Chapter 56 - Master Blacksmith's Doubts 

[Hi Broken, how are you?

I hope you're doing well and taking plenty of naps.

I'm so sorry I haven't talked to you in a while.

I was a bit too lazy to write, no, I mean it was because I had a lot of work on my hands.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know, I just remembered something really cool that I wanted to share with you.

It's called the Self Transcendence Blessing, it is something really fun.

I know it's a bit vague, but I'm too tired to explain the details.

Just take it in and make the most of it.

I wanted to let you know that I hope you like it.

Take care and enjoy your time of leisure!

- Akidia]

Broken smiled with joy when he received the email from Goddess Akidia. For some reason, it warmed him. The message was not very clear; it seemed she wanted to share something about the Self Transcendence Blessing but then she just wrote random, unimportant words. But he was sure he had already felt the benefit of the blessing as the Sloth Champion. Even though this was just the beginning, he wondered if the other Divine Champions had blessings as powerful as this one. No wonder they climbed the top rankings so quickly.

Not wanting to appear unfocused in Fokil's presence, Broken quickly studied the blueprint that had just been put in front of him.

[Warrior's Call Gloves Blueprint]

[Grade: Common ~ Elite]

[The perfect accessory for the sword-wielding novice. With its comfy, one-size-fits-all design, the glove is sure to be a hit with any aspiring swordsman.]

[To craft this glove, you would need a few grams of steel.]

[Crafting this item requires the Craftsmanship of a Beginner Blacksmith.]

After carefully examining the blueprint, Broken was able to clearly read the information it displayed. Now that he had the Appraisal skill, he no longer had trouble reading blueprints, even those of high grades. However, his appraisal skill was unique compared to others. It allowed him to uncover hidden features of crafted equipment. These hidden features could be special skills that were only revealed when he, the Royal Blacksmith, appraised the armor or weapon.

[Blacksmith's Appraisal (Active Skill)]

[This skill allows you to appraise blueprints and items with ease, and also reveals the true value of blacksmith-crafted items. It's a great way to make sure you don't get ripped off when trading.]

"Don't ever use the auto-craft feature that players like you have, or I will curse you for the rest of my life," Fokil said firmly, his expression filled with irritation as he looked at Broken.

"No," Broken responded quickly. "I promise to do all the production processes manually. I am absolutely determined to master this class, sir."

"You certainly know how to flatter people, don't you?" Fokil added with a slight smirk. "Ask me anything you don't know about blacksmithing, and I'll be happy to answer."

"Thank you for your offer, sir," Broken nodded slowly, a slight smile rising to his lips. "Blacksmithing is all new to me, so I'd be grateful to hear whatever you would like to tell."

"Good," Fokil replied. "The difference between each rank of the blacksmith is the grade of equipment they can craft. The glove I gave you is of a very low grade, so it can be easily worked on by a beginner like you."

Broken nodded slowly, suppressing his excitement as he had just become a Master Blacksmith in the blink of an eye.

Fokil continued, "The success rate of an item produced by a blacksmith depends on many factors, such as the rank and level of their craftsmanship, a combination of your basic stats, your Luck stat, and your Dexterity stat. Have you already unlocked the Dexterity stat? We can talk about it later if you haven't."

"No, sir, I haven't unlocked the Dexterity stat yet," Broken replied.

He then muttered, "So, the grade of the item depends on a combination of every aspect of the blacksmith, like stats, craftsmanship rank, and so on?"

"That's right," Fokil replied. "If you fail to make this glove as an Elite-grade, then you'd be the most failed blacksmith I've ever met. You might fail a few times, but keep at it until you succeed."

"Understood, sir," Broken said, nodding in agreement.

Broken was already a Master Blacksmith, which meant he should be leagues ahead of any other blacksmith players in Immortal Legacy. He also had a Luck stat, coupled with a special skill granted by the Goddess Akidia, Quality Enhancement. This combination of privileges gave him a high chance of creating extraordinary items. As he thought about it, he couldn't help but feel optimistic about his future prospects.

