Business had been steady at Black's Forge for the past month. Word had spread among the independent Hunter teams, bringing a steady stream of C and D-rank customers seeking Bron's unique crafting services. He remained selective, taking only commissions that genuinely interested him and focusing on quality over quantity.
His skills had continued to improve with each piece. Material Enhancement had reached Level 2, allowing him to push common materials to perform like rarer ones. His workshop had expanded with specialized tools purchased through bartering—crafting simple items for local merchants in exchange for equipment.
Tonight, Bron was working late on a special project: a hunting knife for Mira, crafted from the Evolved Shadowfang materials. The black fangs had fascinating properties, particularly their natural affinity for penetrating armor and scales. Combined with the specialized venom glands, Bron envisioned a secondary weapon that would complement her sword by targeting heavily armored weak points.
The forging process was delicate, requiring precise temperature control and careful fusion of organic and inorganic materials. Bron was so deeply focused that he almost missed the distant wail of sirens.
Almost.
His head snapped up, listening intently. The pattern was unmistakable: three long wails followed by two short bursts—the Buffer Zone breach signal. Somewhere nearby, a Gate had opened unexpectedly or a containment wall had failed.
Bron quickly secured the half-finished project and doused the forge. Buffer Zone breaches typically didn't reach this far into the Safe Zone, but "typically" provided little comfort when dealing with Gates.
He moved to the front of the shop, peering through the reinforced windows. The street was already emptying as civilians headed for designated shelters. In the distance, emergency lights flashed near the Buffer Zone barrier, approximately six blocks away.
The shop's communication panel chimed with the automated emergency broadcast: "Attention. Buffer Zone containment breach in Sector E-7. All civilians proceed to nearest shelter facilities. Hunter personnel report to staging areas. This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill."
Sector E-7. That was just two sectors away from his location.
Bron considered his options. The sensible choice was to follow protocol and head to the nearest shelter. As far as the Association knew, he was an unawakened civilian with no combat capabilities.
But something held him back. His forge contained valuable materials and specialized equipment that would be difficult to replace. More importantly, the half-finished Shadowfang knife represented weeks of collected materials and careful planning.
The emergency broadcast updated: "Containment teams deployed to Sector E-7. Breach classified as Class-C. All civilians within half-kilometer radius of Buffer Zone must evacuate immediately."
Class-C meant moderate danger—likely a small to medium Gate or a handful of C-rank monsters. The Hunter teams should be able to handle it without major incident. His shop was just outside the evacuation zone, meaning he could legally stay if he chose to.
Bron made his decision. He would secure his most valuable materials and prepare for quick evacuation if the situation worsened. Moving quickly, he gathered the rare monster parts from his storage cabinets into a specialized containment case. If he needed to leave suddenly, at least he could save these.
As he worked, the building's security system pinged, indicating movement on the side alley. Bron frowned. The evacuation routes didn't run through that alley.
He activated the external camera feed on his workshop terminal. The image showed three figures moving stealthily along the building's edge—human figures, not monsters. They wore nondescript dark clothing rather than Hunter uniforms, and they carried simple weapons: crowbars, baseball bats with nails.
Looters. Taking advantage of the evacuation to target businesses.
Bron's jaw tightened. He'd heard stories of opportunistic thieves using Gate breaches as cover, but hadn't expected to face them personally. While most of his truly valuable items were secured, the workshop itself contained tools and equipment worth thousands of credits.
The security feed showed the looters testing his back door. It was reinforced, like all exterior access points in this district, but determined attackers with the right tools could eventually breach it.
A notification chimed again: "Update: Breach expanding to Sector E-8. Additional Hunter teams deployed. Evacuation zone extended by two blocks."
That put his shop right at the edge of the mandatory evacuation area. The looters would know they had limited time before Hunter patrols swept through.
As if confirming his thoughts, one of the figures produced what appeared to be a small cutting torch. They were serious about getting in quickly.
Bron assessed his situation honestly. He had awakened abilities but no combat training or experience. While technically SSS-rank, his skills were focused on crafting, not fighting. The smart move would be to gather his emergency case and leave through the front exit, letting insurance cover any losses.
But something inside him rebelled at the thought. This forge was everything he had—his livelihood, his purpose, the foundation for his future. The thought of watching strangers violate it while he retreated to safety was intolerable.
"Status," he muttered, activating his panel.
