Grace of Anvil (5)

-You finished a special experience of shaping the origins of others into the form of a single weapon. It is not something that can be attempted without a deep understanding of spiritual power and extreme skill in metallurgy.

– You have succeeded in creating a custom weapon for only one existence. Its performance is astounding, but it will not allow any other user.

-Your proficiency with Metallurgy has greatly increased. Your Spiritual Power has grown from the experience of embracing other’s origins.

[Mirang Salt Tank]

[Cannot be measured]

[Special Ability: Sunseed, Blooded]

*Sunseed: Contains the purifying power of fire. It strengthens itself by absorbing the user’s flame. The details of the effect are unknown.

*Blooded: A blade trained with fire and blood. The more injured the user is, the harder and sharper it becomes when coming into contact with a strong flame.

Atop the anvil was a red two-handed sword. The blade was made entirely through processing Mirang’s claws, and the length of the blade was two meters long. The handle was about 70cm, including the pommel and cross-guard, which used part of the snake he had caught. The red blade was radiating heat as if it was burning. If someone without flame resistance touched it, it wouldn’t just be a minor burn.

-Vwoooooom

…’ Kang Shin-hyuk could hear the first cries of the sword as he injected his spiritual power into it. He realized that, for the first time, he had created a masterpiece worthy of the name of Anvil, and at the same time, he recognized it was an object he could never make with his strength alone.

“Complete… is it done?” Throughout his work, Mirang, who had kept the fire, saw that Kang Shin-hyuk’s hand had stopped and thus began to ask nervously. Shin-hyuk quietly nodded and handed the sword over to Mirang, who easily accepted it with one hand.

“Amazing… Anvil, you made such a nice sword. You were saying you were inferior, but you’re not at all.”

“It’s thanks to you, Mirang. It’s a weapon that hides its potential, so it’s a little different than your source.”

“At the least, it’s the weapon you made.” Mirang swung the sword several times before narrowing his eyes and smiling in satisfaction.

“I think this sword will work well. I’ll have to get used to it… I’ll stay here for a while and take care of you.”

“Thank you, Mirang.” If it were Mirang, it wouldn’t be difficult to deal with a sword that contained his source. He was embarrassed to say that he would protect Kang Shin-hyuk from Jormungand, though.

“Then, call me if something happens, Anvil.”

“I know. Don’t go too far.”

“Yes.” Kang Shin-hyuk was grateful that he would be around. Being safe from Jormungand was one of the reasons, but he also served as a check against Tsukuyo, who had been sticking to him every day. Without Mirang, Shin-hyuk would be in quite a bit of danger. Whenever she looked at him, or their eyes suddenly met, he felt as if he were naked in front of her. If Shin Eunah revealed herself to Kang Shin-hyuk and leaned on him, Tsukuyo was a woman who understood everything about him and affirmed him unconditionally. Both were a burden, but Tsukuyo made him uneasy.

“Is it finally my turn, Anvil?”

“You’re here.” As soon as Mirang left, Tsukuyo appeared. It was like she was able to grasp where he was no matter the time.

“Anvil, what are you doing?”

He wondered why a great person like Tsukuyo was stuck to him, but when he asked the reason, he thought something annoying would happen again.

“I thought you were pretty.

“Ah!” The effect was great.

“Why, Anvil directly praised me…!” Tsukuyo was trembling; her usually pale cheeks were burning red, and tears were forming in her eyes to show that she was genuinely moved. Kang Shin-hyuk felt a sigh in his heart.

“Then, let’s make your item now.” He reached a reluctant hand out to her as if he were a groom in an arranged marriage he did not want

“I’ll ask you, Anvil.” Tsukuyo, on the other hand, grabbed it like a woman marrying the love of her life. It took him an entire week to make the iron fan Tsukuyo wanted.

***

To fulfill Tsukuyo’s request, he had to scavenge her source, which served to change his own. What that meant was, like with Mirang, all the stats that composed him were influenced by her to grow.

-You’ve been in contact with the source of the one you cannot dare reach for a long time, and your fundamental understanding of spiritual power has increased.

-You’ve learned from others how to deal with the energy that illuminates the body. Your understanding of Golden Dragon Fighter has increased.

– Golden Dragon Fighter (SS+) skill proficiency has increased to S-rank! Your body has gradually changed into one suitable for all martial arts. Positive adjustments have been made to all body statuses. Agility has grown to SS-rank!

-Resist Fire (SS+) skill proficiency has increased to SS-rank! Your fundamental understanding of fire has increased.

