At the Blacksmith’s Shop

Samuel's POV

The morning sun streamed through the wooden blinds of my inn room, casting golden rays across the floor. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes before stretching my arms with a satisfied smirk.

"Alright… let's see what's on the agenda today."

I called out to the system.

"System, show me the remaining quests."

A familiar blue holographic screen flickered to life before me.

---

[Available Quests]

1. Claim the Forsaken Throne (Main Quest)

Objective: Locate and activate the Throne of the Forsaken.

Reward: +5 Levels, Forsaken King's Authority, Unique Skill: "King's Flash"

2. Echoes of the Past (Side Quest) (Selected)

Objective: Find and read three Ancient Records hidden in the Forsaken Lands.

Reward: 500 Gold, Forgotten King's Relic

3. Slay the Warden of the Forsaken (Combat Quest)

Objective: Defeat the Forsaken Warden (Level 180).

Reward: +3 Levels, Warden's Gauntlets, Title: "Warden Slayer"

4. Unseal the Abyssal Gate (Hidden Quest)

Objective: Locate and interact with the Abyssal Gate.

Reward: ???

---

I leaned back, tapping my fingers against the wooden bed frame.

"Echoes of the Past, huh?" I muttered. "Sounds like a scavenger hunt... but if the reward is knowledge, then it's worth it."

I reached into my inventory and pulled out the Gauntlets of Abyss. The black metallic surface gleamed in the dim morning light, intricate runes pulsing faintly as if they were alive. This was my strongest weapon, the one that carried me through the toughest battles.

But as I scrolled through the rest of my inventory, I frowned.

Old gauntlets, armors, swords, and weapons from past fights cluttered my inventory space. Some were valuable, some were mere trophies from fallen enemies, and some I had no use for anymore.

"Yeah… it's time to clear some space."

I stood up, cracking my neck, before pulling out the rest of the equipment I no longer needed.

"System, store these in my secondary inventory for selling later."

A small ding confirmed the command, and the useless weapons vanished in flashes of blue light.

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair.

"I've always been a hand-to-hand fighter anyway. These weapons did their job, but my fists are the only weapons I truly need."

I rolled my shoulders, feeling the familiar power coursing through my body.

"Alright… first stop, the blacksmith."

---

At the Blacksmith's Shop

The forge was alive with the roar of flames and the ringing of steel against steel. The air smelled of burning coal and molten metal.

A burly man with scarred arms and a thick beard stood behind the counter, hammering away at a glowing piece of iron. His muscles flexed with every strike, and sweat glistened on his skin despite the cool morning air.

As I approached, he barely spared me a glance.

"What do you want?" he grunted, still hammering.

I smirked. "Business. I've got a few weapons to sell."

That got his attention. The blacksmith set his hammer down, wiping his hands on his apron before leaning over the counter.

"Let's see what you got."

I accessed my inventory and materialized the pile of weapons and armors onto the counter. Swords, shields, daggers, and gauntlets clattered onto the wooden surface, their polished edges gleaming in the forge's light.

The blacksmith raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Not bad. Where'd you get all these?"

I smirked. "Won them. Some in fights, some in battles, some… from people who didn't need them anymore."

The blacksmith let out a short chuckle. "Sounds like you've been through hell."

I shrugged. "Something like that."

He examined each weapon carefully, running his fingers over the craftsmanship, nodding in approval at some, scoffing at others. After a few minutes, he looked up.

"I'll take the lot. 1200 gold pieces."

I leaned on the counter. "Make it 1500."

The blacksmith snorted. "1400. Final offer."

I smirked. "Deal."

He handed over a pouch filled with gold coins, and I tucked it into my inventory with a satisfied nod.

"Pleasure doing business," I said, turning to leave.

"If you ever need custom gear, come back," he called after me.

I lifted a hand in a lazy wave. "We'll see."

---

Back on the Streets

With a heavier coin pouch and a lighter inventory, I walked through the streets of the city, hands in my pockets, thinking.

"Alright. Now that that's done, time to track down those Ancient Records."

I glanced at the sky. The sun was rising higher, casting long shadows across the cobbled streets.

There was so much left to explore in this world—hidden ruins, lost treasures, powerful enemies, unknown lands.

For the first time in my life, I was truly free. No one to control me, no one to betray me, no chains to hold me down.

I smirked to myself.

"The real adventure starts now."

And with that, I set off toward the Forsaken Lands, ready to uncover the secrets of the past.