The clang of metal against metal rang out through Arden's Atelier as dawn light streamed through high windows. Sparks danced around Kael Ashborne, who was carefully hammering a triple-layer runic plate on the central anvil. Over the last few months, this massive workshop had become a second home—its heat, noise, and relentless demands woven into every aspect of Kael's daily life.
But something felt different today. A subtle tension coiled in Kael's core, a lingering sign that he was nearing a momentous threshold. He exhaled slowly, channeling Earth to support the molten steel while funneling Fire lines into the runes he'd etched. The faint hum of Light energy circled near the handle, a finishing layer to imbue a gentle healing aspect. Each hammer strike resonated with purpose.
Arden—arms folded, face half-hidden by the workshop's smoky air—watched with a critical eye. "Steady now. Don't let the Fire runes flow unevenly."
"Yes, Master," Kael replied. His brow glistened with sweat as he guided the final threads of Fire, binding them firmly to the Earth matrix. A swirl of whitish Light at the top provided a mild regeneration property to the plate. Satisfied, Kael quenched the glowing metal in a water trough. Steam hissed, obscuring the anvil momentarily.
System Notification
Minor Forging Commission Completed
+100 EXP
He smiled inwardly. This new triple-layer design was complex, but no longer beyond him. In the last few weeks alone, Kael had gradually perfected double- and even triple-layer forging on small items. His skill had soared to Beginner (Lv.4) forging toward a hidden cusp; he felt a push, as though a door were about to open onto a new realm of forging mastery.
Arden strode closer and plucked the cooling plate from the trough. After a moment of silent inspection, the older man nodded. "Better alignment than your last attempt. You've learned to keep Light lines stable. Good. We'll attach this plate to a custom gauntlet for the traveling mage who commissioned it."
His gaze flicked back to Kael, voice turning gruff yet approving. "You've come a long way, boy. Keep forging with this diligence, and you might surpass many city apprentices before your next birthday."
Kael bowed his head slightly, trying not to let the praise ignite complacency. He was only nine, yet forging items this advanced was far from typical. "Thank you, Master Arden," he said. "I won't slack off."
THE ECHOES OF A BUILDING STORM
As Kael cleaned up forging debris, Cedric—Arden's older apprentice—approached carrying a tray of exotic alloy ingots. Over time, Cedric had warmed up to Kael's presence. Though Cedric was still older, perhaps sixteen, he now offered Kael polite conversation and occasional forging pointers.
"Here," Cedric said, setting the tray down with a metallic clatter. "We just got these from a specialized supplier. Earth-Fire infusion in some, Earth-Light in others. We'll need them for your next triple-layer test."
Kael wiped sweat from his forehead, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Triple-layer test?"
Cedric gave a half-shrug. "Master Arden wants you to push layering to near-commission quality, not just practice scraps. He thinks you're on the brink of… something big." There was no trace of resentment in Cedric's voice this time—only mild awe.
Kael nodded. "All right, let's do it." A swirl of excitement flickered in his chest. Each forging attempt felt like a step closer to some invisible summit. Meanwhile, a subtle pressure kept building in his body, centered around the swirling Red Core he sensed whenever he meditated. Peak Red was almost bursting at the seams, ready for the next stage: Orange.
A SHIFTING CITY AND FORCED-AWAKENING THREATS
In the late afternoon, Gethran arrived, cloak damp from drizzling rain outside. He spoke quietly to Kael while Arden tended to the other apprentices. "The city watch posted more reports of forced-awakening creatures near the southwestern farmland. Rumors say some are abnormally large—no longer just foxes or canines."
Kael's jaw tightened. He'd grown accustomed to hunting beasts at night for EXP and to rid the city outskirts of these threats. "Have they identified the cause or culprit behind it?"
Gethran shook his head, expression grim. "Nothing concrete. But whispers mention a hidden sponsor. Possibly capturing beasts, forcibly engraving runes to awaken them violently. Some suspect they might also target talented youths." He paused. "Be cautious if you go out there."
