Raid: The Blacksmith-Chapter 53: Redemption: Part Two

Titles.

Warriors who achieve nigh-impossible feats receive these as a testament to their unbelievable actions. Titles aren’t dependent on a Warrior’s Rank so even a low Ranked Warrior can have more Titles than a higher Ranked one.

"Most Warriors never reveal how many Titles they have but it’s been long established that there isn’t a single Warrior who has had ten Titles or more. Me getting four Titles in just two measly days of being a Warrior is probably something that has never been done before. Not to mention, the Titles themselves have insane Traits."

Title Traits.

It refers to the ’effects’ that Titles have on a Warrior. They don’t directly effect a Warrior’s Skills or Stats and such but their overall capabilities. Even natural events and phenomena can be tempered with to match a Warrior’s needs if a Title’s Trait demands it.

"My Sole Survivor Title is a perfect representation of that. It allows me to basically escape any and all forms of catastrophic events unscathed. Twisting fate and fortune to match my needs. Even if the world were to end right now, I’d probably be the only person left alive. With that in mind, it’ll really come in handy in Dungeons, as long as I’m not exploring them alone at least, and things take an unexpected turn for the worst."

"Then there’s my Creator Title. I become the Master of my own world. My Blacksmith’s Sanctuary, the Item Space. I did feel like I could do virtually anything I could imagine when I was inside it. I don’t think I would’ve been able to create a whole planet otherwise. Then there’s the Absorber Title. Apparently, people who have had a significant influence on their world gain the right to embody an Aspect that brings about great gain. Seems Hayzar was one such individual. An Aspect Bearer. And now thanks to him, I’m one too. I even absorbed his Mana Capacity and all his Physical Related Stats too. But it’s odd, his Mana Capacity had reached C-Rank, and all his Physical Related Stats were in the A-Rank realm, so I don’t get why the System classified him as a D-Rank monster." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

I then recall something he told me before.

"Hang on... Hayzar... Now that I think about it, I remember him saying something about being reduced to a pitiful existence. Did he mean that he was weakened? Then...does that mean that the Stats I absorbed are in fact what his original Stats used to be? Before his enslavement? That’s probably why the weapons I got from him also look so cool, instead of them being just some cheap rough looking hunting junk. Still, even if that’s the case, how is it that his Stats were of different Ranks? Was he some kind of anomaly like me? That’s the only thing that would make sense to me. Other than that, I can’t think of any other possible reason... Well...except for one at least. But it’s unthinkable..."

It really is. I don’t think anyone else in the world would even consider such a possibility.

The possibility that...

"There might not have been a System in his world."

The Harmonia System is like an all-encompassing, all powerful universal governing force. It’s not really that any different from time, space or gravity. Imagining a world without one is exceedingly difficult, the same way it would be to imagine a world without time, space or gravity. Furthermore, it’s visibly stronger than all these other concepts, since not only can it affect us, it can also affect them as well. Like unfolding time and space to open the portals we call Dungeon Gates, or granting us incredible abilities that allow us to transcend human limits.

"The Harmonia System is quite literally the closest thing ever shown to the entity we call ’God’. Theories have been made, if there are other worlds and there is life in those worlds, then there should be a System. Either there is a System for each world or the Harmonia System exists in all worlds. Hence, the idea that there would be a world without a System is bonkers, but it’s not at all impossible in my view. For starters, it would explain why Hayzar’s Stats were so unbalanced far better than him simply being an anomaly like me ever could. Myself excluded, the only thing stopping Warriors from having Stats of different Ranks is the rules set by the System. If there was no System, I don’t think it’d at all be impossible for a Warrior to have the Mana Capacity of one Rank and the Physical Related Stats of another. Then of course, there’s the fact that the System isn’t something that was always there. It only showed up seventy-six years ago, when the invasion happened. This could mean one of two things, either the System didn’t exist until our world was invaded by monsters from another world, or it was lying dormant the whole time, waiting for a threat to target our world. Whatever answers I’m looking for, I’m sure I’ll find ’em as I continue to explore Dungeons. If a monster’s spirit can request to have a chat with a Warrior from the System, then the opposite should also be possible. I’ll learn as much as I can about everything from the spirits of the monsters whose Aspects I’ll absorb. With this Title, I don’t have to do anything grandiose to embody an Aspect. I just have to crush a measly Mana Crystal. And with the Four Greats’ Aspects’ Successor Title, I should be able to find the other three Aspects more easily. Hayzar did say that they’re drawn to one another after all. All in all, things are going good so far."

After all, my Mana Capacity has reached C-Rank, and all my Physical Related Stats have entered A-Rank. Still, I can’t beat the highest level A-Ranks, unless I’m willing to risk my life in the process. It seems that the higher the level, the wider the gap between Warriors of the same Rank.

