Chapter 3: Chapter 2
"I... will choose the Blacksmith of the Volcano."
[The Constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" respects your choice.]
[The Constellation "Secretive Plotter" smiles at your choice.]
[The Constellation "Mass-Production Maker" asks why you chose him.]
"If you mean my reason, I think he would have good synergy with my traits."
[The Constellation "Blacksmith of the Volcano" nods at your words.]
[You have selected your sponsoring constellation.]
Trait Window
Name: Cheolung
Age: 30
Sponsoring Constellation: Blacksmith of the Volcano
Exclusive Traits: Dwarf Half-Blood (Rare), Blacksmith (Common), Tall Stature (Common), Poker Face (Common), Fire Resistance (Rare), Pain Resistance (Rare)
Exclusive Skills: Dwarven Smithing (Rare) Lv. 10, Breath of Fire (Rare) Lv. 1, Dwarven Axe Technique (Rare) Lv. 10, Welding Lv. 10, Butchering Lv. 7
Vitality: 10
Strength: 10
Agility: 3
Magic Power: 4
That was how I chose my sponsoring constellation. Then my sponsor sent me something.
[The Constellation "Blacksmith of the Volcano" sponsors a Portable Anvil and Furnace for his incarnation.]
"!?"
[The Constellation "Blacksmith of the Volcano" sneers at your reaction.]
When I checked the item I had received, there was an anvil and furnace about the size of a small bag. As I stared intently at them, a blue window appeared once more.
[Item Information]
Name: Portable Anvil and Furnace
Grade: B
Description: There are many blacksmiths in the world. This is an item made by one of those blacksmiths, one who loved adventure.
"What is this?"
[The Constellation "Blacksmith of the Volcano" says it is a gift to commemorate you becoming his incarnation.]
"Thank you."
As I was thanking my sponsoring constellation, I heard something being crushed in the train car next to ours. Then the woman who had introduced herself as Kim Dokja spoke.
"For now, let's get out of here."
"I agree with you, ma'am... no, sis. I don't particularly want to listen to that dokkaebi either."
It was Kim Namwoon, the female student whose wrist I had grabbed earlier.
Then another loud noise rang out.
Bang
Then Hyunsung spoke. The reason I knew him was that I had been his senior in the military. In other words, Hyunsung and I had been military seniors and juniors.
"I don't think we should. The person beyond that iron door might be friendly, you know?"
"That person survived by killing people. Not like us, who survived by killing bugs!"
Bang
Another loud crash came from the door to the next car, and the iron door caved in. Hearing it, the others hurried toward the turnstiles, while Hyunsung and I tried to open the door.
"Pull on three."
"Yes! Understood."
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
Hyunsung and I pulled with all our strength, but the door only opened about thirty centimeters. Then Kim Dokja told Hyunsung to use a skill. When he said he did not know how, Kim Dokja taught him, and thanks to that, we were able to get out.
"We got out thanks to you."
"No, we got out thanks to Hyunsung's skill."
"Still, you were the one who helped him use that skill, weren't you?"
That was how I thanked Kim Dokja.
----------------------------
Cheolung had originally been a character meant to die here.
During the Proof of Worth, he had told them to strangle him in order to save Lee Hyunsung. Yet this time, he had survived.
But I had no idea how he had survived, so I asked him.
"Um, Cheolung, there were four grasshoppers in there earlier. How did you survive?"
"While I was asleep, a mosquito flew over and landed on my cheek. So I killed it, and a system window popped up saying I'd cleared it."
"Ah..."
Let's not look into that any further.
---------------------------------
We had gotten off the train and were standing outside.
[Haa... Seriously, why won't the people on this train listen? That crazy woman in Car 3707 too—why does no one ever listen to a word I say?]
Crazy woman? Who was he talking about? The person who had tried to open the train door earlier?
[Well... fine. If you all insist on proceeding with the scenario that way, then I shall give you a trial!]
A trial?
