The essence of forging was to heat metal and reshape it. In Jin-Woo’s mind, the most crucial part of the process was how that metal was molded. Any mistake at this stage would irrevocably poison the final product; no amount of later work could correct it. But in my current condition, perfect forging is impossible. He was acutely aware of his own deficiencies: his strength, his flexibility, the quantity and quality of his mana, his very skills. Not even a devil could forge a masterpiece with stats like these. After some contemplation, he decided on a special heating method to compensate for his weakness: the Five-Color Flame. A series of violent pops resounded from within the furnace. With each detonation, five distinct colors of flame erupted, clashing and churning as if trying to devour one another. Brilliant, intense light seeped from the furnace seams, raising the temperature in the workshop and striking fear into the nearby trainees. The flames pulsed with a tremendous force, threatening to explode at any moment. Even from a distance, the heat was enough to scorch their faces. Unsettled, the other students flinched, instinctively shuffling away from the volatile display. Jin-Woo, however, the one who had ignited the inferno, didn't move an inch. Instead, he crouched low, inspecting the roiling flames with a critical eye. “P-Professor! We should extinguish it right now…!” In-Sung lunged for the emergency shutoff, certain an accident was imminent, but In-Cheol’s hand shot out and clamped around his wrist. “But it’s too dangerous, sir!” “It’s fine. There won’t be a problem.” “How in the world is that safe…?” If it were just flames leaking from the furnace, that would be one thing. But the mana stored within the forge was shuddering ominously, vibrating on the very brink of detonation. “Tsk. Don’t just look at the strength of the mana. Examine the flow of the flames,” In-Cheol chided, clicking his tongue at In-Sung, who was still eyeing the furnace like a time bomb. As In-Sung forced himself to look again, his eyes gradually widened. He saw it now. While the mana inside pulsed with raw, untamed power, the flames themselves were arranged in neat, orderly layers, as if they possessed their own internal structure. What is this… While In-Sung stood baffled by the incomprehensible sight, Jin-Woo, who had been calmly observing the fire, tossed his pieces of iron ore into the furnace. The moment the furnace engulfed the ore, the flames erupted anew, roaring with a palpable hostility toward the foreign material. “The color of the metal…” someone murmured. Sparks shot into the air and the flames writhed madly, but no one paid it any mind. They were all transfixed by the sight of the ore being swallowed and superheated by the Five-Color Flame. The trainees stared blankly, wondering if this was some unique skill. It was impossible to believe he was using the same materials they had been given. I see. It all makes sense now. In-Cheol, having pieced together the principle behind the Five-Color Flame, was fascinated. On the surface, the method was intricate and dazzling, but its purpose was simple. Each of the ignition stones had different properties, but by making them resonate, he had amplified their collective power. His goal was to strengthen the flame and rapidly alter the properties of the iron ore. It was a brilliant improvisation, a clever response to the dwindling time, but it came with one colossal risk. The process made the iron ore incredibly sensitive to change. One small mistake would create an irreparable flaw. This was a true high-risk, high-return gamble. In-Cheol found himself even more intrigued by Jin-Woo’s audacity. He would have passed easily if he hadn't smashed the first knife. Instead, he chose to take this risk. Which means… In-Cheol watched Jin-Woo, his earlier conviction solidifying into certainty. The fully heated metal was placed upon the anvil. Jin-Woo brought the hammer down without a hint of hesitation. Each of his strikes accomplished what would take another person ten, and his eyes gleamed at the sight of the metal yielding to his will. The essence of the Five-Color Flame had been thoroughly infused into the ingot. Assured that he could now forge the metal as he pleased, Jin-Woo gripped his hammer and began to strike with all his strength. Sparks flew with every impact, but they were joined by splatters of blood from his clenched fist. A burn he’d received while handling the resonating ignition stones had torn open, a wound his insufficient mana couldn’t protect. He was enduring a level of pain that would make other trainees—and even most professional blacksmiths—scream. But the sound that escaped Jin-Woo’s lips was not a cry of agony. It was a sound of genuine elation as the metal obeyed his every command. The trainees watched in revulsion as a smile of pure, unadulterated joy spread across his face. Psycho. He’s out of his mind. Clearly, he’s not sane. His presence dominated the entire room. He was no longer just unique; he was now a source of extreme