As Kaito stood over the crumbling corpse of the ore-chewing monster, his gaze locked instantly on one item amidst the loot glow.
[System Notification: You have acquired a Unique Item – Charred Treasure Map: Sealed Cavern of the Whisper Flame.]
His breath caught—not in surprise, but recognition.
This... this was the Whisper Flame.
Once the object of an entire war in the background story of Glory, the Whisper Flame had been fought over by various kingdoms for decades. Armies had marched, strongholds burned, and generals slain — all for the chance to control this mythical flame. Its capabilities were so sought after that owning it was said to guarantee dominion over all life-skill production lines. Yet, in Kaito's past life, no player had ever claimed to find it, nor had any forum thread, streamer, or strategy guide ever mentioned its true location.
And now, here it was — quietly sealed within a remote, craggy place known as Ashdrift Ravine.
Even the name triggered nothing in Kaito's memory. No dungeon runs, no rumors, no whispers in tavern chats. It was as if this entire area had gone completely undiscovered.
Kaito turned to the others, eyes sharp.
"You guys stay here," he said. "We're in the ridge's core zone. Respawn rates are high and the ore drop rate is best here."
"You can continue to level and also gather the ore I will need it."
Without another word, he slipped out from the hunting grounds, the treasure map now pinned to his minimap. A crimson-gold trail flickered faintly along his route. It led southwest—toward a shadowed break in the cliffs, where the rocks glowed faintly with residual heat.
The map guided Kaito beyond the ridge, through narrow molten passes, and into a valley shrouded in ash. As he neared the entrance of a large cavern, the environment changed. The sky dimmed as smoke thickened.
Then he saw them—monsters, each bearing plates of fire crust and moving in patterns. Patrols.
[Magma Wardens – Level 18]
Kaito crouched low behind a charred rock.
They're Level 18. I'm only 11. One wrong move and it's over.
He reached into his inventory and pulled a rock-shaped bait item. He tossed it behind a far pillar. The nearest warden turned with a growl—and moved.
"Mana Step," Kaito whispered.
His figure blurred, dashing low and silent past the first patrol. He repeated the process again, sneaking past a second patrol by throwing another distraction.
At last, he reached the entrance of the cavern.
A massive humanoid stone statue stood there—silent, unmoving, but unmistakably powerful.
Kaito froze.
Statues in Glory always mean Danger...
But before he could decide, the patrolling monsters doubled back. Their snouts sniffed the air—and one spotted him.
They roared and charged.
Kaito's options narrowed instantly. Either die here or take the risk.
He sprinted forward, blade drawn, aiming to strike the statue and make it flinch.
But as he neared—
[Hero of the Emberwatch – Guardian Galreth]
Kaito halted mid-air, sword swerving away just in time. His pupils shrank.
A Hero-title statue?! That means the person should be recognized by the Kingdom—like a Marquis or higher. Attacking one is suicide.
He darted past instead, slipping into the cavern. The monsters gave chase—but before they could reach the threshold, the statue's eyes lit up with molten gold.
In a flash, the Hero Statue moved.
Awakened in fury. Galreth raised his halberd, roaring,
"Vile monsters shall not defile this sacred Land!"
A single swing, with a fiery arc, its massive blade cleaved through the charging Magma Wardens. The monsters were obliterated.
Kaito stood frozen as the dust settled, exhaled, heart racing.
He took a deep breath and then moved inside the cavern.
The cavern was too dark to see or understand anything so his only option was to keep moving forward.
Deep within the cavern, surrounded by blackened stone and scorched murals, lay a flickering source of light atop a crystal pedestal.
[Item Discovered: Whisper Flame (Sealed)]
Description: A legendary crafting flame, once the cause of kingdom-wide wars. Damaged during the Age of Embers, only one-tenth of its original power remains.
Passive: Elemental Extraction and Refinement (Level 0)
Effect: Enhances success rate of Life-skill professions by 10%.
Note: Drops on death.
