Fated Adventure.

The forge roared to life, bathing the room in a golden-orange glow as Hephaestus moved with the confidence of a goddess in her domain. The heat was intense, but she paid it no mind, her single eye gleaming as she tossed me a pair of heavy tongs.

"Let's see what you've got, apprentice," she said with a smirk.

I caught the tongs and stepped forward, immediately falling into familiar motions. I had spent countless hours forging weapons before, but under Hephaestus' scrutinizing gaze, every movement felt magnified.

"Too slow," she snapped as I hesitated for a fraction of a second. "And your grip—adjust it! You'll lose strength over time if you keep holding it like that."

I corrected my stance, gripping the tongs tighter, but Hephaestus was relentless. She threw me through the fundamentals of hammering, quenching, tempering, and folding, watching like a hawk for any inefficiencies. Every mistake, no matter how small, was pointed out immediately.

"Not bad," she admitted after an hour, arms crossed. "You've got a natural feel for the craft, but you rely too much on instinct. That's good for a genius, but it's also how you hit a ceiling." She tapped the side of her head. "Technique is what lets you surpass limits. The gods didn't craft divine weapons just by 'winging it.'"

I wiped sweat from my brow and nodded. "Understood."

Satisfied for now, Hephaestus turned her attention to the new metals stacked against the wall. She ran her fingers over Heart-Chilling Iron, and a faint shudder passed through her frame.

"This… isn't just cold," she murmured, narrowing her eye. "It's like it's rejecting warmth itself. This would make an incredible weapon against fire-based opponents. Incredibly durable and would be great for weapons or armor."

She moved on, picking up a chunk of Deep Sea Sunken Silver. It was also insanely durable and hard unlike normal silver it would be hard for mortal hand or normal fire to even make a dent in it.

Next was Life Gold, a metal with a faint pulse, like a heartbeat thrumming just beneath its surface. Her fingers tightened around it, and her eye widened in shock.

"This metal it can extend a personal life span, nourish the body and grant healing capabilities as well as opening the mind." She whispered the words like a revelation. "It's metal that can merge with a person and forge them."

Then, she turned to the weapons. Her gaze landed on the Goblin-forged knife, and she clicked her tongue in amazement.

"A magic weapon that absorbs materials to evolve?" She turned it over in her hand, inspecting the craftsmanship. "Fascinating no doubt a masterpiece."

Tsubaki, who had been watching from the side, grinned. "Damn, Boss, should I be jealous? I've never seen you so into someone else's workshop."

Hephaestus huffed but didn't deny it. Instead, she turned back to me, determination burning in her gaze.

"You wanted a teacher, Ryan?" She gestured at the forge. "Then get ready. I'm going to take you beyond just 'winging it.' By the time I'm done, you won't just be a good blacksmith—you'll be a true master."

I grinned, feeling the fire in my own chest rise to meet hers. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

As the forge's heat swirled around us, Hephaestus wasted no time in continuing my education. The goddess of forging was relentless, her critiques sharp yet insightful, pushing me beyond the limitations I had unknowingly imposed on myself. My muscles burned with exertion, sweat dripping down my brow, but I refused to falter.

"Again!" she commanded as I brought the hammer down on the glowing metal. "Your strike is too rigid—blacksmithing isn't just about force, it's about flow. Read the metal, listen to it. If you force it, you'll only weaken it in ways you can't see."

I inhaled deeply, steadying myself. Instead of just hammering away, I focused—not just on the weight of the hammer, but on the way the metal moved under each impact. It was subtle, but I could feel it: resistance, adjustment, acceptance. The metal had a voice of its own, and I needed to speak its language.

Hephaestus gave a small nod of approval. "Better. Keep refining that instinct—don't just shape the metal, shape yourself alongside it."

I lost track of time, immersed in the rhythm of creation, my body moving on instinct yet refined by technique. The clang of metal against metal, the hiss of steam as heated metal met water, the flickering glow of the forge—it was a symphony, and I was beginning to understand its melody.

Eventually, Hephaestus called for a pause. "You're improving quickly. But we've only scratched the surface." Her gaze flickered to the Life Gold, still resting where she had left it. Her fingers drummed against the workbench. "I can't get this material out of my head. A metal that nourishes the body and merges with a person… It's like something straight out of legend."

Tsubaki leaned against a nearby anvil, arms crossed. "Merging metal with a person? Sounds insane. Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

Hephaestus smirked. "Not at all it's completely harmless and only grants benefits."Ryan, have you experimented with this metal yet?"

I nodded my head. "I have already opened up my spiritual sea. You can both take a piece of you like, it's use is simple just place it to your forehead and it will go to work opening up your spiritual sea, extending your lifespan, strengthening your body and so on."

Hephaestus picked up a piece of the life gold which thrummed in her hands before placing it against her forehead.

It was sucked under the skin and sur enough went to work opening up her spiritual sea. It was like a chain she didn't know she had was lifted off her body as her mind expanded.

The metal had become one with her which was a euphoric feeling for the goddess of smithing.