The storm of blades descended.
Hundreds of shattered swords, axes, and spears shot toward Renzo like a rain of steel.
Renzo moved instantly.
CLANG!
Chrono Fang flashed.
A broken spear was knocked aside.
He twisted his body.
WHOOSH!
A rusted axe flew past his head.
Another sword lunged toward his chest.
Renzo stepped forward instead of back.
SLASH!
The weapon split in half.
But before he could recover—
Three more blades rushed toward him.
Kensei-Ryu laughed.
"Looks like they don't believe in fair fights."
Renzo clicked his tongue.
"There are too many."
Even with his experience, fighting one hundred enemies at once was impossible.
Especially when they could fly.
The weapons circled him again.
Golden flames burned inside their broken metal.
Then they attacked once more.
Renzo dashed sideways.
The ground exploded behind him as dozens of weapons struck the stone floor.
He retaliated immediately.
SHING!
Chrono Fang cut through two floating swords.
The broken weapons fell to the ground.
But moments later—
The fragments rose again.
Repaired.
Reformed.
Renzo's eyes narrowed.
"They're regenerating."
Vulcanos finally spoke.
"Of course they are."
Renzo blocked another attack.
"What do you mean?"
The forge god's voice echoed throughout his mind.
"This is not a trial of combat."
Renzo froze for a fraction of a second.
A spear nearly pierced his shoulder.
He barely avoided it.
"What?"
Vulcanos continued.
"The Forgotten Forge exists to create blacksmiths."
"Not warriors."
Renzo immediately understood.
"This is a test."
"Correct."
As if responding to Vulcanos' words—
The entire cavern trembled.
A massive blue window appeared before Renzo.
Forge Trial I — The Broken Anvil
Objective:
Restore one of the Three Ancient Anvils.
Progress: 0 / 1
Failure Condition:
Death.
Renzo looked around.
Three enormous anvils stood at the center of the cavern.
Each one was cracked.
Covered in ancient damage.
And completely inactive.
Kensei-Ryu groaned.
"So you need to become a blacksmith while being chased by a hundred angry swords."
Renzo sighed.
"Sounds about right."
The floating weapons attacked again.
This time Renzo didn't waste energy destroying them.
Instead—
He ran.
Using his experience, Renzo moved through the battlefield with perfect efficiency.
Every step was precise.
Every dodge economical.
Broken blades narrowly missed him as he sprinted toward the nearest anvil.
He arrived seconds later.
The anvil was enormous.
Nearly four meters tall.
Ancient runes covered its surface.
But a massive crack ran through its center.
Renzo placed a hand on it.
Immediately—
Countless whispers flooded his mind.
"Star Iron."
"World Core Fragment."
"Forge Flame Extinguished."
"Repair possible."
Another system window appeared.
Ancient Star Anvil
Status: Damaged
Required Materials:
✓ Monster Core Energy
✓ Refined Monster Bone
✓ Divine Flame
Renzo blinked.
"Monster materials?"
Vulcanos spoke calmly.
"You possess all three requirements."
Of course.
The Ogre Core.
The monster bones stored in his Divine Inventory.
And—
Renzo himself.
As Vulcanos' chosen champion, he possessed the Divine Flame.
Kensei-Ryu laughed.
"So what are you waiting for?"
A dozen swords rushed toward Renzo.
He activated Divine Inventory instantly.
Golden light exploded around him.
Monster bones.
Ogre materials.
Refined metals.
Everything emerged from the dimensional storage.
The Divine Forge ignited.
For the first time—
Renzo forged while in battle.
Golden flames surrounded the ancient anvil.
The crack slowly began healing.
But the moment the process started—
Every Forged Wraith in the cavern froze.
Then all one hundred weapons turned toward Renzo simultaneously.
Kensei-Ryu's voice became serious.
"Oh."
"Now you've made them angry."
The entire storm of weapons charged.
All at once.
Renzo gripped Chrono Fang tightly.
Golden flames illuminated the cavern.
The restoration had begun.
Now—
He simply needed to survive.