"Whoa, insane, this kills!"
"Isn't this crazy?"
Clang, clang!
From the Ophiuchus' 2nd Sanctuary, commonly known as the Ophiuchus Forge, a workshop in Hawaii, screams erupted.
The entire island had long since turned into Igeon's 24/7 furnace, so even holy knights with high fire resistance couldn't wear clothes there.
Even Hugo, the Sun Saint who boasted the highest fire resistance among humans, had to wear sleeveless shirts because of the heat.
Because of that, the Sagittarius holy knights, all in swimsuits, were cheering.
The reason was none other than Igeon.
"Ooooh! Is this really something made by Igeon-nim?"
"Whoa...! This kills!"
They were ready to cry at the sight of the items lined up on the long workbench.
Whenever needed, he'd set up a workbench with a few taps, twist the neck of a monster to make it spew fire and melt metal.
Then he'd shape it with an achievement-granting hammer, pour water using a kettle made from a Holy Grail bearer.
Creating the items in an instant, Igeon looked incredibly cool.
Especially because he'd shape the molten material in moments, like candy crafting.
"Whoaa, just one spin and that complicated thing came out...!!!"
"Damn, he made it in one second and there's not a single flaw in the shape...!!"
The Sagittarius holy knights' eyes sparkled at the sight that practically oozed expert vibes.
But what was even more surprising wasn't just the process, but the result.
"I never expected much when I heard Igeon-nim would make our gear...!"
Yet, there were others who were shocked by that news.
"Excuse me?! Igeon-nim will personally make all the equipment for Sagittarius' subordinate holy knights?"
"For the Sagittarius holy knights?"
It was the Virgo holy knights who had come on an errand.
They clearly hadn't expected Igeon to personally craft the equipment.
That was only natural.
After all, Capricorn was the best when it came to production.
"So we thought you'd just bring Capricorn under you and have them make it..."
Hearing that, the Virgo subordinate gods who had previously run errands clicked their tongues.
[Well, no one will believe it, but Baby Snake's main job was originally crafting.]
"Excuse me?! A crafter? With that insane combat power?"
The holy knights seemed shocked.
"W-We just assumed he was a combat constellation god..."
Of course, that wasn't meant to look down on production classes.
Even among Capricorn's blacksmiths, many had high combat abilities.
In fact, the Capricorn SS-rank, said to have the highest combat power among blacksmiths, was like that.
Being one of the Ten Saints, it was said his combat ability alone wouldn't lose to an S-rank combat constellation's holy knight.
Still, while there are definitely strong blacksmiths like that, Igeon's combat power was on an entirely different level, wasn't it?
'He even chews up and swallows combat constellation saints...!!'
[You shouldn't misunderstand in the first place. Ophiuchus is not a combat constellation by authority.]
"Excuse me?"
[If Aquarius is closer to internal treatment, then Ophiuchus is closer to surgical treatment, I suppose.]
[Yes. Anyway, you could call Ophiuchus a healing constellation.]
What do you mean healing?!
"N-No, Gods! That can't be true!"
Even though they hadn't properly witnessed the holy knights' abilities yet, their leader was rampaging with just a single axe, turning monsters into chunks of meat!
But whether they believed it or not, the Virgo subordinate gods blushed.
[Anyway, our Baby Snake's body is incredibly amazing.]
[And since he doesn't wear much clothing here...!]
So the Virgo subordinate gods, who had no intention of leaving, secretly squealed with joy.
But the holy knights of Virgo who came on the errand seemed bewildered. Setting aside the healing constellation claim—crafting equipment?
Especially, the few Virgo pupil holy knights stirred. They were as rare as a drought bean, only there because of Kevin's request.
"Anyway, crafting? Does that make any sense? No matter how great Igeon-nim is, he can't beat the Genius Workshop...!"
The Genius Workshop. It was the pinnacle artisan group overseen by Capricorn's constellation god, responsible for the entire human race's equipment.
Even they always commissioned their crafting there.
"Anyway, should we inform Lord Kevin of this?"
"He probably wouldn't care much even if we told him, would he?"
"True. Seems like he just placed the order with Capricorn again this time."
Truthfully, they just hadn't heard that equipment was being made for Sagittarius.
