Morning sunlight poured through the cracked apartment window as Renzo stood in the middle of the small room.
In his hand was the katana he had just created.
Chrono Fang.
A weapon born from a broken watch.
Renzo slowly exhaled as he examined the blade again.
The edge was thin and elegant. Not flashy, not intimidating—just precise.
Perfect for cutting.
Kensei-Ryu spoke with clear satisfaction.
"Good balance."
Renzo blinked.
"You can tell from inside my head?"
The sword god chuckled.
"I am the Spirit of the First Edge. Every blade speaks to me."
Vulcanos interrupted with his usual calm tone.
"Do not become distracted."
Renzo nodded slightly.
Right.
There were more important things to think about.
He had just returned to the past.
Which meant he knew exactly what was about to happen.
Renzo walked toward the window and looked out at the busy street below.
Cars passed by.
People walked to work.
The world looked completely normal.
But Renzo knew the truth.
"Three weeks," he murmured.
Kensei-Ryu asked,
"Three weeks until what?"
Renzo answered quietly.
"The first tutorial gates."
In his previous life, the system had begun activating new players shortly after that.
Small dungeons.
Low-level monsters.
Training grounds for humanity.
At first, they were considered minor incidents.
But those gates would eventually reshape the entire world.
Vulcanos hummed thoughtfully.
"And you intend to enter them."
Renzo nodded.
"Of course."
But there was one problem.
Money.
Weapons were expensive.
Armor was expensive.
Even basic supplies for dungeon exploration cost a lot.
And Renzo currently had…
He opened his wallet.
Two crumpled bills.
Thirty-two dollars.
He sighed.
"Right… I forgot how broke I used to be."
Kensei-Ryu laughed loudly.
"The chosen champion of two gods has thirty-two dollars."
"Wonderful."
Renzo ignored him.
Instead, he looked back at the metal table filled with scrap.
Broken electronics.
Old screws.
Pieces of rusted steel.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Then he slowly smiled.
"Actually…"
Vulcanos understood instantly.
"Ah."
Renzo picked up a small piece of cracked metal casing.
The whispers returned.
"Cheap alloy."
"Low durability."
"But capable of refinement."
Renzo nodded.
"I don't need expensive materials."
Kensei-Ryu asked,
"You plan to forge with scrap?"
Renzo lifted Chrono Fang.
"This blade came from a broken watch."
He looked at the pile of junk again.
"If I refine enough materials…"
His eyes sharpened.
"I can make something valuable."
Vulcanos spoke calmly.
"Correct."
Renzo grabbed another piece of scrap.
Then another.
Soon he had a small pile of metal in his hands.
"Let's try again."
Golden light ignited across his palms.
The Divine Forge activated instantly.
Heat filled the apartment.
Metal fragments began melting together, floating in the air like glowing droplets.
Renzo focused carefully.
Unlike the first time, he wasn't forming a weapon.
Instead, he shaped something small.
Compact.
Precise.
The molten metal spun faster.
Then suddenly—
CLINK.
A small metallic object dropped into his hand.
A ring.
A simple silver ring.
A blue screen appeared.
Item Created
Name: Focus Ring
Rank: F
Effect:
• Slight increase to mental concentration.
Renzo raised an eyebrow.
"That's actually useful."
Kensei-Ryu chuckled.
"You just turned trash into equipment."
Renzo smirked.
"And if I keep doing this…"
Vulcanos finished the thought.
"You can sell them."
Renzo nodded.
Even low-rank equipment could sell for decent money.
Hunters were always looking for cheap gear.
Which meant…
Renzo glanced at the scrap pile again.
Then at the ring in his hand.
Then back to the scrap.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"I think I just found my first business."
Kensei-Ryu laughed.
"The divine blacksmith opens his first shop."
Renzo slipped the ring onto his finger.
"For now… let's call it practice."
But deep down, he knew something important.
Every item he forged would make him stronger.
Every weapon he created would sharpen his skill.
And every sale would fund his growth.
This time…
He wouldn't spend twenty-three years carrying equipment for other hunters.
This time—
He would become the one creating it.
Renzo picked up another handful of scrap metal.
Golden light ignited again.
The forge had begun.
And somewhere in the future…
The world was going to feel the heat.