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Chapter 52

“Hm. It’s a bit iffy. It’s good that they used specific attributes of the materials to improve the resulting purity, but they completely failed to utilize any of the other advantages. It seems like they need to correct their entire forging method.”

“Exactly. I was thinking the same. If it were me, I would have adjusted the ratios during the forging process...”

However, from how Se-Hoon and In-Cheol were examining numerous pieces of equipment while naturally exchanging words, the students couldn’t help but realize that their opportunity had been completely taken by the first-year honor student who showed up for the first time in two weeks.

“Let’s end today’s lesson here. You can come and study these whenever you like, and when you feel like you’ve understood the intentions behind the equipment, then you can come and find me.”

With those words, they were dismissed and the students walked out with their shoulders slumped. Watching their backs, Se-Hoon couldn’t help but wear an awkward expression.

“It seems like I’ve inadvertently crushed their motivation.... Is that alright?”

“It’s fine. If they’re going to be discouraged by just this, then it just means that they weren’t even worth teaching.”

Though it was a rather harsh statement, Se-Hoon nodded in agreement.

“That is true.”

Babel was not a place that forced people to move forward; it simply offered paths that people could choose to walk on.

If the class was too difficult then that was one thing, but if they were so disheartened that they gave up this easily despite being in of their competitor, then there really was no need to painstakingly encourage and teach them.

Anyway, does this mean that all of my competitors are gone now?

All he had to do now was figure out how he should receive In-Cheol’s funding. While Se-Hoon pondered ways to take that last step, In-Cheol asked in a subtle voice, “Do you have another class after this?”

“No, this was my last class for today.”

“Hmm... could you spare me some time, then? I have a proposition I’d like to discuss with you.”

Seeing his serious expression, Se-Hoon nodded, realizing that the opportunity he wanted had come.

“Yes, that would be fine.”

“Then let us go somewhere else. Follow me.”

Exiting the classroom, they headed toward the parking lot located behind the main building.

Given the vast size of the man-made island that Babel was built on, it wasn’t surprising to see people with their own cars. And In-Cheol seemed to be one of those people.

Is it because it’s Babel that everyone has expensive cars...?

Scanning the parking lot, his eyes widened when his eyes landed on a motorcycle parked in a corner.

The tires appeared to be at least three times the size of a normal bike and it had an engine exuding ferocity. Its body, coated in red, was no less formidable. However, what truly surprised him was the materials used to create it.

That’s a V16-horsepower hybrid engine capable of powering a ship, and the tires seem to be made of basilisk leather... and the body is made of an alloy? Everything seems to be at least Hero tier...

Just from what he could see, the motorcycle seemed more expensive than all the other vehicles in the parking lot combined. The sight of the behemoth disguised as a motorcycle fascinated him.

Who would ride such a crazy thing?

Wondering about the owner, he saw In-Cheol naturally walk over and open the storage compartment at the back of the motorcycle to take out a red helmet.

“Put this on.”

“This is... your bike, Professor?”

“Yes...?”

Se-Hoon looked at In-Cheol oddly, and In-Cheol looked back as if wondering what the problem was.

“No, it’s nothing...”

It seemed that In-Cheol wasn’t as modest of a blacksmith as he had thought. Deciding to keep this in mind for future reference when extracting his Fatestone, he put on the helmet and climbed onto the back seat.

“There’s also a protective device, just in case.”

Vroom-

The engine roared to life when In-Cheol pressed a button near the handle, and Se-Hoon’s entire body was wrapped in a thin layer of red mana.

Though the barrier seemed temporary, its durability was comparable to that of Hero armor. Se-Hoon couldn’t help but be astonished by its functionality.

“This is an amazing device.”

“I’ve been using it quite handily even before I became a professor. It’s my treasure number two.”

“Number two...”

Se-Hoon wondered what the first treasure would be. Seemingly seeing through his curiosity, In-Cheol pulled down his goggles and smirked.

“I’ll show you number one soon.”

Vroom-!

The engine roared and the motorcycle swiftly shot out of the parking lot before beginning to smoothly cruise down the road.

