E-Rank or SSS-Rank: I Awakened a Skill That Shouldn't Exist-Chapter 86: Nathan, the Weapon Enthusiast

Chapter 86

It was clear that the weapon project would take some time to complete. Still, what struck Han as unusual was Nathan’s absence. Nathan was easily the most hardworking person among them. In fact, Han had once worried that the man might push himself too far, so he personally evolved Nathan’s body to "Prime Human" status to help him withstand the pressure of overwork. Nathan didn’t waste it—he used every bit of that enhanced physique to forge even more, day and night.

As Han entered the forge, a dark-skinned youth noticed him and immediately bowed.

"Are you here to see Master Nathan?" the boy asked respectfully.

Han nodded, and the youth led him through the busy forge to a large storage room tucked away at the far end.

Upon stepping inside, Han was greeted by rows of covered items, each draped like a sacred relic. It didn’t surprise him—Nathan treated every forged weapon and artifact like treasure. And to him, they were.

Nathan noticed Han and approached with a warm smile. After a quick exchange of pleasantries, he eagerly began to show Han what they had crafted so far. He walked him through the rows, naming each weapon and explaining its effects.

Nathan proudly displayed a collection of weapons he had crafted, passionately explaining their features one by one. But Han only nodded along, barely listening — his Analyzer skill was already feeding him every detail he needed.

His eyes settled on a sleek, silver-blue spear resting on a velvet rack.

> [Intern Frost Spear]

+10 Defense | +5 Dexterity | +3 Strength

Active Skill 1: Frost Thrust

A high-speed, piercing strike infused with icy energy.

Deals cold damage and slows the target’s movement by 30%.

Duration: 1 minute

Cooldown: 30 minutes

Active Skill 2: Frostbite

Imbues the weapon with freezing energy, causing each hit to apply a stacking frost

effect.

At 3 stacks, the target is temporarily immobilized for 2 seconds.

Duration: 30 seconds

Cooldown: 30 minutes

Han’s eyes narrowed slightly. An A-rank weapon... no doubt about it.

Scanning the rest of the armory, he noted several more impressive pieces — most ranking at B, some even bordering A. It was clear Nathan wasn’t just some casual blacksmith; he was a craftsman of real skill and vision.

All the while, Nathan kept talking, animated and excited. Han smiled faintly.

"He’s not just strong... he’s reliable," Han thought. "Having Nathan as an ally is more than just luck — it’s a blessing."

Of course, Nathan didn’t know that Han’s Analyzer Eyes gave him all the information he needed at a glance—but Han listened patiently, not wanting to kill the man’s enthusiasm.

The weapons were impressive, ranging from D-rank to A-rank. But one item in particular caught Han’s attention—an S-rank sword.

It was a long white blade with a blue hilt, faint blue markings etched across its length like rivers of light. Han’s eyes widened as he read its stats and abilities. He initially thought of giving it to Ronan, but after considering its abilities more closely, he realized it would be better suited for Shae. Its traits matched her fighting style almost perfectly.

Nathan then led him to a smaller object resting on a velvet cushion.

It was a dark-colored ring.

"Out of everything we’ve made, none of them truly complement your unique combat style," Nathan said thoughtfully. "But I believe this one might help."

Han examined the ring, and his eyes widened again. His lips curled into a rare, genuine smile.

It was perfect.

"Thank you, Nathan," he said sincerely.

Nathan scratched the back of his head. "I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything yet with the throne artifact. It’ll take more time—something that grand requires precision. I don’t want to mess it up."

Han wasn’t disappointed. Not with this ring on his finger. Its skills alone were enough to make up for any delay. He gave Nathan an appreciative nod and left the forge, making his way to the lone lab on the edge of the guild grounds.

Dr. Matzo was waiting for him.

"You’re late," the doctor said, frowning.

Han rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He had completely forgotten the man told him to come quickly—something about an urgent matter. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

"What is it?" Han asked, sensing something was wrong.

He frowned as Dr. Matzo’s expression shifted from calm to grim.

"It’s about my aunt... isn’t it?"

The doctor didn’t answer with words—he simply nodded and motioned for Han to follow. They walked in silence until they reached a restricted area of the lab. Inside, a cylindrical chamber glowed softly with blue light, filled with a strange liquid. Floating inside was Mei—his aunt.

Han’s eyes scanned her body. The black veins that once corrupted her skin were gone. She looked... better. Peaceful, even. But then why did Dr. Matzo look so devastated?

"I’m sorry, Han," the doctor said, his voice low. "But I need to tell you everything."

He took a deep breath before explaining.

He had been researching the cursed serum obsessively, pouring over every fragment of data, running tests day and night. After months of tireless effort, he finally managed to synthesize what he believed could be an antidote. There was no chance to test it properly—every other subject infected with the cursed serum had mutated almost instantly. But Mei was stable... and he took a gamble.

He administered the antidote directly.

To his relief, it worked. The black veins receded, the mutation reversed. For a moment, he thought he had saved her. For a moment, he believed.

But that hope was short-lived.

"The antidote... it worked too well," Dr. Matzo continued, shame tightening his voice. "It forcefully reversed the transformation, but it didn’t destroy the serum—it just pushed it back. The cursed energy... it retreated and is now gathering in her chest."

Han’s eyes widened. "Gathering?"

Dr. Matzo nodded slowly. "Concentrating. Expanding. Waiting. The serum has adapted. And now, instead of spreading slowly... it will erupt. And when it does—"

"She’ll die," Han finished quietly.

The doctor bowed his head. "I’m sorry, Han. I truly wanted to save her. But instead, I might’ve made things worse..."

Han clenched his fists, emotions warring inside him. Anger threatened to surface, but he held it back. Dr. Matzo had been with them since he was a child—he had never stopped trying. Blaming him wouldn’t help. No, if anyone was to blame, it was Han himself. For still not capturing the purple-haired man responsible for creating the cursed serum in the first place.

"How long?" Han asked.

Dr. Matzo hesitated. His throat bobbed as he swallowed.

"Best case... one month," he said quietly.

"Worst case... two weeks."

Han stood in silence, staring at the glowing chamber that held the woman who had raised him like a mother.

He had two weeks.

---

To be continued...