[Name: Bron Black]
[Class: Sovereign Forge Master]
[Rank: SSS]
[Level: 4]
[Health: 155/155]
[Mana: 190/190]
[ATTRIBUTES]
Strength: 14
Agility: 11
Endurance: 16
Intelligence: 18
Wisdom: 16
Perception: 20
[SKILLS]
Material Insight (Passive) Lvl 3: Analyze material properties through touch with enhanced detail Forge Affinity (Passive) Lvl 2: Advanced understanding of metallurgy and smithing Weapon Aptitude (Passive) Lvl 2: Increased proficiency with all weapons Forge Dominion (Active) Lvl 2: Exert greater control over forge equipment and materials Material Fusion (Active) Lvl 2: Combine materials with high efficiency and stability Attunement (Active) Lvl 2: Enhance compatibility between weapon and wielder Material Enhancement (Active) Lvl 2: Temporarily improve material properties beyond natural limits
[SPECIAL ABILITIES]
None Currently Available (Unlock through level progression)
His combat-relevant skills were limited. Weapon Aptitude would give him basic proficiency with anything he wielded, but not expertise. His physical attributes had improved since awakening but weren't exceptional.
The security feed showed the cutting torch beginning to work on his door's hinges. He had minutes at most.
Bron made his decision. Moving quickly to his workbench, he grabbed the most functional weapon he had available—a steel hammer he'd crafted during his early practice sessions. It was perfectly balanced, crafted with his awakened abilities, but still just a hammer.
"Material Enhancement," he whispered, channeling mana into the tool. The steel took on a subtle red glow as its molecular structure temporarily tightened, increasing density and hardness without adding weight.
Next, he applied Attunement, linking the hammer to himself as wielder. The connection felt different from when he attuned weapons to his clients—more immediate, more responsive. The hammer almost hummed in his grip, ready to respond to his intentions.
The security system chimed a proximity warning. The door's outer hinges had been compromised.
Bron moved to a position beside the workshop entrance, hammer ready. His heart pounded, but his grip was steady. He'd never been in combat, but he understood physics and leverage—where to strike for maximum effect with minimum effort.
The workshop door burst open, and the three figures rushed inside.
"Grab anything that looks valuable," the leader instructed. "We've got five minutes max before—"
Bron stepped forward, hammer raised. "Before what?"
The looters spun toward him, clearly surprised to find anyone still present. For a moment, nobody moved. Then the leader—a wiry man with a patchy beard—grinned.
"Well, well. Decided to protect your shop? Noble, but stupid. Walk away now, and you won't get hurt."
"That's my line," Bron replied, surprising himself with his calm tone. "This is your only warning."
The leader laughed and gestured to his companions. "Take care of him. Make it quick."
The first looter lunged with a crowbar. Bron sidestepped, his Weapon Aptitude skill guiding his movements. The enhanced hammer swung in a controlled arc, connecting with the crowbar near the man's hands. The impact shattered the iron tool and sent painful vibrations up the attacker's arms, dropping him to his knees with a cry of pain.
The second attacker hesitated, then came at Bron more cautiously with a nail-studded bat. Bron parried the first swing, the enhanced hammer barely registering the impact. His counter-strike connected with the bat's center, snapping it cleanly in two.
Bron felt his confidence growing. His movements weren't trained or elegant, but his enhanced weapon combined with his innate understanding of physics made him surprisingly effective. His perception—his highest attribute—allowed him to read his opponents' intentions from subtle muscle movements and weight shifts.
The leader pulled a knife, his expression now wary. "You're Awakened," he stated. "No normal person moves like that."
"Last chance to leave," Bron offered, noting distantly that his workshop door had been damaged beyond simple repair. That would cost time and materials to fix.
Instead of replying, the leader whistled sharply. A fourth figure appeared in the doorway—larger than the others, with the unmistakable bulk of low-level body enhancement.
"Meet Crusher," the leader said with a smirk. "E-rank Strength Enhancer. Not officially registered with the Association, for obvious reasons."
The large man grinned, cracking his knuckles. His eyes glowed faintly with mana activation. "Been a while since I got to test myself against another Awakened."
Bron reassessed his situation. An E-rank combat-focused Awakened was a significant threat, especially for someone with no formal training. His enhanced hammer would help, but the difference in combat experience remained substantial.
Before he could decide on a strategy, the building shook with a distant impact. The emergency broadcast system immediately updated: "Warning: Breach has reached Sector E-9. Class-B monster detected. All civilians must evacuate immediately. Hunter reinforcements inbound."
The looters exchanged nervous glances. Class-B changed the risk calculation significantly.
