The Return of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 8

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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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Transcendent Blacksmith’s Return — Episode 8
Shin Tae-ho’s eyes narrowed.
The reason he’d climbed all the way to the top of the Tutorial Tower, though he didn’t have to.
Part of it was his own ambition, but the main reason was to obtain a combat-related Class before ascending the tower.
Yet despite being the first to clear the Tutorial, he’d received the same Blacksmith Class as before?
But when he examined the Class name more carefully, he noticed something that had escaped his attention a moment ago.
‘Wait. A blacksmith is a blacksmith, but what’s a war blacksmith?’
The Class Shin Tae-ho had received before was Smith.
Literally, a being who hammered metal to craft items.
But what he’d received now was War Smith—the word “war” added as a modifier in front.
Since a single word could completely change a Class’s value, this difference was far too significant to brush aside.
‘Could it be… a Special Class?’
A Special Class.
By definition, far rarer than ordinary Classes, with special acquisition conditions.
Special Classes concealed hidden skills and latent abilities befitting their names.
Feeling a glimmer of hope, Shin Tae-ho pulled up the Class details.
[War Smith]
Origin: A Class originating from Vulkastus, the God of All Blacksmiths, and his Champion.
Only a single being—the greatest military commander and master craftsman of that era—could inherit this honored Class.
The War Smith, who could forge, repair, and destroy weapons in the heat of battle, was the master of war and the key to victory.
Rarity: Unique
“The rarity is Unique?”
Shin Tae-ho’s eyes widened as he read the origin text.
He’d sensed something extraordinary in the notion that only a master of both combat and craftsmanship could possess it.
But he’d never imagined the rarity would be Unique Grade—a rank only one being in a given era could hold.
‘Unique Grade is among the highest tiers even in Special Classes. And War Smith is one of them?’
Shin Tae-ho’s heart hammered against his ribs like it was being struck by a forge hammer.
The reason Shin Tae-ho had tried to obtain a Class other than Blacksmith.
It was because ascending the tower required a combat-capable Class as an absolute necessity.
Anything else meant discarding a skill he’d mastered and honed—a loss he had to accept.
But now he could maintain the Blacksmith Class he’d perfected and gain combat ability to boot?
‘I’d secretly hoped for a Knight Class, but this isn’t even in the same league.’
A Unique Class, belonging to the high-end tier even among Special Classes.
It felt so unreal that he wondered if this was truly happening.
Elation surging through him, a message window appeared before Shin Tae-ho.
[Class assignment is complete.]
[You may now use the information window and inventory functions.]
[Weapons and armor used in the Tutorial have been transferred to your inventory for storage.]
“Done.”
Having read the message, Shin Tae-ho immediately opened his inventory.
Inside were the armor and hammer he’d crafted in the Tutorial, preserved intact.
‘Back then, without a Class, I couldn’t even view item information.’
Shin Tae-ho retrieved the armor and hammer from his inventory.
The equipment he’d poured six months of effort into creating now manifested before him in the real world, beyond the Tutorial.
Shin Tae-ho grasped the hammer.
As he focused on it, the hammer revealed its item information.
[Transcendent Hammer]
—Rank: Elite Grade
—Description: A hammer crafted in the Tutorial from Common Grade item components.
Through the maker’s skill and relentless hammering, it transcended the limits of its rank.
Months of refinement and tempering brought dramatic increases to durability and attack power.
—Unique Effects: ⌜Self-Repair (LV.2)⌟, ⌜Durability Enhancement (LV.3)⌟, ⌜Lightweight (LV.2)⌟, ⌜Defense Penetration (LV.2)⌟
—Unique Ability: ⌜Destructive Strike⌟
“What is this?”
Shin Tae-ho was rarely taken aback.
Item rank was measured by various factors: materials, crafting skill, the maker’s intent.
But with Common Grade materials, the best one could achieve was Rare Grade.
Though Shin Tae-ho didn’t know it, Arimier had judged that the ceiling for Common Grade materials was Advanced Grade.
Yet this was Elite Grade.
It was only one rank below the Hero Grade that came as a Tutorial completion reward.
‘So that’s why Tutorial monsters other than knight armor can’t survive three hits. Better grade drops than expected.’
Now he understood why the Tutorial monsters had proven so fragile.
After reviewing the item information, Shin Tae-ho approached the armor.
The armor, forged from an assortment of materials, bore a patchwork coloration that created an oddly compelling appearance.
As he studied it closely, the armor’s item description surfaced in his mind, just as before.
[Transcendent Armor]
—Grade: Elite Grade
—Description: Full-body armor crafted from Common Grade materials in the Tutorial.
Through the craftsman’s skill and relentless hammer strikes, it transcended its material limitations.
Tempered for ages in specialized Cooling Water, granting it exceptional flexibility and defensive power.
—Unique Effects: ⌜Elasticity (LV.2)⌟, ⌜Physical Defense (LV.3)⌟, ⌜Ability Defense (LV.3)⌟, ⌜Lightweight (LV.3)⌟
—Unique Ability: ⌜Steel Pulse⌟
Shin Tae-ho nodded in approval.
The armor matched the Transcendent Hammer in grade—both Elite Grade.
Its unique effects and abilities were equally balanced and complementary.
‘With this, I have everything I need to ascend the tower.’
Shin Tae-ho placed the hammer and armor into his inventory.
Equipment mattered, but he had something more urgent to attend to now that he’d obtained his Class.
‘I need to establish my Qi Circuit.’
A Qi Circuit.
By its very name, it was an essential ability for wielding Qi—the transcendent energy that could only be obtained from the tower.
And Qi was the fundamental source of power for all Awakeners.
