chapter 14

When the players set foot into the town of Urbos they were all greeted with nothing but a deserted city street and scorching hot stone roads.

There was nobody here, even the NPCs were nowhere to be seen on the road.

The players nervously walked through the empty town toward the main plaza.

"I see it! There!" when they arrived at the main plaza of the Urbos, a player shouted out as he pointed at the stone structure that was erected in the middle of the square.

It was four stone pillar placed in a square formation surrounding a platform, of which has a large stone tablet in the middle of it.

It was the teleportation gate.

"Alright, you guys go activate it, I'm off to have a look around town, I need to find an NPC blacksmith to get myself a new weapon, I've been fighting so much with my fist that the skill itself is almost a third of what my sword skill level is already," Leonard told the groups as he walked off to the market district of the town.

"Is he always like that?" Diavel asked Kirito and Asuna, who spends the most time with the man himself so far.

"Don't mind him, he's always like that- sometimes he's antisocial, while some other time he could be full of funs and sarcastic jokes." Kirito informed Diavel.

"That's some weird...personality," Diavel commented.

"Don't think too bad of the guy, he may look mean and uncaring on the outside to most people, but he's quite a good guy to have to watch your back," Kirito answered before he quickly ran off after Leonard toward the Market district.

"Hey wait up! I'm coming as well!" Asuna too quickly ran after Kirito.

"Huh...kids these days," Diavel commented before heading toward the teleportation gate and went back to the first floor to help inform the players who were stuck inside the town of beginning, telling them that there's still hope in escaping.

******

Inside the market district of Urbos, Blacksmith shop.

Leonard was currently standing in front of some of the weapons that were displayed inside of the shop, the blacksmith has everything ranging from tiny daggers to giant hammer the side of a man that's probably weight at least half a ton.

"What are you looking for? Adventurer?" the blacksmith asked him, the blacksmith was a tall burly man with gray hairs and beard, he has quite an intimidating look, one would suspect that the man would pass as a warrior if he were given armors and a weapon to fight.

"Oh, I here to look for a weapon- a sword," Leonard told the burly old man.

"Hmm, sword...good choice, any specific trait you looking for on top of being a sword? Because I have many different kinds of swords in my shop." the blacksmith told him.

"I need something heavy, durable, one that looks like a one hand sword- however, require both hands to use, I don't really care about how sharp it is," Leonard stated.

Upon hearing Leonard answer, the blacksmith couldn't help but let out a loud laughter.

"Kid, you're a funny one- my shop has a sword that had all of those qualities- except for the last one, like what kind of swordsman doesn't require a sharp sword to cut?" the blacksmith told him.

"Fine, just show me your best." Leonard sneered at the NPC.

"Heh? My best- sure, let see if you have what it take to wield it!" the old blacksmith quickly rushed back behind the door, from there Leonard swear that he could hear something really loud and obnoxious going on in there.

Soon the old man quickly kicked the door open and carried with him was a long wooden box that was roughly a meter something, he was struggling to carry it with both of his arms since Leonard could see the veins popping from his forehead and arms.

*Bang, he quickly dropped the box onto the counter, creating a loud impact.

"Hehe...you little brat, have a taste of my masterpiece that I created during my prime." he then pried the box open, only to reveal a sword that looks like a one hand blade that was jet black.

"Don't underestimate it, I build this baby here with the best pieces of steel money could buy, its toughness is unquestionable along with it sharpness, but due to the weight of the materials, this thing is just as heavy as any greatsword out there if not any heavier!" the blacksmith proclaimed proudly.

"Oh really...your best piece of work huh?" Leonard just glanced at the blade and quickly opened the item identification.

[Taurus Slayer: Grade- uncommon +]

High durability and sharpnesses, dealt bonus damages to the Bovine race of the second floor of Aincrad.

-Flavor Text-

The blade was forged by a highly skilled blacksmith of the second floor with be best materials he could get his hand on when he was an adventurer in his prime.

"Tsk, just an uncommon + grade? Even the cheap nooby crap I got from the system had better grading then this...look like I overestimated the profession within Sword Art Online...but damn, I hate wasting those precious achievement points!" Leonard lamented.

The old blacksmith noticing Leonard ugly expression after he viewed the stats of his masterpiece and couldn't help but get angry.

"Kid, are you trying to piss me off?! This is the best weapon in the shop!" the old man shouted with veins popping on his forehead and his eyes bulging out.

"It may look great at first, however, I doubt it could survive after I used one of my skill." Leonard jeered at the old man.

"Oh really?!" this time he was further enraged by Leonard comment.

"Why don't we have a bet then?" Leonard suggested.

"What bet?! Give me a good reason as to why I shouldn't pound your head in!" the old blacksmith cracked his fists while his eye was twitching.

"We test out your so call masterpiece, piece of equipment, if this thing breaks on the first skill that I used then you will have to admit that it is crap," Leonard told him.

"Fine! However! If you fail to break it with one skill, then I'll have to pound your head in with my fist! Actually also make it if you lose I'll help you forge a sword that has all your desired trait for free! Along with maintaining cost waived for a lifetime!" the old blacksmith roared at him while feeling really confident.

*****

At the training ground in Urbos.

"You brat! If you were to give up now I could forgive you for your rudeness you know! My fists actually packed quite a punch behind it!" the old man suggested while having a smirk on his face.

"Why don't you prepare your wallet for my new sword!" Leonard retorted back to the old man.

"Arghh!! Fine! Just don't cry to me after this!" the blacksmith shouted at him.

"Hah, we will see about that!" Leonard quickly grabs the sword with one of his hand and raised it upward over his head, pointing the blade direction toward the sky with one of his hand.

"Heh, what a joke." the old man sneered silently in his mind.

"Activate- Negative Energy Manipulation!" Leonard began to activate his magic skill and suddenly once again just like what happens in the fight with Illfang, the blade of the sword began to suck in black and purplish energy, charging the blade itself.

"Wait...what kind of skill is that!" the old man jaw dropped wide open.

*Baang! After roughly half a minute or so, the blade exploded in an eruption of negative energy and crack in the blade start to form.

"Hold it Hold it! This is cheating!" the old blacksmith called out loudly to Leonard.

"Too late now! DEMON WRATH!" Leonard roared from the top of his lung as he brought it down.

*******

In Urbos market district, Asuna and Kirito is currently walking around trying to find Leonard.

"Where could he be-" *BOOOOOOOMMM!!!

Kirito was about to finish the sentence until he heard a loud explosion followed by a minor earthquake in the training area.