Chapter 102: A Clash of Blacksmiths

“The Kang Ho-duk Forge? The number one ranked Kang Ho-duk Forge?”

– Yes…….

“You said they want to meet me in person?”

– They said if you just tell them the time, they’ll come directly to the Vulcanus Guild. If it’s inconvenient, I can try to refuse on your behalf.”

Kang Ho-duk Forge.

It had held the number one spot in the forge rankings for quite a while.

They couldn’t produce SSS-class Equipment like I could, but the quality of their crafted items was still high, and the item levels were impressive.

That’s why most of the top-ranked hunters still commissioned Kang Ho-duk for their Equipment, keeping the forge in first place to this day.

‘Could it be some kind of threat?’

Maybe they were coming because they felt their top spot was about to be snatched away, trying to manage their juniors before that happened.

That was the thought crossing my mind.

Honestly, it was inevitable.

Just recently, even Bulddokkaebi sent an assassin out of jealousy towards me.

If they did that, the number one ranked forge must be even worse.

But Nam Bora’s reaction was a bit strange.

Instead of her usual cold demeanor, her voice sounded anxious, as if worried I might refuse.

Noticing that tremor, I recalled some of the past.

“Ah! Nam Bora, you said you used to work at Kang Ho-duk Forge, right?”

– …..Yes. It wasn’t exactly a smooth departure, but they contacted me first asking for a favor, so it was hard to refuse coldly.

I could recall Nam Bora’s career.

After successfully establishing Bulddokkaebi Forge, she moved to Kang Ho-duk Forge.

She had hoped to elevate Kang Ho-duk Forge from Korea’s number one to the world’s number one.

But Kang Ho-duk himself had no such ambitions.

Because of that, she left Kang Ho-duk Forge and now works under me as Vulcanus’s representative.

– Should I refuse……?

Nam Bora asked cautiously.

I was a little worried, but it wasn’t a request I couldn’t accept.

Honestly, what good would threats from Kang Ho-duk do?

Since my identity wasn’t revealed, physical intimidation was impossible.

Soon enough, I would surpass Kang Ho-duk’s level, and my pure crafting skill would only improve.

I couldn’t think of any real disadvantage.

“Let’s meet him once.”

– Thank you, Vulcanus-nim.

And so, the meeting with Kang Ho-duk was set.

“Sir, are you ready?”

“The anvil?”

“Loaded it already.”

“Then let’s go.”

***

A car departed from Kang Ho-duk Forge.

It looked sturdy and luxurious, like a presidential motorcade vehicle.

Just as its exterior suggested, it was built to withstand heavy gunfire, explosions, and even attacks from Hunters.

The occupant of this elegant vehicle was none other than Kang Ho-duk himself.

The owner of Kang Ho-duk Forge and hailed as Korea’s top blacksmith.

After getting in, Kang Ho-duk remained silent.

He just quietly turned his head to watch the scenery flashing by outside.

His secretary was the same—knowing well how taciturn and frugal with words Kang Ho-duk was, they didn’t speak unnecessarily.

But this time, curiosity got the better of the secretary.

“Sir, may I ask you something?”

“Why are you going to meet Vulcanus, the blacksmith?”

That was it.

Kang Ho-duk was now heading to the Vulcanus Guild.

But his secretary couldn’t understand why.

Why?

Why meet Vulcanus?

What could they possibly talk about?

As a blacksmith, to ask for respect?

To warn him against aiming for the top spot?

No, no.

Kang Ho-duk would never say something like that.

His stubborn pride and confidence in his skill wouldn’t allow it.

“Do you have something to say or want to hear something?”

Even so, Kang Ho-duk was going to see Vulcanus.

From the secretary’s perspective, it was completely baffling.

So they asked.

Perhaps this might be the last moment Kang Ho-duk could claim the title of Korea’s number one blacksmith, and the secretary mustered courage to speak.

Still silent as ever, Kang Ho-duk continued to watch the passing world outside the window, then finally spoke with a heavy voice.

“Nothing.”

A brief answer.

The secretary felt even more frustrated.

If there was nothing to say or hear, why bother going to see Vulcanus?

Wouldn’t Vulcanus just ignore him?

As the secretary subconsciously gripped the steering wheel tighter, Kang Ho-duk added quietly.

“I just want to see it.”

“The new generation of blacksmiths?”

“No.”

Kang Ho-duk’s voice continued.

Looking wistfully at the passing world—

No, reflecting on his own life already left behind—he said, “The new generation’s hammer strikes.”

‘..How did it come to this?’

***

I looked around in disbelief.

I was already inside the body of Production 1.

I even personally went down to the Guild Building’s entrance to greet Kang Ho-duk out of respect as a fellow blacksmith.

I thought we’d head straight to the reception room no matter what we talked about.

But then he said, “Let’s go to the forge.”

“What?”

“Is there no forge here?”

“No, not really… in the Guild Building.”

