Chapter 7
As Haram had warned, the blacksmith owner, Rodrum, was in a foul mood.
He was well aware of how inconsistent the skills of outsiders could be.
No one starts out perfect. It was a clear truth that higher levels allowed for better crafting, and having skills certainly improved the quality of what you made.
But that didn’t mean effort was unnecessary.
Outsiders didn’t even bother putting in the effort. They were eager to learn skills first, claiming they couldn’t craft anything without them.
But Rodrum had no intention of teaching his skills to someone who couldn’t even craft a basic piece of equipment without them.
And it wasn’t just about making something—it had to meet a certain level of quality.
“Too many freeloaders these days.”
Just then, the door opened.
“Hello.”
A new outsider entered.
As soon as he stepped inside, he took in the scent of the forge and looked around. He was every bit the stereotypical outsider.
Rodrum scowled at him.
“What do you want?”
“Um…”
At that moment, the apprentice behind Rodrum stepped forward in a hurry.
“Sorry, but we don’t teach skills here. If you can’t make even one item without a skill, then you don’t deserve to learn them.”
The apprentice, aware of his master’s foul mood, tried to shut things down quickly.
“I’m not here to learn skills.”
“Huh? Then are you a customer?”
“No. I was wondering if I could borrow the forge.”
Rodrum’s expression grew even sharper behind the apprentice.
“You want to borrow the forge?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t lend out my forge to just anyone. A forge is a blacksmith’s private space. You have to be skilled enough to deserve it.”
Rodrum snorted.
The newcomer looked even more pathetic than the level 5 outsider he’d just kicked out.
He must be a rookie who just started his journey.
“A blacksmith standing before the fire doesn’t lend out his furnace and anvil to just anyone. This is my space.”
Even the apprentice sighed at Rodrum’s obvious anger.
No one expected the outsider to ask to borrow the forge instead of requesting to learn a skill.
To a blacksmith, this was an outrageous breach of etiquette.
Even fellow blacksmiths hesitated to borrow someone else’s forge. And now a newbie outsider was asking to use it?
It was practically an insult to Rodrum.
Just as the apprentice was about to raise his hand to intervene, Jinwoo spoke.
“So if I’m skilled enough, it becomes a fair request?”
“Of course.”
Rodrum bared his teeth in a grin.
Most outsiders were overly confident in their abilities. And only after being crushed did they finally realize the truth:
Just how pitiful their skills really were.
The apprentice sighed in the background.
This outsider would probably be no different. And considering Rodrum’s bad mood, the standard would be even higher than usual.
“But if you fail to meet the standard or show an embarrassing performance, you’ll face a penalty.”
Ding!
Quest: Rodrum’s Test
Grade: D
Objective: Rodrum wants to test your qualifications. Prove your skills and pass his test.
Reward: Permission to use Rodrum’s forge.
Special Condition: If you fail, you’ll receive a 2-day debuff!
[Debuff] Rodrum’s Wrath: All stats are reduced by 5.
“If you’re scared, you can back out now.”
But Jinwoo accepted the quest without hesitation.
“So, if I meet your standard, what will you do for me?”
He countered with a deal of his own.
“Hah. Outsiders really have no sense of their place. Fine. If you succeed, I’ll grant you one wish. Ask for good materials or even a skill—whatever you want.”
Of course, Rodrum had no intention of granting any of it.
That’s why he made such a grand offer.
“Using the forge is a given, of course.”
Jinwoo grinned.
“Then I’ll get started right away. What should I make to prove myself?”
“Forge a sword from this. A small dagger is fine. Use as much time as you want—but the faster, the better. And use this hammer if you need it.”
“No need. I’ve got mine.”
Jinwoo replied.
“Let’s begin.”
He tossed the iron into the blazing furnace and swung his hammer.
Clang!
A simple hammer strike. But it was enough to make Rodrum, arms crossed, freeze.
Clang!
Another strike.
Rodrum could no longer keep his arms folded. He physically couldn’t.
“What the…”
A rookie outsider.
He had to be low-level and weak.
With such low stats, there was no way his movements should be this precise.
So he was relying solely on raw technique.
Clang!
“There’s no way that’s possible…”
Those movements.
They were unreal. Each strike deformed the heated metal in just the right way.
He shouldn’t have had the strength.
“There’s no wasted force.”
More than that, Jinwoo was striking at the exact moment to maximize impact.
