Meeting with a Blacksmith

"Alright, everyone, listen up!" he called out. The villagers stopped in their tracks, turning their attention to their leader. "I'll be heading to Dwargon tomorrow to recruit some Dwarves. We need skilled blacksmiths and builders to help improve the village. Ranga and Gobta will be coming with me."

Gobta, who was standing at the edge of the crowd, perked up. "Me? Really? I get to go to Dwargon?"

Rimuru nodded. "That's right. You've been there before, so you know the way. Plus, I could use an extra pair of hands."

Gobta puffed out his chest proudly. "You can count on me, Rimuru-sama!"

Rimuru continued. "While I'm gone, I need everyone to stay focused. Rigurd, you're in charge of the village. Make sure the construction and training continue. Hakuro, work on training the soldiers. Shuna, keep up with the cooking and making clothes for everyone. Shion, you'll oversee security and make sure everything runs smoothly."

Each of them nodded, their expressions serious. "Understood, Rimuru-sama," they said in unison.

Satisfied, Rimuru smiled.

The next day, after bidding farewell to the villagers, Rimuru, Ranga, and Gobta set off for Dwargon. The journey took three days, with the Tempest Wolves covering ground at incredible speed. When they finally arrived, the massive gates of Dwargon loomed before them.

Rimuru hopped off Ranga's back and patted his head. "Good job, Ranga. You and the others wait here. Gobta and I will handle this."

Ranga wagged his tail. "Understood, Master. Be careful."

As Rimuru and Gobta approached the gates, they saw a long line of people waiting to enter. Merchants, adventurers, and travelers alike were being inspected by the guards. Rimuru sighed. "Looks like this might take a while."

Gobta, who was already fidgeting, groaned. "I hate waiting in lines…"

Before Rimuru could respond, a guard came running up to the gate, shouting urgently. "There's been an incident at the mines! An Armorsaurus attacked, and we have injured miners! We don't have enough potions to treat them!"

Hearing this, Rimuru stepped forward. "I can help with that," he said calmly.

The guard turned to him, surprised. "You? A potion seller?"

"Something like that," Rimuru replied. "I'll give you the potions you need, but in return, I'd like some information."

The guard hesitated, then nodded. "If you can save those miners, I'll tell you anything you want to know."

Rimuru summoned several high-quality potions from within himself and handed them over. The guard hurried off, and soon, news came back that the miners had been healed. The guard, now much more relaxed, approached Rimuru.

"Thank you for your help. What do you want in return?"

Rimuru smiled. "I need to find the best blacksmith in Dwargon. Can you point me in the right direction?"

The guard blinked in surprise. "That's it? Well… I suppose I owe you. The best blacksmith in town is my brother, Kaijin. I'll take you to him myself."

Rimuru's eyes lit up. "Perfect. Lead the way."

With Gobta trailing behind, Rimuru followed the guard into the bustling city of Dwargon, ready to meet the renowned Kaijin.

When the guard led Rimuru and Gobta into Kaijin's forge, the sound of hammers clanging against metal filled the air. The workshop was a bustling scene, with apprentices scurrying about and the smell of molten steel heavy in the room. In the middle of it all stood Kaijin, a burly Dwarf with a thick beard and strong arms, inspecting a half-finished blade.

The guard cleared his throat. "Brother! Someone here wants to talk to you."

Kaijin looked up, his expression shifting to curiosity as he saw Rimuru and Gobta.

What's your business with me?"

Rimuru stepped forward, his tone calm but confident. "My name is Rimuru Tempest a slime, then Rimuru transofrmed in his slime form. Kaijin and everybody in the shop were shocked, you can see Gobta with a smug face. I'm building a village in the Jura Forest, and I'm looking to recruit the best blacksmith in town. I heard that's you."

Kaijin chuckled, setting the blade down on his workbench. "Flattery will get you far, Rimuru, but I'm afraid I can't help you right now. I've been contracted by Minister Vesta to make twenty magic swords for the kingdom. It's a massive order, and I'm already short on both time and materials."

Rimuru tilted his head. "Twenty magic swords? That sounds like a tall order. What's the problem with materials?"

Kaijin sighed, wiping his hands on a rag. "The main component for these swords is Magisteel, and I've run out. It's not something you can just find lying around. Mining it takes time, and refining it takes even more. Without Magisteel, I can't complete the order, and if I fail, Vesta will have my head. I don't have the luxury to think about other projects right now."

Rimuru paused, recalling the massive amounts of magical ores he had absorbed during his time in the cave. His expression brightened as an idea struck him. "What if I told you I could solve your problem?"

Kaijin raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Solve my problem? You're saying you have Magisteel?"

Rimuru smiled mischievously. "Something like that." He opened his mouth, and a chunk of refined Magisteel emerged, gleaming with an otherworldly sheen as it hit the table with a solid thud. The apprentices stopped what they were doing, their jaws dropping as they stared at the impossibly pure ore.

Kaijin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Oi, Oi, Oi, Is… is this Magisteel? And not just any Magisteel—this is refined to perfection! How in the world did you—" He stopped himself, shaking his head. "No, I don't even want to know. This is incredible."

