Eternal Forge: Starting with a SSS Rank talent and a Myth Rank Class

Chapter 40: Chapter 40- The Royal Treasury Vault, Divine Beast soul Crystals.

Leo lay on the grand bed in his assigned quarters within the Asgardian palace, the soft glow of enchanted lanterns casting warm golden light across the room. He held the newly forged Starfall Hammer in both hands, turning it slowly as he studied every intricate detail.

The weapon’s head gleamed with an otherworldly sheen, its surface etched with faint, pulsing runes that seemed to breathe in rhythm with his own heartbeat. The handle felt perfectly balanced in his grip, warm and alive, as if the hammer itself recognized its creator.

After thoroughly examining the weapon, Leo finally set it aside and opened his status panel with a thought.

...

[Status Panel]

NAME: Leo Stone

RACE: Human

LEVEL: 15

CLASS: Eternal Forge (Mythic)

BRANCH: Soul Forge (Initiate), Runic Inscription (Expert)

STATS:

STR 165 | INT 66 | CHA 76

VIT 139 | WIS 65 | MFT 76

DEX 116 | STM 81 | LCK 77

HP: 2780/2780 | MP: 1320/1320 | STM: 810/810

FORGING PROFICIENCY: Adept

[TALENTS]

[1] Soul & Steel (SSS)

[2] Talisman Forging (S+)

[PASSIVE SKILLS]

Eternal Flame | Weapon Memory | Soulforge Attunement | Forge Resonance | Unenhanced Crafting | Mental Inscription Space

[ACTIVE SKILLS]

Forgefire Strike | Anvil Drop | Rising Forge | Hyperfocus | Slash | Tempered Strike

[TRAITS]

Iron-Forged Body (D-Tier)

— 30% damage reduction, +15% fire resistance, +15% stamina recovery

Spiritual Integrity: 160%

[ARTS]

Primordial Body Forging Art [???]

Ancestral Cadence (Hammer Art)

[TITLES]

Forge Pioneer (Rare, growable)

Forge-Wielder’s Heir [Crown]

Divine Rune Blacksmith of Asgard

[CROWN]

Retainer Slots: 3 (1 filled — Shen)

[CROWN BOND — SLOT 1: SHEN]

Rank: Knight

[EQUIPMENT]

Starfall Hammer (Epic — Transcendent Grade)

Ember-Touched Longsword (Rare — Runic-Infused)

Forgeheart Bracers (Uncommon — Growth)

Sealing Blade (Rare — Growth)

Pendant of Asgard (Legendary)

Storage Pouch — 10 cubic meters

---

Leo’s eyes widened as he reviewed the panel. The changes were immense.

New branches, elevated skills, and powerful titles had transformed his status dramatically. A surge of satisfaction filled him.

He tapped on the Runic Inscription branch to inspect the details.

---

[RUNIC INSCRIPTION BRANCH]

Rank: Adept

[Rune Analysis] — Passive

Understand rune properties, meanings, and combinations. See how runes interact before carving. Detect existing runes on items and their condition.

[Rune Resonance] — Passive

Runes carved by the player will interact itself and self-sustain. Energy flows between runes without external power.

[Rune Carving] — Passive

Physically carve runes into metal during forging.

Requires: Items forged by Leo only. Applied during tempering stage. Weapon quality determines rune capacity.

[Rune Combination] — Active

Cost: Depends on type of runes being combined.

Combine basic runes to create emergent runes. New rune inherits properties of parent runes. Requires: Deep understanding of both runes. Maximum combinations increase with rank.

[BRANCH RESTRICTIONS]

— Cannot create independent talismans (paper/parchment)

— Runic work limited to items the player forges himself

...

Previously, he had only possessed the basic Rune Carving skill. Now, an entire system of supporting abilities had unlocked.

I’ve made tremendous progress with runes since arriving in Asgard, Leo thought, nodding in quiet satisfaction.

Next, he opened the newly gained Soul Forge branch.

....

[SOUL FORGE BRANCH]

Rank: Initiate

[Soul Capture] — Active

Capture souls of killed beings within 10 meters. Must activate within 60 seconds of death. Soul quality depends on the being’s strength. can make attempt to capture the soul of the same being 3 time.

[Soul Receptacle] — Active

Store captured souls. Capacity: 10 souls. Can be expanded with soul cultivation.

[Soul Merge] — Active

Forge two souls together with soul hammer to create a stronger soul. Requires both souls Level 5+. Parent souls destroyed.

[Soul Forging] — Passive

Use captured souls to forge weapons that inherit the soul’s talents and skills. Weapon inherits 1-3 abilities depending on soul quality and forging skill.