And it was simply because it seemed Igeon would absolutely not make weapons for anyone other than Ophiuchus.
The holy knights nodded as if understanding.
"Besides, it's only gear for last-place Sagittarius, so it doesn't matter anyway."
"No matter how great Igeon-nim is, he can't surpass the artisans of the Genius Work..."
But then it happened.
BOOM!!!
With a thunderous roar, the holy knights collapsed.
It sounded as if the sky was falling.
Simultaneously, seeing something, they couldn't help but scream.
"Wh-What's that! That!"
"A mountain just flew off!"
One of the smaller mountains on the island had a hole punched through it and was gone.
"What the hell?! Did someone use an all-out skill?!"
"N-No, that's from testing a bow Igeon-nim made... no skill..."
"What?! That? Then was it Lord Hugo?"
"W-Well, of course?"
But around that time, the one who had blown away a small mountain—Gott—was completely frozen stiff.
No, he himself had just briefly tested his bow as Igeon had instructed.
And it wasn't even a completed bow yet.
He had been told not to use a skill, just to imbue a little magic and shoot, so he'd thought what difference would it make.
"Th-This power is insane..."
Gott was frozen by a sensation he felt for the first time in his life, and the Sagittarius holy knights sobbed.
"Ooooh! Insane! This really kills!"
Gott too looked at his weapon as if in shock.
Of course, it wasn't that he'd never used Igeon's bow before.
The Silver Series, which Igeon had made for Hugo but Hugo had pawned off to a pawnshop.
He'd thought it was tremendous when he shot that black bow, but a bow custom-made through each individual's physical data was completely beyond common sense.
'Though the Lord had said once your data values are input, it would utterly transcend common sense.'
He had said once you got a taste, you'd never use anything else.
But seeing it, Igeon clicked his tongue.
"Tch, still shoddy. Needs more reinforcement."
"?! "
This is shoddy?!
In the end, the Sagittarius holy knights shed tears of emotion.
"Crazy! Isn't this even more amazing than the Genius Workshop's stuff?!"
"Damn, you're really making something like this for us?"
"And on top of that, giving us so many energy drinks for free!"
The Sagittarius holy knights sobbed at the piled-up boxes of Bacchus—no, Holy Grail potion boxes.
"We've never even had one because they're so expensive!"
"Right! Aquarius potions are way too expensive per bottle! The only time we've ever tasted them was begging a sip from other constellation kids during joint ops...!!"
"We were always potionless... fighting monsters while desperately fleeing!"
"Right! Something the size of a Bacchus costs 200,000 won a bottle!"
"Damn, for S-ranks, it's several hundred thousand per bottle!"
To that, Igeon replied nonchalantly.
"Oh really? Then drink up from now on. The bed-wetter will cover all the material costs anyway."
The Sagittarius holy knights burst into wailing as if the world was ending.
"C-Can we really enjoy such luxury?"
"To enjoy such happiness!"
"We're definitely dying tomorrow!!!!"
Amidst the Sagittarius holy knights' tears, something astonishing happened.
[Faith toward Ophiuchus dramatically increases]
[Faith toward Ophiuchus skyrockets]
[Absolute loyalty of Sagittarius holy knights greatly increases]
"Igeon-nim! We shall serve you for life!"
Eventually, even Hugo seemed pissed.
"Hey! Is this something to praise so much? I share potions sometimes when I get them as holiday gifts too, you know!"
"Waaah, you have no idea how hard Jeyna noona had it."
Igeon tilted his head.
"Jeyna?"
"Ah, she's a senior officer unnie in Sagittarius, the greatest beauty in our constellation."
"Anyway, while Brother Jaewon wasn't around, she struggled so hard to bring in jobs for the constellation's finances..."
"Right! The Lord said if he just did one nude photoshoot, we wouldn't have to worry about living expenses for five years...! But he won't do it! And our constellation is poor so we work odd jobs to bring in money!"
At that, Hugo raged.
"Hey! I did ten times more work than you guys! And no matter what, a nude photoshoot is a no!"
"Why not! She said you'd wear pants, so it's not really nude!!!"
"No! My naked body can only be shown to my Ji-woo! Ji-woo would hate it!"
