The God of Blacksmiths.
Dang was aware of the tales of this now long-lost God.
A being capable of crafting artifacts beyond the reach of legends.
The most shocking truth was this:
‘Blacksmiths are weak.’
This was an unchanging truth.
Yet, the God Blacksmith in the stories was different.
Armed with weapons of his own making, he was said to be as strong as any seasoned warrior.
Fzzzt-
Dang watched as the Damascus dagger he held dissipated after a set period.
Then, following the oracle he knew, Dang had to guide this stranger before him towards their final path.
“How about you walk a unique path of blacksmithing unlike any other?”
***
Hyun-soo was surprised by Dang’s words.
‘A different path for a blacksmith?’
A unique way of blacksmithing.
Indeed, Hyun-soo had realized that his skills were far beyond those of ordinary blacksmiths.
He had even received a notification about deviating from the established methods of Damascus forging during his recent work.
‘Am I going to become a legendary class too?’
Suddenly, Smith, the world’s top-ranked blacksmith and a legendary class ‘Twilight Blacksmith’, came to mind.
“Join the orc subjugation squad in the Prime Kingdom. Contribute enough in the orc subjugation to earn my recognition, and I’ll let you set foot on that path.”
Ding!
[New Class Quest: Join the Orc Subjugation Squad has been generated.]
[Class Quest: Join the Orc Subjugation Squad.]
Rating: SS
Requirement: Received Dang’s offer.
Reward: Ascend as a descendant of ???.
Penalty if Failed: Cannot ascend as a descendant of ???.
Description: Participate in the orc subjugation and achieve a result that Master Blacksmith Dang recognizes. Complete the quest by achieving over 70% contribution.
‘SS class?’
Hyun-soo couldn’t help but be astonished.
He knew of S-class quests and that they were far from easy.
But now, the quest he had received to join the orc subjugation squad was an SS class.
‘In a year since Ares Open, 99% of players haven’t received one, right?’
Dang soon said.
“This is a modest gift from me; I never expected to find such raw talent.”
He handed Hyun-soo a remarkably shiny hammer.
[You have acquired Dang’s Replica Hammer.]
(Dang’s Replica Hammer)
Rating: Epic
Durability: 3,000/3,000
Attack Power: 109
Requirement: Levels 25-70.
Special Abilities:
· 15% increased chance of producing higher-grade artifacts.
· Dexterity increased by 5%.
· Passive skill: Replication of consumables.
· Active skill: Reduced crafting time.
Description: This hammer was used long ago by Dang, the Tower Master of the Blacksmith Tower.
Dang’s Replica Hammer looked quite impressive.
Especially the reduced crafting time skill, which literally cut down crafting time by 20%.
The replication of consumables was also intriguing.
‘20% chance to create an identical item when crafting consumables.’
It seemed like a handy skill.
The only downside was that the artifact was not yet wearable.
“The mission with the subjugation squad might not be as easy as you think.”
Hyun-soo nodded.
“I’ll do my best.”
With that, he left the tower to join the subjugation squad.
***
“Cracked the talent stone instead of just scratching it?”
Lee Se-jin, the head of the Special User Management Team, was amazed as he watched user Hyun-soo leave the tower.
“Can he pull off another extraordinary feat this time?”
Now, if Hyun-soo completes this final subjugation quest, he could ascend to a new class.
“It won’t be easy.”
Lee Se-jin became curious about how well-trained his staff was.
“Do you know why it’s not going to be easy?”
“Of course.”
The Orc subjugation Squad.
This squad accepts users from levels 1 to 10.
A ‘Tutorial Subjugation Squad’ for those just leaving the beginner zone, typically undertaken by a single player.
“Users who take on the orc subjugation tutorial quest are also tasked with achieving a certain % contribution. Once they meet that %, they complete the tutorial quest and receive their reward.”
Lee Ji-hee continued as Se-jin nodded.
“Ordinary users only need to achieve 10% contribution to complete their quest and finish the tutorial. But, Hyun-soo has to reach 70%.”
Lee Ji-hee chuckled. It seemed like an unfathomable challenge to her.
“Can he really achieve more than 70%?”
Lee Ji-hee thought hard about the orc subjugation squad.
Initially, users and soldiers set out for orc hunting.
The soldiers help the users stunned by their first subjugation quest.
As the quest reaches its climax, the squad retreats.
Because an orc warrior leading reinforcements arrives.
With the orc warrior’s arrival, the squad retreats and the quest ends.
Lee Ji-hee doubted Hyun-soo could achieve a 70% contribution in such circumstances.
“Is there really no way to increase his contribution?”
At Lee Se-jin’s question, Lee Ji-hee pondered deeply.
But she looked as if she had no answer.
Then, Kim Tae-seok, the team leader, threw a hint.
“Why retreat?”
“Because an orc warrior of level 50 leads the reinforcements…”
Suddenly, Lee Ji-hee’s eyes widened.
She jumped up and looked at the monitor in shock.
Hyun-soo was already submitting his application at the subjugation squad recruitment center.
“Is he expected to hunt a level 50 orc warrior at level 1?”
Lee Se-jin shook his head.
Lee Ji-hee was astounded.
Yet, she thought that such an unreasonable and difficult challenge might be expected.
After all, not just anyone could become the first of a new class.
***
Orc subjugation Squad Recruitment Center.
Just before departing, Hyun-soo joined the ranks of the subjugation squad.
“Let’s move out!”
Hyun-soo could see Squad Leader Hans at the forefront.
[Squad Leader Hans Lv.48]
Shortly after they set off, an NPC approached Hyun-soo.
His name was Ben, a regular soldier at level 13.
“Do you know where we’re headed?”
Hyun-soo tilted his head at Ben’s question.
