The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 381

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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 381
381.
A mace, a great scythe, a cannon.
After confirming the three transformation modes, Jin-woo examined the detailed attributes once more.
“A lot of new special options have appeared.”
Among them, the most striking was the Essence of Evil.
“This special option came from Demonization.”
Jin-woo had used Demonization while creating the Mechanical Engineering Trinity. He’d poured energy into the combination during that brief window, fully leveraging Demonization, and that energy had become special attributes in their entirety.
“I’m quite pleased with it.”
The newly created option was one that shaved away the enemy’s defense.
‘The second attack lands harder than the first. And the third harder than the second. An option that stacks with each hit.’
The special option to reduce an opponent’s defense aligned remarkably well with the equipment’s core concept—the Trinity.
‘Since each piece transforms into a different weapon to attack the opponent, it becomes nearly impossible to block every strike.’
When that happened, the attack was bound to succeed, and the opponent’s defenses were bound to crumble.
‘Considerable synergy with this option.’
Jin-woo moved at once to summon First.
Just then, a commotion outside caught his attention, followed by a familiar voice.
“Mergari! What are you doing? Didn’t I tell you to come at once?”
It was Taveuk’s voice.
When Taveuk finally found his way here, Mergari’s brow furrowed. He’d meant only to watch for a moment. He really had meant to watch just a moment.
But was there anyone who could watch Jin-woo craft for just a moment?
“I apologize, Taveuk. But I have something to say as well.”
By age, Taveuk was the second eldest after Baxter.
Mergari’s expression turned sheepish.
“What could you possibly be doing that keeps you from coming…?”
Suddenly, Taveuk’s eyes widened as he spotted Jin-woo.
“You were crafting, Jin-woo.”
“Seeing is quicker than my explanations, don’t you think?”
……
Taveuk found himself nodding without quite realizing it.
“What were you making…?”
Jin-woo showed him the Mechanical Engineering Trinity.
!
One of the three cores made Taveuk’s hands tremble.
“That Ether Core… no, it’s an Ether Core, but something’s different about it!”
“Yes. It’s my theory combined with what I learned from Hamus.”
Jin-woo hadn’t explained to them in detail what had become of Hamus.
‘It’s a matter of courtesy.’
From him, he’d grasped the key to the Ether Amplification Core.
Of course, that didn’t mean he could erase what Hamus had done.
‘He has to take responsibility for his own actions.’
Jin-woo simply said that Hamus had fallen to a demon, and that he’d dealt with the corrupted Hamus.
“So you learned something from Hamus?”
“He was advancing Ether Core theory further. Though he fell to a demon, he hadn’t forgotten what he needed to do.”
“…I see.”
Taveuk, too, had long felt it a pity that Hamus’s Ether Core Theory remained incomplete.
“Not only did you inherit what he was doing, Jin-woo, but you’ve upgraded it. I’m sure Hamus would be satisfied.”
Taveuk approached in admiration, drawing closer to the Mechanical Engineering Trinity that Jin-woo had created.
“May I examine it more closely?”
“Of course.”
Taveuk’s interest lay with the cores.
“As I thought…!”
Each core’s limit point—the very bottleneck Taveuk had worried over—had been resolved.
The Ether Magic Core.
The Ether Amplification Core, and the Ether Magic Amplification Core as well.
Every core that had reached its limit in different ways had been refined past those barriers.
“This single piece of equipment holds Sacra’s future within it……”
Taveuk looked at Jin-woo.
“Could I create something similar? Of course, seeing this, I don’t think I can make it through synthesis. I want to make each core separately and teach them to the mechanical engineers of Sacra.”
Taveuk wanted to create equipment using the Ether Magic Core, the Ether Amplification Core, and similar cores to teach the mechanical engineers.
He wanted to teach them that no single theory held supremacy—only that each had its strengths and weaknesses. That one must draw out the strengths and eliminate the weaknesses.
“You’re welcome to do so.”
If anything, Jin-woo hoped for exactly that.
‘Sacra will develop further.’
Jin-woo held rights to Sacra’s mines, so he could be considered a resident of Sacra in a sense.