Despite its formidable appearance and speed, the ride was remarkably smooth, without any noticeable vibrations. Curious about the mechanics, Se-Hoon examined the motorcycle’s ability to naturally disperse shocks.

The bike seems to be running at less than thirty percent of its output. If driven properly in the open, it would be unstoppable.

At its full speed, it could probably mow down any average monster.

In the midst of his inspection of the motorcycle’s performance, he suddenly noticed the landscape around them had changed.

Is this the outer area?

They had left the department area where most of the students studied, arriving at a zone where not only Babel’s staff but also personnel from various companies and guilds dispatched by those outside resided. This place was effectively no different from a normal residential area.

Eventually, In-Cheol stopped in the most secluded area of the zone.

“This is my house.”

They arrived at a two-story detached house with a garden. It was a neat and faultless place, but Se-Hoon’s eyes were drawn to the building next to it. That building, seemingly made of an alloy that was often used for special buildings, had a large chimney sticking out at the top. It was obvious that it was In-Cheol’s workshop.

“Did you build the house here specifically because of the workshop?”

“Being closer to the department area comes with restrictions on personal research, so I had no choice but to come out here.”

“Aha. I guess Professor’s research can become quite dangerous.”

Even if protective measures were taken, once things went wrong, the experiment could unpredictably blow up.

That was something Se-Hoon had learned firsthand before the regression when he blew up a few mountains along with his workshop due to a few minor mistakes.

I remember how I was once a wanted man for that.... It was such a headache.

Meanwhile, In-Cheol, having parked the motorcycle in the garage, broke Se-Hoon out of his memories and gestured for him to follow.

“Come this way.”

He led Se-Hoon to the front of his workshop, forcefully pulling up the closed shutter.

“Wow...”

When the two entered, the workshop lit up brightly. The first thing that caught Se-Hoon’s eye were the five furnaces lined up against the wall, each covered by a semi-transparent lid that held back wildly swirling flames of various colors.

Custom furnaces that are adjusted for specific uses, huh? Maintaining these must cost a pretty penny...

Besides those, the workshop contained many hextech devices, mana engines included, and its walls and shelves were neatly organized with various tools on them.

The workshop, a seemingly state-of-the-art facility built with great expense, contrasted greatly with how modest and conservative In-Cheol was at the academy. With that realization, Se-Hoon finally got a sense of what kind of person In-Cheol was.

So he’s someone who’s open-minded when it comes to their field of work.

In-Cheol wasn’t someone who would hesitate to spend money or embrace new technologies if it was related to blacksmithing.

That kind of mindset was one that had a lot of strengths and potential pitfalls, but Se-Hoon knew of them all.

If I do well, he’ll lavishly support me... but if not, he’ll just spend extravagantly on himself.

It seemed that to tap into In-Cheol’s budget, he needed to be actively appealing. While Se-Hoon had been inspecting the workshop, In-Cheol had put on thick gloves and picked up a pair of tongs.

“Do you have any fire resistance skills?”

“I have a C-tier skill called Master of Flames.”

“That might not be enough. Put on the protective suit hanging over there.”

Nodding, Se-Hoon promptly picked up the protective suit from the wall.

[Salmander’s Protective Suit]

[Tier: Hero] [Quality: Excellent]

[A protective suit made from the hide of a fire salamander.

It consumes mana to regulate the body temperature and can absorb external heat to generate mana.

*Consumes mana to regulate body temperature.

*Can absorb heat to generate mana and restore damages

*Enables the use of the skill ‘Fire Control’

Is the heat to the extent that I have to wear this?

It seemed like he was about to be shown something that would require at least an A-tier skill to withstand. Curious about what the so-called treasure number one could be, he quickly put on the protective suit and approached In-Cheol.

“Don’t move from there.”

Taking a moment to catch his breath, In-Cheol approached the largest furnace in the middle of the five and opened the lid that covered the firebox.

Fwoosh!

A blast of scorching hot air rushed out the moment the lid was opened.

Despite the immediate activation of the workshop’s protective devices, the heat haze surrounding him indicated that the temperature and nature of the flame were extraordinary.

“Whew...”

Facing the hot blast head-on, In-Cheol approached the furnace, deeply inserted the tongs he was holding, and then pulled out something.

