The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 37

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

Episode 37
Episode 37.
* Summon Subordinate
Grade: S
Description: Summons stored Subordinates.
* Bone Making
Grade: S
Description: You can handle any bone. You can create a body from bone.
* Soul Sight
Grade: S
Description: You can see souls. You can acquire and utilize souls.
The Necromaister’s exclusive skills numbered exactly three.
“It feels a bit different from typical Necromancer skills.”
Summon Subordinate was certainly a basic Necromancer skill, but Bone Making and Soul Sight were definitively different.
“Fundamentally, they’re Maister techniques.”
The focus was shifted toward creation.
“Hephaestus basically utilized Necromancer techniques in a different way.”
Hephaestus was fundamentally more skilled at direct crafting than at resurrecting corpses.
“He became a Necromancer in the first place to create better equipment.”
Resurrecting his comrades wasn’t the priority.
He simply wanted to craft superior gear.
“I’d been thinking about this myself.”
It was one of the things weighing on his mind.
The one best suited to wield his equipment was his own self.
But that didn’t mean he could draw out everything the equipment had to offer.
“So I needed someone dependable to hold it.”
He’d been backstabbed more than once by other players he’d entrusted with gear.
“That’s why I was planning to just acquire multiple jobs myself and use them directly this time.”
But this solved it.
“Problem solved.”
He didn’t need to wield job-specific equipment himself.
“My skeletal minions are me, essentially.”
He could have them equip gear as much as he wanted and test it out.
“And I can get immediate feedback—it’s killing two birds with one stone.”
Moreover, they were his Subordinates, so they’d never betray him.
“They’re a safe investment, a safe investment.”
Jin Woo chuckled softly.
“Bone Making.”
And immediately he tested the Bone Making skill.
-Create a body using bone!
-You can create a Subordinate by inserting a soul into the created body.
-The Subordinate’s level is determined by the soul’s Grade.
“Use bone to create a body, then insert a soul into it.”
This was the basic format for creating Subordinates.
“Bone Making lets you create a Subordinate’s body from any type of bone, apparently.”
And Soul Sight.
These two techniques were the cornerstone of creating Subordinates.
“It’s definitely different.”
It fit perfectly with the job title Necromaister.
Create a body directly, insert a soul, and make it a Subordinate.
“Right, just raising corpses from the dead wouldn’t be any fun.”
A true craftsman only feels satisfied when they create something with their own hands.
“Soul Sight is interesting, though.”
Every existence has a soul.
But normally, of course, you can’t see a soul.
“When you hunt, the soul becomes visible. You hunt, obtain the soul, create a body, insert it, and summon it as a Subordinate.”
Looking at it all together, it wasn’t that difficult.
“Simple and clean.”
They were solid skills.
“Looking at Hephaestus, it seemed he created Subordinates by putting souls from Boss-class monsters into bodies.”
And he had them wield his equipment.
Of course, since Hephaestus was devoted to crafting the finest armor, he’d equipped them all in armor.
“I don’t have to limit myself to just armor.”
I could equip them with any of my gear.
“I can get direct feedback.”
There was no need to hand it to someone else and ask them to test it.
“I’ll figure out the details as I go along.”
As Jin Woo moved toward the door, lights began flickering on throughout Hephaestus’s Forge.
Whoooosh—!
It was as though Hephaestus himself was telling him to wait a moment.
“Is there something else?”
-You can obtain his legacy from Hephaestus’s Forge!
“An additional reward.”
There was compensation for clearing the quest at one hundred percent completion.
“I’d almost forgotten about that.”
Jin Woo surveyed the Forge.
“Oh.”
On the shelf of the Forge, a glowing journal caught his eye.
Jin Woo immediately opened the diary.
-Hephaestus Refinement Technique
I record here the Refinement Technique that I have honed throughout my lifetime.
The diary contained a technique that Hephaestus had refined over an entire lifetime.
-You have learned Hephaestus Refinement Technique!
* Hephaestus Refinement Technique
Grade: S
Description: The Refinement Technique that Hephaestus honed throughout his life.
Effect: Grants additional effects when crafting equipment.
-You have inherited the legacy of Hephaestus.
-You have become Hephaestus’s Successor!
By learning Hephaestus Refinement Technique, Jin Woo officially became Hephaestus’s Successor.
“Hephaestus Refinement Technique! It’s certainly a formidable technique.”
During the quest, Jin Woo had witnessed Hephaestus’s power firsthand.
“I’m getting way too much from a single quest?”
Of course, it was all reward for clearing the quest perfectly.
“With this Refinement Technique, embedding Ultimate Defense in equipment will become easier.”
Whoooosh—.
As Jin Woo learned Hephaestus Refinement Technique, light began emanating from another spot.
-Receive your additional reward!
“There’s more?”
Jin Woo grinned.
“Yeah, if I cleared it at one hundred percent, I’m bound to get plenty of additional rewards!”
The moment he saw the additional reward notification, Jin Woo smiled widely.
As he approached the glowing spot, a small chest appeared.
Creak—.
The moment he opened the chest, a crimson light burst forth.
“Haha.”
That red ore Jin Woo had been staring intently at was inside the chest.
