Blacksmith Zeke's Hidden Request
“……It was just a joke, I swear. You think I'd actually seal you, hyung? That's ridiculous.”
-No way. You little shit. Your eyes were dead serious. Stay back and keep your distance.
Cheonma Jijon growled from about three meters away from Carpe.
……Somehow, the mountain of a man was acting like a Chihuahua.
“Come on, hyung, you read the description too. It needs consent, right? Even if I wanted to, I couldn't do a damn thing without your permission.”
Carpe took a step forward as he spoke, but Cheonma backed up by the exact same distance.
-Stop right there. You think I'm some pushover idiot? You're planning to Unlock that consent clause and force the seal on me. Where'd you get that idea?
“Oh? That's a good one?”
Carpe's eyes lit up in genuine admiration. He hadn't even considered that angle.
They said humans unleashed superhuman strength in life-or-death crises, and sure enough, facing the threat of sealing had Cheonma's brain firing on all cylinders.
“Worth testing out, at least. Let's give it a shot just once……”
-I said no!
“Tch. Fine, whatever. Can't force someone who doesn't want it…… I'll drop it.”
Cheonma's reaction had been more intense than expected, so Carpe had overplayed the prank a bit. But truthfully, he had no intention of actually sealing him.
Sealing Cheonma would lock away his future knowledge too, after all.
Even if he did it, he'd wait until right before the third relic. No reason to do it now.
-Your eyes look shady.
“You're imagining things. I'm really not gonna seal you, so relax already.”
-Be honest. What percentage was serious?
“Pfft. Like 1% at most.”
-……And you said 1% in draws is huge? Keep at least one meter distance. Seriously.
As Cheonma edged closer bit by bit, Tina spoke up with obvious regret.
“A pity. Lord Strategist would be the perfect choice. Surely even Lindor, who passed first, would rest content.”
“Yeah, Mirage agrees. Death Knight strategist is cool. Cheonma Death Beam!”
-……I must politely decline.
“Anyway, what you said is worth testing.”
Could the “requires opponent's consent” condition really be nullified with Unlock?
If so, the quest difficulty would plummet.
“No point overthinking. Time to experiment.”
Carpe left Ruana and headed to the beach where random mobs spawned.
After running various tests on monsters there……
-Phew. Dodged a bullet.
“Damn. Doesn't work.”
Unfortunately, Unlock couldn't bypass the consent requirement.
Cheonma looked visibly relieved.
-Guess we're stuck with the honest approach. Time for grind city?
“Ugh…… No helping it.”
Still, there was one silver lining.
The soul stone description said “very low” probability, but it wasn't as bad as expected.
Right after Carpe killed his tenth beach mob……
The soul stone reacts to the Large Conch's soul.
Store the Large Conch's soul?
“Whoa. No. Hell no.”
The soul dissipates.
It was a close call—nearly stuffed a conch soul into the Death Knight body—but at least they got data.
“Hit on the tenth try. Way more doable than I thought.”
-You don't know that. Coulda just been a lucky streak.
“Nah, no way. That's gotta be average odds.”
-You know it's not. Heh. Payback time for the freebie king. Grind city for real this time……
“Don't mess with my happy delusions, human. Want your soul sealed in the stone?”
-……No.
“Act like a gentleman, Cheonma. If we can't snag a soul, I'm out of options too. Then I'll go full thug! Forced Cheonma Death Knight creation!”
-……Fine. I'll look hard for a boss monster with some brains. Yeah. Gotta find one.
Of course, the test confirmed no seal without consent—but who knew? The guy might pull some miracle method.
Cheonma knew Carpe well enough to believe he was capable of it.
* * *
Experiment done, Carpe re-entered Ruana.
He still had business here.
-There's a hidden quest near Ruana, level 40+. Skip everything else—this one's a must. Great reward.
“Yeah? What's the prize?”
-7-star skill. Guaranteed, not a pack.
“Whoa…… For real?”
Carpe stared at Cheonma in shock. A smug, triumphant grin spread across his face—the first in ages.
-Told you from day one. I'll make you a legend—just eat what I serve. Got your whole growth plan mapped out.
