Chapter 239: Vulkara Accepts the Hammer Test
Garron turned his attention away from Damian and focused on Vulkara instead. "Vulkara."
Vulkara immediately straightened, though her eyes remained fixed on the massive crimson-black hammer floating in front of her. "Yes, Elder Garron?"
Garron’s expression became unusually serious. "Listen carefully. This is a King Grade weapon."
Vulkara swallowed slightly.
Of course, she already knew the hammer was anything but ordinary. The terrifying aura filling the forging room made that painfully obvious, but hearing Garron directly confirm its grade still caused her heart to pound harder.
A weapon at that level was something the current Vulkara normally would not even have the qualifications to touch, much less possess.
Garron continued, "Since it came from the Sword Tomb, especially the [Forbidden Deep Tomb], it naturally possesses a weapon spirit."
His gaze shifted toward [Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer]. "A weapon like this doesn’t simply accept a wielder because someone decides to give it away."
Damian coughed lightly from his chair. "Technically, I did bring it here."
Garron ignored him completely.
Damian’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
Vulkara glanced at her master for a second before wisely turning her attention back to Garron.
The old blacksmith continued, "A weapon spirit will usually give its prospective wielder some kind of test. If you truly want to become its wielder, then accept that test properly. Don’t treat it lightly."
Vulkara’s fingers slowly tightened into fists.
The shock lingering in her eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by the stubborn fire that suited her far better.
She nodded firmly. "I understand."
[Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer] released a low, approving hum. "Good. At least your eyes aren’t bad, kid."
Vulkara immediately raised her chin. "Who the hell are you calling kid?"
The hammer spirit paused for half a breath before bursting into rough laughter. "Hahaha! Not bad. You’ve got a temper too."
Damian leaned comfortably against the chair, clearly enjoying the interaction. "See? Perfect match."
Vulkara snapped her head toward him. "Master, shut up for a moment."
Damian blinked in exaggerated offense. "So rude."
Garron’s mouth twitched, but this time he chose not to involve himself.
Dark crimson flames suddenly surged higher across [Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer], causing the temperature inside the forging room to rise again.
The surrounding air distorted beneath the intense heat. "Alright, then. Vulkara, is it?"
Vulkara nodded without hesitation. "That’s my name."
The hammer spirit’s voice became noticeably deeper and more serious. "Good... I’ll transmit a forging art directly into your mind."
Vulkara’s eyes immediately sharpened.
[Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer] continued, "It’s only a Top-Rank Profound Grade forging art, so don’t get too damn excited. Your task is simple. Learn it, understand it, and use it to forge a weapon."
Vulkara frowned slightly. "Any weapon?"
The massive hammer tilted slightly in the air, almost as though it were nodding. "Yeah. Anything."
Its flames pulsed once. "I don’t give a damn whether you forge a sword, saber, spear, hammer, or something else. What you create doesn’t matter nearly as much as how you create it."
The hammer spirit’s attention seemed to settle entirely on Vulkara. "I only care about your hands, your fire, your control over the metal, and whether your forging heart is strong enough to satisfy me."
Vulkara’s expression became completely serious.
For once, there was no complaining, no arguing, and none of her usual irritated snorting.
She stepped forward and stood directly beneath the enormous [Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer].
Her short red hair fluttered beneath the waves of heat as she raised her head and stared straight at the weapon spirit. "Fine."
There was not a trace of hesitation in her voice. "Give it to me."
The hammer spirit went silent for a moment.
A second later, booming laughter shook the room. "Hahaha! Good!"
Its crimson-black flames exploded upward. "Then endure it!"
Vulkara barely had time to react.
The next instant, an intense crimson light erupted from [Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer] and shot directly toward her forehead.
BOOM!
---
For several breaths, Vulkara stood completely still as countless pieces of forging knowledge from the newly transmitted forging art poured into her mind.
Techniques for controlling flames, handling different metals, regulating hammer strikes, shaping materials, and sensing changes within heated ore flashed through her consciousness one after another.
A while later, the crimson glow surrounding her gradually faded.
Vulkara’s eyelids finally opened.
A fiery light flashed within her eyes for a brief moment before quickly disappearing.
The rough voice of [Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer] immediately echoed through the forging room. "Well, kid? Can you do it?"
Vulkara stared at the massive hammer for a few seconds before turning toward the anvil.
A fierce grin spread across her face. "Of course."
Damian’s eyes brightened with satisfaction. "Good disciple."
Vulkara immediately shot him an irritated glare. "Don’t praise me like that. It sounds weird coming from you."
Damian placed one hand over his chest as though she had deeply wounded him. "Your master is already injured, and now you’re hurting my feelings too."
Vulkara snorted. "Then stop talking so damn much."
Garron crossed his thick arms and carefully studied her expression.
Unlike Damian, he was far more interested in whether Vulkara had actually understood what had just been shoved into her head. "Do you really understand that forging art?"
Vulkara reached for her usual hammer and walked toward the furnace. "Not completely."
Garron raised an eyebrow.
Vulkara stopped in front of the furnace as fiery Qi began surging around her body. "However, I understand enough to start."
She adjusted the position of the metal waiting near the furnace, her eyes already becoming more focused.
"The test only requires me to use the forging art to create a weapon. It never said I needed to completely master the entire art first."
Garron gave a small nod.
That answer was reasonable.
Vulkara immediately increased the furnace flames.
WHOOSH!
Fire violently surged upward, bathing the entire forging room in an intense orange-red glow.
Her expression changed almost instantly.
The embarrassment, irritation, and casual attitude from earlier disappeared. Her eyes became sharp, her breathing steadied, and every movement suddenly carried the focused seriousness of a blacksmith preparing to work.
She stared at the furnace for a moment before abruptly turning around. Her finger pointed straight toward Damian and Garron. "Master, Elder Garron."
Damian blinked. "Hmm?"
Vulkara said bluntly, "Get out."
Damian stared at her. "What?"
Vulkara’s eyes burned with concentration as she pointed toward the door again. "I need to take this seriously. If the two of you keep standing around watching me, you’ll distract me."
Damian immediately looked offended. "I am your master."
Vulkara answered without the slightest hesitation. "That makes it worse."
Damian’s eyebrow twitched.
For several seconds, he stared at his disciple as though reconsidering every gift he had ever given her.
Eventually, however, he could only let out a helpless sigh and stand from the chair. "Fine, fine. What an ungrateful disciple."
Garron gave Damian an amused glance before following him toward the door. Just before stepping outside, Damian stopped and glanced back.
Vulkara was already standing beside the blazing furnace, her hammer resting against her shoulder as she prepared the materials she would use for the trial.
Damian’s expression softened slightly. "Do your best, Vulkara."
Vulkara paused.
The tips of her ears immediately turned faintly red, but she stubbornly kept her face turned toward the furnace. "Tch. I know."
She waved one hand toward the door without looking back. "Just wait outside."
Damian chuckled quietly and stepped into the corridor with Garron.
The door closed behind them.
THUD.
Now alone inside her private forging room, Vulkara slowly tightened her grip around the handle of her hammer.
Above her, [Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer] remained floating silently, its crimson-black flames pulsing with obvious interest as it watched every movement she made.
Vulkara stared at the glowing metal heating within the furnace, the corner of her mouth curling into a fierce, confident grin. "Alright, Tyrant. Let me show you just how damn good I really am."