The scent of burning ozone and molten steel was the only thing that Han Jin had known for the last decade. But today, it was mixed with the metallic tang of his own blood.
"Is it done?"
The voice belonged to Arthur, the 'Hero of Humanity.' He stood at the entrance of the Divine Forge, his golden armour untarnished, looking down at Han Jin with the cold impatience of a god looking down at an insect.
Han Jin didn't look up. His lungs hissed like a punctured bellows. His hands that were charred, calloused, and missing two fingers trembled as they held the masterpiece.
It was a blade that seemed to swallow the light of the surrounding Lava.
"The God-Slayer Blade." Han Jin whispered, his voice dry and raspy. "It finished. With this, you can end the Tower's final floor, and save everyone."
Arthur stepped forward, taking the blade. The moment his fingers gripped the hilt, the room shook like it was hit by something, vibrating a little. A smile appeared on the Hero's lips, making him look creepy with the terrifying expression.
"You've done well, Han Jin," Arthur said. "Truly, you're the greatest blacksmith humanity ever produced."
"Then... the promise?" Han Jin coughed, spitting a glob of blood onto the spot covered floor. "My sister... the medicine from the 99th floor..."
"Ah! Yes, your sister." Arthur's eyes flickered with a brief, cruel light. "About that... A blacksmith who can forge a weapon that kills God's is far too dangerous to leave behind. What if you decide to forge a weapon for my enemies?"
Han Jin's heart froze. "What are you..."
Squelch.
The very blade Han Jin had spent seven years designing slid through his chest as if his ribs were made of warm butter. The agony was instantaneous, creating a white hot spike that charred his remaining strength.
Arthur leaned in close, whispering in his ear. "Your sister died three years ago, Jin. I just didn't tell you because I needed you to keep swinging that hammer. Dead men tell no tales, and dead smiths forge no more blades."
With a casual kick, Arthur sent Han Jin flying backward. Han Jin's broken body hit the edge of the Divine Anvil. As his vision began to fade into a gray haze, his hand brushed against something hidden in his inner tunic.
The Regression Stone. An artefact he had found in the deepest pits of the Tower and kept it a secret even from the Hero's party. It was a jagged, blood-red gem that pulsed like a dying heart.
If there is a God... if there is any justice...
Han Jin didn't pray. He didn't beg. With the last of his strength, he shoved the gem into his mouth and swallowed.
"I'll see you in hell, Arthur," he wheezed.
Arthur laughed, turning to walk away with the God-Slayer blade in hand. "In hell, then. But I'll be the one holding the sword."
The world exploded in a blinding crimson light.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
The sound was rhythmic, and annoying. It didn't sound like the clinking of forging weapons or the screams of dying soldiers. It sounded like... an alarm?
Han Jin's eyes snapped open. He bolted upright, his hand instinctively flying to his chest. There was no hole. No blood, no searing heat of the Divine Forge.
Instead he felt the soft, slightly grimy fabric of a cheap cotton T-shirt. He smelled stale instant noodles and cheap cologne.
He blinked, his eyes stinging. He was in a room. A small, cramped dorm room. A bunk bed sat in the corner, and a poster of a pop star he hadn't thought about in a decade hung crookedly on the wall.
"No way," he breathed.
He grabbed the smartphone charging on the desk. The glass was cracked, but the screen lit up, blinding him for a second.
September 14th, 2035. 11:50 AM.
The air left Han Jin's lungs in a rush. "Ten years. I'm back... I'm actually back."
He scrambled to the window, throwing the curtains wide. Below him, the streets of Seoul were bustling. People were walking to lunch, students were laughing, and cars were honking in a traffic jam.
They had no idea that in ten minutes, the sky would tear open. The "Tower of Trials" would pierce through the atmosphere, and 90% of the world's population would be wiped out in the first "Selection."
Han Jin didn't waste time crying. He didn't waste time celebrating. He knew the rules of this world better than anyone.
He sat on the floor, crossing his legs, and focused on his breath. In his past life, he had been a "Common" class player, and simple blacksmith. But he had retained something. The Regression Stone hadn't just sent his soul back; it had merged with his essence.
11:58 AM! 11:59 AM!
The world suddenly went silent. The birds stopped chirping. The wind died down. A heavy, oppressive pressure settled over the earth, as if the atmosphere itself had turned to lead.
Then, a voice boomed out, not in the ears, but directly inside the soul of every human on the planet.
[The Tutorial Period has ended.]
[The Tower of Trials has descended.]
[Humanity's survival is now a Game. Please choose your destiny.]
Outside, a massive, obsidian structure erupted from the centre of the city, stretching so high that it vanished into the clouds. Screens of blue light began to appear in front of every person on the street.
But in front of Han Jin, the screen wasn't blue.
It was a jagged, glitching violet light, which shot through with veins of pulsating gold.
[Warning! Unknown energy detected in Player: Han Jin.]
[Scanning Soul Core…]
[Legacy Found: The Sovereign Artificer.]
[Calculating potential...]
[Error. Potential exceeds the limits of the Tutorial System.]
Han Jin held his breath. In his last life, he had waited three days for his system to stabilize, only to receive a D-Rank "Ironbound Smith" class.
[Ding!]
[The SSS-Rank System: "The Infinite Forge" has been successfully bound!]
[Initial Class set: Sovereign Artificer (Unique/Growth)]
A flood of information rushed into his mind. He felt his muscles knit together, his senses sharpening until he could see the dust motes dancing in the air.
[Stats Initialized]
Name: Han Jin
Class: Sovereign Artificer (SSS)
Level: 1
Strength: 10
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Intelligence: 18
Mana: 25
Passive Skill: The All-Seeing Eye (Rank SSS) – You can perceive the hidden stats, durability, and evolution paths of any item or living being.
Active Skill: Extraction (Rank F) – Extract the essence of materials to upgrade equipment.
Han Jin stared at the "All-Seeing Eye" skill. In his past life, he had to spend decades studying ancient texts to learn how to identify high-level ores. Now, it was a basic skill.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Jin! Are you in there? Did you see the sky? What the hell is going on?!"
Han Jin looked at the door. It was Lee Sang-woo, his college roommate. In the previous timeline, Sang-woo had been one of the first to die during the "First Selection", of the monster outbreak that happened in the dorms.
Han Jin's eyes flickered to a wooden chair in the corner of the room.
[Item: Common Wooden Chair]
Durability: 15/15
Hidden Potential: Can be converted into [Splintering Club] (Rank F).
Materials Required: 1x Monster Essence.
"The First Selection starts in thirty seconds," Han Jin whispered.
He didn't open the door. Instead, he grabbed his heavy metallurgy textbook and a pair of scissors from his desk. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't the "God" Arthur pretended to be.
He was a smith. And the first rule of the forge was to always have the right tool for the job.
[Ding!]
[First Quest Triggered: Survival.]
[Objective: Kill 3 'Goblins' during the First Selection.]
[Reward: Starter Crafting Kit & 500 Gold.]
The screams began in the hallway. A wet, tearing sound followed, accompanied by a high-pitched, manic cackling.
Han Jin stood in the center of the room, his eyes glowing with a faint violet light. He picked up the heavy textbook and felt the weight. To anyone else, it was paper. To him, it was raw material.
"Arthur," Han Jin said, his voice cold and steady as the screams grew louder. "I'm coming for that sword. But first, I have some leveling up to do."
The door to his room burst open, and a green-skinned creature with yellow eyes and a jagged bone knife lunged inside.
Han Jin didn't flinch. He moved.