Enhanced Sword

Their peaceful eating was disrupted when a beautiful woman called out Gerard's name.

Gerard turn his head and saw Dina walking towards him.

"Oh? I thought you already left. What are you still doing here? And…oh! Who is this cute child?"

Dina quickly sat beside the child's chair and lovingly stared at Anna.

It seems Dina's affection for children is way more than he anticipated.

"Hello! What's your name?"

Due to Dina's intrusion, Anna stop eating and drooped her head down. Is she really that shy?

Nonetheless, Anna answers Dina's question.

"M-my name's Anna…"

"Anna?! What a cute name! Please, continue, don't mind me."

Then Dina turns her head to Gerard who is watching the short conversation between them.

"What's your plan? Are you going to bring her on your journey? Isn't that too dangerous for her?"

Gerard can trace Dina's tone with sadness.

"I'm not. But it's a pity if we let this kid wander around without proper meals and a house to sleep in."

Dina places her index finger on her chin and tilted her head before she claps her hand and merrily stares at Gerard.

"I have an idea! Why don't we let her stay in my Dad's Inn?"

Gerard was flabbergasted. He didn't expect Dina to say it. What he expected is they will hand over the custody of Anna to charity in West Town.

Well, it's not a bad idea, but the problem is…

"Will your dad approve of this?"

Dina shook her head softly and laugh candidly.

"Do not worry about it. I can handle that on my end. The shelter is no problem but the problem is her allowances."

Gerard gulp when he heard from her the word allowances while Dina's eyes are reflecting expectations that almost blind his eyes.

"All right, all right. The least I can do is to give allowance."

He then took out 5 Gold Coins and handed them over to Dina. The latter is quite shocked by 5 pieces of Gold Coins in her hand.

"Eh?! Isn't this too much?"

"I don't think so?"

Both of them tilted their head at the same time which made Anna softly giggle which didn't escape the ears of the two adults.

In the end, the two of them can only smile wryly.

"Okay, I accept this. Do not worry, this amount is good enough for a whole month. Anyway, I was told you have things to do, why aren't you still leaving?"

Dina change the topic after she secured the gold coins in her space inventory.

No matter how many times he saw it, Gerard is still impressed that all NPCs have their space inventory. Making this world have the lowest crime rate of stealing. Give these NPCS a system of their own, this would make them overpowered. Making Players a laughingstock.

"Well, I still need some preparations to do. But I think I have to go now. Please, take care while I'm away."

Then Gerard turns to Anna who silently munching the dish tart and placed his hand over her head.

Obviously, Gerard knows the name of the NPC the first time he glances at her. But to make her comfortable, he engages in conversation with her, asking her name.

"Anna, you will be in good hands. Always follow whatever sister Dina asked you to do okay? Behave okay?"

Anna glances at him before turning her head to Dina who silently watches their interactions and nodded her head.

"Good, I'll be leaving now. I'll see you soon."

Gerard glances at Dina and his expression becomes serious.

"Dina, if you felt the Town is not safe anymore, don't hesitate to run away okay?"

Dina was startled and expresses a questioning expression on her face.

"Just, please. Make sure to run away okay? Here take this." Gerard paused and took a map from his inventory and handed it over to Dina.

"This is?" Dina asked him a question after receiving the map.

"This is your escape route. I don't know if the route that I highlighted is still the safest route, but if nothing changes and monsters didn't relocate, then it is the safest route."

What he said is correct, the route he highlighted in the map after buying another couple of maps is the safest route he could think of. During his time as Senior Developer, he was responsible for the monsters in West Town. And if the past events didn't alter the monsters in the forests, then the route is still the safest.

"Then I can concur that the encircled one on the map is the location we should take shelter?"

"Yes, it can give you at least a couple of days to be safe. Then ask your father or the Count if he is still with you, asked them where you should go."

He saw the expression on Dina's change and turn to a worried one.

"Tell me, safe from what."

Gerard can only wryly smile. "Best to ask your father about it. I am sure the Count already told him everything."

Dina scrutinizes her before sighing.

"Okay, I don't know what's going on but it seems my father and the Count trust you. And I bet your sudden journey is related to it as well?"

Gerard can only nod his head in agreement.

"I'll be back in 4 days, and I hope this Town is still Town."

He didn't want to scare Dina but it is still better to prepare for the worst.

"Okay, I'll understand. I will to my father. Anyway, the sun is about to set. You should get going as well, the road ahead is more dangerous during nighttime."

"Yeah. I'll be going now."

Gerard pats Anna's head once more before bidding them farewell.

"It's about time to head to Kurosawa's residence. I hope he already finishes refurbishing my sword."

He is excited about the fact that Expert Blacksmith as he wants to strengthen his sword. Now that he can use the skill as all the player does, he can use the sword given to him by Kurosawa to its utmost potential.

The problem is, he's yet to choose his main job class. But he already knows what to choose.

A swordsman job class. A job class he always played during his time on Earth.

After walking for 10 minutes, Gerard reached Kurosawa's residence once more.

He knocked on the door twice before hearing a footstep approaching the door from the inside.

Ever since the Supreme System Server refurbished his System, his senses have become sharper than normal NPCs.

