The Valam Thunderstone War Hammer
“This is insane.”
The essence of Valam—an UR+ grade material—had sunk deep under the blow. He hadn’t put his full strength into it. He had controlled the force with precision, just to test the hammer.
“I didn’t hit it hard enough to deform it like that.”
A soft gleam flashed. Even after striking an UR+ material, Agnes shone. It was far sturdier than any hammer he had used before.
“Still perfect.”
Jinwoo grinned.
“It’s different.”
It truly was. His new hammer, Agnes, was more than capable of supporting every ounce of his skill.
Shaaaa—!
He tightened his grip. This time he brought his skills into play.
“Soul Forging.”
Soul Forging and Harmonia Smithing together. Extracted souls were purified, and the purified material rang beneath his strikes. Cold and heat—the twin forces coiled around the hammer—found perfect balance.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
“!”
Jinwoo was startled for a moment. The hammer was remarkable, but Harmonia Smithing itself was astonishing.
“Harmonia Smithing is no joke. The synergy with this hammer is ridiculous.”
Harmonia Smithing and Agnes were a matched set. Thanks to Agnes’s special options, the technique unfolded in his hands without any restriction.
Clang! Clang!
Valam’s essence reshaped itself helplessly under the blows.
Whoosh—!
He fed the essence into the forge. Scarlet dragonfire and Valam’s azure flames mingled into an otherworldly hue. The moment the essence entered, the two fires competed to melt it—then, in the next breath, they twisted together and multiplied each other’s power.
Fwoooooooosh—!
The heat that erupted surprised even Jinwoo. Facing that blaze, he smiled.
“That’s enough.”
This was the firepower he had wanted—heat so absolute it could embrace anything.
“Before fire, everything becomes humble.”
No matter its form, every material returned to its primordial state. And that primordial material was what he would shape.
The corner of his mouth rose on its own. New hammer, new smithing art, new firepower.
“Very satisfying.”
With tongs he drew the essence free. Saturated by both flames, Valam’s essence burned scarlet and azure at once, the two colors swirling around it in strange harmony.
Jinwoo brought the hammer down.
Clang! Clang!
Harmonia Smithing is the power of harmony.
If he struck without holding that truth in mind, he might as well not be using the technique at all.
He took out another material.
“Thunderstone.”
The Thunderstone Yur had given him—an UR-grade material that looked troublesome even at a glance.
Crackle— Snap!
“This one’s a real pain to mix with anything else.”
The raging thunder openly rejected harmony.
“Which makes it perfect for testing Harmonia Smithing.”
Exactly why it was ideal for the forging art of balance.
Clang! Clang!
He plunged the Thunderstone into the forge, pulled it out, and began hammering at once.
Crackle—! Snap!
Every blow unleashed a violent surge of lightning. The current raced up the hammer and into his body. With each strike the accumulating lightning damage dulled his fine control until he was essentially losing sensation in his hands.
“The difficulty climbs with every hit?”
His sense of touch was going numb. That was inevitable.
“Then I’ll just compensate.”
He would adjust for the deadened nerves with every swing.
“Correct with every single blow.”
Easy to say. In practice it was pure idealism—extreme stress stacking on every strike, slowing the work to a crawl.
Clang! Clang!
Yet Jinwoo never slowed. What would have been idealism for anyone else was simply possible for him. He had done far worse back in Eternal Sunshine.
In that semi-VR game, a bad condition made you move like a wooden block.
Even moving like a wooden block, he had still forged legendary gear.
“This is easy.”
Clang!
The Thunderstone’s form shifted. What he was making now was a weapon for First.
I’ve completely mastered the Orichalcum Lightblade.
Among all his subordinates, First’s capacity to understand was the highest. Hand him superior equipment built on that understanding, and the feedback would return to Jinwoo many times over.
And more than anything—
Whatever equipment First was given, his ability to wield it was extraordinary.
The Great Dwarf God Brokk declares that the difficulty of Harmonia Smithing is considerable!
He says you should proceed a little more slowly!
He says you must not fear failure—keep advancing!
A high-difficulty technique naturally invited failure. Brokk assumed failure was essential to mastering Harmonia Smithing.
But Jinwoo already refused to fear failure. Failure simply meant another chance to do it again—another chance to enjoy this craft.
