Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: Meanwhile, in the West (1)
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Clang—! Clang—! Clang—!
In the searing heat, the crisp sound of metal rang out rhythmically, almost refreshingly clear.
Sizzle—!
The relentless rhythm, which seemed like it would continue forever, paused momentarily as steam burst forth...
"Focus! Don't overthink it with calculations! Listen to what the fire is saying, feel the heart of the metal, and move accordingly!"
Zaonik's bellow followed right on cue.
His gruff guidance, mixed with shouts, had been ongoing since the first day of training and showed no signs of letting up even now, nearly a month later.
Howard thought he'd prepared well enough to even gain a skill beforehand, but in the eyes of Zaonik, a master dwarf artisan, it was barely the stumbling steps of a toddler.
In truth, the time he'd invested here was absolutely insufficient from the start, so it was only natural for rough words to fly during the lessons.
'Still, this Spartan-style training really makes growth feel tangible. It's worlds apart from self-studying all that time.'
He gave the metal clamped in his tongs a quick visual once-over before shoving it back into the furnace, wiping sweat from his brow.
Zaonik's teachings—the dwarven way—differed greatly from the fundamentals of metallurgy he'd known before.
Before diving into proper instruction, Howard had perfectly demonstrated his basics in a proficiency test.
The systematic metalworking process based on precise modern scientific measurements.
But despite his confidence, the response was underwhelming.
To sum it up in one word: 'inefficient.' More precisely, 'far too human, and thus unfit for a dwarf.'
—"Of course, I'm not dismissing the techniques you've learned. They're solid enough. That is, if you weren't a dwarf!"
Howard had realized it himself long ago: a dwarf's senses were on a whole different level from a human's.
They could skip countless steps humans needed and still achieve superior results.
'Like solving a math problem mentally instead of dragging out complicated formulas.'
And dwarves didn't just handle mental math—they came factory-equipped with an engineering calculator in their heads, an absurd racial trait.
That was why they were called the artisan race and why they dismissed other races' methods as inefficient.
Thus, what Zaonik focused on teaching first wasn't some secret technique.
—"No need to start from the basics, then. What you need most right now is one thing: to properly awaken to the 'dwarven way'! Everything else comes after!"
It was about enabling him to fully leverage his dwarven artisan advantages.
To put it bluntly, it wasn't about rigidly following thorough processes like before—it was closer to going purely by feel.
'Sounds ridiculous, but the results are way better, so what can you say? Come to think of it, that's the image of a true artisan anyway...'
Yes, scientific stats and figures were, in a way, just averages.
The metals handled, the fuel for the fire, even the quenching liquid—all varied subtly each time, and the artisan's condition wasn't constant either.
Scientific precision helped avoid total failures at minimum, but to craft masterpieces beyond a certain threshold, something more was required for a true 'artisan.'
'Right now, it's time to build core competency over fancy tricks. Guess I'll only properly use those high-end Earth techniques once I reach a certain level. Kinda disappointing...'
Clang—! Clang—!
As Howard grumbled inwardly but focused on his work, Zaonik watched from behind, swallowing yet another surge of amazement.
'...Impressive every time I see it. His learning speed is incredible. Minus those pointless habits from the start, his fundamentals weren't half bad.'
It hadn't been long since proper teaching began, yet he'd already surpassed Zaonik's expectations.
Howard absorbed every lesson in a flash, improving daily, which energized Zaonik to teach even more enthusiastically.
'And strangely, I keep feeling this affinity. Distant blood relative, maybe?'
His passionate demeanor played a part too—something emotional, making Zaonik want to give him extra.
He'd never realize the reason, though.
Cliiing—!
'Oh?'
And after nearly a month of guidance...
Lost in a trance as he swung the hammer, Howard finally realized he'd reached a breakthrough.
'I see. This is...'
Nothing had visibly changed.
His senses were as sharp as ever, his fingertips as precise.
But something was different.
The blazing flames spoke to him.
Suggesting a bit more heat might be good.
He empathized with the metal's vibrations on his skin.
Instinctively knowing where and how hard to strike for perfection.
'Amazing. To actually feel this way.'
No more stray thoughts.
Enraptured, Howard surrendered to the trance, yielding to fire and metal's desires...
And the moment he completed a 'masterpiece'—
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The entity has gained enlightenment through repeated training. Acquired Special Skill 「Dwarven Creation Logic」. Only then could he take his first true step as a dwarven artisan.
And as if blessing the fact, the messages didn't end at one.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The Titan gazes upon you. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The entity has fulfilled the conditions and gained enlightenment. Acquired Special Skill 「Song of Fire and Metal」. At the same moment, the flames quietly burning in the furnace flickered wildly, a strand of fire leaping out to briefly coil around him before vanishing.
