Chapter 1

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 1

Chapter Title: Escape from the Orphanage (1)

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Boastful Blacksmith is a god. Humanity's hope.

"Tomorrow's finally here...?"

"Yeah."

Tomorrow was the day he turned twenty—adulthood.

It used to be called that, but now it went by a different name entirely.

The day of awakening.

Ten years ago, gates appeared across the world, and the monster invasion began.

At first, modern technology held them back somehow, but it was wildly inefficient, and as time passed, humanity reached the breaking point where they could no longer be stopped.

It wasn't just that modern weapons lacked firepower.

It felt like some invisible energy was shielding the monsters.

RPGs couldn't pierce them, yet they were often trapped behind concrete walls they couldn't even break.

With humanity's extinction all but assured...

On New Year's Day, those turning twenty—adulthood—gained superhuman powers to fight the monsters.

This phenomenon was called awakening. After the first ones, every New Year's, all those reaching adulthood awakened too. They were collectively dubbed the new humanity.

Five years later, they successfully reclaimed all monster-infested territories.

Five years after that, monsters had become nothing more than lucrative prey.

The new humanity, awakened with the power to hunt them, now stood at the center of the world.

"Alright, kids... Come in one by one and tell me your abilities?"

The kindly smiling man gathering us newly minted adults was the director of Twilight Orphanage.

The new humanity with awakening powers were just ordinary (old) humans until they hit twenty.

They lived as nobodies until then, but a good grade or rare ability could turn their lives around in an instant.

Essentially, walking around with a twenty-year lottery ticket.

Rich kids or prodigies didn't guarantee great powers.

It was pure luck.

Even penniless orphans like us could dream of striking it big.

"Line up in front of the director's office and come in one at a time."

An orphanage with dozens of these lottery tickets was a goldmine.

The system—where adults got subsidies and left—had one key change.

"You know lying in there gets caught right away? Be honest~"

On New Year's, the year they turned adult, they tested their awakened abilities en masse.

If it was trash, they got the subsidy and bounced.

But a good one? They got linked to the orphanage's affiliated guild.

"Yujun! Hurry up!"

Calling me from midway in line was Kwon Yena, my closest friend at the orphanage.

Childhood friends since we were five at the old orphanage.

"Can Yujun stand with me?"

"Uh-huh..."

"Of course!"

Her overwhelming beauty made such favors feel natural as she asked.

Not that it stopped the dirty looks aimed my way.

'Tough luck. Say no if you don't like it.'

They yielded to impress her, then glared at me? Whatever.

I shrugged off the familiar stares and took my spot behind Yena.

"Yujun... What'd you awaken?"

She turned and whispered in my ear as I approached.

"You already checked?"

"Oh, right!"

You could check right after awakening, but the orphanage strictly forbade it.

Only with the director's permission in his office could you open your status window for the first time.

Of course, it was toothless—most kids checked the second New Year hit.

I did too. And Yena, who just bragged about it openly, obviously had as well.

Everyone in this line had.

'Status Window'

I had awakened as a blacksmith.

"You checked too, Yujun? Hehe..."

Her voice pulled me away before I could check the next page. I closed the window.

Yena was right in my face, staring intently.

She was itching to share her awakening with me.

This reaction meant it wasn't a dud at least...

Same for me—maybe even the jackpot.

'All stats E, thought I was screwed, but job is EX???' 'And blacksmith is actually a real job?'

As far as I knew, no one had ever awakened as a blacksmith.

Current 'blacksmiths' crafting and repairing gear were just strength-types without special skills.

I was the first true blacksmith.

This meant Yena and I would pass the director's bar.

Linked to Twilight Guild, which oversaw our Twilight Orphanage.

"My turn! Be right back, Yujun!"

Yena waved brightly and entered the director's office.

How good was it that she was dying to brag?

...

"It appeared!!!"

The quiet office erupted as the director's shout burst through the door.

...

Click—

Yena emerged soon after and whispered to me.

"Hehe... Pretty awesome, right?"

My childhood friend had become Korea's third—

The world's eleventh—S-rank awakener.

Before I could congratulate her, the other kids swarmed.

I got dragged into the office next.

"Heh heh heh heh..."

The director grinned creepily as I entered.

"Director?"

"Ah, yes... Right, Yujun. Open your status window and check your ability."

"One sec."

I deliberately stalled, pretending to open it fresh.

Reveal my job, and I'd go to Twilight Guild like Yena.

Forced contracts weren't ideal, but no choice.

The office had lie detectors and cameras recording everything.

Lie and get caught. Even if you fooled the machines with powers, it didn't matter.

If exposed later as a fake-out, orphanage confiscates everything, plus 50% profits for ten years.

Better to join the affiliate guild, do a year, then renew or jump ship freely.

"Yujun? Taking a bit long."

"Ah, yes."

Twilight Guild was solid—top 10 in Korea.

First-year contracts anywhere meant passion-pay under 'new hunter training.' Might as well go big.

"So, Yujun. What job came up?"

"Blacksmith."

"Haa..."

'What?'

He knew blacksmith was the first ever. Why that reaction?

"Grade?"

"E..."

"Get out."

'No way... He thinks I'm just an E-grade strength awakener?'

Couldn't accept the first true job class.

'No contract binding then?'

Like being healthy but exempt from service—pure honey.

"Hurry up and go."

Snapping out of it, he rushed me. Too good to be true, I grabbed the doorknob.

"Hold on."

"Yes?"

"You know this is all recorded?"

"Yes."

"Right. No reason to lie unless you're crazy. Out."

Click—

"Phew..."

'No lies told...!'

The EX-grade blacksmith orphan casts off all chains and leaves the orphanage in search of happiness.