CLANG—!
CLANG—!
CLANG—!
The sound echoed through the small workshop, rhythmic and steady, like a heartbeat made of steel and stubbornness.
Darin wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his arm, leaving a streak of soot across his face.
"…Good."
He leaned closer to the glowing metal on his anvil, eyes narrowing with focus.
"…Still normal."
That was important.
Very important.
Because recently—
Nothing had been normal.
[Status Check]
Name: Darin
Class: Blacksmith
Level: 1
Stamina: 62%
Gold: 80
Forge Quality: Standard
"…Alright."
He adjusted his grip on the hammer.
Raised it again.
CLANG—!
The metal sparked.
A clean strike.
Perfect angle.
No resistance.
No strange reaction.
"…See?"
He nodded to himself.
"…Normal."
The forge burned steadily, flames dancing in controlled bursts. The smell of hot iron filled the air, mixed with charcoal and a faint metallic tang that clung to everything.
Tools were neatly arranged.
Hammer. Tongs. Chisel.
Everything in its place.
Everything predictable.
"…This is how it should be."
He exhaled slowly.
For a moment—
Everything felt right.
creak…
The workshop door opened.
"…No."
Kiro stepped in.
Smiling.
Carrying a sack.
"…Yes."
"…No."
"…I have something for you."
"…I don't want it."
"…You haven't even seen it."
"…That's why I don't want it."
Kiro placed the sack down.
It made a dull, heavy thud.
"…This is premium material."
"…That's exactly the problem."
Darin hesitated.
Then reached out.
Touched the material.
[System Notice]
Material Detected: Unknown Metal
Quality: ???
Durability: ???
Tags: Reactive / Unstable / Unknown
"…No."
He pulled his hand back immediately.
"…Absolutely not."
"I'm not touching that."
Kiro tilted his head.
"…You just did."
"…That didn't count."
"…It reacted."
"…I don't like that word."
Darin stared at the metal.
It looked… normal.
Mostly.
Dark.
Slightly reflective.
But there was something off.
A faint pulse.
Like—
thump…
"…Did you hear that?"
"…No."
"…It just moved."
"…It didn't."
thump…
"…It definitely did."
Kiro crossed his arms.
"I'll pay double your usual rate."
"…No."
"Triple."
"…Still no."
"…You'll get exclusive supply."
pause
Darin hesitated.
"…Define exclusive."
"…You're the only one getting this material."
"…That's not comforting."
"…It's profitable."
"…That's slightly comforting."
"…Fine."
"But if it explodes—"
"…You keep the profit."
"…That's not how risk works."
"…It is for me."
"…I hate you."
"…Understandable."
Darin picked up the metal with tongs.
Carefully.
Slowly.
Like it might bite him.
"…We're doing this."
He placed it into the forge.
The flames reacted immediately.
FWOOSH—!
"…That's new."
[System Notice]
Material Reacting to Heat
Temperature Stability: Unknown
"…Okay."
"…Still manageable."
He adjusted the airflow.
Reduced intensity.
Watched closely.
The metal glowed.
Not red.
Not orange.
A faint, unnatural violet.
"…That's not in the manual."
He pulled it out.
Placed it on the anvil.
Raised his hammer.
"…Stay normal."
CLANG—!
The impact rang out—
But something felt wrong.
"…Why did that feel… softer?"
[System Notice]
Forge Attempt Registered
Result: Partial Adaptation
"…Adaptation?"
"…No."
"…Metal doesn't adapt."
thump…
"…Stop doing that."
He hit it again.
CLANG—!
This time—
CLANG—!
The vibration pushed back slightly.
"…Did it just—"
CLANG—!
The hammer bounced.
"…IT HIT BACK."
Darin slowly lowered the hammer.
Stared at the metal.
"…We're not doing that again."
thump…
"…We're definitely doing that again."