[The Constellation "Blacksmith of the Volcano" tells his incarnation to prepare.]
[Sub Scenario—Escape]
Category: Sub
Difficulty: E
Time Limit: 20 minutes
Reward: 200 Coins
Failure: -???
[The scenario difficulty has been adjusted.]
Difficulty: E -> D
The thoughts of the dead awaken.
Black ether fills the earth.
The demonoids awaken.
Before the notification had even disappeared, people with the grayish-purple skin of corpses were charging toward us. The instant I saw them, I took an iron ingot and a hammer from my bag.
'Whew.'
"I'll hold this side off as long as I can. Hyunsung, guard my flank."
"Y-yes!... What? Why are you trying to stop those things? And why just the two of us?"
"First, what happens if those things get into the city?"
"...The civilians will be in danger!"
"Second, do you think the group behind us will be any help?"
"No, sir."
"That's why you and I will hold out here as long as possible, then join the others."
"Yes!"
[Numerous Constellations enjoy your trial and hardship!]
[The Constellation "Blacksmith of the Volcano" watches his incarnation.]
[The Constellation "Prisoner of the Golden Headband" looks at you.]
[The Constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" watches his incarnation.]
[The Constellation "Secretive Plotter" watches you all.]
[The Constellation "Mass-Production Maker" watches you.]
[The Constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" likes your camaraderie.]
[The Constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" watches you.]
[The Constellation "Master of Steel" watches his incarnation.]
"...To think the day would come when an ironworker like me had to fight..."
"You should have been a soldier."
"Wait, what do you mean by th—"
"Hey, you old men think you're the only ones who get to have fun? Not a chance, hahaha!"
"Sangah, let's use this chance to run away, okay?"
"Wait! Aah!"
"...Are you two going to be okay?"
Before the others had even finished speaking, they had reached right in front of us.
I swung my hammer from left to right, and the heads of three demonoids burst apart at once.
[You use Dwarven Blunt Weapon Technique Lv. 10!]
I did not stop there. I drove the iron ingot down onto the head of an approaching demonoid, pinning it in place, then brought the hammer down on the ingot. I pulled the ingot back out of that demonoid's head and drove it into another's heart. Then I gathered magic power in my mouth and released it.
[You use Breath of Fire Lv. 1!]
[The Constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" asks how you can use breath when you are not even of the dragon race!]
In an instant, ten demonoids were burned to ashes. Then I knocked over a demonoid trying to ambush me by swinging my hammer up from below, and stomped on its head until it burst. Next, I forced a particularly strong-looking demonoid to its knees, gripped its upper and lower jaws and pried them open, then fired [Breath of Fire] directly into its mouth.
[You use Breath of Fire Lv. 1!]
[The Constellation "Prisoner of the Golden Headband" pulls out his hair at your toughness!]
[Numerous Constellations clench their fists as they watch your battle!]
After burning away everything inside it, I threw the corpse aside and continued smashing demonoid skulls with the ingot.
Bang
Again.
Bang
Again.
Bang
[Numerous Constellations cheer at your ruthlessness!]
[The Constellations of the Absolute Evil lineage look at you and smile brightly!]
[The Constellations of the Absolute Good lineage frown at the Constellations of the Absolute Evil lineage.]
"Whew... whew... whew... whew... whew..."
As I caught my breath, a notification arrived.
[You have acquired Ghost Iron! You receive 300 Coins as a reward!]
'What, Ghost Iron? Don't tell me...'
I looked down at the iron ingot in my hand.
[Item Information]
Name: Ghost Iron
Grade: A+
Description: A metal that, after prolonged exposure to demonoids, has absorbed their lingering thoughts and developed a will of its own. It recognizes the first person to hold it as its master. If a weapon is made from this ingot, it will grow alongside its master and move to wherever its master is when called.
"Huh."
[Numerous Constellations look at the Ghost Iron in your hand!]
[The Constellation "Blacksmith of the Volcano" congratulates you!]
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