Hammering the Stars
Hammering stars was something no one could handle alone. Sintanjae gazed at the glowing blue lump of metal in the flames and wrote on the ground. Even a legendary master smith couldn't manage this metal by himself.
Seojun stared piercingly at the lump. It shimmered with a bluish light, giving off a mystical aura. It felt like someone had ripped a star straight from the night sky and heated it up.
It can't be a star, right? It was an absurd thought, of course. But this was a world of illusions. Common sense didn't apply here. Anything was possible, and anything could exist.
What should I do? Seojun wrote on the floor and asked. Sintanjae replied without hesitation.
I'll hold it steady. You hammer.
Two smiths hammering a single piece of metal in tandem—a collaborative forging. It was an honor to sync breaths with someone who could be called a true master. But it could ruin the whole process if he slipped up, so tension coiled in his gut. He had a gut feeling this wouldn't be easy.
Understood. But Seojun didn't back down. He picked up the two-handed hammer beside the anvil. It looked like an ordinary two-handed hammer, nothing special, but it fit perfectly in his grip. The weight felt just right, almost like it had been made for him.
Sintanjae lifted his long tongs. He thrust them into the flames and pulled out the glowing blue metal lump. Seojun braced for the intense heat, regulating his breath, but felt none of it. The heat was perfectly contained, not leaking even a bit. It was a level of skill he couldn't even dream of imitating.
Soon, the glowing blue lump rested on the anvil. Seojun cleared his mind and raised the two-handed hammer, ready. Sintanjae assumed a steady stance, nodded at him calmly. It was the signal to begin. Seojun lifted the hammer high.
And brought it down like a thunderbolt.
CLAAANG! A sound close to thunder reverberated. The whole space seemed to shake. But more than that, the moment the hammer struck the metal—enormous recoil surged up through it. His arm bones rattled, his guts twisting inside.
Urgh... Seojun gritted his teeth, swallowing the pain inwardly. Sintanjae was watching right in front of him. He couldn't whine and pull back now. He readjusted his stance and raised the hammer again.
CLAAANG! The thunderous clang rang out again. The recoil hit once more, churning his insides. It felt like the metal itself was rejecting him. Like it refused to be tamed by anyone's will.
"Tch." But Seojun didn't stop. Let's see who wins, you or me.
CLAAANG! CLAAANG! He kept hammering relentlessly. From several strikes to dozens in one breath.
CLAAANG! CLAAANG! He focused solely on raising and slamming down the two-handed hammer. Then, a strange sensation brushed past. The feedback at the hammer's tip didn't feel like metal. It was hard and cold, yet packed with immense energy inside.
Like hammering a star. Another ridiculous notion. But the feeling was vividly real. A star on the anvil, being forged. Overwhelm and thrill swept through his body.
...
How much time had passed? The glowing blue lump gradually cooled. As the heat faded, its true color emerged—a white purer than fresh snow. And as its shape formed, it became clear: the head of a hammer.
"Hah... hah..." Seojun set down the two-handed hammer, gasping raggedly. He felt like vomiting, but held it back with sheer will. His whole body was soaked in sweat, like he'd been caught in a downpour.
He could collapse any second, but his eyes shone bright. He stared, entranced, at what he'd hammered into being.
Sintanjae nodded in satisfaction. He set down the tongs and stepped out of the forge. Moments later, he returned with a thick tree branch snapped off nearby—an old ginkgo branch standing by the forge.
He trimmed it roughly with a crude knife, stripping the bark and smoothing the surface. Then he fitted it into the finished hammer head.
Thud, thud. The wooden handle locked firmly into the metal hole. White head, dark brown haft. Plain in form, but exuding dignity—a hammer with presence.
Seojun watched curiously, wondering how Sintanjae would use this newly made hammer. Given the special care, he expected devastating power. But Sintanjae's actions were unexpected. He wrote on the floor and held out the hammer to Seojun.
This is yours.
Seojun doubted his eyes. He double-checked the writing on the floor, wondering if he'd misread. But the words were clear.
You're... giving it to me? Seojun wrote with trembling hand.
Sintanjae continued writing matter-of-factly.
Control it with your kaeyi affinity, and you can adjust its weight. It'll help you master your kaeyi power too.
This new hammer was no ordinary tool. A divine artifact whose weight shifted with kaeyi energy.
Is it really okay to give something this valuable to me? Seojun felt guilty just receiving it. He'd only helped with a few strikes. The materials and skill were all Sintanjae's.
But Sintanjae was firm.
I wouldn't give it if you weren't worthy.
Sintanjae looked Seojun straight in the eye. Beyond the master smith, it was the gaze of one craftsman acknowledging another.
This is your reward for being worthy.
Seojun accepted it without further refusal. Turning down a gift like that would be rude. He took the hammer carefully in both hands. Compared to the grueling forging, its weight felt ordinary. But it gripped well, with a satisfying heft. Touching the head sent a cool, tingling sensation through his palm. Like holding a star from the night sky.
Thank you. I'll call it the Starforge Hammer. He couldn't forget the feeling of hammering a star. So he named it after that—the hammer that forges stars.
A faint smile crept across Sintanjae's lips. A bright grin revealing yellowed teeth.
Good name.
And his final words on the floor:
Don't lose yourself.
With those words, the world rippled. Colors faded, space twisted. He returned to reality without even realizing it.
"Ah." Seojun looked around, realizing he was back in his familiar forge. The cold hearth, tools scattered on the workbench. Nothing had changed—it felt like a dream. But his hands held something heavy. The white Starforge Hammer. Proof it hadn't been a dream. He'd brought back an object from the illusory world.
"Haha..." Seojun let out a hollow laugh. Was this even possible? But he couldn't deny the evidence in front of him. He lifted the hammer, inspecting it from every angle. Smooth surface, subtle glow. Mystery incarnate.
I want to try it out. His smith's instincts stirred. Natural to test a new tool.
He immediately lit the forge with dokkaebi fire. Purple demon flames roared, heating the ridged steel in seconds. It went onto the anvil. He gripped the Starforge Hammer.
Control it with kaeyi energy to adjust the weight. Recalling Sintanjae's advice. He drew up his inner energy and poured it into the hammer—to its limit.
Whoooong! The Starforge Hammer vibrated in response. An immense pressure crushed his wrist. Far heavier than imagined. Like holding a real star. Veins bulged on his forearms, muscles screaming.
This... is too much! Beyond what he could handle. Even at 11% kaeyi affinity, it was a struggle. Seojun hurriedly tried to pull back the energy. But he couldn't bear the weight and let go.
The hammer plummeted, defying gravity.
KABOOM! An explosion rocked the forge. Dust billowed thickly. Seojun coughed, waving it away. As it settled, the devastation revealed itself. The anvil was a mangled lump embedded in the floor. The Starforge Hammer sat atop it. The heated ridged steel was flattened seamlessly into the anvil, as one.
"......" Seojun was speechless at the wreckage. Lucky the energy dispersed when he dropped it—or it might've punched through the floor to the basement.
He wiped cold sweat from his brow. Far more dangerous than expected. But if handled right, he could shape any metal at will.
How do I even explain this? Seojun gave a wry smile at the crushed anvil. It was a special alloy one, newly replaced not long ago. Ordering another—what could he even say?
Money wasn't an issue with his full bank account. This time, something tougher. No—the toughest in the world.