The following days were repetitive for Samael. It was a vicious cycle of self-torture and improvement. Life within the sanctuary was monotone; perhaps it reflected the way Mellaguns live.

Early in the morning, he would go to attend Olaf's training session, where he would burn himself numerous times just to master the first technique of mellagun forging.

However, even though Olaf would forbid him from training further, he would often sneak at night to continue his training, allowing for explosive growth. It is also in such times that he is able to freely expound upon the subject regarding what he termed flame binding.

Flame binding, based on Samael's observation, is the use of his enhanced vision to harmonise with the entirety of the forge. Using his sights, he is able to perceive the movements of the flames, the mechanical parts of the forge, and even the transition of the colours of the metal.

Unfortunately, it is a skill that requires such great concentration that doing it often leads Samael to miss everything else that's happening around him. Not only that, but even a slight distraction is enough to ruin everything. Prolonged use leads to severe headaches and eye pains. But he's getting used to it.

When noon comes, he begins the Codex's training with him ending up in a puddle of his own sweat and blood, writhing in pain or just flat out unconscious after the session.

This cycle would repeat without stop as Samael endlessly tortured himself to the point many would consider insanity.

Slowly, but surely, the days passed, and so did his training.

At dawn he would contend with the flames of the blast pit, each day growing closer to his goal as his efforts became apparent each time. While at noon he would grapple with his life as he injects Void matter straight in his eyes, potentially blinding himself. At dusk, he would master flame binding.

Samael would be stuck in this cycle without end and for days without stop.

"More!" Samael roared as he restarted the forge, inserting the Thasean steel rod inside the pit as the flames began to devour it.

Using flame binding, Samael's eyes squinted as he twisted and pulled in different directions, matching the rhythm of the flames.

"Argh!" Unable to handle the heat, he would drop it again before clenching his fist and taking another rod.

"Again!"

Yet another day ends.

Samael's muffled groans thundered in the training hall as he bent steel and tore through the place like a wild animal on a rampage, blinded by the pain.

Biting a piece of cloth, it began to tear into multiple pieces as the sound of its fabric ripping left a reverberating echo in the training grounds.

Smashing down as the Codex reminded him of another success, Samael laid down in the puddle of crimson below him, the scent of metal invading his senses.

Phase 7/10 is completed!

And the dark took him again.

Yet another day ends.

"Twist, turn, raise!" Olaf instructed as Samael did the combination in rapid succession, causing the grandmaster's brows to raise.

"That's it! Keep going!" Olaf said as he watched Samael's arm movement and razor-sharp focus on the flames.

"This is... impossible," Olaf whispered.

How can someone improve this fast? Nearly a week has passed, and yet he's already almost good enough to master the first phase of forging. This was unprecedented speed!

"It's done," Olaf said as Samael pulled out the steel rod. Unfortunately, the colour of the Thasean metal was still uneven in some parts, but most Mellagun could already consider this a success.

"You've done well," Olaf said. "This session is adjourned for today."

Yet another day ends.

BANG!

A resounding bang thundered within the halls of the modified training ground as Samael's fist was buried deep in the steel-plated floor of the hall.

Nerves wriggled under his flesh as he hungered violently for air, the grating noise of his teeth grinding reverberating in the air as he barely held on to his waning sanity.

Third stage: 88%

Taking Crimson Raven, Samael stabbed the weapon straight in his leg as a sharp pain coursed through his entire body along with the defiant caws of his blade in revolt to his actions.

As blood began to crawl down his cheeks, Samael clawed at the steel surface of the room, his nails torn apart by the force, leaving a straight trail of blood.

Phase 9/10 Compl—

Yet another day ends.

Focusing upon the flames, Samael weaved and pushed against the fire as the heat enveloped the Grinnoid steel rod, a rod that is harder to heat and is more sensitive in comparison to the past steels Samael's used.

With his explosive growth, Olaf had to swiftly swap out the metal's Samael is using to increase the difficulty of the training and allow him to refine his techniques even more.

Cutting and submerging the metal in the increased heat of the blast pit, Samael's hand flicked and weaved with great speed and accuracy, heating the metal without missing a single part.

The heat roared and raged against his attempts, rising higher and higher until it almost hit the ceiling of the blast pit.

With his increased mastery, so did his resistance to the flames. He would not even. budge when it burns him as he continued without breaking focus. In turn, Olaf increased the flame output of the forge to the point most Mellaguns themselves would consider hazardous.

However, Samael did not waiver under the dominance of the infernal flames; rather, he contested it as he kept marching without stop.

Eventually, he himself removed the artefact, injecting cold essence into his arm, as it has no effects anymore.

As the flames began to die down, Samael pulled out a perfectly heated piece of Grinnoid steel rod, its crimson surface a magnet of jealousy for all blacksmiths, both Mellaguns and humans alike.

Seeing his creation, a smirk made its way to Samuel's lips.

Yet another day ends.

