Chapter 116: Forging the Blood Sea Devourer

– Park Kang-chul joining the Vulcanus Guild!

– This is truly surprising.

– Will the Vulcanus Guild be able to handle the berserker known as the Mad Dog?

– Could this finally suppress the Mad Dog’s rampage?

– All eyes of the Hunters are now focused on the Vulcanus Guild!

“Mad dog? What a fearless remark.”

Watching Hunter News, I let out a dry laugh.

Even though everyone knows Park Kang-chul is a lone wolf, calling him a mad dog like that…

What if Park Kang-chul shows up at the broadcaster’s office brandishing his Greatsword, threatening them, demanding to know where the host is? What then?

…Ah, now that Park Kang-chul is a member of Vulcanus, does that mean I have to take responsibility?

Just to be safe, I used the Guild Leader’s authority to peek into Park Kang-chul’s perspective, and thankfully, he was silently clearing a new Gate.

“Alright, I should get to work too.”

[Using Crafting Skill.]

Having accepted Park Kang-chul into the guild, it was time to fulfill my promise and craft his equipment.

In truth, this was both a gift for him and a leash to control him.

Though Park Kang-chul became a Vulcanus Guild member, there was practically no other way to control him except through this.

If he tried to break free from my control and cause trouble, I could use the Guild Leader’s authority to revoke his qualification, preventing him from wearing my equipment — effectively acting as his leash.

Because of that, I had to hurry and make his equipment before he heard the word “mad dog” on the news.

[Please select the form of the item to be crafted.]

“Armor.”

The first thing to make was Park Kang-chul’s armor.

The main focus was actually his weapon, the Greatsword, but as they say, save the best for last.

Just kidding.

Since the Greatsword was the most important piece of equipment, I wanted to make it after my hands were fully warmed up.

With that in mind, I decided to start with the armor.

Not that I was making armor just to warm up.

Before crafting this armor, I had already warmed up by making several mass-produced items with the Production Team.

[Please set the detailed form of the armor.]

[Please select the material of the armor.]

This was Park Kang-chul’s armor after all.

Since he was now a member of Vulcanus Guild, I had to craft armor that would become a symbol of Vulcanus.

Therefore, I carefully selected the materials.

[Dark Knight’s Black Bone]

Using this material obtained from a previous rank 8 Gate, I set the basic framework.

[Blood Light Ore]

Among the ores mined, I picked those that seemed to suit his abilities well to reinforce the framework.

[Bloodmoon Werewolf’s Wildness]

Likewise, I used this S-grade material which also matched his abilities perfectly.

“Clang!”

Crafting began.

Carving Rune Script into the armor and pouring all my care into it, more time passed than I expected.

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Vulcanus’s Crimson Armor’ acquired.]

I was able to produce Park Kang-chul’s armor.

[Vulcanus’s Crimson Armor]

Type: Medium Armor

Grade: SSS

Restriction: Level 300 or higher, Vulcanus Guild Team 0 Leader Park Kang-chul exclusive

Description: Custom equipment crafted by the Hephaestus’s Descendant exclusively for Vulcanus Guild’s Team 0 Leader

Defense: 3,000

Abilities:

1. Blood Film — Every time you deal damage to an enemy, the blood film thickens, increasing defense and evasion rate.

2. Blood Absorption — The thicker the blood film, the more movement speed increases dramatically, and you can absorb the thickened blood film to restore health.

3. Blood Life — Once per day, when taking damage exceeding remaining health, survive with 1 HP remaining.

4. Volcano — Attack power increases, and all stats rise the longer the battle lasts.

5. Member of Vulcanus — Each time equipment with ‘Vulcanus’ in its name is worn, the above abilities’ values increase.

Vulcanus’s Crimson Armor.

Though the name was simple, since it was made as exclusive equipment for the Vulcanus Guild, its performance was anything but ordinary.

This armor’s abilities perfectly matched Park Kang-chul’s berserker class.

It was the very definition of custom equipment.

Also, since the Vulcanus emblem was stamped on it, the ‘Volcano’ and ‘Member of Vulcanus’ Vulcanus Guild-exclusive skills remained intact.

The armor was better than I’d expected.

Immediately afterward,

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Vulcanus’s Crimson Helmet’ acquired.]

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Vulcanus’s Crimson Gauntlets’ acquired.]

I produced the rest of Park Kang-chul’s armor one after another.

Together, they were named the Crimson Set.

The name might seem plain for gear worn by a ranker, but I didn’t come up with it just for show.

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Vulcanus’s Crimson Cloak’ acquired.]

With the Crimson Cloak, adapted from a vampire cloak, Park Kang-chul’s armor was finally complete.

[‘Vulcanus’s Crimson’ set (6/6) fully equipped.]

[‘Vulcanus’s Crimson’ set effect activated.]

[Set Effect: Red Blood]

All item effects related to blood, as well as the wearer’s abilities and skill effects, increase.

The armor stores excess blood and can release it in emergencies.

“Perfect.”

