Forge and Steel

Hephaistos Familia Residence.

Located near the Tower of Babel stands the imposing residence of the Hephaistos Familia.

Within it, the resonant echoes of hammers striking metal fill the air, creating a constant symphony that extends through the stone and steel halls.

Surrounded by numerous workshops, the residence is a labyrinth of blazing forges and roaring furnaces, illuminated by the glowing embers and orange brilliance of the fires that never go out.

Dwarves, Humans, Semi-humans, and Pallums, numerous races reside in this place, united by an unbreakable love for iron and steel.

In the depths of the Hephaistos residence stands an imposing workshop, much larger and more majestic than the rest. Carved from fine stone, a massive chimney protrudes from the ceiling, releasing a dense dark smoke that fills the air with the scent of metal and coal.

*PHAM*

*PHAM*

Inside the large workshop, the deep blows of a hammer against metal resound with a deafening noise.

Near the massive furnace, a tall young man, about 1.90 meters (6'3") tall, was striking a fine rapier with a huge mace.

Each impact made the metal vibrate, which glowed brightly red under the light of the fire, while sparks flew in all directions, briefly illuminating his focused and determined face.

Deep silver eyes stared intently at the rapier, his black, messy hair firmly tied in a ponytail.

"Fiuhhh, seems like it's done..." With a deep sigh, the sound of the hammer ceased in the huge workshop.

With a satisfied look, the young man gazed at the beautiful rapier in his hands.

"A beautiful weapon..." With a proud smile, the young man admired the elegant shape and perfect balance of the steel, feeling that every curve and edge reflected his dedication. However, soon his thoughts turned to concern. "I just hope that brat doesn't break it again."

Shifting his gaze from the weapon, the man walked toward the shelf that held various weapons of different types.

The lingering fire from the furnace illuminated the strong body of the young man, robust and powerful, covered with large, well-defined muscles, a body worthy of any Greek god.

Small, long scars covered part of his arms and abdomen, clearly showing that this was a body built through fighting.

*Bumm*

However, before the young man could place the rapier on the shelf, a strong knock came from the door of his workshop, and in the next second, the door was thrown open.

There, in the doorway, stood a brunette woman with black hair and red eyes, wearing a patch that crossed over her left eye, looking at him with exasperation.

"Tsubaki... I remember telling you I wouldn't be joining you for dinner this night." Shaking his head with a bitter smile, Pyrion knew Tsubaki had probably forgotten their previous conversation.

"WHAT?!" A look of confusion overtook Tsubaki's face, and it was clear she didn't remember Pyrion's words. Her brows furrowed, and her expression hardened as if trying to recall each word, but with no success. "Did you really say that? No way!"

"You should exercise your brain as well as your muscles..." With an amused look, Pyrion placed the rapier on the shelf and wiped the ashes off his body with a small cloth.

"You're such a bastard...! Forget it, it doesn't matter!" Tsubaki crossed her arms, her expression changing from confusion to determination. "The goddess is waiting for you in the dining room, and you know she won't start eating without you. So move your ass and let's go!"

With a resigned sigh, Pyrion couldn't help but smile at Tsubaki's persistence. He knew she was right; the goddess Hephaistos deeply valued moments spent around the table, and he couldn't leave her waiting.

"Alright, alright," he said, raising his hands in surrender.

Walking toward the entrance of the workshop, Kaylon put on a black tunic that covered his body down to his knees, with thick black pants underneath.

"Hurry up, Pyrion! We don't have all day," Tsubaki shouted.

"You really are annoying, dwarf..."

"You're even more annoying, gorilla!"

...

"WHY DID YOU TAKE SO LONG?!"

There, at the dining table, sat the majestic Goddess Hephaistos, with her beautiful face and fine red hair.

With a noble air, Hephaistos occupied the head of the family's seat.

Giving Pyrion a reproachful look, Hephaistos complained.

"Sorry, Hephaistos. I lost track of time in the workshop," Pyrion replied with a bitter smile, though his gaze quickly shifted to the exquisite dinner that adorned the table. The sight of the steaming dishes, filled with delights that promised to satisfy his hunger, made his stomach growl in response.

Hephaistos furrowed her brow but softened when she saw Pyrion's hungry expression. "Always working, huh? You can't let work consume you. You have to enjoy these moments," she said, her voice warm.

"I know, I know..." Pyrion muttered, sitting down at the table. Next to him, Tsubaki sat with a triumphant expression, as though she had won a small battle by bringing him to dinner.

"Finally, we can eat!" With a big smile, Tsubaki wasted no time and began devouring the food.

"Really... you have no sense of manners," Hephaistos shook her head disapprovingly, looking at her daughter's savagery.

On the other hand, unlike Tsubaki, Pyrion took the food quickly but delicately, showing his manners at the table.

She observed Pyrion with satisfaction, a small smile forming on her lips. Indeed, at least one of my children has manners, she thought to herself, feeling a deep pride for her son, though she knew Tsubaki had her own kind of charm.

With Tsubaki and Pyrion's large appetites, the abundant food on the table quickly disappeared.

Clearly, the large amount of food was not meant for Hephaistos but for Pyrion and Tsubaki.

"You were working on a weapon all day, whose is it?" After finishing her meal, Hephaistos asked Pyrion with curiosity, her attentive gaze shining with interest.

Tsubaki also looked at Pyrion with an arched brow. It was strange that Pyrion had spent so much time working on just one weapon.

"Unless it's a very special weapon," Tsubaki added to herself.

Only first-class weapons require this much attention from Pyrion.

Pyrion, still adjusting his plate, felt the curious gazes of both. With a sigh, he took a moment before responding. "It's a rapier."

"A rapier?" Tsubaki repeated, her interest clearly piqued. "For who?"

