Forging

Riverdale and Strom were gathered around a table while James stood in front of the anvil with a knife in his hand. The atmosphere was solemn, and barely a sound could be heard as everyone seemed afraid to miss any important movement.

James felt slightly nervous and remembered his master's advice as he tried to empty his mind. Slowly, he began to disconnect from himself and immerse himself in a state of concentration. In that room, there was no James, Riverdale, or Strom; there was only a blank sheet, and he himself was the hammer, the intention, the edge, and the rune.

Controlling his mana, he started circulating it to create the rune in his mind. Once he could clearly visualize it and complete the pattern several times in his mind, he finally took the hammer. Riverdale was noticeably tense, gripping the armrests of the chair so tightly that they seemed like they could break at any moment. Strom tried to appear calm, crossing his arms over his chest, but every small movement James made caused him to straighten up slightly.

Slowly, James raised the hammer and positioned it above his shoulder. Finally, he opened his eyes and started hammering. Each strike seemed to bring an immense force that could have shattered the poor knife, but it only left a small engraved trace that shimmered in faint blue hues.

At first, James seemed uncomfortable, and his strikes were uncoordinated. Strom observed the gestures, pain, and fatigue on the young man's face and began to worry slightly. His hands lowered to his knees, and his posture leaned further and further forward, while Riverdale tightened his grip even more.

After a few minutes, James managed to find the right tempo and keep the mana consumption within a normal range, allowing everyone present to relax slightly. The whole process took about an hour, and in the end, James was completely drenched in sweat. The worst part was the mental exhaustion; he felt a heavy veil obstructing his vision, and he was numb.

James simply slumped into a chair, unable to support his own weight, and barely managed to ask, "How did it turn out?"

Strom nodded and said, "Not bad, congratulations on your first rune."

Finally, all the tension that had kept James' body active disappeared, and he slumped in his chair, passing out. Both elderly men approached the knife and examined it carefully. First, Strom ran his fingers along the blade, inspecting it, and then Riverdale took it to examine both sides.

"How is this possible?" Riverdale asked incredulously.

"The boy is simply talented," Strom shrugged.

"Don't be foolish, Strom. This goes beyond talent. The amount of mana he possesses simply doesn't make sense for someone in a beginner class. Moreover, he hasn't even taken the runic blacksmith class yet, and he can already create runic craftsmanship," exclaimed Riverdale.

"There's no need to get so loud. I don't know why you're surprised. After all, you've seen his affinities. The boy is clearly special. He must have a legendary-class designation," declared Strom, although there were doubts on his face.

"A class that stands out so much from the beginning could be an unparalleled blessing for humanity," said Riverdale.

"I'm not so sure," Strom said, increasing his doubts.

"What do you mean? How could it be a bad thing?" asked the confused merchant.

"In general, the whole topic of classes and their most prestigious versions is very secretive. But if you remember the case of the legendary elf Dalyla, you'll know that the conditions she had to fulfill to advance were insane. Withstanding a demonic invasion alone is truly..." Strom fell silent in the face of the magnitude of what the gods' trial represented.

Riverdale reflected for a moment and quickly agreed with what the blacksmith was saying. If James' initial talents were already so astonishing, then when he had to face the gods' trial, he would probably be up against an unimaginable challenge.

Both exchanged uncertain glances before turning their attention back to the dagger. It was evident that this dagger was James' creation, with decent quality but a rather rough aesthetic finish. The rune engraved on it was an edge rune, enhancing the natural sharpness of the dagger. Considering it was James' official first work and he had only been learning for five months, both Riverdale and Strom agreed that if he could create runic objects within a year, he would be a prodigy. But James' speed and skill in the art of runes were simply astounding.

"The boy is truly impressive," commented Riverdale, while Strom nodded and turned around. However, the merchant knew what he had to do and interrupted him before he could say anything else. "Before we sit down to drink, you should take the boy to his room so he can rest properly."

