Chapter 200: Into the True Forge

The Trial of the 95th Floor.

As a boss-level trial, the difficulty spiked significantly here. 

True to its name, Ragnarok, the trial focused on the destruction of the world according to Norse mythology, and it presented multiple layers of danger.

There were the Undead, surging forward from the Naglfar.

The Hell’s Legion, released from their shackles.

And finally, the fire giants.

While all of them were threatening, the most dangerous were undoubtedly the following.

“Ssssh—”

Jörmungandr, the snake that would wrap around the world.

“Roar!”

Fenrir, the wolf that devours gods.

And lastly.

“Behold the end of the world!”

Surtr, the King of the fire giants.

Of course, hearing this might make one wonder. 

Every monster faced in the trials so far had been a Rank 10 monster. 

Having dealt with dozens of such creatures, why would one struggle against only three?

There was no helping it. 

Even though they were Rank 10 Boss Monsters, they were on a completely different level than the monsters encountered previously.

“The size of this thing…!”

Jörmungandr was so massive and powerful that even with the entire party and all my soldiers clinging to it, they could barely slow it down.

“Roar!”

“Ugh!”

“Damn it, it’s too fast!”

Fenrir toyed with us, moving with a speed like a flash of light that belied its massive frame.

“Boom!!”

Surtr’s attacks covered the entire area in flames, leaving us with no space to dodge.

It was a situation where three monsters, each requiring the entire group’s focus just to stand a chance, were attacking together in coordination. 

What were we supposed to do?

[You have used the Authority of Exit.]

[You are leaving the Trial of the 95th Floor, ‘Ragnarok’.]

Having escaped the Tower, we attempted the challenge properly once more. 

We devised a solid strategy, and I built structures to block the enemies.

However, the structures I had built with such effort…

“Crash!”

“Rumble—”

“This can’t be…”

They collapsed helplessly under their charge.

“Bang!”

And the shells I fired failed to inflict any meaningful damage on them.

“Bang!”

[You have used the Authority of Exit.]

[You are leaving the Trial of the 95th Floor, ‘Ragnarok’.]

Twice, three times, four times.

Despite our repeated attempts, no solution for the Trial of the 95th Floor presented itself. 

In the midst of that…

“Gah!” Cheongryong suffered a critical hit.

While we were struggling against the three overwhelming monsters, Fenrir had broken through the defensive line with incredible speed and clawed Cheongryong.

It was fortunate that I had provided him with a Legendary-grade set of armor, which converted most of the damage into magical power. 

If not for that, he might have died in a single strike.

We had barely been holding on thanks to Cheongryong’s buff and debuff magic, but with him down, we could no longer continue the battle.

[You have used the Authority of Exit.]

[You are leaving the Trial of the 95th Floor, ‘Ragnarok’.]

In the end, we failed our fifth trial as well.

Setting aside the failure of the trial, the Saintess rushed over to treat Cheongryong. 

As the most outstanding recovery-type Hunter on Earth, her healing magic restored Cheongryong perfectly, but…

“…I’m sorry. I don’t think I can go on today.”

Cheongryong, having received treatment, lowered his head. 

It was trauma caused by the shock and the terrifying pain of nearly dying in one blow. 

His mind simply couldn’t find peace.

Such a state would be bad for any class, but for a mage, this mental instability was fatal to casting magic. 

As proof, Cheongryong was hiding his trembling hands inside his robes while keeping his head down.

It seemed that although he had been healed, his mana circuits were tangled, making it difficult for him to use magic properly.

“Let’s stop here for today. Tomorrow…”

“First, I will try to think of a way.”

“We’ll think of something too, Master Vulcanus.”

“Thank you.”

With that, the party disbanded.

Staying together would only result in more gloom anyway.

After sending the party members out, I remained on the 95th Floor of the Tower, where the trial had not yet restarted.

“Sigh…”

“Thud.”

My strength left me, and I collapsed onto the floor. 

I threw off the suffocating helmet I had been wearing to hide my identity.

Once I did, a sigh escaped on its own.

Since I was the one being protected in the safest spot while with the party, I couldn’t bring myself to sigh among those who were suffering. 

But now that everyone was gone, the sighs came naturally.

‘I never expected to get stuck like this already.’

I knew the climb would eventually stall, but I didn’t think it would be as early as the 95th Floor. 

I thought I’d at least make it to the 98th floor before hitting a wall. 

No, I had hoped that would be the case.

To think the path was completely blocked on the 95th Floor, to the point where I couldn’t even see a glimmer of hope.

‘Even if the top of the Tower is the 100th floor, there are still five floors left.’

In truth, the idea that the Tower ended at the 100th floor was just my own wishful thinking. 

If the Tower was higher than that, I had no way forward. 

Actually, even now, I have no solution.

‘I said I’d find a way, but…’

It was an excuse. 