This was exactly what I wanted.

The goal was to create the set effect.

Of course, I wanted to give each item a cool name.

Armor made with werewolf materials could have been called the Wolfman Armor of the Red Moon, and the vampire material cloak could have been Nosferatu’s Blood Veil.

I wanted to name them in a stylish way like that, but performance mattered more than the name.

That was the thinking behind this set.

Since Park Kang-chul’s unique ability was blood manipulation, which made him a powerful berserker, this set effect would be more necessary to him than anything else.

“Still, the main event starts now.”

I took out the material Park Kang-chul had given me, placed right in the middle of my studio.

SS-grade material, Molar of the Colossal Ogre.

This was the highlight of today.

Even the armor I had just made would already boost Park Kang-chul’s ranking several steps, but the most important thing was still the weapon.

After all, Park Kang-chul’s class, the Berserker, focused more on offense than defense.

“Craft!”

[Using Crafting Skill.]

[Please select the form of the item to be crafted.]

“Greatsword!”

[Please set the detailed form of the Greatsword.]

Greatsword form.

I searched the internet hard, wanting to make it look as cool as possible.

Then, I spotted the legendary weapon ‘Demonic Sword of Blood’ from Castle & Fighter.

Except for the eyeball rolling in the center of the blade, the design was perfect, so I immediately chose it.

[Please select the material of the Greatsword.]

Naturally, the material was:

[Molar of the Colossal Ogre]

The SS-grade Molar of the Colossal Ogre was huge enough that this alone could form the core framework of the Greatsword.

Of course, I didn’t use this one material alone.

I added various rare materials fitting for SS-grade quality.

All carefully chosen to best suit Park Kang-chul’s abilities.

“Clang!”

I swung the hammer.

The hardness of the point was extraordinary.

Like when handling Cheonjeoseok, the point was very thick and hard.

But the feeling was totally different from the unique sensation of pounding Cheonjeoseok ore.

It wasn’t the same hardness as when processing monster bones or teeth.

With every hammer strike, that hardness sent a thrilling shock through my wrist.

[Progress 2%…….]

It looked like this was going to take some time.

At least a full day swinging the hammer.

But I was already used to it.

A smile crept onto my lips.

How magnificent would the finished piece be after hammering all day?

How could I not be happy crafting an item using such amazing materials?

I was already a blacksmith.

“Fwoosh!”

The Rune Script spat out by Blaze etched itself onto the blade surface.

Rune of Electricity.

This was a fairly difficult Rune Script, so it took more time to engrave, but it would greatly enhance the sword’s quality.

After losing track of time, hammering away,

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Blood Sea Devourer acquired.]

I had crafted a gleaming blood-red Greatsword.

***

While Vulcanus was concentrating on making the Greatsword, as always, Park Kang-chul was clearing Gates.

“Kieeeek—”

“Kugung.”

Gate clearing was the best training ground for Hunters to level up and hone their combat instincts.

After clearing one Gate, Park Kang-chul received the equipment that had arrived in front of him.

Armor emblazoned with the Vulcanus emblem.

There were six pieces of armor including the cloak.

Tailored perfectly like a second skin, all the armor fit Park Kang-chul.

Even when swinging the Greatsword and moving fiercely, there was no discomfort.

In fact, the moment he wore the full armor set,

[‘Vulcanus’s Crimson’ set (6/6) fully equipped.]

[‘Vulcanus’s Crimson’ set effect activated.]

[Set Effect: Red Blood]

All blood-related item effects and the wearer’s abilities and skill effects increase.

The armor stores excess blood and can release it in emergencies.

The set item effect appeared.

No way.

A set item.

For Park Kang-chul, who had been scrambling to get items suitable for his level until now, this was his first time experiencing such an effect.

Still, I had expected most Vulcanus Guild equipment made for guild members to come with a basic set effect, so this part was no surprise.

“Red Blood?”

This, however, was unexpected.

The set effect Red Blood.

It was like the effect existed solely for Park Kang-chul from the start.

An increase in all blood-related effects.

That meant nearly all of Park Kang-chul’s skills and abilities were strengthened, which was awe-inspiring.

And below that, the armor was said to store excess blood and release it in emergencies.

“Stores blood? Could it really store blood?”

Park Kang-chul’s biggest problem was when no blood was present.

With this, he could still demonstrate his original power even in those situations.

Perhaps.

He might even be able to properly fight that swordmaster Han Yu-ra once more.

“Kwah-ang!”

The effect was tremendous.

Gates he entered exploded uncontrollably.

It was obvious.

Just changing his equipment had overwhelmingly boosted his combat power compared to before.

But this was only the beginning.

The most important item, his weapon, had yet to arrive.

Since weapon crafting was taking longer than expected, even after Park Kang-chul cleared several more Gates, there was no news of its completion.

Had he failed in crafting and lost the SS-grade Molar of the Colossal Ogre?

Just as this unease crept in,

[Completed.]

[Blood Sea Devourer ]

At last, his custom weapon had arrived.