The capsule sealed shut with a soft hiss, the familiar surge of sync-light filling his vision.
His stream channel could wait.
The login chime faded into the distant hum of a night-bound city inside the VR world. Staying ahead was the only way to keep trouble from breathing down his neck.
Zack cracked his virtual fingers, rolling his shoulders. His expression was calm but the intent in his eyes was razor-sharp.
"Let's get to work" he muttered.
The Marketplace District buzzed faintly with late-night traders and flickering holographic signs.
Zack stood before one of the collection terminals, the cool blue light reflecting off his coat as he accessed his account.
[Settlement Summary]
[Total Account Balance: 1,026 Gold | 20 Silver]
His previous listings and the latest potion batch had all sold out, leaving him with a hefty sum in return. The profits were more than enough to cover his next move.
In the end, he decided to go with the Blacksmith profession.
It offered both stats and HP and he could allocate the points however he wanted, rather than having them automatically divided into strength, intelligence and so on.
Enhancer had also been a tempting choice for Zack but after running the possibilities through his mind, he decided Blacksmith would give him the upper hand.
Tamer had its appeal too but the randomness of the stats it granted was a huge turn-off otherwise, he might have seriously considered it.
Zack had already purchased the materials needed to push his Blacksmith proficiency, carefully sorted and stored in his inventory. With that settled, he turned his attention back to Alchemy, specifically, the Spirit Restoration Draught.
He purchased another round of ingredients in bulk, the system tallying the transaction in neat golden digits.
[Crafting: Spirit Restoration Draught ×20,000]
[Success Rate: 50%]
[Result: 10,382 Success / 9,618 Failure]
After going back and forth between the Alchemy Station and the Marketplace, it hardly took Zack twenty minutes from crafting to arrival.
He was in a hurry. He had already lost too much time because of that guy and now, seeing how everything was tied to this game, whether the wish nonsense was real or not, he just wanted to get stronger as fast as possible."
The warm hum of crystal lanterns washed over the plaza, reflecting off the polished marble floors as hundreds of players bartered, traded.
Zack ignored the noise. With a few practiced swipes, he pulled up the Marketplace Listing Menu.
[Item: Spirit Restoration Draught ×10,382]
[Set Price: 22 Silver / unit]
[Marketplace Fee: 10%]
[Projected Return: 2,049 Gold, 98 Silver]
He tapped Confirm.
The items blinked out of his inventory, replaced by the soft chime of a successful listing.
[Listing Successful!]
Zack exhaled quietly. "Done"
Then only Blacksmithing was left now…
***
The rhythmic clang of hammers echoed through the Blacksmith district, blending with the roar of furnaces and the sharp hiss of molten metal.
Even at this hour, the place was alive, rows of forges lit up the night like embers in the dark.
Zack made his way through the crowded smithing lane until he reached Roknar's Forge, one of the city's better-known blacksmith shops.
Zack paused at the entrance of the Blacksmith's Hall, taking in the sight before him; rows of anvils, roaring furnaces and smoldering metal flowing like rivers of gold beneath stone grates.
The heat hit him the moment he stepped inside.
Sparks burst through the air as players hammered away at glowing blades and armor pieces, each swing ringing with the sound of effort and ambition.
He hadn't stepped foot here before. Alchemy had been his main focus but to boost his stats further he had to increase his proficiency here.
The income source is almost nill in blacksmith in early game, according to beta testers.
Still, Zack wasn't chasing gold this time. Stats were stats. Even a small permanent boost mattered when competition was this fierce. If he wanted to stay ahead, he couldn't afford to rely on one profession alone.
He exhaled softly, eyes sweeping across the rows of anvils and blazing forges.
Just enough to get my proficiency rolling, he thought. Given time , it won't stay a sunk cost for long.
Just as he was thinking that, a gruff voice broke through the heat and hammering.
"First time here?" asked the NPC attendant; a burly dwarf with a beard bound in metal rings, his apron streaked with soot and molten dust.
"Yeah," Zack replied, glancing around the workshop's glowing interior. "Just looking for now"
The dwarf chuckled, wiping sweat off his brow. "Aye, everyone says that the first day. But once ye smell the forge, it never lets go"
Zack smirked faintly, ignoring the NPC's scripted enthusiasm as he walked deeper into the hall.
The walls were lined with display racks showing weapons of varying quality, from dull bronze daggers to shimmering silver greatswords.
Above each display, a faint symbol indicated the required proficiency rank to forge it.
[Blacksmith Rank Progression]
Novice → Apprentice → Adept → Expert → Master → Grandmaster → Mythwright
Each leap required thousands of proficiency points, countless hours of repetitive grinding.
Zack watched a nearby player pull a freshly-forged axe from the furnace, the metal glowing a deep orange before fading to steel.
The glow of the furnaces reflected faintly in his eyes. "Not bad," he muttered under his breath. "Looks like I'll be spending some time here"
The dwarf NPC behind the counter raised a brow as Zack entered, his gruff voice rumbling over the heat. "Looking to start smitin' or just admirin' the heat, lad?"
