Regression of the Transcendent Blacksmith - Chapter 12

========== REGRESSION OF THE TRANSCENDENT BLACKSMITH CHAPTER 12 ==========

Unlike the crowd gathered outside, there were actually fewer than 100 people who had registered as Awakened.

Shin Tae-ho, having taken his seat, was able to receive the Awakened education right away.

The content of the education was about how the world had changed since the appearance of the Tower, and the duties of the Awakened.

“With the appearance of the Tower, you, the Awakened, have become an indispensable existence for national security.”

“Furthermore, the Qi Crystal, the reward obtained upon successfully clearing the Tower, has now become a major energy source for humanity alongside electricity.”

The Qi Crystal is a crystallization of Qi that can only be gathered within the Tower.

At the same time, it was an eco-friendly energy source with high energy efficiency that had no negative impact on the environment.

Currently, the development of humanity was moving in a direction that went hand-in-hand with these Qi Crystals.

“Qi Fragments are also a major source of income for Challengers who find it difficult to work while climbing the Tower. The Management Bureau is always buying Qi Fragments, so please be sure to stop by when you want to sell them.”

‘That’s true. Though the problem is they take too much in taxes.’

Shin Tae-ho chuckled.

Seeing some of the other Awakened whose expressions changed strangely, it seemed they were thinking the same thing.

After about two hours of Awakened education, the instructor explained the class-specific education that would follow.

“Class education will be conducted separately by class. The training rooms are listed in the pamphlet we handed out, so please head there.”

As the instructor finished the explanation, the Awakened stood up.

When Shin Tae-ho went to the Tamer class training room, someone who had arrived earlier greeted him.

“Hello! Are you a Tamer?”

Shin Tae-ho couldn’t answer right away.

That was because the person sitting there was someone Shin Tae-ho knew.

‘Choi Yu-hwa, the Guild Leader of the Phoenix Guild.’

As Shin Tae-ho searched his memory, information about Choi Yu-hwa surfaced.

The Phoenix Guild, which would become the largest Tamer guild in South Korea and a globally renowned guild in the future.

The Guild Leader of the Phoenix Guild, whom it would be difficult to even meet later on, was right in front of him now.

When there was no response to her greeting, Choi Yu-hwa tilted her head.

Seeing that reaction, Shin Tae-ho snapped out of it and returned the greeting belatedly.

“Hello. My name is Shin Tae-ho.”

“Hi! I’m Choi Yu-hwa. I thought I was the only Tamer, so I was lonely, but I’m glad to meet you!”

Choi Yu-hwa replied with a bright expression and cautiously scanned Shin Tae-ho.

“Um, by the way, didn’t you bring your summon?”

“I brought it with me, but it hasn’t hatched yet.”

Shin Tae-ho opened his bag, took out the egg, and showed it to her.

Choi Yu-hwa’s eyes widened and sparkled upon seeing the egg.

“Wow, an egg! It’s so pretty! Pipi, look at that. Isn’t it pretty?”

Ppi-ik~

At Choi Yu-hwa’s call, a small head appeared from inside her clothes.

The red bird that had been hiding in her arms tilted its head and discovered the egg Shin Tae-ho was holding.

And then-

Ppi, Ppi-aek!

Pipi, crying out sharply as if startled, hurriedly hid back into Choi Yu-hwa’s arms.

Choi Yu-hwa was surprised by Pipi’s behavior, which she had never seen before.

“Uh-oh? Pipi, what’s wrong? It’s a friend, a friend. You should say hello~.”

Ppi-aek!

Pipi pecked at Choi Yu-hwa’s hand.

It didn’t hurt, but Choi Yu-hwa, greatly startled, panicked and bowed her head to Shin Tae-ho.

“I-I’m sorry. It’s not usually this shy. I guess it’s just very embarrassed.”

‘I don’t think that’s it.’

Shin Tae-ho glanced at the clothes where Pipi had gone in.

