A Monster Who Levels Up

Chapter 23

(This extra chapter is brought to you by these brilliant and astute individuals: Mikael M, Christine W, Keneth P, Cayleb R, Tristan B, Gege S, David L, and Valentino W. Thank you for your donations!!)

[The Smithing Technique has been completed.]

[Hardness Level: D]

[Succeeded in bestowing special characteristics: "Sharpness Level C"’, "Weight Reduction Level: D"]

[Due to the outstanding quality of the finished item, the Skill Proficiency Level has increased from F to D-.]

"Oww yeah…" (TL: the author didn’t literally say this, but I was watching the Guardians of the Galaxy before TLing this chapter and Rocket Racoon is such a bad a*s…..)

Kim Sae-Jin in the Goblin Form murmured in satisfaction as he stroked the dagger. On the short but sharp and straight blade, an intricate pattern carved out by the 10 minutes-worth of the Goblin’s exacting handicraft skills was visible, and the hilt made out of a rock was perfectly shaped, as well as also being light in weight.

Actually, he wanted to make a lengthier and more destructive weapon like a single-edged or a double-edged sword if possible; unfortunately, with his current Mana pool and the Proficiency Level, this dagger was his limit. No matter how much Mana he poured in, the Smithing Technique lasted only for 10 minutes, and it proved to be really tough trying to make anything longer than a dagger with the tiny-ass hands of a Goblin during that short period of time.

But contrary to how he felt about the process itself, he was really liking this dagger. This could be called a work of art that combined the Orc’s Smithing Technique and the Goblin’s Craftsmanship. Of course, since he was the one who made it, there was a little bit of his own pride mixed in there with the evaluation, but then again, the word "outstanding" did appear for the very first time in the message window, so….

‘But this is the best I can do right now.’

He would have preferred to raise his Skill Proficiency Level higher before submitting the item for the tournament, but the last day of submission was tomorrow, so it couldn’t be helped. He decided that, since he’d be given another chance to craft something new after passing the preliminary round, he’d diligently raise the Level before the 1 st round of judging commences.

Kim Sae-Jin changed to the human form and got up to leave.

*

"Excuse me, can you tell me how I can send types of armament via mail?"

Looking like a suspicious person while hiding a dagger in his pocket, Sae-Jin lingered around inside the post office before asking one of the employees behind a counter.

"Eh? Types of armament?"

"Yes. I wish to participate in the open invitational blacksmithing tournament."

It was as if Sae-Jin was looking down on the employee sitting on the chair as he spoke. That was because he was currently in the The Human Mode of the Ebony Wolf Form, and was 189 cm tall as a result.

"A-ha. If that’s the case…. It should be here somewhere. Please, wait a moment."

The post office worker rummaged through one of the drawers and pulled out a sheet of paper. It was the application form for the tournament.

"You can mail the item after completing this form. You’re entering a bit late, though? Most folks came in to apply on the first day of the application period, you know."

"Oh. Well, I was… it took a while longer to make mine. I hadn’t made anything in advance like the others."

Sae-Jin sat down on a nearby empty chair. Only thr

ee things had to be written on the form - his name, his contact details, and his address. He left the name bit blank for now and filled in the rest. As for the most important "name" part, he found it somewhat burdensome to use his real name, so he jotted down an alias he thought of last night instead.