Fwoosh!

Out came a blade, shining bright white and emitting tremendous heat.

It had a slightly curved form with a large crack in the center, from which flames undulated and leaked out.

When it appeared, the moisture in the workshop instantly evaporated, and even the mana seemed to boil. Seeing the sight of the blade, which resembled a fragment of the sun, Se-Hoon’s eyes narrowed.

Isn’t that...

Though it was different from what he knew, it felt incredibly familiar. He began scanning through his memories.

In the meantime, In-Cheol, after pulling out the blade, frowned and quickly moved it over to the anvil.

Thump!

When the blade was placed on it, the anvil transformed into a giant cage with dozens of layers of magic arrays covering the inside, completely trapping the heat.

Sighing, In-Cheol put down the tongs and gestured to Se-Hoon, who was standing at a distance.

“Come here. Just to be safe, don’t take off the protective suit yet.”

“Understood.”

Still in the protective suit, Se-Hoon approached and took another look at the blade that seemed to be In-Cheol’s number one treasure. Currently, it was suspended in midair in the middle of the black cage that had just formed. He examined its information message.

[Shattered Flame]

[Tier: Hero] [Quality: Perfect]

[A blade imbued with fire mana.

Though it was originally a completed sword, its core was destroyed, causing it to lose all functionality and even the ability to contain its own heat.

If all the stored heat is released, it will be permanently destroyed.

*Permanently destroyed if the heat charge falls to 0%

*Current heat charge: 89%]

“Wow...”

Despite the fact that its core had been destroyed and it had lost all functionality, it still ranked as a perfect-quality Hero-tier item. If it was in its perfect state, the blade would have been a Legendary weapon.

I can’t believe I’m seeing such an item so early on...

He stared at the blade with great interest. Similarly, In-Cheol was also looking at the blade by his side, and soon, In-Cheol slowly began to speak.

“I was in possession of this even before entering Babel. Initially, it only had less than ten percent of its heat. So, I used every method I knew to increase its heat charge.”

However, since he wasn’t able to repair the fundamental issue—its core—the maintenance cost persisted. In no time at all, his wealth dwindled away.

“I sold all my possessions except for the workshop and used most of my earnings for maintenance costs, but it still wasn’t enough. I was about to give up when the Chairman came to me.”

In exchange for the funding of the maintenance cost of Shattered Flame, he was to take up the position of a professor in the Department of Blacksmithing. There was no way In-Cheol could refuse Ludwig’s offer, so he quickly accepted and entered Babel’s artificial island.

Having heard the entire story, Se-Hoon became fascinated.

“So that’s why you’re studying the Origin of Equipment? To repair this, right, Professor?”

“That’s right. If fixing Shattered Flame is possible, then anything goes for me. I’m only researching that field of study because the Chairman wants to see results in that area...”

Seeing his awkward demeanor, Se-Hoon looked back at Shattered Flame.

Although the indiscriminately spewing heat distorted the interior of the cage, making it difficult to see its shape properly, he could somewhat guess its form.

It was a red blade with white flames burning above it. Originally, the flames were supposed to be condensed within it, but since its core had been destroyed, they kept leaking out.

“So, you showing this to me means that you want my help in your research.”

The idea of the lead professor in the Department of Blacksmithing asking a freshman for help might sound absurd, but In-Cheol nodded affirmatively with no hesitation.

“Yes. It’s embarrassing to say it directly... but at this rate, I feel like I’ll never find a solution.”

After dedicating many years to establishing oneself in any field of research, one would inevitably come to realize their own limits. No matter how hard they tried alone, what they were reaching was beyond where they could go. And In-Cheol, who was facing this wall that was completely different from any he had overcome before while trying to repair the Shattered Flame, knew of his limits.

“That’s why I want your help. You have the most exceptional talent out of all the students... no, all the blacksmiths I’ve ever seen so far.”

Some might deny or ignore their limits, but In-Cheol chose to acknowledge them straightforwardly and look for solutions.

If the problem couldn’t be solved through experience, he chose to seek out a genius superior to himself for advice. And that genius, to him, was Se-Hoon, who had amazed him time and again.

