The New Gate

After entering and receiving a brief explanation, one of the guards announced the start of work.

“These are the only tools we’ll be using. Everyone, show us the best of your skills! Begin!”

To ensure that there would be no cheating, two observers were assigned to each group.

Inside the building were a miniaturized furnace and various tools. The space wasn’t very large. There were eight groups in the building where Shin was alone. Everyone except those working alone seemed to have a hard time.

“Is that iron with a lot of impurities?”

Shin assessed the quality of the tools and materials provided. By the standards of the game, these were tools used by blacksmiths who have left beginner status and reached the next level.

If Shin used them seriously, it would shatter after just one swing.

The iron was mixed with minerals that were not very compatible for making weapons. If he were to forge a sword like this, it would undoubtedly become dull.

Shin spent 30 minutes assessing the iron. Others around him were already heating and forging iron.

Shin glanced slightly at the heated iron. It was not heating up like a regular fire. The furnace seemed to have a higher level of performance than expected.

A high-pitched, shrill sound echoed chaotically. Skilled craftsmanship could sometimes turn iron into a musical instrument.

Sometimes a rhythm that sounds like music could be created, but with this many people, it seemed that this was not possible.

If you listened carefully, the sounds were different even with the same tools and materials. Some people’s rhythms were thrown off by the rhythms of others.

Two people didn’t lose their rhythm at all. The unknown white-haired man and Kluck. Perhaps the sorting was done in the order of reception, as Kluck was in the same venue as Shin.

“Now then.”

After observing his surroundings for a moment, Shin put the iron on the fire.

The flames created by magic were different from normal flames caused by burning flammable materials. They maintain a constant temperature, the temperature changed when magic power passed through them, and they were easy to control.

If you used the original method of using coal or something, it was several levels more difficult to maintain the temperature of the fire.

Even with such easy-to-use magic furnaces, the feel of using them varies depending on the item.

Sensing that the temperature was rising more than expected, Shin removed the iron from the furnace.

It was within the acceptable range. Deciding that, he placed the iron on the anvil or something. Being careful with the amount of force he applied, he struck first. Along with a high-pitched sound, he felt a recoil in his hand.

(A little weak.)

Feeling that he’d relaxed too much, Shin put a little more force into his arm gripping the hammer. A sound a little higher-pitched than before resounded.

(This is the feeling.)

From there, he continued striking. When he felt that the temperature of the iron had dropped, he put it in the furnace and struck again.

Perhaps it was because they were striking a longsword, or perhaps the technique hadn’t been passed down. No one was doing the work of folding the stretched iron together, called Folding. Everyone simply hammered the iron to stretch it out.

Even in modern times, there were times when iron was hammered, carved, and turned into blades. Shin thought that this was probably the mainstream here.

(It’s difficult to make a difference with just equipment and materials. So it’s the way it’s struck.)

Some slowly shaped it. Others quickly shaped it. Each struck the iron in the way they thought was best. Among them, there were some striking the iron with magic.

They were Kluck and the white-haired man, whom Shin had noticed earlier. Both of their hammers were imbued with magical power.

Shin stopped swinging the hammer and let out a small sigh.

He had gotten a grasp on the amount of force and the feel of the material. Now the real action began.

He was aware of the flow of magical power. From his arm to his hand, and from his hand to the hammer. He controlled the magical power as if wrapping it thinly.

He was aware of keeping it weak and small. If he went any more than this, the hammer would not be able to withstand Shin’s magical power.

Lightly and gently. He struck the iron.

The magical power that had been wrapping the hammer permeated the iron with the impact. There was no need to slam it down. If he did that, the shining material on the anvil would shatter in an instant. This was the optimal solution for now.

The sound that echoed had changed from a high-pitched metallic sound to a clear sound like glass being struck.

He struck at a steady pace, with constant force.

He could tell that he was concentrating. The surrounding noise faded away, and only the necessary information came in.

Sight and touch allow him to sense the temperature of the iron. Hearing allowed him to sense the amount of impurities mixed in.

The iron, permeated with magical power, changed composition, as if in tune with Shin’s will.

The iron retained its red color, but with each strike it changed shape. When heated iron was struck, impurities and other impurities usually appeared on the surface, but this no longer occurred.

Only the flying sparks and sound told him how the work was progressing.

Normally, it would take dozens or even hundreds of swings of the hammer to shape the piece, but with twenty-four movements, the form was completed.

“…Not bad.”

What Shin picked up with his fire tongs was a longsword with a sharp blade.

He placed it on a thin stand. It may have been a stand for finished items, but the longsword needed to be cooled slowly from here, so he placed it there.

There was no instruction on what to put it on in the explanation beforehand.

As Shin was checking the finished product, he noticed for the first time that it was quiet all around.

As he looked around, his eyes met with every single one of the blacksmiths. Five of the groups were frozen in place with looks of shock on their faces.

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