Aiden's brows drew together. "So you're saying artifacts don't need identification at all?" Dahl inhaled sharply, trying to steady himself. "That's right, Mr. Nighthale. Every blacksmith alive knows that rule. "Normally, only mythic-tier gear or items need appraisal. Artifacts and anything above them are unique. They can't be appraised, and they never have to be. "But this… this one's different. It's artifact-tier, yet its stats are hidden. That's not supposed to happen." He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Sir, where did you find this artifact?" Aiden didn't hesitate. "It dropped from one of the eerie creature bosses. One of the three Lord-levels that hit Leafport." He said it plainly, but his mind was turning fast. Everything Dahl said lined up perfectly with what he remembered from before. Artifacts weren't meant to be appraised. Which meant this one was something that shouldn't even exist. "So," Aiden said quietly, "can you appraise it or not?" "I don't know," Dahl admitted, his tone uncertain. He took a deep breath, then another. "But I've identified mythic-tier equipment before. I can at least try." "Go ahead," Aiden said, tossing him the Ravager Horn. He took a few steps back. "I'll give it everything I've got." Dahl's eyes hardened. He moved to the shining smithing table, the metal surface glowing faintly beneath the lights. He squared his shoulders and centered his focus until the air around him felt heavy. The highest thing he'd ever identified was Legendary. This horn was two full tiers higher. It was an artifact—something the craft had recorded in legend for centuries, something that shouldn't need appraisal. If he succeeded, the name Dahl would live forever in blacksmithing history. This was a turning point for him.He steadied his breath and triggered his appraisal skill. A soft white light began to shimmer around the Horn. The glow grew stronger. Then, in the next instant, it shattered. The light burst apart with a sharp crack and scattered into nothing. The appraisal failed completely. ... Dahl's face went pale. He let out a long, heavy sigh. "That's it…" Aiden's eyes narrowed. "It didn't work?" Dahl shook his head. "Not even close. The appraisal skill collapsed instantly. There's zero chance of success." Aiden frowned. "That sounds like an impossible task." Dahl could identify epic gear flawlessly. His skill was elite.But this time, it was like the Horn rejected even the attempt. "It's even stronger than I expected." Dahl exhaled deeply, his voice low but shaken. "I'm telling you, there's not a single appraiser alive who could identify this artifact. Even the Dominion's master blacksmiths wouldn't stand a chance." He rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the Horn. "Because in all of Dominion's history, no one has ever seen an artifact that even needed appraisal." Aiden said nothing. His eyes darkened as his mind turned. An artifact that wasn't supposed to exist—and one that defied every rule. What kind of power was hidden inside it? It had to be tied to the eerie creature boss. Nothing else made sense. For centuries, Dominion had seen countless powerful NPCs. Lord-level bosses were terrifying, but they had still been slain before. No matter how rare the drop rate, someone should have found an artifact like this by now.The only difference this time was the eerie creatures themselves. They had appeared barely a decade ago, a blink compared to Dominion's long existence. "What a shame," Dahl muttered bitterly. "A piece this powerful, and it can't even be identified. I'm sorry, sir. I failed you." Aiden's tone was calm. "You didn't fail me." He felt a hint of frustration, but not defeat. The more he uncovered, the more he saw how little anyone truly understood about Doomsday. The world was revealing itself piece by piece, and he was only beginning to grasp its scale. It couldn't be appraised now, but someday it could be. Humans might lack the skill. But the old divine? That was a different story. He would have to move faster with the Lost Temple investigation. Aiden reached into his inventory and drew out three more items. "Try these. They're legendary. Shouldn't be an issue, right?" Dahl blinked, caught off guard. "Legendary?" Even after seeing an artifact, he couldn't hide his amazement. Watching Aiden pull out three legendary pieces as if they were nothing still made his breath catch. "No problem," he said quickly. "It'll just take a little time." Aiden passed the gear across the table. The sound of metal echoed sharply through the air. A flash of light followed, bright enough to sting the eyes. Dahl worked in total focus, channeling energy again and again until his face glistened with sweat. It took eight full attempts before the gear finally responded. No surprise there. The Lord-level 100 eerie creature bosses only dropped level 100 gear. The stats were monstrous, but he couldn't use them yet.