Chapter 3

Blacksmith Apprentice

1

"But how did you catch the culprit?"

After deciding to continue the game, Han decided to think of a way to catch the hacker. However, he couldn't come up with a proper plan.

Should he report it to the police or the cyber investigation team?

"I'm sorry, but the hacker's methods are too sophisticated."

All he heard was this.

What about asking the game company for help?

"We will cooperate with you to catch the hacker."

The voice was polite, but there was no sincerity. DreamMax had always been like this.

Because the game was so popular, it was often criticized for being arrogant and overconfident.

Anyway, let's put that aside.

Should he try to track the hacker on his own?

This was also unrealistic. Han was just a regular user and knew nothing about computers or programming.

The only thing he could do was to check in-game.

He had to hope to see someone using the items he used to own. Other than that, there was no way.

If he found such a person and kept tracking them, he might eventually catch the culprit.

But that was not an easy task. No one would be foolish enough to use items or equipment obtained through secret deals with a hacker.

Moreover, if a rumor spread that a Batsu user was creating a new character to check their items, the criminals and those who obtained the stolen goods would immediately go into hiding.

'Damn, is there any good way?'

Is there a way to discreetly check other people's equipment?

He thought and thought, even while at home, doing beginner quests in the game, and attending lectures at the high school equivalency academy, but no good ideas came to mind.

Even after finishing the lecture at the academy, he still couldn't think of anything.

"Hey, you said you were going to play today? Why?"

"The guild blacksmith is really pissing me off."

Near the entrance of the academy, a few people were chatting.

They seemed to be talking about the game. Listening in, it turned out they were playing Arpedia Online.

"A while ago, while hunting, my sword's durability was significantly reduced. So I gave it to the guild blacksmith who came with me, but this guy not only failed to repair it, he reduced its durability by 70. The sword only had a total durability of 120!"

"Are you kidding? How can you reduce it by 70 in one go?"

"The guy said his hand slipped, but it's obvious he did it on purpose. He's just trying to screw me over."

"Do you have a grudge against him?"

"Damn! Maybe because I stole a girl he introduced me to a while ago."

Hearing this, Han smirked.

In Arpedia Online, the more a weapon's durability is reduced, the higher the probability of repair failure.

So, users who take good care of their weapons usually repair them as soon as they notice even a slight reduction in durability.

The problem is the repair success rate of the blacksmiths who do the repairs.

While NPC blacksmiths can repair items, the repair costs are very high. Additionally, special weapons or equipment require specific metals or materials for repair.

Users can also learn repair skills, but a higher smelting or production skill level is required for a higher repair success rate. Unlike NPC blacksmiths with an 80% success rate, user blacksmiths typically have a success rate of 60-70%, which is not very high.

There are fewer than 100 users in the entire server with a higher repair rate than NPCs, and only about 10 of them are masters with a 90% success rate or higher.

Because of this, many users either pay a high price to have NPCs repair their items or entrust repairs to user blacksmiths with a prayer.

"What the hell, what are you laughing at, you bastard?"

The guy whose sword was broken approached Han and grabbed his collar.

He must have seen Han smirk.

"I'm just thinking about something else..."

"Don't lie, I saw you grinning at us."

The guy suddenly threw a punch.

He was a hot-tempered guy.

As sparks flew before his eyes, Han's head turned to the side.

The guy, unsatisfied with one hit, threw another punch with his other hand.

Han, hit in the side, staggered.

"Damn, why are you holding back against such a weak guy?"

"Hehe, it's good to warm up, right?"

The guy spat on the ground and kicked Han in the head.

It was a high kick, mimicking something he had seen in mixed martial arts.

However, the clumsy kick was blocked by Han's raised arm.

Han grabbed the guy's leg and pushed him backward.

"Ah, ah! Aaaah!"

The guy fell backward and, unfortunately, hit the back of his head on the ground.

The guy's friend, who had been smirking, immediately rushed at Han.

"Is this guy trying to die?"

The friend slapped Han's face and flinched.

As he slapped, he met Han's eyes, which were full of venom.

'Dangerous!'

But Han's actions were faster than his brain's warning.

"Ugh!"

After landing a punch, Han sprang forward and headbutted the guy, breaking his nose.

"Ah? Nosebleed!"

"Damn! My head is cracked!"

The two guys were in a panic.

They were used to starting fights but not to getting hit.

Especially, they never expected to get beaten up by such a guy.

Ordinary-looking, weak build, messy appearance. He looked like the typical easy target for bullies.

However, just as there are zebras that kick lions, there are also easy targets who fight back when pushed to the limit.

