【You came here again.】
“I did not expect to return after only a day.”
CLANG!
CLANG!
The sound of hammers rang out from every direction.
Blacksmith’s Way was hot again today.
I crossed the heated street, warmed by the heat produced during metal refining.
“Are you here for the experience course?”
“I am renting.”
“Four hours cost three hundred thousand won.”
The sun had already tilted far toward the west.
Unlike last time, extending the rental would be difficult.
I needed to work quickly.
[Death Space]
[2/10 → 1/10]
THUD!
A huge body sprang out of the dark space and fell onto the floor.
It was the corpse of an Orc Grunt, which would serve as the base for the Undead.
It weighed around 200 kilograms.
Thanks to the [Death Space] skill, I could save capacity in my spatial-storage bag.
【Will you create an Undead immediately?】
“I keep telling you that Corpse Crafting is not a simple click.”
How many times did I have to explain it?
A curing process was needed to turn a corpse into an Undead.
Honestly.
If I could create Undead with a single spell, I would not have suffered like this.
I took out the Magic Stones obtained during the Gate raid.
Holding a scalpel in my hand.
I cut into both forearms, thighs, and the chest.
I carved out spaces large enough for Magic Stones.
Then I embedded five D-rank Magic Stones I had not sold at Hunter Market into the cavities.
[Corpse Processing]
I converted the power contained in the Magic Stones into Spiritual Energy.
That accelerated the curing process, which would normally take a long time.
“This prevents decay and improves its performance.”
【Remarkable.】
“The small downside is that it costs Magic Stones.”
Orc Zombie Mk. 42, which had become the base for Sir Isra, had also been cured with Magic Stones.
It would take around two hours to absorb all the energy from the D-rank Magic Stones.
While waiting, I would complete the remaining work.
[Hobgoblin Tendon]
Rank: C
Category: Miscellaneous
*When creating an Undead, Agility +10%.
I implanted the tendons throughout the Orc Grunt’s body.
[Frosttusk Mammoth Leg Muscle]
Rank: C
Category: Miscellaneous
*When creating an Undead, Strength +12%.
*Upon striking a target, has a low chance to inflict Freeze Lv. 8.
I reinforced the muscles in its major areas as well.
While cutting through the skin and muscles, I engraved Spiritual Energy Circuits too.
I could not make them as detailed as Sir Isra’s.
Still, I could expect improved performance.
“Phew.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
Tearing and joining the flesh of the dead after rigor mortis had set in.
It sounded easy, but it required considerable strength.
And delicacy as well.
I had lost count of how many zombies I had made while remaining an E-rank Hunter.
【Those experiences made you who you are now.】
“You are good at putting things nicely.”
【I am acknowledging your efforts.】
I changed the subject because I felt embarrassed.
But it struck me directly again.
Sir Isra.
Did people often tell it that it lacked tact?
Around thirty minutes had passed so far.
“Why is this so fast?”
【Is there a problem?】
“The modification went well. Probably.”
I would only know for sure after raising it through Corpse Crafting.
But my years of experience told me there had been no problem during the process.
I was simply surprised because the work had gone much faster than expected.
“Is this also the effect of the Heavenly Martial Physique?”
Strength distribution.
Precision.
Both had improved.
Before, I had to concentrate tremendously every time I made even a single cut with a scalpel.
Now?
One swipe flowed as naturally as water.
It was enough to make me wonder why I had made something so simple seem difficult.
【There is a great deal of time left.】
“Let us do other work too.”
White bones poured from my spatial-storage bag.
[Owlbeast Bones — 150 kg]
There were too many and they were too heavy to take out one by one, so I simply dumped them out.
“Sir, place them on the table.”
【Understood.】
Sir Isra suddenly emerged from my shadow and helped organize them.
Piles of bones sorted by size.
Phew.
Seeing them organized made me feel better.
【It would be wonderful if you organized your old workshop as well.】
“Shh.”
That was one matter, and this was another.
【Do you need those bones to create a Zombie Warrior?】
“I am going to make it armor, like yours.”
Two meters tall.
A muscular body that resembled a bodybuilder’s.
A build like that suited Heavy Armor more than light armor.
I rolled up my sleeves.
“Let us show them what I can do.”
***
The moment Minho took out a pile of bones.
The eyes of the Blacksmith working as the daily attendant widened.
‘He really handles bones?’
Two days ago.
At Hanil Forge, considered one of the finest forges in Korea.
Its Chief Apprentice, Nam Jinwoo, had walked around the street saying this.
—There was a Blacksmith who made weapons from bone.
—His skill in handling bone was as impressive as mine.
—If someone renting a forge handles bone, call me immediately.
Everyone had assumed it was nonsense.
Bone?
Except for certain monster parts, it was a useless material.
Perhaps it would be different for Alchemists.
They strengthened it by engraving Mana Circuits.
But it was not a material compatible with Blacksmiths, who refined things using fire and oil.
That was what he had thought.
However.
CLANG!
CLANG!
“Phewww.”
A hammer struck red-hot bone.
Bone weakened by heat.
It should normally have shattered into countless pieces.
For some reason.
Whenever Minho struck it with a hammer, it compressed slightly and changed shape.
‘Chief Apprentice Nam Jinwoo was right!’
The Blacksmith who had blankly observed the process turned around.
He needed to tell Nam Jinwoo this news.
Not long afterward.
Several Blacksmiths came running over.
Nam Jinwoo, the Chief Apprentice, was among them.
“See? I was right!”
“Chief Apprentice, be quiet.”
“Are you not interfering with his work?”
When the other Blacksmiths gave him meaningful looks, Nam Jinwoo glared at them indignantly.
