After ten minutes inside his personal room, Razeal finally settled on the edge of his bed, having finished his dinner and coffee. The warmth still lingered in his chest, a rare comfort after so long.
[Shall we continue our training now, Host? Or have you had enough slacking off?]
the Systemâs voice rang out, dry and unimpressed.
Razeal set his coffee cup down on the side table with a soft clink and leaned back slightly, exhaling.
"Yeah, yeah, Iâm done," he muttered, then smirked. "But you have no idea... Just being able to eat something hot, packed, and actually
decent
after
years
itâs something else. Give me a break, I was just having a moment."
[Well, if youâre ready, shall we proceed with training now?]
the System asked with a sigh that barely hid its impatience.
"Actually, no," Razeal replied, brushing his fingers through his hair, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Iâve got a different plan. Just give me twenty minutes. I think I can pull this off."
[Huh?]
"Iâve made up my mind, System. Iâm going to unlock magic too
before
the duel." His voice had hardened now, laced with resolve. "Thatâs important too. I canât afford to rely on just one path anymore."
[But how exactly do you intend to raise your mana stats in such a short time?]
the System asked, skepticism clear.
"Donât worry about it," Razeal said, waving a hand. "Just send me to an SSS-ranked blacksmith... preferably one whoâs
extremely
sexually frustrated."
There was a moment of pause. Then, without further questions, the System complied.
One hour and twelve minutes later...
"What the
fuck
," Razeal muttered, collapsing onto his bed, breath slightly ragged. A massive box easily larger than the entire bed itself sat ominously in his arms holding it tight . "I thought this was supposed to take
twenty minutes
. How the hell did it turn into
this
?"
[Host, naturally it would take longer. First, you visited Villain Drake to ask for more of his rare secret materials. Then, you spent time convincing that newly promoted SSS-ranked blacksmith to craft this item using those materials. All things considered, this was bound to take over an hour,]
the System explained, its tone clearly disinterested in the chaos Razeal often caused.
Razeal didnât bother replying. He was too busy holding this monstrosity in his arms. The thing was massive, heavy as hell, and hard to carry yet in his arms now rested something extraordinary.
A cheat item. Thatâs what it was. A literal cheat machine.
"Only problem is... itâs a fucking
giant
," Razeal muttered to himself. "How the hell am I supposed to carry this around during a traveling from here to there?"
Then, a thought clicked in his mind, his expression slowly lighting up with hope.
"Hey System," he said, looking at the box. "Can you... I dunno... just
integrate
this thing into the system as a function or something? Itâd be easier. Carrying this beast around is not gonna work for me."
There was no reply. Silence stretched on longer than expected.
"...Can you, or can you not?" Razeal asked again, this time with more insistence. The Systemâs silence was suspicious... which usually meant the idea
might actually work
.
[...Sigh. Alright. It can indeed be done,]
the System finally admitted.
Razealâs smirk returned, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.
"Good."
[System Prompt: Do you really wish to activate the "Automatic Blacksmithâs Machine (SSS)" function?]
[Yes or No]
Without a beat of hesitation, Razeal responded,
"Yes."
Not only was there no reluctance he was
actually happy
.
And just like that, the massive, unwieldy contraption heâd been carrying vanished from his arms.
Razeal exhaled a deep sigh of relief. For a moment there, he had seriously been worried that the bed would snap under the sheer weight of it.
So, what was that strange metal box?
Oh, just a little something he had
plucked
off the hands of a desperate, porn hungry old man.
Why is it always these old mand who are addicted to porn? Razeal didnât know, and frankly, he wasnât curious enough to dig into that mystery. All that mattered was that the thing worked.
Worked
like a charm.
And yes that ridiculous-looking thing was, in fact, an
SSS-Ranked Machine
.
He had
scammed
that perverted bastard out of it.
As for what it did?
It was a
broken
item. As in brokenly overpowered.
Just possessing it alone was enough for Razeal to
officially
call himself an
SS-Rank Blacksmith
.
The thing was made by a real SSS-Ranked Blacksmith, and its primary (and only) function?
It could forge
any weapon, artifact, or equipment under SSS-Rank
automatically
.
All it needed was the correct materials.