"I will." Kael felt an undercurrent of anger at the shadowy faction behind these abominations. Not only did they create lethal threats, but they also risked lives. And… if they discovered Kael's abilities, they might set their sights on him. Still, Kael refused to cower. He nodded firmly. "I'll keep forging and hunting, as always."
A spark of pride gleamed in Gethran's eyes. "You've grown so much since Greenwood," he murmured. "That forging plate earlier—triple layering with actual stability. Remarkable for a nine-year-old."
Kael only offered a small grin. "This is just the beginning."
A CHALLENGE FROM ARDEN
As dusk settled, Arden summoned Kael to a side workshop, separate from the main anvil area. Various advanced forging diagrams lined the walls—layering runes for swords, staves, small magical devices. A half-assembled bracer lay on a central bench.
Arden gestured to the bracer's half-finished runic lines. "Cedric and I started this project but got sidetracked by commissions. I want you to attempt finishing it. It's a Fire-Earth elements bracer for brunt force and heated strikes—targeted at advanced mercenaries. The outer ring has partial Light runes for healing ." He eyed Kael's reaction. "Think you can handle it?"
Kael inhaled. If he succeeded, it would be a significant item, not a mere practice scrap. "I'll try, Master. Thank you for the trust."
Arden's lips curved slightly. "Show me how far your forging's come."
Kael rolled up his sleeves, reviewing the partial runes. Fire and Earth formed the base layer, but the Light ring needed final alignment. Without perfect layering, the bracer would crack or fail in actual combat. He steadied his breathing, channeling a measure of Earth to anchor his runic lines, then let a gentle flow of Light trail across the edges. Step by step, he hammered fresh runic lines into the metal, smoothing them around the existing Fire patterns. Embers danced, the metal glowed—but Kael kept everything balanced.
His arms strained from the intense concentration. Through the corner of his eye, he saw Arden observing, arms crossed. Each second weighed heavily. At last, Kael quenched the bracer in an oil bath, letting steam billow upward.
Arden stepped forward, picking up the final product. Tiny rings of Earth-Fire runes glimmered along the main portion, with a faint goldish hue near the edges signifying Light element. Arden tested the bracer by channeling a bit of his own Fire. A subtle heat pulsed from it—controlled yet potent. He nodded, turning it over in his hands. "Solid craftsmanship, Kael. You've truly learned advanced layering far beyond orchard-level forging."
Kael exhaled in relief. A swirl of triumph coursed through him.
System Notification
Forging Success: Earth-Fire-Light Bracer (Commission-Grade)
+250 EXP
He suppressed a grin. That was a decent chunk of forging EXP. He might still be far from the next level threshold, but every step helped.
TWILIGHT VIGIL – AN OMINOUS RUMOR
Night approached, and Kael braced himself for another hunt. He'd overheard rumors that a monstrous forcibly awakened boar was terrorizing a village road to the west. If so, it was a chance to protect people—and to gain precious EXP.
He slipped out under cover of darkness, pulling his cloak tight. The city gates were partially guarded at this hour, but Kael had grown adept at finding less-patrolled exits. Within half an hour, he was trekking through farmland roads, scanning for signs of devastation.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Sure enough, deep gouges in the earth and splintered fence posts soon appeared. Lanterns flickered from distant huts, and frightened peasants whispered about "a giant boar with runic lines." Kael steeled himself. If it was anything like the mutated bear from weeks before, it might be formidable.
THE MUTATED BOAR – A FIERCE BATTLE
Past a slope, Kael's heightened senses pricked. A deep grunt echoed from a grove of twisted oaks. Peering through the gloom, he spotted it: a boar easily the size of a small cart, bristling with unnatural spikes, its tusks etched with scar-like patterns. Faint runic lines glowed red across its hide. Forced awakening, no doubt.
