C37 Chapter 35 – The First Forge
The Shadow Wolf King wasn't watching Aiden.
It was watching the fire.
As if...
It had remembered something from a very distant past.
---
The night passed without incident.
When the first rays of sunlight touched Hope Island, Aiden was already awake.
He stepped outside his hut and looked toward the furnace.
The blueprint for the Iron Pickaxe was still fresh in his mind.
One sentence echoed repeatedly.
Missing Requirement: Blacksmith Profession Lv.2.
Aiden smiled.
"Then today's goal is simple."
"I'll become a better blacksmith."
---
After a quick breakfast of dried fish and roasted wheat, he gathered everything he needed.
- Stone Hammer
- Furnace
- Copper Ore ×12
- Iron Ore ×20
- Coal ×15
- Stone Mold
The Forest Hopper sat on top of the storage rack, watching curiously.
"Chi!"
"You want to watch?"
The little creature nodded excitedly.
---
Aiden lit the furnace.
Soon, bright orange flames danced inside.
The heat quickly spread through the small workshop.
He placed several pieces of coal into the fire.
Then added a few chunks of Iron Ore.
Minutes passed.
The ore slowly began to glow red.
Sweat rolled down Aiden's forehead.
"This is harder than I expected."
He carefully struck the heated metal with his Stone Hammer.
Clang!
The sound echoed across the camp.
Again.
Clang!
Again.
Clang!
The rough piece of metal slowly began to change shape.
It wasn't perfect.
Not even close.
But it was progress.
---
Ding!
Blacksmith EXP +10
Your understanding of metal shaping has improved.
---
Aiden smiled.
"So practice really is the key."
He continued hammering.
By midday, he had ruined three pieces of metal.
One cracked.
One bent.
One cooled before he finished.
Aiden sighed.
"I wasted so much ore."
Instead of getting frustrated, he studied each mistake.
"The fire wasn't hot enough."
"I struck too hard."
"I let the metal cool."
Every failure taught him something.
---
By the afternoon, he tried again.
This time...
He controlled the heat more carefully.
He waited until the metal glowed bright orange.
Then he hammered with steady rhythm.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The shape became cleaner.
Straighter.
More balanced.
The System appeared once more.
---
Item Crafted
Iron Knife
Grade: Common
Quality: Normal
Attack +4
Durability: 60/60
Blacksmith EXP +30
---
Aiden held the knife in his hand.
Its edge reflected the sunlight.
"It worked..."
"My first real iron weapon."
Although it wasn't extraordinary, it was much stronger than his old stone tools.
---
Ding!
Blacksmith Level Up!
Blacksmith Lv.1 → Lv.2
Profession Bonus:
- Crafting Speed +10%
- Iron Equipment Success Rate +5%
New Recipes Unlocked.
---
Aiden immediately opened the blueprint.
The requirements had changed.
---
Iron Pickaxe
Requirements:
✔ Builder Lv.4
✔ Blacksmith Lv.2
Materials:
- Iron Ingot ×5
- Wood ×4
- Leather Rope ×2
Crafting Success Rate:
90%
---
"We can finally make it."
Unfortunately...
He looked at the remaining materials.
"Iron Ingots..."
"I still don't have enough."
He had Iron Ore.
Not Iron Ingots.
The ore still needed refining.
---
Just then...
The Forest Hopper suddenly began jumping excitedly.
"CHI! CHI!"
"What is it?"
The little creature ran toward the beach.
Curious, Aiden followed.
When they arrived...
Something impossible had washed ashore during the night.
A wooden crate.
It was twice the size of his storage box.
A strange symbol was carved into the lid.
A circle surrounding a small island.
The System activated.
---
Ocean Drift Crate
Grade: Common
Origin:
Unknown
This crate drifted across the Endless Sea.
Open?
Yes / No
---
Aiden carefully opened it.
Inside were neatly packed supplies.
---
Supplies Obtained
- Iron Ingot ×5
- Strong Rope ×3
- Wheat Flour ×5
- Small Health Potion ×2
- Coins ×40
Bonus:
Survival Points +30
---
Aiden's eyes widened.
"Iron Ingots!"
Now he had everything needed to craft the Iron Pickaxe.
---
Current Survival Points
200 SP
---
The System suddenly chimed again.
Achievement Unlocked
Fortune Smiles
Open your first Ocean Drift Crate.
Rewards:
- Survival Points +50
- Reputation +10
---
Current Survival Points
250 SP
---
Aiden laughed.
"Looks like today really is my lucky day."
The Forest Hopper happily rolled around on the sand.
"Chi! Chi!"
---
Back at the camp...
Aiden immediately began forging the Iron Pickaxe.
He heated the ingots.
Hammered them carefully.
Attached the wooden handle.
Wrapped it tightly with the strong rope.
Nearly an hour later...
The final strike echoed across the camp.
CLANG!
A blue light surrounded the completed tool.
---
New Equipment Crafted
Iron Pickaxe
Grade: Common
Quality: Excellent
Mining Speed +20%
Durability +15%
Allows mining of:
- Iron Ore
- Copper Ore
- Mana Crystal Ore
Blacksmith EXP +25
---
Aiden held the pickaxe proudly.
"Tomorrow..."
"We're going back to the western cliffs."
The Mana Crystal Ore was finally within reach.
But just as he placed the new tool inside his inventory...
The restored Watchtower bell suddenly rang on its own.
Dong...
Dong...
Dong...
Aiden froze.
No one was inside the tower.
The warning bell continued to echo across Hope Island.
He quickly opened the System Map.
Three red dots had appeared.
Not in the northern forest.
Not near the cliffs.
They were approaching...
From the sea.
And they were getting closer with every passing second.
