Chapter 108

The reception room was neatly organized.

It was hard to believe that this room was inside the blacksmith shop which was filled with intense heat. The room was incredibly comfortable to be. At the room, Vulcan was having a private conversation with Parkers.

Vulcan politely had his hands together and sat down as he looked at Parkers.

Parkers had copper tone skin with bulging muscles. He was a giant blacksmith.

[Parkers, Act 2 manager and God of Blacksmith]

[???Lv]

‘As I thought, I cannot see his level still. Do I need to have a level over 1000 to see it?’

It seemed to be the case.

Vulcan gave up on scans. He quietly waited for Parkers to open his mouth.

However, it seemed Parkers was not interested in speaking first.

He just stared at Vulcan with his fearsome looking eyes.

Vulcan complained inside.

‘What the. He called me up here, yet why is he not saying anything. He is not strengthening my items either.’

Vulcan met gods before. However, it was first time for Vulcan to have a private conversation in such a small room.

So, Vulcan was feeling quite uncomfortable. He wished Parkers would just hurry up, finish the talk and just get the items strengthened.

However, after one minute, after five minutes… Parkers was not speaking. Watching him, Vulcan realized Parkers was not interested in speaking first.

Vulcan carefully started,

“Excuse me…”

“…”

Parkers still just stared at Vulcan in silence.

Vulcan was a little frustrated. However, he realized it could not be helped, so he said,

“Excuse me… I would like to know…. Why did you called me to come in.”

“… Hm.”

It looked like Parkers was finally showing signs that he might start talking.

To hear what Parkers was about to pour out, Vulcan tilted his head slightly toward the front.

A god, and not any god but the one who was infamous for being lazy, called Vulcan.

It would had been odd to be not interested in what Parkers had to say.

Soon, Parkers opened his mouth, and heavy low voice filled the reception room.

“It’s done. Let’s head out to strengthen the items.”

Parkers got up with those words as the end.

Vulcan was dumbfounded as he watched Parkers opening the door and leaving.

‘… What is this? Is this the end?’

This went beyond just ridiculous. Vulcan wondered about Parkers’ mental state.

However, Vulcan couldn’t argue with someone who was a god.

Vulcan was shocked, but he suppressed the emotion that came all the way up to his throat and quietly followed Parkers.

Vulcan thought,

‘Even so called gods are not all right up there.’

* * *

“Thank you.”

“Hm. All right.”

Vulcan bowed and received the equipment.

They felt like they contained power that was far greater than what they had before. The tip of Vulcan’s lips was about to tilt up slightly, but Vulcan put up an emotionless face and finished saying goodbye.

“Well then, I’ll get going now.”

“All right.”

Parkers also nodded with emotionless face. As Vulcan left the blacksmith shop, Vulcan put up an irked face.

It was because Vulcan could not figure out what Parkers was really up to.

‘How could I know what gods are really thinking.’

Still, it bothered Vulcan, so what could he do?

As he walked, Vulcan thought about various possibilities. He then realized that they were all baseless ideas. Vulcan shook his head.

Vulcan got rid of useless thoughts and started to walk faster.

He wanted to go somewhere that he could be at ease and check out the items that were strengthened.

Vulcan was like a kid who just got money from grandparents during the new year and was heading to the arcade. Vulcan quickly disappeared, and Parkers watched Vulcan in silence and turned around. Parkers went back inside the blacksmith shop.

When Parkers went back in, a middle-aged man with long brown hair said to him,

“How was it to see him in person?”

“Ah, you surprised me. Could you not sneak up on me like that?”

Parkers flinched and complained.

However, the long-haired man in long fabrics didn’t seemed to care at all.

The man asked again,

“Was there anything unique about him?”

“Hm. I am not sure.”

Parkers took a pause for a moment and organized his thought.

However, it didn’t take long. After a brief moment, parkers answered the man’s question.

“He was an ordinary Demi-god.”

“I see.”

“Well, perhaps not an ordinary one. Of all Demi-gods, he was on the quite strong side… Well, still… I didn’t feel anything special from him.”

