Chapter 8: Crafting The Scorpion Knife

I told him, "Grandpa, I believe the ring you gave me has a build that exceeds Rank 3. It seems to have an even greater aura."

"Oh, you realised it?" grinned Grandpa Kaewon. Indeed, the ring is a Rank 6. However, it is not an expensive option. Think of it as a present for rising to the stars and being my first follower."

"Luna, wear the ring."

"Yes, Grandpa,"

"You will be able to sense the details about other objects. It won't be as good as seeing the writing on paper, but you'll be able to make out the dots on a blind person's book without touching it."

A Level 3 ring for Luna, who was currently Level 1, would have boosted her to somewhere between Level 2 and 3. But a Rank 6 ring would elevate her to Level 4, like seeing everything in blue and suddenly gaining infrared vision. I turned to Luna, who was carefully running her fingers over the intricate patterns on the ring.

 "Thank Grandpa for the gift, Luna."

With a radiant smile, her face glistened with enthusiasm. " Thank you so much for the wonderful gift, Grandpa. I really appreciate it."

Warmly grinning, Grandpa Kaewon answered, "Why don't you stay here Dajit and let your sister go back to the mansion? Just now, I was going to make some Scorpion assassin blades."

I waved my hand and said, "Goodbye, Seraphina." "Take care on your way back."

She nodded and grinned. "Dajit, you too. I'll talk to you shortly.

After the horse carriage vanished from view, I pivoted and headed towards Grandpa Kaewon's workshop once more.

A work of art was the Scorpion knife. It was named for the venomous tail of its namesake, and it possessed a distinctive double-edged blade. The primary blade promised quick, accurate attacks; it was sleek and razor-sharp, tapering to a nasty point.

The additional blade that protruded from the base of the Scorpion knife was what made it unique. This tiny blade nestled between the base and middle knuckles of the wielder's finger, curving beautifully over it. 

Within our assassin group, we called it 'Venom's Kiss' because it typically had a hole to store poison, coating the secondary blade without affecting the primary blade's strength.

Grandpa Kaewon went on to say, "A good Scorpion knife is generally made from Level 2 or 3 Abyssian snake monsters, whose teeth are hollow inside, allowing the user to store poison just like the snake does." I nodded, promising to learn.

He started by taking a metal component out of a stack on his workstation. "This," he said, extending it for our inspection, "is a fragment of an Abyssian snake tooth. It's ideal for creating a Scorpion knife of rank 5 and quite sturdy."

I observed him forging the metal till it burned a vivid orange. After that, he set it on the anvil and started to pound it into form.

Every blow was accurate, and Grandpa's Ignis Phoenix (Fire Ability) Level 7 power began to shine through the hammer itself. The flames appeared to be responding to Grandpa's star by getting hotter with each blow.

He walked me through the procedure as he worked. "The balance is the key to a good Scorpion knife," he remarked in between blows. The primary blade needs to be powerful, sharp, and able to cut through armour. However, for the poison to be contained, the secondary blade must be hollow. Achieving the perfect balance requires years of experience.

As the blade began to take shape, Grandpa Kaewon fashioned the hollow tube for the poison. He meticulously chiselled out the interior of the secondary blade with a small, sharp tool.

"This is an important part," he said. "The blade will be weak and may shatter in combat if the channel is too broad. If it's too little, it won't contain enough poison. You must strike the ideal balance."

He gave the blade one last heat to solidify it when the channel was finished. Subsequently, he cooled it in an oil barrel, causing the metal to hiss and spew. Sharpening the blades was the last phase, which needed both brute force and dexterity. Grandpa Kaewon sharpened each edge of the whetstone till it shone.

At last, he raised the completed knife to show us. With the secondary blade flowing smoothly over the handle and the primary blade glistening in the light, it was a piece of art. He handed me the knife and said, "This is it."

"The Scorpion knife."

I picked up the knife and saw how heavy it was. The grip felt tight and pleasant, and it was properly balanced. It had the feel of a Rank 4 blade. It was evident to me why Grandpa Kaewon took such pride in his job. I was aware of how to use a Scorpion weapon, but I was unaware that the angle of entry could be altered with every blow from the hammer.

Grandpa Kaewon then said, "It will take a lot of effort to reach this level of proficiency. I believe you should be able to create one for yourself in a few years with some talent and lots of patience."

He handed me a rusty small knife and asked me to "Hammer it as he did with the Scorpion knife to bring it back to life."

"I don't want you to be the best from the start. I just want to see how much you can learn from watching the first time."

"Yes, Grandpa,"