Chapter 2 – The First Forge
A New Dawn
The sun barely peeked over the horizon, casting a pale glow through the dense trees of Blackthorn Forest. The air was thick with the stench of blood, goblin corpses littering the ground around Adam. But unlike before, he no longer felt weak.
He stood at the center of the carnage, his breath slow and measured. His body—once on the brink of death—was now brimming with newfound power. His muscles felt stronger, his movements more fluid. It was as if he had been reborn.
[Skill Absorption Complete]
[New Skills Acquired: Mutant Goblin's Strength | Night Vision | Adaptive Combat Instincts]
Adam clenched his fists, testing his grip. Strength coursed through his veins, but more importantly, his mind felt sharper. His body responded instantly to his thoughts, as if he had trained for years instead of just absorbing the goblins' instincts.
But what truly intrigued him was the floating interface before his eyes.
The System He Created
[Omniforge System: Active]
[Status: Connected to User]
[Primary Function: Creation & Evolution]
Adam narrowed his eyes. He didn't remember choosing to create this system. It had appeared on its own, a subconscious extension of his Omniforge ability.
A system that could forge anything… but with limitations.
[System Note: The System obeys user commands… to an extent.]
Adam's lips curled into a smirk. "So it's not completely under my control."
Still, it was better than nothing. He mentally navigated through the interface, exploring its features.
Skill Absorption – Allowed him to take abilities from slain creatures.
Material Refinement – Could break down materials and convert them into Forge Points (FP).
Blueprint Creation – Let him design and craft new weapons, armor, or tools.
Hidden World Construction – An inactive feature, but something about it felt… powerful.
Adam exhaled slowly. This power was insane.
A forge that could create anything.
And he had only just begun to unlock its secrets.
The First Forging
Adam turned to the bodies of the mutated goblins. Their corpses still pulsed with residual energy from the Mutation Stones they had absorbed. If the stones could make monsters stronger…
Could they be reforged into something greater?
[Activate Material Refinement]
A soft hum vibrated in the air. The corpses began to break apart, their essence flowing into Adam's hands. The System's interface blinked.
[Refined Materials Acquired]
[Mutation Stone Fragments (6)]
[Goblin Blood Essence]
[Goblin Bone Dust]
The materials glowed faintly in his hands, raw power waiting to be shaped.
[Forge Points: +120 FP]
Adam didn't need long to decide his first creation.
[Blueprint Creation: Initiating…]
A mental projection appeared before him, displaying a dagger—but not an ordinary one. He adjusted the design, enhancing the blade with the Mutation Stone's raw energy, reinforcing it with the goblin's adaptive combat instincts.
[Forging…]
The sound of invisible hammering filled the air as a weapon materialized in his hand. A sleek, curved dagger, its black blade pulsing with red veins of power.
[Weapon Created: Bloodfang Dagger]
- Rank: C+
- Effect: Steals a portion of vitality from enemies with each strike. Gains slight adaptability in combat.
Adam grinned as he flipped the dagger in his hand. It felt perfectly balanced, an extension of his own body.
"This… this is insane."
For the first time in his life, he held a weapon that truly belonged to him.
A World of His Own
But Adam wasn't done yet.
His eyes drifted back to the System's Hidden World Construction feature.
If his Create ability was strong enough, could he… build his own domain?
[Hidden World: Locked]
[Requirements: Unknown]
He frowned. It wasn't something he could access immediately. But the fact that it existed meant that, eventually, he would be able to forge a world within himself.
For now, he would prepare.
The Hunt Begins
As Adam examined his status screen, a deep roar echoed through the forest. He tensed, turning toward the sound.
Something big was nearby.
Adam wasn't sure if it had sensed him—or the slaughtered goblins—but either way, it was coming.
[New Quest Generated]
[Survive Against the Alpha Predator]
Adam's grip tightened around Bloodfang.
"Bring it on."
End of Chapter 2
Next Chapter: Trial of the Predator