The indomitable fighting spirit has been activated!

Samael smashed Crimson Raven once more into his leg, turning it into a bloody mess of flesh and gore as he kept maiming his own thigh.

Underneath his leg is a puddle of blood with pieces of flesh floating above it all while Crimson Raven roars in defiance of Samael's will to hurt himself.

However, Samael had to do what little he could just to remain conscious, for the pain had become unbearable, enough to kill most awakened his rank.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

His eyes had become pure black as rivers of blood burst from his eye sockets, nose, ears, and mouth, turning his once pristine white clothes red.

The entirety of the modified training hall had become a bloody mess, as though a war had occurred with all the damage he'd done. Some of the mechanisms themselves had shut down.

Unable to maintain his strength, Samael smashed down as his mouth began to foam, his body spasming uncontrollably as his vision darkened at an alarmingly rapid pace. His heart was now barely audible as his vitals began to drop rapidly.

97%

Samael did all that he could to remain awake as he bit the insides of his mouth, wounded himself with Crimson Raven, and even meditated.

99%

One... Final... Push!

Gathering what little remained of his sanity, Samael roared at the top of his lungs, his voice thundering and bouncing at the steel walls of the training hall.

And as he lost his consciousness, the Codex warped a panel before him.

Phase 10/10 comple—

Yet another day ends.

As the darkness of the night befell the entire training hall, a figure began to creep from the shifting shadows.

Mendez stood beside Samael's unconscious body as he kneeled down, inspecting him.

"Just what did you do?" Mendez whispered as his gaze swept around him.

The surroundings were completely devastated. The walls had deep dents with stains of blood as if someone was gutted. Meanwhile, the floor had puddles of dried blood and claw marks as if someone had just fought a beast.

"Just what did you do?" Mendez repeated as he looked at Samael's messy state.

With the fatigue of the final phase of his abysmal eyes stacking one after the other due to its increasing difficulties, Samael was knocked unconscious for the entire day where he woke up around midnight, an hour before his training with Olaf.

Samael's eyes quivered as he slowly opened them, his gaze narrowing as he was assaulted by his vision.

Not only had his vision gotten clearer than before, but it became sharp. It was as if he were looking through a magnified lens where everything was more vibrant and detailed.

Unexpectedly enough, Samael did not experience a headache or eye pain like before. It only took him a few minutes before his vision had adapted to the changes.

"Codex, show me the changes," Samael called.

You have successfully completed the Void Bearers Eyes Training Part 1!

Your eyes have experienced metamorphosis and have been enhanced!

A sigh escaped Samael's lips. He finally finished the hellish training. Now it's time to reap the harvest.

With this, he is now a step closer to achieving his goal. Although he is still unsure what these ocular improvements the Codex pertains to, he's hopeful for the future.

After adjusting further to his enhancements, Samael went towards the forge where Olaf was conducting maintenance.

"Boy," Olaf said, taking Samael's attention.

"Sir?" Samael asked.

"You have been training at night, haven't you?" He asked.

Samael fell silent. How did he find out? I'm pretty sure I kept everything as he left it.

A sign escaped Olaf's lips. "I know because this is my forge. Everything here I memorised to the smallest details."

"But no matter," Olaf followed as he handed Samael the tong. "Show me the fruit of your labour."

Samael nodded as he took the tong before taking out a Grinnoid steel rod. As he does, Olaf's eyes narrow. "Your eyes..."

"Sir?" Samael asked as he looked at a steel dish near him.

Samael's eyes widened as he noticed his eyes had now changed color. From the orange-reddish colour to a blood-red hue that seems to emit a faint glow in the dark.

Did the Void Bearer project do this? Samael couldn't help but ask himself as he held his cheeks.

"Did something happen?" Olaf asked.

"No, it's nothing," Samael said. "Let's begin."

Olaf slowly nodded. Clearly something had changed, but he can only see what did.

Flicking the ignition of the forge, it began to roar as flames escaped the blast pit, heating up the entire place.

Taking the rod and inserting it inside the pit, Samael exhaled. It was time to show Olaf the fruits of his harvest.

With meticulous and refined movement, Samuel began to combat the flames as his eyes narrowed.

Like he practiced for the last week or so, Samael's vision locked into the entirety of the forge as he went into full focus.

As the flames began to defy him, Samael's hand followed through as he tweaked and flicked with utter precision. Precision that could rival Olaf's skills, leaving the grandmaster to feel an emotion foreign to him.

Thrill.

Without losing an ounce of focus, Samael weaved back and forth, contending with the rising flames that hit the ceiling. With great precision, he began to refine the spots that were still uneven, making sure not a spot was left unfinished.

As the seconds ticked on and the heat of the forge rose higher, Olaf knew Samael was now in the climax of the heating process.

Locking in, Samael's hand began to move with eye-defying speed. Each move he made was calculated and solid, not leaving the flames a chance to fight back.