The long-haired man was Hokulus, the supreme manager of Act 2. He nodded his head.

Hokulus had similar thoughts, so he didn’t ask Parkers any more questions.

Hokulus said,

“I see. I think so too. Of course, he is a Player who is also a Demi-god, which is unique, but… I don’t think he is worthy of the Greatest God’s interest.”

“Hm…”

Parkers heard what Hokulus said. The look on Parkers seemed like he was in agreement.

Like that, for a moment, they kept silence.

“…”

The silence continued.

Parkers didn’t like this. It felt like the silence was going to continue for an eternity.

It was not because of anything particular. Parkers was not interested in Vulcan anymore. He just wanted to rest now.

Parkers was quite intrigued when he first heard about Vulcan from Hokulus.

The Greatest God rarely spoke to even the gods like Parkers. However, the Greatest God was showing interest in someone who was just a Demi-god.

Of course, it was not like the Greatest God was exceptionally interested in Vulcan, but it was still indeed a special case.

‘So… I thought there must be an incredible secret.’

Because of this, despite Parkers’ extreme laziness, he got up himself and observed the man. However, he was not able to find anything special.

As they already discussed, Vulcan was a Demi-god and Player.

Of course, it seemed that Vulcan was known as a human among other humans. However, Parkers didn’t care about that.

What was important was that Parkers didn’t notice anything special or interesting from Vulcan other than those.

With flat face, Parkers said,

“Okay then, I’ll go back?”

Hokulus just stared at Parkers.

Parkers was putting up an emotionless face. However, his gaze didn’t hide his desire to wanting to go rest.

‘This rascal. He is supposed to be a god, yet he doesn’t do anything.’

Hokulus sighed big and said,

“All right. By the way, about that rascal.”

“Yes.”

“Whose son is he? From how he looks like, I can’t think of anyone…”

“Hm.”

It seemed Parkers was intrigued. He was about to walk away, but he stopped for a moment and pondered at it.

Like that, he rolled his brain for a few seconds. He then gave a careless response and went into his room.

“Well, because there are so many ones who shoot around, I cannot think of an answer.”

* * *

Now, it had been two weeks since Vulcan started spending time in Espo City.

When the 15th day arrived, Vulcan immediately contacted the Blue Wind and asked how he was. Vulcan heard energetic cursing from the Blue Dragon and confirmed that he recovered his health.

Now, Vulcan was ready to get to his next stage.

However, here were a few things that bothered Vulcan still.

‘Fowaru, Chimera.’

Vulcan had set aside enough Vitality Marbles to borrow the power of Yur Dong-bin twice more.

So, he was thinking about cleaning up Fowaru and Chimera maker before heading to the hunting grounds. However, perhaps Fowaru and Chimera maker felt the danger. They disappeared without a trace like ghosts.

It seemed they used an amazing method. Even the Oracles, the organization that claimed to know almost everything that was happening in Act 2, said they had no information.

The Oracle apologized to Vulcan for the lack of information. Vulcan gave up on tracking down Fowaru and Chimera maker.

They were Vulcan’s worst enemies. However, Vulcan could not afford to delay leveling up and go chase them down either.

Thinking about them made Vulcan’s inside boil still. However, there was nothing he could do.

Also, there was something else that made him feel infuriated.

‘Oracle… Ugh… these bastards…. I can’t beat the crap out of them even though I know where they are.’

Vulcan was certain that they fucked him over.

This was not a guess anymore. Vulcan was basically certain of it.

However, Vulcan could not attack Oracle which was stationed inside the Espo City and quietly selling information.

Also, it was also Oracle that told Phantaero where Vulcan was, so, in a way, it could be said that Oracle maintained some level of neutrality.

Of course, regardless of this, Vulcan had quite the animosity and weariness toward the Oracle. However, like the others, there was no way for Vulcan to resolve this one either.

“Ugh.”

In the end, Vulcan was not able to eliminate all things that were weighing down on his heart. Still, he was leaving the Espo City so he could get to his next hunting ground.

