chapter 77

Chapter 77: The Dungeon's test – A Blacksmith's Approach

Reyn sat in the academy's testing hall, tapping his quill against the desk as he skimmed through the written exam.

"Solve the following magic formulas…"

"Explain the theory behind elemental affinity resonance…"

"Describe the principles of rune amplification in enchanted weapons…"

He let out a sigh. This was too easy.

Reyn quickly filled out his answers, effortlessly breaking down complex magical equations and theories. While most students struggled with mana flow mechanics, he had spent years engraving runes and forging enchanted weapons—he knew magic through experience, not just theory.

By the time most students would be barely halfway through the exam Reyn stood up, handed in his papers, and walked out with the teachers to the next part of the test.

Now came the real test.

Reyn walked across the academy's massive garden, a vast area filled with lush greenery, magical flora, and bubbling alchemical springs. This wasn't just for decoration—many of the rare herbs grown here were vital to alchemists and potion-makers.

He passed rows of shimmering mana bloom flowers, which absorbed ambient magic, making them key ingredients in powerful mana potions. Nearby, thick vines of ember ivy twisted around a marble archway—a plant used in fire-resistant elixirs. Even the air smelled of crushed leaves and brewing mixtures, as alchemy students often came here to gather fresh ingredients. In the center of this serene landscape stood something out of place—a massive dungeon entrance, built like a fortress of dark stone.

where the man-made dungeon loomed ahead. Unlike the pristine stone paths and carefully arranged flower beds surrounding it, the dungeon entrance looked ancient—a fortress of dark stone and weathered ruins.

One of the professors stepped forward to explain.

"This trial is based on the fortress-dungeons used during the Great War," he said. "The enemy nations built these structures to trap our soldiers. You must escape within two hours while overcoming magical traps, puzzles, and obstacles."

Reyn barely listened. His focus was on the dungeon itself. The walls were covered in old rune carvings, expertly inscribed. Whoever had designed this place knew their craft.

With a heavy creak, the dungeon doors opened. Reyn stepped inside.

As he stepped inside, stone walls shifted behind him, sealing the entrance. The air was damp, and faint torches flickered along the walls. Goblins—small, green creatures with crude weapons—scurried through the corridors, eyeing him hungrily.

Reyn smirked. "Well, this won't be boring."

As Reyn moved forward, he noticed something odd—a section of the floor slightly raised.

"A trap activated by mans step? Basic stuff."

Rather than avoiding it, he skillfully injected his mana to take control of it to activate.

CLANK!

From the walls, metallic spears shot out, aimed at the hallway ahead—just as a pack of goblins rushed at him from the darkness.

SHINK! SHINK!

The goblins shrieked in pain, skewered instantly by the very trap that was meant for him. Reyn chuckled.

"I might just use these dungeons for inspiration later."

One goblin survived, managing to dodge the trap and lunge at him, a rusty dagger raised high.

Reyn sidestepped and brought his hammer imbued with mana down hard—CRACK! The goblin collapsed instantly.

A second goblin leaped at him, but Reyn flicked his chisel forward, slashing across its throat with a precise strike.

The rest hesitated, wary of attacking him head-on.

"Smart. But not smart enough."

Reyn reached into his pocket and tossed a handful of small rune-carved stones onto the floor. The moment the goblins stepped forward—BOOM!

A blast of light and force erupted, sending them flying into the walls. Dazed and disoriented, they were easy targets as Reyn moved in and finished them off one by one.

"Too easy."

Dusting himself off, he moved deeper into the dungeon.

Using his hammer and chisel, he carved runes into the stone walls, testing how well they held magical energy. As he explored, he came across puzzles—matching symbols, pressure plates, and rotating walls. To Reyn, these were simple and fun, like solving a riddle.

But then—something unexpected happened.

The torches flickered strangely, and suddenly—the entire hall shifted. The walls stretched, the ceiling disappeared into an endless void, he was no longer in a dungeon.

Instead, he stood in a vast, moonlit forest. The trees stretched high into the sky, their branches curling unnaturally, whispering in a language he didn't understand. The air smelled of damp earth and old magic. and the air grew heavy with pressure.

Then, a massive dragon appeared before him.

Its red scales shimmered as it spread its enormous wings, eyes glowing like molten gold. It opened its mouth, and a sea of fire surged forth.

Reyn's heart pounded. "An illusion… but a damn good one."

He could feel the heat. The ground trembled beneath the beast's weight.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think this thing was real."

The fire roared toward him. Reyn leaped aside, narrowly dodging as the flames seared the stone behind him.

But something caught his attention—glowing runes on the walls.

"Ah. So that's how this works."

Reyn quickly chiseled his own runes into the ground, altering the magic flow. The illusion glitched for a brief moment, flickering, as if struggling to maintain itself.

That was all Reyn needed.

With one precise movement, he hurled his chisel like a dagger—striking the glowing rune on the dragon's chest.

The illusion shattered instantly, the dragon dissolving into mist.

This experience sparked an idea—illusion magic could be a powerful tool for crafting trials to test warriors for his future weapons.

