A Thousand Strikes, A Thousand Blessings

"Kid, why do you want to learn forging, by the looks of your clothes you seem like a snot nosed rich boy from a big family, and I tell ya, Forging is about using your tough hands to create something, but those kids are too soft to even hold a twig...So I ask you, why do you want to learn how to forge?" The old man Kang set his ice cold vision upon Shen Yue as if he could see all the secrets contained within him.

"Master Kang, I have three reasons why I want to learn Forging. First, I want to be able to make money. Second, I know that forging can strengthen the body, so I want to train and strengthen my body by forging. Third and foremost, I want to learn how to make divine artefacts that even the supreme would fight for; imagining these kind of things just makes me excited!" beamed a smiling Shen Yue.

"HAHA! Kid, your soul isn't that of a normal forger, No... You have the soul of a true Blacksmith. Come follow me - I accept you as my pupil. Han, go back to the counter, what do you think I'm paying you for." As Master Kang said that, the clerk immediately ran back to the counter, he was a mouse.(Not literally)

Master Kang and Shen Yue went around the whole Secret Treasure Pavilion compound seeing many other workers, different weapons, armours and inscriptions. Shen Yue and Master Kang introduced themselves and got acquainted. They then headed to Master Kang's office. It was magnificent, with many beautiful wooden sculptures standing next to wooden walls, a golden carpet with dragon patterns and paintings hanging on walls.

Not only that but many powerful tools hanging about on racks and shelves. Master Kang had his own wooden desk and a swivel chair besides it. Behind his desk was a mysterious black iron door that looked not from this world, Shen Yue couldn't help himself and ask if he could see what's behind this door.

"No your not worthy yet to see what's behind this door. If you reach the Master Blacksmith level then I could let you see what is in there. Okay" Master Kang had a stern look on his face which showed how serious this was. Shen Yue agreed and they changed the topic.

"Master, what's the difference between a Blacksmith and a Forger?"

" Shen Yue, the difference between a forger and a Blacksmith is that of Heaven and Earth. We Blacksmiths don't use too many magical bullshit like refining to craft, we use our bodies and just the flames and hammers to create master piece. Take this as an example, a forger would soak the material in beast blood and then hammer it until the material absorbs the strength from the blood, whilst a Blacksmith on the other hand will only hammer it a million times, strengthening the material with our will till it becomes perfect. *sigh* True Blacksmiths are rare nowadays, you see most people are just too lazy and want the easy way. Blacksmiths have no easy way, they have to use 100% of their body, mind and spirit to ingrain life on to the metal, Every hammer strike contains great power and most of all our love and emotions. That is what separates us Blacksmiths from Forgers. You Shen Yue have a true soul of a Blacksmith for I can tell that your willing to go through the hard road and is not willing to give up." Smiled Master Kang.

Hearing this, Shen Yue felt more enlightenment and happy for being praised (AN: HA - already surpassed the previous Shen Yue). From the sound of how Master Kang described Blacksmithing he mentioned the difference in difficulty between both Forging and Blacksmithing, he was wandering if he should switch to normal difficulty, meaning Forging. Suddenly he was woken up from his trail of thoughts.

" Shen Yue, before you can become my actual pupil - you must complete a trial. The challenge is to hammer the iron a thousand times in ten minutes. With this hammer" He pulled out a ten kilogram hammer out of nowhere and handed it to Shen Yue. Who fell down as soon as he held it.

" Follow that Mister over there he'll guide you. I hope you don't disappoint me"

( In a forge at Secret Treasure Pavilion)

All the things required for this trial were prepared and now Shen Yue was wearing a regular shirt with a hemp apron. He was barely able to hold the hammer, he was under pressure as the Mister who was escorting him was now the judge, inspecting him with his clear onyx eyes.

"You may begin!" He waved his hand and so it began

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The stick-like Shen yue was pounding away with the heavy hammer whilst his arms were shaking uncontrollably.

'I knew something was going to happen, huff, huff...Damn my luck. Why am I always so unlucky 😢' Shen Yue moaned in his mind.

(A few moments Later~)

Huff! Huff!

All that could be heard throughout this room were Shen Yue's chaotic huffs and puffs. And maybe a few cracking noises, maybe coming from his bones. Who knows?

He completed 104 hammer strikes out of 1000, 896 more to go. To be fair though, Shen Yue did something an average kid could not do, his determination and will was stronger than your any average kid; congrats Shen Yue!

Bong!

Due to being too exhausted, Shen Yue lost all his concentration which made him accidentally release the hammer as the hammer slipped from his hand it fell - on his foot.

AHHHH!

Shen Yue jumped up and screamed like a certain cat (named T*M). His scream was heard all throughout the Secret Treasure Pavilion maybe even all over Glory City. Every one heard it and one thing that came through their minds was 'Ouch!'

Shen Yue stopped his sudden antics and immediately went back to work, he only had five minutes left and 896 strikes left, right now he was in a bad mood.

His blood was boiling from his rage as he pounded the slab of red metal. He doesn't want to end up being a failure just like his pathetic predecessor, if he wants to reach greater heights then he first has to beat this trial in front of him even if he has to break, otherwise he knew deep within him that he will miss this once in a life time opportunity.

'Fate you think you can control me! I will never let such a pathetic being such as you control me! I will become God! And I will go beyond the grasp of your reach! If you want me to fail, then I will not fail!' Shen Yue smiled as he lifted his hammer from the ground.

Suddenly, Shen Yue felt a warm sensation circulating from within his body around his blood vessels. He felt a sudden strength in his muscles, as if they were on steroids, maybe he was. Not only that but he felt like he was in an adrenaline rush, time slowed down and everything was moving 0.75 speed as he could see the judge trying to communicate to him.

Shen Yue tried to indulge himself in that warm feeling and embrace it, the warm sensation gave him a feeling that he never experienced before, happiness.

"Kid! You have four minutes to complete the trial! 896 strikes strikes to go!"

Shen Yue was awakened from his indulgence and immediately started to pound at the now orange slab of metal.

Bang!Bang!Bang! Bang!

Shen Yue was striking really fast at the metal over a hundred of strikes in half a minute. He did over dozens of strikes per 0.5 seconds.

'what the-' the Mister that was judging had his jaw wide open upon witnessing this sudden change, he was shocked how the kid changed from doing 20 strikes in a minute to over 200 strikes per minute. Such unbelievable development.

'Wow! What is this- This is incredible, I feel so much strength! With this I'm definitely going to complete this trial! No time to think, More Bashing!"

And so Shen Yue continued to hammer the slab of metal with raging will and tremendous strength. (Find out next on...Shen Yue Reborn Z~)