Chapter 44
“Huff… huff…”
My breathing was ragged.
Even with everything I’d experienced up to now—
This moment made me want to just collapse and rest.
I wanted to lie down.
[Completion: 100%]
Tremble.
My whole body was shaking.
Every muscle joint ached.
How long had it been since I started feeling ‘energy’ with Bone Six and began hammering?
It must’ve been over seven days at least.
“He actually… pulled an all-nighter!”
“He worked nonstop for a week… without sleep…”
The surrounding dwarves looked at me with disbelief in their eyes.
“I have to admit it! Yeah, ‘this’ is what a blacksmith’s soul used to be!”
“Even if this sort of thing was common back in our ancestors’ time… the passion is incredible.”
Though they were gasping in awe,
They looked at me like I was some mythical creature.
Thud.
Bone Six set down the hammer.
As if drained of all his energy, he slumped against the wall.
“You did well, buddy.”
My voice trembled too.
It was only natural.
The ‘creation’ we’d poured our entire souls into for a week now gleamed before me with an ethereal glow.
‘This is… the Thunder Hammer of Titan.’
I gently grasped the handle of the hammer.
And then a message only I could see filled the air.
[Congratulations!]
[A ‘soul’ has been imbued into the weapon.]
[Weapon grade has been upgraded!]
[You have acquired ‘Thunder Hammer of Titan’ (Grade S).]
“…?”
Wait, what?
I’m not seeing things, right?
Still holding the hammer, my body froze.
I rubbed my eyes with the other hand.
‘S Grade?’
Even after checking again—it was real.
The weapon I had crafted from an A-grade blueprint was now an S-grade item.
[Item: Exceptional Thunder Hammer of Titan]
[Grade: S]
[Type: Hammer]
[Description: A hammer forged with the power of thunder in steel and mithril. Though made with humble skill, the passion infused into it radiates magnificence.]
[Effect 1: Strength +50.]
[Effect 2: Attack speed +200%.]
[Effect 3: Deals 100% more damage to the race ‘Elf.’]
[Effect 4: Usable only by the race ‘Dwarf.’]
[Effect 5: Emits thunderclaps upon striking.]
“Aah…!”
I couldn’t shut my mouth.
First of all, the stats were insane.
The performance was nearly on par with Bone Five’s ‘Fire Dragon’s Staff.’
Sure, there was the limitation that only dwarves could use it—but that didn’t matter.
I was planning to give it to a dwarf anyway.
‘Something like this…’
I actually created it with my own hands?
The thrill churning in my chest washed away all the fatigue from my body.
[‘Bone Six’s’ state is being adjusted.]
[Proficiency +5.]
[Proficiency +4.]
[Skill ‘Intermediate Item Crafting’ (Lv.2) leveled up.]
[Proficiency +11.]
……
[Proficiency +8.]
[Skill ‘Intermediate Item Crafting’ (Lv.3) leveled up.]
[Proficiency +7.]
[All stats +2!]
Just from creating one weapon, I had gained an immense amount of proficiency.
The ‘Intermediate Item Crafting’ skill leveled up to 4, and I gained several stat increases as well.
“……”
It was a massive achievement.
But it wasn’t just about the skill levels.
‘Bone Six just made an S-grade item with only Intermediate Level 2.’
That meant…
What would happen if he gained more proficiency?
If his skill level increased—if he reached Advanced, or even Master level?
What if he hit Lv.Max?
“……”
I was speechless.
It might be possible to create something even better than S-grade.
Something like SS-grade, which hadn’t appeared even in the last ten years of history—or maybe an even higher tier.
‘Still… I doubt I could ever make this again.’
That’s the nature of immersion.
You don’t get absorbed because you want to—it just happens.
It requires a pure heart, devoid of greed or stray thoughts.
Only the soul itself.
This past week—
I had poured everything into it.
‘Still.’
I planned to keep participating in weapon crafting from now on.
At least giving it a try.
“…You.”
Tonir approached and grabbed my hand.
“Thank you. I never thought I’d see a hammer like our family’s heirloom again. This Thunder Hammer you made—it’ll be wielded by a strong dwarf. It’ll make its presence known on the frontlines, roaring with thunder. And each time it does—we’ll think of you. You are truly… the Rock Tribe’s greatest benefactor.”
[The Rock Tribe feels gratitude toward you.]
[Affinity has changed.]
[Rock Tribe: 75]
[Forest Tribe: 25]
‘Hmm.’
Affinity changed again.
Rock Tribe went up by 5, but the elves’ affinity dropped by 5.
Why did those elf bastards lose favor ‘again’?
‘This…’
Felt ominous.
There seemed to be some kind of balancing mechanic at play between the two factions.
Like their affinity values couldn’t exceed a total of 100.
Meaning, you couldn’t max out both factions at the same time?
‘Hmm.’
That was going to be a problem.
The final quest of this dungeon was to resolve the conflict between both races.
Which, logically, meant I needed to raise both factions’ affinity.
‘It’s about time I moved on.’
As fun as the production class was—
I couldn’t just stay here forever.
Let’s be honest: this place was still part of a dungeon.
I had to clear it and get out.
As my excitement began to subside—
“Summons! A summons has been issued!”
A voice rang out.
A new dwarf had arrived from the village.