At that point, he wondered if his spiritual power would increase to SS-rank before he was done. Mirang’s sword was a recognizable object with two special abilities, but the finished iron fan was an unknown object he couldn’t analyze. However, Tsukuyo accepted it with sincere surprise and delight.

“Ah, now I have to leave you again.”

“With every meeting, there will be separation.” Tsukuyo had stayed by his side even to receive the fan, but eventually had to leave as a being of her caliber regretfully couldn’t leave her world empty for too long.

“The balance of this world is a curse. Ah, my Anvil. Yet, I have no choice but to listen.”

“Why are there so many guardians of the balance in the Hero Universe?”

“I hope one day we meet again, and that we’ll be closer when we do.”

“…” Tsukuyo left Kang Shin-hyuk uneasy until the end. After she completely disappeared, the administrator vowed to check the support system so that it would never happen again, but Kang Shin-hyuk felt he would face her frequently in the future.

-I will definitely create a quest to pursue and kill that fox.

“Uh… good luck, administrator.” Even after making the iron fan, Kang Shin-hyuk continued to work hard. The wall had been completed more or less immediately, but in order to keep it, the soldiers needed to become stronger. Kang Shin-hyuk produced a wide variety of weapons and armor for the soldiers and, finally, siege weapons. It meant that Kang Shin-hyuk had to give up on forging and focusing on casting instead to meet the production demands.

“Well, this is better than I thought?”

-Because the skill of a blacksmith who has mastered metallurgy doesn’t just end with pouring molten metal into a mold. 100,000HP bonus!

“Administrator, if you thought I was going to ask why you gave a bonus, you’ve made a mistake.”

– 150,000HP bonus!

-200,000HP bonus!

“Three consecutive ones…?!” If an item were made by casting, it would inevitably be less complete than forging it. However, metallurgy had a tremendous effect on casting as well as forging to help create a special item. Moreover, Kang Shin-hyuk’s metallurgy was based on spiritual power. The liquid metal was poured, cooled, hardened, and refined with spiritual power imbuing it in each step so that the quality couldn’t be bad. And, decisively, his trait would reinforce everything he made.

-Metallurgy skill proficiency has increased to S+ rank! All metallurgy-related actions have an additional 30% speed bonus!

After a tremendous amount of work, his metallurgy grew once more. Now that he received the S+ rank, his mass production work sped up immensely. After that, he returned to forging work and made items to sell on the Hero Universe, as well as some items he wanted to make personally. He had time to consider his other skills, especially Light Mastery. As a bonus, he had some time to study into a matter he wanted to investigate.

“Okay, apparently, this is the best…”

“Anvil, if the time is okay, I have a request for daily necessities… Wait, is that alcohol?”

“Finally. Welcome, Zeke. Drink it and tell me your impressions.”

“?!”

“Did you say alcohol, Anvil?”

“?!” So, a month and a half passed. Mirang remained for the month and a half as promised and left about thirty minutes before Kang Shin-hyuk did.

“Anvil, I look forward to seeing you again. I will not forget the gift you gave me.”

“I really got a great one.”

“It’s embarrassing to accept that sort of thing.” Kang Shin-hyuk had made a sword in return for Mirang’s support, but he still tried to pay him. Kang Shin-hyuk refused, and Mirang eventually gave up and instead handed him an item before running away. It was one of his fangs.

“It’ll be impossible for me to use this for the time being…”

-It seems stronger than the claws. No matter how much you’ve analyzed Mirang, you’ll need to understand fire better to work with this.

“Thanks to Tsukuyo, my understanding of fire improved but… it’s still impossible.”

-That’s right. You have to deal with fire yourself, not just resisting it.

“Fire mastery, too.”

-But that’s on hold for the time being.

“Why?!” Kang Shin-hyuk sighed and stowed the fang away. After organizing the workshop, he headed off to where he would spend his last thirty minutes in this world. It was the spire on top of the castle. Milia was waiting for him there.

“In this land… other monsters began to appear.” Milia, wearing a dress now, said so as she observed the land beyond the wall. Kang Shin-hyuk shrugged.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” She shook her head firmly.

“It’s because I’ve been looking for water in this world again.” She was correct. The day she had awakened her power, she filled the world with water using the water orb. The water from her power was filled with vitality and permeated the world, becoming rivers and seas. The earth had received that vitality-filled water and gained a new life. It had even started to rain again.

“The territory of those monsters naturally decreased as the land did…other monsters filled that empty spot. But it’s not just that. Land beasts will prosper again, so I don’t regret it. I did what I had to.”

“That’s right.”

“I just wanted to say thank you.” Milia finally said it out loud.

“I was able to start a new world with the remnants of humanity because of you.”