Rimuru smirked. "Let's just say I have my ways. I can provide you with more if you join my village. We need someone with your skills to help with weapons and construction. In return, you'll have access to all the materials you need, a safe place to work, and plenty of help."

Kaijin rubbed his chin, clearly tempted. "You're making quite the offer, Rimuru. But even with this Magisteel, I still have to finish the swords for Vesta. If I don't, I'll be in trouble with the kingdom."

Rimuru crossed his arms. "What if I help you finish the swords? I have abilities that could speed up the process. Once the order is complete, you'll be free to come with me."

Kaijin stared at Rimuru, processing the proposal. "You'd help me finish Vesta's order? You're serious about this?"

"Completely serious," Rimuru replied. "Think of it as an investment. The faster we finish, the sooner we can move on to bigger and better things."

Kaijin looked at the chunk of Magisteel, then at Rimuru. After a long pause, he extended his hand. "Alright, Rimuru. You've got yourself a deal. Help me finish this order, and I'll join your village."

Rimuru shook his hand firmly. "Deal. Let's get started."

Timuru then told Kaijin to give him the one sword he completed, he used Predator to absorb it after GreatbSage analyzed it she were able to make an even better looking replica.

Kaijin's hands trembled slightly as he held the sword Rimuru had just handed back to him. His eyes widened with disbelief, and he examined every inch of the blade, running his fingers along its edge and inspecting the intricate details. The apprentices leaned in, their curiosity palpable. The forge, normally bustling with noise, was silent as everyone focused on Kaijin's reaction.

"This… This is unbelievable," Kaijin finally said, his voice a mixture of awe and confusion. "Not only is the blade an exact copy of the one I made, but the quality… it's better. The balance is perfect, the edge is sharper, and the durability feels unmatched. How did you do this?"

Rimuru, standing calmly with his arms crossed, replied with a slight grin, "Let's just say it's one of my unique abilities. I analyzed the structure of your sword, refined it, and replicated it. Simple, right?"

Kaijin shook his head in disbelief. "Simple? Do you even know how much effort goes into making one of these swords? It takes days to forge a single blade of this caliber, and you just… created it in seconds. This isn't just skill; it's something beyond comprehension."

The apprentices whispered among themselves, their amazement echoing Kaijin's sentiments. One of them muttered, "If we had this ability, we could supply the entire kingdom…"

Kaijin silenced them with a raised hand, still focused on the sword. "Rimuru, I don't know what kind of being you are, but this kind of power… it's extraordinary. Are you sure this sword is stable? It won't degrade over time, will it?"

Rimuru nodded confidently. "Great Sage confirmed its stability. The material is even more refined than the original. It'll perform better and last longer."

Kaijin's jaw dropped slightly before he collected himself. "Better and longer-lasting… You're making me feel like all my hard work was for nothing!" he joked, letting out a hearty laugh. "Still, I can't argue with results."

Rimuru chuckled. "No need to feel bad, Kaijin. If anything, your craftsmanship inspired this. Think of it as a partnership."

Kaijin smirked. "A partnership, huh? Alright, then. Since you're so confident, I'll take you up on that offer. But I still need twenty swords to complete the order. Can you handle that?"

Rimuru's grin widened. "Eighteen more swords? No problem. Just give me a moment." He reached into his Predator skill once again, and within seconds, another sword materialized in his hands. Then another. And another. Each sword was identical to the first, their polished blades gleaming under the forge's light.

Kaijin's mouth fell open as the pile of swords grew. "This… this is insane! It's like watching magic in its purest form!"

One of the apprentices, barely able to contain himself, whispered to another, "We're witnessing a miracle…"

Kaijin inspected one of the newly created swords, tapping it lightly and testing its balance. "Every single one of them… perfect. I've never seen anything like this. Rimuru, do you even realize the kind of fortune you're sitting on? If you wanted, you could become the greatest blacksmith in the world with this power."

Rimuru laughed. "That's not my goal. I'd rather leave the smithing to the professionals, like you. I'm just here to help where I can. My real goal is to build a place where everyone can thrive."

Kaijin looked at Rimuru, his respect for the slime growing even further. "You're something else, Rimuru. I've met plenty of people in my time, but none like you. Alright, with these swords, I can finally complete the order. Vesta won't have anything to complain about now."

"Good," Rimuru said, placing the final sword on the table. "Once you've delivered them, I hope you're ready to come with me. My village could really use someone with your skills."

Kaijin nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "I'll hold up my end of the deal. You've given me more than enough reason to believe in you. Let's just finish this business with Vesta first."

Rimuru extended his hand, and Kaijin shook it firmly. "Deal."

The apprentices cheered quietly among themselves, clearly inspired by what they had just witnessed. Gobta, who had been silently watching, finally piped up. "Rimuru-sama, you're so cool! You made it look so easy!"

Rimuru smirked and patted Gobta's head. "Stick around, Gobta. You might learn a thing or two."

With the swords completed and Kaijin's admiration secured, Rimuru had taken another step closer to solidifying his growing village's future.