"Whatever's in this shop better be worth it," the smaller of the regular looters muttered.
"Shut up," the leader snapped. "Crusher, deal with him quickly. We'll grab what we can and go."
The large man advanced on Bron, mana visibly gathering around his fists. Bron raised his hammer defensively, mind racing. A direct confrontation was risky, but retreat meant abandoning his forge to looters.
The decision was made for him when the entire building shook again, this time much more violently. Dust rained from the ceiling as something massive impacted nearby—too near.
A deafening roar echoed from the street outside, followed by screams and the distinctive discharge of Hunter weapons.
"That's no Class-C breach," the leader said, suddenly pale. "We're out of here."
"But the haul—" Crusher began.
"Not worth dying for," the leader cut him off. "Move!"
The looters fled through the damaged door, leaving Bron alone in his workshop. The building shook again, and through the front windows, Bron caught a glimpse of something massive moving past—a shadowy form at least three meters tall with multiple limbs.
The emergency broadcast confirmed his fears: "Critical update: Class-A entity detected in Sector E-9. All Hunters below B-rank evacuate immediately. Specialized containment team inbound. Estimated arrival: twelve minutes."
Class-A. Far beyond what regular Hunter teams could handle safely. And it was moving through his sector.
Bron had seconds to decide. The logical choice was clear: grab his emergency case and use the back exit to reach the nearest shelter. But even as he considered this, a terrified scream cut through the chaos outside—close and desperate.
Moving to the window, Bron saw a civilian—a young woman he recognized as the owner of the small café across the street—trapped beneath fallen debris from a damaged building facade. The massive creature was moving down the adjacent street, its footsteps shaking the ground with each impact. It would reach her position within moments.
No Hunters were visible in the immediate area. They would be forming containment perimeters, not searching for trapped civilians in the evacuation zone.
Bron looked at the enhanced hammer in his grip. He was no hero, no trained Hunter. His combat capabilities were minimal compared to his crafting skills.
But he was SSS-rank. Even untrained, that meant something.
The shard near his heart pulsed warmly, almost urging him forward.
Before he could reconsider, Bron was moving, rushing out his front door toward the trapped woman. The street was eerily empty except for the sounds of distant combat and the approaching behemoth.
"Help!" the woman cried upon seeing him. "I can't move my leg!"
Bron reached her quickly, assessing the situation. A large concrete chunk pinned her left leg, not crushing it but preventing escape. With his enhanced strength, he might be able to lift it enough for her to pull free.
"When I lift, you need to pull yourself out immediately," he instructed, setting his hammer down to use both hands.
She nodded frantically, eyes wide with fear.
Bron positioned himself and heaved upward. The concrete was heavy, but his Strength attribute, while not extraordinary, was sufficient when focused properly. He managed to create enough space for the woman to drag herself free with a pained gasp.
"Can you walk?" he asked, helping her up.
"I think so—" she began, then her eyes widened as she looked past him. "Behind you!"
Bron turned to see a nightmare made flesh. What he had glimpsed through the window hadn't prepared him for the reality of a Class-A monster in person. It resembled a massive praying mantis with elements of scorpion, its chitinous exoskeleton gleaming like oil-slick metal under the emergency lights. Six limbs ended in scythe-like appendages, while a barbed tail arched over its back. Multiple eyes tracked movement with predatory intelligence.
The Hunter Association called this species a Reaper Mantid. Bron had seen images in briefing materials during his mining days, but images didn't convey the sheer overwhelming presence of the real thing.
His Material Insight activated automatically:
[Reaper Mantid (Class-A)]
[Materials: Adaptive Chitin Exoskeleton, Monomolecular Edge Limbs, Neurotoxin Synthesis Glands]
[Threat Level: Extreme]
[Special Properties: Enhanced Speed, Armor Penetration, Toxic Secretions]
[Weaknesses: Joint Connections, Sensory Organs]
The creature's attention locked onto their movement. One moment it was thirty meters away, the next it had covered half that distance in a blur of impossible speed.
"Run!" Bron shouted to the woman, snatching up his hammer. "Head for the main evacuation route!"
She limped away as quickly as her injured leg allowed. Bron positioned himself between her and the monster, knowing he couldn't defeat it but hoping to buy her enough time to reach safety.
The Mantid closed the remaining distance with frightening speed. Bron barely managed to dodge the first scythe strike, the edge passing close enough to his face that he felt the air displacement. His Perception attribute allowed him to track the movement, but his body could barely respond in time.
