Reaching Level 30 upgraded my Blacksmithโs Soul.
Its effect:
[Blacksmithโs Soul]
Infuses crafted equipment with the Blacksmithโs Soul, creating Hephaestusโ assistants. You can possess an assistantโs body for a limited time (currently 30 minutes).
Possession.
I could inhabit an assistantโs body.
At first, I wasnโt sure how to use it, but it seemed incredibly useful.
When fighting boss monsters, possessing an assistant would let me fight or scout safely.
Itโd also be handy for unavoidable outings.
Testing it onceโ
Phew.
No agoraphobia flared up.
This would work.
With that, I created the Vulcanus Guildโs โGuild Master.โ
[Crafting is complete.]
[โVulcanusโ Ceremonial Armorโ has been obtained.]
[Crafting is complete.]
[โVulcanusโ Ceremonial Helmetโ has been obtained.]
It didnโt need top performance.
It just had to look impressive and dignified.
Thatโs what I aimed for.
I wasnโt after stellar stats, but making it stylish required effort.
I etched patterns with extra care and chose materials for color.
The result:
[Vulcanusโ Ceremonial Armor]
Type: Armor
Grade: SSS
Restriction: Hephaestusโ Descendant
Description: Crafted with great effort by Hephaestusโ descendant to exude a commanderโs dignity.
Defense: 300
Abilities:
- Dignity โ Increases control. Instills strong will in Vulcanus Guild members or those with high affinity.
- Command โ Boosts all stats of nearby Vulcanus Guild members and emits a buff aura that resists status ailments.
- Embrace โ Reduces damage taken by Vulcanus Guild members.
- Master of Vulcanus โ Enhances the performance of equipment bearing the โVulcanusโ name nearby.
It turned out incredible.
โTriple S-grade?โ
I only aimed for a cool ceremonial item, but my focus produced something extraordinary.
Well, whatever.
That wasnโt the point.
What came next mattered.
[The Blacksmithโs Soul is named โGuildmaster 1โ.]
Clank.
The armor stood.
It looked like it could handle Level 300 with ease, a stunning set.
The ceremonial sword at its waist, low in lethality, looked powerful and elegant.
This would let me attend the guildโs opening ceremony.
And nowโ
[Possessed the body of โGuildmaster 1โ.]
[Time limit: 30 minutes]
I possessed Guildmaster 1, pre-placed in the guild building.
Watching the ceremony via livestream, timing my entrance was easy.
As I possessed it, the curtains parted, revealing the vast auditorium.
Seeing the crowd, agoraphobia threatened, butโ
โItโs fine.โ
This wasnโt my real body.
My real body was safe in my studio.
This place couldnโt affect me.
It was justโฆ like a game.
Like in games, where crowds didnโt trigger my fears, this was the same.
Clank.
I calmly surveyed the room and stepped toward the podium.
Sword Saint, Han Yu-ra.
Berserker, Park Kang-jeol.
Heavenly Bow, Cheon Seung-heon.
Blue Dragon, Lee Ga-eul.
Those Iโd worked with sat at the front, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
They wouldnโt see the real me, but so what?
Clank.
I reached the podium.
Nam Bora had prepared my speech.
I just had to recite it.
Like chatting in a game.
โI am Vulcanus.โ
That day, Vulcanusโ name spread across Koreaโs media.
[Vulcanus Appears at Official Event]
At todayโs Vulcanus Guild opening ceremony, defying expectations, Vulcanus himself appeared, causing a massive stir.
Clad in signature black-and-red armorโฆ
[Doubts Over Vulcanusโ Authenticity]
Claims arose that the Vulcanus who appeared wasnโt the real one, sparking debate.
Even so, the awe for Vulcanus remained.
His commanding presence rivaled rankers, raising questions about how a blacksmith could exude such aura if genuine.
As expected, post-ceremony, the internet buzzed about me.
Not just Hunter news, but mainstream media too.
โAuthenticity doubts? Those in the know get it.โ
Doubts?
Thatโs just noise from the clueless.
The rankers at the front knew I wasnโt real the moment I appeared.
โStunning debut, congrats! You looked epic.โ
โGood thing it went smoothly.โ
โAuthenticity doubts? Those in the know get it.โ
Doubts?
Just noise from the clueless.
The rankers knew instantly I wasnโt real.
โStunning debut, congrats! You looked epic.โ
โGood thing it went smoothly.โ
Whoโd come to the ceremony and left a request?
They couldnโt be ordinary.
Curious, I opened the system.
Checking Nam Boraโs message:
[Vulcanus-nim, hello!]
[Finally checking my request!]
[This is my 99th tryโplease accept this one!]
A lively greeting from the start.
Even through text, I felt an outgoing energy that instinctively repelled me.
Ninety-nine times?
Sheโd sent 99 requests?
One more, and itโd be 100.
Who was this enthusiastic?
The senderโs identity was beyond imagination.
[Oh, I should introduce myself!]
[My 99th introduction, but here goes!]
[A once-in-a-generation rookie, ranked 5th!]
[Supernova!]
[Flower of Darkness!]
[Iโm An So-hee, dubbed Shadow King!]
โShadow King?โ
No way I wouldnโt know.
Amid the top 2-4 rankersโ three-way battle, she was constantly mentioned.
Rank 5, Shadow King.
She even briefly overtook Blue Dragon for 4th.
Though my orb for another widened the gap, locking her at 5th.
โBut this is Shadow Kingโs personality?โ
It didnโt match the Shadow King I knew.
The public saw her as a stoic assassin.
But her messages felt like a cheerful pickpocket.
The message continued:
[I was climbing ranks at a crazy pace!]
[Then those three got insanely strong, fighting their three-way battle, ignoring me.]
[Rank 1โs untouchable.]
[Turns out, they all got SSS-grade gear from you!]
I flinched.
From her perspective, she was climbing fast until my gear stalled her at 5th.
Fair to feel frustrated.
[But you ignored my requests!]
[Iโve got plenty of money!]
[Name your price, just make my gear!]
[Pleeease!]
The long message was mostly whining.
Honestly, I felt no guilt or responsibility for her rank stall.
โShould I take it?โ
Not bad.
The commission fee was hefty, and itโs the rank 5 Shadow King.
As Vulcanus Guildโs master, building ties with top rankers couldnโt hurt.
I might need their favors later.
Plus, accepting her request would mean crafting gear for all top 5 rankers.
In a game, Iโd get a โTop 5 Rankers Collection Achievedโ message.
โLetโs do it.โ
Nodding, I decided to accept.
If Shadow King got stronger, it might spark a four-way rank battle, but thatโs not my problem.
It could even bring rankers back for more gear.
No reason to refuse.
[Accepted Shadow King An So-heeโs commission.]
As if watching the system, her thank-you came instantly.
Ignoring her overwhelming energy, I sent a list of required details.
Experience taught me that understanding the client was key for ranker gear.
Soon after, Shadow King sent excessively detailed info.
Her requested item:
[Make me an awesome, world-class mask!]
โA mask?โ
A completely combat-irrelevant, bizarre request.