Absolute Craft-Chapter 73: White Oni (1)

Chapter 73: White Oni (1)

No sooner had Blake clicked on the two skills than a pair of windows appeared, hovering before him:

<The Lost Kingdom’s Blacksmithing Heritage (Legendary)(Passive)—upon acquiring a new forging material, or one you have little experience with, you’ll receive quests tied to the Lost Kingdom’s heritage, granting you essential information and new blacksmithing skills upon completion>

Blake had learned so much from Vargar, building his foundation on the dwarf’s teachings. He missed the old man’s guidance and still had countless questions for him. Now, he seemed to have gained a skill that would let him explore the Lost Kingdom’s heritage and uncover its secrets.

Between the dwarven knowledge he’d acquired, his experiences in Vargar’s absence, and this powerful legacy, Blake would forge his own unique path in blacksmithing.

<The Enchanting Clock (Legendary)(Passive)—you can create an enchanting clock on yourself and mark yourself with three enchantments. These enchantments cannot be used all at once and can only be activated when certain prerequisites, based on their qualities, are met. Moreover, the enchantments will adapt to your level.>

Because the enchantments were random—Blake had no scrolls to properly bind them to his equipment—he’d have to adapt to whatever emerged from his two enchanting skills. They were also short-lived. However, thanks to this new Legendary skill, he could store the most powerful or most useful enchantments within himself.

In short, it was a valuable skill.

Having obtained these new boons, Blake felt more capable than ever. He rapidly assessed the possibilities, eager to test them. Unfortunately, it was already late in the real world, so he couldn’t spend more time in the game. After reuniting with everyone at his smithy, he logged out.

-

Back in the game world, Blake’s first stop was his storage chest. He pulled out the blade he’d been diligently refining and heated it. This blade would become his second katana—the one he planned to use against bosses and lone players.

Beatrix had vanished from the smithy the moment Blake logged in, so Sol decided to assist him with his blacksmithing. Following Blake’s instructions, he rolled into the furnace.

Before long, Blake began hammering.

He typically devoted about an hour a day to this katana, but now he intended to finish it in one session. Focused and resolute, he pounded the metal.

Meanwhile, Sol lay atop a separate workbench, practicing how to lower his temperature inside the new dragon husk’s cockpit.

Three hours later, the new katana was complete.

When the hammering ceased, every other sound seemed to vanish as well. An unsettling hush blanketed the smithy—uncommon for Blake, who usually let out gleeful exclamations whenever he crafted something new.

Sensing something was off, Sol peeked out from his cockpit. He saw Blake standing there, katana in hand, its handle only partly finished. Blake stood like a statue—eyes narrowed, an uneasy aura swirling around him.

Worried, Sol hopped out of the cockpit, rolling across the workbench until he reached Blake.

Blake clicked his tongue and looked away. "It’s a failure."

He set the katana near Sol and sank into a chair, propping his head on one hand as he tried to figure out where he’d erred. Yet nothing came to mind. He’d forged the blade exactly as he normally did—so why had it failed?

Meanwhile, Sol examined the weapon. It was crafted from top-tier steel, the kind he loved to devour. He detected no flaws; it was so enticing he felt like eating it right away, which to his mind only confirmed its superiority.

But Blake insisted it was a failure... Sol narrowed his eyes, pondering hard enough to look like a tiny demonic apple—a sight that might have amused Blake under better circumstances.

Suddenly, realization dawned on Sol.

Blake hadn’t once shouted his own name while forging. He always did that when creating his best gear—and now that crucial ingredient was missing!

He rolled onto the katana’s flat side and started hopping.

Blake noticed and mustered a small smile. "Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks."

Sol’s expression turned more demonic, bouncing up and down faster, flames stirring with each landing. He looked like a crazed ball that might bounce into Blake’s forehead and set him on fire if he wasn’t careful!

Yet Blake failed to see his meaning.

Sol grew even more frustrated, whimpering like a lost hatchling.

After several minutes of adorable howls, Sol managed to speak his first word. "BLAKE!"

Startled by his own outburst, he froze, blinking.

Blake’s eyes widened. The last thing he’d expected was for Sol’s first word to be his name!

"Sol!" Blake leaped up, sending his chair sliding across the floor. Scooping up the tiny golden apple, he held him aloft like a proud father. "You said my name first!"

Sol wobbled in Blake’s arms, repeating the name in a soft voice that filled Blake with joy. In that moment, all of Blake’s worries melted into adoration for Sol.

But Sol still needed to correct Blake’s blacksmithing approach. He adopted a devilish look that was anything but intimidating, then called out "Blake" a few more times. Alas, Blake was too caught up in fatherly pride to grasp the hint.

Growing impatient, Sol slipped free of Blake’s hold and tumbled over to the hammer, hopping onto it while yelling his name again.

Finally, Blake understood what Sol was trying to convey.

"Wait... you’re right... I haven’t been calling out my name at all," he said.

He’d grown complacent, neglecting to pour his spirit into his creations. His pride had stayed sealed in his first blade and broken equipment. It was his struggle with that arrogant streak that spawned Pride’s Shackle and Pride’s Second Coming.

Pride—or hubris—often appeared on the list of seven deadly sins.

The crown’s first piece had perfectly represented that sin... suggesting the other fragments might embody the rest of Blake’s sins.

And that was the key to infusing his creations with his spirit.

If Pride had made him a one-man army who could take on multiple opponents, which sin would suit him best against solo bosses and solo players?

A/N: Starting the next month, I’ll be publishing next Chapters for golden tickets milestones. 100 GT = 1 more Chapter! Save them for more releases in february!