Zack offered a faint smile. "Recipes"
"Ah." The dwarf's tone shifted from gruff curiosity to sharp business. He slammed his hammer down on the counter and a golden interface rippled to life before Zack, its runic frames lined with sparks of mana.
[Forge Catalogue – Common to Epic]
Rows of glowing icons scrolled past his eyes, a cascade of blueprints ranked by rarity and difficulty, their names burning softly in blue and golden lights.
Ironbound Gauntlets (Lv.2 – Common) – Grants a minor Strength bonus. Basic, but efficient for early progression.
Reinforced Leather Boots (Lv.3 – Uncommon) – Lightweight movement gear; reduces stamina drain.
Steelshard Blade (Lv.4 – Uncommon) – Balanced offensive weapon, suitable for mid-level melee classes.
Aetherforged Buckler (Lv.5 – Rare) – Adds minor Magic Resistance; solid defense for hybrid builds.
Obsidian Warplate (Lv.5 – Rare) – Superior defense; popular among frontline tanks.
Sunflare Edge (Lv.7 – Epic) – Advanced weapon recipe; rare materials required.
Tempering Stone (Common) – Reinforces weapon integrity; increases durability and slightly boosts base ATK.
Next Rank Requirement: 1,000 Proficiency Points.
Zack was at Novice Rank. Crafting low-tier items wouldn't get him anywhere.
He opened the forge catalogue again, scrolling through the list until he found two options that suited him — Steelshard Blade and Obsidian Warplate.
Both required a bit more material investment but according to what he'd read in the forums, the higher the gear level, the better the proficiency gain.
Zack decided to start with the Steelshard Blade. It wasn't too demanding to craft, but it was high enough level to give decent experience. If things went well, he could even recover half the material cost by selling the finished pieces.
He selected the recipe, confirming the purchase.
[Recipe Unlocked: Steelshard Blade (Lv.4 – Uncommon)]
[Blacksmith Proficiency +5]
Zack nodded to himself.
Unlike Alchemy, Blacksmithing wasn't a one-click craft. It required manual steps; heating, shaping, tempering all in rhythm with the game's crafting system. The better the timing, the more proficiency the system awarded.
He moved toward an empty forge station paying 10 silver/hour. The heat rolled out from the furnace as he placed his materials onto the anvil — Refined Iron, Tempering Stone and a trace of Mana-Infused Ore.
The hammer came down with a clang, sparks scattering like fireflies. A small rhythm indicator pulsed over the blade in formation, hitting just as the pulse reached its center gave perfect technique bonuses.
[Forge Timing: Poor]
[Forming Integrity: 59%]
[Result: Steelshard Blade (Quality: Normal)]
[Proficiency +3]
Zack stared at the blade for a moment, the tip slightly crooked.
"If I ever need to arm goblins." He muttered dryly.
He sighed, tossing it aside beside him and grabbed another set of materials.
[Forge Timing: Poor]
[Forming Integrity: 64%]
[Result: Steelshard Blade (Quality: Normal)]
[Proficiency +4]
Zack mused. "If this keeps up, I'll open a junk shop instead"
By the time the 15th one was done, a small row of blades rested neatly in front of him uneven in shine and finish but all functional.
[Forge Timing: Fair]
[Forming Integrity: 82%]
[Result: Steelshard Blade (Quality: Good)]
[Proficiency +10]
The hammer's rhythm improved, though the occasional off-beat clank still echoed.
He sighed. "The system's being generous."
He drew a deep breath. One more time, the next few strikes landed cleaner, sharper, deliberate.
[Forge Timing: Great!]
[Forming Integrity: 91%]
[Result: Steelshard Blade (Quality: Fine)]
[Proficiency +15]
Zack inspected the blade's polished edge. "Finally… something that doesn't look like scrap metal."
After what felt like his hundredth weapon, the numbers began to dip.
[Result: Steelshard Blade (Quality: Fine)] — Proficiency +7
[Result: Steelshard Blade (Quality: Normal)] — Proficiency +2
[Blacksmith Proficiency: 698 / 1000]
He leaned back slightly, stretching his shoulders as the furnace light flared in his eyes.
Zack watched the system log, so that's the drop-off curve, he muttered, glancing at another blade cooling in the dull orange glow.
Three, maybe four hours had passed, he'd lost track somewhere between hammer strikes.
His material reserves were thinning fast and the forge timer felt slower with every swing. The grind was starting to blur together; metal, sparks, menu, repeat.
"At this pace, I'll hit mastery before the server shuts down."
He let out a breath as he mused, time spent, gold lost, sanity optional.
At this point, he wasn't chasing efficiency just the finish line before burnout kicked in.
He closed the forge menu, stretching his virtual wrists as the rhythmic clang of other players echoed through the workshop. No point hammering out metal for single-digit gains. Time to move up.
