#45 Smithing

----Oarburgh clan's hideout----

"Babara, what did that man want?" Mera asked with an irritated expression, sitting on the couch while hugging Gilberda out of frustration.

"Well...he wants our secret prescriptions" Babara answered with a forced smile.

"What?! And you agreed?!" Mera immediately stood up from her seat and exclaimed with a shocked expression.

"Yes, I did. You have seen for yourself what he is capable of at such a young age. Plus he wanted to use my favor for not killing you so I had to compromise with him." Babara said with a slightly annoyed tone.

"...He just caught me off guard nothing more...*sigh* But I understand...do as you wish just always inform me of what you are about to give him." Mera muttered with an annoyed expression before releasing a defeated sigh and sitting back on her seat.

----Akashi's POV----

Class: Warrior (Lv. 8, +12 Str, +7 Const, +2 Agi, +1 Cha) 311/1280 XP

Special Class: Fire Monarch (Lv. 9; +18 Cha, +16 Int, +12 Const, +6 Str) 1397/2560

I am already halfway to the Capital but I decided to slow down a bit and try a few things out.

Because on my way to the Capital I noticed one particular mountain which caught my interest. Mainly because there could be some strong Danger Beasts which were but I also found an interesting cave leading inside the mountain. After walking through the cave for a few minutes while lighting my way with my own fire and occasionally killing some slightly stronger Danger Beasts than in the forest near the Capital, I met the dead-end of the cave where walls were covered by a lot of shining ores.

Some of them were of a blue color which could be found occasionally on the walls of those tunnels but there was also a green ore with yellow dots on the top that was shining pretty brightly.

...

This cave is really well hidden, if it wasn't for me deliberately searching for Danger Beasts, I wouldn't be able to find it. I don't have any backpacks to carry so much ore back with me and I don't even know how valuable it is so there is only 1 thing remaining to do...

I thought and went outside of the cave to gather some wood and also skin those stronger Danger Beasts roaming on the mountain. When I was finally done with everything, I took everything I could carry and went back inside the cave.

I set up a little campfire so I didn't have to actively use my flames.

Let's try out a little experiment.

I dug 2 small holes inside the ground and put the green ore into one and the blue ore into another.

I started heating both of them at the same time with the flames coming out of my hands.

I have never seen such metals and I have no idea how many impurities they have inside but I should learn at least something by melting both of them at the same time.

After around 1 minute passed by, the blue ore was already melted, however, the green one has yet to start melting which slightly surprised me. Of course, I wasn't using full intensity of my fire but for it to endure so much means that it is comparable to high-quality Danger Beasts' materials. Comparable to those metal wires used by Adol, maybe even stronger. This still isn't enough to match even magical artifacts, but it is definitely more heat resistant than usual weapons used by the regular soldiers. The other question is...is it suitable metal for making weapons?

...Only one way to find out.

I thought and started digging forms inside the ground.

Form for a blade, form for a cross-guard, hilt and other things. However, it was only provisional since I had very little time to study smithing but I read a few basic things and observed a few blacksmiths inside the Capital. Although I don't have a hammer, I can try to use bigger bones of the Danger Beasts instead.

I slowly started melting ore in the form for a blade but soon enough I was in a tight spot.

...What should I use for other parts? Ugh, I will just use materials from Danger Beasts and see how it goes on my first try. I thought while scratching my head with a helpless expression.

It took me around 3 hours before I could finally look at my first creation.

That's...hideous, *sigh*. But I guess on my first try without anyone teaching me, not bad, I should be glad that I was able to form everything to look like a sword.

I thought while looking at a new "sword" where the hilt, cross-guard, and blade were supported together with a strong and thin fur wrapped all around them. The fur came from the Danger Beast that was able to erect it and use it as needles.

Let's try to swing it a few times.

*swish * *swish * *swish*

Good, it didn't crumble after a few swings and it's surprisingly light but still not near enough my own sword.

Although the blade wasn't sharpened yet...I still want to try it out, I can always make a new one and maybe even better.

