Chapter 224 – Getting Mature(4)

Kang Shin-hyuk thought that his whole body would be covered in flames. However, the lava that erupted from the center of the volcano aimed down only at the furnace. It was like a baptism of lava. It erupted from below and rained down from above to be absorbed into the furnace.

“This…”

[What the fire lizards wanted was to take the spirit of this volcano and be reborn as a higher race.]

“I see.” Perhaps by accepting that spirit, Kang Shin-hyuk could also become a Yeomin? After considering their appearance for a moment, he shook his head. But that didn’t mean he would be unaware of what was happening. He kneeled and placed his hands on the shaking earth, letting his spiritual power infiltrate the erupting volcano to figure out what this volcanic spirit was. And, in an instant, he quickly pulled his hands back as he felt his spiritual power sucked in.

“It almost tookme.”

-You touched too deeply.

The administrator was right. The volcanic spirit was the will of an indistinct flame, and Kwati had such an ability that the volcanic spirit moved somewhat in accordance with her will. With that, she had established herself as the head of the Yeomin. Kang Shin-hyuk had succeeded in communicating with the volcanic spirit at a deeper level than her using his spiritual power, but…

‘In an instant, it almost swept me away. It’s a terrifying energy.’ It was his miscalculation that he thought he might be able to learn more about how to deal with flames if he grasped it. It was like it tried to surrender itself to Kang Shin-hyuk, to make him the new god of the Yeomin so that he had to protect this world.

[What?]

Kwati tilted her head. She tried to calm the volcanic spirit down, but the crater only opened wider. The furnace, having absorbed the lava, suddenly fell into it.

[What?!]

Kwati looked over at Kang Shin-hyuk. She had done this intending to reward him, but she hadn’t anticipated the volcanic spirit coveting the furnace and taking it. Kwati crouched down and looked up at him, but Kang Shin-hyuk’s appeared very calm, at least on the outside.

[Anvil… this… yes, the volcanic spirit took the brazier as a sacrifice, so I’ll give you something better.]

“What isit?”

[I’ll help you create a new one, so please don’t get mad and calmdown…!]

It was then that the furnace came out of the crater again. It was more solid and significantly bigger, with golden lines geometrically running across the dark surface.

[Uh, huh?Really…]

“Hm?” Had the volcanic spirit that came into contact with Kang Shin-hyuk and gained vitality instead take the furnace? No. Rather, it seemed that it was giving something back in return for the spiritual power Kang Shin-hyuk gave it.

[The Brazier ofNephritis]

[Cannot beMeasured]

[A furnace that can handle all the heat in the world. It can contain the flame of myth, and it can create new myths. With the blessing of the volcano that burns forever, it is possible to create the ‘Nephritis’ by itself.]

[The performance has been amplified by the exquisite balance of the four treasures, and a treasure that depends on the craftsman’s spiritual power and traits, it is likely that others cannot handle it properly.]

[Production speed is three times faster due to the traits of the furnace.]

“This…” When it had first been created, it had no ability to create or strengthen flames. Now, however, it could create a special flame called Nephritis. Had his emotional skill been better, he would’ve known exactly what it was, but as it was, the artifact couldn’t be measured. He could get a rough understanding of it, though, with his spiritualpower.

[Is it Nephritis?]

However, Kwati, unable to check the information herself, seemed shocked as she heard the explanation from Kang Shin-hyuk.

[I was trying to make the furnace capable of creating its own flame… I thought it would be successful, but it can now create the Nephritis that has been passed down through our myths…!]

-Please explain to this fox that it is because the volcano likes you more than the Yeomin.

‘No.’ Kang Shin-hyuk calmed Kwati down and asked her if he could really create a spark of a god. It was fortunate that she was the only one around right now, as the others might try to serve him instead had they seen this.

“You’ve never seen it with your own eyes?”

[That’s right.]

“So don’t get too excited. It’s probably a flame suitable for creating new weapons, just a bit different from your energy.”

[Sure, but…]

Kang Shin-hyuk turned away from her and began checking out the furnace. Specifically, he verified the fourth orb that had suddenly appeared. It was shining red and yellow, bright like the sun.

[Orb ofNephritis]

[Cannot beMeasured]

[Changing Immolation, Dead Immolation, Cannot be Measured]

[The orb that contains the spark of creation and the spark of death. As a small sun, it produces infinite heat. Its productive capacity is far beyond humanunderstanding.]

‘As expected, this orb is the cause.’ No, rather, the Nephritis was only possible with all four orbs together. Still, it was a great treasure. Because of his efforts in this dimensional quest and Kwati recognizing him, this and the upgraded furnace were his rewards.

‘I’ll have to learn how to use these from now on.’ Kang Shin-hyuk smiled before turning back to Kwati.

“Please help me with the work. I’ll make your weapons inreturn.”

[Do you need to make a frame again?]

“No, I want to experiment.”

[Experiment?]

“Yes.” With this flame, he might be able to transform the shape of the explosive gold. He decided to start by making ingots out of the explosive gold.

***

It was a great success. The result was something beyond explosive gold that could only be reprocessed by Nephritis. Kang Shin-hyuk heated the explosive gold in the furnace and struck it with his hammer. Throughout his work, his eyes shone golden as he strengthened both the flames and the metal.

[Unbelievable…]

“What did you want to make?”

[If possible, a whip… no, it’s alright if it’s too difficult.]

A whip made out of the hard, explosive gold? Kang Shin-hyuk looked at Kwati in disbelief for a while before thinking of a good way to doit.

‘Wouldn’t it be possible with a whip sword?’ It was a weapon made by joining pieces of sword blades together with a wire, and it could be made into a longsword by pulling the wire tight and fixing it. It was a very tricky weapon to handle. Even as an artifact, it couldn’t be sold for much as no one wantedone.

“Okay, let’s makeit.”

[Really?]

It was worth the challenge, at least. Kang Shin-hyuk first designed a longsword and then divided the explosive gold to create the blade pieces, then a wire to connect them together. Next, he needed to design a device that could pull or stretch the wire.

‘It’s simpler than I thought?’ Had he gained some new insight into metallurgy over the process of making the furnace and countless bricks?

-The Snow Sword of the Flames (SSS-) was produced through the harmony of spiritual power and the flame ofmyth.

-Metallurgy skill proficiency has increased to SS-rank! Resist Fire (SS+) is causing evolution!

“…What?” He had roughly anticipated half of that message, but the rest was completely unexpected.

“Administrator, this…”

-Didn’t I tell you it is better to hold back on purchasing the Fire Mastery skill stone?

“Ah, ah…?” If so, could he learn Fire Mastery by training metallurgy? Resist Fire had been an ability he gained that way but wasn’t it different from utilizing it? Besides, did Anvil have anything like that?!

-You learned the Fire Mastery (SSS) skill. By inheriting the proficiency of the Resist Fire skill, the proficiency of Fire Mastery has becomeS-rank.

-Light Mastery (SS) has changed under the influence of Fire Mastery. The rarity of the skill has increased to SSS-rank.

-Wind Mastery (SS-) has changed under the influence of Fire Mastery. The rarity of the skill has increased to SS+rank.

How many SSS-rank skills had he just acquired?!

“I feeldizzy.”

-This administrator has goodnews.

“What isit?”

-There is a shadow on the other side of the flame. Only now, the skill stone for Dark Mastery (A) is 700 millionHP…

“No, that’s it.”

Kang Shin-hyuk’s answer was immediate.