The way it was lightly trembling, it was clearly scared.

However, that was behavior Shin Tae-ho couldn’t understand either.

‘It’s just an egg that hasn’t even hatched yet. What is it scared of?’

It might be as small as a chick now, but Pipi is a summon that will later become the Phoenix representing the guild.

It wasn’t logical for it to be scared just by seeing an egg.

Choi Yu-hwa also couldn’t think that Pipi was scared because of that.

Shin Tae-ho broke the awkward atmosphere.

“It’s fine. It’s still young, so of course that can happen.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Just as the atmosphere was becoming warm again.

A knock was heard, and the Tamer instructor opened the door and entered.

“Hello. My name is Kim Han-seok, and I’m in charge of the Tamer class education. We have two Tamers this time!”

The instructor was delighted to see Shin Tae-ho and Choi Yu-hwa.

Since the Tamer class itself is rare, it was common for education not to be conducted on some days.

A glint of interest appeared in Kim Han-seok’s eyes when he saw Shin Tae-ho’s egg.

“But that egg is one I’ve never seen before. May I ask what kind of summon it is?”

“I don’t know either.”

Shin Tae-ho answered honestly.

It wasn’t a lie; even when he tried to bring up the information, it only showed ‘Unknown Egg’.

At Shin Tae-ho’s answer, the glint in Kim Han-seok’s eyes deepened.

‘Fascinating. It seems to be a species I’ve never seen before…’

Kim Han-seok examined the egg, full of curiosity.

There was no Qi felt through his Qi sense, but having seen countless eggs, Kim Han-seok could feel it.

‘It’s strong.’

Currently, the strongest existence among Tamer summons is the Russian Tamer’s Owlbear.

Although it’s difficult to compare it to an Owlbear that has already been born and raised.

Kim Han-seok, who had seen the Owlbear in person in Russia, could feel a similar sensation from the egg as when he encountered that existence.

An indescribable pressure and a mystery whose identity could not be fathomed.

He wanted to take it and check it, if he could.

However.

‘I can’t do that.’

As a Tamer himself, Kim Han-seok knew how precious an egg was.

If someone asked him to hand over his egg because they wanted to look at it closely?

I guarantee, whoever it was, I would punch them in the jaw with full power.

Kim Han-seok averted his gaze from the egg and smiled at Shin Tae-ho.

“I hope a strong and kind summon is born. Now, shall we begin the education?”

With those words, the education regarding the Tamer class began in earnest.

Unlike the Awakened education he already knew, the Tamer education was very helpful to Shin Tae-ho.

From the types of summons to their characteristics, likes, and dislikes.

He could even obtain detailed information about each summon, down to their growth cycles.

‘Useful.’

Organizing the educational content, Shin Tae-ho was satisfied.

Such information was not easily obtainable in the past unless one was a Tamer.

Furthermore, seeing Shin Tae-ho’s egg, Kim Han-seok additionally provided education on eggs, unlike usual.

“Interestingly, it is said that Tower summons can convey emotions through communion even when in an egg state.”

Kim Han-seok explained while describing actual cases.

Tamers who stroked and talked to the egg from the time it was an egg versus Tamers who didn’t.

As a result of comparing and analyzing the two types of Tamers, there was even official statistics that Tamers who engaged in skinship, like stroking the egg from the start, had an average of 15% higher affinity.

All this time, he had just covered the egg with a blanket and carried it around in his bag.

Shin Tae-ho, who hadn’t even thought of communing by stroking the egg, felt a pang of guilt.

‘I’ll have to stroke it whenever I have time from now on.’

While Shin Tae-ho was organizing the necessary information, the education ended.

“Do you have any questions?”

Kim Han-seok asked as a formality.

Choi Yu-hwa shook her head slightly at the detailed education, but Shin Tae-ho raised his hand as if he had been waiting.

“Earlier, among the Awakened benefits, there was facility usage. Is it possible to use facilities of other classes?”

