Chapter 103: The Rise of Vulcanus

“Clang clang!”

When the hammering of two blacksmiths echoed through the Vulcanus Guild.

Kang Ho-duk focused on his own hammering but naturally cast his gaze toward Vulcanus.

‘Vulcanus…’

The guild’s exterior?

First impression?

Tone of voice?

None of that mattered.

There was no need to exchange greetings.

Just as two swordsmen communicate with their blades when they meet, blacksmiths come to know each other through the rhythm of their hammer strikes.

In that sense, at first, he was disappointed.

‘Awkward.’

Was it because this wasn’t the original body?

The hammering felt more awkward than expected.

Of course, he understood that the unexpected situation played a part.

But a true blacksmith should be able to hammer out regular rhythms regardless of the circumstances.

Thinking that, then—

“Clang clang!”

Vulcanus’s hammering began to stabilize.

That must have been the real Vulcanus’s hammering.

The clear ringing sound of metal every time the hammer fell.

Sparks flying everywhere with each perfect strike.

All hallmarks of a skilled blacksmith.

But—

‘…Is that all?’

It didn’t meet Kang Ho-duk’s expectations.

A blacksmith must be able to swing the hammer rhythmically.

They must stubbornly carve their own path in their own world.

Not yielding to the material’s momentum, nor succumbing to bodily fatigue.

They must stubbornly cling to their path alone.

So how was Vulcanus?

His hammering was both regular and irregular.

If Kang Ho-duk’s hammering was classical, Vulcanus’s was closer to jazz or hip-hop.

Where Kang Ho-duk hammered with refined, consistent elegance, Vulcanus twisted the timing spontaneously, responding to his mood.

‘It can’t be helped.’

Lack of experience.

No matter how powerful the abilities he unlocked were, or how fine the items he crafted, Vulcanus lacked experience.

He simply hadn’t accumulated enough.

That’s what Kang Ho-duk thought.

Because of that thought, he couldn’t accept him.

He had come to recognize Vulcanus, but he couldn’t accept such hammering.

Yet.

“Clang!”

Hour after hour passed.

The longer the hammering went on, the more Kang Ho-duk’s thoughts slowly changed.

The longer he watched the iron sword grow stronger under their hammers, the more his heart stirred.

“Clang!”

Irregular hammering.

What he had thought was a lack of experience causing mismatched strikes was in fact Vulcanus instinctively adjusting the hammer’s speed and strength according to the condition of the workpiece.

“Clang!”

Flying sparks.

When Kang Ho-duk’s consistent hammering had worn down a single point, the sparks gradually died down.

But with Vulcanus’s irregular strikes, the sparks remained fierce until the point was completely worn.

That meant the impurities in the ore were falling off better, and the ore was becoming even harder.

‘This is…’

Only then did Kang Ho-duk realize.

Vulcanus’s conviction was not the same stubbornness as his own.

Vulcanus respected the ore, the item, and the system.

He didn’t force his own path stubbornly like Kang Ho-duk; instead, he flexibly adjusted his strength according to the situation in front of him.

“Clang!”

Even looking at the iron sword being crafted right now, it was clear.

Though the item wasn’t finished, from long experience, Kang Ho-duk knew.

Vulcanus’s iron sword was superior to his own.

Vulcanus’s hammering was better than his.

When he realized this, he suddenly remembered the words he spoke when he drove Nam Bora away.

[If you don’t like it, leave. I didn’t hire you for innovation but for stable operation.]

He never listened to others.

Even if there was a better path, he stubbornly insisted on going his own way.

No.

Maybe he had actually been standing still.

Stubbornly not listening to those around him, foolishly frozen in place.

And while he stood still—

“Clang!”

The era passed Kang Ho-duk by.

Kang Ho-duk’s time was over.

If only he had run harder.

If only he had followed the path others pointed out.

He could have kept up with the changing times.

But stubbornly standing still in his position, he had fallen behind.

And in front of him—

“Clang!”

A new era’s blacksmith wielded his hammer, wearing a fake body made of iron and armor, but with a happy smile.

[Production complete.]

***

The iron sword was finished.

Looking up, it seemed Kang Ho-duk had completed his iron sword at the same time.

Expecting to compare their weapons, he checked the item information.

But then—

“Step, step.”

Kang Ho-duk approached him.

Leaving his freshly made iron sword where it was.

Unable to understand the situation, he put away his hammer and stood quietly.

“Excellent. Well done.” Kang Ho-duk came closer and finally spoke.

His expression, stiff and rigid from the moment he first arrived here, as it always was when seeing knights or photographs, had softened.

He looked somehow relieved.

Like someone who had attained enlightenment.

“I also saw well.”

He reached out and shook Kang Ho-duk’s hand.

It wasn’t a formality.

Watching his hammering had brought him new insight.

Kang Ho-duk, known as Korea’s best blacksmith.

His hammering was inspiring enough for this young blacksmith to learn something new.

