The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 144

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Chapter 144
144.
“Have I lost my mind?”
The Balam Essence, a UR+ Grade material, had sunk deeply into the surface.
He hadn’t used his full strength. He’d carefully controlled his power just to test the hammer.
“I didn’t strike with enough force to cause that much deformation.”
Gleam.
Moreover, despite bringing down the hammer on a UR+ Grade material, Agnes still shone with light.
It was far more durable than the previous hammer.
“Intact, then.”
Jin-woo smiled slightly.
“It’s different.”
It truly was different.
Agnes, this new hammer, was a fine tool that could now fully support Jin-woo’s current skill level.
Whoooosh!
Jin-woo tightened his grip on the hammer.
This time, he used a skill alongside it.
“Soul Forging.”
Along with Soul Forging, he employed Harmonia Smelting.
The extracted soul was purified, and Jin-woo struck the refined material.
Cold and heat. The two forces imbued in the hammer found perfect balance.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
“!”
Jin-woo was momentarily stunned.
The hammer itself was remarkable, but Harmonia Smelting was extraordinary in its own right.
“This Harmonia Smelting is no joke. The synergy with the hammer is substantial.”
Harmonia Smelting and Agnes were a matched pair.
Because of Agnes’s special attribute, Harmonia Smelting unfolded in Jin-woo’s hands without constraint.
Clang! Clang!
The Balam Essence transformed helplessly under the blows.
Whoosh!
Jin-woo then thrust the Balam Essence into the furnace.
The furnace where crimson dragon flame and Balam’s blue flame mingled, creating an otherworldly hue—into it went the Balam Essence.
The moment the essence entered, both flames competed to melt it.
But that was brief.
The two flames intertwined and multiplied their power.
Roarrrrrrrrr!
The heat output was so intense it caught even Jin-woo off guard. Watching those flames, he smiled.
“Perfect.”
This was exactly the heat he’d wanted.
An infinitely burning fire that could engulf everything.
“Before flames, all become humble.”
Whatever form a thing takes, fire returns it to its primordial state.
And then Jin-woo would strike that primordial material.
Jin-woo’s lips naturally curved upward.
A new hammer, a new technique, new heat.
“I’m quite satisfied.”
Using tongs, Jin-woo withdrew the Balam Essence.
The Balam Essence, infused with the strength of both flames, was simultaneously brilliant crimson and deep blue, the two colors dancing across its surface as they enveloped it.
Jin-woo brought the hammer down.
Clang! Clang!
‘Harmonia Smelting is the art of harmonious force.’
If you didn’t strike while thinking of that, you weren’t truly using the technique at all.
Jin-woo retrieved another material.
“Thunder Stone.”
It was the Thunder Stone he’d received from Yur.
The Thunder Stone, also a UR Grade material, looked difficult to handle even at first glance.
Crackle-crackle! Snap!
“This material is terribly hard to blend with others.”
The roiling thunder explicitly rejected harmony.
“It’s the perfect material to test Harmonia Smelting.”
That was precisely why it was ideal for testing the harmony technique.
Clang! Clang!
Jin-woo quickly thrust the Thunder Stone into the furnace, withdrew it, and began hammering.
Crackle! Snap!
With each strike, enormous lightning erupted.
With each blow, lightning coursed into Jin-woo’s body.
The lightning damage traveled through the hammer with each strike, accumulating until each blow cost him nearly all fine sensation in his hands.
“The difficulty climbs with every strike?”
His hand’s sensitivity had to dull.
“Then I’ll just compensate.”
He simply had to account for the dulled sensation when bringing the hammer down.
“Adjust with each strike.”
In theory, very simple.
But this was pure idealism—each hammering stroke accumulated extreme stress, making the work pace inevitably sluggish.
Clang! Clang!
Yet Jin-woo did not slow.
What would be mere idealism for others became possible for him.
For he had done these things countless times during his days in Eternal Sunshine.
‘In that half-virtual reality game, when your condition was poor, you’d move like a wooden doll.’
Even moving like a wooden doll, Jin-woo had crafted legendary gear.
“This is easy.”
Clang!
The Thunder Stone’s form shifted.
What Jin-woo was creating now was a weapon for First.
‘I’ve gained complete mastery of the Orichalcon Greatsword.’
Among Jin-woo’s familiars, First’s capacity for understanding was unmatched.
So granting superior equipment based on that understanding would return to him in valuable feedback.
‘And more than that—’
No matter what gear he received, First wielded it with exceptional skill.
-The great dwarf god, Brock, says that Harmonia Smelting is quite challenging!
-He says you must take it more slowly!
-He says don’t fear failure and keep moving forward!
As a high-difficulty technique, failure was naturally possible.
