BXBX NOVEL Chapter 129: Master Smith
Age: 21
Race: Human II
Classes: Luminous Sage (Main), Demon Slayer (2nd), Smith Lv.100/100! (Sub)
Level: Tier 3 - Lv.6
Titles: Son of Heaven, Master Smith (+4)...
System Authority: Lv.8
Aptitude:
Body: EX!
Energy: EX!
Spirit: EX!
Final rating: EX+
Skills:
Actives: Sword Intent Lv.80, Kickboxing (M), Iron Skin (M), Multi-Stab (M), Air-Hop (M), Focus (M), Lightspeed Lv.75
Passives: Elementary Sage Physique (U), Sage's Perception (U), Education Lv.101, Demon Lore (M), Slayer's Mark Lv.17, Sage Arts Lv.60, Marksmanship (M).
Sub-Class Skills: Focus (M), Decode (M), Symbol Mastery (M), Crafting (M), Metallurgy (M), Smith's Blessing (M), Repair (M)
[Mandatory Task:]
: Hell Dive - Survive the Endless Undead Horde for 5 hours twice.
: Rewards - 100% Demon Soul gain, Clearance Streak +1
: Punishment for Failure - Failure Streak +1.
: Record: Clear Streak - 14, Failure Streak - 0
**
Tang! Tang! Tang!
In his personal workshop, Cedric could be seen hammering away at a lump of metal.
He's wearing a sleeveless shirt with a leather apron on top. He also wore protective gear for his head and eyes, loose pants, and boots.
Despite the high temperature of his surroundings caused by the billowing forge near him, Cedric wasn't sweating at all. This is mostly due to his affinity with the fire element so he didn't find it hot here.
As he hammered away, his eyes glowed with razor-sharp focus. His senses were fully immersed in his work and each time he hit the lump of metal, he'd receive feedback from it, allowing him to judge how well he was doing.
Even without any measuring equipment, Cedric could tell how hot the metal was. He could also see the areas that needed his attention and care. He knows how much impurities are still left on the metal he's working on and he also knows when is the right moment to stop and the following steps after that.
Tang! Tang! Tang!
After hammering some more, the brilliance that the metal was releasing intensified. Cedric could feel the budding life within the depths of the metal so he focused even more.
And then, as soon as his last strike landed, light exploded from the depths of the metal which momentarily blinded him.
[Spirit Refinement, complete!]
Cedric ignored the System's report and hurriedly dropped the metal into the tub of quenching oil. He left it there for a minute or so before raising it to get a closer look.
The previous metal lump has turned smooth. It was solid and heavy. It also releases a rainbow-colored glow when hit by the light. But beyond this, Cedric could feel the seed of vitality within the metal. It's faint but it's there.
Smiling to himself, he whispered: "100% Purified Damascus Metal Bar, successfully crafted. Happy Birthday, little one."
As if replying to its creator, the metal bar released a soft buzzing that Cedric certainly did not miss. It felt gratifying for Cedric to see his creation attempting to communicate with him.
"System, rate my work please."
[Beep!]
[Spirit Refined Damascus Metal Bar]
: Purity - 100%
: Rarity - Tier 6
: Quality - 100%
Overall Rating: S-rank
**
"Nice." Cedric smiled to himself. "An S-Rank Tier 6 Metal was my first work as a Master Smith. Not bad at all."
Not bad he says...if anybody were to discover his work, they'd probably smack him out of frustration.
It had to be known that even for Master Smiths, forging a Spirit Refined Metal with a 100% and earning an S-rank rating from the System was close to impossible.
Metal Refinement is divided into several stages; Normal Refinement, Hundred Refinement, Thousand Refinement, Spirit Refinement, and Divine Refinement.
This process defines the purity, toughness, and efficiency of the metal. Even ordinary metals turn into something more using this method. And it is this very same process that allows Humanity to use their natural resources more efficiently.
There are no Master Smiths who don't know how to perform Spirit Refinement at the very least. However, those who could successfully do it unfortunately belong to the minority. Even they have to put in the hours to hone their skills, and even then, their success rate wouldn't necessarily be stable.
Cedric did all of this on his first try and deemed it 'not bad', how can they not feel frustrated?
However, Cedric's just a different breed so comparisons will always be unfair.
"With this, I could safely say that it's a waste for me to enroll in the 'Smithing' Class. With my sub-class maxing out, there's little to nothing for me to learn there." Cedric sighed as he kept the metal bar in his Inventory.
