Broken was utterly speechless when he received the notification from the Self Transcendence Blessing. This was truly an upgrade he never expected. In an instant, he had leaped to the Master Rank of Blacksmith! It was unbelievable. Just imagining it was crazy—consider that a single player had spent nine years of Yunatea time and countless resources only to reach Advanced Rank - Level 9. While Fokil, a dwarf who might be hundreds of years old, had reached Master Rank, but what had he sacrificed to achieve that?
And now, Broken had instantly reached the Master Rank! This was insane. He felt an overwhelming sense of euphoria as he stood still, processing what had just happened. He couldn't even fathom how he would explain this to anyone, especially Fokil, who had spent his entire life working as a blacksmith.
This was so insane, so crazy, unreal!
The thought of other players finding out about the Master Rank he had achieved sent chills down his spine. Would they come after him in the real world and try to hunt him? This kind of upgrade couldn't be valued with money.
[Congratulations! You've achieved Master Rank - Level 1 in the Blacksmith Ranking System.]
[Would you like to register yourself in the leaderboard rankings, allowing all Immortal Legacy Players to see your accomplishment?]
The Player Leaderboard was a place where players showcased their pride and honor. Many fought hard to have their names displayed there. The leaderboards did not only record the ranking of production classes but also levels, stats, and a lot more, categorized into various types like class type, weapon type, and more. But everyone knew that those whose names appeared on the leaderboard would at least be recognized by many people, gaining potential sponsors, partnership offers, easier acceptance into major guilds, and much more.
But, this did not seem beneficial for Broken in his current state. Those with power might hunt him or force him to join them so they could use his skills to craft something for them. A Master Rank blacksmith was undoubtedly someone who would be sought after and wanted by many, because of the potential they held.
So, he chose not to display his name on the leaderboard. He smiled, thinking about it. There would be a time for everything, and he had started his journey with an extraordinary beginning.
[You have chosen not to register your name on the leaderboard, but you may change your mind at any time.]
"Done daydreaming, brat?" Fokil said, snapping Broken out of his thoughts. "From today onwards, you must focus on practice and do blacksmithing every day, understand?"
"Yes, sir," Broken replied with a smile.
Fokil led Broken to the heart of the smithy, where the massive forge roared with life. Its flames danced and flickered as if anticipating their arrival. The heat was nearly overwhelming, but Broken steeled himself, determined to learn all he could from the master blacksmith.
"First things first," Fokil said, raising his voice to be heard over the roar of the forge. "You must understand the importance of controlling the heat. Too little, and your metal will not bend; too much, and it will become brittle."
Fokil turned to Broken, who seemed lost in thought again. Fokil's irritation with the young man increased.
"Pay attention when I'm talking to you, brat!" he exclaimed, his voice sharp and commanding.
"Yes, sir," Broken replied solemnly, snapping back to focus.
Fokil gestured at the bellows next to the forge, explaining how they were used to increase or decrease the intensity of the fire. "Watch and learn," he instructed, demonstrating the proper technique for adjusting the airflow.
As Broken watched, he marveled at Fokil's precision and skill, knowing he had much to learn. The master's movements were fluid and exact, each action purposeful.
"Your turn," Fokil said, stepping away from the bellows.
Broken approached slowly, his arms slightly trembling as he took hold of the bellows. As he started to work on them, his motions were clumsy and unsteady at first.
"Don't let me down, or you're out of here!" Fokil declared sternly, watching him closely.
But as Broken continued, he started to find his rhythm, the flames responding to his touch like a living entity. Fokil nodded approvingly, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He was stunned for a moment, realizing how quickly Broken adapted. This brat is really quick to learn, isn't he? he thought.
"Very well, you've got the hang of that quickly," Fokil said. "Now, let's move on to forging."
The master blacksmith selected a bar of iron and placed it within the fiery maw of the forge. As the metal heated, Fokil explained the various tools that surrounded them – the tongs, hammers, and anvils, each with its specific purpose and function. Broken listened intently, committing every word to memory.
"Remember, timing is crucial," Fokil warned as he retrieved the glowing iron from the forge. "Strike the metal while it's hot, but not too soon, or you risk damaging your work."
Fokil then continued to demonstrate every step involved in crafting an item, and Broken paid close attention to each process. Although he had already achieved Master Rank Blacksmith, this mainly pertained to the grade of items he could craft, some special skills, and the potential outcomes of his crafting. He still needed to learn the overall process of blacksmithing.
Was crafting an item as a production class difficult in Immortal Legacy? No, actually there was another solution for crafting an item, the auto-craft feature accessible to every player. They could place the materials they needed and simply press the auto-craft button, and boom, the item was successfully crafted. The time required was much shorter compared to doing the entire crafting process manually.
However, using auto-crafting had many drawbacks that were not favored by most production-class players. The most likely result of auto-crafting was a very poor-quality item. The item grade produced was almost always the lowest possible, and the stats and skills would be subpar.
In addition, there was also a risk of losing valuable materials, only to end up with a low-quality item. For this reason, professional blacksmiths or other production-class players preferred to accept commissions and perform the crafting process manually.
Broken followed every order and guidance given by Fokil with unwavering precision. He then took over the blacksmith tools and did exactly as Fokil instructed. His movements were quick and efficient, his actions were executed flawlessly to achieve the desired outcome.
"Very well done," Fokil said approvingly. "Now that you understand how to control your forge, let us move on to crafting your first piece of equipment."
He handed Broken a new blueprint. "Your task is to create Elite-grade gloves."
Broken took the blueprint, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He studied it carefully, noting the details and specifications. This was his first challenge as a blacksmith, and he was determined to prove himself worthy of the Royal Blacksmith class.
"I understand, sir. I won't disappoint you," Broken said
"Good," Fokil replied. "Now, let's see what you can do."
[You had received an email from Akidia, the Goddess of Sloth.]
"Goddess Akidia?" Upon seeing the name of the mail sender, Broken's face lit up with joy.
Fokil, who had previously noticed Broken's confusion, now saw a glimmer of hope in the young man's excited face. He observed the enthusiasm radiating from Broken as he looked at the blueprint. Fokil knew that the young man was genuinely eager to undertake the quest.
"You were starting to show some enthusiasm when I gave you the blueprint, weren't you? No more procrastinating, brat!" Fokil urged.