Wooin blinked as the light receded, his vision adjusting to the dim glow of the room beyond the massive door. The silhouette he had seen was now clear: a tall figure clad in black armor streaked with crimson, their helmet forged in the likeness of a roaring flame. The aura they exuded was overwhelming—ancient, commanding, and utterly unyielding.
The figure took a step closer, and their voice reverberated through the chamber, low and resonant. "You've proven your worth, but trials alone do not make one ready. I am Ragnir, the Keeper of the Forge Eternal and Hak Yon's most trusted guardian."
Wooin tried to stand straighter, but his legs wobbled under the strain of the trials. "I've survived everything the forge has thrown at me. Isn't that enough?"
Ragnir tilted their head, as if scrutinizing Wooin. "Survival is merely the beginning. To wield the Forge Eternal, you must not only endure but understand its purpose. You stand at the threshold of power, but power without purpose is destruction."
Wooin gritted his teeth. He had faced his fears, his doubts, and his pain. But this figure spoke as though he was still lacking. "Then teach me," he said, his voice rough but determined. "If I'm not ready, show me how to be. I didn't come this far to stop now."
For a long moment, silence hung between them. Then Ragnir nodded. "Very well. But understand this: the truth I reveal will change you forever. There is no going back."
---
Ragnir led Wooin deeper into the chamber, past walls lined with colossal forges that glowed faintly, their fires dormant yet alive. Massive weapons and tools hung suspended in the air, each radiating a faint aura of immense power.
"These are the creations of Hak Yon," Ragnir said, gesturing to the artifacts. "Each was forged with a singular purpose: to restore balance to a fractured world. But the power of the forge comes at a cost. Hak Yon knew this better than anyone."
Wooin's gaze lingered on the weapons. He could feel the energy pulsing from them, each piece seeming to whisper a story of battles fought and lives changed.
"What kind of cost?" he asked, his voice wary.
Ragnir stopped before a massive forge in the center of the room. Its anvil was engraved with intricate runes, and a hammer rested atop it, its handle worn from centuries of use. "The forge demands more than skill. It demands a piece of your soul. Every creation forged here carries the essence of its maker—strength, purpose, and, if unchecked, their flaws. Hak Yon gave everything to this forge, and in the end, it consumed him."
Wooin felt a chill run down his spine. "Consumed him? You mean… he died because of it?"
Ragnir shook their head. "Not in the way you think. His body endured, but his soul was fractured, scattered across his creations. He became a shadow of the man he once was—a guardian bound to his legacy, unable to move on."
Wooin's mind raced. Gyeo had always spoken of Hak Yon with reverence, but he had never mentioned this. Was this the fate that awaited him?
---
As if sensing his thoughts, Ragnir spoke again. "The choice to wield this power is yours, Wooin. But understand the weight of that decision. The Forge Eternal is not a gift—it is a responsibility, one that will demand everything from you."
Wooin clenched his fists. His mind flashed to Haeji, his mother, and the chaos the SK Group had wrought. He didn't have the luxury of hesitation. "If this power can help me protect my family, then I'll take that risk. I'll give everything if I have to."
Ragnir studied him, their helmet obscuring any hint of emotion. "So be it."
They raised a gauntleted hand, and the forge roared to life, its flames leaping high into the air. The room trembled as the energy of the Forge Eternal surged, filling the air with a crackling intensity.
"Your training begins now," Ragnir said.
---
The Lessons of the Forge
For the next several days, Ragnir pushed Wooin to his limits.
They began with the basics, teaching him to channel his energy into the forge. "The fire is an extension of you," Ragnir explained. "It responds to your emotions, your intentions. But it can also consume you if you lose control."
Wooin practiced tirelessly, struggling to maintain the balance between focus and emotion. Each failure was met with scorching heat, the flames reacting violently whenever his mind wavered.
"You hesitate," Ragnir said after one particularly brutal session. "That hesitation will kill you—not just in battle, but here. The forge does not forgive uncertainty."
Wooin wiped the sweat from his brow, his arms trembling from the effort. "I'm trying. But this isn't like anything I've ever done before."
"Then stop thinking like a blacksmith," Ragnir said. "Think like a guardian. You are not crafting for profit or pride. You are crafting for purpose."