There was nothing more I could do. 

How could I, a blacksmith, do anything else when I couldn’t even procure SSS-grade materials?

I had already equipped them all with Legendary-grade items, and I had even matched their accessories as materials allowed. 

All that was left was to gradually upgrade everything to EX-grade.

But to craft EX-grade items, I needed SSS-grade materials. 

Naturally, I had used every SSS-grade material I’d obtained so far to make EX-grade items, and I had none left.

‘Even if we somehow clear the 95th Floor…!’

For example, what if I obtained plenty of SSS-grade materials during the fourth Monster Wave, crafted EX-grade items, and cleared the 95th Floor? 

And then we got stuck on the 96th, 97th, or higher?

What would I do then? 

No matter how much I thought about it, no answer came. 

Naturally, my motivation vanished.

“Sigh…”

I wanted to give up.

It reminded me of the futility and despair I felt when I first locked myself away in my room. 

But now, there was no room to hide in. If I gave up now, I would simply perish along with the world.

In a situation that seemed utterly hopeless…

“I don’t know anymore.”

[Summoning Hephaestus’s Hammer]

I picked up the hammer. 

‘When your mind is full of distractions, it’s best to just do something.’

[Activating Crafting Skill.]

“Clang!”

I began crafting an item. 

I didn’t have a specific goal. 

I didn’t have any SSS-grade materials left either. 

I just pulled a random material from my Space Pocket and started making an item.

Because I had leveled up and become so accustomed to crafting, I could finish most items without even having a moment to shake off my distractions.

-Whoosh!

I began making various items, asking Blaze to help me carve the most difficult Rune Scripts.

[Production complete.]

[You have obtained ‘Long Sword of Time’.]

The Long Sword of Time. 

It was a long sword that focused on drawing out the maximum power of the Rune Scripts rather than the quality of the material. 

It received an unusually high grade for the materials used, but I didn’t even bother checking the item’s information.

[Activating Crafting Skill.]

I started crafting a new item. 

The items I was making now weren’t meant for actual use anyway. 

I just wanted to organize my chaotic thoughts.

After several more rounds of crafting…

[You have entered a Transcendent State and realized the essence of a blacksmith.]

[The effect of ‘Hephaestus’s Descendant (SSS)’ temporarily increases all stats.]

I slipped into the familiar Transcendent State.

A Transcendent State. 

It was a state of being so immersed in an action through extreme concentration that one even forgot their own existence. 

Only after reaching that state did my mind feel a little more at ease.

In truth, this could also be seen as a form of escapism.

A Transcendent State to flee from an unresolvable reality. 

However, I am a blacksmith. 

The only thing I can do is swing my hammer.

“Clang, clang, clang!”

I forgot the metallic ringing, forgot the throbbing muscle pain, and forgot my tearing palms. 

I just swung the hammer and there was one pair of eyes watching me.

“Master.”

It wasn’t the Administrator of the Tower. 

It wasn’t my soldiers. 

It was the companion I had obtained when I first entered Hephaestus’s Forge—Hephaestus’s Flame. 

No, my small and precious flame.

Blaze.

“Are you hurting?” Blaze spoke to me. 

Even though I didn’t answer because I was in a Transcendent State, he kept talking. 

He healed my torn palms, warmed my muscles to take away the pain, and continued to speak to me.

He used his abilities to make the crafting easier and infused the Rune Scripts while continuing to talk.

How much time had passed? 

Blaze seemed to make up his mind and shouted with determination, “I’ll help you!”

Blaze began to burn. 

Until now, Blaze had assisted my crafting by breathing fire into my creations. 

But this was different.

“Clang!”

Every time I swung the hammer…

-Whoosh!

The impact, the sparks that flew, and the heated points… all that energy was transferred to Blaze.

The crafting became more difficult, but in my Transcendent State, I didn’t care and kept swinging the hammer. 

As I did, Blaze’s power, fueled by the hammering, continued to grow.

He said he would help. 

So why was Blaze taking my strength?

The reason was quickly revealed.

“Roar!”

As his power grew, his size increased until he began to take the shape of something. 

The identity of that shape was…

[Hephaestus’s Forge]

Yes, it was a forge. 

The very same Hephaestus’s Forge I had seen in the Mines. 

A door to a forge made of scorching flames appeared right behind me.

And that door grew larger every time I swung my hammer.

“Creeeak—”

It began to open toward me. 

Every time I swung, it opened a little more. 

It took a long time for the door to open completely.

However, my Transcendent State remained unbroken. 

Eventually, the door to the forge Blaze had summoned opened fully.

At that moment…

“Thud!”

My body was sucked inside the door.

[You have entered the True Hephaestus’s Forge.]

Instantly pulled out of my Transcendent State, I could only look around, unable to adapt to this sudden turn of events.

“Eh…?”