When the Towers of Heroes first appeared across the globe, institutions dedicated to training climbers sprang up in their wake. Among them all, Olympus Academy held the most stellar reputation.
With its top-tier curriculum and peerless support for its colleges of combat, support, and technical skills, Olympus Academy graduated countless heroes each year. Nearly every facet of the academy was unparalleled, but the most overwhelming of all was its sheer scale.
To build a city-sized school on an artificial island in the Pacific Ocean… whosever idea it was, they were a mad genius.
Jin-Woo had heard it started as a small island, but after decades of endless expansion, it was now the size of a metropolis. With over a hundred department facilities, living quarters for students and staff, and countless buildings owned by corporate investors, its colossal size was inevitable.
At this point, couldn’t they just declare independence?
As he was lost in thought, watching the buildings stream past the window, an announcement chimed from the light rail’s speaker.
—This stop is the main building of the Division of Soul-Forging.
The mana-powered train glided to a halt. Jin-Woo stepped onto the platform and looked up at the Division of Soul-Forging’s main building.
Still as huge as ever.
Though he had failed to get into Olympus Academy before his regression, he had been invited to lecture here once he’d made a name for himself as a blacksmith. The department was gone by then, the building repurposed, but its imposing facade was exactly the same.
Let’s see. Forging Room Three, I believe.
He followed the directional panels for a few minutes until the familiar, acrid scent of fire and hot metal reached him. The smell, a mix of the foul and the fantastic, spurred him on. A smile touched his lips without his notice as he quickened his pace.
A plate mounted beside a set of heavy doors read “Forging Room 3.” He planted his hands on the cool metal, pushed, and stepped inside.
The moment he entered, he had to marvel. Dozens of magic furnaces and other pieces of equipment stood in neat, impressive rows. At this point in time, every single one was a state-of-the-art marvel worth a fortune.
This much support for such a small department… Olympus Academy really is on another level.
He’d known about the academy’s vast resources before, but it was another thing entirely to witness it firsthand. He scanned the room with fascination.
“Park Jin-Woo.” A cold voice cut through the air.
A middle-aged man with sharp, severe features sat at a table ahead. His slicked-back blonde hair was perfect, his white suit immaculate. He carried himself with an air of rigid intolerance that promised a difficult personality.
“We’re all waiting. Find your place.”
There were still ten minutes until the official start time, but his tone was impatient, as if Jin-Woo were unforgivably late. Jin-Woo frowned at the blatant hostility.
“Sir, there are still ten minutes left,” In-Cheol asserted, standing before the podium. “The Dean isn’t here yet, there’s no need to rush.”
“It’s a matter of attitude.”
“Then I will handle it.”
In-Cheol’s expression softened as he turned to Jin-Woo. “The Dean will be here shortly. Please, take a seat and wait.”
Jin-Woo found an empty chair and sat, watching the two men who had just clashed.
The Division of Soul-Forging must be in a bad state… and on the Vice Dean’s bad side, too.
Given the department’s poor performance, any conflict with the higher-ups could give them an excuse to come down on it hard. He was beginning to understand why In-Cheol had suggested he attend another academy. Just then, he felt a glare from his side.
A student sat across from him, staring. Like the Vice Dean, his blonde hair was slicked back flawlessly, and his uniform was pristine, a stark contrast to Jin-Woo’s well-worn one.
“Tsk.” The student looked Jin-Woo up and down, clicked his tongue, and turned away. Jin-Woo stared, dumbfounded by the open contempt, a perfect mirror of the Vice Dean’s.
Is today cursed or something?
Not one, but two people had managed to get under his skin right from the start. His fingers twitched, itching for the handle of the hammer at his side.
“My apologies. It seems I am the last to arrive.” The door opened, and a monotone voice drifted in.
Jin-Woo’s head snapped toward the sound. The voice was vaguely familiar.
A woman with long, red hair tied back in a neat ponytail stood in the doorway. She was beautiful, but the severe cut of her black suit and a completely emotionless expression gave her an intimidating air.
…Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Ryu Eun-Ha? Jin-Woo’s eyes widened.
She was the S-rank hero, Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Ryu Eun-Ha. Her unique ability let her grow stronger by consuming equipment. Before the regression, she had been his oldest client, a connection that predated even his time with the three Rogues.
She’d mentioned a one-year stint at Olympus Academy, but as the dean? The title seemed an ill fit. Her sudden appearance was startling.
She walked straight to the table and took the empty seat beside the Vice Dean.
“Let’s begin immediately.”
“Yes, ma’am. Both of you, on your feet.”
As Jin-Woo and the other student stood, In-Cheol began the exam explanation. “The topic for this additional test is to create a piece of equipment to be used with the swords you previously forged.”
In-Cheol touched a panel on the podium. With a soft click, an iron box beside each furnace unlocked, revealing the materials stored within.
Unlike the basic metals from the previous exam, these were quality materials, humming with mana. This time, it was clear they would be graded on not only their fundamentals but also their application of skills and mana.
This should be enough for…
A single glance was all it took for blueprints to begin forming in Jin-Woo’s mind. His mind was already racing with schematics as In-Cheol continued.
“Your equipment will be judged by Dean Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Weapon Eater Ryu Eun-Ha and Vice Dean Michael, the Alchemical Regent. Ensure the work you produce is something you can be proud of.”