When he had said that a Blacksmith who handled bones like metal had appeared.
No one believed him.
And now that one had really appeared.
They were telling him to be quiet?
“Wow. This is fascinating.”
“Why are the bones not breaking?”
“He must possess a special skill.”
Nam Jinwoo wanted to say something.
But he restrained himself.
No.
He had no choice but to restrain himself.
Among the people who had gathered to observe Minho’s work.
About half were not apprentices, but Blacksmiths who served as the faces of their forges.
Even if Nam Jinwoo was the Chief Apprentice of Hanil Forge.
His name carried much less weight than that of a certified Blacksmith.
“Where did he learn hammering?”
“No. Those habits are not from Blacksmith’s Way.”
“Good heavens. He does not even look trained, yet his distribution of force is so even.”
The Blacksmiths pointed out the same things Nam Jinwoo had admired.
Minho was focused on Bone Metallurgy, unaware that more and more eyes were fixed on him.
***
Phewww.
I heated bones.
Hammered them.
Then repeated the quenching process.
Wow.
This was extremely hard.
Perhaps because it was Heavy Armor.
The workload was much greater than when I made armaments for Sir Isra.
【Take a moment to catch your breath.】
“No. My concentration will break.”
I needed to finish everything while the feeling was still there.
CLANG!
I somehow refined and joined all 150 kilograms of bone.
Then I shaped it into something plausible.
A helmet.
Plate mail.
And even greaves.
“Urgh.”
As I leaned back and stretched my stiff waist, I noticed a crowd gathered near the forge.
What was this?
Were those people watching me work?
“What are you doing?”
“Ahem. Young man, you have never received separate training in hammering, have you?”
“If you come to Jingun Forge, we will make you a Chief Apprentice immediately!”
“Why not properly learn the work of a Blacksmith?”
What was wrong with these people?
Why were their eyes so intense?
I did not know. It was frightening.
“Masters, he is a visitor. Please be careful.”
A young man stepped in front of the Blacksmiths.
Come to think of it, he looked familiar.
He was the person from two days ago.
“It is good to see you again.”
We knew each other.
So.
Could he explain this chaos?
“Your talent is exceptional, Customer. It seems the masters have become greedy.”
“It seems they watched my entire work process.”
The excited artisans made expressions of realization.
It was not illegal to watch a work process.
However.
Sensitive artisans sometimes prevented others from seeing inside their forges.
They said that even a small noise could disrupt concentration.
“Oh dear. We were rude.”
“My apologies.”
The artisans cleared their throats.
“Masters, our customer seems somewhat displeased. Should we not give him something?”
“Ah. Wait a moment.”
“We happen to have spare ore. Hold on!”
The artisans hurriedly left their spots.
Wow.
He was good at organizing traffic.
I had been so focused on hammering bones that I had not even noticed people watching me.
If they were offering something, I would not refuse.
“Thank you. Um... you are Nam Jinwoo, right?”
“Yes. I am Nam Jinwoo, Chief Apprentice of Hanil Forge.”
He was promoting himself whenever he found an opening.
I knew his name from the business card I had received last time.
But I had not remembered that he was from Hanil Forge.
Hanil Forge was among the best in Korea.
If he was its Chief Apprentice, he had to be exceptionally skilled.
Would it not be beneficial to know him?
“However, Customer.”
Nam Jinwoo carefully pointed toward the Bone Heavy Armor I had made.
“With that shape, it will be difficult to put on and take off.”
“Probably.”
“Honestly, it will also be difficult to expect much performance from it as armor.”
Let me remind myself.
I was not a proper Blacksmith.
Heavy Armor?
I did not even know the proper structure.
I was simply making it as I pleased.
The reason I could confidently refine bones anyway was simple.
The wearer would be an Undead.
“I fitted the frame to an Orc Grunt’s build.”
“Did you make this for... that corpse to use?”
“Yes.”
Should I even call it wearing?
“Draping over” seemed like a more appropriate expression.
In any case, after placing it on the body, I intended to connect it using Spiritual Energy Circuits.
Then it would be recognized as one body.
It did not matter if it differed from actual plate mail.
An Undead would never need to put on or take off armaments.
【The energy contained in the Magic Stones has long since been exhausted.】
“Good.”
Before raising the Undead.
I carefully fitted the painstakingly made Bone Heavy Armor onto it.
It would have been impossible to equip the back without Sir Isra holding the body up.
After fitting the armor sections as closely as possible.
[Spiritual Energy Circuit]
I connected the armor’s joints.
Then I connected the places where it touched the Orc Grunt’s skin.
“Ah.”
【What is wrong?】
“I should not have put the armor on first.”
【That is true.】
“I should have carved grooves into the corpse in advance and connected the bones first. It would have been better.”
Perhaps because this was my first attempt.
Improvements immediately came to mind.
What a shame.
I would do better next time.
After connecting the pre-engraved Spiritual Energy Circuits to the armor’s lines.
The rental time was nearly over.
Phew.
I had barely finished.
“Once I insert this, the preparations are complete.”
The Fragmented Soulstone sank deeply into the Orc Grunt’s forehead.
Phew.
I was nervous.
This was my first use of Corpse Crafting since advancing in rank.
A new Undead.
Additional armaments.
And.
The variable known as a Fragmented Soulstone.
I did not know what kind of synergy would result.
Excitement and nervousness coexisted as I raised my Mana.
“Open your eyes.”
[Corpse Crafting]
[Creating a Zombie Warrior.]
[A special wave has been detected from the target corpse.]
[A new form not recorded in the System has been detected.]