The forge of Barian was silent, save for the rhythmic breathing of a man who had transcended the role of a mere player.
Arthur looked down at the bundle of Special Jaffa Arrows. To the rest of the world, these Epic-rated consumables were a miracle—an impossible feat of craftsmanship that broke the common sense of Satisfy.
But Arthur wasn't satisfied.
'This is Grid's path,' he thought, his eyes reflecting the dying embers of the furnace. 'In the original novel, Grid reached this height through desperation and accidental genius. I am a man who carries the soul of the Undefeated King. If I only repeat what has already been written, I am nothing but a mimic.'
His gaze shifted to the small, crystalline vial sitting on the workbench: the Eternal Silver Sap. This rare, viscous fluid, harvested from the deepest veins of the earth, was a mineral catalyst capable of absorbing and stabilizing mana at a rate ten times higher than standard alloys.
Arthur's mind, aided by Ciel's rapid-fire processing, began to simulate a new alloy.
"Ciel, what happens if we introduce the Silver Sap during the primary fusion phase?"
Arthur's grin was sharp enough to cut the air. "That's exactly what I want. Why settle for an arrow that ignores defense when I can make an arrow that deletes the defender?"
Arthur didn't wait. He reopened the furnace, the heat flaring with renewed intensity. This time, he didn't follow the "Master's" instructions. He ignored the 1:12 ratio Smith had taught him.
He placed the high-purity iron and the Jaffa ore into the crucible, and then, with a steady hand, he added exactly one-tenth of the Eternal Silver Sap he got from the iron mine.
The reaction was instantaneous. The molten metal didn't glow orange; it turned a blinding, iridescent white. The air in the smithy began to thiken the sheer mana density causing the loose tools on the walls to rattle.
"Arthur! Stop!" Smith cried out, shielding his eyes. "The furnace can't contain that! You're going to blow us all to the Goddess!"
"Watch me, Smith," Arthur growled. He didn't use his feet for the bellows this time. He used his Heart Strength, the raw willpower inherited from Madra, to force the mana into the metal.
He pulled the white-hot slab from the fire and began to strike.
Ttang! Ttang! Ttang!
Each blow didn't just shape the metal; it sent ripples of silver light through the shop. Arthur wasn't just quenching and tempering; he was "folding" the mana into the molecular structure of the steel. He was creating a weapon that could house the destructive potential of a bomb in fragile frame.
[Blacksmith's Patience has evolved!]
[Blacksmith's Breath is reacting to the Silver Sap!]
For six hours, Arthur labored. He ignored the fatigue, ignored the system warnings about his stamina, and ignored the terrified whimpering of the village blacksmith. He was in a trance—a divine state of creation where the hammer was an extension of his soul.
As the final arrow was quenched in a vat of oil, the liquid didn't hiss. It roared. A pillar of silver light erupted from the vat, and lighting up the smithy.
[You have produced the first Unique-rated consumable in the history of Satisfy!]
Arthur stood in the center of the steam, holding a single arrow. It was beautiful and terrifying. The shaft was made of black-iron wood, but the head... the head was a translucent, shimmering silver that pulsed like a heartbeat.
[Mythic Jaffa-Silver Arrow]
Rating: Unique
Attack Power: 350~420
Special Features: > - Mana Detonation: On impact, the arrow releases a kinetic burst equal to 300% of the user's Strength.
* Absolute Piercing: Ignores 100% of armor below Legendary grade.
* King's Authority: 10% chance to cause 'Fear' in a wide radius upon impact.
[You have earned the title: 'First Unique Maker'.]
[Dexterity has permanently increased by +200!]
Smith fell to his knees, his forehead touching the soot-covered floor. He wasn't just impressed; he was terrified.
"This... this is not the work of a man," Smith whispered, his voice trembling. "This is the Blessing of the Blacksmith God. To make an arrow with the power of a siege engine... Sir Arthur, you have transcended the mortal realm of smithing."
Arthur looked at his hands. His Dexterity had exploded. With a +200 boost, his hands felt lighter, more precise, as if he could feel the individual atoms of the metal he touched.
[Current Status Update]
* Level: 172
* Persistence: 45
* Dexterity: 214 (+200 from Title)
* Reputation: 2,500 (Continental)
"An attack power of 420," Arthur murmured. "A high-level warrior's sword barely reaches 300 at this stage of the game. If an archer like Jishuka fires this... she won't just kill a boss. She'll erase the map."
He looked at the bundle of Hundred Unique arrows. These weren't for sale—at least, not for gold. These were the keys to the kingdom.
("A weapon worthy of my name,") Madra's voice resonated, this time filled with genuine pride. ("If you can forge a blade of this quality, boy, the heavens themselves will tremble when you swing it.")
Arthur sat down, leaning against the doorframe. He pulled out a piece of dried meat and began to eat, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
"Grid took the long road," Arthur thought, a small smile playing on his lips. "He worked until his fingers bled to make his first Unique item. I used his logic, added the secrets of the North, and accelerated the timeline by a year."
He looked at the Unique-rated arrow.
"Jishuka is going to lose her mind if she see this in auction," he whispered. "
Arthur was exhausted. He didn't have the power to stand up. He just raised the silver arrow, letting the moonlight catch the lethal, shimmering tip.
"Welcome to Arthur's Kingdom." Arthur called out, his voice calm and carrying through the night.
...
Smith watched him smiling and handed over the 100 completed Special Jaffa Arrows and 100 Mythic Jaffa-Silver Arrows.
"I originally promised you half of this… but I can't take such wonderful things. I want you to take all of them."
The effect of maximum affinity! Wasn't this a beautiful favor?
"Thank you Smith. You have shown me great kindness! It was a short meeting but I will never forget you."
Tears dripped from Smith's eyes, "Are you leaving already? That's too bad."
"We might meet again someday if we're lucky." Arthur said knowing what's coming.
"I don't want you to leave…" Smith glanced at Arthur with a flushed face.
Like a male peacock opening its colorful tail feathers to seduce a female, he tried to attract him using hammers, tongs, and the solid muscles of his upper body. This man, he had the smell of a widower so he must've been alone for a long time.
'Maybe he was so lonely that he became gay after his affinity towards myself reached the maximum…? No, he might've been gay from the beginning!'
Arthur's dignity decreased in front of Smith's affection.
"Then I'm going now." Arthur grabbed the 100 epic arrows alongside 100 unique arrows and hurriedly moved away. However, Smith approached him and tried to hug him from behind.
Arthur barely got away from Smith made a vow to sell the arrows, and move to Winston as soon as possible! Arthur know this risk, but for the sake of Jaffa Arrows blueprints he have taken this risk now it's time to flee.