Vulcan sighed and sighed as he walked through the gate. Out of habit, he opened the equipment window and checked the options on his items.

His bitter stomach calmed quickly. His crumpled face evened at an instant as well.

Vulcan even had faint smiling eyes.

‘Still, the strengthening gave the result I wanted, so that’s good.

[God Legend-rate Weapon – Heavenly Lightning Blade + 2]

[Level Limit: None]

[Mastery limit: Lightning mastery SS or above]

Attack Power +1469

Indestructible

Attack speed + 30%

Movement speed + 15%

Lightning type skill’s attack power + 30%

Lightning type training’s efficiency +30%

Lightning type skill’s mana requirement reduced by 20%

*A lightning element blade that was said to be bestowed by an ancient god of lightning to a brave hero who saved the humanity. It significantly amplifies the lightning type skills. The blade was strengthened once by the strengthening stone and another time by Parkers, the God of Blacksmith. The blade demonstrates incredible power. It is rivaling weapons of gods.

The Heavenly Lightning Blade showed off incredible attack power of 941 when it was strengthened for the first time. Now, it was multiplied by 1.5, blowing up its stat.

Anyone who could not get excited from seeing this could not be a Player.

This was not the end.

When it came to the blade, it didn’t have another rank to rise to, so its rating stayed as God-Legend. However, as for the Duke Demon Armors set, all of them ranked up from Legendary to God-Legend rate.

‘Where did you get such armors exuding intense evil energies?’

Parkers made a negative comment about them, but it didn’t matter.

It was not like Vulcan was foolish enough to succumb to their evil energies. Everything was good as long as the armors had superb performances.

Vulcan enjoyed looking at his beloved armors and refreshed his mind. He slowly moved away from the Espo City.

Um…”

After completely leaving the city, from a far distance, he looked back.

The city was giant, but from this distance, he could see the entire city in a single view.

‘When I return, will it be in 50 years? 100 years?’

With sentimental eyes, Vulcan looked at the city for a moment. He then turned around and walked forward.

Now, Vulcan was really almost there.

He overcame most of dangers that really threatened his life. Now, he just needed to focus on enlightenments and leveling up.

Vulcan headed to ‘Origin of Evil,’ a hunting ground with 900 – 920 level monsters roaming around freely.

Along with ‘Temple of the Dragon,’ the place was famous for being the hunting ground with most extreme difficulty.

Vulcan’s Demi-god power opposed all evil, hence the place was perfect for him.

‘Well, I’ve heard that no human had made it that far in past 300 years. Is it that tough? Will I be overdoing it a little… I’ll be all right, right?’

Because of the monsters’ deadly stats, not just humans, but most of other beings didn’t dare to set foot in the place.

So, the Origin of Evil only had the most powerful of dragonians and demi-gods. The place was like the heaven above the heaven where only the strongest gathered.

‘It is not heaven above the heaven. It is heaven above heaven above heaven above heaven… Is that about right?’

Of course, that was not going to make Vulcan back down.

On the contrary, Vulcan was excited with anticipation.

The monsters there were not weak ones like the Lava Demon Forces at the cave. They were going to be powerful enough to keep Vulcan’s hands full even if he fought just one.

Just thinking about it made him full of excitements, and the sensation didn’t stop.

Soon, Vulcan was going to feel the thrill from the battles against powerful monsters.

Vulcan was full of motivation, and he arrived at the Origin of Evil in no time. As if he had nothing to look back, he focused on hunting.

His battles were brutal and obsessive as if he was a fanatic of God Powell.

Even after a year, ten years, and twenty years… His passion continued to burn in full force.

Vulcan developed super human patience from completing 100 years of grinding.

Without anyone to talk to, trapped in the cave, Vulcan had to repeat boring tasks for 100 years. Compared to that, this place was no different from the heaven itself.

Like that, Vulcan spent 100 years at the Origin of Evil.

[Demi-God Vulcan]

[930Lv]

Of The Six at the Beloong city, Berunaru was the second most powerful one, and his level was 921.

After spending 235 years at Act 2, Vulcan obtained power that surpassed even his teacher.