His eyes shifted to the rarer recipe sitting quietly in his list— Obsidian Warplate (Lv.5 – Rare). He tapped to unlock it, the forge interface pulsing with a deep metallic glow.
[Recipe Unlocked: Obsidian Warplate (Lv.5 – Rare)]
[Blacksmith Proficiency +12]
Zack's gaze lingered on the notification for a moment before closing it.
Without missing a beat, he picked up another iron bar.
***
[Forge Timing: Good]
[Forming Integrity: 91%]
[Result: Obsidian Warplate (Quality: Fine)]
[Proficiency +14]
The final strike echoed through the workshop, a crisp clang that signaled the armor's completion. A faint shimmer pulsed across the interface as the system tallied his efforts.
[Blacksmith Proficiency: 1,002 / 1,000]
[Rank Up: Novice → Apprentice]
[Bonus Reward: +5 Stat Points | +50 HP]
Zack let his shoulders relax just a touch, as the glow faded from the forge. "Finally.." he murmured.
[Next Rank Requirement: 1,500 Proficiency Points]
Zack stared at the number for a moment, expression unreadable. Then, a faint sigh escaped him. "Yeah," he said flatly. "Definitely calling it a night."
To improve his proficiency any further, he'd need serious capital, rarer materials, higher-tier recipes and a lot more patience than he currently had. For now, it just wasn't worth the burn.
He closed the forge menu with a quiet tap. The glow from the furnace dimmed as he stepped back, letting the scent of hot metal and coal linger in his nose for a moment.
Apprentice Rank was fine, he thought. Strong enough to stay competitive without going broke in the process.
With that done, Zack finally checked the in-game clock, nearly five hours had passed since he'd started hammering metal.
He adjusted his cloak and headed for the forge's exit.
[Sales Summary]
Final Balance: 2,055 Gold, 6 Silver
He allocated 1,500 gold toward the next crafting-profit loop cycle.
[Result: 15,112 Success / 14,888 Failure]
[Listed: Spirit Restoration Draught ×15,112 → 22 Silver each]
Zack hit confirm, the interface chiming softly.
"Why is blacksmithing so punishing?" he thought, eyeing the floating remnants of his forge progress bars.
Timing swings, maintaining integrity, matching technique, every step demanded precision. A slight slip and proficiency gains would plummet.
He rubbed his temple lightly.
Alchemy, in comparison, felt like a perfectly tuned engine. He could craft, steadily progress and still have time to think, plan and observe other players grinding nearby. No stress. No pressure.
"Nevertheless…" he murmured, "if I want both, the forge will require more… patience."
His gaze drifted back to the auction board, ready to browse, when a soft chime cut across his interface.
[Private Message Received: Obi The Limit-Breaker]
Obi The Limit-Breaker: Hey… what are you up to? Farming? Grinding? We're already level 5 now.
Zack: Just working on some crafting.
A full five seconds passed before the next message popped up.
Obi The Limit-Breaker: …Are you serious? The whole server is stampeding into hidden dungeons, fighting over elite mobs for chests, grabbing early titles and sweating for leaderboard screenshots and you're just… clicking on crafting stations like an NPC side character? Brother, you're breaking my heart here.
Zack (shaking his head): I want to get my professions stable before guilds and raid systems kick in.
Obi The Limit-Breaker: …Man. That's dedication to… whatever this is.
There was a pause, then another message.
Obi The Limit-Breaker: Anyway, the reason I pinged you—Point and I found a hidden dungeon south of Verdant Frontier. Word spread fast though. Some players are blocking the entrance. If you join us, we can clear it before they do.
Zack paused, thinking it through.
Sooner or later, the game would throw something he couldn't handle alone and with the whole champion and wish mess lingering in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd need steady, reliable players at his side.
People he could at least predict, if not trust. And joining Iris and Haze's guild was starting to make more sense; they were whales, probably with resources and strong backing. Obi and Point were reliable too.
Decision made, he straightened and quickly typed out his reply.
Zack: Got it. Send me the coordinates. I'll head there soon.
Obi The Limit-Breaker: Great. Oh— message the beauties too. Pretty sure they'll join if you ask instead of me. A smirk emoji appeared.
Zack hesitated. Why couldn't he just message them himself? It wasn't like the guy was shy.
Still, Zack opened his friend list, eyes narrowing slightly; Haze and IrisVale both were online.
Calmly, he typed a message:
Zack: Obi and Point found a hidden dungeon south of Verdant Frontier. We're forming a party. Are either of you interested?
Haze replied first, a bit terse:
Haze: …Sure, I guess. Sounds fine.
Zack's expression remained calm but he noted the lack of enthusiasm in her reply.
Then IrisVale's message popped up:
IrisVale: Oh, that sounds exciting! I'll come and I'll drag Haze along too. She might be distracted in the Real World but this will be a good chance to get her involved.
Zack: Alright, sending the coordinates now.
He quickly copied the location and shared it with both of them.