"Guys who can't even fight are starting trouble."

"What, what did you say? You!"

The two guys raised their hands to hit Han but quietly ran away.

Han didn't seem like an easy target, and there was another reason.

"What are you guys fighting at the entrance of the academy?"

The principal of the high school equivalency academy appeared.

He didn't show up when the trouble started but appeared afterward to scold the wrong person.

"Was it you? Did you start the trouble?"

"Can't you see? I'm the victim."

Han covered his split lip, but the principal didn't believe him.

The troublemakers had already run away, and no one was there to defend Han.

"Shut up, you! Whether you start a fight or get hit, it's the same thing!"

This was the typical thinking of old, conservative adults.

They fear any kind of trouble or scandal.

To them, both the perpetrator and the victim are just nuisances that tarnish the academy's reputation.

"If you start a fight at the academy entrance again, I'll kick you out. Got it?"

The principal threatened and then went inside.

'Damn, would he say the same thing if his own son got beaten up?'

Han felt extremely dirty.

He saw that the thinking of the academy principal was no different from that of the school teachers who had pushed him to the brink.

People who only think about their own safety and reputation. Do such people have the right to teach others?

In a normal world, shouldn't such people be eliminated? In a normal world, that is.

"Hey, did you hit my brother just now?"

It happened while he was walking.

A big, fat guy blocked Han's path.

Behind the fat guy were the guys he had just fought with and their friend.

'Idiot, are you still holding a grudge because you got hit?'

Han glared at the smirking guys.

But it was only for a moment. The fat guy grabbed Han's collar and roughly threw him into an alley.

"Where are you looking, you little punk..."

The fat guy couldn't finish his sentence.

Han, who had been thrown into the alley, picked up a garbage can and threw it.

The fat guy and his gang were covered in rotten, smelly garbage.

"Ugh! It's dirty!"

"Damn! Get that bastard!"

Han ran away from the angry bullies.

It was boring. Running away like this was also boring.

But being caught and beaten up like a dog would be even more boring.

Han ran with all his might.

He ran through the narrow alleys, jaywalked on a busy street, and didn't stop until he got home.

'Damn this world!'

Reality is a cesspool.

His grades don't improve no matter how hard he tries, and bullies run rampant.

All the adults are just annoying.

'I wish the world would turn upside down.'

How nice it would be if the world of Arpedia, the game, were the real world and Batsu were his true self.

People would recognize him as a famous warrior, not a high school dropout, and he could enjoy exciting adventures every day.

At least, he wouldn't have to fight a stupid bully who complains about his sword's durability.

He wouldn't have to worry about transferring to another academy because of a gang.

'Wait, durability?'

Even in the virtual world, there were no indestructible items in Arpedia.

Every weapon and equipment had a set durability, and they would wear out and break over time.

When the durability reached 0, the equipment would break or become unusable, even for rare items.

The Red Bone Plate Mail and Flame Sword were no exception.

While Yoo Hyun had a skilled blacksmith user repair his equipment with a lot of money and expensive materials, what about the guy who had Han's equipment?

He could have it repaired by an NPC blacksmith, but if someone with a higher repair rate and cheaper prices appeared, wouldn't he entrust the repair to that person?

"That's it! That's the way!"

He found a thin but solid thread to climb.

Becoming a blacksmith.

If he became a blacksmith and mastered a high repair success rate, many guilds would want to hire him.

If he was hired, he could see the equipment of the guild members, and by advancing through a few powerful guilds, he could find his lost equipment.

And if he was going to start a new game, choosing a different type of job would be an interesting experience.

"Right, I'll become a blacksmith! I'll become a blacksmith and track down the culprit!"

Han turned on his computer and accessed the official website and strategy sites of Arpedia Online.

To create a new legend to follow in the footsteps of the missing Batsu.

And to create a tracker to find the culprit.

2

Although he decided to become a blacksmith, he couldn't immediately become one.

He needed to meet a few conditions.

On the day he decided to catch the hacker, Han completed all the beginner quests.

He went to the management NPC to learn about the basic background and information of Arpedia Online and completed the basic quests given by the NPC.

He learned how to find places using a map, how to check his status, how to store and use items, and more.

After completing the basic quests, he received some gold and food and could start the game in earnest.

Unlike other users who started hunting right away, experienced Han looked for part-time jobs at Balden's shops.

Although part-time jobs were tiring, they provided much more experience and gold in a set time.

Han did part-time jobs like washing dishes or delivering food at a restaurant, or catching moles and rabbits in a field until he reached level 10.

