Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Escape from the Orphanage (2)
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The First Blacksmith.
The very first EX-rank Awakener had just been released for free.
For a moment, he'd almost corrected them that he wasn't E-rank but EX-rank, but luckily the Director had brushed it off as too much hassle.
For typical Hunters, getting half-forced into a guild contract wasn't always a bad thing.
They'd be tied down for a year, but fresh Awakeners trying to pick up Hunter knowledge and experience on their own would struggle without guidance.
Put simply, it was like having someone run you through the early tutorial.
The problem was that the tutorial lasted a full year, and after about three months, you'd have learned everything there was to learn—turning it into a slave contract with no option to skip or escape.
And his case was even worse.
As a production-class job— not a combat role—a Blacksmith had no reason to enter gates, so there was no need for safety gear either.
An EX-rank was obviously worth at least S-rank on sight, but any guild he joined would be lucky to have a C-rank Blacksmith to teach him.
And those weren't even real Blacksmiths; they were just Strength-type Awakeners.
'Shit... that was close.'
After reporting to the Director and stepping outside.
Those who'd finished their reports had to wait in the living room until everyone else was done.
Under the watchful eyes of the orphanage staff, the kids sat quietly without chatting.
It was well past their usual bedtime, but no one was sleepy or tired—not with the thrill of finally awakening.
Above all, sitting still didn't mean zoning out doing nothing.
They were probably all opening their Status Windows, mulling over their awakened jobs, skills, and stats.
He'd checked his stats and job name earlier when there wasn't time for more.
Abysmal E-ranks across the board, contrasted by his unprecedented EX-rank job as the first Blacksmith.
He tapped the ▶️ icon below to check the next page.
Forge Creation (EX)
'What the...'
The moment he checked the skills page, he felt deeply disappointed.
He was an EX-rank Blacksmith, after all.
Even so, just one skill? That seemed too stingy...
'Forge Creation...?'
It was certainly a Blacksmith-like skill.
'Guess there's nothing else to check...'
Most skills were probably the same, but this one's name screamed "don't use it here."
He had no desire to see a forge pop up in the middle of the orphanage living room.
Plus, he'd ended up hiding his abilities by accident anyway.
He toggled the ◀️▶️ icons back and forth, half-denying reality, but his Status Window remained unchanged.
He gave up quickly and closed it.
"Hoo..."
He'd grasped his Status Window faster than expected, but there was still more to do.
[Gallery]
Along with gaining access to his Status Window upon awakening, Awakeners—the new humanity—could also enter this system community.
His orphanage friends around him were probably all browsing the Gallery right now.
There wasn't much else to do since he couldn't test his skills yet and the Status Window didn't reveal tons of info.
Just like with the Status Window, picturing "Gallery" in his mind brought up a very familiar screen.
"Whoa... it's exactly the same..."
"Let's wait quietly~"
"Yes... sorry..."
The kid sitting diagonally to his right had apparently just opened the Gallery too, voicing the exact same sentiment out loud.
[Join Guild - Recruiting Warrior-types B-rank+, Mage-types C-rank+]
Posts were exploding in real-time.
New Awakeners were excitedly making their own threads out of curiosity, while veterans pulled out all the aggro bait and newbie traps they'd been saving for this day.
He considered posting something commemorative himself, but a message blocked him.
[Please set your nickname.]
You joined the Gallery upon awakening, but to comment or post, you needed to set a nickname first.
'Hmm...'
He pondered briefly but nothing came to mind, and the custom was to name it after your abilities—so he'd decide after testing Forge Creation.
For now, all he could do was lurk.
To better understand his situation, he decided to search keywords and read informative posts.
First up: EX.
Just in case someone else had awakened as EX-rank, or if EX had appeared in stats, skills, or gear anywhere.
'Nothing... just idiots...'
Next: Blacksmith.
Unlike EX, tons of hits this time, so he focused on popular ones with lots of comments.
Author: C-rank Water Mage
Strength newbiebies, Blacksmith is OP, so line up at the forge tomorrow morning~
Author: Don't you know Mages boost ranks by at least two? In a rare class, from 5 years ago lol. Water Mages pop up everywhere if you look lol
Author: Sigh... you Warrior trash with your inferiority complex again...
↓If you reply here, newbies won't become Blacksmiths ㅠㅠ
Author: BlacksmithIsGod
The nobility itself right now. Let's learn about Blacksmiths.
...
...
...
Especially lately, even S-rank Hunters are struggling with gear shortages, and B-rank+ equipment prices have skyrocketed.
In other words, just make B-rank gear—not anything fancy—and boom, life reversal, happy life with super hot S-rank milfs ㅇㅇ If you don't, it's a talent issue imo.
↓Early Blacksmith education is trending these days, guess it's real ㅜㅜ
↓Delete comment punk
↓Anyone who spots it from this wasn't gonna fall for it anyway lol
'Whoa...'
Malicious posts trying to bait even one newbie into becoming a Blacksmith.
He wondered who would fall for that, but apparently 50% of current Blacksmiths were forced into it just to survive, while the other half got hooked by these annual troll posts.
Didn't matter to him anyway.
Actually, it was good for him.
He was the world's one and only real Blacksmith.
An EX-rank Blacksmith—surely couldn't fail at B-rank gear?
His mind was already filled with visions from the Gallery posts: selling B-rank+ gear for massive cash and a happy life.
"Alright, everyone head back to your rooms and get some sleep! The kids I told to stay behind, stick around—it won't take long."
Lost in his soon-to-be-reality fantasies, he'd missed the final reports wrapping up.
The Director finally gave permission to return to their rooms.
Swoosh—
"Ah..."
As he stood to head to his room, Kwon Yena let out a soft sigh.
Yena had awakened as S-rank, so she'd naturally stay for her contract.
As an E-rank Strength-type in the Director's eyes, he could just go crash.
"Let's talk tomorrow."
"Yeah..."
Less pity, more regret that they wouldn't room together for the next year.
If he really were an E-rank Strength-type, he'd be sad too—but instead, he pitied Yena for being stuck in a guild for a year.
He left her with those wistful eyes and headed to his room.
Click—
"Oh..."
Twilight Orphanage dorms were two-to-a-room.
His roommate wasn't back yet, meaning he'd awakened at least B-rank too.
'Alright, now what...'
For those not picked up by guilds post-awakening, there were three main paths.
First: Stay at the orphanage and get hired on as staff.
Mostly D- or E-rank kids who couldn't make it independently.
Second: Take the 5 million won independence subsidy and hunt for a new guild.
If a guild backed the orphanage, they funded operations—and scooped up rejects from big guilds who were too busy to care.
Mostly C- to D-rank kids.
Third: Same subsidy, but skip guilds entirely.
Not everyone wanted the Hunter life post-awakening; even E-ranks got perks as new humanity in normie jobs.
None of those for him.
No staying, no new guilds—just living as a Hunter.
5 million won subsidy?
Blow it all tomorrow.