And it didnât just do it
fast
it did it
instantly
.
Back when that horny old man had first told him about it, Razeal hadnât believed a word.
But now...
Now, thinking about it again, he couldnât help but admit it was absolutely
badass
.
He was still basking in that thought when suddenly
[System Notification]
[Congratulations, Host!]
You have successfully acquired the Special Prop:
[Automatic Blacksmithâs Machine (SSS)]
With the Hostâs permission, the system has now fully integrated this item into the
[Low tier Function Module]
.
New Function Unlocked: [Automatic Blacksmith]
A top-grade support module that allows
automatic crafting, repair, and enhancement of equipment
!
Function Details:
⢠Simply provide the necessary raw materials.
⢠The system will automatically forge, repair, or upgrade any item ranging from
F-Rank to SS-Rank and beyond
.
Additional Bonus: [Special System Assistance]
As compensation for the Hostâs past hardships due to unwanted or malfunctioning system features, the system has granted a
unique enhancement
to this function.
Host may now input a brief
description or concept
of the desired item.
The system will then access its
cross reality databanks
, analyzing recorded blueprints, weapon models, magical artifacts, and equipment designs from
all known realities and timelines
.
Based on the materials provided, the system will generate a
comprehensive list of optimal items
that can be forged.
The Host may then either select an item from the list or use search and filter functions to refine results.
Upon selection, the system will immediately initiate the auto-forge process, delivering the completed item
directly to the Host
perfectly forged, no flaws.
Razeal silently read through the notification.
His eyes sparkled with anticipation right from the beginning he had expected nothing less now that the machine had been formally absorbed into the system.
But as he read further... and reached the last part...
He fell silent.
A slow, almost smug smile crept across his lips.
"Itâs good that you finally apologized and compensated me yourself, Villey," Razeal muttered quietly.
"If not... I swear, if I ever got the chance, I was gonna spank the living circuits out of you one day."
He chuckled to himself.
"Though, you better keep it up. Do this well next time, and the time after that, too."
The system didnât reply.
Probably shy.
Either way Razealâs grin widened as he focused on the true treasure in front of him: the
Systemâs Apology Bonus
.
"
Record all records from the systemâs database...
"
He muttered the words again, barely able to contain his glee.
That feature alone was absurdly powerful.
The system literally had access to
infinite worlds
.
No doubt it was a dimensional beast when it came to data.
Would it crash under its own load? Would it bug out?
Razeal snorted. Not likely.
The only thing he needed now... was the right material.
And then
woosh.
Magic.
Razeal was now
more than happy
with this
fucked up
cheat.
The very same cheat that once seemed utterly
useless
... now felt like a hidden gem he had completely underestimated..
yet again
.
Without wasting another thought, he sprinted down the stairs, taking two steps at a time.
As he reached the lower floor, he coughed slightly, regaining the attitude of his mysterious man persona.
He stepped inside the shop.
"Ohh, youâre back, boss? What happened, you need anything?" Levy looked up from where he sat, bored at his seat, waiting for customers. His voice now sounded a little more casual, maybe even familiar with Razeal. That short chat earlier definitely brought down the distance between them, even if just a little. He didnât quite understand why, but this mysterious kid didnât seem all that bad to him anymore...
"Ohh no, I just thought of something that might help me get monster cores... or maybe even make your business bigger," Razeal said plainly.
"Ohhh? And what would that be?" Levy stood up from his seat and walked in Razealâs direction.
"Well.. just tell me," Razeal said directly, "which is the most sold weapon in this area? I mean, from your shop what do you sell the most?"
Levy furrowed his brows, clearly puzzled by the question, but still answered with a shrug. "If youâre asking what gets sold most... Iâd say daggers, armor, or small healing potions. But if you mean what gets sold in the
largest quantity
, thatâs easy arrows. Yeah, arrows sell the most."
As he spoke, he turned his eyes toward a corner of the shop where hundreds of first grade arrows were neatly stacked along the counter.
"Arrows? Hmm... alright, got it. Get me one arrow," Razeal said, eyes locked on him.
"Huh?" Levy raised a brow in confusion, but still went over and picked up one arrow from the rack.
