Chapter 3
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Regressor Makes It All
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Forging is the process of heating metal and shaping it into form.
The crucial part is how evenly you sculpt the metal. According to Lee Se-hun's creed, if things go awry during this forging stage, no amount of later work could ever salvage it.
'But with this current body, a perfect forging job is out of the question.'
None of his strength, flexibility, mana quality or quantity—even his skills—measured up. Right now, even if he died and woke up again, a proper forging was impossible.
So how could he produce something at least halfway decent? The answer lay in a special heating technique called Five-Colored Flame Tempering.
Five-Colored Flame Tempering
Special heating resonance / Extreme property sensitization / High risk of distortion
Boom!
Rumble, crash—!
Explosive roars echoed deafeningly from within the furnace.
Each time, five colors tumbled and clashed, burning fiercely as if devouring one another.
The brilliant yet ferocious flames leaked out even beyond the furnace, heating the air around them and leaving onlookers aghast.
"Uwaaak!"
"It’s, it’s gonna blow!"
The clamor suggested an imminent explosion, while the scorching heat burned faces even from a distance!
At the ominous display, the candidate students nearby scrambled backward, and even those farther away reflexively hunkered down.
"Hmm……."
But Lee Se-hun, the source of the blaze, hadn’t budged an inch from his starting spot. If anything, he leaned in closer for a better look.
"P-Professor! We need to hit the extinguisher right—"
Panicking over a potential fire, Han In-seong reached for the emergency button. That was when
"Leave it."
Kim In-cheol grabbed his wrist, holding him back.
"It’s far too dangerous!"
"It’s fine. No issues."
"H-How is that not……."
It wasn’t just flames spilling over—the mana within churned ominously, primed to detonate.
Han In-seong fretted at the bomb-like sight, prompting Kim In-cheol to click his tongue.
"Tsk, tsk…… Don’t fixate on the mana. Watch the flame flow closely."
"Pardon? The flow’s……."
Han In-seong peered again at Kim In-cheol’s urging, his eyes gradually widening as realization dawned.
Unlike the mana surging violently on the verge of eruption, the flames had already established a hierarchy, layering themselves in orderly strata.
'What in the world are those flames…….'
What could be the intent behind conjuring such a blaze?
As Han In-seong reeled in confusion, Lee Se-hun—who’d been silently observing the inferno—shoved the iron ingot into the furnace.
Roar!
The flames, which had seemed settled, ignited anew at the intruder, pounding the ingot with savage fury.
Sparks flew every which way as the blaze convulsed. No matter the angle, it looked utterly abnormal.
"Wow……."
"The metal’s taking on colors……."
All were struck dumb by the ingot, now absorbing the five-hued flames as it heated.
Had he invoked some extra skill? The spectacle defied belief for identical materials. The candidates gawked vacantly.
'Indeed. So that’s his play.'
Kim In-cheol, discerning the nature of Lee Se-hun’s Five-Colored Flame Tempering, betrayed an intrigued look.
Flashy and intricate on the surface, its principle was straightforward: the traits of five ignition stones resonating to amplify one another.
'He’s after boosted heat output. And sensitizing the ingot’s properties.'
A ploy to slash forging time—brilliant improvisation under the clock. Yet it carried a peril.
Heightened sensitivity meant the slightest error could spawn uncontrollable warping.
Pure high-risk, high-reward. Kim In-cheol’s fascination deepened at Lee Se-hun’s audacious gambit.
'He wrecked a sure pass to roll the dice. Which means…….'
His hunch—verging on conviction—drew Kim In-cheol’s quiet gaze to Lee Se-hun.
Sizzle—
The thoroughly heated metal hit the anvil.
Clang—!
The hammer fell without a trace of doubt. A single blow warped it as if struck dozens of times over. Lee Se-hun’s eyes flashed.
'It worked.'
The Five-Colored Flame Tempering had seeped fully into the metal.
Now certain he could mold it to his will, Lee Se-hun clenched the hammer and hammered for all he was worth.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks erupted with every strike, blood spraying from his white-knuckled grip.