The beast let out a resonant snort, then charged with terrifying speed. Kael darted aside, heart pounding. "Stone Shield!" he called, channeling Earth. A slab of stone erupted, partially blocking the boar's rush. The boar shattered the shield, but its momentum slowed slightly.
Kael clenched his fists, letting Lightning swirl along his arms. "Storm Bind!" Arcs of electricity lashed out, attempting to pin the boar's legs. Sparks crackled. The boar squealed in rage, shaking off part of the binding but stumbling nonetheless.
Capitalizing on the moment, Kael slammed his foot down. "Iron Quake!" Metal and Earth elements tremored through the ground, forcing jagged shards upward. The boar stumbled again, hide scoring against the protrusions. Furious, it roared, eyes gleaming red. It charged once more, tusks swinging like scythes.
Kael twisted aside at the last second. The boar's tusk grazed his left arm, ripping fabric and drawing blood. Hissing in pain, he channeled Fire into his palm. "Earthen Flame Surge!" A swirling inferno erupted from the ground around the boar's hooves, scorching it. This was the evolved version of his older Earth-Fire patch—a stronger, more explosive technique. The boar squealed in agony, but still refused to go down.
Gritting his teeth, Kael mustered a final blow: "Steel Lash!" Ribbons of metallic mana crackling with Lightninghammered into the boar's flank. The beast's scaly hide parted under the combined metal and lightning arcs. With a thunderous bellow, it collapsed at last, twitching violently before falling still.
System Notification
+200 EXP for defeating mutated boar (Main Contributor).
Kael's heart thundered, adrenaline surging. He knelt beside the monstrous corpse, scanning the forced runic scars. They seemed more intricate than earlier beasts—someone was clearly refining the forced-awakening technique. A surge of anger flared: whoever orchestrated this had to be stopped.
Still, Kael forced himself to calm. The night was not over, and more beasts might be near. Wrapping a cloth around his bleeding arm, he turned back toward the city.
A SURGE AT MIDNIGHT
Returning to the atelier well past midnight, Kael's body still trembled from the fierce fight. As he slipped into his side room, he felt a sharp pang deep within his core. His mana channels flared as though a dam were about to burst.
He sank onto his small cot, closing his eyes in alarm—and sudden realization. My Red Core can't contain this power anymore… The swirling energies from forging, hunts, and advanced elemental manipulation had pressed him to the brink for weeks. Now, a violent wave pulsed inside him, threatening to overflow.
Breathing rapidly, Kael focused inward. He'd studied enough from Sage's Insight to know how to harness a core breakthrough. Carefully, he guided his swirling mana, letting it unravel the final constraints binding his Red (Peak) core. An intense ache spread through his limbs. His mind spun with a kaleidoscope of elemental auras—Fire, Earth, Light, Lightning, Metal, and the concealed Water, Air swirling under the Void Veil Seal.
Then a flash—like shattering glass. The Red core cracked, releasing a torrent of energy that re-formed into a newly expanded Orange glow. Kael's entire body convulsed, sweat pouring down his face. He steadied himself, teeth clenched. After what felt like ages, the surge subsided, leaving him panting on the cot.
System Notification
Core Advancement: Red (Peak) → Orange (Low).
A euphoria washed over him, lightening every fiber of his being. Orange mana channels thrummed with newly expanded capacity. But an even bigger shock awaited. As if triggered by the breakthrough, a hidden portion of his Omni Physique stirred.
System Notification
Omni Physique: New Rare Elements Unlocked.
Acquired "Ice" (Basic Lv.1) and "Darkness" (Basic Lv.1).
Kael sucked in a sharp breath as he felt the chill essence of Ice awaken in parallel with the murky power of Darkness. Two new elements… He recalled the orchard awakening had gifted him with Lightning and Metal. Now, at Orange, these additional pairs followed. His heart raced. If anyone saw him wield these new elements, they'd question everything.
