The Mortar Goblin's Legs and the Resonance Surge
The heat from the forge's frenzy had finally subsided. Seojun gazed down at the armaments lined up neatly on the workbench. The 85 sets of armor and bracers that Doyokshini had additionally commissioned. And the custom gear for the three core members of the Silver Lining Guild. All the work was done.
"Finished earlier than expected."
It was thanks to working day and night without rest, but more than that, his proficiency had risen. His feel for handling the reinforced alloy was now instinctual, beyond mere familiarity. The ratio using the egg ghost byproduct as a catalyst was perfect, without a single margin of error.
He first inspected Park Cheolwoo's helmet. It was designed with a structure to filter out kaeyi mental waves. He'd considered adding more kaeyi byproducts, but held back—overdoing it could backfire.
Next was Han Yura's dagger, Mangoshu. Short in length, but more than sufficient to pierce an opponent's vitals. Above all, the horn-like guard above the handle went beyond mere hand protection. He'd wrapped the grip with spiral steel bars forming a cover, allowing it to function as a simple shield.
Finally, Lee Sujin's chainmail cardigan. This was the piece he'd poured the most effort into. It wasn't your standard chain weave. He'd twisted alloy wires thinner than rebar into a fabric-like mesh. It rustled like silk when picked up, yet its durability rivaled full chainmail plate. Thin enough to wear under a robe without a hint of bulk.
"These should hold up even against kaeyi."
Seojun nodded in satisfaction. They seemed more than enough against rootless foreign kaeyi. But against entrenched native kaeyi that had guarded the land for ages? That was uncertain. Even if their presence felt faint, they had the grit of survival.
"Well then..."
There were still a few days left until the delivery deadline. A rare breather. He cleaned every corner of the forge and tuned up his tools. Wiped the anvil with an oiled rag and repaired his hammers. Time slipped by, darkness fell, and night deepened. Silence blanketed the street, bereft of hunters' footsteps. But as usual, he left the shutter up, waiting for customers.
Thud, thud—
Sure enough, footsteps shattered the quiet. He glanced toward the entrance. Someone was approaching. Small and hunched stature, clad in a tattered brown robe, topped with a traditional hat. The unusual appearance aside, it carried no human presence.
A regular kaeyi customer after so long.
Until now, Haran and Doyokshini had kept them away. Haran blocked the irreverent, while Doyokshini made the insolent too intimidated to even approach. Which made this new kaeyi visitor all the more welcome.
"Ah, h-hello..."
The new kaeyi customer greeted him timidly, shrinking at the sight of the signboard hanging at the entrance. As a kaeyi, it felt the power of the rules more acutely.
"I-I'm just a worthless goblin..."
A goblin born from an object.
The aura wafting from the new customer resembled the musty scent of aged antiques. When an object absorbed enough spiritual energy over time, it became a goblin. Brooms, fire pokers, straw sandals—things that took human form at night to frolic. Unlike Doyokshini and her minions, its origins were humbler.
"Come on in, make yourself comfortable."
Seojun welcomed it warmly, observing closely. The kaeyi shuffled in with a limp, like its body was uncomfortable to move.
"M-my... my legs aren't so good."
It hiked up the hem of its robe slightly. Its legs were made of weathered wood—an old mortar pestle. Scarred and cracked by the elements, they looked ready to snap at any moment. The knee joints were especially worn down.
"They creak every step... hurts so bad I can't bear it. Please fix 'em sturdy."
"Let me take a look."
Seojun carefully touched the man's legs. Dry and crumbly, like the life had drained from the wood, leaving only husk. Left like this, they'd rot through and break soon enough. Patching with ordinary wood wouldn't cut it.
"I-is it bad?"
"Replacing them entirely would be best, but..."
"N-no! I'd rather die!"
"Then I'll brace them with metal bands and reinforce the joints. That alright?"
"Aigoo, anything but replacement—iron, stone, whatever. Just make sure I can walk proper."
The goblin bowed repeatedly. Seojun fetched thin iron sheets and brass from the storeroom. The work was straightforward. He cut the iron to fit the wood's contours and attached brass hinges to the joints. A few hammer strikes shaped it perfectly.
The trick was bonding wood and metal. Nails risked splitting the brittle wood.