pressure on everyone else. “Focus,” In-Cheol’s dignified voice cut through the workshop. “Focus on your own work.” The uneasy atmosphere among the trainees settled at once, and soon the only sound was the scrape of whetstones against steel. In-Cheol, who had used a skill to instantly restore order, noticed that Jin-Woo hadn’t reacted at all. Does he really have no hesitation? It was common for trainees and novices to hesitate during forging. They understood that a single mistake could mean dozens of extra hammer strikes to fix, or worse, force them to discard the piece entirely. But Jin-Woo showed no such uncertainty. Though he had to know a single misstep would be fatal, he moved with the absolute certainty that he would not make one. Seems my intervention was unnecessary. In-Cheol, who had used his skill in part to dispel any of Jin-Woo’s potential doubts, gave a wry smile. Time flew by in the now-quiet examination room. Before long, the solitary ring of Jin-Woo’s hammer finally ceased. He had forged a straight sword, roughly 60cm in length. At a glance, it was unremarkable, but its true value would only be revealed after quenching. He carried over a bucket of cooling water and immediately began the process. He plunged the glowing blade into the bucket. As steam hissed violently, he hammered the blade again, correcting any minor warping caused by the rapid cooling. Slowly, the sword’s final form was revealed. A subtle, five-colored radiance shimmered across its entire length. It had developed naturally, a mirror of the Five-Color Flame in the furnace, lending the weapon an eerie mystique. Is that the mana from the flames, manifesting on the surface? It wasn’t ostentatious, but it was a clear statement of its own unique quality. In-Cheol marveled quietly. The result had far surpassed his expectations. How much time is left… five minutes. It was a bit tight for sharpening, but the sword was single-edged, which would save some time. Jin-Woo had most likely designed the blade from the start with the remaining time in mind. Jin-Woo’s arms moved in a steady rhythm, drawing the blade sharply across the whetstone. He was drenched in sweat, blood still oozing from the hand he’d hastily wrapped in a torn sleeve, but his movements were unwavering. He seemed utterly disconnected from his surroundings, completely absorbed in the moment. “One minute remaining! Everyone, wrap it up!” In-Cheol’s voice pulled him from his reverie. Jin-Woo wanted more time to grind the edge, but he refused to submit an incomplete weapon. The blade wasn’t entirely unbearable to look at, so he quickly slid the tang into the prepared hilt and hammered the pommel to secure it. Finally, he gave the blade one last polish with a cotton cloth. With that, the first weapon Jin-Woo had forged since his regression was complete. [Weapon ‘Blade of the Quintuple Inferno’ has been completed!] [The brilliant design makes it hard to believe it was forged by a novice blacksmith! Its imbued mana and material quality are lackluster, but the craftsmanship is nothing short of first-rate.] [The tier evaluation for ‘Blade of the Quintuple Inferno’ is ‘Advanced’.] [Skill ‘Master of Flames (C)’ has been acquired.] A translucent window materialized before Jin-Woo’s eyes. These Achievement Windows only appeared when one perfectly utilized their abilities to create something noteworthy; it was a sight most of the other trainees had likely never seen. “…” But Jin-Woo’s face twisted in disgust, as if he’d just witnessed something unacceptable. Equipment was classified into six tiers: Normal, Advanced, Rare, Hero, Legendary, and Mythical. Advanced was the second-lowest on the list. He ground his teeth in frustration. It was an obvious outcome, given his lack of proper skills, mana, and materials. But to him, a man who had forged equipment beyond the Legendary tier before his regression, it was a disgrace. Fine… I’ll have to live with this for now. Though the sword was a complete mess by his standards, he had to admit that, given his current limitations, he had squeezed 120% of its potential from the materials. As Jin-Woo suppressed a rising destructive impulse, In-Sung brought the exam to its conclusion. “Thank you for your hard work, everyone. With the forging complete, I will now explain the grading process.” The process itself was simple. Each trainee would be called up to present their work and offer a brief explanation. In-Cheol would then examine the weapon, ask a few questions, and finally conduct a Verification test. “The ingot on this table is a metal called Self-Regenerating Iron. It is quite durable, and it possesses the property of Restoration when infused with mana.” The metal was silver, shot through with a soft, shimmering green light. Having worked with this material extensively before his regression, Jin-Woo already knew what the Verification would entail. “You will be graded on the depth of the cut you can leave on this ingot. We will proceed in numerical order.” As In-Sung called the trainees up one by one, they swung their