Rageful Forging

Chapter 6 — Rageful Forging

Although I learned how to forge, I really have no passion for it. Famed blacksmiths had equal status to Spirit Masters, making it a good way to earn money.

From Hu Yu, I learned about mineralogy, metalogy, forging techniques, ranking of blacksmiths, etc.

Normally, I should have learned those while forging, but due to my poor foundation, I was forced to study theoretical knowledge.

The were nine Blacksmith Ranks:

1st-2nd Master Blacksmith.

3rd-4th Grandmaster Blacksmith.

5th-6th Mastercraftsmen.

7th-8th Saintcraftsmen.

9th Divine Craftsmen.

Since Hu Yu was just an ordinary old human, she only managed to reach 2nd Rank Master Blacksmith.

Hu Yu was the one responsible for forging the stuff requested by the town.

I reached out for the large iron hammer that weighed over 15 kilograms.

Approaching the lump of metal, I clanked my hammer against it to feel the vibration and how hard it felt upon contact to determine the toughness.

Soon, I got a general understanding of the metal before me.

It was now time to pound.

First, I took a deep breath as my muscles squirmed, tightening and relaxing to soon reach the optimal state. My mind was honed to a focused degree.

After working out diligently, I now knew how important it was to understand the true essence of breathing. In fact, I first understood this from the boxing dojo that always emphasized this part. Since then, I have practiced breathing properly. This applies not only to my roadwork, but everything in my daily life.

I raised the hammer and swung down.

Bang!

And another!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

I pounded my hammer several times in a row, allowing me to feel the difference compared to when I first forged a month ago.

It was not only in my improved strength or stamina, but the way my body moved as I pounded the hammer. It flowed smoothly and precisely now. And due to my stronger body, I was more stable without shaking when pounding heavily.

And if before, I only used my arms to swing the hammer, then now I was using my entire body as a whole along with the hammer. From my legs, to my waist, to my arms, I gathered and controlled my physical strength smoothly and efficiently without a waste.

I now used my entire body's physical strength seamlessly like a cycle of flowing stream.

And not only for forging, I can apply this physical strength control for other purposes!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The hammer strikes connected seamlessly without dissonance or whatsoever. It had no particular rhythm, only the perfect transfer of brutal strength that came one after another.

The more I swung, the more the hammer pounded heavily.

The concentration of my mind was pushed to the limit. Inhaling and exhaling deeply in a strange manner, I used my stamina as efficiently as possible.

I began to look differently at the metal before me, now being able to see or feel its structure more clearly and detailedly—I could see where its many small vein lines lay.

Hu Yu was naturally impressed with my improvements.

"You have learned a lot from simply watching me forge for one month. Your eyes are special." Hu Yu complimented while nodding her head.

Then she said,

"Nai An, pause for a moment."

Dang….!

"What…?"

I paused from pounding with sweat dripping down my forehead.

"You've understood the first stage on how to properly use your strength. However, it is not enough."

I tilted my head confusedly.

"Then?"

"When you swing the hammer against the metal to refine it, at what part of the body does the strength first come from?"

I pondered for a moment, recalling what I understood from watching her.

"From the waist through the back, then afterwards along the arms to raise the hammer?"

Hu Yu didn't confirm nor deny my statement.

"Apart from the brain, which part of the body is the most important?"

"The heart."

I replied swiftly with my eyes flashing coldly.

"How many hearts does a person have?"

I tilted my head again before replying again.

"One."

"You're wrong." Hu Yu shook her head upon hearing my answer. "People have three hearts, not one heart."

"Three?"

I stared bewilderedly at her.

Hu Yu poked both of my calves with her fingers.

"Here on the two legs muscles are the second and third hearts. If you want to bring out your entire physical strength, you must use three hearts simultaneously to have a result. Therefore, when bringing out your full strength, it does not come from the waist. So, the three hearts are the correct answers."

"When the heart inside your chest beats rapidly, the power originating from the two calves transmits up, reaching the thigh, passing through the waist, back, arm, and finally releasing. This is how to hit with all your strength. Your hearts give force, the waist is the axis of it."

I nodded my head seriously in understanding.

Hu Yu then smiled. "Now, if you include the hammer as part of your body, how many hearts will you have?"

"Four?"

"Correct." Hu Yu smiled.

"I don't know why most blacksmiths with spirit power skip this part. They instead rely deeply on Blood Sacrificed Hammer to forcefully use the fourth heart. That's why I find them as false blacksmiths. Just like how a true swordsman needs to become one with their sword, a true blacksmith must also become one with their hammer with their own skills. The hammer is the fourth heart of a blacksmith, the heart where all the power of three hearts condense before pounding over to metal."

"Make your three hearts beat the same sound as steel!" Hu Yu pounded her chest hard.

"Forge your heart of steel. Only when the three hearts are like steel, will you be able to create the fourth heart made out of steel!"

"Watch me!"

Hu Yu suddenly raised the hammer in her hand, making me draw back several steps from her.

At the same time, the hammer in her hand already changed direction to return, and with a deep loud shout, her body half turned, both legs stuck firmly to the ground, and both calves momentarily tensed, her whole person resembled a fierce tiger ready to spring. With her whole legs emitting strength and her waist twisting, the hammer was already in the midst of already being brought back down.

