Chapter 40 - The Royal Blacksmith

[The heat of the forge radiates through every breath as a Blacksmith toils away with hammers and tongs. The metal glows and takes form under their skillful hands, a dance between them and the fire as they breathe life into steel. Every weapon crafted is imbued with passion, made with an adventurer's dreams in mind that will never be extinguished.]

[Royal Blacksmiths have devoted their entire existence to the art of blacksmithing, forging heated metal into glimmering works of art and skill. With a single blow of the hammer they can turn ordinary ore into extraordinary creations, crafting weapons fit for a king.]

Despite his best attempts to keep his attention on the environment around him, notifications distracted Broken as he followed Fokil, tempting him to take a glance at least.

"This is interesting. What kind of blacksmith will I be in a unique class?" With a quiet murmur of intrigue, he remarked.

[The player has now been granted the Unique class of Royal Blacksmith.]

[The new skill Blacksmith's Craftsmanship has been unlocked.]

[The new skill Blacksmith's Appraisal has been unlocked.]

[The new skill Blacksmith's Refining has been unlocked.]

[The new skill Blacksmith's Repair has been unlocked.]

[The new skill Blacksmith's Soul Engrave has been unlocked.]

[The new skill Blacksmith's Path of Legend has been unlocked.]

Broken paused for a moment, carefully studying all the skill information he had just received. He was amazed at the impressive array of skills he had been granted; even the names of each skill sounded incredibly cool. 

"So, it seems that you are rather intrigued by all these new skills?" Fokil said, explaining further.

But then, Broken postponed reading more detailed descriptions of each skill he had just acquired.

"Yes, Master," Broken replied in a quiet voice.

Fokil asserted sternly, "Your rank in Blacksmith's Craftsmanship is the most crucial element of being a blacksmith. Every skill you have and the techniques you have learnt will be useless if you don't make an effort to level up your craftsmanship. Don't get distracted by your other abilities if you are not endeavoring to enhance your primary skill first."

"I understand," Broken answered firmly. "I will work hard and strive to raise my Blacksmith's Craftsmanship Rank and Level."

"You should consider yourself lucky," Fokil said with annoyance, "that I bestowed upon you the Royal Blacksmith class, a privilege that is exclusive to the Dwarves."

"I won't squander this chance, Master," Broken replied.

Fokil continued, speaking solemnly. "As a player you are cursed with eternal life; no matter what kind of death you suffer, you will come back to life as if nothing has happened. Thus, I hope that you can reach the level of Expert in your lifetime; however, attaining the title of Master is impossible."

Broken nodded and, with determination, followed Fokil. He had made a resolution to become one of the highest ranked Blacksmith players in the Immortal Legacy.

The information he had obtained from the internet, indicated that someone who had attained the rank of Advanced Level 9 had invested an immense amount of time and effort into the Blacksmith class from the beginning of the game.

Broken gulped, realizing that, even though he had certain advantages, he still had to work hard to reach his goal. "I'm not worried, though," he thought to himself. "I'm persistent and disciplined. Those qualities will be my key to success in this game."

"How many years do you think players can live?" Fokil continued, still with an irritated expression on his face. "Do you know how much I struggled to reach the Master Rank?" 

Broken was lost for words when Fokil posed him the question. He could not imagine how much effort it took to accomplish such a feat. He shook his head, "No, Master, I don't know how many years it took you to achieve this, but I'm certain that it is something worth celebrating and honoring."

"Enough chit-chat," Fokil declared. "We need to do something; I don't want the Class I've been given to you, go to waste."

"Yes, Master," Broken replied, in agreement.

[The collision of Self Transcendence Blessing and the Royal Blacksmith Class led to an unforeseen outcome.]

Broken suddenly widened his eyes when a new notification regarding Self Transcendence appeared before him. His body trembled in anticipation as he muttered, "Goddess Akidia...", wondering what surprise he would receive.

[The Royal Blacksmith Class just got a major upgrade! With the power of Self Transcendence Blessing, the Blacksmith Class has leveled up to new heights. Forge away, apprentice! Let your creations reach new heights!]