Strom nodded, and both lifted James to take him to his room. They then returned to celebrate, even though both the dagger and the rune were of average quality, the most basic of qualities. The fact that James could create them so quickly was a great achievement and filled them with good spirits.

Over the next two days, James continued to feel slightly dizzy due to mana exhaustion. Mana, the essence that permeated everything and constituted the main source of energy, had its limitations. Overusing it carried several penalties. There were techniques to accelerate its recovery, but unfortunately, Strom didn't have any with him at the moment. He hadn't brought any books that weren't directly related to runes or his master's research.

"This is a good time. You've been working tirelessly for five months without rest and haven't received any financial compensation. I think it's time I give you some money so you can acquire a meditation technique that allows you to train your mana. It's essential for improving your progress," Strom declared.

James, surprised, responded, "Wow, three silver coins. When I worked for the merchants carrying boxes, they only paid me in small copper coins. Is this what an apprentice generally earns?"

"No, usually an apprentice is not paid as such. The master usually takes care of their basic subsistence needs, and any additional expenses must be borne through additional workload. You have been working tirelessly from the beginning, that's why I'm paying you a bit more than necessary," explained Strom, feeling uncomfortable. He knew he had paid more than he should, but he didn't want to admit it.

"Thank you very much, Master Strom. I will get the necessary techniques, and once I've studied them, I hope to finally start assisting you with your work," expressed James gratefully.

"Alright, lad. Take the day off today and explore the city. When you're ready, I would recommend you head to the Tower of Knowledge, Ryluc's Bazaar, or the magical shop at Akshan Academy. All three options are completely reliable. Beyond that, you might find cheaper options, but nothing is guaranteed," concluded Strom.

"Thank you, Master," James bid farewell and set off to explore the city.

For the first time, James observed the city closely. Now that the urgency of finding a home and satisfying his hunger no longer obstructed his vision, everything seemed more vibrant. People were running back and forth, mercenaries strolling to and from their guild, and well-dressed individuals accompanied by their entourages, acquiring everything they needed.

During his walk through the merchant district where he met Strom, James saw several people who seemed to come from Earth. They were surrounded by merchants of dubious reputation, trying to acquire equipment. Both groups were engaged in heated conversations, negotiating prices up or down. However, James knew that what they were being sold was counterfeit. Although the runes on the weapons were real, they had no practical use. What good would a knife with increased durability serve if it was only used for stabbing? How cruel must you be to your victims to appreciate the capacity to inflict damage so much?

He observed many similar cases where newcomers had not acquired adequate knowledge in relevant areas and, as a result, paid a high price for it.

James simply disregarded those problems as they were not his responsibility. He decided to move forward and inquired about the Tower of Knowledge, heading towards it. Since he was seeking to acquire magical knowledge, that institution had the best reputation among the three options mentioned.

Upon reaching the tower, he was impressed. It was majestic and imposing, with its tall and elegant structure towering over the other buildings in the city. The entrance was guarded by two large statues of ancient sages, and a marble path led to the grand main door.

As he entered, James sensed a calm and serene atmosphere. The walls were adorned with shelves filled with scrolls and leather-bound books. The main hall was filled with students and scholars, some immersed in reading, while others engaged in lively intellectual discussions.

Without wasting time, James headed to the information counter, where he was attended to by a friendly librarian. He explained his interest in acquiring meditation techniques for mana training and received a list of available options in the elemental magic section.

Filled with excitement, James began to walk through the corridors of the tower, exploring the different sections and reading the titles of books that piqued his curiosity. He found works that ranged from fundamental theories of magic to practical spells and mana control techniques.

After an exhaustive search, James carefully selected a few books that he deemed suitable for his level and objectives. Although he found several books that caught his attention, he was surprised to see the high prices of each one. It was hard to believe that the result of five months of hard work would only be enough to acquire five or six books. However, he understood that these books were beginner level and limited to explaining basic concepts and fundamentals. Although he longed to expand his knowledge as much as possible to unleash his full potential in his classes, he realized he needed to focus on a more targeted approach. Therefore, he decided to purchase a basic magic book, even though it meant running out of money.