Burns from resonating the ignition stones moments ago. Without mana to shield his hands, the wounds split open mid-swing.
Pain to make even seasoned blacksmiths flinch. Yet from Lee Se-hun emerged no cry.
"Heh heh heh……."
Ecstasy leaked as he beheld the metal yielding to his vision—a genuine grin of delight. The surrounding candidates recoiled in horror.
'Cr-Crazy fucker.'
'Not right in the head, confirmed.'
One candidate dominating the entire exam hall.
His presence, eclipsing mere oddity to exert outright pressure, scattered everyone’s focus.
"Focus."
Kim In-cheol’s resonant baritone filled the venue.
"All of you, eyes on your own work."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
The rowdy air among the candidates settled in an instant. The hall rang with final sharpening strokes.
Having deployed a skill to restore order—and preempt any hesitation—Kim In-cheol eyed Lee Se-hun, utterly unmoved.
'Truly zero hesitation…….'
Inexperienced hopefuls and blacksmiths alike often faltered mid-forge.
Aware that one slip demanded dozens more strikes to amend—or outright scrapping the piece.
Clang!
Lee Se-hun, however, forged on undeterred.
Acting with the unshakable poise of one beyond error, despite the stakes of catastrophe.
Kim In-cheol cracked a wry smile.
'Pointless meddling on my part.'
Time sped by in the hushed hall. Lee Se-hun’s lone hammering ceased.
"……Done."
A straight sword roughly 60 cm long. Plain at a glance, its worth would reveal itself in quenching.
Fetching the tub laced with cooling stones, Lee Se-hun plunged straight into quenching.
Sizzle!
The blade cooled in a flash upon immersion, and he hammered the warped edge back into true.
As the blade assumed its final shape, its refined form began to emerge.
"Whoa……."
Faint fivefold hues shimmered across the entire straight sword.
Layered organically, just like the furnace blaze, an ethereal mystique enveloped it.
'Flame mana soaked into the ingot, lingering on the surface.'
Unobtrusive yet boldly assertive.
Surpassing even his hopes, Kim In-cheol murmured admiration before glancing at the clock.
'Time left…… five minutes.'
Tight for edging, but the single-edged design would economize. He’d budgeted time from the outset for this form, no doubt.
Shing. Shing.
Lee Se-hun’s arms pistoned steadily, the blade kissing the whetstone to razor keenness.
Soaked in sweat, his makeshift bandaged hand—sleeve torn for the purpose—wept blood steadily. Yet his rhythm never wavered.
A growing detachment from his surrounds. His mind poised to sink wholly into the trance.
"One minute remaining! Wrap it up!"
Kim In-cheol’s call yanked him back.
"……Tch."
He’d have preferred more honing, but unfinished work wouldn’t do.
Not a total eyesore like the start, at least. Lee Se-hun swiftly slotted the blade into his prepped hilt, hammering it fast.
Finally, he polished the edge pristine with plain cloth.
"Time!"
His first post-regression weapon stood complete.
Weapon 'Five-Colored Flame Blade' completed!
An astonishingly superb straight sword from such a fledgling blacksmith!
Imbued mana and material quality fall short, but the technique rivals the finest masters.
Judgment: 'Five-Colored Flame Blade' grade is Advanced.
Acquired skill 'Flame Artisan (C)'.
A translucent panel materialized before Lee Se-hun.
The 'settlement window'—appearing only upon fully leveraging his abilities to achieve something. An feat beyond the other candidates’ wildest dreams.
"……."
Yet Lee Se-hun scowled as if beholding an abomination.
'Advanced…….'
Among weapon grades—Common, Advanced, Rare, Hero, Legendary, Mythic—this was merely second-tier.
No proper skills yet, scant mana, subpar materials; in a way, expected.
Crunch.
But for one who’d forged Legendaries—and beyond—pre-regression, it was utter humiliation.
'Endure…… Yeah, hold it together.'
The prior blade was trash even by his current body’s standards; this one squeezed out 120%.
