Chapter 43
The highest-grade blueprint I’d seen up to this point was only Grade C.
The ‘Sturdy Steel Hammer’ I gifted to the dwarves.
Even then, it was a bit too advanced for Bone Six, a blacksmith with only Intermediate Level 2 skills.
“Here! Take this! It’s just a copy, I’ve got the original, so don’t feel pressured!”
“Take this one too! It’s just sitting at home collecting dust!”
But today…
I was about to receive a flood of blueprints.
All of them Grade B or higher.
‘Holy crap…’
There was a wide variety.
All sorts of mystical tools and weapons.
There was even a blueprint for an elf’s bow.
‘How much would this all be worth if I sold it?’
Of course, I wasn’t stupid enough to sell these priceless assets.
But still…
Could you even put a price on this kind of value?
“One moment. Please hand them to me one at a time. I’ll check each one carefully.”
I frantically gathered the blueprints.
“I’ll craft one you like most, one by one. Just leave it here. Thank you!”
It felt like I was stuffing gold bars into a sack beneath a goose that laid golden eggs.
The dwarves were simple and passionate.
All I did was make a weapon, and they handed over priceless goods without batting an eye.
Some time passed.
“Huh? Hey! Isn’t that Tonir?”
“Tonir?”
Some of the dwarves turned and began whispering.
“What’s Tonir doing here?”
“Whoa, is Tonir here to hand over a blueprint too?”
I turned to look.
Who’s Tonir?
“Man, if it’s Tonir, that’s one of the most prestigious blacksmithing families! Back in the day, all the top-tier earth warriors used weapons from the Tonir family!”
“Of course! Tonir’s weapons were famous. Not many of them remain, but even now, they still shine after all these years.”
“Damn, if we could recreate even one of those…”
“We might actually be able to wipe those damn elves off the face of the earth!”
Hope began to shine in the dwarves’ eyes.
That small dwarf must’ve come from one hell of a lineage.
Tonir walked up to me and spoke.
“You.”
He held out a blueprint.
It was just a piece of paper.
But for some reason, it looked far more radiant than any of the others I’d received.
“Do you think you have the skill to make this?”
“……”
Gulp!
I swallowed hard and took the blueprint.
[Item: Thunder Hammer of Titan]
[Grade: A]
[Type: Blueprint]
[Description: A schematic for crafting the ‘Thunder Hammer of Titan.’]
[Effect 1: Enables crafting of ‘Thunder Hammer of Titan.’]
[Effect 2: Requires 100 Iron Ingots, 20 Silver Ingots, 2 Mithril Ingots, 30 Wood Shards.]
[Effect 3: Extremely powerful due to complex production process.]
‘…What the hell.’
I was stunned.
An A-grade blueprint.
Even on Earth, the value of an A-grade blueprint was astronomical.
It meant you could mass-produce incredibly expensive A-grade items.
‘S-grade is out of the question.’
S-grade weapons are basically one-of-a-kind.
I’ve never even heard of a blueprint for one.
‘And those materials…’
That list wasn’t even the full cost.
If I failed, I’d lose the materials, which meant I’d need even more.
‘And Mithril Ingots?’
Bone Six couldn’t smelt mithril yet.
In fact, could he even create an A-grade weapon with only Level 2 Intermediate Crafting?
Creak!
Bone Six approached, holding a hammer.
His eye sockets were glowing with light.
He wanted to craft it.
[Inspecting blueprint: ‘Thunder Hammer of Titan.’]
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
[This is a high-difficulty blueprint relative to your skill level.]
[High chance of failure.]
“Ah…”
I stared at the message in a daze.
Was an A-grade blueprint still out of reach?
Clang! Clang! Clang!
But Bone Six shook his head confidently.
He raised the hammer with conviction.
“You want to try?”
Nod, nod.
He nodded proudly.
Tsk, I smacked my lips.
‘Well…’
A high chance of failure…
Also means there’s still a chance of success, right?
And if it does succeed, Bone Six’s proficiency would probably skyrocket.
“The issue is mithril…”
“Don’t worry about that.”
As I was rubbing my chin in thought, Tonir stepped forward.
“Our family has some spare mithril in storage. If you’re willing to give it a try, we’ll supply everything you need.”
“Really?”
“Yes. That weapon is that important to us.”
“……”
Damn.
They’re even supplying the materials?
Then there’s no downside for me, is there?
“Alright then. Let’s do it.”
I agreed without hesitation.
—
“Hoho, so you’re challenging the Thunder Hammer, are you?”
“Give it your best.”
“You’re the hope of our Rock Tribe.”
Word of my attempt spread throughout Titan.
The dwarves stopped bringing requests for a while and watched from a distance, cheering me on.
Their eyes sparkled with hope.
“……”
Clang! Clang!
Bone Six pounded the anvil with force.
[Completion: 30%]
Clang! Clang!
[Completion: 35%]
[Crafting failed.]
[Materials consumed.]
“Damn it.”
Just like I expected, the crafting process wasn’t easy.
Even Bone Six, who seemed confident at first, tilted his head.
His body wasn’t keeping up with his intent.
Still, Bone Six gave it his all.
Crafting high-grade weapons—
It required immense time and effort.
Even the slightest hesitation in hammering and—
[A crack has formed.]
[Crafting failed.]
[Materials consumed.]
