Clang! Clang! Clang!
The rhythmic strikes of the hammer echoed continuously. Roy was in a state of total immersion, the world around him fading into insignificance. With every strike, sparks flew, driving out every last trace of impurity from the metal.
His peak LV.4 stats were on full display. The hammer became a blur of afterimages, and the metal began to take the ideal shape held in Roy's mind.
A flicker of surprise crossed Hephaestus's beautiful eyes. In Roy, she saw the shadow of the god Goibniu; the boy had truly captured the essence of the craft. Most mortals could spend a lifetime and never capture even a shred of the divine aura of a god's smithing, yet here it was, manifesting in a sixteen-year-old boy. It was enough to subvert one's worldview.
Hephaestus pursed her lips. This boy's talent was terrifying. No wonder the gossiping gods called him the "Child of Miracles."
To the blacksmiths of Solingen, every one of Roy's movements was like a piece of art. They watched, entranced, forgetting time and thought. A god's absolute mastery was something they couldn't even begin to comprehend—they could only feel the shock of it. Roy stood precisely on the threshold: he had touched the Divine Domain but had not fully stepped inside, allowing ordinary smiths to still feel and be moved by his charm.
"So that's how you can swing a hammer?" "Heavens, that level of heat control!" "I want to beg him to be my master."
The smiths whispered in awe, drawing annoyed looks from others who wanted silence. But these voices couldn't reach Roy. Once the "Red Rose" was processed, he moved immediately to the "Yellow Rose," incorporating the Mithril and Orichalcum.
"Sss—!"
Seeing the materials Roy was using, even master smiths with decades of experience gasped. What on earth was he trying to build? The sheer amount of rare materials suggested a weapon of extreme difficulty. Could he finish it within the ten-hour limit?
The answer soon appeared before them. It was a Great Twin Blade. The red and yellow metal formed two massive blades connected by a central hilt. Just seeing the raw embryo of the weapon was enough to make one's skin crawl.
Tiona's eyes were locked onto the weapon, her heart racing.
"Interesting!" Tsubaki grinned. "Little Welf, looks like we need to step it up!"
"Yeah!" Welf's eyes were filled with a burning fighting spirit. As a blacksmith, he refused to simply roll over.
Time flew. Both sides forgot everything else, focusing solely on their creations. More spectators arrived, clogging the streets until traffic in the city ground to a halt. The clever ones built scaffolding just to catch a glimpse over the crowds.
By the ninth hour...
"Done!"
Tsubaki and Welf finished first. They presented a blade that was crimson from tip to hilt, shimmering with light and etched with mysterious runes. One look was enough to tell it was extraordinary—it was like holding a shard of a deep-red inferno.
"Miss Tsubaki, I'll give you five million Valis for it right now!" an adventurer shouted. He was nearly beaten to death by the crowd for his insult; five million wouldn't even cover Tsubaki's labor fee, let alone a First-Tier weapon from one of Orario's greatest smiths.
"Twenty million!" "Thirty million!"
The area turned into a chaotic auction.
"Haha, thanks for the interest, but this was a joint effort between me and little Welf. I can't decide its fate alone," Tsubaki laughed, turning them down.
"Goddess Hephaestus, please evaluate it. This is the armament: Engetsu (Flaming Moon)!"
Hephaestus ran her hand along the crimson blade, feeling the searing heat. With a light swing, a wave of dark red flames erupted. "Using Fire-stone, Orichalcum, and scales as materials... this is upper-middle tier for a First-Tier armament. To craft this in such a short time is very impressive."
Welf's face flushed with pride at the Goddess's recognition. Though it wasn't solely his work, it was a massive achievement. Tsubaki's skill was higher than this, of course, but this was the highest quality she could produce within ten hours. It even incorporated Welf's family techniques, giving it a hint of Magic Sword properties. Its market value was easily 60 to 80 million Valis.
All eyes then turned to Roy. He had never been known for forging, and the "Divine Technique" he had displayed shocked everyone, but he was up against the "Cyclops," a top-tier smith.
Roy was still immersed. Even as his rivals finished, he didn't notice. His focus was terrifying. From the start, his eyes had never left his workbench. Melting, forging, shaping, sharpening—he executed every step with surgical precision. For nearly eight hours, he hadn't collapsed or paused for a second. Even a normal LV.4 adventurer would be suffocating under that strain. Only Roy's abnormal Endurance stat and iron will kept him going.
"He's a tough one," Tsubaki muttered, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead.
Welf's eyes trembled. Compared to his own talk of weapons being "companions" and his blind adherence to principles, Roy was the one truly practicing the philosophy, pouring his passion and soul into the weapon.
Hephaestus shook her head silently. They lost. At least in terms of conviction, they had already been surpassed.
Minutes ticked by. Everyone held their breath. If he didn't finish within the time limit, it would be an automatic loss, regardless of the weapon's quality. Tione and Tiona could feel their hearts pounding in their chests.
In the final minute...
Roy plunged his hand into the coolant and drew out a weapon with a truly exaggerated silhouette. It was two meters long—a massive double-ended greatsword. One end was crimson, the other yellow, with the edges shining a brilliant, chilling silver.
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