---
As the days went on, Ragnir introduced him to the deeper secrets of the Forge Eternal. They showed him how to infuse his creations with unique properties, channeling his own energy into the metal to create weapons that were more than mere tools.
"The forge amplifies your intent," Ragnir said. "A weapon crafted with rage will carry that fury, but it will also consume you. A weapon crafted with focus will be your greatest ally."
Wooin struggled to find that balance. His first attempts were chaotic, the weapons he forged unstable and prone to shattering. But with each failure, he learned, adapting his techniques and refining his control.
By the fourth day, he had crafted a blade that shimmered with a soft blue light. When he held it, he felt a connection—a bond that resonated with his very soul.
"This is the first step," Ragnir said, their tone approving. "But you have much more to learn."
---
The Warning
On the fifth day, Ragnir led Wooin to the farthest corner of the chamber. There, encased in a crystalline barrier, was a weapon unlike any other—a massive sword that radiated an aura of overwhelming power. Its blade was black as night, etched with crimson runes that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat.
"This," Ragnir said, "is Hak Yon's final creation. The Eclipse Blade. It is the culmination of his skill, his sacrifice, and his pain. It also never left his side until the day he died. Hak Yon's strongest 36 sword dances and his final and strongest creation was what aided him in conquering the world. After you learn to forge your own blade you will have to go out in the world and look for his swordsmanship. It's part are scattered across the continent as it was too powerful for any one single person to wield. But lets focus on forging until you can create a blade which can be worthy of the name of being Hak Yon's successor."
Wooin stepped closer, drawn to the weapon's sheer presence. But as he reached out, Ragnir's hand shot out, gripping his wrist with surprising force.
"Do not touch it," they warned, their voice sharp. "This blade is a warning, not a prize. It is a testament to the danger of the forge's power. Hak Yon poured too much of himself into it, and it nearly destroyed him—and the world."
Wooin pulled back, his heart pounding. "Then why keep it here?"
"To remind us of the cost," Ragnir said. "The Forge Eternal is not a tool for ambition or revenge. It is a force of balance. Forget that, and you risk becoming what you fight against."
---
A New Threat
As Ragnir's lessons continued, Wooin began to feel the weight of his newfound responsibility. But his training was interrupted when the chamber shook violently, the forges flickering as if sensing a disturbance.
Ragnir stiffened, their hand moving to the hilt of their weapon. "They've found us."
Wooin's blood ran cold. "Who?"
"The SK Guild," Ragnir said, their tone grim. "They've breached the outer sanctum."
Before Wooin could respond, a voice echoed through the chamber, cold and mocking.
"Well, well. The prodigal apprentice and the forgotten guardian," Jin-Seok sneered as he stepped into the room, flanked by a squad of armed operatives. His eyes gleamed with cruel delight. "I knew there was something here. And now it's mine."
Wooin felt a surge of anger and fear, his grip tightening on the blade he had forged. He turned to Ragnir, who drew their weapon—a massive halberd that shimmered with an otherworldly light.
"Stay behind me," Ragnir said. "You're not ready for this fight."
But Wooin shook his head, stepping forward. "I didn't come this far to hide. This is my fight too."
Ragnir glanced at him, their expression unreadable behind the helmet. Then they nodded. "Very well. Show me what you've learned."
---
As the chamber erupted into chaos, Wooin and Ragnir faced the intruders together. The flames of the Forge Eternal roared to life, casting an intense glow over the battlefield.
Wooin's blade clashed against the operatives' weapons, the force of each strike resonating through his arms. He felt the forge's energy coursing through him, guiding his movements and amplifying his strength.
But as the fight raged on, he realized the true scope of the SK Group's threat. Jin-Seok wasn't just after the Forge Eternal—he was after the power to control it.
As the battle reached its climax, Wooin found himself face-to-face with Jin-Seok. The man's smirk widened as he raised a weapon crackling with stolen energy.
"You have no idea what you're up against, boy," Jin-Seok said, his voice dripping with malice.
Wooin tightened his grip on his blade, his resolve unshaken. "Maybe not. But I won't let you take this."
Their weapons clashed, and the chamber seemed to tremble under the force of their battle. As the energy of the forge surged around them, Wooin felt a spark of hope—an ember of strength that refused to be extinguished.
But as the light flared brighter, he realized the true danger of the Forge Eternal.
And then, everything went dark.