NPC's Metallurgy 2

The mana in the sword crafted by Kim Seok-jung displayed near-perfect uniformity. If one had to quantify it, it was mana at 99% purity. Even though it was only A-rank, this alone spoke volumes about his skill.

And the property of the mana that had piqued my curiosity the most...

'It's melted, just like slime.'

The once-solid mana clump had turned semi-solid, soft and pliable. It was a bit different from the mana in my sword, which had liquefied like a mana stone. I'd had some inkling from watching the mana clump melt during the process, but I had no idea what the difference ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was.

'What's the difference here?'

As I pondered the disparity between the two manas, Kim Seok-jung asked,

"How is it? Can you feel the difference?"

"Yes. It seems like the mana clump is loosening and liquefying."

"Mana you've seen somewhere before, right? That's right—it's mana stones."

Something flashed through my mind at that instant.

"No way?"

"Exactly. It's turning equipment into mana stones."

Everything clicked the moment I heard Kim Seok-jung's words. Why the mana in my sword had liquefied like a mana stone, and just how overpowered the weapons I'd made were. As expected, the NPC effect didn't let me down.

"Hunters' attacks work on monsters thanks to mana, not the weapon itself. Sure, under the premise of equal mana, a better weapon might inflict slightly deeper wounds, but it's negligible. And with a well-mana-stoned weapon being even tougher on top of that, there's no need to say more."

Kim Seok-jung continued gravely,

"In the end, a good weapon comes down to how well it amplifies the hunter's mana, and for that, the mana-stoning of the weapon must be done properly. Now, shall we take a look at that sword you made?"

After his explanation, Kim Seok-jung extended his hand. For a moment, I hesitated—should I hand it over or not?—but seeing him shake his outstretched hand insistently, I reluctantly gave him the sword.

Then, as expected, it happened.

"Th-this is a divine sword."

He cradled it reverently in both hands, gazing at it with awe, and opened his mouth.

"H-how... how is the mana exactly like a mana stone? What the hell are you, really?"

As always, it ended with questions about my identity, and this time was no different. Still, Kim Seok-jung recovered faster than anyone I'd encountered so far.

"Is this what happens with a triple class?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but something like that."

I couldn't reveal I was an NPC despite the oath, so I brushed it off vaguely.

"Incredible. Truly incredible. Even the equipment from treasure chests doesn't reach this level of mana-stoning. When it comes to handling mana, you might just be the best in the world. However, your hammering skill is woefully inadequate compared to your mana control. After learning blade sharpening and mana coating, focus on hammering."

It seemed like one last compliment, but he circled back to calling it a club in sword's clothing before moving on.

"Earlier, when making the sword, I said the most important thing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was uniform mana and to ignore things like quenching for strengthening the blade itself. Now you're wondering why we're sharpening the blade, right?"

Now that he mentioned it, yeah.

Until now, the most emphasized part in Kim Seok-jung's weapon-making was mana. So it was odd that he was now focusing on blade sharpening.

"Yes, I'm curious."

"It's because of hunters' skills. Over 90% of sword users have at least one or two skills requiring cutting or piercing power. Without a proper edge, those skills' efficiency drops drastically. And the mana coating protects that sharpened edge."

Now I understood why we sharpened the blade, and Kim Seok-jung demonstrated blade sharpening.

"To sharpen the blade, you need a whetstone, but obviously, a regular one won't do. That's why we use the metal ingot you just made."

I made another metal ingot. Kim Seok-jung placed the sword on the bench and gripped the ingot.

"Blade sharpening isn't that hard. Have you ever sharpened a knife on a whetstone at home before becoming a hunter?"

"No, never."

Not even with those knife sharpeners that come with whetstones attached—who actually does that these days? Naturally, I had no such experience.

But what was that look on Kim Seok-jung's face? Like, you've never even done this—what have you been doing with your life?

"No experience? Doesn't matter. It's really straightforward—just sharpen it like this. I'll demonstrate first."

Kim Seok-jung finished speaking and lightly pushed the metal ingot over the sword blade on the bench.

"Since this is sharpening the blade itself, no need to infuse mana. Just sharpen it thinly enough not to damage the sword. And it doesn't need to be razor-sharp. Just enough to give it a proper edge."

With those words, he began lightly sharpening the blade, finishing up in no time.

"For a basic longsword, this is usually enough. Some weapons need more sharpening depending on the type, or users might request extra, so keep that in mind. Now, you try."

