Chapter 33: The Great Master Dawnson

"Master, sorry to say this, but I don't swing that way," I blurted out, momentarily misunderstanding my master's intention.

Before anything else, I needed to remind my master of the misunderstanding. However, before I could finish my sentence, my master's hand came down hard on my head.

"Ouch!!! Master, why did you hit me?" I protested, rubbing my sore head.

"You idiot! I don't mean that! What I mean is that your item is with him!" my master exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice.

Embarrassed by my mistake, I quickly went over to Uncle Dawnson and apologized to him for my misunderstanding.

"Hahaha! It's fine. I don't really take it to heart," Uncle Dawnson reassured me with a chuckle, his amusement evident.

"Uncle Dawnson, um... can I have the item that you brought for me?" I asked, feeling a twinge of embarrassment. It was awkward to ask for a gift from someone I had just met, but the allure of a magic item made me willing to thicken my skin.

Looking even more amused, Uncle Dawnson looked at me and said, "I don't have it."

"Huh?" Confusion washed over me. What were these two old men doing? One pointed at the other, and now he was saying he didn't have the item. Were they playing a prank on me?

"Old man, don't joke around and just tell me the truth," my master interjected, sensing my confusion.

"Hahaha... okay, okay, I'll tell you. Kid, of course, I don't have the magic item with me now because I'm going to make it," Uncle Dawnson declared proudly.

"Make it?" The realization hit me when my master mentioned that. Did that mean Uncle Dawnson was actually...

Uncle Dawnson interrupted my thoughts and, with a smile of pride on his face, confirmed my suspicions, saying, "I know what you're thinking, and you're right. I'm a blacksmith, and the best one you'll ever find."

I had read about blacksmiths ever since my master introduced me to the world of warriors. Just like mages had their refiners who created magic items using spells, warriors had blacksmiths.

Unlike refiners who relied on magic to create items, blacksmiths used their own bodies and personally hammered down to forge the items. This method may have seemed outdated compared to magic refining, but it came with advantages specifically tailored for warriors.

One of those advantages was that items created by blacksmiths had much higher durability and were more suitable for close combat. Refined items were susceptible to damage, as they were essentially made by melting raw materials and shaping them using magic spells. In the end, refined items were designed for mages, who often fought from a distance and prioritized functionality over durability.

Of course, blacksmithing also had its disadvantages. Creating items as a blacksmith took a longer time—sometimes more than ten times longer—than a refiner's process. Additionally, the physical requirements involved prevented mass production, making each blacksmith-crafted item a unique and personal creation that couldn't be found in a regular store.

"Though I hate to say this, that guy is right. He really is the best blacksmith I've ever met," my master admitted, surprising me with his praise.

"As you expected, I was away because I was looking for this guy. I planned for him to make an armor or a weapon for you. To utilize your full potential as a warrior, you definitely need an item made by a blacksmith. I initially wanted to ask him to make both items, but this guy said he can only make one for you. Can't he be a little more flexible with me?" my master grumbled, clearly disappointed.

"Old man, you can't do that to me. Do you know how long it takes for me to create an item? Asking me to make two in a row is like asking me to drop dead," Uncle Dawnson retorted, not bothering to be polite with my master as he outright rejected the request.

"Hmph! Anyway, just as I was pondering whether you should have a weapon or armor first, you showed me that shield, unexpectedly solving my problem," my master admitted, revealing the dilemma he had been contemplating.

Finally grasping my master's intentions, I realized that since I already had a shield, the item Uncle Dawnson would create for me would undoubtedly be a weapon.

"Now, kid, it's time for you to decide. What type of weapon do you want me, the Great Master Dawnson, to create?" Uncle Dawnson declared, his pride shining through his words.