Startled, Howard blinked, then recalled the memory.
'Titan...'
The formal name for the dwarves' object of faith, the 'God of Fire and Metal.'
Their culture deemed directly invoking a god's name irreverent, so they spoke around it, but the dwarf nation on the Enamel Continent was named 'Titanian'—a title deeply revered in dwarven society.
'Must've met some condition for attention through that last work.'
No other explanation for it timing perfectly now.
Anyhow, a new patron was always welcome.
Clap clap clap—
"Congratulations, Howard! To think you'd awaken to it so soon! And a furnace blessing too—the god himself seems to have taken note of your talent."
Zaonik approached clapping, thumping his shoulder with a satisfied grin.
From what he explained, it was a phenomenon promising dwarves experienced a few times.
A sign of interest when forging something meaningful at the furnace or when a favored artisan overcame a wall.
Howard looked at his palm with fresh wonder, clenching and unclenching it.
The workshop's heat danced at his gesture, the incoming furnace breath feeling far more familiar with each respiration.
He could sense nearby metals' positions and states without looking.
'「Song of Fire and Metal」 boosts affinity with those two elements, as the name implies. Probably more at higher proficiency, but this is the limit for now.'
Gaining skills was always good, regardless.
As he savored his training fruits with a satisfied nod...
"Good! Now that you've got the basics, I can finally give you proper instruction! No holding back from here—keep up! Hahaha!"
Zaonik, still thumping his shoulder, burst into booming laughter, leaving Howard with an awkward smile.
'Didn't feel like he was holding back before either.'
But such harsh conditions were trivial to him.
No— it was exactly what he wanted.
Crafting relied heavily on experience and time more than other fields—
To surpass limits and claim the top, it demanded exponentially more effort than others.
"Well then, shall we dive right in?"
"Yes, Elder!"
Thus, in a remote workshop, one dwarf artisan rapidly grew under his master's guidance.
Armed with unyielding mental fortitude that defied the abyss and a steel-like body enhanced by karma doping.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Deep within the Bright Ducal Household of Talia Kingdom.
Knock knock—
"My lord, it's Theodor."
"Come in."
Heinz, listening to Mulro's report on continental affairs, glanced back at the man entering the study.
He bowed deeply upon entry, exchanging an awkward glance with Mulro seated nearby.
Once rival clans, now united under the 'Hybrid' banner, but with a full-scale war so recent, discomfort lingered.
Their similar standings and statuses even pitted them as rivals again.
Of course, such subtleties between underlings were none of Heinz's concern.
"So, Theodor. All done?"
"Yes. These are the last stragglers scheduled soon from each region. Excluding those out of contact for unknown reasons, Yuphersh's remnants will soon fully assemble in Talia Kingdom."
The lengthy relocation of the Yuphersh Clan.
As the largest vampire group scattered across the continent, it dragged on longer than expected.
"Well done, Theodor. You've worked hard."
"Not at all. Compared to the chance my lord granted me again, this is nothing. And it's for all us vampires, isn't it?"
Theodor, quick to flatter at opportunity.
Unlike the still-stiff former clan lord Mulro, his vice-leader experience lent natural polish.
Whatever covert power plays ensued between them, Heinz leaned back and closed his eyes.
Thus, reinforcing Hybrid forces with 「Purified Blood Essence」 while solidifying control neared completion.
It consumed much blood essence, but stockpiled dragon blood prevented issues.
'Inject the newcomers too, and phase one ends. Time to move to the next.'
Heinz 2nd's goal.
Initially just building a continent-spanning intel network, but one more had emerged.
'Finally ready to step into the light.'
To elevate vampires as a race into legitimacy, allowing open activity.
They were innately parasitic on other races, especially numerous humans.
Naturally, continental views differed from elves or dwarves.
'Hard to call them a normal race. Blood-feeding aside, inability to reproduce naturally—only infecting to grow numbers—is the core issue.'
Thus, vampires were humanity's inherent enemies.
Heinz knew firsthand: blood thirst overpowered personal will, and humans eternally wary of their ancient predator.
Encounters inevitably sparked conflict, forcing even mighty vampire forces to hunt humans in shadows.
Coexistence wasn't impossible, though.
'Not with me around.'
Internally: iron discipline and control.
Externally: navigating continental politics and negotiations.
A feat only Heinz 2nd could achieve in this world.
"Enough. Both of you, sit. We'll start the meeting as soon as Bricky arrives."
"Yes, understood."
"I'll have something brought for you to drink."
"......"
Thus, in the far west fringes of the Ion Continent, vampires long shrouded in darkness began to stir.
The Vampire Clan Alliance, under the name 'Hybrid.'
And naturally...
This too would be a monumental event reshaping continental history.