[Soul Cultivation] — Passive

Level up soul independently. Unlocks new abilities and strengthens soul power.

[Soul Imprint] — Passive

Imprint soul’s memories and skills into mind. Duration: 10 minutes per soul quality tier.

...

Leo stared at the panel, genuinely shocked. He had suspected the class would involve soul manipulation when he chose it, but seeing the full scope left him stunned.

Souls... I can actually use souls to craft weapons.

A wild grin spread across his face.

If I can get the soul of a dragon and embed it into the Ember-Touched Sword... wouldn’t I become nearly invincible?

”Hehehehe...”

An evil chuckle escaped his lips, growing into full laughter that echoed through the quiet chamber. For several minutes, Leo lost himself in vivid, ambitious fantasies—dragons, ancient beasts, legendary weapons, and unstoppable power.

Eventually, he calmed down, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye, and returned his attention to the panel. One final new addition remained: the title that had helped him complete his class advancement quest.

He selected it.

...

[Divine Rune Blacksmith of Asgard] (Growth)

Tier: Legendary

— Forging Speed +20%

— Rune Carving Speed +20%

— Rune Carving Success +30%

— Rune Capacity +2 per item

— Rune Identification: Instantly identify any rune

— Asgardian NPCs favorability starts at ”Respected”

— Favorability gains +25% faster with Asgardians

— Restricted Area Access

Status: Active

---

With all these boosts, my forging speed and success rate have skyrocketed, Leo realized. Combined with Forge Resonance and the Starfall Hammer, I should be able to reliably craft Rare-grade items every time.

Satisfied, he closed the panel. Exhaustion from the day’s events finally caught up with him. Leo lay back on the bed and drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

.....

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the ornate windows of the palace. Leo woke refreshed, washed up, and dressed in clean, comfortable attire provided by the palace staff. The victory banquet was scheduled for the evening, leaving him with free time to explore.

He wandered the magnificent halls of the palace without restriction. Guards and servants bowed respectfully as he passed, many offering polite greetings. No one blocked his path; instead, they guided him whenever he seemed uncertain.

A guard captain approached with a respectful salute. ”Divine Rune Blacksmith, may I assist you?”

Leo felt a wave of embarrassment at the grandiose title. He quickly waved his hands. ”No, no, thank you for offering, but I’m just walking around and admiring the palace. Please don’t mind me.”

The captain bowed and stepped aside.

As Leo continued his leisurely stroll, he spotted Kai and Lyra walking toward him. Lyra waved enthusiastically from afar.

”Hey, Leo!” she called. ”Where are you going?”

”I’m just wandering around the palace, admiring its beauty,” Leo replied with a smile.

Kai, walking beside her, cut in. ”We’re heading to the royal vault to select our material rewards. You should also have some materials to choose as rewards, right? Want to tag along?”

Leo’s eyes lit up. He had nearly forgotten about the material rewards. ”Let’s go.”

After walking through several grand corridors and taking a few turns, they arrived before a massive, heavily reinforced gate.

Bold, glowing runes spelled out ”Royal Treasury Vault” above it. Two elite guards stood watch.

Just as Lyra was about to speak to the guards, Gandalf emerged from a side passage.

”Well, well. The whole crew of brats is here,” he said sarcastically, though a smirk played on his lips.

Leo grinned. ”Here to pick your rewards?”

Gandalf nodded. The guards, recognizing the group, opened the enormous doors. They groaned heavily as they swung inward, revealing a vast chamber filled with shelves upon shelves of extraordinary materials—rare ores, shimmering crystals, precious metals, ancient stones, and artifacts gathered from across the Nine Realms.

Gandalf immediately dashed deeper into the vault. ”I know exactly what I need!”

Kai followed, his sharp eyes scanning every shelf. Lyra stayed close to him, her gaze drifting across enchanting materials. Leo stood for a moment, taking it all in, before activating his Forge Sight. The skill scanned the room rapidly, feeding him detailed information.

Nothing in the front section exceeded Epic grade, so he ventured deeper into the vault.

As he walked, his Forge Sight suddenly locked onto something unusual. He stopped and made his way toward a particular shelf. It held hundreds of small, spherical crystals stacked like ordinary decorative stones. Most were Common grade, a few Uncommon. Yet two of them emitted a faint, distinct glow.

Leo narrowed his eyes and reached out. The moment his fingers touched the first crystal, he felt a subtle pulse of ancient energy—not mana, not elemental, but something deeper.

Soul power?

