The Return of the Legendary Golden-Handed Blacksmith - Chapter 93

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

Chapter 93
Episode 93.
Mithril, Red Mithril, Shadow Mithril, Blue Mithril.
“Mithril comes in this many types?”
The minerals the attendant had brought were remarkably diverse. They were sorted by color, and looking at them made his eyes widen in wonder.
“This one…”
Beyond the Mithril, there was a mineral of a different kind altogether.
What caught Jin-woo’s eye was a mineral that radiated a deep, dark gray light.
“That’s Eternum Steel. We mined it together with Yur. He insisted we bring it to you. He said we’d kept our promise.”
“Ah.”
A powerful ore formed over ten thousand years as it absorbed the mountain’s essence—far more potent than any thousand-year steel.
The dark gray luminescence was captivating, drawing the eye irresistibly.
Jin-woo examined the Eternum Steel in detail.
-Eternum Steel [SR+]
Description: A mineral that has inherited the power of earth and terrestrial force for ten thousand years. The strength of that age is melded within it.
“They’re all SR+ Grade.”
Jin-woo gave the attendant a hard slap on the back.
“Excellent work, truly excellent.”
They’d mined far better than he’d expected.
‘All SR+, every single piece.’
He’d had hopes.
But this exceeded them.
“You brought only top-tier minerals?”
“Yes. I judged anything below that unworthy of your standards.”
At those words, Jin-woo let out a quiet laugh.
‘Impressive.’
As Jin-woo’s satisfied expression deepened, the attendant trembled. The advanced technique learned from Yur was only just beginning.
Jin-woo placed the Orichalcum and the minerals the attendant had brought onto the work table.
With materials secured, it was time to begin crafting.
Whoooosh—
He lit the furnace and placed the Orichalcum inside.
“Hmm.”
Coco’s dark flame possessed considerable heat.
But something was lacking.
‘The Orichalcum resists the flame too easily.’
Generally, top-tier minerals couldn’t even be melted by ordinary heat.
“Similar to when we worked with Mithril.”
Coco’s expression grew forlorn.
“It’s not your fault, Coco.”
Truth be told, this wasn’t Coco’s fault. The problem was Jin-woo’s Level.
Currently, Jin-woo was continuously making equipment far superior to his current level, and handling SR+ Grade materials at his present level was utterly unreasonable.
For someone in the 100s Level, the materials they normally handled ranged from S Grade at the highest to B or C Grade at the lowest.
Having reached Level 122, working with SR+ was simply beyond reason.
“It’s because my Level is too low. I need to work harder. This won’t do.”
“Chirp? Chirp!”
Coco cried out in alarm, looking up at Jin-woo. The sound conveyed a sense of bewilderment—what more could possibly be done?
“You think so too, don’t you? I’m sorry, Coco. Let’s work even harder together.”
“Chirp!”
Even without words, thoughts couldn’t always be conveyed.
“Status window.”
Jin-woo opened his status window for the first time in a while.
[Jin-woo][LV 158]
[Job: Necromaster]
[Runes: Will of Flame, Bone’s Grasp, Bone Heart]
[Unique Achievement: Golden Hand]
[HP: 4,500/4,500]
[MP: 1,500/1,500]
[Strength: 1,777+5%]
[Stamina: 1,050+5%]
[Dexterity: 278+5%]
[Intellect: 215+5%]
<>
<>
His Level had steadily climbed to 158. Since Jin-woo rarely hunted except when seeking paths or materials, his entire Level progression came purely from crafting and Quests.
“I passed 4,000 just a while ago.”
What stood out was his Craftsmanship stat.
It had far surpassed 4,000, and with the +10% modifier, it practically approached 5,000.
“Hmm.”
Jin-woo briefly removed the Orichalcum.
“It can’t be helped.”
He was planning to seek out Hyrune, the dwarven master craftsman, maker of all things.
“If I go to the dwarves’ city, I should be able to solve this heat problem.”
He’d be able to obtain far more powerful flames than what he had now.
“Your dark flame’s strength isn’t in raw heat anyway, Coco. Don’t get discouraged. Your flames are—”
Jin-woo said.
“Pitch black and beautiful. They suit my job perfectly.”
“Chirp!”
Coco regained her vigor.
“Even with this, I’m not powerless.”
He wouldn’t be able to draw out one hundred percent of the Orichalcum’s potential, but that’s what made it interesting.
‘Drawing forth the best from a limiting situation.’
That was quite thrilling in itself.
“Coco. Give it everything. Pour out all your strength.”
“Chirp!”
Whoooooosh!
The dark flames Coco unleashed engulfed the furnace.
“Moltus!”
Jin-woo summoned his familiar, Moltus.
“Can you control those flames?”
Dark flames were a form of dark energy. As a dark priest, Moltus could command dark energy, and thus could forcibly maximize the heat of these dark flames.
“I shall obey your command.”
Whoooosh!
‘As expected.’
The coordination with Moltus was excellent, just as anticipated.
“Keep it going.”
Jin-woo placed the Orichalcum back in.
Hiss—
The pink hue of the Orichalcum merged with the dark flames.
‘It’s melting.’
But only briefly.