Better to clamp and bind.
Seojun pressed the heated iron sheet tight against the mortar goblin's leg. Sizzle. Wood smoke rose, but no flames. As the sheet cooled and contracted, it gripped the wood firmly. Instead of glue, he applied a tiny dab of Haran's egg slime. Metal and wood fused seamlessly, without a hint of mismatch.
"All done."
The job took less than an hour. The goblin tentatively stepped forward. The once-wobbly gait from rotting wood steadied. Even stomping hard, no shake.
"Oho! Feels like new legs! I could dance now!"
The goblin jigged with shoulder shakes, overjoyed. It rummaged in its bosom and placed something on the workbench.
"This is all I got... hope it's enough for the fee."
It was hide. Rolled up, but unrolled, it dwarfed the workbench. Blue base with faint red vein-like patterns shimmering through. Rough surface, but incredibly tough and elastic to the touch.
"Ch-cheongu hide. From one I raised that died—been storin' it."
Unfamiliar, but clearly high-value. Items from this hide would be top-tier. Overkill for fixing one leg.
"More than enough."
"Heh heh, glad to hear. I'll be off then."
The goblin departed with lightened steps. Alone, Seojun stroked the hide. It clung perfectly to his hand.
Where to use this...
Ideal for armor, but such a large piece was rare. Too wasteful to cut into scraps.
His gaze drifted to his own body. The leather apron he wore, frayed and scorched from years of sparks.
"Time for an upgrade."
Making gear for himself was a rarity. Handmade meant care infused, built to last.
"First..."
He spread the cheongu hide on the workbench. With white chalk, he sketched the outline. Normally he'd use a pattern, but he'd made a few before and this was for himself—eyeballing sufficed. He picked up the shears and cut.
Snip—
They barely bit. Durability leagues beyond normal leather.
"...Should be fine."
Ignoring the unease, Seojun kaeyi-fied. Gripping hard, the shears sank in. Snip, snip. He cut vigorously, accelerating.
Design: simple long apron from shoulders to below knees. Slit bottom for mobility. Ample pockets, loops for hammer and tongs.
"This'll be the last touch."
Seojun pulled out the shadow thread from Net Bag Grandpa as labor fee. Scarce, but enough to finish. Stitch by stitch. Pierced holes in the hide, threaded through. Finger-intensive work.
"Whew."
Thinking of it as his own clothes infused every motion with care. Honed the grain, finished edges meticulously.
...
How much time passed? As dawn's bluish light seeped through the window cracks, the work finished.
On the workbench lay the blue leather apron, gleaming subtly. Just looking made it feel sturdy. The cheongu hide's toughness was unmatched. He'd struggled piercing it with an awl for needle holes—no need to test further. Scrap tests showed even thick sparks left no scorch.
"This'll last till I die."
Seojun shed his old apron. Draped the new one and tied the straps behind his waist. Heavy, but comfortable. Felt like it braced his body.
"Perfect."
Satisfied, he planned to call it a day. But his heart plummeted. Cold sweat poured from his whole body, goosebumps rising. Vision spun; he gripped the workbench, but his hand had no strength. Lost balance, crashed to the floor—tools clattered down from the bench.
Resonance Level Increased
Only on the floor could he see the red system message. A mere 1% rise. Yet it shattered boundaries like a dam's tiny crack bursting the floodgates.
Blood surged backward through his veins. His body ignited like plunged into a furnace.
"Guhk...!"
Couldn't breathe despite gasping. Air turned sticky, refusing his lungs. Vision flickered red to black. Tinnitus pierced his ears. Eeeee— Amid the shrill ring, murmurs rose.
Unlike prior whispers, this was another level. Thousands shouting in unison. Skull-splitting agony crashed down.
No... hold my mind...
Seojun clawed the floor unwittingly. Nails tore, but drowned in body-wide torment. Muscles spasmed in wild contraction and release. Spine chilled, something writhed up his vertebrae. Bugs crawling under skin.
Kaeyi are the perfect beings.
Letting go now meant no return to humanity. Not half-and-half, but full monster. Powerless before the tidal wave.
As encroaching darkness claimed his mind—
You can overcome it.
A familiar voice. Haran? Doyokshini? Someone else? No time to think—consciousness sank below the surface.