[Congratulations! You have reached Master level 1 in Blacksmith's Craftsmanship. You have finally mastered the art of hammering hot metal into supremely crafted weapons and armor! Now you can join the ranks of the greatest blacksmiths in the world!]

Broken was rendered speechless when he saw the rank upgrade he just received. His throat went dry as he contemplated how difficult it must have been for Fokil to attain the Master rank, and now, here he was, getting it for free right in front of his eyes.

"Isn't this essentially stealing in broad daylight?" he muttered under his breath. "The thought of the other players finding out about the Master rank I achieved sends chills down my spine. Would they come after me in the real world and try to kill me?"

[Congratulations! You've achieved Master Rank Level 1 in the Blacksmith Rank Ranking System!]

[Would you like to register yourself in the leaderboard rankings, allowing all Immortal Legacy Players to see your accomplishment?] 

Broken narrowed his eyes, understanding the honor that he had just been given. After some thought, he decided that he didn't want that kind of publicity at the moment, and accordingly rejected the offer. 

[You have chosen to not be ranked at this time, but you may always revisit this offer in the future, should you desire it.]

Fokil led Broken to the heart of the smithy, where the massive forge roared with life, its flames dancing and flickering as if in anticipation of their arrival. The heat was nearly overwhelming, but Broken steeled himself, determined to learn all he could from the master blacksmith.

"Even Fokil," he swallowed hard, glancing at the dwarf man, "maybe he'll kill me right away if he finds out I suddenly got a Master rank in Blacksmith's craftsmanship."

"First things first," Fokil said, raising his voice to be heard over the roar of the forge. "You must understand the importance of controlling the heat. Too little, and your metal will not bend; too much, and it will become brittle."

Fokil turned to Broken, who had not been paying attention to what he was saying. He seemed to be lost in thought, and Fokil's irritation with the young man increased. "If he doesn't take his blacksmithing seriously, I'll kill him," he thought.

"Pay attention when I'm talking to you, young man!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, Master," Broken replied solemnly.

He gestured at the bellows next to the forge, explaining how they were used to increase or decrease the intensity of the fire. "Watch and learn," he instructed, demonstrating the proper technique for adjusting the airflow. 

As Broken looked on, he marveled at Fokil's precision and skill, knowing that he had much to learn.

"Your turn," Fokil said, stepping away from the bellows.

Broken advanced slowly, his arms slightly quaking as he took hold of the bellows. As he started to work on them, his motions were a little clumsy and unsteady.

"Don't let me down or you're out of here!" Fokil declared sternly.

But as he continued, he started to find his rhythm, the flames responding to his touch like a living entity. Fokil nodded approvingly, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"Very well, you've got the hang of that quickly," Fokil said. "Now, let's move on to forging."

The master blacksmith selected a bar of iron and placed it within the fiery maw of the forge. As the metal heated, Fokil explained the various tools that surrounded them – the tongs, hammers, and anvils, each with their specific purpose and function. Broken listened intently, committing every word to memory.

"Remember, timing is crucial," Fokil warned as he retrieved the glowing iron from the forge. "Strike the metal while it's hot, but not too soon, or you risk damaging your work."

Broken was following every order and guidance given by Fokil with unwavering precision. His movements were quick and efficient, his actions executed flawlessly to achieve the desired outcome.

"Very well done," Fokil said approvingly. "Now that you understand how to control your forge, let us move on to crafting your first piece of equipment."

He handed Broken a new blueprint. "Your task is to create an Elite-grade glove," he explained.

[You had received an email from Akidia, the Goddess of Sloth.]

"Goddess Akidia!" Upon seeing the name of the mail sender, Broken's face lit up with joy.

Fokil, who had previously noticed Broken's confusion, now saw a glimmer of hope in the young man's excited face. "You were starting to show some enthusiasm when I gave you the blueprint, weren't you?" he inquired.

"No more procrastinating, kid! Do the quest for me!" Fokil urged.