Free Web NovelChapter 27: Chapter 27: The Ascension Hall
Leo stepped into Graystone City, the nearest major settlement to Iron Haven. The difference between the two was staggering.
Towering dwarven architecture rose around him. The smooth, polished stone streets felt foreign under his boots compared to the uneven cobblestones of Iron haven. This place made him feel like a wide-eyed country bumpkin.
He moved through the bustling crowds, his simple leather tunic helping him blend in with the common folk.
The air gradually thickened with the scent of coal and molten metal, while the rhythmic clang of hammers grew louder. He had entered Blacksmith Street.
Weapon shops lined both sides, their windows gleaming with polished swords and axes. The sight reminded him of Hugh’s smithy. He’d left a farewell letter there after failing to find his old mentor in person. Still, the Eternal Forge dimension lay within Iron Haven—he could return anytime he wished.
Beyond the clamor of the forges, the Ascension Hall dominated the skyline. The massive three-story granite building resembled a slumbering giant, its buttresses like thick ribs and its walls crawling with faintly glowing divine runes.
A large sign hung above the entrance: Ascension Hall.
Leo paused at the gates, taking it all in. Players and NPCs streamed in and out. Many were already Level 11 or 12, proof that they had completed their class advancements ahead of him.
He climbed the broad steps and entered. The interior felt like a grand cathedral—soaring ceilings supported by crystalline pillars, ancient runes carved deep into the stone. Approaching the reception desk, he stopped short in surprise.
It was her—the same striking middle-aged woman who had handled his quests at the Adventurer’s Guild.
"Hello, how can I help you?" she asked, sorting papers without looking up.
Leo stood frozen, words failing him.
After a moment of silence, she glanced up, her expression sharpening into irritation. "If you have something to say, then—"
Her eyes widened slightly. "Hmm... you seem familiar."
Leo’s stomach tightened. Please don’t remember me.
"You’re that Level 3 who went hunting Level 8 wolves... and the Alpha, right?" She broke into a warm smile. "How could I forget? There’s never been a precedent like that. And now you’re already Level 10 and out of the starter town. Good! Very good!"
Leo let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah... nice to see you again."
The woman quickly scribbled something on a sheet of paper and handed it to him. "The blacksmith ascension section is just around the corner to the left. Give this to the guard outside, and you won’t have to wait."
Leo blinked, stunned. He hadn’t even told her why he was there. As expected of her, he thought.
"Thank you," he said. "I’ll see you after I finish the quest."
Following her directions, he reached the blacksmith wing and handed the paper to the guard. With a single glance, the guard waved him through, ignoring the grumbled complaints of those still waiting in line. One sharp look from the guard was enough to silence them.
Inside the chamber, a polished obsidian platform dominated the space, etched with glowing concentric runes. At its center hovered a crystalline sphere pulsing with soft blue light.
Leo stepped forward and placed his hand on the sphere.
[Ding!]
[Class Detected: Eternal Forge]
[Class advancement available. Proceed?]
Leo selected to proceed. Then the options for possible class advancement were shown.
[Select the path of advancement]
[1. Soul Forge]
[2. Ember Forge]
[3. Elemental Forge] ...
Leo scrolled through the list, but Soul Forge at the top was what piqued his interest. So he read its description.
[Soul Forge]
Infuse your soul into your craft. Master the art of soul-forging. Create weapons that bond with their wielders on a spiritual level. Attach souls of the beast into the item.
This is the one.
Leo chose the option immediately.
[Ding!]
[The path of Soul Forge has been selected for the advancement path]
[Analyzing compatibility...]
[98.7% compatible]
[Initiating Advancement Quest.....]
The room suddenly started to glow bright, but suddenly, within the bright white light, a flash of red light began to flicker.
Then everything went wrong.
The system panel glitched, static crackling across its surface. The system panel blinked in blue and red. Bright crimson text flashed, showing an error message.
[ERROR]
[Class anomaly detected.]
[Class rank detected to be too high. The upper limit of the class failed to load. Default class rank "Mythic" will be shown until conditions are met.]
[Error]
[Talent Anomaly Detected]
[Error]
[SSS-rank talent identified: Soul & Steel]
[ERROR]
[S+ talent detected: Talisman Forging]
[Finding suitable quest for advancement....]
What in the gods’ name is this... Shit...
He stepped back, scared that everything would blow up. He nearly staggered and fell.
[Ding!]
[Standard advancement path insufficient] freёwebnovel.com
[Adjusting trial parameters. Adjusting difficulty of quest]
[Difficulty adjusted to Mythical+]
[Advancement Quest Description]
Objective: Prove your worth as a Blacksmith
Location: Asgard
Difficulty Rating: Mythical+
Survivability: 1.7%
Leo stared at the survivability percentage in disbelief.