“You give me too much credit.”

“I haven’t given you enough.” She looked back at him with tears in her eyes, causing him to flinch away.

“I’m really grateful to you, Anvil. Even if you say you don’t know.”

“Yes, you don’t. How I feel every night…” She stopped herself and bit her lip before changing the topic.

“Since the world has changed again, the time ratio with your world will soon readjust. I heard it from the administrator.”

“Yeah.”

“It means that there will be no seven years passing here while you spend only half a year.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“You!” Milia tossed something at him. He caught it reactively before it could hit him, his eyes going wide as he realized what it was.

“The water orb…?”

“This world will never run out, so take it. We don’t need it.”

“You have the trait to deal with water, no.” Milia frowned and began to shout at his refusal.

“If I have the water orb, I will only be a target for Jormungand, so you must take it.”

“It’s a national treasure…”

“Take it!”

“Yes.” He had refused enough. Shin-hyuk quietly took it in his arms, causing Milia to smile.

“I’ve strengthened it with my trait, so it’s a good reward for this quest.”

“You’re proud of it.”

“Now go. I’ve taken everything I can and gave everything I could, so there’s no reason to stick around. I can’t afford it.”

“No kiss this time?”

“Hmm… you’re asking yourself? Perhaps this time it won’t end with a kiss.” Milia swept her blonde hair to the side, her eyes narrowing.

“Will you?”

“No, sorry. I’ll head back.”

“Okay.” Milia laughed.

“I’ll ‘whisper’ to you once in a while.”

“Okay, when I’m not busy.”

“Yes.” Milia’s satisfied smile was rather cute despite her age.

“Oh, yes. Before that… here’s a gift.”

“Well?” Kang Shin-hyuk took out what he had made for her and handed it over. It was a trident made out of Brenite. It was light and sharp but also ridiculously sturdy. It was created with the materials of all sorts of underwater monsters he had purchased from the Hero Universe. It wasn’t quite as good as the ones he made for Mirang and Tsukuyo, but it was SS-grade.

“This…”

“I originally thought it would go well with the water orb, but it should be strong by itself.”

“This, this is really… more than I thought.”

“Hm?”

“Ah.” Milia realized she had made a mistake in her speech. It had only been Mirang and Zeke around him lately…

“Didn’t Zeke quit your escort?”

“Uh…” Milia avoided his gaze, but she couldn’t stand him staring at her.

“He quit as an escort, but as a royal advisor…”

“Tell me more.”

“He gave me some advice about connecting me with you…”

“…” Now it seemed that Zeke was playing matchmaker! He kept coming to his workshop, but Shin-hyuk thought it was because he was bored after quitting his job. No, he was spying!

“Milia, you…”

“Well, what do you mean? You’re already saying goodbye, you cruel man!” Milia’s face reddened in anger, but he laughed.

“Zeke is okay, so don’t worry.”

“…Why are you more worried about him than me?”

“You don’t need to worry anymore. You’re a member of the Hero Universe.”

“Ugh…”

“So, I’ll go now.” This time, with no regrets, Kang Shin-hyuk turned around.

“This really doesn’t make sense.”

“Bye.” Milia was complaining, but she didn’t chase after him. Kang Shin-hyuk waved her goodbye as the dimensional quest came to an end. The next moment, he was back in his My Room.

“It’s over.”

-We were fortunate there was no further conflict with Jormungand.

“I’m sure it’ll be busy from now on.” With this quest, Kang Shin-hyuk had a rough feeling about the relationship between the Hero Universe and Jormungand. As a member of the Hero Universe, he realized that it was unavoidable for Earth to collide with Jormungand.

“I’ve no choice but to struggle or be killed.”

-Yes.

Kang Shin-hyuk smiled at the administrator. Soon, a whisper appeared.

Only

-Water Fox’s whisper: I guess I haven’t told you about the way we propose yet.

-Water Fox’s whisper: A woman first proposes to a man by giving them a gift, often an heirloom.

-Water Fox’s whisper: If they refuse the gift, they refuse to marry you, but if they receive it, it means they will go to the woman’s house as a son-in-law.

-Water Fox’s whisper: But when a man who received a woman’s gift gives a gift to her, it means he will bring her to live with him.

-Water Fox’s whisper: How difficult. You’re a difficult man.

Kang Shin-hyuk smiled bitterly at the whispers arriving. From the time Zeke acted as a spy, he knew there must be some hidden meaning. But wasn’t this approach cute compared to Tsukuyo? Kang Shin-hyuk thought that way as he laughed and told her he would see her next time.

-I have to kill her.

And he had to go through a lot of effort to stop the administrator.