"If I can master illusions, I could create entire battle simulations… a way for people to prove themselves before wielding my best work."

His mind buzzed with possibilities as he carved small rune symbols into the stone walls, testing how illusion spells reacted to his own magic.

He grinned. "Yeah… I'm definitely learning that magic later."

As Reyn stepped into the final section, his instincts flared.

The air was too still. The torches cast long, unnatural shadows. It felt like he was being watched.

He glanced around but saw nothing. Still, his gut told him something was waiting ahead.

With a cautious step, he pressed forward toward the next room, completely unaware of the assassins lurking in the darkness, waiting for their moment to strike.

Reyn stepped into the dungeon's final chamber and froze.

The dungeon core glowed faintly in the center of the room, untouched.

Beside it, the final boss—a massive, armored golem—lay in ruins. Its thick metal plating had been torn apart, its mana circuits severed with surgical precision. Whoever had done this wasn't just strong—they were efficient, deliberate.

Reyn exhaled slowly, sensing something was off.

There were others in the room.

Reyn exhaled, scanning the darkness. "Who's there?" His voice echoed against the cavern walls. "Is this part of the test? If not, I don't want any trouble."

No response.

Then—a barrage of daggers shot toward him, glinting in the dim light. Reyn barely had time to react before his prototype Monkey King Armor flared to life. A black aura rippled around him, and the blades deflected harmlessly, clattering against the stone floor.

Reyn exhaled, glancing at the scattered blades on the ground.

"You aimed to cut me, not kill me." He nudged a dagger with his foot, noting the subtle scent of paralysis poison coating the edge. "And from what I can see, you laced your weapons to knock me out. Which means you need me alive."

He sighed, brushing off his sleeve his expression unreadable. "You know," he said, his voice calm, "I may be a blacksmith who makes weapons, but I don't like resorting to violence unless necessary."

In the shadows, unseen eyes watched him.

Arrogant little brat, one of the assassins thought bitterly. They had spent months tracking him down—stealing the dungeon key, waiting inside for the perfect ambush.

Reyn should be exhausted after clearing the dungeon. Even with ten of them, this was supposed to be easy. The others were already hunting down his teacher, so this was just a matter of securing the target.

Yet—he was completely unfazed.

A slow, deliberate chuckle broke the silence.

"Those blades just now? Just a warning." The assassin leader stepped forward, a jagged dagger twirling in his fingers. His voice dripped with amusement, like a cat playing with its food.

"If you don't want violence, then come quietly. Our employer won't mind if you lose an arm or a leg. He just wants all the secrets inside that unworthy peasant head of yours."

Reyn let out a long breath, rolling his shoulders. He could sense there were only ten of them. If they had known who his teacher was, they would have brought far more. That meant they weren't fully aware of his abilities. That worked in his favor.

Reyn's fingers flexed. "Huh. That so?"

He cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders. "Well, I suppose this is a good chance to test something new."

He took a stance—a style similar to karate, learned from an old martial arts manual he had bought at the auction. The manual had once belonged to the Wolf Beastman Clan, but it only covered the basics—stances, fundamental strikes, and some counters. Enough to build a foundation, but nowhere near mastery. Reyn had practiced on his own, refining what little he knew, but against real fighters, he was still a novice. Even so, Reyn had plenty of physical strength from years of hammering metal and a deep mana reserve from enchanting countless weapons. What he lacked was real battle experience.

Still, his black armor would automatically block any attack he didn't react to. That gave him an edge.

Reyn exhaled slowly, steadying himself. Now, he just had to see how well theory translated into practice.

"Come on, then," he said, his voice steady. He waited for them to make the first move.

The assassins moved as one, their blades glinting as they lunged at him.

Too fast.

But not faster than his Monkey King Armor. A black ripple pulsed outward, deflecting the incoming attacks just as Reyn sidestepped.

The nearest assassin overextended.

Reyn struck.

A sharp step forward—a Wolf Beastman counterstrike to the solar plexus, precise but still unrefined. His raw strength, combined with mana reinforcement, made the impact devastating. The assassin gasped, his body folding inward before he was sent flying, crashing against the cavern wall.

One down.

But Reyn frowned. His form wasn't perfect. His timing was off, and if not for his strength and mana, the strike might not have worked.

I need to get better.

The leader's smirk faltered for just a second.

"Tsk." Reyn shook his head. "You're going to have to do better than that."

The leader's expression hardened. "Get him."

Nine figures vanished into the darkness.

Reyn just smiled. "Alright then. Let's see what you've got."

The moment Reyn sensed their intent, the assassins struck from the shadows.

Blades whistled through the air, but each one was deflected by his Monkey King armor yongpyo. Sparks flew as the daggers bounced harmlessly off the enchanted surface.

Reyn narrowed his eyes. "Enchanted daggers? Poisoned, too." He had spotted the faint shimmer of mana on the edges—magic designed to bypass normal armor. If not for his prototype armor, he might have been in real trouble.

"Tch! His defense is too strong!" one of the assassins cursed as their weapons failed to leave a scratch.