Clang!
“If it doesn’t work, I just do it again.”
A simple answer. He kept hammering.
“Until it’s finished.”
Clang!
If it wouldn’t come, he would make it come.
Krrrrrrrrumble—!
The finished piece was a colossal war hammer—the kind a vanguard of war would swing, a massive thunder hammer.
<Crafted by Jinwoo>
◈ Attack Power: 20,100
◈ Grade: UR+
◈ Durability: 250,000 / 250,000
A colossal war hammer forged by Jinwoo, the blacksmith approaching the legend of one who commands souls. It holds thunder; every swing summons a peal of it. The power of Valam, incarnation of malice, dwells within in perfect balance.
* Special Skill [Thunder Crush]: Unleash a devastating strike! Thunder’s power delivers massive damage!
* Special Option [Hellfire Fury]: Valam’s power brands the target with a Hellfire Mark. Marked foes take additional damage!
* Special Option [Extreme Attack Power]: Attack Power +800
* Special Option [Spell Imbuement — Akrshak LV3]: Attack Power +700
* Special Option [Life Siphon]: Absorb 15% of damage dealt as HP!
* Special Option [Shadow Slash]: Attack Power +8%
* Special Option [Ambush]: Infused with Necro Meister power—the first attack is always a critical hit.
* Special Option [Soul Forging]: Draws forth the power of the soul. Critical Hit Rate +30%!
UR+.
Once again Jinwoo had reached UR+ grade. This Valam Thunderstone War Hammer held the pure essence of everything he had become—True Spell Imbuement and the newly learned Harmonia Smithing alike.
“The Soul Forging options keep changing, don’t they?”
Last time it had raised attack speed; this time it raised critical rate.
“And the Necro Meister special option is new too.”
Special Option: Ambush.
“First strike is guaranteed critical. That’s excellent.”
Overall he was thoroughly pleased. Not everything was perfect, of course.
A little disappointing.
The grade was the same as before. UR+—high, yes, but still not enough.
“Even so.”
In the tip of the hammer he glimpsed the next realm. One more step remained.
“I saw it clearly.”
Only a little farther to the next stage.
“It’s similar in grade to the Dragonstone Chain Scythe, but the overall specs here are far superior.”
He examined the Valam Thunderstone War Hammer carefully.
“Mm!”
Over twenty thousand attack power. Fresh special options. Thunderstone and Valam’s essence in perfect harmony.
“This is a first.”
The first piece of equipment he had ever made whose attack power exceeded twenty thousand.
“Khh.”
Nearly every useful option had been stamped onto it, and with the Thunderstone’s special skill included, pure destructive power was staggering.
“Thunder Crush. Looking forward to that one.”
He summoned First at once.
Shaaaa—.
Dark energy and the blue flames of the underworld blossomed; First appeared.
“You.called.for.me.”
Jinwoo held out his hand.
“You’ve used the Orichalcum Lightblade long enough.”
At those words First released a surge of dark energy.
“Blue flame and thunder. These will suit you perfectly.”
You have given the Valam Thunderstone War Hammer to your subordinate, First!
The moment the war hammer settled into First’s grip—
Kwa-rung—.
Krrrrrrrrumble—!
Lightning exploded around the hammer head.
Fwooooosh—.
First immediately clad the weapon in the blue flames of the underworld. Flame and thunder—two forces that should have clashed—wore the same color and blended with startling beauty.
I’ll sell the Orichalcum Lightblade.
It had already appeared in a JinTube crafting video; listing it on the auction house would fetch a handsome price.
“I.want.to.try.it.right.away.”
First’s eagerness was plain.
“You’ll get to use it soon enough.”
Jinwoo led First outside the tower.
“Still, we should test it once first, right?”
He was curious himself.
“Let’s try Thunder Crush.”
The special skill of the Valam Thunderstone War Hammer carried the latent power of the Thunderstone itself.
“Heavy and solid. You know what I mean?”
“Yes.Master.”
Understanding the command, First gripped the war hammer in both hands and raised it high toward the sky.
Thunder Crush!
Krrrrrrrrrrumble—!
Accompanied by a peal of thunder, the war hammer smashed into the earth.
“……Wow.”
Jinwoo let out a breath of pure admiration.
“I really made something ridiculous this time.”