Brock naturally believed that mastering Harmonia Smelting required failure as a prerequisite.
But Jin-woo already had no fear of failure.
Failure was simply another opportunity to try again.
A chance to enjoy this craft once more.
Clang!
“If it fails, I’ll just do it again.”
A very simple answer.
Jin-woo struck with his hammer.
“Until it’s complete.”
Clang!
Until it’s done.
-Equipment created!
-You have created the Balam Thunder Stone War Hammer!
-You have created a UR+ Grade item!
Thundercrack!
The finished equipment was an immense hammer.
A colossal war hammer of thunder fit for the vanguard of armies.
[Balam Thunder Stone War Hammer]
-Attack Power: 20,100
-Grade: UR+
-Durability: 250,000 / 250,000
<>
* Special Skill [Thunder Shatter: Delivers a powerful downward strike! Infused with thunder’s force, dealing tremendous damage!]
* Special Option [Infernal Wrath: Balam’s power inscribes a hellfire rune. Those bearing the rune suffer additional damage!]
* Special Option [Extreme Attack Power: Attack Power increases by 800.]
* Special Option [Curse Inscription—Arkshak Lv3: Attack Power increases by 700.]
* Special Option [Life Drain: Absorbs 15% of damage dealt as your own Life Force!]
* Special Option [Shadow Slash: Increases Attack Power by 8%.]
* Special Option [Ambush: Imbued with the power of the Necro Master, the first strike becomes a guaranteed Fatal Blow!]
* Special Option [Soul Forging: Draws forth the power of the soul. Critical Strike chance increases by 30%!]
UR+.
Once again, Jin-woo had reached UR+ Grade.
The Balam Thunder Stone War Hammer contained Jin-woo’s very essence.
From the Curse Inscription itself to the newly mastered Harmonia Smelting.
“The Soul Forging option has quite a variety of effects?”
Previously it had raised attack speed; this time, critical strike chance climbed instead.
“And a fresh Necro Master special option has been attached.”
Special Option: Ambush.
“An option that guarantees the first strike is a critical hit. That’s quite excellent.”
Overall, he was quite pleased.
Of course, not everything was perfect.
‘A pity.’
The grade was identical to before.
UR+. Certainly a high grade, but there was a regret.
“Still.”
Jin-woo glimpsed the next realm at the hammer’s edge.
But one step remained.
“I saw it clearly enough.”
Very little stood between him and the next tier.
“Similar to the Dragon Stone Chain Sickle at UR+ Grade, but overall, this one’s specs are far superior.”
Jin-woo examined the Balam Thunder Stone War Hammer in detail.
“Hmm!”
Attack power exceeding twenty thousand.
And the Thunder Stone and Balam Essence had achieved perfect harmony in new special options.
“This is unprecedented.”
This was the first equipment Jin-woo had created with attack power surpassing twenty thousand.
“Mmm.”
Nearly every conceivable option was attached, and with the Thunder Stone’s special skill included, the destructive power alone was formidable.
“Thunder Shatter. That’s worth anticipating.”
Jin-woo summoned First at once.
Whoooosh.
First materialized amid dark energy and the Blue Flame of the Underworld.
“Y-you s-summoned m-me.”
Jin-woo extended his hand to First.
“The Orichalcon Greatsword. You’ve put it to good use long enough.”
At those words, First unleashed dark energy.
“Blue flame and thunder. They’ll suit each other well.”
-You have given the Balam Thunder Stone War Hammer to your familiar, First!
Then he placed the Balam Thunder Stone War Hammer into First’s hands.
Boom.
Thundercrack!
The moment the war hammer settled into First’s grip, lightning erupted around the hammer’s head.
Whoosh.
First immediately infused the hammer with the Blue Flame of the Underworld.
Flame and thunder—two forces that shouldn’t have matched so well were strikingly harmonious in the same color.
‘I should sell the Orichalcon Greatsword.’
Since this equipment had been posted in crafting videos on JinTube, listing it in the Auction House should fetch a high price.
“I w-wish to t-test it i-immediately.”
First showed eagerness.
“You’ll get your chance soon enough.”
Jin-woo first emerged from the tower with First.
“But we should run a test first, shouldn’t we?”
Jin-woo was curious as well.
“Thunder Shatter. Let’s try it out.”
This special skill of the Balam Thunder Stone War Hammer held the latent potential of the Thunder Stone itself.
“Go heavy with it. Understand?”
“Y-yes, m-master.”
Having grasped the command, First grasped the war hammer in both hands and lifted it high toward the sky.
-Thunder Shatter!
Thundercrack!
With a thunderous roar, the war hammer struck the earth with tremendous force.
“…Wow.”
Jin-woo exhaled in admiration.
“I’ve created something quite formidable.”