Clenching his fists, Kael swiftly engaged the Void Veil Seal. He concealed Ice and Darkness alongside his secret Water and Air. The mental strain spiked, but after weeks of practice, he managed. Slowly, the swirl of new elements sank into dormancy, hidden from outside detection.
Panting, Kael slumped. He was at last an Orange Core user, carrying eight total elements—five public, three hidden. A faint laughter bubbled in his throat. So this was the next step of his evolution. He felt unstoppable.
FORGING REVELATION
Barely an hour of fitful sleep passed before Kael jerked awake. A flash of insight danced in his mind—some resonance triggered by the breakthrough. He felt a compulsion to forge, as though the forging runes themselves called out to him.
He crept quietly into the atelier's side forge. The rest of the workshop lay in darkness, save for a single, low-burning brazier. He rummaged for a chunk of raw steel and placed it into the glowing coals. Letting the coals heat, he whispered a thread of Earth into the metal, stabilizing it. Then, with newfound clarity from his Orange core, he shaped advanced layering lines even more naturally.
Fire runes merged with Earth lines in near-perfect unison, their synergy guided by Kael's heightened perception. A swirl of Light runes joined them, forming a triple-layer core that felt stable. He hammered methodically, the reverberations aligning in harmony with each blow.
At the final stage, a subtle glow enveloped the forging hammer. His forging skill knowledge seemed to crystallize, bridging the final gap from mere "Beginner" rank to something more refined.
System Notification
Forging Skill has advanced to Intermediate (Lv.1).
A thrill shot through Kael's veins. The piece in front of him—a small, exquisite triple-layer plate—gleamed with a potent synergy. He finished by quenching it in a specialized oil. The new forging sense, sharper and more intuitive, told him this plate was on a different tier than his older works.
He carefully set it aside, heart hammering with exhilaration. Not only had his core advanced, but his forging skill had now formally stepped into the Intermediate domain.
MORNING'S REVEAL
By first light, Kael was already tidying the side forge. The advanced triple-layer plate glowed faintly on the bench. Footsteps approached—Cedric. The older apprentice rubbed sleep from his eyes, halting in surprise at the sight of Kael's midnight handiwork.
"What… is that? Did you do this overnight?" Cedric picked up the plate. A stunned expression crossed his face as he examined the impeccable layering. "This runic infusion is… It's beyond your usual level. Did Master Arden help?"
Kael shook his head. "I tried something new after my forging fundamentals clicked last night. I guess I… had a breakthrough."
Cedric stared a moment longer, then nodded slowly. "Master Arden has to see this."
Within an hour, word reached Arden himself. The atelier's master arrived, scrutinizing Kael's new triple-layer plate with intense focus. A swirl of Earth, Fire, and Light elements was locked seamlessly within, each layer distinct yet perfectly melded. No micro-cracks, no misaligned runes. He exhaled in genuine admiration.
"This forging skill is on par with standard Intermediate forgers," Arden said at last, meeting Kael's gaze. "To think you soared so high in mere months… you truly are an S-tier forging genius. I have little left to teach you at the beginner level."
Kael ducked his head, partly to hide the flicker of triumph. "Thank you, Master. I've… I've felt different since last night."
Arden stroked his chin, as though suspecting deeper transformations. "Indeed. Your mana control also seems smoother. It must be your official transition from Red to Orange. Many forging talents see a spike in skill upon crossing that core threshold."
Kael's pulse quickened. So Arden chalked it up to normal Orange core . Perfect. "I'll keep training. I want to refine forging further—maybe incorporate triple layers in actual weapons."
Arden gave a rare smile. "That's exactly what I'd expect from you."
ANOTHER COMMISSION – AND A GREATER FUTURE
Not long after, Arden handed Kael a new request from a traveling mercenary group wanting custom Earth-Fire swords. With forging skill at Intermediate (Lv.1), Kael could tackle these with more efficiency. Each forging session felt like second nature now, as if the layers themselves cooperated with his hammer. The difference was remarkable.