"But I’m not worried. In actuality, I’m excited. More than anything, I really wanna take my new developments for a test run right now. But first... Open Item Space."

[Report. Command accepted. Now opening Item Space...]

[Report. New items detected. Now processing new items...]

[Renewing Item Space contents...]

[Now opening Item Space....again...]

Item Space A-Rank contents:

• Hammer of Unknown Origin: A fiery and sturdy hammer that the Subject can use to craft equipment and the like... its origin is unknown, it possesses a small yet strong ego and emits an otherworldly energy signature. Its Grade cannot be measured yet due to how little information is known about it. It has completely acknowledged the Subject as its Master.

• Great Pickaxe: A strong and sturdy pickaxe with magical properties. Its Grade is unknown due to its bizarre and foreign properties.

• Great Shovel: A strong and sturdy shovel with magical properties. Its Grade is unknown due to its bizarre and foreign properties.

• Dragon Furnace: A furnace that can produce flames powerful enough to melt down almost any metal.

• 595 kilograms of iron, approximately. Fifty nine bars of iron in total, each weighing 10 kilograms plus one chunk about the size of half a bar weighing about 5 kilograms.

• Everchanging Anvil: A special anvil that can change into any desired shape to be able to produce any weapon.

• Various planks of wood.

• Various fabrics: Leather, cotton, silk etc...

• Twelve Whistling Daggers: Twelve strong sharp daggers made of Poison Steel, each in the Last Stage Intermediate-Grade. While they cannot be used by the Subject in battle, they can however be used as material to craft a new weapon/s.

• 4.5 kilograms of Viss Wood. A great and powerful type of wood found in one of the countless various Great Spirit Trees of the Spirit World. Can be used as material to craft a new weapon/s.

• Drakeduke Armour and Drakeduke Longsword/Broken: Incredibly sturdy knight wear and a broken longsword set made from the scales of a B-Rank Wyvern monster. They’re in the Last Stage High-Grade. While they cannot be used by the Subject in battle, they can however be used as material to craft a new weapon/s.

• 11300+ kilograms of pure Cold Iron. Chunks varying in weight and size.

• Great Werehyena’s claws, canine/Broken and spine: Ten times stronger than Cold Iron. Can be used for blacksmithing.

• First Dawn: Subject’s first creation. Incredibly sharp, shiny and sturdy blade made from the Great Werehyena’s canine, the Drakeduke Longsword, Cold Iron and normal iron. Has very high Mana conductivity. Cannot be stained and cannot be used by anyone except the Subject unless the Subject allows it. The blade is in the First Stage Hyper-Grade.

• Spatial Storage Pouch: A pouch that warps space to create a much bigger volume on the inside than on the outside in order to store materials. Currently Storing: Thousand Twin Death Needles: 1002 needles made entirely out of Poison Steel. They’re all in the First Stage Hyper-Grade. While they cannot be used by the Subject in battle, they can however be used as material to craft a new weapon/s.

• Goblin King Hayzar’s skin and spine: The skin is a thousand times sturdier and more durable than normal leather and can be used for the same purposes, the spine is twice as strong as the Great Werehyena’s claws, canine and spine and can be used for blacksmithing.

• Emerald Armory: A gift from the Emerald Lord, the Goblin King, Hayzar. They are the cherished weapons he used in his prime. His prized possessions. They have small, weak and undeveloped egos. They now belong to the Subject, however they haven’t completely acknowledged the Subject as their Master. Subject must take true ownership of them, develop and strengthen their egos in order to be able to use them.

•• Firmament -Piercing Emerald Longbow: A strong longbow with only three sharp arrows capable of piercing firmaments. It’s all made from Emerald Wood and Stone. The longbow is in the Last Stage Super-Grade.

•• Heaven-Shattering Emerald Spear: A sharp and strong spear that can shatter the heavens, made entirely out of Emerald Stone. The spear is in the Last Stage Super-Grade.

•• Sky-Splitting Emerald Longsword: A big, sturdy and tough longsword with the power to split the skies. It is made entirely out of Emerald Stone. The longsword is in the Last Stage Super-Grade.

"Amazing."

"They’re all great weapons. It kinda sucks that they haven’t acknowledged me as their Master yet but I think I get what the System means by saying I should develop and strengthen their egos in order to fully make them mine so I’m not at all worried. Now then... Let’s see... Should I go to a Dungeon to test all these new developments out? Hm...at this hour though?"

It is pretty late.

"It is pretty late."

See?

"Anyway...maybe I should sleep..." I pause for a moment.

~Sigh~

Then sigh.

"Either it’s me, or they’re not even trying."