Perfect timing.
Perfect posture.
And…
Clang!
“Perfect control.”
Controlling one’s strength meant having mastery over power.
Giving exactly 5 units of force? Repeating it with absolute consistency?
That required extraordinary finesse.
“Don’t tell me… he already has the Dexterity stat?”
Dexterity was a must-have for any craftsman, but it only appeared after reaching a certain level of mastery.
In other words, a level 1 couldn’t possibly have it.
“Met.”
“Yes, Master?”
“Watch how he breathes. Even if you learn nothing else, learn that steady breathing and focus.”
An outsider who just started—was there something to learn from him? Met looked irritated at the idea but nodded without realizing it as he watched Jinwoo work.
It was true.
Jinwoo’s breathing resembled that of a master.
Steady. Even. Focused.
Meanwhile, Haram cautiously stepped into the forge.
He’d heard the hammering from outside.
And it wasn’t a sound he should have heard.
Naturally, curiosity got the better of him.
“W-what…?!”
Haram trembled.
What he was seeing didn’t make sense.
He knew what a forge meant to a blacksmith. Especially Rodrum, who had such pride in his work, he’d never let anyone unqualified use it.
Yet a rookie-looking outsider was hammering away.
And Rodrum and his apprentice were watching, impressed.
“What on earth is going on?”
It was an impossible situation.
Clang!
But when Haram saw Jinwoo’s hammering, he couldn’t take his eyes off it.
“…”
It was clearly different.
Though the motion seemed simple, every strike landed with consistency.
The force didn’t leak outward—it transferred precisely into the iron.
An impossible feat.
“He’s actually doing it…”
And Jinwoo was making it happen.
He had to be level 1. But his movements…
“That’s not something a level 1 can do. Don’t tell me… he’s already gained the Dexterity stat?”
As Haram muttered to himself, he recalled some videos from the community.
The ones showing veteran players in action—gods of the game.
One video showed a level 1 player hunting a wyvern in the tutorial zone.
Their movements, the way they dodged attacks by a hair, their glinting eyes—it all made them seem inhuman.
Like they were possessed by divine skill.
And within an hour, the wyvern—a boss not meant to be killed—was dead.
Watching those videos made you question whether these people were even human.
“That level of control… it wasn’t human.”
And now, Haram felt the same watching this rookie outsider.
Especially as someone who aspired to be a crafter himself, the sight shook him to the core.
“It’s true. No doubt about it. He has the Dexterity stat.”
In fact, it looked like his Dexterity stat was growing rapidly.
Even though Haram was over level 5, he still didn’t have that stat.
“Dexterity…”
Rodrum murmured.
Level wasn’t important.
Skills weren’t important.
They were just auxiliary tools.
He hadn’t believed that before. He’d thought those things were essential.
But now, seeing it with his own eyes, he understood.
Rodrum’s expectations hadn’t been excessive.
This was possible.
“What I needed…”
Wasn’t skills or levels.
It was skill itself.
And the patience to refine that skill and Dexterity.
“Damn it…”
Haram clenched his teeth.
Even so, he couldn’t take his eyes off Jinwoo.
Ding!
Dexterity stat has increased!
Excellent hammering has increased your Dexterity.
Dexterity stat has increased!
Each time he struck, Jinwoo’s Dexterity stat rose.
He had no idea how rare it was.
Because it was coming to him so easily.
“Hoo…”
Jinwoo focused deeply, breathing calmly.
Each swing of the hammer brought a smile to his face.
“It’s not perfect, but…”
The sensation was new.
He could swing the hammer and fine-tune the strength with detail and precision.
Clang! Clang!
As he struck the iron, Jinwoo gradually shaped a small dagger.
Ding!
Equipment crafted!
First-time equipment crafted!
Bonus for crafting first item!
“Whew…”
As the dagger was completed, Jinwoo let out a deep breath.
– You have crafted a C-Rank item!
His first piece of gear—was C-Rank.
“I don’t know if this will satisfy you…”
Jinwoo handed the dagger to Rodrum.
“But is it good enough for me to use your forge?”
Rodrum examined the dagger with wide eyes.
He didn’t even need a close look.
To have your first crafted item be C-Rank?
“My first was unranked…”
Most first attempts didn’t even receive a rank. The durability would usually be so low—
(Translation ends here at a natural breaking point.)
