Chapter 95 : The Bankrupt Blacksmith
Chapter 95: The Bankrupt Blacksmith
The Agamemnon Mountain Range was a full two-day carriage ride away.
Because of that, Yohan took only a few members with him and headed to the marketplace to purchase supplies for the journey.
“Kuhahaha! It feels so breezy down there that I could almost fly!”
Heavy makeup that made anyone flinch just by looking at it.
Lips caked in bright red lipstick.
Rodbrock fluttered his skirt while carrying a flower-patterned basket.
“I have this strange feeling like I'm about to fall to the dark side... It's just my imagination, right?”
Beside him stood Scarlet, sporting a fake mustache.
It was exactly the kind of mustache that looked like someone had failed art school and enlisted in the German army.
“Hehe. A perfect item for a being of the Abyss such as myself.”
“Hoee! Puppy-walking preparations are complete!”
Chobok wore a tiny bell and leash.
The Sea Otter Trio, dressed in trench coats, held the leash.
Finally...
Yohan himself wore the complete nobleman's disguise—a top hat, a monocle, and an elegant cane.
Hmm.
They had disguised themselves just in case...
It should be fine, right?
Unless someone had exceptionally sharp eyes, there was no way they'd recognize them.
“Chobok and the Sea Otter Squad, you two secure food supplies. Rodbrock and Lagerseh, arrange a carriage. Scarlet, you're in charge of potions, elixirs, and medicinal herbs.”
Seo Changhee and Evelyn had gone to meet a broker who would prepare the paperwork needed to enter the Gate.
A rare opportunity to enjoy some time alone.
Yohan headed toward a workshop located in the center of the city.
Originally, Baron Helion had promised to introduce him to a skilled blacksmith.
But...
The last wishes of a nobleman who had lost his head had naturally disappeared with him.
He had no choice but to find one himself.
Let's see.
If he remembered correctly...
That guy should be somewhere around here.
Yohan carefully scanned the surroundings with hawk-like eyes.
Clang! Clang!
“Hup!”
“Hngh!”
Countless craftsmen battled blazing furnaces while drenched in sweat.
Then—
Yohan's gaze stopped.
Unlike the other noisy workshops filled with glowing anvils and bustling smiths...
One workshop was plastered with bright red seizure notices.
['Half-Price Sale!' 'Give Us One More Chance!' 'You Never Know Yet!'] were written across the entrance.
Beneath them...
Numerous reviews had been posted.
I'd have done a better job with my feet.
The blacksmith hid his hammer. Looks like he hid his conscience too.
He must have an odd number of fingers. If you entrust your equipment to him, don't expect to get it back in one piece.
“Is anyone here?”
Yohan pushed open the half-broken door and stepped inside.
“One overdue bill... Two overdue bills... Hahaha. It's over. There's really no way out now... Huh? A customer! Welcome!”
Scattering a mountain of overdue notices and debt collection letters, an incredibly cute-looking boy came running out.
Pointed ears poked through both sides of his hair.
Cat whiskers adorned his cheeks.
A fluffy tail swayed behind him.
He was one of the Beastfolk who lived alongside humans within the Hestia Empire.
The Eye of the Prophet examined the boy.
[Faden Rigger]
Class: Blacksmith
Star Rank: 1st Moon (月), 1st Star (星)
Unique Ability: Scream of Metal
Strength: 15 Agility: 7 Mana: 8
Physical Defense: 25
Magic Defense: 20
Traits: [Steel's Protection] [Appraisal] [Enchant]
'Found him.'
The status window confirmed it.
“I'd like to commission some work. Is that possible?”
“Of course. I mean—Ahem! I'm actually rather busy, so I don't just accept any request.”
Looking at him...
He seemed destined to have loan sharks harvest his organs by tomorrow.
Was this what they called a craftsman's pride?
“I'll pay generously.”
Yohan casually placed three gold coins—borrowed from Scarlet—onto the table.
Clink!
The scent of glorious capitalism instantly turned Faden's eyes golden.
“W-What would you like done? I'll begin immediately!”
“I'd like to embed a rune into this staff. Ah, and the rune hasn't been identified yet, so I'd also appreciate an appraisal.”
The rune he had obtained after defeating Gluttony.