The Orichalcum’s resistance was fierce.
‘This is the limit.’
Jin-woo removed the Orichalcum.
From this point on, using his own strength was the best approach.
‘I can’t rely on raw heat anymore.’
Clang!
From now on, everything depended on Jin-woo’s own Craftsmanship.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Jin-woo brought his hammer down with frenzied intensity.
‘I’ve gained finer control.’
His elevated Craftsmanship, combined with the newly learned Perfect Seamless Sewing Technique, greatly enhanced his Hephaestus Refining Technique.
Clang!
‘Of all the minerals I’ve worked with, this is the most difficult.’
Even after ten hammer strikes, the Orichalcum showed no deformation. Despite the lack of sufficient heat, this was the first mineral he’d encountered this powerful.
‘Yes, it should be.’
“This is what makes it fun.”
Clang! Clang!
Jin-woo smiled. At that smile tinged with madness, Coco backed away slightly with a soft cry. Moltus calmly scooped up Coco in one hand.
Jin-woo’s strength intensified.
The force was as though he might shatter the Orichalcum itself.
Right now, Jin-woo was taking on a considerable risk.
‘Strike harder.’
Jin-woo was swinging his hammer to find the Orichalcum’s breaking point.
Clang.
If he put even slightly more force into it or couldn’t stop, the Orichalcum would shatter.
‘But I have to take that chance.’
Clang!
Jin-woo brought the hammer down with even greater force.
Insufficient heat compensated by superior craftsmanship.
He had to find a way to work the Orichalcum without powerful flames—tapping it right to the brink of breaking, walking the razor’s edge.
Clang!
Suddenly, the Orichalcum shifted.
Dent.
Exactly where he’d struck, deformation began to take shape.
“Found it.”
The precise force needed to deform the Orichalcum—Jin-woo’s hands committed it to memory. He raised the hammer again.
Clang!
-That’s near-divine Craftsmanship!
-The guardian deities of craftsmanship and flame offer their applause to this magnificent strike!
-The great dwarf god asks: are you not a tall, transformed dwarf?
-You’ve received the blessing of the gods.
-Strength increases by 50.
-Stamina increases by 60.
The foundation of crafting is the hammer.
But before the hammer, flame is essential. Powerful heat is necessary.
Yet now Jin-woo overcame adversity through hammer work alone, despite insufficient heat.
-The god of the hammer watches you.
Clang! Clang!
Countless gods observed Jin-woo. But Jin-woo focused solely on the Orichalcum.
‘That’s enough.’
Now that the Orichalcum was deforming, he just needed to shape it according to his design.
‘What I can make with Orichalcum is limited.’
While he could deform it, clear constraints existed. So he had to create what he wished from among the possibilities available now.
‘Then.’
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Jin-woo reshaped the Orichalcum.
And simultaneously, he refined the Blue Mithril.
‘Using Blue Mithril and Orichalcum together.’
“Arcshard.”
This time, Jin-woo applied Flame Crafting.
Then he poured his effort into Spell Enchantment.
‘I’m making a greatsword.’
Not just any greatsword.
‘A Berserker’s blade.’
Fighting the undead in the Labyrinthine Forest, Jin-woo had once again seen the true nature of First. The way he wielded that hefty orcish axe was the very definition of a berserker.
‘I wanted to forge one.’
A mighty greatsword that, with each frenzied swing of a berserker, laid waste to all surroundings.
‘Orichalcum is exceptionally hard among all the materials I’ve worked with.’
It would never break against any foe.
‘I’ll make use of that property.’
Jin-woo continued his hammering. The gradually deforming Orichalcum began to reshape faster.
-Your Craftsmanship increases.
-Your Focus increases.
Working with materials beyond his grasp.
In the moment of adversity, Jin-woo sank into complete immersion.
Falling into the moment, he brought down his hammer. Whether the hammer was his hand or his hand was the hammer—the distinction blurred.
-You’ve entered the State of Flow.
-Synchronization Rate increases by 0.1%.
Yet even in that state of flow, Jin-woo maintained clear focus on what must be created.
Clang!
And at last, it was complete.
-Equipment crafted!
-A magnificent achievement! You’ve written new history!
-You’ve handled materials above your level brilliantly. Your creation receives additional attributes.
-Your Level increases!
-Achievement unlocked!
-[SSR-Grade Artisan] achievement unlocked!
-You’ve created an SSR+ Grade item!
-Registered in the Hall of Fame!
[Orichalcum Greatsword]
-Attack Power: 10,500~12,500
-Grade: SSR+
-Durability: 55,000 / 55,000
<>
* Special Attribute [Power of Orichalcum – Mana Resonance: The blade will never break. The wearer’s highest stat increases by 15%.]
* Special Attribute [Extreme Force: Attack power increases by 500.]
* Special Attribute [Spell Enchantment – Arcshard Lv2: Attack power increases by 500.]
* Special Attribute [Life Drain: Absorb 12% of damage dealt as life force!]
* Special Skill [Berserk: For 10 seconds, attack speed dramatically increases!]
Orichalcum Greatsword.
A colossal blade befitting a berserker.
“SSR+.”
A new tier, finally breached after lingering so long in SR+.