"I imagine you already know the little troublemaker from the Loki Familia," Pyrion said with a smile, remembering the little ball of chaos from the Loki Familia.

"Oh, you mean Ais Wallenstein?" Hephaistos asked, her voice full of intrigue. "I've heard a lot about her. They say she's one of the adventurers with the most potential in Orario."

"Yes, that one," Pyrion nodded, his expression becoming more amused as he continued. "She came to me a few days ago, saying the weapons our blacksmiths made for her kept breaking easily..."

Tsubaki frowned. "Really...? As far as I know, she's been visiting our top-tier blacksmiths. I highly doubt the weapons they gave her were of poor quality."

Hephaistos also furrowed her brow, clearly bothered by the insinuation that her blacksmiths might be failing.

Pyrion shrugged. "That's what I thought too, so I carefully examined the weapons they gave the brat..."

Tsubaki asked with interest and concern, "And what did you discover?"

"The weapons were well forged," Pyrion continued, his tone thoughtful. "There's no mistake in the work, they're definitely top-class weapons... The problem is Ais. She doesn't seem to take care of her weapons, and she seems to push them far beyond their limits."

Tsubaki raised an eyebrow, surprised by the observation. "Really? That's concerning. If she's using the weapons without proper care, it's a disaster waiting to happen. What if she finds herself in a critical situation and one of them breaks in the middle of battle?"

"Exactly," Pyrion replied, then with a smile added, "I thought about teaching her to use them properly, but that girl doesn't seem to listen, so I found another solution to keep her from dying in the dungeon because of a broken weapon."

"So...?" Hephaistos smiled, anticipating her son's solution.

Pyrion leaned forward, excited to share his idea. "It's simple... since she can't use weapons without breaking them, I gave her something she can't break." His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he continued. "I designed an almost indestructible rapier for her. I used a stronger metal and a forging technique that gives it the right flexibility. Now, even if she wants to, she can't break my rapier."

Hephaistos looked at him with admiration, her pride evident. "That sounds impressive, Pyrion. I'm sure you put a lot of effort into it. I can't wait to see the work."

"Jeje, let me add the finishing touches and I'll show it to you later, Hephaistos." Embarrassed by his goddess's praise, Pyrion blushed slightly.

"Jejeje, you're amazing, Pyr, Pyr!" Looking at the blushing Pyrion, Tsubaki said with a playful smile. "I'm also excited to see it." Her expression was a mix of admiration and teasing, and she couldn't help but enjoy the moment as Pyrion got flustered by the compliments.

"Well, I have to finish the rapier. See you later!" Too embarrassed to stay at the table, Pyrion quickly fled the dining room, feeling the heat of his blush still on his cheeks.

As he crossed the door, he could hear Tsubaki's laughter and Hephaistos's soft voice, blending together in an echo of joy behind him.

...

"Phew... It seems that neither in my past life nor in this one will I be good at receiving compliments," Pyrion sighed with an exasperated smile.

"Has it really been almost 20 years...?"

Memories of the past came to Pyrion's mind.

This is not actually his first life. Before being reincarnated in this world, he was just an orphaned university student trying to survive.

Born in an orphanage, he faced difficulties from a young age.

Fortunately, he was born with a good head on his shoulders, which allowed him to stand out, enter a good university, and graduate with honors.

Just when he thought everything was going well and he had an interview with a big company, who would have thought that one day, crossing the street, a massive dump truck would hit him.

And then he was reborn, orphaned again.

Abandoned in an alley in Orario, left to his fate, hungry and cold, at that moment he thought he would die barely after being reborn.

However, it seemed that lady luck hadn't abandoned him yet, and then he encountered her light, or more precisely, her beautiful fire-colored hair.

Whether out of compassion or by destiny, Hephaistos picked him up on a cold night.

A solitary goddess who had not yet formed her familia found a little baby, and perhaps because she thought it was fate, she ended up adopting him.

Since then, 20 years had passed. Under Hephaistos's loving care, Pyrion had grown into a great man in Orario.

"Level 6 adventurer..." Pyrion murmured to himself, remembering all the challenges he had overcome, every battle he had been in, and every lesson he had learned from his adoptive mother. His path hadn't been easy, but every hammer strike in the forge, every night of training, had shaped his destiny.

Now, along with Ottar, he was the only Level 6 adventurer in Orario, at least on the surface.

And not only that, besides being a top-tier adventurer, he was currently the best blacksmith in all of Orario.

As he reflected on his life, a mix of nostalgia and determination overtook him. "I've come so far, but there's still more to achieve."

The reincarnation gave him a second chance, and he was not willing to waste it. That's why, from start to finish, he promised to give his all to be the best.

"After all, this world is as beautiful as it is dangerous," Pyrion's expression turned solemn, remembering the novel about this world he had read in his past life.

"However, now the most important thing is the closest disaster... Orario's dark age."

An unprecedented era for Orario, the fall of the Zeus and Hera familias allowed the rats hidden in the darkness to come out with strength.

Pyrion, who had been paying attention to this, had naturally noticed the strange behavior of the dark faction, and he estimated that it wouldn't take long to explode.

"For now, the key is to improve your strength." In this world, there is one truth, and that truth is strength. Without it, everything is just chatter.

Only with strength can one be safe in this world.

For now, his own strength had reached the peak of Level 6, and he only needed a great achievement to move on to Level 7.

"Let's think carefully." Pyrion didn't want to rush things and make mistakes, so it would be best to think carefully.

Walking through the long halls of the familia residence, Pyrion soon arrived at his workshop. Now, he wanted to finish that girl's rapier.

...

I bring you another novel, with a different character, from a different perspective, but in the same world. Depending on the support, this story will continue.