“Which facility are you trying to use?”

Kim Han-seok was flustered by the question that had nothing to do with being a Tamer.

Shin Tae-ho answered calmly.

“I would like to use the blacksmith shop.”

“The blacksmith shop? Uh, yes. If you show your registration card, you should be able to use it.”

“I see. Understood.”

Shin Tae-ho was satisfied with the answer.

‘No need to set up a separate blacksmith shop. It won’t take long anyway.’

Starting from the hammer needed for hammering, to the anvil, quenching tank, oil, and furnace.

Setting up a blacksmith shop personally was costly and a hassle.

He would need a blacksmith shop later when he starts making items in earnest.

Until then, using the blacksmith shop operated by the Management Bureau was sufficient.

As Shin Tae-ho was satisfied, Kim Han-seok, who had been flustered, cleared his throat.

“If there are no more questions, we will end the education here. You can pick up your Awakened registration card on your way out!”

“Thank you for your hard work~!”

Choi Yu-hwa greeted brightly.

Choi Yu-hwa, having finished preparing to leave, approached Shin Tae-ho, who was packing his things.

“Um, Shin Tae-ho-nim? Would you like to exchange contact information? We’re both Tamers, and I’d like to be friends!”

“That’s fine.”

Shin Tae-ho accepted immediately.

In fact, Shin Tae-ho had also been wondering if there was a way to get her number naturally.

‘Choi Yu-hwa is a true Challenger who fought for humanity until the end. There will be times when I help her, and times when I receive help.’

That wasn’t a guess, but a certainty.

Even though interest is currently focused on the Challengers climbing the Tower.

As time goes on, the blacksmiths who make items for them are treated as more important assets than that.

Even if, by any chance, Shin Tae-ho never has a reason to look for Choi Yu-hwa.

There was no way Choi Yu-hwa wouldn’t have a day when she would look for Shin Tae-ho.

“It was nice to meet you! See you later!”

Choi Yu-hwa, having received her registration card, left the registration office.

However, instead of leaving the registration office, Shin Tae-ho looked at the map and found the purchasing team inside.

After taking a ticket and waiting, it was soon Shin Tae-ho’s turn.

“Hello. Are you here to sell items?”

“Yes. Should I take them out right away? There are quite a few, though.”

“Ah, you have a lot. Then please put them in the box next to you and give them to me.”

The person sitting at the counter chuckled softly.

Some people say they brought a lot of items, but at most, they would only fill a little bit of the box next to them.

However, that smile quickly faded.

Shin Tae-ho, who had started putting items into the boxes, was soon filling up 7 boxes to the brim.

“Here you go.”

The employee’s eyes trembled at the boxes filled with all sorts of miscellaneous items, such as Forest Goblin leather and Giant Caterpillar shells.

Ding!

At the notification sound, Shin Tae-ho checked his smartphone.

A pop-up message showed that 70 million won had been deposited into his account, which had less than 1 million won left.

Shin Tae-ho was satisfied.

‘With this much, I won’t be short on money for now.’

Shin Tae-ho, having gotten into a taxi, ordered groceries via an app.

He stocked up on enough groceries to last for months, enough to focus on climbing the Tower from now on.

‘I was flustered at first, but it seems it’s actually better that I registered as a Tamer.’

Once the summon hatches from the egg, it would inevitably attract people’s attention anyway.

In that case, it was more comfortable to just register as a Tamer.

Shin Tae-ho put his hand into his bag and stroked the egg as he had learned during the education.

‘Now, all that’s left is for you to be born.’

The texture of the egg, wrapped in a blanket, was warm and smooth.

While he was stroking the egg without stopping.

When the taxi arrived in front of his house, Shin Tae-ho took his hand off and zipped it up.

At that moment, the egg moved and wiggled very slightly.

Unfortunately, Shin Tae-ho, who was getting out of the taxi, did not notice that slight vibration.

To be continued in the next chapter ▶