a new ability. ]
System messages appeared before my eyes.
"……?"
This wasn't some error message that appeared as the server closed.
More importantly, the system message appearing now wasn't coming from inside the monitor.
Between me and the screen.
Floating in empty air—a system message.
"An, awakening? Me?!"
I'd heard before how Awakeners typically go through their awakening.
The most common sign was this very system message.
A message congratulating the awakening.
"Crazy—it was real?"
Was Final Gate's server shutdown actually connected to awakening?
No, that couldn't be.
It might just be a coincidence of timing.
In any case, that's not what matters right now.
There's a word that Awakeners who've gained their powers are supposed to shout first.
"Status Window!"
If nothing had appeared before my eyes, I would've been mortified.
Fortunately.
[ Status Window ]
– Name: Jang Gang-cheol
– Level: 1
– Job: Blacksmith
– Ability: Forge of Time
– Strength: 10
– Dexterity: 10
– Vitality: 10
– Intelligence: 10
– Wisdom: 10
"Extraordinary!"
It was real.
The unique system function of Awakeners I'd only heard about in stories.
A Status Window materialized before me.
I'd seen descriptions of the system window that only Awakeners can see, but facing an actual Status Window in person was an entirely different experience.
But that wasn't the crucial part.
The five stats listed below are supposedly fixed at 10 for all Awakeners when they first awaken.
What I needed to look at were two things.
Job and ability.
First, the job.
"A blacksmith, no less!"
It was the job I'd wanted so desperately.
But something was off.
When I'd looked it up before, they'd said there were no production-type jobs at all.
I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but my job was still listed as blacksmith.
Wondering how this could be, I searched once more for "blacksmith awakener."
"Nothing?"
True to form, nothing came up.
Of course, I could see flame-baiting posts and speculation threads.
But not a single piece of reliable information confirming that an actual blacksmith awakener had emerged.
"Could I possibly be the first blacksmith?"
Was this also thanks to Final Gate?
The thought seemed reasonable enough.
I was, after all, ranked first among blacksmiths in Final Gate.
– Right so this is how it works, when the game ends you awaken with the game skills lol
That chat message someone had sent in the final moments came back to me.
Well, it didn't much matter.
What mattered now.
[ Job: Blacksmith ]
Was that I had awakened as a blacksmith.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————