Reyn didn't wait for them to regroup. He lunged forward, catching the closest assassin off guard. His fist drove into the man's gut, sending him crashing into the dungeon wall. The assassin slumped over, groaning.

As Reyn effortlessly sends another assassin crashing into a pillar, he chuckles, rubbing the back of his head.

Reyn: "Oops! Used too much strength again. You guys okay?"

Another rushed in—only for the armor to react, blocking the blade automatically.

Reyn swung an elbow, catching his attacker in the gut. "Man, this is fun!"

The remaining assassins grit their teeth, encircling him.

One by one, the assassins fell.

Reyn moved like a force of nature, dodging attacks, countering with precise punches and kicks, sending his attackers crashing into walls, pillars, and even each other.

Now, only one remained.

A tall, lean man with wolf-like features and a scar running down his cheek, he exuded authority.

The leader Greedy Fang.

He didn't even seem angry about losing his men.

Instead, he watched each of them fall with growing interest, his eyes locked onto Reyn's armor.

Greedy Fang (thinking): Interesting. Ten men, all taken down so effortlessly… and not a single scratch on that armor.

He licked his lips, greedy desire creeping into his smirk.

At first, he had no interest in Reyn's equipment. The mission was simply to capture him.

But now?

That black armor… it absorbed attacks, deflected magic, even repelled enchanted blades.

Greedy Fang (grinning): I wasn't planning on taking it before, but now… now I have to have it.

He rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck, then charged forward, his daggers glowing with dark magic.

He aimed for Reyn's joints—his neck, elbows, and knees.

Reyn (thinking): Oh? He's got some skill.

But skill wasn't going to help him.

The moment Greedy Fang's blades struck Reyn's armor—BOOM!

A shockwave erupted, and Greedy Fang was blown backward, tumbling across the floor.

Greedy Fang (groaning): "What… the hell…?"

Reyn cracked his knuckles.

Reyn: "Oh yeah, forgot to mention—this armor doesn't like being touched."

Greedy Fang struggled to his feet, panting.

His daggers—enchanted to cut through steel—hadn't even left a scratch.

For the first time in years, he felt frustration instead of confidence.

Reyn stepped forward.

Reyn: "You must be the leader."

Greedy Fang smirked, still undeterred.

Greedy Fang: "Yes, and I must say, I've decided I want that armor for myself."

Reyn sighed.

Reyn: "You know, if you asked nicely, I might've made you something... but now?"

Before Greedy Fang could react—

WHAM!

Reyn punched him straight into the ground, leaving a crater.

The remaining assassins—the ones still conscious—immediately dropped their weapons.

With the battle over, Reyn sighed and stretched.

The assassins lay scattered across the floor, groaning from their injuries.

Greedy Fang, now sporting a Reyn-shaped dent in his chest armor, coughed weakly. "H-How… strong… are you?"

Reyn ignored him, already pulling out some enchanted rope from his storage.

Reyn (muttering): "Gotta say, I thought this would be harder."

One by one, he tied them up, making sure to reinforce the knots with magic—just in case.

The assassins grumbled and struggled, but none dared try anything after seeing what happened to their leader.

With that done, Reyn turned his attention to the dungeon's core.

It was completely intact, but the armored golem that had been guarding it was badly damaged—taken down by the very assassins now tied up before him.

Reyn frowned, kneeling beside the wrecked construct.

Reyn (thinking): So they actually managed to bring this thing down?

He studied the remains, noting the precise dagger strikes at key joints and the lingering traces of magic interference.

Reyn: "Huh. You guys actually have some skill."

The assassins perked up slightly, almost looking proud—until Reyn shook his head.

Reyn: "But your work is sloppy. You forced your way through instead of understanding its enchantments. If you were smarter, you could've disabled it without causing this much damage."

The assassins felt oddly insulted.

"What kind of blacksmith critiques assassins?"

Ignoring them, Reyn cracked his knuckles.

Reyn: "Well, since I've got some time…"

He started repairing and upgrading the golem—while interrogating the assassins.

"So, let's start simple—who sent you?"

The assassins stayed quiet.

Reyn, unfazed, hammered a new metal plate onto the golem.

CLANG!

The assassins flinched.

Greedy Fang (grumbling): "Like we'd tell you anything."

Reyn just shrugged.

Reyn: "That's fine. I've got a lot of work to do anyway."

He started engraving fresh enchantments, strengthening the golem's frame.

Minutes passed.

The assassins watched in horror as the damaged golem slowly came back to life—stronger than before.

Assassin #4: "W-Wait! You're fixing it?! Why?!"

Reyn: "Because you guys broke it."

Reyn wiped his hands, admiring his work.

The golem's eyes flickered back to life, and its new enchantments glowed menacingly.

Greedy Fang (sweating): "H-Hold on—"

Reyn patted the golem's head.

Reyn: "Now, be a good guard and make sure they don't go anywhere."

The golem loomed over the tied-up assassins, its fists crackling with reinforced magic.

Assassin: "OKAY! WE'LL TALK! JUST GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"

Reyn grinned.

Reyn: "Glad we're finally getting somewhere."