The crisp ring of metal on metal echoed through the cramped smithy—clang, clang, clang—each strike landing with precision on the glowing iron. Charcoal blazed fiercely in the furnace, bathing the entire space in orange-red light as heat waves distorted the air. Several iron blanks burned white-hot in the flames, their surfaces gleaming with painful brightness.
The opposite wall was dominated by an enormous wooden tool rack, densely packed with iron nails, hammers, grinding tools, and farming implements. A row of horseshoes gleamed coldly in the shadows. Beside the rack, the wall displayed several carefully crafted weapons—a longsword, a single-edged battle axe, chainmail, and arm guards—showcasing the owner's exceptional forging skills.
The smithy consisted of two rooms and a courtyard. Miscellaneous items lay piled beneath a grass shelter in the yard, while on the other side, a stable housed a brown and white spiral-horned ram. These creatures, native to the eastern wastelands, were renowned for their endurance and jumping ability. Typically, only dwarves could tame them, yet this one was unusually docile, quietly chewing hay.
A raggedly dressed old man pushed through the door, his graying beard stained with dirt. "Nayse, not going to the Green Toad for a drink today?"
The blacksmith turned around. The firelight revealed a young face, no older than twenty, with jet-black eyes and short hair that would stand out in any crowd. Despite the coal dust covering his features, his rugged features were unmistakable. Bronze-colored arms rippled with muscle, sweat glistening in the firelight.
The young man grinned. "Haven't finished the work yet. Got to head up to Ram's Peak tomorrow—your pickaxe has been ready for ages." He retrieved a small ornate hoe from the rack and handed it to the old man.
Old Boggart was the gardener for the merchant Billy's household. After chatting briefly and arranging to meet for drinks, the old man shuffled away.
When the footsteps faded, Nayse muttered to himself, "Time to head into the mountains. It's been too long since I've tasted dwarven firewater."
Lin Rui had once been a graphic designer from another world, his thirty-year-old bachelor life as plain as water. During that stormy night filled with thunder and lightning, a tremendous thunderclap exploded in his powerless apartment. Amid the deafening roar, he felt his entire body go numb as consciousness sank into darkness.
After an unknown time, he awoke to howling winds. His body felt heavy as lead, and when he barely managed to open his eyelids, blinding sunlight made him dizzy. As his vision gradually cleared, he discovered he had become a nine-year-old child wearing coarse ancient hemp clothing. His only remaining memories were his name and age.
He was found in the wilderness by the Greyrock Clan dwarves. This small tribe of just over three hundred lived in the wasteland at the continent's eastern edge. The dwarves were fascinated by this strange human child with black hair and black eyes, and decided to adopt him.
While learning the local language, Lin Rui gave himself a new name—Nayse Carl. He learned that this world was called the Continent of Ian, surrounded by seas on three sides, with a vast desert to the east. The eastern wastelands were harsh, filled with dangerous creatures like goblins and lizardfolk, with legends even speaking of lurking dragons.
The Greyrock dwarves claimed to be remnants of the ancient Rekus Empire. The once-glorious dwarven empire now existed only as scattered tribes across the continent. The Ice Diamond Kingdom to the north was the last remaining dwarven nation, while humans had become the continent's masters.
Dwarves were fierce and straightforward by nature, revering strength. Growing up in this environment, Nayse developed a powerful physique through daily combat training. By eighteen, he stood three heads taller than any dwarf, his muscled frame filled with explosive power.
Besides combat, Nayse mastered dwarven forging techniques. As a practical modern man, he believed mastering a craft was more useful than pursuing illusory magic.
But he didn't know that his own extraordinary power was simply waiting to awaken.