Though a little stubborn, there are times when such persistence is necessary, he thought.

“I had no choice but to admit it. You are the blacksmith of the new era.”

He had thought Kang Ho-duk might refuse to recognize his skill or threaten him to be satisfied with second place.

But nothing like that happened.

Kang Ho-duk humbly accepted his place and his skill.

In truth, it was embarrassing.

Though he had awakened a high-level ability, he could never catch up to Kang Ho-duk’s hammering through experience and career.

Yet Kang Ho-duk boldly admitted his defeat.

That honesty looked admirable.

Still holding his hand, Kang Ho-duk said, “Bring it.”

“Really? That’s something you once—”

“Bring it. I realized here that it’s not something I should hold. If I stubbornly hold onto it, it will only grow old and rust.”

‘…Understood.’

What was it he wanted to bring?

The man who had accompanied Kang Ho-duk left the guild building.

He returned carrying a luxuriously wrapped box from the car.

It looked heavy, as if it took effort to carry.

“Thud.”

The man placed the box in front of him, and Kang Ho-duk carefully opened it.

Inside was ore.

“What is this?”

Ore he had never seen before.

He thought he had mined almost every type of ore in the Hephaestus Mine.

But he had never seen ore of this color.

Ore that shimmered with rainbow hues.

Clearly not ordinary ore.

Above all, the aura it gave off.

As a blacksmith, the aura he sensed was…

‘Comparable to Cheonjeoseok?’

An SS-grade ore mined from Zone 5 of the Mines, near the tower’s entrance.

Ore on the same level as Cheonjeoseok.

As he admired the ore, Kang Ho-duk told him its name.

“This is Orichalcum.”

“May I confirm its details?”

“Of course.”

Orichalcum.

He had heard the name before.

It was often called a legendary metal in fantasy movies or novels.

However, in the Hunter world, he had never heard of Orichalcum.

Since adamantium existed, he assumed Orichalcum might exist too, but he’d never encountered the name before, not in Korea or anywhere else in the world.

His heart pounding, he checked the ore’s information, and sure enough—

[Orichalcum]

Type: Ore

Grade: SS

Description: Also called the gods’ ore, a legendary ore shining with rainbow hues. Ranked the same as Cheonjeoseok. It was an SS-grade ore.

The description clearly stated it was a legendary ore and the ore of the gods.

At this level, it must be an extremely rare material that would be hard to find anywhere in Korea… or the world.

“This is Orichalcum extracted from a material I received from the Sword Saint instead of a large sum of money.”

“But why give this to me…?”

Given the circumstances, it was clear he was giving the Orichalcum to him.

But he couldn’t understand why.

Why give such a rare ore to him?

Moreover, Kang Ho-duk was a blacksmith.

He knew well that every blacksmith’s wish and dream was to create excellent items using good materials.

Yet now, Kang Ho-duk was offering this precious ore to him.

In response to his question, “I failed.”

“Failed?”

“I failed the forging. All day. No, the whole week of hammering couldn’t shape it to my will.”

Kang Ho-duk gave a bitter smile as he answered.

“And now I feel that you might be able to do it.”

“I will pay whatever price.”

“No need for that. I entrust my unfulfilled dream to you. If any payment is to be made, it should be by me.”

“But…”

“Haha, even so, you should be a little anxious.”

“What do you mean?”

Anxious?

He looked at Kang Ho-duk intently, and the older blacksmith laughed heartily.

“I might come back to claim it myself soon.”

That was right.

At this moment, Kang Ho-duk was deciding to break free from his blocked path and start walking a new one from now on.

After the meaningful words, Kang Ho-duk turned to Nam Bora, who stood behind him.

“It’s not too late, right?”

“There’s a saying: ‘The moment you think it’s too late is the earliest time.'”

“Nowadays, young people say that when you think it’s too late, it’s really far too late.”

“Mr. Kang Ho-duk, you’re older, so that proverb might not suit you.”

“Haha, I don’t know if that’s a blessing or a curse.”

Kang Ho-duk laughed repeatedly.

The man accompanying him looked quite bewildered.

Probably because he’d never seen Kang Ho-duk laugh so cheerfully before.

As they sent Kang Ho-duk off, “You look happy.”

“Yes, I feel really relieved.” Nam Bora’s expression looked brighter than ever.

It was as if the usual impatience she felt had vanished.

After Kang Ho-duk left, Orichalcum ore was in his hands.

Suddenly, he held a material almost as good as Cheonjeoseok.

Ore given by Kang Ho-duk.

He had no idea how to use it.

If possible, he wanted to create something so impressive that word would spread he used it well.

With that in mind, he decided to keep it carefully until an idea came.

Even if Kang Ho-duk came back having refined his skills and searching for it again.

Well, then he could prove his skills once more.

And that evening.

In the official Smithy Ranking certified by the System, Vulcanus’s Forge had claimed the top spot.

[1st place: Vulcanus’s Forge]