With one final push, the forge began to roar as the flames roared before dying down.

It was complete.

Taking out the Grinnoid steel rod, Samael presented it to Olaf as the grandmaster chuckled, a wide maniacal smile present in his face.

"Magnificent," Olaf muttered.

The steel was perfectly red in colour, glowing crimson without a spot of impurities or unevenness. It was perfect, perfect.

"Congratulations, boy, you did it. You mastered the art of heating the steel," Olaf said.

"Then...?" Samael asked.

"Yes, this means we now proceed to the hammering part," Olaf said.

A small smile formed in Samael's lips as he wiped the sweat trailing down his forehead. All his hard work had paid off.

"Do you wish to rest or continue now?" Olaf asked.

"I wish to continue now," Samael answered.

"Very well. Follow me," Olaf beckoned as he made his way towards the side of the forge.

There lies a large steel hammer twice his size, an anvil, and a hammer.

"This is where you hammer the steel to shape it to your desired weapon or armour," Olaf introduced. "This huge hammer is called the skull crusher, capable of flattening most metal."

"What's it for?" Samuel asked.

"When you begin to hammer at the steel, you will use this to help your folding of the steel, further enhancing it," Olaf said.

"Then what's the small hammer for?" he asked.

"That's for removing the impurities," Olaf answered. "Unlike the heating process, the hammering phase is more procedural, but it also has its own art."

Samael nodded as he took position, watching the grandmaster work his magic as Olaf ignited the machinery.

Taking the heated metal Samael made, Olaf inserted it at the skull crusher as he stepped unto the pedal, causing the hammer to smash down and flatten the steel.

Putting it in the anvil, Samael noticed that it heats the steel, which means he doesn't have to reinsert it in the blast pit any further.

Taking the hammer, Olaf observed the steel before he struck it with a solid yet somehow controlled blow, causing sparks to fly and metal to ring.

Olaf began to hammer away at different spots and angles, his speed consistent and unchanging, his precision beyond of this world.

The sound of his hammer striking the anvil almost felt musical to the ears, and the ignition of the steel was pleasing to the eyes.

But what fascinated Samael the most was the gradual changes in the steel rod. From it's rectangular shape, it began to morph into a blade, the impurities in the surface of the steel being chipped away one hammer at a time.

When Olaf had finished, he put it back once more into the skull crusher as he repeated the process to the top. When he had finally finished, he raised the weapon and willed the flames to slowly die down, hardening the steel even further.

As the colour returned to silver, a finely made blade was now all that was left.

"This, is hammering," Olaf said. "Are you ready to learn?"

Samael swallowed as he nodded.

Before they began, Olaf taught Samael a few more things.

One of the secrets to hardening the steel was to fold it multiple times. This was the purpose of the skull crusher. However, only by refining the blade to honed perfection can a steel sheet be folded again.

However, this also means that the process will repeat as new and hidden flaws in the metal will resurface, this time more prevalent and harder to refine. With just a small mistake, you can ruin hours of hard work, rendering the steel useless.

That being said, although you may perfectly refine the metal multiple times, it will eventually reach a limit in which you cannot fold it anymore. This is because that's the natural limit of the material you used. This is why a stronger and rarer material is highly sought after by blacksmiths.

Without further ado, Samael took position as he began to insert a heated metal piece under the skull crusher. Stepping unto the pedal, a loud, thunderous bang ripped through the room as the metal was flattened.

Bringing it unto the anvil, Samael held the hammer in his hands as Olaf began to guide him.

"To know where to hammer, you must utilise your eyes and see through the illusions of the steel," Olaf said.

Focusing upon the metal piece, Samael sharpened his gaze as he slowly saw a morphing dark spot in the metal's surface, moving around like water in a bowl.

"If you see it, there will only be a small window of opportunity to strike the impurities, and that window may be random," Olaf said.

Honing his attention, Samael carefully watched the moving spot before it came to a short halt.

Without a second thought, Samael struck down the impurity, completely cleansing it as he went to another.

Soon, the sound of steel clashing against steel echoed in the room as sparks flew in the air upon each strike.

After a few more minutes, Samael had finished the first fold as Olaf shook his head in disbelief.

To think that he could make it to his first try was already impressive, but to do so to utter perfection is another level of amazing.

Unfortunately, it will only get harder from here. And it didn't take long for that to sink in.

Samael winced as he lowered his hammer, the steel in front of him dented and ruined.

"It's okay, boy, it happens," Olaf said. "I'm more surprised you made it to the second fold on your first try."

Taking the steel, Olaf continued. "As you witnessed, the impurities in the blade are harder to refine in later stages of the fold as the impurities may sometimes "fool you" and move after a brief halt. This is why keen observation is a much needed factor."

"In fact, this only worsens as you fold the steel more. Not only that, but rarer and stronger materials tend to possess more challenges in comparison to the rest," Olaf said as he patted the boy's shoulder.

"Be proud; you have made a great achievement today."