The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 44

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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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Chapter 44
44.
Jin-woo had received a Quest from a deity once before.
The Deity of Bone and Death.
He’d cleared that Quest and received a tremendous reward.
“Thanks to that, I got help in the Legendary Job advancement Quest.”
The Quest he’d just received was the same kind.
A special Quest granted by a deity.
“The god who’d been supporting me up until now…”
There was a notification of a change in their thinking.
“So you were watching for now, and planned to grant it once you thought I’d reached the proper level?”
-The Guardian Deity of Flame and Craftsmanship sends a sign of affirmation.
-The deity displays bewilderment at how rapidly your power has grown.
Originally, the deity had intended to take a bit more time and tailor the Quest to Jin-woo’s level, but his growth had been so swift that the Quest was being granted earlier than planned.
* Quest: Left Behind by the Guardian Deity of Flame and Craftsmanship
Rank: SS
Content: Seek out the shrine of the Guardian Deity of Flame and Craftsmanship.
Reward: ?
The reward was nothing but a question mark.
“So I’ll only know once I find it?”
Jin-woo decided to keep the Quest for now.
‘The difficulty is quite high.’
And since no immediate reward was visible, it seemed fine to clear it slowly.
“Thank you. I’ll check it out soon!”
Jin-woo grinned, then tried on the armor he’d just made.
Whoosh—.
That sensation of it clinging snugly to his body.
It was so light he barely felt like he was wearing armor at all.
“Hm!”
Jin-woo examined the options in detail.
“A new option called Weakness has attached itself?”
Moreover, new options had been affixed to the armor.
Previously it had Life Drain, but this time it had an option called Weakness.
‘It seems there are several options exclusive to the Necromancer class.’
Jin-woo compared the process of making the Red Stone Armor to this Mithril Cupronickel Armor he’d just created.
“Hmm.”
The method of crafting was similar for each, but the attached options differed.
“This seems to change depending on how I make it. This time I intentionally held back in certain parts. Could those places be influencing the options?”
If that were the case, he might be able to attach both the previous Life Drain option and this new Weakness option simultaneously.
“This is rather fun, quite fun indeed.”
Jin-woo was quite pleased with the newly added option.
“The armor turned out well.”
There was one more thing that had improved.
“My Workshop level went up.”
The Workshop that had been level 1 had become level 2.
“It’s not just a simple matter of swapping items—it seems I need to swap them and actually use them for the level to rise.”
This was the first SS-Rank equipment he’d crafted since replacing it with the Hephaestus Furnace.
-As your Workshop level increases, the number of items you can add grows!
-You can now store materials in your Workshop.
“Oh, material storage.”
Until now, Jin-woo had been carrying materials in his inventory.
But that inventory space wasn’t infinite.
“It’s like getting extra pockets.”
Right now he didn’t have many materials, so it wasn’t a problem, but once materials accumulated, this expanded item space would become essential.
Jin-woo pulled out Dwarf Silver.
“And with this Dwarf Silver…”
He was thinking of using it to craft a different weapon.
“I’ve already made swords and spears…”
A very simple weapon came to mind.
“There’s a weapon that suits First’s size perfectly.”
Whoosh—.
Jin-woo immediately placed the Dwarf Silver into the furnace.
The Dwarf Silver melted faster than the cupronickel.
To truly unlock the potential of any mineral, one must quickly grasp the unique properties it possesses.
Jin-woo had a natural talent in this regard.
After melting it to the limit and removing impurities,
Jin-woo began tapping the hammer very carefully.
Yet his posture remained exactly the same.
Clang—!
Only the force behind the strike differed.
Whoooosh—.
Infusing Dark Energy, Jin-woo elevated its hardness and strength.
‘This Dark Energy is proving far more versatile than I expected.’
A unique power that only the Necromancer class could wield.
‘The potential is boundless depending on how I apply it.’
It could shift its form fluidly based on how it was used.
‘This is what makes it fun.’
Clang—! Clang—!
-Equipment created!
-You’ve created SS-Rank equipment!
-Perfect Concentration. Additional options attach to the equipment you’ve made.
-Lava Smelting Technique proficiency increases.
-Hephaestus Smelting Technique proficiency increases.
-Dexterity stat increases!
-Concentration stat increases!
-Level up!
-Level up!
The equipment he’d crafted was a Dwarf Silver Staff.
“Now I can reliably create SS-Rank gear.”
Of course, only the rank was now reliable—the specific options still needed refinement. Quality of options mattered more than rank at this stage.
It was a simple-looking silver rod, but simplicity of appearance didn’t mean its power was equally straightforward.
“I made this purely, cleanly.”
All the extraneous elements had been stripped away. Entirely to let the weapon’s pure essence shine through.
“For First to use it properly and fully utilize his power, this was the way to craft it.”
Just as Jin-woo wielded Dark Energy, First also used the Dark Energy unique to Skeleton Knights.
By examining the Lapis Lazuli Claw Sword and Red Stone Armor, Jin-woo had learned many things about First.