BANG!

A thunderous clap exploded out.

The sound of metal hitting against another metal.

And yet, it sounded like a vibrant thunderclap to my ears.

In that split second, I was able to see her body and hammer becoming one down to their essence.

It made my heart palpitate rapidly as I heard the sound of Hu Yu's heartbeat that resounded fiercely and firmly. I could feel the essence of her three hearts combining to create that sound of steel, forming the fourth heart, the heart of steel, into her hammer.

With just one strike, that chunk of previously red hot metal had completely caved nearly a third from the smash, the deformation was extremely distinctive compared to mine.

I was able to completely feel that this was only a single person emitting pure physical strength. This was entirely the strength of the human body without any help from soul power.

"The key to go all out is by controlling the body and hammer to successfully link into a whole machine with powerful intent driving it. Your four hearts must link and beat together at the very end."

Hu Yu explained with a quite pale expression.

"Good grief. To think you would force this old woman to use her body stressfully again." She complained while wiping her sweats away.

Meanwhile, I stayed silent as I reflected upon what she taught me.

I haven't seen this kind of strength utilization method from her before.

I wonder why.

As I reflected, I closed my eyes while gripping my hammer tightly, remembering how her body and hammer moved as one previously.

Suddenly, all my thoughts vanished as I grew immersed to the one strike. My concentration and focus slowly entered its utmost limit.

If I managed to replicate that strike, I wonder how strong my strike would be compared to it…

In my head, I repeatedly reviewed how she moved in that split second.

Like a film, it played back over and over again in my head.

I Imagined.

The power of imagination was boundless and limitless.

A network of cogs forming into a small stream that flowed endlessly in a cycle.

Its paths were like my body.

A flowing stream of cogs.

My body was a stream of cogs now.

Every drop of strength created from the cogs flowed and connected seamlessly like a stream of water.

But where's the four hearts?

Across the stream of cogs! It made the cogs spin more vigorously and faster like engines!

The stream of cogs transformed into a vigorous river of cogs. Sometimes calm. Sometimes raging.

But how should I use my three hearts effectively?

I then remembered the memories. The bad memories that constantly made me accumulate rage inside my heart.

It then slowly released, flowing into the hearts that acted like engines.

My entire being was filled with rage.

That's right.

I took a deep breath as my eyes abruptly opened with murderous light. My blood was boiling madly within me!

Kill!

Kill!

Kill!

Kill!

I raised my hammer with the raging intent to kill.

With both of my hands holding the hammer's handle, I imitated Hu Yu's posture from before.

My eyes were firmly fixed on the chunk of metal.

Kill!

I stomped heavily on the ground, both of my feet firmly planted.

"Kill!"

I roared heavily—the physical strength of my legs bursting, spreading in a flash, into my turning waist, through the back, across both shoulders, and then further into the arms.

I distinctly felt as if my strength had become more powerful than ever before.

All my berserk strength poured into my hammer, making me feel that my body seemingly wanted to fly from this great force.

BANG!

The hammer accurately smashed down on the metal with great vigor, emitting a loud, thunderous sound.

I felt a great rebound force from it but I didn't care at all. Instead, I subconsciously used that force to strengthen my strike.

My heart was filled with rage.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Whenever I swing, the air rampages and distorts, causing the surroundings to become wild and noisy.

My hammer became heavier and heavier with each strike. The metal gradually grew smaller with each strike as impurities were purged out.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

My heartbeat became vigorous and resounded loudly like a drum. My blood coursed like a raging river.

With each strike I took, the rage further grew in my heart.

I have used my muscles throughout my body correctly to deliver my strength, but there was no intent behind it. I used my heart half-heartedly back then.

However, I was now using my hearts with the same powerful intent.

Rage!

Kill!

All my understanding sublimated, turning into a seed that bloomed inside myself, now making my body and hammer become one, neither distinct from each other.

THUMP!

My heartbeat resounded like a sharp and firm steel!

The Body and Hammer as One!

Fourth Heart, Steel Of Heart, created!

All hearts linked!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Thunderous claps resounded one after another. All of it was accompanied by the heartbeat that sounded like steel and the sound of blood coursing like a raging river.

"Absurd… To think his control over the gathering and use of his physical strength would already reach this level…" Hu Yu started to laugh excitedly.

She understood that If before I only exerted about 100%, then I now exerted 150% or even more than that!

However, her laugh soon faded as she felt the heavy atmosphere that felt sharp and chilling that surfaced. It was the opposite of the high temperature of the shop.

Hu Yu stared at me in shock. Looking at me, all she could see was the image of a rageful devil swinging his hammer brutally against the metal.

Her heart sank heavily as she watched the way I forged. It was too different from what she was familiar with.

It felt like she was watching someone forging purely with rage.

There was no warmth or passion, only pure unadulterated rage accompanying my every strike.

Yet she saw something beyond that.

My talent.

She remembered how I used to move like a mismatched machine that was inefficient beyond means.

"A genius! A devilish genius."

Her eyes glowed.

No matter what my background was, or what hide deep within my heart,

"With this, I can die without regret."

Hu Yu just wanted to teach me.

No matter what kind of person I become in the future.

She wanted me as her final apprentice.

As a blacksmith that was also a nobody in the story.

...

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