‘Ah, right. They never explained why we’re joining the subjugation squad.’
It seemed like the tutorial subjugation squad was meant to get information from an NPC on their way to the subjugation site.
“We’re off to clear out a group of orcs causing trouble outside the Prime Kingdom. These orcs are incredibly fierce and strong, and there are a lot of them.”
Hyun-soo knew the average level of the orcs was around 10.
“But don’t worry. No matter how many there are, we’re much stronger.”
Ben, looking to be in his thirties, added with a sly smile.
“Oh, and once we reach a certain point, an orc warrior will come to defend his troops. He’s a cunning one. Nobody has ever penetrated his armor.”
“His armor is impenetrable?”
Hyun-soo looked puzzled.
“Yeah, his armor is made of such fine quality that it neither gets sliced nor pierced. When he shows up leading the reinforcements, he uses his armor to decimate our forces, so we must retreat at the right moment.”
Hyun-soo nodded thoughtfully.
Then…
[The Orc subjugation Begins.]
[Please join the soldiers in the subjugation squad.]
Along with the notification, a shout rang out.
“The orcs are here! Everyone, prepare to attack!”
It was the call of Squad Leader Hans, mounted on his horse.
Thud-thud-thud-thud…
The sound of heavy footsteps approached.
Ben, with a familiar expression, asked amidst the urgent situation.
“What’s your chosen profession?”
“Ah, I haven’t chosen yet. I’m aspiring to be a blacksmith.”
“…An aspiring blacksmith?”
Ben looked somewhat perplexed.
Usually, this tutorial subjugation squad consisted of players who had already chosen their profession.
‘Then I need to be more careful, he’s unclassed and probably weaker.’
Ben knew the difference between those who had chosen their classes and those who hadn’t. Those who hadn’t were generally about 30% weaker. With a profession, players received stat and skill boosts; for example, a swordsman gains around 30% more damage from Sword Mastery.
He also knew about blacksmiths.
Even as aspirants, blacksmiths were inherently weaker.
It couldn’t be helped.
They were the ones who made the weapons, while others like him were the ones who fought with them.
Ben turned around, thinking he needed to take extra care of him.
“Just as we’re about to…”
At that moment.
Ben was startled.
An ax thrown by an orc was heading straight for his forehead.
“Gasp…!”
The ax was inches from his face.
Ben was horrified.
The axe is about to strike his forehead and bring his demise…
Clang-
Then, a crisp sound echoed.
Ben was dumbfounded.
“…!?”
It was Hyun-soo, the player, who had swiftly drawn his sword and deflected the ax.
Then.
“Finally, I can test them.”
“…Test what?”
“The things I’ve made.”
Ben was bewildered, and Hyun-soo tightly gripped his shining weapon.
‘It’s my first time using the artifacts I’ve crafted in real combat.’
Hyun-soo spotted an orc charging towards them.
As Ben regained his composure, he warned.
“There’s no way you can kill that thing at your level, we need the help of our soldiers…”
Swoosh-
Hyun-soo’s sword moved with graceful agility as he swiftly charged forward.
Swoosh-
His blade grazed the neck of an orc, slicing through it in a single fluid motion.
Thunk-
[You have hunted an orc.]
[You have gained 86 experience points.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have achieved 3% contribution.]
Witnessing the orc’s head fall off in one clean strike, Ben was utterly astonished.
Moreover, Hyun-soo’s elegant movement and swift swordplay.
‘That’s…’
It was the stance of someone trained in swordsmanship.
Ben watched, spellbound, as Hyun-soo charged towards more orcs.
‘What, what am I supposed to teach him…?’
Meanwhile, Hyun-soo, exhilarated by his first level up, checked his incredible stats accumulated over more than 80 days in the beginner zone.
‘Status window.’
(Hyun-soo)
Level: 1
Profession: None
Strength: 38 Agility: 39 Vitality: 37 Wisdom: 22 Intelligence: 22 Dexterity: 583.
He was confident his strength was on par with someone close to level 30.
‘Sword Light… it’s really good, isn’t it?’
The effect of the weapon he was testing, Light, was impressive.
Hyun-soo quickly swapped to a buffalo horn bow.
An enraged orc had spotted him and was charging.
“Screeeech!”
Of course, Hyun-soo was inexperienced with a bow.
But when he first crafted this bow, he made it easy for beginners to use.
Hence, the attached option.
[The effect of the Marksman’s Longbow is activated.]
[Your accuracy is increased by 60%.]
Whoosh-
Hyun-soo pulled back the bowstring with all his might, aiming at the orc charging towards him.
***
Squad Leader Hans was watching the orc subjugation unfold smoothly, as usual.
‘Damn orc warrior.’
He gritted his teeth thinking about that brute who always showed up to disrupt their hunts.
Especially the warrior’s armor was so sturdy that even Hans, at his level, couldn’t penetrate it.
He was sure the orc warrior would appear soon, as always.
Just then.
“Huh?”
Hans’s face contorted in shock.
Perched atop his horse, he had spotted a foreigner drawing a bowstring.
“What the hell…!”
Even if the foreigner was part of this subjugation, they were under his command.
And it was his duty to safely complete the subjugation mission with this uninformed foreigner.
Was this clueless foreigner left to fight an orc one-on-one?
“Quickly, save that foreigner!”
Hans’s voice turned desperate looking at the reckless foreigner.
But he feared it was already too late.
At that moment.
Twang-
The bowstring snapped, and the arrow pierced the orc’s abdomen.
Then.
Boom-
The orc, struck by the arrow in its belly, flew back about 4 meters, collapsing and disintegrating into ash on the ground.
“…!”
Cliche Novel 
why is it stated that he’s still Level 1 on his status panel when clearly he received a notification of levelling up?
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