"Fuck! Are you telling me to go on a suicide mission with this survivability?"
"Fuck... Accept your mother."
[Quest Accepted by Default]
[Initiating teleportation to Asgard...]
He didn’t even have time to curse before golden light swallowed him whole.
[Ding!]
[Welcome to Asgard. Divine Rune Blacksmith Trial Initiated.]
Leo found himself standing before Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Its trunk was wider than a city block, golden leaves shimmering with otherworldly light. Ancient runes pulsed along its bark like living veins. The air itself felt alive.
Floating islands drifted in the distance, connected by bridges of light. Waterfalls poured endlessly into the void.
This is Asgard?
[Ding!]
[Trial Objective: Prove your worth as a blacksmith.]
[Ding!]
[Trial Structure: Talent tests will determine eligibility. Study phase for selected candidates. Final chance: Repair legendary weapon (Mjölnir).]
Leo read the notifications.
Repair a legendary weapon? What the— Thor’s hammer??
"Ha... ha... ha... "His face went stiff.
What the fuck? Isn’t Thor the God of Thunder? You want me to repair a god’s weapon?
Leo didn’t know where to start.
Well, I need to see the weapon first and figure out what I can do to repair it. Should I head to the palace directly and ask for it? Let’s first find my way to the palace.
He walked through the trees. Ahead, he saw structures—buildings of white stone and gold. Towers that touched the sky. Roads paved with crystal, reflecting the light of the golden leaves. The architecture was worlds apart from Graystone.
In the center of this impossible landscape, rose a palace of white stone and gold, its spires piercing the heavens like a mountain piercing the clouds. Divine runes were carved along the walls. A massive ten-meter-tall gate, forged from some metal that shimmered like starlight.
Leo walked up to it. The palace gates loomed ahead. Two guards stood at the entrance. They were over two meters tall, clad in armor, spears resting in their hands.
They watched Leo approach with cold indifference.
He stopped before them. "I’m here to repair Mjölnir," he said.
The guards froze.
For a moment, there was silence.
Complete, absolute silence.
Leo could literally hear the wind.
The guards’ eyes widened. Their hands tightened on their spears.
"You’re here to repair what?" one of the guards asked in a stiff voice.
"Mjölnir," Leo replied. "Thor’s hammer? It’s broken, right? Isn’t it in the palace?"
They looked at Leo and burst out laughing.
"A puny brat wants to repair Mjölnir. But lad, it’s a god’s weapon. It’s eternal—it can’t be broken."
"Hahahaha," the guards kept laughing.
"Huh, it’s not broken?" Leo asked back.
The quest clearly said it was broken. Is it some kind of secret? Even the guards don’t know?
"Okay, then let me take a look. I can tell if it’s broken or not," Leo added.
The guards were starting to lose their temper. "Brat, do you think this place is a park? Nobody is allowed to enter. Go away," one of the guards shouted.
But what they didn’t realize was that a woman had been standing a little further off, watching all of it happen. She stepped closer.
"Captain!" One of the guards noticed and called out.
Leo looked up. A figure was approaching—tall, armored, moving with the grace of a warrior. Her armor was white gold, inscribed with runes that matched those on the World Tree. She had a cloak strapped to her shoulder, her hair pale like spun moonlight, her eyes, the color of winter ice.
"Captain Freya." The guards called out. They stood ramrod straight now, their voices trembling and their bodies shaking.
Freya ignored them and stared directly into Leo’s eyes. "You. You said you want to repair Mjölnir?" Freya asked.
She continued, "Who are you? How do you know about Mjölnir? Did another world send you as a spy?"
Freya asked a barrage of questions all at once, staring daggers at him.
Leo gulped. He didn’t know why this beauty was suddenly getting so aggressive. They’d just met.
What he didn’t know was that Mjölnir being broken was known to only a few people in the inner circle of the palace. The news was kept confidential, since if their enemies found out about it, they could launch a war at any time. It was a sensitive topic.
"Ahh... I’m just here to repair the hammer and complete my class advancement. I’m a blacksmith," Leo replied.
Freya stared at him for a while. "Capture him. Take him to my courtyard. I’ll deal with him."
The guards hesitated. "Captain?"
"Didn’t you hear me?" Freya gave them a glare. "Now."
Leo tried to run away, but he was quickly overpowered and dragged off. The guards were over level 100. Leo was level 10. The guards didn’t even flinch at his attacks. They simply walked over, grabbed him like a child, and dragged him away.