I took the metal ingot from Kim Seok-jung, placed the club on the bench, and sharpened it lightly as he had. If anything, it went from not looking like a sword at all to having a "club edge." As it morphed into some unrecognizable weapon, Kim Seok-jung stopped me.

"This won't do at all. I was going to do mana coating and remake it after, but I can't stand it. With such brilliant mana control, producing this... this stick that's neither sword nor club is unforgivable."

Kim Seok-jung flung my sword aside and spat out his fury.

'It's not that bad,' but seeing his expression, I held my tongue, figuring speaking up would only make it worse.

"Let's start over from ore smelting."

At Kim Seok-jung's words, I tossed ore into the furnace again and began sword-making anew.

"You're different from other blacksmiths."

"Once mana-stoning is complete, it becomes perfect metal, and no further work is possible."

"Other blacksmiths mana-stone first and shape the sword later, but you can't. Look at the mana and metal together."

"It's not about succeeding right away. With each hammer strike, gauge how much the mana reacts and how the metal deforms—that's the priority."

Following Kim Seok-jung's advice, I hammered relentlessly without rest. Instead of rushing to complete a sword, I focused on getting used to hammering, producing 14 clubs in the process. Still, there was hope: they were gradually shifting from clubs toward swords.

And during the ongoing work, my dexterity stat rose periodically like this, making the hammer feel lighter—

Time passed once more. I'd lost count of how many attempts it had been. Placing the metal ingot on the anvil, I steeled myself.

'This time, I'll succeed for sure.'

Gazing at the pile of discarded clubs, I gripped the ingot with tongs and struck with the hammer. The real work began.

'Got it!'

One side's shaping matched the hologram perfectly, completing both forging and mana work—it was perfectly mana-stoned. For the first time achieving total perfection, a rush of accomplishment surged through me.

'Don't get excited. Stay calm. Hoo... haa...'

I took deep breaths, relaxing my tensed body. Once ready, I raised the hammer again and focused.

My tong-holding hand firmly secured the ingot, the hammer striking true. Whether metal was there or not, it hammered the same spot relentlessly, my left hand subtly adjusting the sword. As my mind locked onto hammering, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠world faded, and for the first time in ages, flow state activated.

With anvil, hammer, tongs, and the sword consuming my focus, I didn't even notice the alert and kept working. The sword's shape took form, and with the final strike...

Thud.

The hammer slipped from my right hand to the floor, followed by my left releasing the tongs.

"I did it!"

I thrust my freed hands skyward in triumph, joy flooding my body. Dozens of scrapped swords lay discarded, and who knew how much time had passed. Above all, the thrill of completing something purely with my own power from start to finish elated me.

True, NPC abilities had carried me handily until now, but this was different. Smelting to forging—all mine. An unprecedented sense of achievement washed over me.

But on the flip side, thinking of crafting S-rank, SS-rank weapons, shields, armor for everyone individually felt daunting. Including guild and raid members, that's nearly 40 people. The prospect was overwhelming.

'At this rate, I might as well switch from NPC to full-time blacksmith.'

As despair crept in, the NPC class seemed to retort with notifications.

'Mold?'

An image formed in my mind, and I promptly opened the Mold Shop.

It was exactly the mold I knew, and I sighed in relief. No more crafting multiples of the same gear.

But something caught my eye.

'Equip restrictions? Nah, no way. What restrictions on armor?'

I shook my head at the unexpected term. Leather armor had no such limits regardless of hunter stats—why now?

But the NPC effect was firm, kindly explaining in case I was confused.

'Damn, what kind of game is this? Why restrictions here!'

Faced with an unprecedented situation, frustration turned to disbelief, dissolving into hollow laughter. This meant mold-made gear was only for users meeting the stats.

Then, a grim thought struck, and I hurriedly eyed the sword on the anvil.

'No way, right? This is one I made directly.'

Needing to check immediately, I sought Kim Seok-jung's permission.

"Master, I need to check something urgently—can you give me 10 minutes?"

Curiosity flickered on Kim Seok-jung's face, but he nodded. He'd be puzzled too, seeing me go from triumphant cheers to manic laughter and rage.

With his okay, I grabbed the sword, left the smithy, and contacted Lee Musin.

"Director, can you send a hunter right now who doesn't have Strength 500, Vitality 300, Mana 500?"

Without questioning, Lee Musin agreed, and within 1-2 minutes, an agent arrived. I handed over the longsword.

That's when I grasped what the equip restriction meant.

'It bounces the mana if conditions aren't met? It's really become a mana stone?'

To be continued in the next chapter... The Hunter Who Awakened as an NPC