As the urge to smash welled up, Han In-seong began clearing the exam hall.
"Great work, everyone. With forging done, here’s how grading works."
Nothing fancy about the process.
Called candidates described their weapons; Kim In-cheol inspected and questioned. Last came 'verification'.
"This ingot on the dais is called Regenerating Iron. Solid durability, and it self-repairs when infused with mana."
Silver base with a subtle green sheen. Spotting a material he’d handled ad nauseam pre-regression, Lee Se-hun grasped the drill.
"We’ll score based on cut depth when you swing at it. Proceed by called number."
Han In-seong summoned candidates one by one. Kim In-cheol evaluated, they swung at the ingot.
Lee Se-hun watched boredly; the others fidgeted anxiously.
"Plenty of time, yet balance is off. Back to basics."
Snap!
"Flashy’s nice, but hollow means nothing. Even decorative blades need bite."
Snap!!
"No clue what you aimed for—or made. That’s all I’ve got."
Snap!!!
Kim In-cheol’s gut punches eviscerated hopes, blades snapping without a mark—proving his words.
A few endured without breaking, but barely scratched. None truly scored.
'Par for the course.'
Poor process yields poor product.
Dismal outcomes, yet Kim In-cheol stayed sanguine. His hopes rode on one alone.
"Next…… 289!"
Candidate 289, Lee Se-hun, stepped up calmly and handed the Five-Colored Flame Blade to Han In-seong.
"Now for the description…… Huh?"
Han In-seong’s eyes bulged as he passed it to Kim In-cheol. Lee Se-hun spoke evenly.
"Grade’s Advanced…… Skip the spiel—my words suck. Just check the info window."
Half tempted to slip casual, and no pride in hawking mere Advanced gear.
Lee Se-hun’s nonchalance stunned listeners.
"Wait…… Advanced grade?"
"With these materials…… how?"
Skilled candidates could hit Advanced with decent stock. But these entry-exam scraps?
Even Group 1 locks—shoe-ins for admission—couldn’t touch it.
"Assistant Han. Keeping it to yourself?"
"S-Sorry! Here!"
Snapping to, Han In-seong handed it over. Kim In-cheol examined quietly.
Straight sword etched with five flames.
Compressed fire in the blade reacts with mana, shifting hues.
Glimpses the blacksmith's vast potential.
* Blade color/properties subtly shift with imbued mana traits.
"……."
Prior blades got twenty seconds apiece. Kim In-cheol lingered far longer, scrutinizing post-scan.
As if retracing every forging step. After some five minutes.
"Submission-worthy?"
The loaded query drew Lee Se-hun’s level reply.
"Best I can do…… right now."
Still itched to smash it, but needs must.
His breezy claim—to make others explode—first startled, then amused Kim In-cheol into laughter.
"Ha ha hat! Fair enough. My standards are high…… but yours eclipse mine."
Mere pickiness bred arrogance; talent and skill to match birthed ambition.
"No further notes. If pressed: train body and mana diligently. Oh—and get those hands treated."
He waved off verification as needless.
No protests rose; outwardly superior to theirs, and Advanced? What was there to contest?
"Skipping verification?"
Lee Se-hun pressed for it regardless. Kim In-cheol looked pained.
"Er…… Mandatory?"
"Yes. Don’t want rumors later."
"……Point taken. Assistant Han."
"Y-Yes."
Han In-seong took the blade from Kim In-cheol and stood before the ingot. Arms crossed, Lee Se-hun watched.
'Wonder how it’ll fare.'
'Halfway at least, right?'
Materials capped potential, but Advanced should bite deep.
All eyes fixed as the raised Five-Colored Flame Blade swung full-force at the ingot.
Shlick.
It cleaved clean through, unhindered.
"……Huh?"
Han In-seong, wielder, and gawking candidates alike—far beyond predictions.
"Sigh. Regeneration’ll take a bit."
Kim In-cheol, who’d foreseen it, sighed at the overtime.
'Eh. Good enough. No need to smash.'
Lee Se-hun shelved his destructive impulse.