13 - Old Man Will Smith

I got free time after my usual grinding being cancelled by Lilith. She will gone in the month so I need to find any activity or I will getting bored later. It's not like I don't have any job to do as I actually can continue my healer job, but I want to learn more skill and ability. So, the first thing that came in my mind is to level up my new non-combat skill that I received after maxed out the basic skill of hammer weapon, Hammer Strike.

I changed my priest outfits before walking out from the church and went to the business district. I walk with my own pace, moving forward to my destination, the blacksmith shop. As the place not that far from the church, it's taken a few minutes to arrive on the place. The sound of striking hammer quite loud, and bring some excitement to me. Surprisingly, no player found in this place, and the answer is simple. In this world, blacksmith could be said to be the humblest of professions. This is because none of this world's best weapons were, for a certain reason, forged by blacksmiths. All of the great weapon are came from monster drops, which doesn't happen yet for now.

Even so, as this village's only accomplished blacksmith store shouldn't have been this impoverished with such a meager little income. Entering the shop, I already smelled the heating ores and the burning wood which make the place hot.

"Hello, anyone here?!" I called out the owner.

After a long time, the inner room door drape lifted, and a large but short figure appeared with somewhat staggering steps and walked out. It was a middle aged man, which actually a dwarf, his appearance seemed close to fifty years old. His worn robe covered with holes, without so much as a patch, exposed bronze colored skin. His had a grumpy facial features, a pair of sleepy eyes and a dazed manner; messy hair that looked just like a bird's nest, a beard that had gone who knew how long without being straightened out. A dim and lifeless look was visible in his eyes.

"What do you want, young human? This is not a playground..." He said.

"These chunks of iron, can you give them to me to use?" I said it as I want to practice my skill on those chunks. His gaze shifted to the pig iron,

"Huh. Isn't this fine iron?" Walking over to take a look, he turned his head to look at me and said;

"You want to become a blacksmith?"

I nodded slightly. Becoming blacksmith was undoubtedly the most suitable profession for me to make my own weapon and armor. I even can make it as my carrier in the future.

"Blacksmith doesn't seem bad, either."

Pulling across a single worn-out chair, sitting down directly by that pile of pig iron, he sluggishly spoke: "Hey kid, tell me, what kind of blacksmith, is the best blacksmith."

I thought about it, then said: "The best blacksmith should be capable of making divine equipment." By what Mariel have said to me, she confirm that the divine equipment existed in this world, even though she did not know precisely what divine equipment were. But being called 'divine', presumably they should be pretty good.

In the dwarf eyes flashed a glint of humor, "Divine equipment? You also knows about divine equipment. Then tell me, what should be used to create divine equipment?"

I already thought about this, and immediately said: "The best materials, of course."

The dwarf extended his index finger, wagging it at my face and said, "If you want to become a master blacksmith, remember my words: someone using top class materials to make equipment tools, that's not the best blacksmith; at most it is only a synthesizer. The best blacksmith will create divine equipment even using common materials."

"Using common iron to forge divine equipment?" I, somewhat startled, looked at that guy. He turn his face while pointed to a fifty square centimeter big block of iron on the other side of the room,

"If you're thinking about becoming a blacksmith and learning forging from me, then you must first hammer this ten thousand times. Not until then will you be qualified." That was a block of ordinary iron, containing numerous impurities. Compared to the lump of iron source, I couldn't even tell how much worse it was.

"Right now, you can still change your mind." He spoke indifferently, already preparing to go back to the inner room to finish his job.

"I want to give it a try." My voice was clear and calm, yet resolute.

He somewhat taken aback, looked at me, and said; "Alright."

With a single word, he walked past, taking up that large lump of iron in his arms, and directly placed it by the bellows on the forge. As long as the coal fire was ignited, it could be used for forging. After finishing this, he returned to the inner room while saying nothing. Lighting the charcoal fire, pumping the bellows, I began to work by myself.

Wush wussshhh..... Sounds rose from the bellows, flame emitted within the coal furnace, scorching that big lump of iron. Though I didn't know any forging, I have watched many of animes every single day in my youth about the blacksmith story, and knew the correct process. Just as the iron lump had gradually become red hot, I dragged across my hammer, letting it fall to the object. When the iron hammer collided with the iron lump again and again, it rung with a clear and melodious sound. This was my first hammer strike, and the prelude to forging.

"He can actually use the hammer to strike the ore, was he born with superhuman strength?" I swear I heard the dwarf whisper, but I don't hear it clearly. Dong dong dong dong dong. Pounding sounds started to rise from the blacksmith shop. That old dwarf let me play with another furnace in the room, pounding that lump of iron on his own forge. He didn't instruct me with a single sentence, but also from this day onward, that guy already showing me his interest.

"10,000 strike!" Finally my test ended with success. When I smashed down the hammer one thousand times, that iron lump had certainly changed; it was a small circle, and even though the center of the blazing fire burned red hot, I could still faintly perceive that the interior impurities appeared to have decreased a great deal. Tempering into steel, this word appeared in my mind. This also made me even more firmly determined to accomplish the maximum level of hammer strikes mastery level. And the distance to this objective was very close.

"Damn human, you really did it! By only a day! Are you a monsters?!" The dwarf finally open his mouth, shocked with my ability, to finish his assignment as quickly ever. My mastery level also increasing and make me a happy guy. Fortunately, the stamina gauge doesn't yet to be introduce, but will happened later as the announcement have been made recently. They will update and do some maintenance the system in this three month period.

"Can I come here to practice again?"

"Do as you will. Rather, come back tomorrow. I will pay you for tempering this chunk!"

"Thanks... By the way my name is Life, what yours?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. My name is Rodine, this Arcsteel Shop owner. Glad to me you..."

"Same here...." We talk a bit before I return to the church as the night already became late. After reaching my place, I having my late dinner with Mariel whom waiting me and worried about me. She look like a wife waiting for her husband, but let us not make any speculations or ideas there. She only kind to me as I, the messiah who raise their budgets. Her mood already got better so our meal became more comfortable and full of smiles. She especially felt happy after I told her that I won't join Lilith for adventure for a month as she has some business related to her school. I also told her that I will work at blacksmith shop after my shift. She only let me go after confirming that the shop doesn't have any girls working there.

"Hey, are you feel jealousy about me?!" I want to talk it loud but, maybe I just overthinking it.

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Name : Life ( 18 years old )

Race : Human (Male)

Title : Ancient Killer

HP : 3800/3800

MP : 1200/1200

ST : ?/? (Stamina : Next update)

Strength : 190

Dexterity : 90

Wisdom : 120

Agility : 70

Skill

(Fighting)

Kicking Level Max

Punching Level Max

(Weapon)

Hammer Smash Level Max (up)

Shield Protection Level Max (up)

(Passive)

Body Endurance Level Max

(Magic)

Daily Magic

Heal Level Max

Cure Level 5 ( 341/500 ) (up)

(Non-combat)

Cooking Level 3 ( 45/300 )

Hammer Strike (Smiting) Level 5 (0/5000) (up)

(Special)

Eye of Truth

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