"What are we doing, boss? Is something going on?" Levy asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Nothing, nothing. Iâll show you some magic now... just wait," Razeal said, taking the arrow into his hand. It was a basic first-rank arrow.
The arrow in Razealâs hand was a standard first-rank weapon ordinary, unimpressive. In this world, everythingbwhether weapons, artifacts, or even monster cores was measured by a tiered system from Rank 1, the weakest, up to Rank 9, the strongest.
Right now, he was holding a plain wooden arrow with a basic iron or steel tip. He doesnât know.
"Whatâs the price for this?" Razeal asked, examining the arrow closely.
"Itâs an iron arrow, boss," Levy answered. "So... minimum one copper coin. If itâs top quality, maybe up to ten copper coins at best."
Levy gave Razeal a sideways glance, wondering if rich folks really didnât know the price of such a basic item.
Must be nice
, he thought,
to play around with 4th or 5th rank weapons without knowing or needing to care about their actual cost.
He could only sigh.
Razeal didnât respond further. Instead, he asked his system silently.
"System, what can I do with this arrow? I mean, itâs made from different materials already, right? Can I just upgrade it?"
[...]
[Host, why are you so greedy? At least use some
decent
material. Sure, the new function can improve craftsmanship, maybe even push the weapon a little higher but if the base materials are this weak they wonât withstand any real blessing.]
"
The systemâs scolding made Razeal pout.
"All right, all right then tell me what kind of material
would
work," he grumbled.
[Any object that already contains energy is ideal. Provide that, and the forge can truly upgrade, enchant, or recreate it.]
"Hm." Razeal didnât need to think long. A perfect item popped into his mind.
He turned to Levy. "Hand me one of those elemental cores I gave you earlier."
"Eh?" Levy scratched his head.
Is he asking for his own payment back?
Still, without protest, he produced a small, glass-like sphere the color of molten ruby and passed it over.
Razeal accepted the D-rank
Fire Elemental Core
in one hand, placed the basic iron-tipped arrow in the other, then clasped both palms together.
Levy watched, bewildered.
What in the world is he doing?
Razeal ignored him busy conducting business with the system.
"Okay, Villey show me the data list. What can I make from these materials?"
[System Notice:
Cross-Reality Crafting Results â Material Sync Complete]
Input Recognized
⢠One (1)
F-Rank Arrow
â standard wood shaft, low-grade iron tip
⢠One (1)
D-Rank Fire Elemental Core
â stable flame essence
Initiating blueprint search across multiversal forge records...
Accessing
???+ realities
.
Elemental compatibility:
Confirmed
Structural variance:
Minimal
Output â Top Optimal Creations
(R
esults ranked by compatibility, efficiency, and potential impact)
1. Crimson Qi Arrow (Origin: Cultivation World)
Rank: D+
An arrow lightly infused with Fire Qi, harmonized through minimal meridian flow. Upon release, it flares with crimson light, striking both body and spirit.
Effect: Pierces skin and internal Qi channels. 10% chance to disrupt energy circulation. Causes minor internal burns.
---
2. Cinder Howl Bolt (Origin: Post-Apocalypse Realm)
Rank: D
Emits a burning whistle as it flies, said to echo the cries of the scorched. Instills dread even before impact.
Effect: AoE fear chance (5%). Small fire blast on impact. May panic weaker enemies.
---
3. Thermo-Plasma Arrow v1.3 (Origin: Mecha / Sci-Fi Realm)
Rank: D
Elemental fire fused with synthetic plasma. Built for tech-age warfare seamless ignition, smart-locked.
Effect: Melts through light armor. Minor plasma shockwave on contact. 5% chance to disable nearby electronics.
---
4. Drakeflare Shot (Origin: High Fantasy Realm)
Rank: D
Modeled after a juvenile fire drakeâs breath, this arrow detonates in a fan-shaped blaze upon impact.
Effect: AOE fire burst (2-meter cone). Moderate flame damage. Chance to cause [Scorch] on all targets in range.
---
--
-
??
And that was just the beginning.
Countless more options began pouring onto Razealâs system panel billions, if not trillions, of recommendations from across the known (and unknown) multiverse, all generated in response to his simple fusion of core and arrow.
---