Duke Valiard knew the significance of attempting to create a divine-grade artifact again after tens of thousands of years. Even if it was just a low-tier divine artifact, it would be enough to prove to the Forgeheart Kingdom and the entire continent that, despite his brother's absence, he too had something to show those damned nobles.
The highest achievement for a blacksmith on this continent was to successfully forge a divine-grade artifact—whether done alone or in collaboration. If someone could do it alone, their name would be engraved in the history of the continent. There were some ancient blacksmiths whose names were still revered for this accomplishment.
