Chapter 13: The Blacksmith of the Battlefield Quest

<Class Change – Blacksmith of the Battlefield> 

You have reached level 30 solely through hunting, without crafting minerals or equipment. 

You are now qualified to become a Blacksmith of the Battlefield.  

Prove your strength through relentless hunting! 

[Level: 30/50]

[Quest Reward: Class Change – Blacksmith of the Battlefield]

[Crafting minerals or equipment will result in quest failure.]

[Class change will reset class skills.]

Upon reviewing the quest, Kang Ju-ho was speechless. 

The Blacksmith of the Battlefield was undoubtedly a special class. 

Having never considered a special class, Kang Ju-ho was both shocked and flustered by the appearance of this class change quest. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Sensing something was amiss from Kang Ju-ho’s silence and lack of movement, Kim Seok-ju approached and asked. 

“I got a class change quest.” 

“What? A class change quest? Then…” 

Kim Seok-ju started to respond but trailed off. 

Kang Ju-ho continued. 

“Yeah, a special class…” 

“No way!” 

Kim Seok-ju exclaimed in a shocked voice. 

“What kind of class is it?” 

At Kim Seok-ju’s question, Kang Ju-ho immediately shared the class change quest details. 

“…Wow, level 30 without crafting? So that’s how they assign it.” 

After reading the information, Kim Seok-ju muttered. 

He had wondered how special class quests were triggered, and now his curiosity was answered. 

“Are you going to take it?” 

Kim Seok-ju asked Kang Ju-ho. 

“Well… hmm…” 

Kang Ju-ho trailed off, letting out a thoughtful hum. 

“I’m thinking about giving it up.” 

“Huh? Why?” 

Kim Seok-ju asked, puzzled. 

“Because I don’t know what the class synergy bonus is.” 

“Oh…” 

Kim Seok-ju let out a sound of realization at Kang Ju-ho’s explanation. 

Kang Ju-ho had chosen the Blacksmith class for the 20% resistance bonus from its synergy with the Guardian Warrior class. 

The Blacksmith of the Battlefield, while still a Blacksmith variant, was distinctly a different class. 

There was no public information about special classes—what they were, how to unlock them, or their details. 

The synergy bonus was no exception. 

The synergy bonus with Guardian Warrior might not be 20% resistance. 

Switching to the Blacksmith of the Battlefield was a risky gamble. 

“But isn’t it a bit of a shame to pass up?” 

Kim Seok-ju said with a regretful look. 

“Yeah, it is…” 

Even knowing it was a gamble, the allure of a special class was strong enough to make Kang Ju-ho hesitate. 

“Why don’t you think it over? The class change happens at level 50 anyway.” 

The condition for switching to the Blacksmith of the Battlefield was reaching level 50. 

All he had to do was keep hunting as he had been. 

Level 50 wasn’t something he’d reach quickly, so there was no need to decide immediately. 

“Yeah, you’re right.” 

Kang Ju-ho nodded, his expression visibly relieved. 

He closed the quest window and started moving to find the next hunting target. 

As he walked, Kang Ju-ho opened his character window. 

‘Is my health too low? ‘

Having reached level 30 and invested all bonus stats in stamina, his stamina stat was now 95, and his health was 4750. 

In the Stone Goblin Forest, 4750 health was high enough that only the boss monster, the Great Stone Goblin King, could pose a threat. 

However, in the next hunting grounds at level 40—Valor Plains or Desolate Tomb—4750 health was far from sufficient. 

The monsters in Valor Plains were orcs ranging from level 45 to 65. 

These weren’t ordinary orcs but Red Orcs with exceptionally high attack power. 

A single hit from a Red Orc was leagues beyond a stone goblin’s. 

Unlike stone goblins, Red Orcs couldn’t be taken down quickly, meaning he’d have to endure their attacks for longer. 

In the Desolate Tomb, the monsters were zombies (level 40–60) and ghouls (level 50–70).  

Neither had particularly high defense or attack power. 

The problem was their poison. 

Zombies and ghouls emitted poison when attacked or attacking. 

As a melee fighter, Kang Ju-ho had no way to avoid it. 

Poison ignored defense and could only be countered with resistance. 

Currently, Kang Ju-ho’s poison resistance was 0%. 

The best approach was to end fights quickly and use antidote potions or party with a priest who knew Cure. 

‘It’s probably not enough…’

He’d gain 50 bonus stats by level 40. 

Even if he invested all of them in stamina, his stamina would be 145, and his health would be 7250. 

Based on the publicly available information about Red Orcs, zombies, and ghouls, that was insufficient. 

‘I need to bolster it.’

Selling the byproducts dropped by stone goblins would earn him a decent amount of gold. 

Kang Ju-ho decided to prioritize purchasing health-boosting equipment when upgrading his gear. 

“Hyung.” 

At that moment, Kim Seok-ju called out to him. 

“Left.” 

Following Kim Seok-ju’s words, Kang Ju-ho stopped and looked to the left. 

Beyond the bushes, at the edge of a clearing, were six stone goblins. 

“…!” 

Kang Ju-ho couldn’t help but be shocked. 

One of them looked distinctly different. 

It was about twice the size of the others. 