“Equipment laden with multiple options like the Lapis Lazuli Claw Sword is actually inferior to something clean and free of unnecessary modifiers.”
Moreover, because the Necromancer’s Dark Energy options synergized so well with First, he’d kept only those, discarding the rest.
“Though armor is a bit different.”
With armor, having numerous defensive effects layered on was far superior.
“Since he’s a Skeleton Knight, his base defense is just mediocre.”
Jin-woo gripped the Dwarf Silver Staff once to test it.
The grip was quite comfortable.
It was sized perfectly for First to wield, and the impact was substantial.
Whoosh—!
“It’s heavy, but it’s perfect for First.”
Jin-woo tested the Dwarf Silver Staff several more times by swinging it.
“Hmm.”
It was indeed crafted simply as intended.
“Simplicity is an advantage, but that doesn’t mean the feel of it has to be simple too.”
There was a distinct sense that something was lacking. It wasn’t merely a matter of equipment completion.
“I feel like I could make this better.”
If that was the case, the answer was clear: skill.
“I need to learn and apply it.”
Jin-woo left Brukel immediately.
His destination was the Beltré Forest where the jeweler Rodin was.
* * *
Engraving was an especially specialized technique among specialized skills.
The pinnacle of precision.
A single mistake and the engraving failed entirely.
-Isn’t this a bit too harsh?
-The standards are unreasonably strict.
-Look at how many minerals and gems go in! One failed engraving and I’ve lost everything!
-For the cost of materials, the compensation is way too little. This has no return on investment whatsoever.
When an engraving failed, all the materials vanished entirely.
The difficulty was steep, and with materials disappearing on failure, Engraving users had no shortage of complaints.
Yet once successful, an Accessory’s value was substantial.
-The blacksmith shops don’t sell Accessories at all! The specialized Engraving NPC either charges outrageous prices, or only sells mediocre Accessories.
-Buying from certified Engraving users is best. They’re pricey, but you get what you pay for in terms of effect.
-Up until the level 150 range, honestly Accessories from monster drops are the most cost-effective. After that, buying from Engraving users becomes the best option.
-Accessories are too expensive. Both NPC engravers and private sellers charge exorbitant prices.
-It can’t be helped. I tried engraving once, and the difficulty is no joke. Between materials and labor, the cost is just too high.
The stat boosts from Accessories were also staggering.
Stats increased, magic resistance rose, and above all, stat increases for health and mana were abundant.
“Hmm.”
Jin-woo was carefully reading posts on the Sharknet forum.
“Accessories hold considerable value.”
Engraving was certainly a competitive skill.
“I haven’t tried making Accessories before either.”
Since starting New Genesis, he’d only crafted regular equipment.
“Bone equipment is similar to Engraving anyway.”
He’d made bone equipment instead, but without specialized Engraving technique, he couldn’t truly unlock the potential of bone.
“Engraving has its own charm too. It’s different from swinging a hammer—it’s about the aesthetics of beauty.”
Maximizing that beauty was equally entertaining.
Beltré Forest.
“This should be it.”
The place Jin-woo had come to was a vast forest near Brukel.
Near each city there were dungeons, towers, or places like valleys and canyons, which served as hunting grounds for many users.
The jeweler Rodin was in this Beltré Forest.
“He probably doesn’t just stay out in the open. I’m guessing he’s living hidden deep within the forest.”
Jin-woo summoned First first.
“A gift for you, First.”
Jin-woo equipped First with the Dwarf Silver Staff and the Mithril Cupronickel Armor.
“Fine feathers make fine birds, don’t they?”
The Red Stone Armor and Lapis Lazuli Claw Sword had blue and red colors that clashed slightly, but these two pieces of equipment matched exceptionally well.
“Looks like a set item.”
Unintentional as it was, First had transformed into a formidable-looking summon as a result.
“He seems pleased.”
First, now equipped with new gear, struck a menacing stance with fierce eyes.
“Then let’s test it out.”
The Beltré Forest held various monsters.
Howwwwl—!
Wolves greeted them the moment they entered.
One howled, and dozens of wolves appeared simultaneously from the surrounding area.
They then barked threateningly.
-Fear!
-Your body becomes temporarily paralyzed!
The wolves’ Fear gripped their bodies in an instant.
“First.”
But First was a Skeleton Knight.
Paralysis meant nothing to him.
Whoosh—whoosh—!
Having immobilized their prey with Fear, the wolves began their charge.
Shrieeeeek—!
First swung the staff at the charging wolves.
Whooooom—!
Crack—!
With a terrible sound, dozens of wolves were swept away at once.
Even the pack leader wolf that had emerged first let out a shocked howl.
Yelp—?!
……
Jin-woo nodded as he watched.
“Perfect fit.”
-Level up!
The experience from mob farming was quite sweet.
But there was something even sweeter than that.
“These are materials I’ve never seen before.”
Jin-woo’s eyes widened.

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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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