The Blacksmith's First Steps
Kanji stared at the glowing mission notification in front of him, the molten-orange text flickering against the dimly lit forge.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
Mission Activated: Gather Materials to Begin Crafting.
Objective: Collect at least 10 units of wood and 5 units of iron ore.
Reward: Unlock Basic Smelting, Access to Furnace Function.
Kanji exhaled through his nose. "Right. If nothing's free, then I better get to work."
Stepping outside of his newly placed workshop, he took in the scenery. The sun had dipped lower in the sky, casting an orange hue across the field and the dense forest beyond. The river glistened in the distance, and the air smelled fresh—untouched.
"First things first… wood."
He surveyed the nearby trees, spotting a smaller one with a sturdy trunk. With no axe in hand, Kanji frowned, rubbing his chin.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
🔨 Crafting Tip: Use bare hands to gather small materials. Tools increase efficiency.
"Guess I'm going old-school for now." He approached the tree and grabbed a sturdy branch. Snap! The brittle limb broke off in his hands.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
✔ Collected: 1 Unit of Wood
Kanji smirked. "Alright, this won't take too long."
He spent the next twenty minutes breaking smaller branches, yanking out twigs, and even collecting some deadwood from the ground. His inventory counter slowly ticked up.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
✔ Collected: 10 Units of Wood
Kanji wiped his forehead. "Okay, step one done. Now for the iron."
His eyes scanned the rocky outcrop near the riverbank. If there was ore nearby, it would be there. Making his way down, he knelt near the jagged stones and tapped one of them.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
🔨 Mining Tip: Extract ore by striking rock formations. Bare hands are inefficient—use tools when possible.
Kanji sighed. "Really wish I had a pickaxe right about now."
Still, he didn't have a choice. Clenching his fist, he delivered a sharp punch to the rock. Crack! A small chunk of iron ore loosened, tumbling into his palm.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
✔ Collected: 1 Unit of Iron Ore
Kanji shook his hand. "Ow. Yeah, this is gonna suck."
After a few more painful strikes, he managed to gather enough ore, though his knuckles were sore.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
✔ Collected: 5 Units of Iron Ore
Mission Complete!
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
🔥 New Feature Unlocked: Basic Smelting
🔨 Furnace Function Available
Kanji grinned, shaking off the ache in his hand. "Alright, now we're getting somewhere. Time to fire up that forge and make my first real weapon."
He turned back toward his workshop, ready to begin his blacksmithing journey.
First Use of the Forge
Stepping inside, Kanji eyed the forge. Now that the Furnace Function had been unlocked, he could begin the smelting process.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
🔥 Basic Smelting Unlocked
✔ Iron Ingots Required: 5x Iron Ore → 1x Iron Ingot
✔ Fuel Source: Wood or Coal
Kanji quickly checked his inventory. He had enough materials to at least make a single ingot. He grabbed a handful of wood and tossed it into the forge. Flames roared to life, the heat making him step back.
"Okay, time to melt this stuff down."
He placed the iron ore into the forge. The moment the ore touched the flames, the furnace emitted a low hum, and a progress bar appeared above the smelting chamber.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
⏳ Smelting in Progress… 10%... 35%... 75%...
After several minutes, the molten iron settled in the crucible. Carefully, Kanji pulled the lever, pouring the liquid metal into a molded frame. As it cooled, he watched the shimmering iron solidify.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
✔ 1x Iron Ingot Created!
Kanji held up the finished product, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Not bad. Now let's see if I can actually make something out of it."
A Blacksmith's First Weapon
Kanji navigated the Blueprint Archive, selecting the simplest design available—an Iron Dagger.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
🔨 Selected Blueprint: Iron Dagger
✔ Required Materials: 1x Iron Ingot, 1x Wood
✔ Difficulty: Low
He placed the ingot on the anvil and grabbed a hammer from the rack. The moment he did, a new notification appeared.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
⚒ Forging Mode Activated
An overlay appeared in his vision, guiding him through the process step by step. He raised the hammer and brought it down onto the ingot. Clang! Sparks flew as he shaped the blade, the progress bar in the system creeping forward.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
🔨 Forging in Progress… 20%... 50%... 90%…
Finally, after a few more precise strikes, the dagger took form. Kanji attached the wooden handle, securing it with fastenings before holding up the completed weapon.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
✔ Iron Dagger Crafted!
Kanji turned the blade over in his hand, feeling its weight. It was crude, but it was his first creation. A rush of pride swelled in his chest.
"Not bad for my first attempt," he muttered, spinning the dagger between his fingers. "Alright, what's next?"
📜 [SYSTEM NOTICE] 🛠
⚠ New Mission Available.
🔥 [End of Chapter 3] 🔥