‘The larger Sacra grows, the more it benefits me.’
At Jin-woo’s words, Taveuk bowed deeply.
“Thank you! Mergari, come now. There’s much work to be done. We’re struggling without you.”
“…Yes, understood.”
Mergari responded.
“It was a privilege to witness, Jin-woo. I’ve truly been enlightened.”
Mergari’s hands itched as well.
The urge to craft something immediately was overwhelming.
After Taveuk and Mergari left the Workshop,
Jin-woo gripped the Eternal Shield next.
“I need to improve this Eternal Shield too.”
There were materials left.
“Chronium.”
Chronium was a pale blue mineral.
“If the weapon focuses on transformation, the shield will enhance existing defense.”
Clang—!
Jin-woo brought his hammer down on the Chronium.
Crack.
An ominous sound emerged.
Splinter—.
A crack had formed in Agnes.
‘Its limit approaches.’
Yet Jin-woo didn’t stop. To stop here would be disrespect to Agnes. Drawing out all the power the hammer possessed, refining the material—that was true respect for a companion who’d journeyed with him this long.
Clang—! Clang—! Clang—!
‘The Eternal Shield was the only equipment without weaknesses in the battle against the Special Months.’
It had been steadfast in defense and, when necessary, had pushed enemies back to steal initiative.
‘So amplify that strength further.’
He’d enhance it.
Clang—!
Jin-woo spread the Chronium wide, giving the impression of layering the shield doubly thick.
‘Mercury was like that, and Sacra’s Orichalcum was too.’
This Chronium, too, had a particularly satisfying feel to work with.
‘So many minerals to choose from.’
Each possessed its own distinct character—how remarkable it was.
‘A craftsman’s eyes can’t help but gleam at fine materials.’
This was likely an inescapable fate for anyone who lived as a craftsman.
Clang—! Clang—!
The minerals that the noble house had held for generations were now being refined entirely in Jin-woo’s hands.
“Phew.”
Crack—.
He carved an Advanced Runestone, crafted an Ether Amplification Magic Core, and placed it at the shield’s center.
“Spirits.”
Jin-woo summoned the spirits.
“Ching!”
“Whoooong—.”
“Sing—!”
The three spirits, who had become acquainted when Jin-woo crafted the Mechanical Engineering Trinity, moved the instant they were summoned and caught sight of the Chronium.
Dash—!
Dust and Coco moved first with purpose, while Sing arrived a moment late.
“Ching—.”
“Whoooong.”
“Sing.”
They’d simply arrived late. Either way, he needed the power of all three spirits.
The three spirits moved with all their strength, pouring their power into the material.
Whoooosh—.
‘Excellent.’
Jin-woo dusted off his hands.
“Demonization.”
-Using Demonization!
Whoooosh—!
Demonization’s casting time totaled 180 seconds.
“I used about 30 seconds making the Mechanical Engineering Trinity.”
That left 150 seconds remaining.
‘I was disappointed at first, having only 180 seconds per day.’
There was no need for that disappointment.
“Quite sufficient.”
Initially, he’d spent time examining Demonization, searching for what he could do with it. But the more he used it, the more precisely and clearly he could wield its power, and time would naturally be saved in the process.
Crack—!
Jin-woo poured crimson lightning precisely into the Chronium and the Ether Amplification Magic Core.
Rumble-rumble-rumble—!
Clang—!
Then, after the final work, the Eternal Shield and Chronium fused together.
-Equipment has been improved!
Whoosh—.
The blue radiance held within Chronium infused the Eternal Shield.
“Dual Defense.”
The Eternal Chronium Shield was complete.
“MR+ Grade.”
Unfortunately, this equipment, despite being improved, had not reached L Grade.
But Jin-woo didn’t mind.
“The mere fact that the equipment’s specs have risen is satisfying enough.”
Besides, working with Chronium had been quite enjoyable. That was sufficient.
With the weapon’s improvement complete, Jin-woo immediately summoned First.
“First.”
Whoosh—.
“You…called.”
Jin-woo held out the Mechanical Engineering Trinity and the Eternal Chronium Shield to the summoned First.
