Inside the intermediate-grade forging room, Kaito worked tirelessly, repeating the same forging process with unwavering focus. One by one, he pulled out a copper ore and then a bronze ore, refining them with precision. His hammer struck rhythmically, sparks flying as the molten metal gradually took shape. Within moments, the base framework of the Echo Core Ember Plate was formed.
After a final strike and a hiss of steam, the system notified him.
You have successfully forged: Echo Core Ember Plate.
Forging Proficiency +1
EXP Gained: 120
Just as Kaito wiped the sweat from his brow, a new system prompt appeared, glowing with a brilliant golden hue.
System Notification:
Congratulations! You are the first player to advance to [Intermediate Forging Apprentice]!
Reward: +50,000 EXP
Bonus Item: [Dragonic Steel] ×10
Upon seeing the system notification, a faint smile crept onto Kaito's lips.
He had finally achieved the rank of Intermediate Forging Apprentice—after tirelessly crafting over a hundred Echo Core Ember Plates. It had been a grueling task, but the promotion made it all worth it.
However, his journey wasn't over yet. The path to becoming an Advanced Forging Apprentice required a staggering 3,000 Proficiency Points—a goal far beyond reach for now. No matter how efficient he became, there was no shortcut to that milestone.
Shaking off the thought, Kaito shifted his attention to his experience bar.
94% of level 14
He was just 6% away from hitting Level 15.
Almost there, he thought. Just a little more grinding, and he could challenge the first official team dungeon unlocked at Level 15. It was the next crucial step in his plan.
His gaze then drifted to the new reward glinting in his inventory.
He reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of Dragonic Steel—a crimson-hued alloy humming with arcane energy. The moment his fingers wrapped around it, warmth surged through his palm, and joy welled up inside him.
"So this… is Dragonic Steel," Kaito murmured.
Even now, he could recall how rare it was in his past life. Back then, elite forgers had practically gone insane trying to acquire just a single piece. And once they did, they treated it like their most sacred possession—hoarding it like dragons themselves. No one dared to waste it. Anything imbued with a dragon's essence was considered priceless, irreplaceable.
Yet now…
He looked at his inventory.
Kaito owned ten.
[Item Panel: Dragonic Steel]
Dragonic Steel
Fine Gold Rank – Consumable Material
When used to forge Fine Gold equipment (Level 50) or below, increases success rate by 10%.
Has a fixed chance to upgrade the equipment's rank by +1, up to a maximum of Fine Gold tier.
Grants the forged weapon a unique Dragonic Power Buff.
...
No matter how one looked at it, Dragonic Steel was in a class of its own.
Infused with the raw essence of dragons, it surpassed all conventional forging materials. It didn't just boost success rates—it had the terrifying potential to enhance a weapon's rank and imbue it with latent draconic energy.
And Kaito knew exactly what that meant.
Power.
Dominance.
Fear.
Weapons forged with Dragonic Steel weren't just stronger—they carried a presence that could shake the battlefield.
He couldn't help but grin.
"With this… my odds of forging the Shadow Fang just skyrocketed."
Kaito had already acquired all the necessary materials for forging the Shadow Fang—a rare weapon that, even at base stats, could outclass most Silver-tier equipment. He had swept the Auction House clean in advance, stocking up before prices could spike. In total, he had enough materials to attempt forging 15 Shadow Fangs.
Just a single attempt cost over 40 silver coins.
That kind of expense was enough to bankrupt a small guild. Even elite parties had to raid Hard Mode dungeons multiple times to afford that much.
It was no wonder Kaito had waited until he reached Intermediate Forging Apprentice. No matter how wealthy he appeared, this was still just the beginning for him—and waste was unacceptable.
He pulled out the forging design for Shadow Fang and tapped Learn.
With a faint shimmer of light, the blueprint data was etched into his crafting interface.
Then, he got to work.
Before acquiring the Wispher Flame, Kaito's success rate at forging the Shadow Fang was a shaky 30–40%. With the Codex of Embersteel, it climbed to a solid 50%.
Now, with Dragonic Steel in hand, the rate soared to 60%—a number even Master Forgers would find outrageous.
In fact, a newly advanced Master Forger typically had only a 30% success rate when crafting Silver-tier weapons. Even a Grandmaster Forger, a figure revered in the forging world, capped at 50%.
Yet here Kaito stood, an Intermediate Apprentice already pushing past that threshold.
He carefully reread the forging instructions, line by line, mentally visualizing the process from start to finish.
Once ready, he began refining the raw materials—activating the Wispher Flame to elevate their purity to the highest level.
One by one, the ingredients were added to the furnace.
Kaito controlled the entire process flawlessly. From heat modulation to fusion timing, his precision was absolute.
But when it came time to select materials for the catalyst core…
He paused.
His gaze drifted to the shimmering crimson ingot—the Dragonic Steel.
"No," he murmured.
He gently set it aside.
This first attempt was merely a trial run—to familiarize himself with the forging rhythm and process. It would be reckless to burn such a priceless resource right out of the gate.
He only had ten ingots of Dragonic Steel. Each one was worth no less than 1 gold coins, and more importantly—they were nearly impossible to find again.
Even in his past life, Kaito had only seen a handful change hands—and never without a brutal bidding war.
If other Forgers knew he even considered using Dragonic Steel for something like Shadow Fang, they'd probably spit blood in outrage.
The Shadow Fang was only a Level 10 Silver-grade weapon—yet Kaito had seriously considered using Dragonic Steel to forge it.
For any normal forger, that notion would have been outright insanity.
Ten minutes passed.
The refinement process completed with a soft chime, and Kaito inspected the purified alloy with a nod of approval. Satisfied with the result, he gently placed the glowing metal on the anvil. Without hesitation, he raised his forging hammer and began.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each strike was deliberate and precise. Sparks burst from the surface with every impact, filling the room with light and sound. Kaito's eyes remained fixed on the developing weapon, sweat trickling down his brow. He knew that one wrong hit could ruin the final shape.
Hundreds of hammer swings later, with his shirt soaked and arms aching, he finally reached the end.
Taking a deep breath, he tapped the Generate button.
The molten blade began to cool, slowly taking the form of a sleek, silver-hued longsword.
Kaito leaned in as the system scanned the finished product.
[Forging Complete — Evaluating Result…]
Forging Failed.
Resulting item: Level 10 – Mysterious Iron Longsword
Kaito stared at the screen for a moment, then sighed.
As expected.
Even though the surface success rate was displayed as 60%, this was his first time attempting to forge a Shadow Fang. In reality, the odds were much lower. Expecting success on the first try would've been pure fantasy.
And yet, he wasn't discouraged.
Instead, he quietly analyzed the final product, reviewing the shaping, fusion timing, and heat control. Every flaw became a data point. Every misstep—a valuable lesson.
That was the core of who Kaito was.
In his previous life, he hadn't brought Genesis to prominence through raw talent alone. The reason a humble third-rate guild had risen to become one of the strongest second-rate factions was because Kaito never stopped learning.
Where others grew through victory, Kaito evolved through failure.
Ten minutes later, with his thoughts organized and new insight gained—
He began the second attempt.