I thought while looking at the small boulder lying on the ground, I raised my hand above my head with a sword in it and swung it down at the boulder.

*Crack*

The result is quite surprising...

The blade wasn't sharpened yet the boulder was halfway cut and then entirely cracked because of the strength behind my swing. Meaning that blade wasn't sharp enough to cut it cleanly. But the most surprising thing is that the sword actually survived it without any scratch.

Alright, the last test of its toughness.

I thought and draw my own sword and drove it inside the ground without any resistance like a hot knife through butter.

Then I used more than half of my strength to perform horizontal slash aiming right at blade's edge.

*Clang!!* *Crack*

When the swords met each other a loud sound resounded through the cave and there was even a cracking sound but it wasn't any of my swords but the ground when my Phoenix sword was forced out of the ground by the strength behind my slash.

"...It was able to even withstand the sharpness of my Phoenix sword?" I couldn't help but mutter while looking at the blade of a newly created sword.

Although it could end differently if both of these swords met each other with a powerful slash from each side, it's still quite hard metal. But the way it gives off a green glow every time you swing is a little bit annoying.

Hmm...Maybe if it was made into katana, half of the blade on the edge's side would be made from this green metal and another side could be made from another very durable metal like Abyssal Iron that's used for weapons that can stand a chance against the clash with Teigu.

[Energy: 826/1125]

The process didn't even take that much energy. I had around 850 energy when I came inside this cave.

Alright, I am done here, I will take some ores with me to study it further and then come back for more.

I thought and excavated a few of those green ores and slowly took them out of the cave, however on my way outside of the cave...

?! I narrowed my eyes when I saw something flash in the shadows behind a few boulders.

I stopped walking and dropped the ores and draw my sword.

I don't feel its presence...how is that possible?

I thought slightly shocked inwardly while observing my surroundings with calm eyes.

The alarm rang inside my head and I swiftly performed horizontal slash behind me but only thing that my sword met was an air.

?! That's not possible...there is no way it could be a false alarm.

I thought and grew even more vigilant.

After a few seconds of tense silence, the alarm once again rang inside my head.

Both sides?! There are more of them and they are extremely quick.

I thought and instantly ducked the moment I heard the alarm inside my head but I still received a scratch on my cheek.

! They are extremely fast and their teamwork is also a good one, not to talk about their intelligence. The one on the left emitted more pressure and bigger danger but it was only tactic to make me focus on his side while his friend will take care of me!

I thought with wide-open eyes before I once again calmed down and narrowed my eyes.

I wanted to make the least damage possible to this cave but they are annoying to fight in such a small and closed environment.

"You are annoying, I don't know how many of you are there but I no longer care." I said with a cold tone and spread both of my arms and intense flames gushed out of my hands however I didn't stop only after a few seconds, I wanted to make sure that the entire cave will be engulfed in flames.

[Energy: 447/1125]

I spent almost half of my energy doing this and I could feel my flames bursting out of the cave entrance so I finally stopped sending any more fire.

---

[+ 40 BXP for burning Danger Beast] x3

[+ 0.1 BXP for burning Danger Beast] x280

Special Class: Fire Monarch (Lv. 9; +18 Cha, +16 Int, +12 Const, +6 Str) 1545/2560

[+ 100 XP for killing Danger Beast] x3

[+ 0.2 XP for killing Danger Beast] x280

Class: Warrior (Lv. 8, +12 Str, +7 Const, +2 Agi, +1 Cha) 667/1280 XP

---

3 of them, huh? He was waiting for me to drop my guard and then he would strike from behind when I would have thought that there are only 2 of them. What kind of Danger Beasts were they? I guess I will never get to know after burning them to the ashes. But even the speed of that one little shit was as fast as me if not slightly faster. I probably damaged the ores at the end of this cave...but thankfully I still have ores that I dropped under my legs. I created a vacuum around me so no flames could devour things on me, including ores or even my clothes.

---END---