-You have given Familiar First the Mechanical Engineering Trinity.
-You have given Familiar First the Eternal Chronium Shield.
“For now, only you can wield this equipment.”
……
First gripped the Trinity and the shield.
Equipment only he could use—those words struck First as profoundly joyful.
“Completely…different.”
Especially this Trinity, once the Eternal Mace, felt peculiar the moment he grasped it.
“It’s challenging equipment. My first time attempting something like this.”
Jin-woo, too, had never attempted such an upgrade and synthesis before.
‘I’ve never packed three pieces of equipment into one.’
He’d mixed materials before, but never transformed them like this.
‘Mechanical Engineering and cores have tremendous versatility.’
That’s why blending them into his crafting had been so enjoyable.
‘Coming to Sacra, I’ve been trying so many different crafting approaches.’
It promised to make his recordings richer as well.
‘Most of all, it’s been a joy to blend these with my existing crafting methods.’
First gripped the Mechanical Engineering Trinity and swung it once.
“It’s a weapon that transforms into three different pieces. Right now it’s in mace form. Channel mana into it, and—”
First’s darkness aura poured into the Trinity.
At once, transformation occurred. Energy concentrated at the head before extending, taking the form of a great scythe.
The handle lengthened similarly.
“In this form, it’s best to swap in the shield, holding it with both hands to maximize the power. It’s a wide-area attack configuration.”
“Wide…range…attacks…are…possible…then.”
“That’s the idea.”
Jin-woo smiled as First immediately grasped it. First had gained extensive experience from the fight against the Special Months.
‘I don’t need to explain his shortcomings.’
Just give him equipment suited to his needs, and First improves on his own.
As Jin-woo predicted, First took the Mercury Scythe—the Guillotine—and began testing different movements.
Jin-woo demonstrated the next transformation.
Crack—!
“Third form. Cannon.”
Equipment to fill the long-range gap that troubled First.
The third form was quite unfamiliar to First. He’d never worn a ranged weapon before.
But this ranged equipment’s mechanism was remarkably simple.
Inject mana and fire.
Whoooosh—!
As First poured mana in, dark energy charged.
“Simple…and…powerful.”
As First prepared to fire, Jin-woo held up a hand to stop him.
“The power will be considerable.”
Jin-woo knew because he’d tested it.
‘Even with my strength, it produced that much force.’
If First fired with full intent, Mergari’s Workshop would be reduced to ash. It would be a catastrophe.
“My…apologies.”
First’s eyes glowed. He shifted his stance with the cannon, comparing different firing positions to determine the best approach.
“Hmm.”
First appeared quite satisfied with this cannon form.
Until now, for distant enemies, he’d relied on Speed or Baxter to overwhelm through velocity.
But with this cannon, First alone could control and dominate the battlefield.
Since he’d never wielded such a weapon before, First itched to use this equipment immediately.
Jin-woo pointed to the Eternal Chronium Shield next.
“I’ve significantly upgraded the shield’s defense. It should block most things.”
‘Watching the Special Months battle, First clearly handled the shield well.’
Attack and defense—he’d shown a flexible mastery of shield work. Because of that, the shield’s upgrade would grant him even greater freedom.
Receiving the two upgraded pieces, First knelt on one knee right there.
“Even…with…all…the…experience…I…could…gather…I…would…never…have…conceived…of…this.”
How had he ever thought to compress three pieces of equipment into one?
First’s eyes blazed with light.
In receiving three pieces of equipment, First had essentially gained triple.
He would have to prove his worth.
Constantly facing stronger enemies, new opponents, patterns he’d never encountered—he’d experienced many stalemates rather than outright dominance.
“I…will…dominate.”
He’d contributed significantly in the Special Months battle. Because First had held the line, they’d maintained the advantage throughout.
But First wasn’t satisfied with that.
If he wielded Jin-woo’s equipment, he had to be greater still.
He had to become a being worthy of such magnificent tools.
‘Still, that resolve to grow stronger is always a good thing.’
“I look forward to it.”
Whoosh—.
Suddenly, darkness aura erupted from First’s form.
-Familiar First’s state is transforming.
!

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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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