Its unique mana signature had already revealed that it was a magic-type rune.
But determining its exact number required either the Appraisal trait or a specialized item.
'The Empire excels in this field, so I deliberately saved it until now.'
At last...
It was time to see the reward.
Tap.
Yohan placed both the rune and the staff onto the table.
“You're... an incredible customer.”
Faden swallowed nervously.
Naturally.
The world already possessed the art of Enchantment, which imbued weapons with special powers.
However...
Runes that had appeared after the Apocalypse began were so unimaginably rare that most blacksmiths never even got to see one.
Even throughout the entire Empire...
Only a few dozen had ever been obtained.
“I-I'll begin with the appraisal.”
Faden cautiously placed a trembling hand upon the rune.
Hummmm.
Brilliant light burst forth.
Now then...
What would it be?
Please...
Let it be below the 700 series.
Most runes found early on belonged somewhere in the 900s.
But this one had dropped from one of the Seven Sin Bell.
It couldn't possibly be ordinary.
There was every reason to hope.
[Appraisal Complete!]
[You have obtained No. 598 'Silence'!]
[No. 598 'Silence']
Magic Attack +2.5%
Mana Distortion +2%
Holy...
Yohan pinched his thigh while holding his breath.
Even calling it a jackpot wasn't enough.
A rune perfectly suited for mages had appeared.
One that would remain useful well into the middle stages of the game.
Especially Mana Distortion.
It twisted the properties of spells, making them significantly harder for opponents to counter.
“W-Wow! Wooooow!”
Faden was equally stunned.
Among the few dozen runes officially announced by the Empire...
The lowest-numbered one had been No. 855.
Yet now...
A rune in the 500s—something incomparably rarer—had appeared before his eyes.
“I'll absolutely create the perfect socket for this rune!”
Taking out his specialized hammer, Faden steadied his breathing.
A heavy, ink-black forging tool.
Yeah.
That was the catastrophe responsible for destroying the dreams and hopes of countless customers.
“Oh, that reminds me. I noticed one of the reviews outside said they'd have done a better job using their feet. Have you seen it?”
“……!!?”
Faden's hands froze.
“Haha... W-Well... It's impossible to satisfy every customer. Besides... I wasn't feeling very well that day.”
“Then why don't you try exactly what they suggested?”
“...Excuse me?”
“Instead of using your hands and hammer, reinforce your legs with your trait and forge using your feet.”
The Beastfolk race naturally specialized in using their legs.
Therefore...
If he transformed his legs into steel through Steel's Protection and used his own body as a hammer...
Faden's craftsmanship would undergo a complete transformation.
“If you're here to make fun of me, then please leave. I refuse your commission.”
Thunk!
Faden set the hammer down.
The enthusiasm that had burned so brightly moments ago vanished instantly.
So he really did have a craftsman's pride.
The moment someone challenged it...
Neither debt nor money mattered anymore.
“Do you know why your Unique Ability, Scream of Metal, has never activated no matter how much hammering you've done?”
“H-How do you know about that...?”
How did he know?
Because he'd seen it countless times across countless runs.
“Just trust me one last time. What if... I end up becoming your greatest benefactor?”
Clang.
Yohan tossed a sword lying in the workshop onto the floor.
“……”
After hesitating for a moment...
Faden slowly approached it.
Money no longer mattered.
There was only one thing he wanted to know.
What exactly was his Unique Ability?
Why did it even exist?
Hummmm.
His legs strengthened through Steel's Protection.
BOOM!
He stomped on the sword.
“Harder! Put your emotions into it!”
“AAAAAAAH!”
BOOM! BOOM! Crunch!
He stomped.
Again and again.
Grinding it mercilessly beneath his feet.
If another blacksmith had witnessed the scene...
They would've fainted.
It completely shattered the common belief that equipment should always be treated with care.
Then—
[Unique Ability 'Scream of Metal' has activated!]
“Kyaah!”
A strangely suggestive moan echoed throughout the workshop.
It hadn't come from a third person.
It had come...
From the sword being trampled beneath his feet.
The Unique Ability that had remained silent despite all his previous efforts had finally responded.
At the same time—
[Enchantment Successful!]