He activated Forge Sight fully.

---

[Forge-Sight Active]

[Material Identified]

[Soul Crystal Sphere — Divine Zephyr Cheetah]

Tier: Mythic (Pre-Pantheon Era)

Origin: Spirit of a Zephyr Cheetah, divine beast of the First Age

Status: Dormant

Warning: Requires Soul power to identify. The soul inside once belonged to a divine beast that reached the peak of power. It still retains consciousness. Using it may result in a soul attack.

---

He was shocked by the revelation. He moved to the second glowing crystal. It felt heavier, radiating raw, primal strength.

---

[Forge-Sight Active]

[Material Identified]

[Soul Crystal Sphere — Titan Ape]

Tier: Legendary

Origin: Spirit of a Titan Ape, strongest beast in the Northern Wastes

Status: Dormant

Warning: Requires Soul power to identify. The soul inside once belonged to a divine beast that reached the peak of power. It still retains consciousness. Using it may result in a soul attack.

---

Leo’s heart raced with excitement. He quickly called over the vault’s attendant, who had been instructed by the king to accommodate the group—especially Leo. He was permitted to give Leo some additional materials of low quality if any of the low rank materials picked Leo’s interest.

”What grade are these crystals? I’d like to choose them,” Leo said casually.

The attendant glanced at the spheres and saw only Uncommon-grade decorative crystals. Relieved that Leo hadn’t requested anything too valuable, he smiled. ”Sir Divine Rune Blacksmith, if these have caught your fancy, please take them as a token of our gratitude. Your original quota will remain untouched. Consider it a gift.”

Leo blinked, momentarily dazed. These people had no idea they were handing over Mythic and Legendary soul crystals containing the essences of ancient divine beasts. He nodded calmly, picked up the two glowing crystals, and grabbed two more ordinary ones to avoid suspicion.

He continued browsing. His Forge Sight soon detected another powerful item.

---

[Forge-Sight Active]

[Material Identified]

[Heart of the Dwarven Forge]

Tier: Legendary

Origin: Fragment from the original forge of the sons of Ivaldi

---

He claimed it. Nearby, in the armor section, a white stone radiated protective energy.

---

[Forge-Sight Active]

[Material Identified]

[Aegis Stone]

Tier: Legendary

Origin: Heart of a fallen guardian’s shield

---

In the Starfall materials section, he found a small glowing shard.

---

[Forge-Sight Active]

[Material Identified]

[Starfall Shard]

Tier: Rare

Origin: Fragment of Starfall Iron

---

Perfect, he thought. The connection to his hammer made it especially appealing.

Moving to the section containing animal parts and bones, Leo discovered several high-grade items: legendary bones, rare skins, and even a Wyrm’s heart. Just as he considered the heart, his attention fell on a two-meter-long fang that looked worn and unremarkable. Yet when he touched it, an overwhelming wave of killing intent surged through him.

His passive scan detected nothing, so he used active Forge Sight.

---

[Material Identified]

[Dragon’s Fang]

Tier: Mythic

Origin: Fang of an Ancient Dragon, extracted after its death

Description: A massive, curved, and razor-sharp fang. Still radiates primal killing intent.

Properties:

• Penetration: Ignores 50% of target’s armor

• Critical Damage: +300% on critical hits

• Bleed Effect: Attacks cause bleeding (10% STR per tick, 8 seconds)

• Special: ”Dragon’s Bite” — Next attack deals triple damage (1 per battle)

---

The moment the scan completed, the fang unleashed its full aura. A terrifying wave of killing intent flooded the chamber, accompanied by a menacing black and bloody glow. Leo’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He picked it up without hesitation as his Mythic reward.

For his final pick, he browsed legendary materials: Leviathan scales, Griffin talons, Phoenix feathers. After some deliberation, he found the perfect choice.

---

[Material: Lightning Kirin’s Feather]

Tier: Legendary

Origin: Feather from a divine Lightning Kirin

---

It was ideal for crafting lightning-attributed equipment. He selected it.

By now, Leo had filled his material quota. He looked around and saw the others had finished as well. Gandalf had claimed the most: a massive Thunder Stone, a Rune-Etched Anvil fragment, a Giant’s Fang, and a Frost Giant tooth. Kai had chosen Frost Iron, indestructible Adamantine, a Moonstone, and a Dragon bone fragment. Lyra had selected Celestial Dust, Starwood, and a Phoenix feather.

The attendant recorded everything and bid them farewell with a respectful bow.

As the group walked out of the vault, broad smiles lit up every face. The excitement of their newfound treasures was palpable in the air.