Hmm... I like his personality.

Pleased with his honesty which was devoid of any pretense, Se-Hoon nodded in agreement.

“Understood. It’s a rare opportunity to research such a weapon. So much so that I’d actually like to ask you to let me do it as a favor.”

“Really? Thank...”

“But.”

Se-Hoon glanced at In-Cheol before continuing.

“To properly conduct the research, it seems we’ll need various items... and the budget I’m set to receive this semester seems a bit tight... ahem.”

Se-Hoon tried to beat around the bush, but in the end, he had precisely conveyed what he wanted. Dazed by his words, In-Cheol chuckled a moment later.

“Try to not make it too obvious.”

It seemed that he, indeed, had a generous heart when it came to his field of expertise. Reaffirming what kind of person he was in his mind, Se-Hoon extended his hand with a bright smile, and In-Cheol grasped it firmly.

At this moment, Se-Hoon successfully connected himself to one of the major cash cows of Babel.

***

“Let’s do some research once a week. Also, you’re getting full scores for the class anyway, so you don’t have to attend the lectures if you have other matters to take care of.”

“Understood.”

“Then.”

Vroom-!

With a roar, the motorcycle disappeared into the distance. Watching it vanish in the blink of an eye, Se-Hoon looked on in wonder.

Today has been quite the day for reassessment.

He had reassessed not just the study of the origin of equipment but also In-Cheol.

Honestly, I thought it would be hard to get his funding.

In-Cheol appeared so old-fashioned and rigid that Se-Hoon never expected it would be so easy. And the fact that In-Cheol let Se-Hoon manage the budget himself went beyond his imagination. While he was amused by how he could exploit the situation, he also had an enormous headache because of it.

Shattered Flame.... If I’m not mistaken, that’s definitely a piece of the Five Element Equipment.

Among Legendary equipment, five pieces possessed unparalleled abilities in their respective elemental domains. They were collectively known as the Five Element Equipment, and they were renowned amongst heroes.

In the hands of a madman, they could obliterate entire cities, and in the hands of an ordinary person, it would be quickly stolen, their life lost. And whenever they resurfaced after vanishing, they would always bring about an inevitably fierce struggle to possess it; they were just thorns in the flesh.

While all Legendary equipment tends to be problematic... that’s especially the case with the Five Element Equipment.

They were known for their power to significantly enhance the elemental mana that matched its own, offering the potential to permanently increase affinity and control.

Hence, thousands died in vain over these pieces of equipment. And currently, In-Cheol possessed Shattered Flame, the broken Fire Heaven Greatsword.

The last sighting of it before the regression was... in the hands of the Puppeteer.

The Puppeteer was one of the Ten Evils, who was able to craft automatons from corpses and weapons. Upon acquiring the Fire Heaven Greatsword, it was transformed into an automaton named Surtur, which caused the deaths of over six hundred heroes, S-rank heroes included, and nearly forty thousand civilians.

An entire city had been literally vaporized, with not a single trace left behind. It was an event so catastrophic that calling it a great disaster hardly did it justice.

Though it was swiftly eliminated, such an incident should have never occurred in the first place.

Should the existence of the Fire Heaven Greatsword become known, it would attract not only the Puppeteer but also other potential threats.

He had no idea how it was stolen from Babel, which was Ludwig’s domain, but regardless, it was prudent that he prepared in advance.

If I didn’t know how to repair it, I wouldn’t have had to ponder this...

Whether it was fortunate or not, he was able to discern how to repair the Fire Heaven Greatsword upon inspection. However, he still needed a few essential items.

Brrr-

The sudden vibration of his phone cut through his thoughts. He checked it immediately and read the newly arrived message.

Eun-Ha: Regarding the extermination practice we discussed earlier, it seems that I’m only available this weekend. Are you okay with that? I’ll be awaiting your response.

Upon seeing Eun-Ha’s message regarding the promised extermination practice, he sighed and pondered briefly.

I can think about whether to repair it or not after I gather that item first.

If he missed this opportunity, it was uncertain when another chance would come. Having made up his mind, he immediately sent a response.

Se-Hoon: Let’s do it immediately.