weapons against the Self-Regenerating Iron, after which In-Cheol delivered his evaluation. While the other trainees wore masks of anxiety, Jin-Woo watched the proceedings with complete indifference. “Even with all that time, it’s improperly balanced. You need to relearn the basics from scratch.” “A bit of flair is nice, but what’s the point without substance? Even a ceremonial sword requires a minimum level of durability.” “I don’t understand what you were trying to make, nor what you have made. That is all.” With each strike, In-Cheol’s critiques proved devastatingly accurate as swords shattered without leaving so much as a scratch. The few weapons that didn’t break were left chipped and barely intact. Not a single one managed to mar the surface of the Self-Regenerating Iron. Just like the last evaluation. As In-Cheol already knew, the forging he’d witnessed hadn’t been exceptional, so he didn’t expect exceptional results. But he wasn’t disappointed. There was one evaluation he was looking forward to. “Next… trainee number 289!” Jin-Woo, trainee 289, calmly stepped forward and handed the Blade of the Quintuple Inferno to In-Sung. “Now, please explain your… huh?” In-Sung’s eyes went wide as he was about to pass the sword to In-Cheol. “The tier is Advanced. I’m not one for explanations, so please refer to the information window for details… sir,” Jin-Woo said flatly. He was half-afraid he might forget the formal speech, and he felt no desire to waste his breath explaining a mere Advanced-tier sword. But while he was reluctant to speak, the surrounding trainees were not reluctant to gasp in shock. “What… Advanced tier?” “How is that possible with these materials?” To forge an Advanced-tier item, a trainee needed decent skills and quality materials. To create one from the standard, low-grade iron provided for the entrance exam was something even the top-ranked, guaranteed-admission trainees would struggle to achieve. “Proctor Han, is it for your eyes only?” In-Cheol asked. “Huh? Oh! My apologies.” In-Sung snapped out of his daze and handed the sword to In-Cheol, who began a quiet, thorough examination. [Tier: Advanced] [Quality: Average] [A sword marked by five flames. When mana is imbued, the condensed flames in the blade display a spectrum of colors. This sword hints at the blacksmith’s untapped potential. Color and properties will be altered slightly based on the imbued mana.] For the other trainees, In-Cheol’s evaluation had taken less than thirty seconds. But he continued to inspect the Blade of the Quintuple Inferno long after reading the information window, turning it over and over as if retracing every step of its creation. “Do you think this meets the standard for submission?” he finally asked Jin-Woo, after a full five minutes. “As of now… I suppose it does,” Jin-Woo replied to the question, which he understood held multiple meanings. As much as he wanted to smash the blade to pieces, this was the best he could do for now. Observing Jin-Woo’s nonchalant attitude and his choice of words—something no other trainee would dare utter—In-Cheol was momentarily surprised, then broke into a hearty laugh. “Hahaha! I see. I have high standards myself… but it seems yours are even higher.” Merely having high standards without ability was arrogance. But when one possessed the skill to back it up, it became genuine aspiration. “I have nothing more to add. If I must say something, it is to diligently train both your physique and your mana. Ah, and make sure to treat that injury before you leave,” In-Cheol said, as if there was nothing left to evaluate. Though anyone could have objected, not a single trainee voiced a complaint. The sword was on a completely different level from theirs, to say nothing of its official Advanced tier. “What about the Verification?” Jin-Woo insisted, as if it were of critical importance. “Um… is that really necessary?” In-Cheol asked, perplexed. “Yes. I’d rather this evaluation be clear, so I don’t hear any complaints about it later.” “A reasonable point. Proctor Han.” In-Sung took the Blade of the Quintuple Inferno from In-Cheol and stood before the Self-Regenerating Iron. Jin-Woo watched, his arms crossed. What’s going to happen? With that kind of quality, won’t it cut halfway through? The limits of the blade were obvious given the materials, but considering its tier, the trainees figured it would penetrate at least halfway into the ingot. All eyes were fixed on the Blade of the Quintuple Inferno as In-Sung raised it high, then brought it down with all his strength against the Self-Regenerating Iron. With almost no resistance, the blade sliced cleanly through the ingot. The result was far beyond the expectations of both In-Sung, who had swung the sword, and the trainees, who were watching in stunned silence. “Ha. It’s going to take some time to regenerate now.” Having already predicted the outcome, In-Cheol sighed at the unnecessarily prolonged exam. Jin-Woo decided there was no need to smash this sword, after all.

Chapter 3: Forged in a Violent Flame