A mage’s Mana, a warrior’s Aura, a priest’s Holy Power—all stemmed ultimately from this Qi.
‘To establish a Qi Circuit, I’d normally have to enter the tower.’
Since Qi could only be obtained from the tower, most Awakeners followed the standard path: obtain a Class, then enter the tower to establish their circuit.
But instead of heading to the tower, Shin Tae-ho withdrew an item from his inventory.
‘But I don’t need to do that.’
What he drew forth was a Core.
Not just any Core—a Transcendent Grade Core, brimming with Arimier’s Qi.
Shin Tae-ho lifted the Core to his hands and focused his consciousness upon it.
With his Class now obtained, he could sense Arimier’s Qi in a way that had been impossible before.
Experiencing Arimier’s Qi in its entirety for the first time, Shin Tae-ho caught his breath.
‘So this is what a Manager truly possesses. It’s far more vast than I imagined.’
The Qi within the Core was a sun.
No exaggeration—its condensed power and sheer magnitude were such that calling it a sun would be entirely apt.
Shin Tae-ho searched his memory for a comparable force.
‘Arcanus. That dragon lord’s breath is perhaps the only thing I can use as a point of comparison.’
Qi of an absolutely staggering magnitude.
If he could harness even a fraction of this power, the explosion alone would rival a nuclear bomb.
Cold sweat streamed down Shin Tae-ho’s brow.
Yet contrary to the nervousness, a smile spread wider across his face than ever before.
‘If I establish my Qi Circuit with this….’
The size and strength of a Qi Circuit depended greatly on what kind of Qi one received when first creating it.
In other words, establishing a Qi Circuit was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
But channeling such immense Qi into his body would demand equally immense suffering—that much was certain.
His deliberation was deep, but brief.
‘This is my one chance, my only chance. I can’t turn away from something like this.’
Shin Tae-ho crossed his legs and seated himself.
Grasping the Core in both hands, he rested it on his lap and focused all his consciousness on Arimier’s Qi.
At first, nothing happened.
But as time passed, subtle changes began to occur.
Whoooosh—
The Qi contained within the Core began to flow outward, answering Shin Tae-ho’s will.
The movement was agonizingly slow, but Shin Tae-ho did not rush.
Like a seeker of enlightenment pursuing their discipline, like a blacksmith striking glowing iron without haste.
Shin Tae-ho repeated endless attempts and failures to guide the Qi.
How long had it been?
Lost in concentration so complete he lost all sense of time, pushing forward with relentless effort.
Crack-snap-crackle!
“…!!!”
At last, Arimier’s Qi pierced through the Core and burrowed into Shin Tae-ho’s palm.
Lightning descended, and the agony of burning alive made Shin Tae-ho clench his teeth hard.
‘I can’t cry out! The Qi will scatter! I have to endure until it’s finished!’
Blood trickled from his lips.
He’d bitten his tongue to bear the pain that threatened to steal his consciousness at any moment.
Even so, Arimier’s Qi, molten as lava, continued to pour into his body.
‘Hold on. I can hold on.’
Shin Tae-ho repeated the words like an incantation, brainwashing himself.
Beneath the overwhelming pain, his mind screamed at him to stop immediately.
But Shin Tae-ho, gripping his consciousness with transcendent willpower, continued to accept the Qi flowing inward.
Yet contrary to his will, the body did not strengthen through sheer determination alone.
His body, unable to withstand Arimier’s Qi, began to crumble gradually.
Unaware of this fact, Shin Tae-ho was simply enduring the pain through force of mind when—
For some reason, his collapsing body began to repair itself.
‘What is this? The pain is lessening. No, rather, strength is returning to my body. Has my body adapted to the pain?’
As the agony eased, Shin Tae-ho grew puzzled.
The thought held truth, but the cause differed from his guess.
Whoosh—
The reason Shin Tae-ho’s body was recovering rather than collapsing.
It was thanks to the Cooling Water from the Core he had drunk in place of meals throughout his time in the Tutorial.
The Cooling Water he’d consumed over six months had accumulated in his body as it digested.
Consequently, his body had grown exceptionally resistant to the heat generated by Qi.
And as a result.
Shin Tae-ho was accepting Arimier’s Qi not merely through his Qi Circuit, but through his entire body.
Of course, Shin Tae-ho neither knew nor suspected this fact.
Pop-pop-pop, crack-crack!
Brrrrrrip—!
As the Qi seeped in, his bones realigned anew, and his muscles cycled through damage and regeneration.
The blood flowing through his body purified, and the vital circuits of his brain strengthened dramatically.
His body felt weightless, and his thoughts expanded as though the universe bloomed within his mind.
[Qi Circuit has been generated.]
At the message window that appeared before his eyes, Shin Tae-ho, who had been lost in delirium, suddenly snapped awake.
Behind the first message, another appeared in rapid succession.
[You have accepted Qi that vastly exceeds all limits.]
[Your body has evolved by accepting powerful Qi.]
[You have obtained the achievement ‘Complete Metamorphosis’!]
[You have acquired Qi Circuit (Lv.7).]
“Complete Metamorphosis? That Complete Metamorphosis that even a handful of Warrior Class Awakeners have failed to achieve? And Qi Circuit at level 7?”
Shin Tae-ho’s eyes widened to the size of lanterns as he read the messages.
To be continued ▶
The Transcendent Blacksmith’s Return
Author
Sealing Unlocked
Publisher
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Publisher House
Grae Publishing
Contact Email
[email protected]
Publication Date
May 26, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260227067
※ This e-book is protected by copyright law, and unauthorized reproduction or copying is prohibited. Violations may result in criminal and civil legal liability.
※ Pentagram is awaiting your precious manuscripts.

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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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