Chapter 4

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 4

Chapter Title: EX-Grade Blacksmith Tutorial (1)

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Before using the skill, you can't exactly know what it does, but this one was incredibly intuitive.

The skill lets me create a forge directly, so first I needed a wide-open space.

At the same time, getting caught with a forge suddenly appearing would be trouble, so I had to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠head somewhere with as few people as possible.

Such a place for me was the Awakener-exclusive training facility.

It costs a whopping 500,000 won per hour, but the room resets to its initial state when you leave, so no worries about the forge being discovered.

"Private room, I'll rent it for one hour first."

"Yes, E-rank Warrior... Shin Yujun, correct?"

"Yes."

"...One hour is 500,000 won, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if you don't exit in time, it auto-extends."

"We guarantee no recording or any logs inside the room. We hope you achieve your goals."

I wondered if they'd look down on me for being E-rank. The staff did seem to stifle a chuckle, but there was no real discrimination.

With prices this steep, most customers are high-rank Awakeners, so the staff are always super polite.

Jiing—

Anyway, at 500,000 won an hour, I had to move fast.

Jiing—

The moment I entered the room and the door shut, I activated the skill right away.

"..."

Heart pounding, I squeezed my eyes shut as I activated it.

EX-Grade Blacksmith's forge...

Wondering just how dazzling it would be, I slowly opened my eyes.

"...?"

Squinting from the floor up, it was still the plain white initial room—nothing like expected.

Maybe smaller scale? I snapped my eyes open fully, and two short lines of text floated before me.

"What the..."

Hot metal chunks sparking with flames.

Blackened walls from soot, hammers, swords, shields, and gear hung everywhere.

A furnace with eternally roaring flames.

That's the forge I'd imagined. None of it existed.

Just two lines on my phone asking to sync the forge.

Not certain, but the moment I saw it, I had a feeling this would be utterly underwhelming.

"Sync..."

I pulled my phone from my pocket and flipped it open twice for the max screen size.

"Ah..."

Sure enough, my uneasy hunch was spot on—it became reality.

A crude design, like slapped together in PowerPoint.

Smack in the center, boldly proclaiming its EX-Grade skill status: 『Forge』.

"Let's get outta here..."

First thing after grasping the skill's true form: bolt from the room.

Less than 10 minutes later, I approached the payment staff and asked, but got a flat refusal.

"Only used 10 minutes—partial refund... no way, right?"

"Yes, sir... terribly sorry, but partial refunds aren't possible~ We hope you achieve great things. Talon Training Center Gangdong Branch~ Thank you~"

Out of the facility, no time to waste—I hopped on the subway.

'Ah, that money hurts so bad.'

Just 5 minutes. Wasted 500,000 won fiddling with skill-sync on my phone screen.

'Well... look on the bright side.'

It was a necessary expense to test the skill even once.

Saved time, in a way—call it a win.

My current destination: a real estate agency.

The temporary nest for this EX-Grade Blacksmith, until I start raking in big bucks.

Off to find a one-room apartment to dump my remaining 4.5 million won subsidy into.

I'd boasted about dumping all 4.5 million won, but naturally, I couldn't go that far.

Petty bourgeois caution: better keep at least a million won buffer for emergencies.

"How about this one?"

"Oh... not bad at all..."

The final pick was the best room I'd seen so far.

"Huuu..."

"Then... shall we head to sign the contract?"

Deposit of 3 million won, monthly rent 300,000 won.

Signing leaves me with exactly 1.2 million—plenty to scrape by.

"Sounds good!"

They prep for newly adult orphans leaving places like Twilight Orphanage around this time—no need to blow cash on motels anymore.

'Yeah... got out in 10 minutes, snagged this room.'

If I'd used the full 60 or more, it might've been gone.

Rationalized away the 500,000 tossed to the wind like that, returned to the agency, and breezed through the contract.

Regret hit quick.

"Huff... huff..."

"Fuck... I'm an Awakener now, but this damn uphill's killing me?!!"

Not much of an uphill—way too steep.

Recalled peering out the window earlier, thrilled at the panoramic neighborhood view.

Felt like an observatory up there.

Finally dragged myself home, gasping for air, then showered straight away.

"Huuu..."

Not fully loaded with options, but it has everything essential.

"Hold up... laundry room nearby?"

Obviously no washer or dryer. Climbing up, I racked my brain for a coin laundry, but drew a blank.

'Too exhausted from the climb... must've missed it.'

Laundry's not urgent—cut the negativity.

Dove onto the bed, flipped open the Galaxy Z Flip Flip twice for max screen, and summoned the forge.

『Forge』

Earlier, it crushed my expectations and bummed me out, but now? Might be a blessing.

Blacksmith.

Thrilled at EX-Grade and first-of-its-kind job, but dreaded slaving by the fire, sweating buckets.

This? Pure honeyed freebie.

If the performance holds up, I can tap away like a phone game, lying down, endlessly multiplying wealth.

Tapped the main screen once more—screen shifted.

Uncannily like a blacksmith game.

A cheap, low-quality one, sure.

Only three options available to me right now.

Plenty more locked behind padlock icons.

"Seriously like a game—does it even update?"

No way to know yet. Time to test what I can.

"Huh?"

Just in case, scrolled to the bottom—a hidden option popped up.

Cruder the game, more essential the tutorial.

No second thoughts—I launched the tutorial.

"Ooh..."

The tutorial voice played in my head.

I followed along, starting with [Equipment Creation].

Charrlk—

A transition so crude it almost had sound effects—screen flipped.

"Whoa..."

Unbelievable—it really is a total freebie power.

No clue how to get tickets yet, but snag one, tap, and boom: gear created.

Even as a fresh Awakener, theoretically A-Grade gear possible!

Naturally, my pick: D-Grade, boosted to 100% success with the bonus.

Not knowing ticket sources, going D-Grade?

Not cowardice—pure rational judgment. Optimal move for a fresh-outta-orphanage nobody!

Shin Yujun, ditching romance for safe bourgeois picks, becomes a dopamine-junkie decking himself in shiny "beast heart" gear within a week.

The figure whose mere existence elevated the Holy Nation Guild's status.

The 'Saintess' Veronica Estelle had finally obtained a weapon befitting her class.

Light-attribute staffs had never once appeared in the world—people doubted they even existed. Ten years later, the first drop.

The lowest grade, E-rank, but treated like a holy relic. Naturally, its owner—the one who could wield it best—was 'Saintess' Veronica Estelle.

"Ehehehe... finally, my staff..."

Just an E-Grade, plain-looking wooden staff.

But Veronica Estelle was happier than anyone in the world right now.

"I'll water you every day... treat you so preciously~~~"