"Ugh!"
The holy knights seemed to have nothing to say, but Cheon Ji-woo, who was beside him, widened her eyes.
"Oh my, that sounds nice. Why."
"Honey?!!"
"It's just the top. Besides, it was for the kids' living expenses, so what's the big deal."
"?!!"
Hugo wailed as if that wasn't the issue. Cheon Ji-woo chuckled, calling it a joke, and patted her husband.
Watching that, Igeon walked toward the kiln and said.
"Anyway, everyone test your weapons before they're finished. I need to adjust data. Oh, and all my creations develop egos. Be careful, some perverts attack their owners."
No sooner had he finished speaking than explosive sounds rang out.
"Aaaah! The weapons are rampaging!"
"Aaack! They're running away!"
"Well, their personalities vary, but after testing, they can be tamed in roughly five ways. Wield the whip, give a carrot, natural affinity, brainwash, or just don't touch and leave them alone."
"Excuse me? Wait! The last method means we can't even use the weapon!"
"Is that my business?"
"Excuse me?! Aaaah!"
Screams continued, but regardless, Igeon opened the kiln lid.
Inside, like something coated in cement and baked, lay an elongated stone.
Igeon grinned at it.
'Seems the time is about right.'
Indeed.
What was inside was none other than Celestial Judgment.
In truth, crafting equipment for the others had been half a pastime.
While waiting as he remade Celestial Judgment, he'd just moved his hands to stave off boredom.
Of course, being a perfectionist by nature when it came to crafting, he hadn't carelessly made the others' weapons, but Celestial Judgment was being forged with extreme care and selection.
Truly, the weapon of a constellation god that would slay gods.
And now, it was finally finished.
Sure enough, just as Igeon was about to take out Celestial Judgment, the holy knights screamed.
"Kyaah!"
Mana surged enough to shatter the kiln. The blazing cement-like lump thrashed violently.
Of course, it wasn't Celestial Judgment itself. He hadn't awakened it yet.
The movement was simply because the Leo magic forming the skeleton was too powerful and was pulsating.
'No wonder it's at the war god level, it's incredible.'
So Igeon grinned and transformed the slime into a massive hammer.
"Then, shall we wake it up?"
And the moment he slammed the lump with the hammer!
BOOM!!
As if cracking an egg, the giant stone mass split apart with a crunch.
And what emerged was a new form of Celestial Judgment!
People were astonished.
Unlike the old simple silver, it was now completely black!
Moreover, its aura was different.
'All-out sacred treasure.'
No, it was something beyond that.
Indeed, the upgraded Celestial Judgment was a divine weapon forged from Leo's flesh and the best data gathered so far, crammed together.
It was processed and crafted from all manner of things.
And now, the final step...
"Igeon-nim!"
Igeon, having transformed the slime into a carving knife, cut his own finger.
With that, his blood dripped onto Celestial Judgment.
At the same time, Igeon watched with tension.
Because from here on was the real hurdle.
He had perfectly restored the core and the flesh, but he had never once summoned a dead ego back.
'Creating a new ego is easy.'
Now, unlike the past, crafting alone resulted in a 99.9% chance of an ego forming.
It was likely due to his divinity.
Anyway, in the old days, few holy artifacts had egos, and none had an ego that had died.
Thus, since he'd never attempted it, he didn't know what would happen.
But.
"Awaken."
Still, there was no answer.
'A failure.'
Igeon, somewhat anxious, placed his hand on the weapon.
"Awaken."
This weapon was the very first one he'd ever made.
Back when he didn't even know how to make weapons, repairing enemies' weapons or attempting handcrafting.
In the end, he had stolen the gods' blueprints to learn the basics over their shoulders and made his first formal weapon.
And while the body was crafted from stolen materials of monsters and gods, a certain component in its core was human.
An old connection Igeon still couldn't forget.
And he called out.
"Your name is Celestial Judgment. Awaken from slumber."
In that moment, the red blood clinging to Celestial Judgment seeped into the axe blade.
Right then.
Flash!
An immense light enveloped the sanctuary.
And then.
[Celestial Judgment opens its eyes]
[A change occurs in the weapon]
[EX-rank]
It was a new rank.
(Continued in the next episode)