“Chairman Volcanus has issued a summons! Those summoned are the representatives from each village, Dagnard—and you!”
The dwarf pointed directly at me.
“Me?”
“Yes, you! By tomorrow, at high noon! Report to Titan’s central conference hall!”
“……”
Chairman Volcanus wanted to see me?
I could already tell—
The real story was about to begin.
“Understood. I’ll go.”
I nodded calmly.
—
“You…”
Dagnard blinked beside me.
“Do you even realize how incredible it is to be granted an audience with the Chairman?!”
He launched into a passionate explanation about the summons.
“No matter how much of an outsider you are, I thought you’d at least grasp the significance. No! Even if you don’t, you ‘should!’ Do you know what kind of being the Chairman is? What it means when he summons someone?!”
“Right, right. So the Chairman is super powerful and doesn’t hand out summons lightly?”
“It’s not just that! It’s been ’50 years’! 50 years! He hasn’t even shown his face in all that time! This means he’s been keeping a close eye on you!”
“……”
Okay, that was impressive.
Though maybe impressive in a different way.
This guy was the leader of a race and had been at war with the elves for centuries—
But hadn’t shown himself once?
What kind of dysfunctional race was this?
Did my face give away too much?
Dagnard sighed deeply.
“I can read your thoughts loud and clear.”
“Honestly, yeah. If Chairman Volcanus is that strong, then why not just end the war himself?”
“He can’t.”
He shook his head.
“Why not?”
“Because of a pact he made with the High Elf Queen.”
“What?”
Wait, what?
The elves were supposed to be the enemies.
Why would he keep a promise with them?
“That’s… the meaning of war. What do you think war is?”
“War? Just fighting. A life-or-death struggle.”
“Exactly. But why fight in the first place? It’s to gain something, right? But if Chairman Volcanus and the High Elf Queen get involved…?”
“……”
“There would be nothing left to gain. The moment ‘they’ fight, both races—and probably every race in existence—would be wiped out. The entire world might collapse.”
“They’re that strong?”
“Even just Volcanus alone could take on every existing elf and dwarf combined—and still win. The High Elf Queen is the same.”
“…Holy shit.”
“That’s why they made a pact not to use their power.”
This…
This world’s power balance was way more broken than I thought.
Then again, Earth wasn’t so different.
Maybe it was like the Cold War—mutually assured destruction.
Chairman Volcanus.
He was basically the nuclear bomb of the Rock Tribe.
‘In that case…’
He was probably at the same level as the absolute powers of this world.
Suddenly, the old man of the Legacy and the Sun Spear came to mind.
Who would win if they fought?
‘Let’s find out.’
It’s easy to check.
When I meet the Chairman tomorrow—
I’ll summon the old man.
—
The central assembly hall of Titan was enormous.
From the architecture alone, you could tell how incredible the ancestors’ craftsmanship was.
“Whew, to think I’d live to step foot here. This is all thanks to you.”
Dagnard was more excited than usual.
“Only council-level elders are allowed in here. Hah, life’s full of surprises.”
“……”
He kept chattering beside me, but I couldn’t focus.
No—my whole body was stiff.
‘This is insane.’
The dwarves I’d met in the village were nothing compared to these.
One by one—
The elders entering the building radiated terrifying strength.
Even with just a glance, I could tell they were above Ranker level.
Maybe it was because my ‘Supreme Azure Mind Method’ had improved recently.
But their aura made my skin crawl.
‘And even all of these together… can’t beat the Chairman?’
Volcanus.
I was starting to get curious what kind of monster he really was.
“You okay?”
Dagnard tilted his head beside me.
“You look pale.”
“No, I’m fine. Do we just follow them inside?”
“I suppose so. Don’t expect me to know more than you. Like I said, this is my first time here too.”
Ah, right.
I shook off my thoughts and started walking.
At the same time, I summoned the old man.
[Skill: ‘Teaching of Ten Thousand Arts’ (S-grade) is used.]
[Consumes 20 Energy.]
[‘Master of the Legacy’ appears.]
“Hm? So you’re finally done hammering, huh?”
‘Elder.’
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, the old man furrowed his brows.
I asked him silently.
‘Is something wrong?’
“Where the hell are we now?”
‘I heard the top power of this world resides here. He summoned me.’
“You idiot.”
‘What?’
“Be careful.”
Huh?
That surprised me.
The old man was usually arrogant as hell.
He thought he was the strongest, even when he met the Sun Spear.
He was convinced he’d win no matter what.
‘But now…’
He was telling me to be careful?
“I sense a terrifying aura around here. Tch, it might even rival me at my peak…”
“……”
Volcanus.
He’s ‘that’ strong?
If he’s stronger than Bone Six was in life…
Then he definitely isn’t Bone Six’s original body.
‘Either way.’
I had nothing to worry about.
[Rock Tribe: 75]
My affinity with them was high.
And dwarves were a race that honored gratitude.
They wouldn’t hurt someone who helped them.
Step, step.
I walked toward the grand doors.
After a long walk—
Boom!
A vast chamber opened up.
And in the center—
A large, low table took up the space.
Only those dwarves who had reached a certain level could enter this place.
The holiest of the holy sites.
The Grand Assembly Hall of the Rock Tribe.