“You already knew what I wanted.”
-You have obtained Red Stone!
-Red Stone
Description: An ore that glows with an intense crimson light.
Jin Woo held the Red Stone in his hand.
“Now that I have the material.”
Shouldn’t he test it right away?
“Lizard Flame.”
Whoosh—!
Jin Woo used flame magic to ignite the furnace.
“That’s a really useful spell I learned.”
Jin Woo gazed at the now-burning furnace.
“Interesting.”
Hephaestus’s Forge furnace was not an ordinary furnace.
“It’s not quite a lava forge.”
It wasn’t the powerful lava-level furnace from that superior blacksmith shop, but once ignited, it had the effect of immediately amplifying the heat output.
“I should take this with me.”
It was far superior to the furnace currently in Jin Woo’s Summoning Forge.
Jin Woo placed the Red Stone into the furnace.
Whoosh—!
“Mungi.”
Jin Woo summoned Mungi.
“Pop.”
The summoned Mungi spun once, as if asking why it had taken so long to call.
Then, seeing Jin Woo, it blinked its eyes rapidly.
“I’m different now, aren’t I? I Job Changed.”
Jin Woo said with a grin.
“My level’s gone way up too. That’s why my Stats have all increased dramatically.”
Thanks to the Job Change, all his Stats had skyrocketed.
“Which means I can make even better equipment with you!”
Suddenly, Mungi’s eyes flickered rapidly.
“You’re happy about that too, right?”
Mungi began backing away slowly.
“From now on, I’m going to craft all kinds of things.”
Jin Woo retrieved the Red Stone from the furnace.
Now that he’d learned Hephaestus Refinement Technique and the corresponding Ultimate Defense skill, he intended to recreate it exactly.
“Since Hephaestus’s legacy is armor.”
Clang—!
Jin Woo began swinging the hammer.
“Since I’m just replicating Hephaestus’s armor.”
Jin Woo rummaged through Hephaestus’s Forge.
“As I thought.”
-You have obtained Black Rock Steel!
“I’ll mix in some steel.”
Jin Woo retrieved the remaining bones.
“These, I’ll burn.”
-The hardness and strength of the Red Stone increase!
Clang—! Clang—!
And he used the Lava Refinement Technique and Hephaestus Refinement Technique together.
Meanwhile, Mungi’s power continually drew out the Red Stone’s hidden potential.
Clang—!
For the first time, Jin Woo was now working with an S-Grade material.
And not just S-Grade either.
The Red Stone, which ranked quite high even among S-Grade materials, felt exceptionally unique.
Clang—!
Jin Woo felt a thrill run through him.
“Even an S-Grade material is like this…?”
Goosebumps rose on Jin Woo’s skin.
“What on earth are higher-Grade materials like?”
Clang—!
Jin Woo looked at Mungi.
Mungi and Jin Woo had grown quite synchronized now.
“Despite having no hands or feet, you’re perfectly in sync with me.”
Mungi settled down upon the material.
Whoooosh—.
Jin Woo continued his hammer strikes in perfect timing.
Clang—! Clang—!
In his mind, Jin Woo envisioned.
It was something he did every time.
A vision of what role this piece of equipment would play.
‘Against any attack whatsoever.’
Against any threat.
Armor that could withstand anything. It held Hephaestus’s conviction—never to lose anyone precious again.
“That’s the heart in which Ultimate Defense is forged.”
Clang—!
-Equipment created!
-SS-Grade equipment created!
-Perfect Focus. The created equipment gains an additional option.
-Lava Refinement Technique Proficiency increases.
-Hephaestus Refinement Technique Proficiency increases.
-Craftsmanship Stat increases!
-Immersion Stat increases!
-Level up!
-Level up!
[Red Stone Armor]
-Defense: 450
-Grade: SS
-Durability: 20000 / 20000
<>
* Special Option [Ultimate Defense: Defense increases by an additional 300!]
* Special Option [Red Radiance: Due to the power of the Red Stone, you resist abnormal status conditions with a certain probability.]
* Special Option [Power of Darkness: Dark mana permeates, converting damage into life force and absorbing it.]
* Special Skill [Special Guard: Forms a circular barrier. Reduces damage from all attacks by 20%.]
“SS.”
Jin Woo gazed at the completed Red Stone Armor and smiled slowly.
“The feeling was different, but I never thought it would reach this.”
He’d thought it was too early to make SS-Grade equipment.
“It’s easier than I expected.”
S-Grade was merely the beginning.
Jin Woo had reached SS-Grade crafting in the blink of an eye.
Mungi spun joyfully, celebrating Jin Woo.
It was equipment of SS-Grade, no less.
“Well, I’ve made the armor now.”
It was time to rest. Hadn’t he exhausted himself making SS-Grade equipment? Mungi settled onto Jin Woo’s head.
Understanding Mungi’s feelings, Jin Woo carefully lifted Mungi from his head.
“You’re thinking the same thing, aren’t you? Right, now that I’ve made armor.”
Jin Woo looked into Mungi’s eyes.
“I need to make a weapon too.”
“……”
Mungi wished it had a mouth.
Dearly.