Everything vanished.
“Bone Six.”
I stayed by his side.
I didn’t leave it all to him—I did my best to endure it with him.
“Don’t give up. I’ve lived long enough to know—if you work for it, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
Yeah.
Had I really “worked” for blacksmithing so far?
Just using skills to make things instantly—was that real effort?
Not system-based proficiency, but true mastery.
The kind learned through hundreds or thousands of repetitions.
Maybe that’s what Bone Six really needed.
Clang! Clang!
The clear ringing of metal echoed through the mine.
I sat down next to him, legs crossed.
‘Supreme Azure Mind Method.’
I calmed my mind, focused my energy, and slipped into deep thought.
Clang! Clang!
Bone Six’s hammering slowed to match my rhythm.
We were in sync now.
‘How should I strike it?’
‘How do I maintain balance while applying consistent force?’
Bone Six’s thoughts flowed into my head.
And through that, I could feel the pride of a blacksmith in his class.
Clang! Clang! Claaang!
In that moment—
His hammering grew more refined and fluid.
‘Thunder… The designer must’ve wanted to imbue this weapon with the speed of lightning.’
‘To instill fear through booming thunderclaps.’
Lightning symbolizes terror.
A divine hammer that strikes unpredictably from the sky—fast and devastating.
Clang! Clang!
My imagery began to flow into Bone Six’s strikes.
The energy of the ‘Supreme Azure Mind Method’ surged like thunder.
“Whoa?”
“Good heavens!”
“L-Look! Look over there! The hammer’s sparking with lightning!”
The dwarves watching from afar began to murmur.
They were shocked by something they’d never seen before.
“I’ve heard stories! Our ancestors said the same thing happened during forging!”
“Yeah! They said when you put your soul into the hammer, that’s what happens!”
“Your soul?”
“Exactly! That’s what made someone a master blacksmith—one who could forge with their soul!”
One by one, the dwarves gathered to watch Bone Six forge.
The lost legacy of the Rock Tribe.
Their faces were filled with awe.
“……”
I trembled.
‘Bone Six…’
What exactly ‘are’ you?
How can you infuse a hammer with that kind of soul using just an Intermediate Crafting skill?
And it’s not even his own thoughts—just the lingering traces of a soul in a dead body.
[Completion: 2%]
Claaang! Claaang!
‘Whew.’
I sighed internally.
These strikes were far more powerful and taxing than anything before.
But the completion barely moved.
Just what kind of incredible weapon was being born?
Clang! Clang!
One hour passed. Then two.
Eventually, an entire day.
[Completion: 21%]
“……”
Twenty-four hours, and only 21% completed.
But there was one small comfort.
There were no more failure messages.
Clang! Clang!
Bone Six didn’t stop.
And I kept channeling the ‘Supreme Azure Mind Method’ without rest.
At some point, I instinctively summoned the old man too.
But after observing my focused state, he simply nodded and left.
Clang! Claaang!
By now, the whole city of Titan was buzzing with rumors.
“He’s a real blacksmith…”
“That guy’s the real deal!”
“Ahh, I can feel the passion of a master craftsman stabbing into my heart!”
I was in a trance.
The dwarves’ praises didn’t even register anymore.
In the end, blacksmithing was also a form of channeling energy.
Bone Six’s hammering surged like a storm.
I infused my own energy into it.
His strikes grew even smoother.
They danced.
Indeed, the Legacy of the Ten Thousand Arts had never been wrong.
Unlike the old man, my version of the legacy now contained the soul of a blacksmith.
—
“Hmm.”
A ghost stood behind Joo Donghoon, smiling proudly.
Wrinkled face, dressed in a white robe.
The supreme being of this world—a master of the Legacy of the Ten Thousand Arts.
The old man thought:
‘Maybe this is for the best.’
‘Watching that hammering has brought him even closer to “energy.”’
‘He’s already reached a high level in the Supreme Azure Mind Method.’
He was satisfied.
At first, he disliked the kid’s interest in side disciplines.
But not anymore.
‘Hoho, I underestimated the true potential of the Legacy of the Ten Thousand Arts.’
A technique he himself had created—
But had never once managed to use properly.
A secret art that could turn a useless fool into a chosen genius!
Indeed, its power was astonishing.
Joo Donghoon—
He was learning blacksmithing for the first time in his life.
With no teacher.
Watching, observing, understanding—then evolving it into his own.
Creating a technique unique to himself.
Wasn’t that the path of a true genius?
Clang! Clang!
Bone Six may have been the one hammering.
The dwarves may have been cheering for him.
‘But.’
The old man knew.
That hammering wasn’t being done by Bone Six alone.
Joo Donghoon’s vision was infused into Bone Six’s expert strikes.
As the form of the hammer slowly revealed itself—
It began to radiate a strength rivaling the weapon he once wielded.
‘Amazing kid. Terrifying kid.’
Yes.
This time, even he had to admit it.
Even if he normally slacked off, this much had to be acknowledged.
And—
‘Now you’re finally worthy of being called my disciple.’ (T/N: Goosebumps!!!)
The old man decided to postpone further training for now.
Because Joo Donghoon—
Was at a point where self-taught knowledge held more value than anything handed to him.
“……”
Watching his disciple in satisfaction,
The old man finally vanished an hour later—
For the first time,
With pride in his heart.