"Unfortunately, I can't just drop the subject. That would be bad for my record even if I had a suitable excuse." Cedric shook his head, "I guess I'll just endure it. The Instructor's not bad anyway."
In the Smithing Class, he met a man named Euclid Velmont - a short-statured guy due to him possessing the bloodline of a dwarf. However, despite his stout stature, he's one hell of a taskmaster, a really strong one too.
He could lift an entire forge with just a single hand. His hammer was at least 20x heavier than he was but he waved it around like it was some random stick.
The guy was lively and amicable for the most part but whenever the class was actually forging something, he became a taskmaster - the strict and no-nonsense type.
Thanks to Cedric's talent though, Euclid wasn't too hard on him. In fact, he's probably the most generous instructor out there since whenever he does something right, Cedric would receive 200 APs at minimum.
A large portion of the APs he saved so far came from Euclid's class, so you won't hear him complaining.
"Well, there's that at least." Cedric hummed. "I'm a Master Scribe and a Master Smith now. I could do a lot from here on out and I could do more once I register for another Sub-Class."
Since he maxed out his Smith Sub-Class, it's time for him to choose another one. This time however, he didn't need time to pick since he already knew what he was getting.
"System, I choose 'Alchemist' for my next Sub-Class."
[Sub-Class changed to 『Alchemist』!]
『Alchemist』
: Masters of the mystical and transformative arts, Alchemists wield the ancient craft of transmutation to reshape the very essence of matter. Whether turning base metals into gold, brewing elixirs of immortality, or crafting potions that defy the laws of nature, Alchemists are adept at harnessing the secrets of the elements.
This sub-class blends science and sorcery, allowing practitioners to unlock the hidden potential within ordinary substances. With a mastery of flasks, beakers, and arcane symbols, Alchemists navigate the delicate balance between creation and destruction, seeking to unravel the secrets of the cosmos through the ancient science of alchemy.
[Notice! Due to your Sub-Class, you received the respective Class-related skills: Medical Knowledge, Essence Distillation, Diagnostic Eye, and Vitality Infusion.]
[Notice! The Passive Skill:『Medical Knowledge』has been deemed redundant for the User due to the existence of the Passive Skill: 『Education』. The former will be fused with the latter.]
[Passive Skill: 『Education』 leveled up to 102!]
[Notice! The Active Skill: 『Diagnostic Eye』 has been deemed redundant for the User due to the existence of the Passive Skill: 『Sage's Perception』. The former will be fused to the latter.]
[Notice! The Passive Skill: 『Sage's Perception』 cannot level up any further because it's rated as a Unique Skill. To rectify this, the effect of the Active Skill: 『Diagnostic Eye』 will be added to the former and can be utilized to its fullest.]
『Essence Distillation (Lv.O/100)』
: The Alchemist refines natural essences, distilling them into potent concoctions. These essences can be extracted from herbs, minerals, or magical flora, providing a variety of elixirs with effects ranging from healing to temporary enhancements. Essence Distillation showcases the Alchemist's skill in harnessing the intrinsic properties of the world around them.
『Vitality Infusion (Lv.0/100)』
: Harnessing the life-giving properties of nature, the Medicinal Alchemist performs a Vitality Infusion. This skill allows the Alchemist to transfer vitality and resilience to a target, temporarily boosting their endurance and fortitude. Vitality Infusion is a key skill for supporting allies in the midst of battle, reinforcing the Medicinal Alchemist's role as a healer and protector.
**
"So, two out of the four Sub-Class related skills I got were redundant, huh? Oh well, it's not a loss for me anyway." Cedric mused as he felt the changes within him.
The changes weren't noticeable. In fact, if he weren't paying attention he might've completely missed it altogether.
The Medical Knowledge refreshed his memories about the things he already knew and added more to it. With time, he'd eventually discover everything it could offer even if he didn't do anything.
The same goes with the Diagnostic Eye. It essentially just gives him x-ray vision which also points out the possible causes of injuries and so on. With time, his body will adjust to this sensation and he'd be able to use its effect to the fullest.
As for the Essence Distillation and Vitality Infusion, they will need practice. However, he wasn't thinking about enrolling in the Alchemy Class. He'd be fine on his own and this way, he could save up more AUs for future use or just in case he needs them.