“...?” Preoccupied with the materials, Jin-Woo furrowed his brow.
Azure Crucible… I’ve heard that name before.
It felt strangely unsettling. It wasn't a casual memory; the name carried a weight he couldn't quite place.
While Jin-Woo dug through his memories, In-Cheol touched the panel again, and a timer materialized in the air.
“You have 180 minutes. Your time starts now!”
As the countdown began, the magic furnaces hummed to life. The other student was already selecting his materials.
I’ll forge first, think later.
Deciding to worry about the name Azure Crucible later, Jin-Woo shrugged off his jacket, tossed it aside, and rolled up his sleeves. The uniform jacket supposedly offered temperature control and protection, but to him, it was just a hindrance.
In response to his casual actions, the other student muttered with clear disdain, “So undignified.”
“Azure Alchemist, Hans. Please refrain from comments unrelated to the exam,” In-Cheol said sternly.
“Apologies,” the student replied with a veneer of politeness, returning to his materials.
So… it wasn’t just a bad relationship. It ran deeper. Jin-Woo glanced at Michael. The Vice Dean’s son was his competitor. A situation like this would have stunned most people. Jin-Woo, however, smiled.
I was just going to ruin one of them. Now… I get to ruin them both.
Full of fresh motivation, Jin-Woo began sifting through his materials. Across the room, Hans chose his first items and placed them on a table beside his furnace.
“Core of the Azure Stream and Gem of the Silent Devouring Void. Both are rich with mana,” Eun-Ha observed.
Both ores shimmered with a distinct blue hue. Seeing her interest, Michael smiled and elaborated. “Yes. They are ores enchanted with water-elemental mana.”
Enchanted ores were tricky to begin with, but those with a specific elemental attribute were on another level entirely. The slightest mistake during forging could agitate their internal energies, corrupting the ore in an instant.
“I have heard that water-elemental ores are particularly difficult, given their sensitivity to fire.”
“Ordinarily, yes… but that all depends on who is handling them, and how,” Michael said, his voice brimming with confidence.
Hans, his preparations complete, began to gather his mana.
A slate-gray energy pooled in his hands. He wove an intricate pattern in the air, and a moment later, a magic array took shape before him. He inserted several mana stones he’d selected into the circle, and it brightened, fed by their power. Grinning at the complex, glowing glyph that looked like a tiny constellation, he placed the Core of the Azure Stream and Gem of the Silent Devouring Void within it.
The two ores trembled, then dissolved into liquid. Having smelted the metals without a single spark of heat, Hans plunged his hands directly into the magical light to shape the molten material.
“Ah, alchemical forging,” Eun-Ha noted, having watched the entire process.
It was a new method, based on alchemy and magic rather than traditional techniques. It was gaining traction in the blacksmithing world by eliminating the need for casting and quenching, making it easier to draw out the mana sealed within materials.
“A trickier method than standard forging,” Michael said, “but when mastered, it allows one to unleash a material’s full potential.”
“I’ve heard it’s still unstable.”
“That is old news. It won’t be long before alchemical forging completely surpasses the traditional methods.”
Michael subtly promoted the technique, as the Azure Crucible family was its foremost practitioner. It was his goal to make it the core discipline of the Division of Soul-Forging.
If I can just persuade the dean, Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Forgeheart Kim In-Cheol will have no ground to stand on.
With the department’s decline over the last few years, the slightest justification was all he needed to revamp it in his own image. Satisfied with how things were unfolding, his gaze fell upon Jin-Woo.
“The Barmuths… and alchemical forging…” Jin-Woo mumbled to himself, still sorting through his materials, lost in thought.
Michael’s expression turned cold. The boy seemed so much less competent than his son.
He has his fundamentals, I’ll give him that… but it won’t be enough.
Unlike the previous test, this exam required a deft use of skill and mana. And from what he knew, Jin-Woo’s mana capacity was the lowest among this year’s freshmen. He stood no chance against Hans, whose skill already rivaled that of the top second-year students.
And his only backer is In-Cheol. The boy has no luck.
Born to a worthless family, this was probably his last chance. Michael sneered inwardly and turned away.
“Ah!” Jin-Woo exclaimed, a look of dawning comprehension on his face.
The Barmuths and alchemical forging were well-known names in the industry he’d left behind. But there was another, more personal reason he remembered them.
That’s right. They were involved with the Ruinous Tempest.
Of the three Rogues he had to win over, they had a connection to Isabella Rossi. With one more reason to utterly crush Azure Alchemist, Hans, he altered his plan and snatched a pair of ignition stones from the pile.
He smashed them together in his hand. They sparked, then burst into a brilliant flame. The simple, almost primitive technique drew everyone’s attention. Jin-Woo slowly began to channel his mana into the fire cupped in his palm.
Alchemical forging…
Before his regression, Jin-Woo had learned every blacksmithing art he could get his hands on. Circumstances had never afforded him the luxury of specialization.
You think you know this better than me?
Hans and Michael didn’t know it, but they were the ones at a disadvantage.
An explosion erupted without warning.
Unraveling flames, born from Jin-Woo’s hands, roared to life, capturing the attention of everyone in the room. An accident, so early in the exam? They watched, bewildered by the sudden, violent turn of events.
[Bond Imprint ‘Flame Inclusion’ has been activated.]
The roaring fire began to collapse, compressing into the center of Jin-Woo’s hand.