Read The Astral Vanguard :: Chapter 9: Forged Through Legacy and Pain

Before starting on the task Grandpa had given me, a thought struck me. Crossing the level six barrier and achieving level seven is truly remarkable. The immense physical and mental effort required must have shaped an extraordinary story in his life.

In my previous life, Grandpa had died when I was twelve, while he was out of state. I never got the chance to have a proper conversation with him. It had always been me talking during our time together.

So, I asked him, "Grandpa, why did you become a blacksmith?"

Grandpa paused, his hammer hovering above the glowing metal on his anvil. His eyes seemed to look past the forge, into a distant memory. He placed the hammer down and turned to face me, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Actually, I never chose to become a blacksmith. I was an orphan as a child, and in the orphanage, we were given different tasks to make ends meet. I was tasked with helping the repairman of our orphanage, who knew basic works like removing rust from metal and crafting simple, cool-looking metal armor, which he used to sell to make extra money."

He paused for a minute, turning towards me, his eyes filled with the weight of old memories.

"He took me in to bend the small pieces of metal for the armor at the start, as with small hands it was easier to do so, and he didn't have the skill to do it himself."

Grandpa picked up an old, battered piece of armor, showing the delicate bends and curves that marked his early work.

"Then, when our state fought with the barbarians, everything changed. The demand for weapons and armor skyrocketed, and the repairman couldn't keep up. He taught me how to make a katana, and I discovered I had a talent for it. By the age of thirty, I was making level 6 weapons and got accepted by a guild as a knife blacksmith."

"But now I have retired from my job, as I am already past eighty. I could have worked for another thirty or forty years with my level of skills and my Ignis Phoenix being at level 7."

Grandpa's happy face suddenly turned into sadness, as if he were recalling a past trauma.

< He recalls the heart-wrenching moment when he held a child in his arms, the boy's tiny body marred by a gaping hole through his chest. The child's cries filled the air, a haunting sound that pierced through the chaos and pain surrounding them. He can still feel the weight of the child's fragile frame, the warmth of life slipping away under his touch, and the desperate, pleading eyes looking up at him. The memory lingers, vivid and raw, a lasting scar caused by the brutality of… >

To change the mood, I said, "Grandpa, did you ever make a katana that you were especially proud of?"

Grandpa smiled, the sadness lifting slightly from his eyes. "Yes, I did. There was one katana, forged in my prime, that even the guild master himself praised. It was said to have a perfect balance and a blade that could cut through anything."

"I don't know much about how to use a katana, as my use skill is just level 2, but I can make a level 8 katana."

I knew this part, as he was the one who taught me how to use a katana in my past life.

"Dajit, blacksmithing will first become your common skill. Then that common skill can be converted into a special skill if you integrate your star with the skill. But remember, sometimes you can't, like light abilities and blacksmithing can't be merged, or if your job class isn't compatible with the skill. For example, most mages can't learn blacksmithing, but one with great build and practice can," Grandpa explained.

"Understood, Grandpa," I replied.

Then he said, "Enough of the chitchat. I'll tell you the rest of the story sometime later. Now, get back to work."

Grandpa went back to his task, his hammer ringing out in a steady rhythm. As I watched him, I knew he had a legacy of his own. I would really like to know more about Grandpa Kaewon's skills, but it would be quite rude to ask. Instead, I focused on my own work, hoping to one day achieve a fraction of his greatness.

[< Indicates special information meant for the reader that has not yet been disclosed to the MC.]

< [Race: Human

Star: Ignis Phoenix: Level 7

Common skills:

Mining: Level 3___*see details*

Alchemy: Level 1___*see details*

Carpentry: Level 4___*see details*

Special skills:

Katana Blacksmithing: Level 8___*see details*

Armor Blacksmithing: Level 7___*see details*

Long sword Blacksmithing: Level 7___*see details*

Knife blacksmithing: Level 7___*see details*