System Notification
+150 EXP (for forging minor Earth-Fire sword)
He saw notifications like these appear steadily, testament to how quickly he churned out complex items. Meanwhile, that subtle sense of empowerment from his newly minted Orange core buoyed him. The unstoppable synergy of eight total elements—five public, three hidden—thrummed beneath the surface, waiting.
Though exhausted from the all-night forging and the intense boar battle, Kael brimmed with unstoppable energy. He was an Orange-core forger with an advanced forging rank—both achievements far beyond typical nine-year-olds. The unspoken question lingered in his mind: What next?
The city hunts would continue, the forced awakenings wouldn't vanish overnight. Yet with each success, each forging commission, Kael felt himself edging closer to unveiling the hidden puppet masters behind it all. And soon, if Arden recommended him for the Academy forging track, an even wider stage would open.
That night, as Kael stared up at the workshop's rafters, the swirling sense of Ice and Darkness elements newly awakened pressed faintly at the edges of his consciousness. He suppressed them once more with the Void Veil Seal. That power, too, would be part of his unstoppable arsenal—once he judged it safe to reveal. For now, secrecy would remain his shield.
RESOLVE AND RENEWAL
When the morning bell sounded, Kael emerged from his side room to rejoin the forging floor. Cedric nodded to him in passing, mutual respect in his eyes. Gethran had left another short note, praising Kael's forging leaps and reminding him to stay vigilant about forced-awakening conspiracies. Arden had laid out fresh tasks, confident that Kael could handle more advanced commissions.
He stepped to the anvil, heart steady, mind brimming with layered runic designs he itched to test. The forging hammer felt lighter, the elements in him more fluid. This was the new normal—an Orange-core forger with forging skill no longer stuck in the beginner ranks.
He took a measured breath, letting the forging world around him fade until only the next piece of glowing metal and his unwavering hammer strikes remained. Step by step, forging overshadowed fear, forging overshadowed all else. In the flames of the atelier, Kael shaped not just steel but the destiny of an overpowered multi-element genius who refused to slow down, forging a future that soared far beyond the orchard he once called home.
STATUS SCREEN
Name: Kael Ashborne
Age: ~9 yrs + 4 months
Talent: SSS (Hidden)
Core Grade: Orange (Low) – newly advanced
Level: 14
EXP: 350 / 3500 (accumulated from forging tasks + hunts this chapter)
Free Attribute Points: 0
Attributes :
? Strength: 33
? Agility: 10
? Constitution: 33
? Intelligence: 37
? Spirit: 56
Trait:
? Sage's Insight
(Enhances runic forging & multi-element theory comprehension.)
Elemental Manipulation (Publicly Revealed):
? Fire (Intermediate, Lv.5)
? Earth (Intermediate, Lv.6)
? Light (Intermediate, Lv.3)
? Lightning (Basic, Lv.4)
? Metal (Basic, Lv.4)
Elemental Manipulation (Secretly Concealed via Void Veil):
? Water (Intermediate, Lv.4)
? Air (Intermediate, Lv.4)
? Ice (Basic, Lv.1) (newly unlocked)
? Darkness (Basic, Lv.1) (newly unlocked)
Skills & Spells:
? Earthen Snare (Intermediate, ~Lv.4)
? Ember Bolt (Intermediate, ~Lv.3–4)
? Stone Shield (Intermediate, Lv.1)
? Windflare Alarm (Intermediate, Lv.1)
? Phantom Veil (Basic, Lv.5, overshadowed)
? Static Lash (Basic, Lv.2)
? Earthen Flame Trap (Basic, Lv.4)
? Storm Bind (Basic, Lv.3)
? Iron Quake (Basic, Lv.3)
? Steel Lash (Basic, Lv.4)
? Earthen Flame Surge (Intermediate, Lv.1)
Forging Skill:
? Intermediate (Lv.1) – recently advanced, enabling more complex triple-layer and commission-grade forging.
