Thump! Thump! Thump!
No matter where you are, if you want to customize something unique, you must wait patiently.
This is the basic process.
Especially when what you desire is not commonplace, this is even more true.
“Sigh… It’s taking longer than I expected,” I sighed softly.
That's why I'm here waiting now, passing the time with training.
“The Great Vogerville, huh?”
In the game 'Hunter's Fate,' there are many turning points, especially this dungeon.
In the later stages of the game, when Ethan is about to complete his studies at the academy and graduate, he receives a task to come here.
By that time, internships and field training will occupy most of his time, and the tasks become more like real hunter work.
One of these tasks brings Ethan here to investigate a report.
The report mentions significant changes in the environment and mountains, with occasional eruptions in certain areas of the ground.
When the player arrives, they begin an investigation and soon discover that a sealed dungeon beneath the mountains is leaking mana.
This situation is not uncommon; even the works of legendary blacksmiths cannot guarantee eternal operation.
Due to the seal's failure, the dungeon's mana begins to affect the outside world.
The ensuing dungeon exploration is filled with challenges involving flames and eruptions. Ultimately, instead of finding a BOSS monster to fight, they encounter an ancient demon escaping from the past, filled with regret.
The player will fight this old man first but will then lose the battle; the power he possesses is not limited to his physique but also the weapons he forges.
However, during this battle, Vogerville's experienced eyes notice Ethan's identity and a secret even Ethan himself is unaware of.
From then on, Ethan will receive the weapon… the divine weapon crafted to save the world.
It is because of this that Vogerville's position in the game is extremely important; his influence as a character cannot be underestimated.
However, that doesn't matter. Regarding the weapon I will use, I know that only a few blacksmiths in the entire world meet the criteria, and Vogerville is the easiest to reach. I have completed 100% of the game's progress and finished the side quests related to him, understanding his past.
Since I knew the seal had begun to fail, I looked for changes related to the mana around the mountains.
To predict a tsunami, you can observe the vibrations on the seabed; to predict weather changes, you can observe the changes in the clouds; the flow of mana is similar, closely related to the environment. I used this characteristic to track the dungeon's location.
And now, I am here waiting for my weapon to be completed.
Ding! Whoosh!
From time to time, I hear the sound of a hammer striking metal and the roaring of flames. Vogerville is known as a legendary blacksmith because of his deep connection with the ancient fire demons.
The flames obey his will, and he chooses to use them for forging.
Whoosh!
“Is this the right thing to do?”
I asked myself. Recalling how mana cores are created, I knew the pain of countless lives was involved.
Boom!
Looking at the constantly rising flames, a scene suddenly flashed before my eyes.
“Brother, look… so many fireflies… they're beautiful, aren’t they?”
This was a memory from the past, a small place where we lived together after our parents passed away.
“Yes, they are beautiful.”
“What's wrong? Brother, why do you look a bit dazed?”
“I was thinking… I wish I could be like them.”
“Like them?”
“Yes, like them. They can go anywhere, without any restrictions.”
“Freedom? They have wings, but we also have our freedom, brother. We can help others and make our world a better place…”
“But they can fly.”
“……”
“Imagine soaring in the sky, going to places no one has ever been.”
“That's right, they have the sky, but we have each other, which is a unique kind of freedom. And, maybe one day we'll find our own wings too.”
“Can we really find our wings?”
“Well, brother… would you leave me alone to explore the world then? I would be sad.”
“You know I would never leave you alone.”
“I know.”
‘Back then, you, who illuminated my world, were purer than anything under the moonlight.’
For some reason, thoughts and memories flooded in like a tide.
‘In the end, you couldn’t find your wings.’
Clenching my fist, I looked at the mana particles flickering in my hand.
‘They were taken away from you.’
As memories resurfaced, I stood up and took out the training materials I carried with me.
‘I swear, I will take them back.’
......
Inside the forge, Vogerville's hands, calloused from centuries of forging, gently touched the contours of the weapon.
It radiated latent power, a symbol of both the young man's revenge and the blacksmith's commitment to his craft.
“Old friend,” Vogerville whispered to the hammer beside him, “we created something unique today.”
He sighed deeply, placing the weapon on the cooling rack. The forge, once filled with the heat of creation, fell into a solemn silence.
Vogerville turned and walked towards the door, his footsteps echoing with the weight of centuries of journey.
As he pushed open the door, a gust of fresh air rushed in. The forge had been closed for a long time, and the fresh air flowing into the cave made him take a deep breath.
He didn't find any trace of the young man around.
“I thought he would be here waiting for me,” he muttered to himself.
“Hmm?”
His senses caught a slight movement.
Whoosh!
He turned around and saw a very unusual scene.
The young man was sitting in front of the lava flow, tranquil in posture, in a state of deep meditation. The heat of the lava seemed to have no effect on him.
“Hmm, an unusual place to meditate,” Vogerville mused to himself, intrigued by the strange sight. As he approached, he noticed the young man's skin was burning, yet he paid no mind, as if drawing strength from the intense heat.