“No need to sell yourself. Not sealing you, promise. It was a joke.”
-Ahem. Never doubted it.
His words said one thing, but his expression was worlds more relaxed.
-Remember Wind Cave? Little further in, there's a deep valley.
A place called Harpy Valley.
As the name implied, crawling with harpies—and home to the field boss Harpy Queen.
-Gather herbs growing wild there. Hand 'em to the lord's steward at the castle.
“Steward? William?”
-Yep. His granddaughter's got an incurable disease. Those herbs are the cure.
“Ah, classic RPG quest. Love it.”
-Normally you'd need another quest just to enter the castle—total pain. Lucky you skip that.
“True. Good luck.”
With the lord's recognition, Carpe could come and go from the castle freely.
“Off to Harpy Valley…… but first.”
One stop to make.
Carpe eyed the plate armor he'd crafted himself.
Level 15 gear was way below his current standard.
“Gotta finish the Wind Set quest and upgrade my armor first.”
-Smart. Wind Set'll last you a good while.
The armor from KD guild scrubs was decent, but nothing beat the full 5-piece Wind Set bonuses.
Plus, with Tina hitting level 15, he could pass her his old plate gear.
Everything falling into place like this felt like a good omen.
Maybe boss souls would come easy too?
“Let's go.”
Carpe headed toward Forge Street.
Straight to blacksmith Zeke's workshop. Unlike last time, no other players around.
As Carpe approached, Zeke greeted him warmly.
“Oh! The messenger of the gods returns. Got those items I asked for?”
“Right here.”
Carpe dumped out over a hundred Wind Essences. Zeke's jaw dropped.
“Wh-what's all this?! How'd you get so many?”
“Just happened while hunting……”
“Hah. You're even greater than I thought.”
“Enough for five pieces of Wind armor?”
“More than enough! Hold on. No other customers anyway—I'll whip 'em up quick!”
Zeke was pumped, clearly thrilled with the haul.
“Any preference on leather or plate……?”
He trailed off, staring at Carpe's arms.
“Excuse me a sec.”
Not just staring—he poked and prodded them.
Carpe had to ask.
“Uh, something wrong with my arms?”
“You……”
“Yes?”
“Fellow craftsman! Arms that've gripped a hammer!”
Excited, Zeke's voice boomed. He nodded approvingly.
“Fine young man! These days, kids shun smithing as 'hard work.' Excellent!”
Zeke slapped Carpe's back, laughing heartily.
“I like you. Another favor? Do it, and I'll share the Wind gear blueprints!”
Blacksmith Zeke's Request (2)
📍 Restrictions: Must know Blacksmithing skill, deliver 100+ essences at once.
📍 Zeke admires your skill and has one more request. Bring him a Wind Feather.
🎁 Wind Feather (0/1)
📍 Success: Major affinity increase with Zeke, Wind gear blueprints
📍 Failure: Affinity decrease, but still get Wind gear
“……Huh?”
-What? Hidden quest here too?
Blacksmith-skilled player delivering 100 essences at once.
Conditions even Cheonma hadn't known.
“I'm in!”
“Kehkeh. Knew you were a good one. My eyes don't lie.”
You have accepted the quest.
Carpe vowed to snag it and left the forge.
-Whoa, jackpot. Set blueprints aren't easy like that.
“Heh. Being a good guy pays off.”
Failure still gave Wind Set, but crafting it himself was better all around.
Player-crafted items got bonus stats, unlike NPC-made ones.
And Carpe could even refine them.
Rune Engraving.
The Magic King's secret art: etch runes into finished gear for extra options and a grade bump.
“Rare Wind Set becomes Hero-grade with one upgrade.”
-You could live off crafting alone. Hero set at this level? Usable post-second job change easy.
Assuming quest success, of course.
No guide even for Cheonma's first-time hidden quest.
“Wind Feather. Obvious from the name.”
-Duh. Only one feathered mob around here I know of.
Human woman's body, bird wings and talons.
Harpies.
“Heading out.”
Carpe set off for the 7-star skill and Hero-grade set.
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw