“U-Um...”
White and the White Hammer blacksmiths found it hard to understand the current situation. Why was a woodcutter asked to control the flames in front of all of them?
‘I want to tell him to stand back, but...’
‘He’s the great person who designed the Red Phoenix Bow!’
‘Who the hell is he?’
’Maybe it’s as Leader White said...’
’He might be a distinguished person...’
‘He’s someone who cut down the white phosphorus tree.’
The White Hammer blacksmiths murmured among themselves while climbing onto the stage.
"Bhhhhh-! Boooooo!”
"White is a coward! All the other blacksmiths are standing at the forefront. Why do you have a newcomer in front of you?”
"Isn’t it shameful to hide behind another person?”
The crowd’s booing became stronger. The leader of the Blue Flames smithy, Enoch, walked over to White.
“You dare to participate in the competition again? In any case, the result will be the same as the last three years. Isn’t that right? For. Ever. Lo. Ser. Friend.
"...”
White didn’t respond to Enoch. Enoch was someone who liked ridiculing others and seeing their reactions. He would go away if White ignored him. But Enoch was persistent.
“I really can’t understand you. Daring to risk the White Hammer smithy’s reputation by confronting me when you don’t have the talent. Ah, no. Didn’t the reputation of the White Hammer smithy already fall to the bottom after your father died? It was the day he foolishly died to the armored needle.”
“You!”
"Kukuk! It turns out to be like father, like son!”
Enoch was crossing the line. White could no longer tolerate it. The moment he became angry enough to punch Enoch in the face, something interrupted him.
“Bark bark. Bark. It’s the sound of a dog barking nonsense.”
“...?”
Enoch was watching White with pleasure, when he became shocked. The two people simultaneously turned their gazes in the direction of the barking. They discovered a black-haired man with sharp eyes. It was the unidentified newcomer of the White Hammer smithy.
Grid scoffed and said to Enoch. "You’re a crazy dog. Just wait a minute. There’s no need to bother Teacher White. I will smash you myself.”
“Teacher White?”
White and Enoch were both surprised. White was stunned while Enoch laughed loudly. This was a jackpot.
“You’re really crazy! White! You don’t know the topic and actually dare to be a teacher? A person with poor talent teaching someone else? Puhat! Puhahat! Oh, my stomach! If the other blacksmiths hear this, they would be laughing!”
“Ugh...!”
White’s face turned red. His skin was dark, making it hard to see, but he didn’t look good. White was really embarrassed. It was because there was nothing wrong with Enoch’s words.
"...”
He had spent the past three years as a loser. White lost his self-esteem and couldn’t help bowing his head.
“Raise your head. Don’t get used to seeing the ground.” Grid stared at White and was reminded of his past self. "Today, the White Hammer smithy that you and your father love will win the competition.”
Suuk.
Grid’s finger pointed at White’s heart. White saw the hard calluses on the thick fingers.
‘Blacksmith hands?’
White belatedly realized Grid’s real identity. He felt astonished as Grid confirmed it.
“You will be the best smithy in Pangea.”
Today’s victory would be achieved be relying on Grid, but not in the future. White was a person he used Blacksmith’s Affection on. His blacksmith skill level was destined to rise the moment that his affinity reached the maximum.
***
"Enoch is becoming more and more distorted.”
"It was because he respected Dawhite more than anyone else. He was disappointed when Dawhite chose White as a successor, despite not being able to support the smithy.”
“Looking at it, the poor person isn’t White, but Enoch. Well, that doesn’t excuse his twisted personality.”
"Ignore him. Enoch and White aren’t people we have to worry about.”
Enoch had excellent skills and a twisted personality, while White was born with a unique talent, but was lazy in his youth. From the perspective of the skilled and older leaders of the Black Anvil and Red Tongs smithies, they were both inexperienced.
“Hrmm, yes. We have to focus on the competition.”
“Last year, I was careless and lost the title to Enoch.”
"This year will be our second victory.”