He needed to be at least level 10 to be hired as a regular worker anywhere.

"Over there, you!"

A rabbit eating a carrot in the field ran away when Han appeared.

He needed to catch 10 rabbits or moles to complete the part-time job in the field.

When Han handed the last 10 rabbits to the farmer, the farmer paid him a reward, and his experience also increased.

-Received 10 gold as a reward.

-Experience increased by 5.

-You have reached level 10.

Agility increased by 1.

*Increased agility allows you to move faster and more nimbly.

"Phew, I'm finally done."

After reaching level 10, Han rushed to the blacksmith.

In Arpedia Online, there were two ways to become a blacksmith.

One was to learn the skills on your own, and the other was to learn them while working at a blacksmith.

However, the master NPC blacksmiths in Arpedia Online were all eccentric and picky, making it difficult to learn skills from them.

Wealthy users with main characters often bought tools and skill books to improve their skills.

However, beginners and those with no money had to go through a somewhat tiring process at the blacksmith.

Although it might seem disadvantageous, it wasn't always the case. While training under a picky NPC, you could hear advice that you wouldn't find in skill books and develop your own expertise through experience.

"This place is perfect."

The blacksmith Han chose was the largest in Balden.

He thought that if he was going to become a blacksmith, he should start under a famous master NPC who runs a large blacksmith to quickly master blacksmith skills.

Clang! Clang!

Squeak! Squeak!

In the large blacksmith, dozens of blacksmiths were sweating all over their bodies, working the bellows and hammering.

They were NPC blacksmiths and beginner users learning skills from them.

"You want to become a blacksmith, Zigg?"

An elderly blacksmith with gray hair looked at Han disapprovingly.

"Yes! I want to become the best blacksmith in the world."

Han's spirited answer made the old blacksmith smirk and shake his head.

"Every day, dozens of young people come here wanting to become blacksmiths. But most of them can't even last a day. The place is already full, so go away."

"Huh?"

Han looked bewildered, not expecting to be rejected outright at a blacksmith. He didn't think an NPC would reject part-time work in a game.

"Hey, what are you doing! Get out of here now!"

When Han stood still, the old blacksmith waved his hammer to chase him away.

"Hehehe!"

Users nearby laughed at Han.

Feeling humiliated, Han grabbed the old blacksmith's leg and refused to let go. There were other blacksmiths, but his pride wouldn't let him back down.

"Please, just give me a chance. I'm actually quite capable. Come on! At least give me a test!"

Han's persistence seemed to work, and the old blacksmith's attitude changed.

"Hmm, a quest?"

"I can do anything, so just give me a try."

After thinking for a moment, the old blacksmith led Han to the back of the blacksmith.

There, a pile of thick logs was stacked like a mountain.

"Chop all these logs into firewood by tomorrow morning, and I'll take you in."

"Keh!"

Han looked at the pile of logs and almost fainted.

He doubted he could chop them all in a day, let alone four.

"Chop all of this in one day? You can't be serious."

"You said you can do anything, right? If you can't even do this, get out of here."

"Alright, I'll do it. I can do it."

Han reluctantly accepted the old blacksmith's offer, and a quest window appeared with a sound effect.

The quest window even showed the number of logs to be chopped.

500 logs. Could he really chop them all by tomorrow morning?

'Damn! I need to become a famous blacksmith quickly...'

He decided to become a blacksmith to track down the missing items and catch the culprit. He chose the difficult but faster path, but it started with a hitch.

3

Swish! Thud!

Han swung the axe, and the log split into two pieces.

"Ouch, it hurts! I should have lowered the pain sensitivity a bit."

For Han, who had never chopped wood before, it was harder than he thought.

The axe was heavy, and he often missed the target.

Even when he managed to hit it, the axe sometimes got stuck in the log and wouldn't come out.

Most of all, the pain in his back and arms was more unbearable than he expected.

Of course, it was only slightly uncomfortable compared to real work, but most users minimized or turned off the pain sensitivity to avoid discomfort while playing.

However, Han had set the synchronization rate to 20%.

This was based on his experience from raising Batsu.

In the past, Han had seen countless warrior users fall without even knowing how much blood they had lost.

They treated the virtual reality game like a simple 2D or 3D game. Pain is not just a simple discomfort.

It's a signal of danger and a factor that motivates users to avoid it.

It made them think about how to avoid getting hit and how to reduce pain even if they did.

As a result, he moved a step faster than others to avoid pain, and this small difference became more apparent as his level increased.

Ultimately, his ability to solo a red dragon