I Built a Beast Empire After Reincarnation-Chapter 36: The Forge of War

The journey back to Greystone was swift. Lucas and Kaela rode their beasts with urgency, adrenaline still coursing through their veins from the harrowing battle against the Widow Queen Tharaz. The labyrinth had taken much, but it had given even more.

As they approached Greystone, the sight that greeted them was inspiring. The city buzzed with movement. On the training grounds, militia practiced tirelessly. Archers fired volley after volley under Elira’s command, and swordsmen engaged in drills with renewed vigor. Watchtowers were rising on the outskirts, new buildings were being erected, and the heartbeat of a growing empire pulsed louder than ever.

Lucas smiled. "They’re readying themselves. The city’s alive."

Kaela nodded beside him. "Greystone isn’t just surviving. It’s preparing to thrive."

They dismounted and headed straight to the council hall. Lucas called for an emergency meeting. Within the hour, Ilyra, the city’s chief blacksmith, and Malrick, the merchant with his ever-present smirk and mysterious aura, stood in the hall alongside Kaela.

Lucas opened the meeting. "We have confirmed ore deposits beneath the labyrinth. High-quality ores, magical and rare. We also discovered the true depth of the iron mine. This is our edge."

He turned to Malrick. "I want you to gather miners. Trusted workers only. Organize excavation teams to work both sites. Use the map we recovered. Prioritize safety and secrecy. This mine is our future."

Malrick bowed. "Understood. I’ll have miners on both fronts within the day. I’ll also double the pay. That should draw in more hands."

Lucas nodded, satisfied. He turned to Ilyra and handed her a thick, ancient tome.

"This is your reward. The Blacksmith’s Legacy skillbook. Use it wisely. Also, these ores—" he motioned to a crate beside the table, filled with glittering metal, "will be yours to shape. We need weapons, armor, and war gear. The army must be ready."

Ilyra’s eyes widened, hands trembling as she took the book and lifted a bar of shimmering ore. "This... this is more than I ever dreamed of. Thank you, Lord Lucas. I won’t let you down."

She turned and left, carrying the crate and book like sacred relics.

Back at her forge, Ilyra shut the doors and stoked the fires. The heat roared. The air shimmered.

She opened the skillbook.

[Blacksmith’s Legacy acquired.]

Passive Boost: Forging Insight +200% / Weapon Durability +300% / New Crafting Paths Unlocked.

Her eyes glowed faintly as information flooded her mind. She saw ancient forging techniques. She heard the hammer of forgotten masters in her soul.

She began immediately.

The first item: a war helmet.

The forge blazed.

Molten ore was poured into a specialized mold laced with mana threads. She hammered it with a rhythm only she could hear. Sparks burst like fireflies as her hammer danced. The metal hissed, roared, and eventually yielded. Runes etched themselves along the crown of the helmet, glowing crimson, while a wave of heat pulsed with every strike.

She used a dual-forge system, one side to refine the core material and the other to imbue magic. In the center, her anvil, now enchanted by the skillbook’s teachings, resonated with each blow. Her hammer was no longer just a tool—it was an extension of her soul.

Hours passed.

At last, she lifted the final product:

[Titan Helm of the First Forge]

+10 Strength, +5% Health Regeneration per 10 secs, -5 seconds Skill Cooldown.

An overpowered helmet. The kind of artifact that started legends.

But Ilyra wasn’t done.

She moved next to forging armor. First, a sleek reinforced leather and obsidian plate armor for Kaela, laced with claw-shaped gauntlets that fit her fighting style. The claws shimmered with a magical gleam, capable of channeling her beast’s elemental power.

Next, a crystalline chestpiece and bow etched with wind runes for Elira. The bow’s string was crafted from spider-silk fused with wind essence, making it almost invisible yet resilient enough to channel powerful arrows.

The forge roared as she continued.

As the sun dipped low and rose again, Ilyra never stopped.

She poured her spirit into the anvil, each hammerfall now ringing with divine resonance. It was as if her ancestors stood behind her, guiding her hands. Her sweat mixed with the ash, staining her clothes, but she didn’t care.

With each weapon, each armor piece, her mastery deepened.

By the next evening, racks of glistening equipment lined her forge.

Swords, shields, armor sets, spears, and helmets.

Each glowed faintly with magical energy. Each crafted with purpose.

She stood, trembling, yet satisfied.

She gathered the best of the set and carried it to the council chamber.

Lucas was reviewing reports when she arrived. His eyes lit up as she laid the artifacts before him.

He lifted the Titan Helm. "This... is incredible."

Ilyra smiled, her arms trembling, sweat dripping down her face. "It’s just the beginning. With more time... and more ore... I can make even greater things."

Lucas stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice full of genuine appreciation. "You are a genius, Ilyra. The forge is yours. Greystone owes you more than words can say. You’ve done the work of an army alone." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

She nodded, a weary smile tugging at her lips.

And then her legs gave out beneath her. Her body collapsed from exhaustion.

"Ilyra!" Lucas shouted, immediately kneeling.

Kaela rushed over.

Lucas turned to her sharply. "Kaela, take her to the infirmary now. She’s burned through everything."

Kaela gently picked Ilyra up, cradling the blacksmith in her arms.

"She’s earned her rest," Lucas murmured. "She’s given us hope."

As Kaela left the chamber with Ilyra in her arms, Lucas turned to Malrick.

"Accelerate the mining. Triple the workforce. Offer protection. We need ore, and we need it fast."

Malrick smirked. "I’ll make sure we bleed the mountains dry."

Lucas looked out the window, where soldiers marched in the yard, clad in newly forged armor.

"Greystone... will be ready."

And so, the fires of war began to glow—not just from conflict, but from the forge of one genius blacksmith who had become the heart of a rising empire.