“With that body, there’s no reason to hammer here, so that makes sense. But you can still hammer, right? Let’s go. I brought the anvil; it doesn’t matter where.”

Suddenly, Kang Ho-duk was asking for a forge.

Nodding, I followed, and soon we were on the stage of the main hall in the Guild Building’s basement.

Kang Ho-duk even brought out an anvil and iron ore, preparing to craft.

Without really knowing why, I placed the anvil in front of me as well.

The setup was strange.

Instead of facing the audience, we faced each other, hammer in hand.

We hadn’t even introduced ourselves yet, and I had no idea what was going on.

“Use this material.”

“Ah, yes.”

“The weapon is an iron sword. Just make the best iron sword you can from this iron ore.”

I was thrown off by the sudden request.

If it were anyone else, I would have refused immediately, but it was Kang Ho-duk.

I respected him as a fellow blacksmith, and seeing Nam Bora behind me fidgeting nervously made refusal even harder.

‘Well, one sword should be fine.’

It wasn’t a difficult request.

What’s hard about making one iron sword?

Although this wasn’t my own space, so no personal anvil or work clothes’ bonuses, and Production 1 wasn’t designed for crafting, so the stats were lower.

And the iron ore was low-grade, never really used except at the moment of awakening.

But what I had to do was the same.

“Let’s begin.”

“I’m starting now.”

[Using Crafting Skill.]

“Bang!”

Swinging the hammer.

I had already confirmed I could use blacksmith skills even in Production 1’s body.

Though I lacked the benefits of my own anvil or work clothes, and Production 1’s body wasn’t made for crafting, so its performance was weaker.

But since it wasn’t for sale, it was just about making one iron sword.

“Bang!”

A sound echoed from the opposite side as well.

It was Kang Ho-duk swinging his hammer.

‘Now that I think about it, it’s the first time I’m seeing another blacksmith make an item.’

My assistants were all created and operated through my own skill, so they followed my skill’s mechanism exactly.

But how did other blacksmith Hunters make their items?

Curious, I looked up at Kang Ho-duk.

“Bang!”

‘So other blacksmiths get points appearing just like me.’

Kang Ho-duk was also striking down points appearing on the material.

No furnace needed.

Just properly hitting the points that popped up on the material—that was all.

This was the Awakened One’s way.

Hunters who were given the profession “blacksmith” by the system, not real blacksmiths, crafting Equipment.

But then.

“Bang, bang, bang!”

Kang Ho-duk’s hammering sounded unusually focused.

Regular intervals.

Regular strength.

Regular strikes.

He swung his hammer like a robot, striking points with perfect precision.

He looked like a seasoned master craftsman.

‘Even if the method’s the same, hammering carries each person’s unique style.’

Of course, when I once quietly observed Production 1, 2, and 3, I noticed subtle differences in how they swung their hammers.

Watching that made me think, ‘Maybe I should do it properly, too.’

“Bang!”

I wondered how my style would be.

When you start consciously paying attention to how you breathe or blink, things that once felt natural become awkward.

It was the same for me.

“Bang!”

How did I grip the hammer?

How did I swing it?

How hard did I hit?

What intervals did I keep?

It was all confusing.

But after a few more awkward swings, I quickly got used to hammering again.

“Bang!!”

This was the hammer I had wielded ceaselessly since awakening as a blacksmith.

Even if it felt strange at first, the hammering ingrained in my body wouldn’t be forgotten.

“Need some help?”

“No.”

Blaze, who came along in Production 1’s body, spoke.

Normally, I would have borrowed Blaze’s power, but this time, I didn’t need to.

Like Kang Ho-duk, I wanted to make the iron sword relying on my own true skill.

I was curious what Kang Ho-duk wanted to show.

I was curious what I could show, too.

“Bang!”

The hammering continued, and the main hall heated up.

Making a simple item from simple materials like this would usually be done in no time.

If I rushed, I could finish an iron sword in minutes.

But already ten minutes had passed.

Ten minutes turned into thirty, then an hour.

[Progress 99%…….]

The progress bar had long reached 99%.

Still, I didn’t stop hammering.

The last point felt even tougher than when using Adamantium or Cheonjeoseok.

Like a real blacksmith removing impurities from the ore and repeatedly folding and hammering the metal to increase its strength.

I wasn’t satisfied and kept striking the points.

Kang Ho-duk was doing the same.

“Bang!”

It was just iron ore.

No special power.

Low-grade iron ore filled with impurities.

Yet Kang Ho-duk hammered carefully, as if handling Adamantium.

“Bang!”

The sun was setting.

The heat we both gave off made the hall feel stifling.

Watching us, Nam Bora and Kang Ho-duk’s secretary wiped the sweat dripping from their brows.

“Bang!”

And shortly after.

The points we were hammering suddenly gave way.

[Crafting Complete.]

Both of our iron swords were finished simultaneously.