Traces of burns were already visible on his pale skin, making the scene unsettling.
“Child, what are you doing?” Vogerville asked, his tone tinged with confusion and concern. The young man slowly opened his eyes.
“I am waiting for you,” the young man replied, taking a small vial from his space bracelet.
Glug!
He drank it all in one gulp.
The burn wounds began to heal, and the struggle against the heat was no more.
The young man stood up, his movements still fluid despite the ordeal he had just undergone. The wounds that had been imprinted on his pale skin had vanished, the healing potion demonstrating its power. He turned to Vogerville, his purple eyes firm and composed.
“The weapon is ready,” Vogerville said, observing the young man's reaction.
“Thank you,” the young man answered curtly, his gaze fixed on the legendary blacksmith. “What’s next?”
Vogerville nodded, perceiving the young man's eagerness. “The weapon needs to be tempered in the essence of the sacred forge and connected to you. Follow me.”
They entered the forge, and Vogerville carefully placed the weapon into the flames of the furnace. The air filled with the mingling of magic and steel, and the weapon began to emit an ethereal glow.
“Now, this is the final step,” Vogerville explained. “The divine essence will be infused into the weapon, and it will truly become a part of you. But be warned, this process will be anything but easy, the weapon contains a mana core. The God of the Forge demands respect.”
“The final fusion is up to you,” Vogerville continued, his gaze fixed on the young man. “To establish a true connection with the weapon, you must offer a part of yourself. Your blood will bind the divine essence to you.”
The young man did not hesitate for a moment. He silently drew a small knife from his belt and cut a wound on the palm of his hand. Blood welled up, and he held his hand over the weapon.
“Let your blood flow into the weapon,” Vogerville instructed, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of wisdom. “Establish the connection, let it become a part of your soul.”
As the young man's blood dripped onto the weapon, the divine essence reacted, enveloping the crimson drops in an enchanting glow. The cave seemed to respond to this sacred ritual, with the flames flickering intensely.
“Now, prepare yourself,” Vogerville warned. “The fusion begins.”
As the divine essence merged with the young man's blood and the weapon, an otherworldly shriek erupted from within the forge.
“You promised me…” a voice filled with betrayal and despair whispered, seeking an unfulfilled promise.
“Why did you abandon us?” another voice, laden with resentment, accused and lamented a broken relationship.
“Revenge… endless revenge…” a ghostly whisper yearned for completion, as if an insatiable fire of vengeance......
The chorus of souls became a tragic narrative, each voice a testament to an unfulfilled promise, a broken relationship, an insatiable desire......
These voices, filled with pain and regret, painted a vivid picture, showcasing the lives that were once intertwined with the Mana Core project, those who should have had bright futures, only to be mercilessly taken away.
They now wandered in search of their lost lives, becoming beings that feed on souls.
The young man stood in this scene, receiving all the pain that was coming at him.
“Ugh…”
He clenched his fist.
The energy of the mana core gradually overwhelmed him, and with each passing second, the painful voices grew louder.
The energy released by the Mana Core surged into the young man's body like a storm. His body convulsed involuntarily, tormented by the searing intensity of the divine fusion. The anguished whispers of trapped souls echoed through the cave.
The young man gritted his teeth, enduring the searing pain, feeling himself on the verge of collapse with every passing moment. The air around him shimmered with the glow of the divine essence, casting shadows that danced with his silent struggle.
Drip!
Blood dripped from his bitten lip, a testament to the silent endurance he imposed upon himself.
The God of the Forge's fusion demanded not only a connection with the divine weapon but also the essence of the one seeking its power.
Vogerville observed calmly, recognizing the profound ordeal the young man had willingly accepted. The process mercilessly merged steel, magic, and the essence of countless lost souls, becoming a grueling test.
“Why?”
“Why me?”
“What do you want from me......”
As the pain reached its zenith, the voices transformed into an almost unbearable cacophony, challenging the young man's limits of endurance.
Thud!
Even with his unwavering will, the young man's body was ultimately too weak. His body could no longer withstand the pressure being exerted.
With a silent thud, he collapsed to the ground.
“Ugh ah!”
His vision blurred, and Vogerville could sense the connection that sustained his life force weakening.
At that moment, a wisp of faint, ethereal mist drifted out from a necklace around his neck.
The mist coalesced into the slender figure of a girl, her face enveloped in an aura of soothing comfort.
“Brother, I am with you......”
The ethereal whisper echoed through the cave, like a comforting incantation permeating the air.
“Ugh ah——!”
The young man, still on the ground, groaning in agony, heard these words.
In his eyes, the figure of the girl was the embodiment of the things he regretted the most.
As the misty figure continued to soothe, a gentle energy emanated from her form, lightly caressing the young man's cheek.
“Remember, brother,” she whispered, “even in the darkest of times, you are not alone. The moon is your strength, and I am your guide.”
With these words, the misty figure began to dissipate, rejoining her small necklace.
As the young man began to glow within the cave, the weapon, devoid of fixed form, slowly moved closer to him.
With a final movement, the weapon entered the young man's chest.