Unlike the other goblins standing around, the presumed elite goblin was sitting on a rock, yet its head was higher than the rest. 

“That one in the middle looks different, right?” 

“Yeah, it’s probably an elite.” 

It wasn’t the boss monster, the Great Stone Goblin King. 

If it were, a warning message would have appeared. 

If it wasn’t a boss or a regular monster, there was only one answer. 

The goblin lounging on the rock was undoubtedly an elite monster, more than twice as strong as a regular one. 

“What do you want to do?” 

Kim Seok-ju turned to Kang Ju-ho and asked. 

“Should we try it?” 

Kang Ju-ho answered with a question. 

Regular stone goblins were easy to handle. 

But an elite was different. 

An elite monster’s stats were far beyond a regular monster’s. 

Killing one elite stone goblin could be harder than killing 20 regular ones. 

“I think we should give it a shot.” 

Kim Seok-ju responded. 

“We’ll have to face them eventually anyway.” 

They couldn’t avoid elite monsters forever. 

It would be good to gauge their strength now. 

“And we might get some gear if we’re lucky.” 

Regular monsters only dropped crafting materials, but elite monsters had a low chance of dropping equipment. 

The equipment’s level scaled with the monster’s. 

Stone goblins ranged from level 25 to 40, meaning any dropped gear would be perfect for their current level. 

“Alright, let’s do it.” 

“Take out the small fries first, right?” 

“Yeah. Save the shackles until the elite’s aggro is locked on.” 

“Got it!” 

“Let’s check the area first, using them as the center.” 

Kang Ju-ho and Kim Seok-ju split to the left and right to scout. 

Since the goblin group was at the edge of a clearing, they searched a wider area than usual but found no other monsters. 

“Physical Enhancement! Attribute Enchantment!” 

[Physical attack power increased by 24% for 3 minutes.] 

[Weapon enchanted with water attribute for 3 minutes.] 

[Shield equipped.] 

[Shield enchanted with water attribute for 3 minutes.] 

With buffs applied, Kang Ju-ho pushed through the bushes into the clearing. 

The moment he stepped in, the goblins’ gazes snapped to him. 

-!@$# 

-#%^@! 

They let out guttural roars. 

Soon, one goblin broke from the group and approached. 

Kang Ju-ho smiled as he saw it coming. 

The stun effect, which he hadn’t seen since level 26, had triggered. 

It was likely because of the elite’s presence. 

‘Come on!’

Kang Ju-ho waited for the goblin to approach. 

There was no need to close the distance with the elite yet. 

When the goblin arrived, Kang Ju-ho engaged. 

-!@#!@%$ 

Thump!

Less than 10 seconds after the fight began, the goblin fell. 

Kang Ju-ho glanced at the elite goblin. 

The elite, previously lounging on the rock, was now standing with a scowl. 

“Seok-ju, get ready.” 

Kang Ju-ho spoke to Kim Seok-ju, who was hiding behind the bushes, and raised his shield. 

Soon, the goblins charged. 

Kang Ju-ho furrowed his brow slightly. 

‘It’s not coming?’ 

Only four goblins were charging. 

The elite goblin hadn’t moved from its spot. 

“Don’t use the shackles.” 

Four goblins were manageable without them. 

To avoid any aggro pulling toward Kim Seok-ju, Kang Ju-ho stepped forward to increase the distance between them. 

The battle began. 

He couldn’t dodge or block every attack, so Kang Ju-ho took the hits he needed to while methodically taking down each goblin. 

A minute later, he had defeated all four. 

Having cleared the charging goblins, Kang Ju-ho kept his eyes on the elite while quickly checking his health. 

‘Gotta dodge well.’

The previous fight had reduced his health by 1050, leaving him with 3700. 

For the elite, he’d need to play it safe, even if it took longer. 

Thud! Thud!

The elite goblin began approaching. 

Its footsteps alone were different from a regular goblin’s. 

As it arrived, it raised a metal club high and swung downward. 

Kang Ju-ho watched the incoming attack and thought, 

‘Same speed.’ 

The elite’s attack speed matched a regular goblin’s. 

He’d expected it to be faster, so this was a relief. 

Kang Ju-ho stepped back slightly to dodge. 

He considered blocking with his shield to gauge the damage but decided there’d be a time when he’d have to block anyway. 

He could check then. 

Whoosh! 

The metal club passed just in front of Kang Ju-ho’s face. 

As it did, he stepped forward and swung his hammer. 

Thud!

The hammer struck, and the elite goblin flinched slightly, grimacing. 

‘Low stagger.’

Kang Ju-ho quickly rolled forward, moving behind the elite. 

The reaction wasn’t what he’d expected. 

It was poised to counterattack immediately. 

And his prediction was correct. 

As soon as he rolled, the metal club swung over him. 

If he hadn’t dodged, it would’ve hit him directly. 

Standing up, Kang Ju-ho swung his hammer at the elite’s back. 

Thud!

The elite was turning toward him, and the hammer hit its arm. 

The problem was that the elite was swinging its club as it turned. 

Realizing he couldn’t dodge, Kang Ju-ho instinctively raised his shield to block. 

Boom! 

The club struck, and Kang Ju-ho was pushed back. 

He quickly checked his health. 

“…!” 

Shock spread across his face. 

‘300?’