[A new attribute has been bestowed upon the sword!]
“I-I succeeded... on my very first try?”
Faden muttered in disbelief.
Until now...
Even in peak condition, his Enchantment success rate had barely reached ten percent.
Only after destroying nine weapons would he barely manage to succeed once.
“I told you already.
Just trust me.”
Faden Rigger.
This was the moment the future craftsman known throughout the world as the Iron Masochist awakened.
“Thank you. Thank you so much! I have no idea how I could ever repay this kindness....”
“Just complete this commission... and every commission I give you from now on.”
“Ah! You mean the staff and rune? Of course! But... I'll need time to get used to my ability. How much time were you planning to give me?”
A chipped sword and an A-Rank staff were fundamentally different.
Furthermore...
He had only just awakened his Unique Ability.
He needed time before he could use it again.
“Well... let's see how much time we have left.
Three...”
“Three days?”
“Two, one...”
“Huh?”
“Ding! Time's up. We should be meeting up with the others now.”
“So... you'll leave the staff here and come back later?”
“Haha. What are you talking about?”
Naturally...
Travel expenses were included.
Before Faden realized it...
Yohan had already grabbed the back of his neck.
Cat-type Beastfolk couldn't move when held like this.
“W-Where are we going?”
“The Agamemnon Mountain Range.”
“What the hell?! That's the place in complete chaos because of the Gate! It's under a Level-One Evacuation Order! I'm absolutely not going somewhere with a hundred percent chance of dying!”
Faden wildly flailed all four limbs.
“You know, people usually assume everyone dies inside Gates.
But contrary to popular belief...
The survival rate is surprisingly high.”
“H-How high?”
“Around three percent.”
“AAAAAH! That's not high at all! That's ridiculously low! Put me down! I only just discovered my talent! I don't want to die!”
“Well...
People will remember the masterpiece you left behind.
Let's just call that good enough.”
After all...
True masterpieces always became more valuable after their creators died.
The carriage journey was exhausting.
But thanks to pushing themselves, they managed to arrive at the mountain range on schedule.
“Hngh... I-I can't do it anymore. I can't even move a finger... no, a toe... today!”
Faden collapsed inside the carriage.
He had managed to bore roughly half of the socket needed for the Elemental Spear.
But that had been his absolute limit.
Yohan had hoped to finish it before entering the dungeon.
It couldn't be helped.
He would simply have to bring Faden inside as well.
“Lagerseh. Can you identify guild emblems and banners?”
In the distance...
A large gathering of people could be seen.
“They look like the Imperial Knights. There's a White Rose banner. Quite a few Hunters too. Hmm... that emblem with three black water droplets... wasn't that from Japan?”
With her excellent eyesight, Lagerseh relayed the overall situation.
The White Rose banner meant the White Rose Knights.
The three black droplets belonged to Horobi, one of Japan's three major guilds.
Surely...
Ito Ryuhei hadn't come personally, had he?
That lunatic murderer was someone Yohan would rather avoid.
Clicking his tongue, he continued listening to Lagerseh's report.
Before long...
They arrived at the clearing where the expedition forces had assembled.
“I've registered us as members of Korea's Red Pine Guild. No one will probably question the details, but just in case, memorize the Guild Master's name and the basic information.”
Seo Changhee distributed the forged documents.
Red Pine.
One of Korea's mid-sized guilds.
Judging from how perfect the official seal and signature looked...
He must have paid quite a fortune for them.
Just then—
“Everyone, attention! I am Sir Robert of the Imperial Central Army!”
A man clad in magnificent armor raised his voice.
The Imperial Central Army itself had mobilized.
That alone proved how dangerous this Gate truly was.
There were roughly three hundred people present.
Two hundred belonged to the Empire.
Around one hundred were outside Hunters.
In addition...
Separate transport and supply units accompanied them.
An enormous force had been assembled.
“According to reports from the Rangers who entered first, the ecosystem inside is extremely harsh. However, everyone gathered here represents the finest of the finest. No matter what obstacles stand before us, I believe we will overcome them.”
As Robert finished speaking—
“Advance!”
“The Knights, this way! Hunters, follow the leaders of your assigned assault teams!”
The large-scale Gate raid had officially begun.