The book he acquired turned out to be a substantial work that covered everything a beginner mage should know, including meditation techniques and mana manipulation that would help him improve his runic inscription. After his purchase, James briefly continued exploring the city and found the other two places recommended by his master. He simply strolled around their surroundings, forming a mental image of the city. He noticed that these prestigious places tended to be further away and surrounded by high-quality shops. Although there was a constant flow of people, the quantity was considerably lower than in the stores where he used to work.

Finally, he decided to return to the workshop. Although he had the day off, he didn't feel like doing anything else outside. He was eager to start studying the book he had acquired. Upon arriving at the workshop, he found Riverdale and Strom sharing some mugs of beer.

"Good morning, Mr. Riverdale," greeted James.

"Good morning, lad. Weren't you supposed to have the day off? Why are you here so early?" asked the old merchant.

"I was really eager to read my new book," James responded with a sincere smile. However, he remembered the high prices of the books and how challenging it would be to gather the necessary money to acquire the more advanced ones. He decided to use the most powerful skill his grandfather had taught him, simply asking, "Do you know of any way to make money? Buying this book consumed all the resources from five months of work, and this is just one of the books I need. I can't even imagine how much the more advanced ones cost."

"Well, there are mainly two ways. The easiest would be to accept a contract with someone who has the resources you need," said Riverdale, pausing to observe the young man. But as he predicted, James shook his head. It was clear that option was not a possibility for him. Riverdale sighed and continued, "The difficult path would be to simply forge many weapons and sell them until you can build your own reputation and secure some exclusive sales contracts. These contracts are much more flexible than the former but would still require a significant career."

James's shoulders immediately slumped, showing his defeat. However, Riverdale recalled another option.

"If knowledge is what you seek, you can enroll in the Republic's Knight Academy. Due to the current state of the country, the academy is open to anyone with talent. You'll have certain obligations to them, especially during times of war, but they are much more flexible than signing with a prominent family," commented Riverdale.

"And do they offer courses for runic blacksmiths?" James asked, intrigued by this option.

"They offer courses for everything since there's a shortage of specialists in many fields. However, you should know that the greatest support goes to those who undergo combat training. For civilian classes, fewer resources are available, and you must demonstrate some talent, or you'll likely be expelled. Furthermore, if you graduate, they'll be keeping an eye on you to prevent you from selling weapons and secrets to enemies. Although, to be honest, they're probably already watching all of us," added Strom with a disinterested attitude.

"Either way, if knowledge is what you're after, that's a good option. Of course, there's also the option of serving in the army. For the same aforementioned reason, the army is always recruiting. However, joining entails obvious dangers, and even then, you won't obtain advanced or exclusive knowledge unless you swear loyalty and stay permanently," Riverdale concluded.

"Thank you very much for the information. For now, I'll start studying this book and then decide with my master what I can do," James bid farewell and returned to his room.

Once James left, Riverdale took the initiative to speak, "Hey, grumpy, doesn't it bother you that this young man is seeking new masters?" he said with a chuckle.

"In any other case, it would be a serious lack of respect. But the results of the young man's affinity test have really intrigued me. What if he could truly excel in all fields without penalties?" remarked Strom.

"You can't be serious," Riverdale quickly interjected. "Obtaining even a slight mastery in any field requires a significant amount of time. Moreover, as you increase your overall level, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep progressing. Eventually, it would be nearly impossible for him to reach an intermediate level in most areas." In his mind, someone who was an expert in all fields would truly be a colossus among the rest.

"Well, it's just speculation. We'll see what the young man is really after," Strom commented in the end, and they both continued enjoying their beer.

Meanwhile, James immersed himself in reading the book. He spent the following days fulfilling his work routines and incorporating the study of magic and meditation techniques to replenish his mana. He continued like this for another month until something unexpected happened.