The second strike came immediately after, a horizontal sweep aimed at bisecting him. Bron dropped flat to the ground, feeling the attack pass overhead. The Mantid's movements were blindingly fast but followed predictable patterns—like a machine designed for efficient killing.
Bron rolled to his feet, mind racing. He couldn't outfight this creature, couldn't outrun it. But perhaps he could outsmart it.
His gaze darted around the street, noting structural weaknesses, potential weapons, escape routes. Then he saw it—a damaged power junction on the building beside them, sparking dangerously after being hit by falling debris.
The Mantid lunged again. This time, Bron didn't dodge completely. He allowed the attack to drive him back toward the damaged junction, making his movements appear desperate and uncontrolled.
The monster followed, its predatory instincts focused on the moving target. It didn't notice—or didn't care about—the sparking electrical equipment beside it.
When his back was almost against the junction box, Bron changed tactics. Instead of retreating further, he suddenly rushed forward, ducking beneath a scythe strike and swinging his enhanced hammer with all his strength at the nearest limb joint—one of the weaknesses his Material Insight had identified.
The impact cracked the chitinous armor, green ichor spraying from the wound. The Mantid shrieked, a sound like metal being torn apart, and reflexively struck with its barbed tail.
Bron narrowly avoided being impaled, the barb tearing through his sleeve and leaving a shallow gash on his arm. He felt immediate burning—the neurotoxin mentioned in his Material Insight.
His movements already slowing from the toxin's effect, Bron made one final desperate lunge, throwing himself forward and swinging the hammer with all his remaining strength—not at the creature, but at the sparking junction box.
The enhanced hammer shattered the damaged housing, exposing live high-voltage connections. With a thunderous crack, electricity arced into the Mantid's conductive exoskeleton. The monster convulsed violently, its scythes flailing wildly.
One of those flailing limbs caught Bron across the chest, sending him flying backward to crash against a storefront. Pain exploded through his body as he felt ribs crack from the impact.
[Health: 87/155]
The status notification flickered in his vision, partially obscured by darkness encroaching at the edges. The toxin was spreading, and his injuries were significant.
But the Mantid was worse off. The electrical discharge had overloaded its nervous system, leaving it thrashing uncoordinatedly. It wouldn't stay disabled for long, but perhaps long enough.
Bron forced himself to his feet, each movement sending waves of agony through his damaged ribs. He needed to move, to find shelter before the creature recovered.
He managed three steps before his legs gave out. The neurotoxin was working faster than he'd anticipated. As he fell to his knees, he saw the Mantid beginning to regain coordination, its multiple eyes swiveling back toward him.
This was it, then. His brief career as an SSS-rank Forge Master, ended before it truly began.
The shard near his heart pulsed—not with warmth this time, but with intense heat. Bron gasped as energy surged through his body, temporarily counteracting the toxin's effects.
[Emergency Protocol Activated]
[Shard Resonance: 37%]
[Temporary Skill Unlocked: Material Embodiment (Active)]
[Description: Briefly take on properties of a known material]
[Mana Cost: 100 per activation]
[Warning: Skill stability not guaranteed at current Resonance level]
Bron didn't hesitate. "Material Embodiment: Steel!"
The change was instantaneous and overwhelming. His skin hardened, taking on a metallic sheen. The pain in his ribs didn't disappear but became distant, manageable. His movements, though still hampered by the toxin, regained some fluidity as his muscles operated with mechanical precision.
The Mantid had recovered enough to launch another attack. Its scythe limb struck Bron directly—but instead of cutting through flesh, it produced a metallic clang and a shower of sparks. The edge left only a shallow groove in Bron's transformed skin.
Bron seized the moment of the creature's surprise. With renewed strength, he swung his hammer at the Mantid's nearest sensory organ—a cluster of eyes on its left side. The impact crushed the delicate structures, causing the monster to rear back with another ear-splitting shriek.
[Material Embodiment: Duration Remaining - 20 seconds]
The warning flashed in Bron's vision. The temporary skill was draining his mana rapidly. He needed to escape while he had the chance.
Summoning his remaining strength, Bron sprinted away from the disoriented monster, each step feeling like moving through deep water as the toxin continued to fight against the emergency protocol.
He had nearly reached the corner when he heard the distinctive discharge of Hunter weapons behind him. Glancing back, he saw a specialized containment team had arrived—A-rank Hunters with equipment designed specifically for high-class threats. They had engaged the Mantid with coordinated attacks, drawing its attention away from Bron.