The Black Anvil and Red Tongs leaders acknowledged each other as opponents. The appearance of the best blacksmiths in Pangea excited the audience.
"Beoksan! La Hochul! Have a great match this year!”
“Make the national treasure! Fighting!”
"The firepower of last year’s Red Phoenix Bow was too weak! This year, make it heat of the fire properly!”
Waaahhhhhhhh!
It was a really different atmosphere. The White Hammer smithy was booed and received criticisms, while the Black Anvil and Red Tongs smithies received cheers. White was used to it, but he still felt sick. White bowed to Grid.
“First of all, I’m ashamed and sorry for being unable to recognize you as a blacksmith. And thank you very much. You helped stop me from doing something I would regret.”
"There’s no need to thank me...”
Grid attempted to demonstrate humility, only to suddenly stop. This was the East Continent, not the West Continent. In this place, he was an ordinary person, not a noble or the leader of Overgeared. There was no need to consider his social status. He could act according to his personality. Grid changed what he was going to say.
"Yes, you should feel deep appreciation.”
Huhuhut!
White couldn’t help questioning Grid, “Why? Why are you helping me?”
Grid’s answer was simple.
"Of course, it’s for me. I have to stay here in Pangea for the moment. It will be helpful if I can obtain someone’s grace.”
"...Why did you choose me?”
"...”
Grid was embarrassed. Why did Grid come to the White Hammer smithy and help White? There was no reason. He ran into White because the White Hammer smithy was the closest. Then he received the quest and the situation became like this. But White was full of expectations. He was criticized after losing his father, only for Grid to suddenly appear. He wanted to be special for Grid. Until now, he had lived a poor life. But was he actually qualified to be the protagonist of his life? Didn’t the sky drop Grid in front of him?
Grid looked at White’s eyes that were shining like lanterns and smiled. It was a smile filled with genuine affection, not falsehood.
“You are special.”
What if someone like the current Grid had appeared before his past self? That’s right. Grid projected his past self onto White.
"Only you are entitled to receive help from me. So I looked for you.”
"Only... Me...”
White’s heart started to beat faster. This was an unidentified blacksmith who completed the design of the Red Phoenix Bow in a short amount of time. A special existence that couldn’t be measured. Thus, his self-esteem started to rise again. But there was one part that weighed on his mind.
Even if the White Hammer smithy won this competition, it wouldn’t be through their skills. White was grateful for the help, but it was meaningless to win through the hands of another person.
‘What if I’m not qualified after winning the competition?’
He would lose even the glory of the past that he wasn’t qualified for.
“Thank you... I really appreciate it. But... I think it would be better not to receive your help in this competition.”
Grid grinned at the struggling White and shook his head.
“Don’t think about complicated things and just accept. Didn’t I say it? You are special. After the competition, you will be qualified to be the winner.”
***
The amount of times it was possible to use the Legendary Blacksmith’s Creation increased by three every time the skill level of the Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship skill increased. Most skills were mastered at level 10. Therefore, it meant the total number of times Grid could create an item was 30 in total.
Grid needed to use the Legendary Blacksmith’s Creation skill cautiously. It was clear that if Grid used it carelessly even once, he would regret it for the rest of his life. In other words, Grid used the creation skill on the Red Phoenix Bow after careful consideration.
‘I definitely think it’s worth it.’
Grid lined up with the White Hammer blcaksmiths and listened to the host announce the start of the competition. It was the ultimate joy to see a completed Red Phoenix Bow.
‘This is a bow for Jishuka.’
If he could arm thousands of soldiers with it in the future...
‘I will be invincible.’
Grid looked at the completed Red Phoenix Bow design and pulled out something from his inventory. White wood. The white phosphorus wood.
“What?”
The tens of thousands of spectators and hundreds of blacksmiths all felt doubt.
“G-Grid.”
Grid quickly attracted the attention of many people. White couldn’t help feeling nervous. However, Grid attracted the attention of countless people since becoming Pagma’s Descendant and was used to it. He didn’t feel nervous at all.
“Now, I shall begin.”