"Okay, next, we will learn about materials," Fokil continued.

After reading the materials needed for the Warrior's Call Gloves, Broken found out that the item could be crafted using small amounts of steel. Unfortunately, he didn't have any steel at the moment, so he would need to purchase it from merchants.

Fokil asked, "Do you know what steel is and how it's made?"

The Dwarf's eyes lit up with enthusiasm; it was evident that blacksmithing was deeply rooted in his soul. He became excited whenever he discussed it.

"No, sir, I need your guidance."

"Steel is a common metal alloy made from iron and carbon," Fokil explained. "It is strong and highly durable. You can obtain it by melting down iron ore and combining it with carbon to create a hard alloy."

Broken nodded slowly, trying to digest the information. He was realizing many new things in this game that he had never known before. Blacksmithing had all kinds of interesting components and seemed complicated, but this was the essence of Immortal Legacy - where one could do various things as if they were doing them in the real world.

"That's why," Fokil continued, "before you start crafting the gloves, you need to learn how to smelt iron ore and make steel from that ore."

[Smelting Iron Ore and Carbon into Steel]

[Rating: D]

[Broken has been given the job of transforming Iron Ore and Carbon into strong Steel by the Blacksmith Master Fokil. To satisfy his demanding standards, Broken must make sure the Steel is made to the highest possible quality.]

[Clear Conditions: Successfully produce steel.]

[Clear Rewards: 5 bars of steel.]

[Quest Failure: You have to keep trying until you succeed in completing the quest.]

Fokil started by explaining, "First, we need to gather our materials - Iron Ore and Carbon. The amount of iron ore needed will vary depending on the type of steel you want to make. However, the ratio is always 2 to 1 for iron ore and carbon."

Fokil asked Broken to pick up the things that looked like lumps of coal in the corner of the room.

After gathering them and stacking them, it was time to get the forge fire started so that it would reach its highest possible temperature.

Fokil carefully explained to Broken how to arrange the charcoal around the bottom of the furnace and add small amounts of air using the bellows until it ignited into flames. The fire roared to life, illuminating the forge with a fierce glow.

"Now, do you understand what needs to be done?" Fokil asked, his eyes focused on Broken.

"Yes, I'm ready," he replied confidently.

Fokil pointed to the slag on the smelter and said, "This needs to be removed after each smelt, or else the steel quality will suffer from impurities." He moved around the melting chamber, showing Broken the different areas and how to handle them.

"Some parts need higher temperatures due to their special alloy properties, while others must stay at lower temperatures," he explained.

Looking up at Broken, Fokil said, "Do you understand? You'll need to get this right if we want a good product."

Broken nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed but determined to forge the best steel possible. "I'll do my best."

Fokil added, "Just remember that it won't be easy. Steel-making is not for the faint of heart."

Broken nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the task ahead.

"Very good. Now let's get to work," Fokil said.

Broken stepped up to the forge and began the process of melting his iron ore and carbon together. He had to carefully monitor the temperature as he added the ingredients, making sure that it didn't go over or under what was needed for a successful smelt.

Taking a deep breath, Broken plunged the large ladle into the molten steel.

Broken continued working until finally, hours later, the perfect steel emerged from his furnace. The intense heat and concentration left him drenched in sweat, but he felt a surge of pride at his accomplishment.

After cooling it down and removing any impurities or imperfections with some tools from Fokil's workshop, Broken was left with exactly what they had been aiming for - perfectly pure steel.

[You have successfully smelted a high-quality steel alloy, producing a material with superior strength and durability.]

Fokil took one look at Broken's work and said approvingly, "Well!" he exclaimed, looking genuinely impressed. "That's too much for just beginner's luck, but damn, you sure are quite special. I hope you don't just do this once."