Kaito looked toward the flickering ember of the Whisper Flame
He extended his hand and took the flame.
It did not resist.
[Whisper Flame Acquired.]
Passive Effect:
Elemental Extraction & Refinement – Level 0
+10% Success Rate to Life Skills (Potion Brewing, Blacksmithing)
After witnessing the Whisper Flame firsthand, Kaito didn't hesitate.
There was no longer any doubt in his mind — forging would become his second life skill.
In his previous life, he had been forced to rely on others for equipment. The sting of those memories remained sharp — especially the one tied to a certain blacksmith. A reclusive figure, barely known outside high-end forums and private trading channels… but feared within them. That man had once been the most powerful blacksmith in Glory.
"He never joined a guild, never bowed to a faction," Kaito remembered bitterly. "It was the opposite. People bowed to him — even I did."
The man's arrogance was legendary, but so were his creations. Kaito recalled the shame of lowering his head, practically begging for a custom armor piece before a championship raid. And the blacksmith? He had scoffed — and still taken the gold.
Back then, the man had openly bragged about how he obtained his skills — drunk on recognition, leaking pieces of his story to stroke his own ego. That blacksmith had stumbled upon a forgotten forge deep within an unmarked forest, completed a legendary quest that required materials only available in the level 40+ zones, and unlocked a record that changed his life.
He called it his turning point.
At this point where the majority players have just completed level 10, Only he can complete that quest now because thanks to the Whisper Flame, he could replicate that high-level material using something far humbler—Ironroot shards.
A low-grade junk material dropped by monsters around level 10 and 11. Most players sold them in bulk for copper, or simply discarded them. But with elemental refinement, Kaito could draw out the specific alloy required for the forging quest. It was a shortcut no one else had access to—not for many more months.
"I don't need to grind past level 40 to get that alloy. I just need enough Ironroot shards… and a steady hand."
He grinned to himself and started moving back to SouthGlade.
........
The sun had already set, when Kaito stepped back into South Glade Town.
He had given the lantern of dusk to his team when he left, so he wasn't worried because even if the monsters there had a 50% buff they could still easily cope up with it.
He passed through the main gates without attracting much attention, the faded cloak over his armor concealing both his identity and the faint ember-like glow still radiating from the sealed Whisper Flame stowed securely in his satchel.
After hours of traversing dangerous ground alone, his steps were steady—but his eyes remained sharp. No time to waste.
His first stop was the personal vault inside the Central Banking Hall.
The hall had grown crowded since his last visit. Dozens of players lined up before the NPC tellers, some trading coin, others arguing over gear prices. A few glanced at him as he passed, but no one recognized him—just another cloaked adventurer amid the bustle.
Kaito moved straight to the private vault terminals along the side corridor and inserted his vault badge into the panel.
[Vault Access: Verified. Access Granted.]
His private vault door slid open silently.
Kaito stepped inside and placed the Whisper Flame gently within a secured compartment layered with a heat-resistant lining.
"For now, rest here," he murmured, locking the compartment with a password
With that, he exited the vault and made his way toward the plaza. The sun had now fully risen, and the town had come alive.
Stalls had popped up along the stone walkways with various Life skill players hawking—roasted grain skewers, sweet-spice dumplings, grilled mushrooms on sticks. A few merchants were hawking enhancement crystals or basic potions from their personal supply. The scent of honeyed tea wafted through the streets. All these not only tasted good but also provided some temporary attributes.
Kaito ignored the food vendors for now. He had work to do.
He stopped near a quiet corner of the plaza and set up his own temporary stall, pinning up a small handwritten sign:
Buying in Bulk
Ironroot Shards – 8 Copper Coins each Stack
Grainrock chips– 10 Copper Coins each Stack
Flintsteel core– 20 Copper coins each Stack
Note: In the world of Glory, a stack refers to the quantity of the same item that can be stored in one grid of a player's inventory or vault. Each grid can hold 20 units of the same material. Stacking helps optimize storage space and is essential for trading, crafting, and refining operations.