"By the way, I want to ask you a favor," Khan suddenly said.
"Go on," Alan replied while working on his equipment.
"Can you come and visit my family's graves?" Khan asked hesitantly. "They all dreamed of meeting the hero—the one who would carry our great ancestor's legacy."
Alan paused for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."
Khan's face brightened. "Thank you."
[ Affinity with Khan has increased ]
Soon, they arrived at a cliff near the city. Numerous graves were lined up there, overlooking the land below. The wind was gentle, and the place felt solemn.
Khan led Alan to one side and pointed toward several graves. He then walked forward, placed a bunch of flowers before a single grave, and bowed deeply.
"Son… ancestors…" Khan said softly.
"The story passed down in our family was true. There really was someone who came carrying our ancestor's legacy."
Alan stood quietly beside him, nodding.
Suddenly—
A dense fog rose from nowhere.
White figures slowly emerged from the graves, one after another, taking the shape of translucent spirits.
"It is an honor to meet the one who carries our great ancestor's legacy," the spirits said in unison, bowing deeply toward Alan.
"Please, I may be carrying the legacy, but I'm not as great as him," Alan said quickly, waving his hands in embarrassment. He then glanced around before asking, "By the way… are you all ghosts?"
He looked toward Khan—
—only to find him snoring loudly, having fainted and fallen asleep without warning.
"Yes, you could say that," an elderly spirit replied with a gentle smile.
"Can you tell us how much Khan told you about the story passed down in our family?" another spirit asked.
Alan nodded and answered honestly.
"He only said that one day someone would arrive carrying Albantino's legacy—and that Dainsleif would reveal its true self."
As he spoke, Alan took out Dainsleif. The spirits gazed at the blade with reverence and admiration.
"That is true," one of them said, "but that is not all."
"There were other things our ancestor left behind for his successor," another spirit added.
"Really?" Alan asked, surprised but not shocked. The system had already hinted that Albantino's legacy was incomplete.
"Yes," the elderly spirit continued.
"But we were only allowed to tell you after you passed certain tests—and you have passed the first one."
System notifications appeared before Alan's eyes.
[ Albantino was someone who reached the level of a Craftsman before Pagma ]
[ Although he left a legacy, it was not a complete one ]
[ He fragmented his legacy into multiple parts and scattered them across the continent ]
[ To acquire information about these fragments, pass the tests of Albantino's lineage ]
[ You have passed the first test: Craft 100 Rare Rank equipment ]
[ Reward: Clue to the second fragment ]
The elderly spirit nodded in satisfaction.
He explained.
"As the chosen successor, you had to craft one hundred Rare Rank items—and you have already accomplished that."
He then raised his hand and pointed toward the horizon.
"The location of the second fragment lies at the northern end of the Kesan Canyon. There is a Pond there where merfolk reside."
"The second fragment rests within their lairs."
Alan frowned slightly. "Then what was the first fragment?" he asked, curiosity clear in his voice.
"It was Dainsleif itself," the elderly spirit replied.
With that, the spirits slowly began to fade, retreating back into their respective graves like mist dissolving under sunlight.
"We will wait," the elder's voice echoed faintly, "until you pass the next test."
System notifications appeared before Alan's eyes.
[ Second Test of Albantino's Lineage ]
[ Difficulty: S ]
[ Objective: Craft 100 Epic Rank Equipment ]
[ Reward: Third Fragment of the Legacy ]
[ Time Limit: 3 Year ]
[ Quest will start the moment player acquires the Second fragment ]
"Fuck… this is hell-level difficulty," Alan muttered, staring at the conditions.
One hundred Epic-grade items.
Even for him, that was insane—especially with a strict time limit on top of it.
"Damn it… I really need to level up fast and acquire far more materials," Alan said under his breath, his mind already racing with plans.
Just then—
"Did something happen?"
Khan suddenly woke up, looking around in confusion.
Alan glanced at him flatly. "How do you fall asleep anywhere?"
Khan scratched the back of his head awkwardly, clearly embarrassed. "Ah… I guess I was just tired."
They soon returned to the smithy.
As Alan walked, his thoughts became clear and focused.
Kean Canyon first, he decided.I'll acquire the second fragment of the legacy… then aim for at least level 200 before returning to the forge.
Only after that—
Only then will I challenge Epic crafting.
Kesan Canyon lay at the northern edge of Winston City.
It was a vast canyon system, home to countless hideous spider-like monsters, savage Lizardmen tribes, and other abominations. At the very end of the canyon stood Loran Falls—a colossal waterfall said to dwarf even Earth's largest, Angel Falls.
The sight was breathtaking.
A wall of white water thundered down from the heavens, mist rising like clouds as sunlight fractured into faint rainbows.
If not for its location, it would have been a famous scenic destination.
Unfortunately, Loran Falls sat at the heart of a high-level monster zone filled with grotesque creatures that devoured their prey alive. The spider monsters alone had driven countless players into severe arachnophobia, earning the canyon its reputation as one of the Forbidden Lands of the continent.
And now—
Alan stood at its entrance.
"Hm… it's really big," Alan muttered, looking up at the towering canyon walls on both sides.
They stretched so high they seemed to scrape the sky, riddled with countless dark caves. From each of them, faint skittering sounds echoed—clear signs that monsters were nesting within.
Alan tightened his grip on Dainsleif.
"So this is Kesan Canyon," he said calmly.
Alan stepped inside, moving steadily toward the depths of the canyon.
He hadn't gone far when the sound of scales scraping against stone echoed around him. From the shadows of the caves on both sides, Lizardmen emerged—one after another—surrounding him with crude spears and jagged blades in their hands.