His steel-like skin began to revert to normal as the skill duration ended. With it came the full force of his injuries and the toxin's effects. Bron stumbled the last few meters around the corner before collapsing against a wall, his vision tunneling rapidly.
The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a Hunter in medical insignia rushing toward him, concern evident even through their visored helmet.
Bron awoke to the steady beep of medical equipment. Opening his eyes revealed a private room in what appeared to be an Association medical facility—more advanced than the civilian hospital where he'd recovered after his awakening.
"Welcome back," said a voice from his bedside.
Bron turned to see a middle-aged man in a Hunter Association administrator's uniform sitting in a chair next to his bed. The insignia indicated mid-level authority—not top brass, but not a basic functionary either.
"The doctors weren't sure when you'd regain consciousness," the man continued. "Reaper Mantid neurotoxin is nothing to take lightly. You're lucky to be alive."
Bron remained silent, assessing his situation. His status panel showed:
[Health: 120/155 (Recovering)]
[Mana: 142/190]
The emergency protocol and temporary skill were no longer listed. Whatever the shard had done had apparently been a one-time intervention.
"My name is Director Kaplan," the administrator said. "I oversee civilian integration for the Eastern District. Which makes incidents like yours my responsibility."
"What exactly was my incident?" Bron asked cautiously.
Kaplan consulted a tablet. "According to witnesses, including the woman you rescued, an unregistered civilian with apparent Awakened abilities engaged in combat with a Class-A threat, successfully disabling it long enough for evacuation and containment team arrival." He looked up. "That would be you, Mr. Black."
Bron said nothing, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Normally," Kaplan continued, "unregistered Awakened individuals are required to immediately enroll with the Association for assessment and assignment. Particularly those demonstrating combat capabilities against high-class threats."
"I'm a blacksmith," Bron stated flatly. "Not a Hunter."
"So your business registration indicates," Kaplan agreed. "Yet multiple witnesses described you transforming your skin to metal and withstanding a direct hit from a Reaper Mantid. That's not typical blacksmith behavior."
Bron chose his words carefully. "I did what anyone would do. Someone needed help, and I was there."
"With an enhanced weapon and apparent combat training?"
"I make weapons for a living. It would be strange if I didn't know how to use one."
Kaplan studied him for a long moment. "Here's the thing, Mr. Black. The containment team's scanner registered an unusual energy signature during the incident—one that doesn't match typical Awakened patterns. That, combined with your unregistered status, raises certain... concerns."
This was exactly what Bron had feared since his awakening. Discovery. Scrutiny. Loss of autonomy.
"However," Kaplan continued unexpectedly, "there are mitigating factors. You saved a civilian at great personal risk. The Eastern District has suffered minimal Gate breaches in recent months, partially due to the enhanced effectiveness of Hunter teams equipped with weapons from your forge." He set the tablet down. "Several team leaders have spoken quite highly of your work."
Bron remained silent, uncertain where this was heading.
"The Association has decided to offer you a special dispensation," Kaplan said. "Register as an E-rank Support Crafter—the minimum classification—and continue your business as before. In exchange, you'll receive Association protection and access to resources normally restricted to registered crafters. No combat duties, no mandatory assignments."
"And if I refuse?" Bron asked.
"Then standard protocols apply. Full assessment, class determination, and appropriate assignment based on your demonstrated abilities." Kaplan's expression remained neutral. "Which, given what happened with the Mantid, would almost certainly not involve running a small independent forge."
It was a better offer than Bron had expected. E-rank registration would provide cover while allowing him to continue developing his true abilities in relative privacy. The occasional checkup would be manageable with careful mana suppression.
"I'll need time to consider," he said.
"Of course," Kaplan replied, standing. "You have until your medical release, expected in three days. For now, rest and recover."
After the administrator left, Bron stared at the ceiling, processing everything that had happened. His shop had been damaged, his body injured, his secret nearly exposed. But he had survived an encounter with a Class-A monster—something that should have been impossible for anyone below A-rank themselves.
The temporary skill—Material Embodiment—had saved his life. But it had vanished when the emergency ended, locked behind some kind of "Resonance" requirement he didn't yet understand.
One thing was clear: his focus on crafting for others, while profitable and educational, had left him personally vulnerable. He needed his own equipment, specialized items attuned specifically to him and his unique abilities.
Bron closed his eyes, already envisioning his first personal creation—not a traditional weapon, but something that would complement his Sovereign Forge Master class in ways no one would expect.
It was time to forge not just for others, but for himself.