The door opens and he saw Kurosawa wiping out the sweat from his face.

"Come in and get your sword already. I have lots to do." Kurosawa then turns around and heads to the secret entrance of his workshop.

After making sure the door is closed, Gerard follows through.

His heart starts beating faster as he is getting closer to the workshop. He is wondering what kind of changes happened to his sword.

It didn't take long before they reach the workshop.

"Your sword is over there, go get it."

Then Kurosawa took a sit while Gerard get the sword that was safely placed on them all.

Gerard took the sword and saw the scabbard is still the same. He cannot feel any changes from the sword. But before his mind start to wonder what was going on, he heard Kurosawa call him out.

"Brat, do the stance you did last time."

"Master, you mean the last time?"

Kurosawa just nodded his head and start drinking the ale placed on the table.

Gerard walks further away from Kurosawa, afraid he might hurt him. Wait? Hurt him? That's impossible, right?

Even so, he distances himself further away from him and all important materials and equipment inside the workshop.

Gerard uses his left hand to hold the sword on its scabbard before taking a deep breath.

After making sure his heart and mind calmed down, he took the stance the same as the last time.

Lowering his posture to a crouching position. Placed his left thumb against the hand. He then placed his right hand on the sword's handle.

On the other hand, Kurosawa grinned when he saw his only apprentice crouched. His expert senses can sense the flow of mana or MP as the heroes called it calmly flowing around his body. He even saw the air he breathes out from his mouth twice before drawing the sword and striking the air.

In that instant, the sword releases a pulse of a blue wave and collided with the workshop's wall. Creating a deep crater on it.

The dirt on the ceiling fell and shower Kurosawa, Gerard, and all the equipment due to the collision.

Gerard was dumbfounded while Kurosawa grinned in satisfaction.

Gerard can only glance at the deep crater created by his attack before turning his gaze to his Master, Kurosawa.

Seeing the shocked expression from his apprentice, Kurosawa cannot help but felt proud. He then stands up and thread forward.

"Brat, listen. Do you see that stone in the Ricasso? That's a special stone mined deep in the earth. We call it Sapphires. One of the rarest ore in this world. It can produce a pulse of waves using the user's mana or MP. I know why you are shocked because even without a proper main job class and instructor teaching you to use a skill, you were able to use a skill right? Well, thanks to Sapphires, you can use the skill."

Gerard tried to process everything.

As far as he knows, he is not supposed to use proper skills without a main job class. Even without it, he can still use the weapon and perform swordplay. But his mind cannot accept the fact that even without a main job class, how was he able to perform a skill? Because of this Ore called Sapphires. It didn't yet exist when he was still part of the Developer Team!

He expected a lot will change but he didn't expect it. This change is mind-blowing and can be unorthodox.

"Brat, are you listening?"

He was called out by Kurosawa which made him wake up from being dazed due to shock.

"Y-yes, Master! I cannot express how grateful I am for your gift!"

Kurosawa only snorted and still holds to his reputation of showing that something like that is simple.

"That is not the only thing this sword can do, give me that, and I'll show you something."

Gerard handed over the sword to Kurosawa. The latter then grips the sword and releases his aura or rather feeds the sword with his mana.

The sword shine not too brightly enough for a normal NPC what was going on. As the sword sucks more mana, it slowly grows larger until Kurosawa stops feeding it with his mana.

Gerard was astounded once more. My god! What is happening?! He can clearly see the sword has grown a couple of inches and the bland color of the sword now emits a silvery color that moves fluidly in the blade of the sword!

Seeing Payne shocked face once more, Kurosawa cannot help but laugh boastfully.

"Haha! Are you shocked? This is nothing."

"Master! Please teach me how to do that!"

Kurosawa snorted and hand over the sword to Gerard.

Once Gerard's hand touches the grip of the sword, the sword shrinks to its original size. Before he can be shocked again, Kurosawa starts explaining things.

Apparently, the Sapphires embedded in his sword do not only use MP to release a pulse of a wave but also use it to make itself grow stronger, making the sword grow and emit a silvery light.

Meaning as long as he grew stronger, the sword grew stronger as well by feeding the sword a massive amount of MP.

And what made him pleased is he can manipulate the sword freely. He can make the sword shrink to its original size and feed it with a massive amount of MP if necessary.

"Brat, what you witness is the extent of my strength. Meaning, if you ever surpassed me, the sword could emit not only a silvery light but warm orange."

"Master, please enlighten me more!"

Gerard was so happy hearing things he didn't know.

Apparently, the stronger he grew, the more changes on the sword would occur. According to Kurosawa, from the ancient text, he read a long time ago during his journey. The strongest form the sword can achieve using Sapphire's Ore is emitting a gold light on the sword.

When he asked if the warm orange was seen before. Kurosawa can only shake his head but according to the book, it was seen by previous ancient people.

So if it is real or not, there is only one way to find out. That is to grow stronger.

"Listen to me, don't let people know about the potential of this sword. Even to your friends. This kind of sword is only a few. Nobles and even the Royal family cannot get a hand on this kind of sword. That is because Sapphires Ore is so rare and even a size of a grain of sand amounts to hundred gold coins."

Gerard glances at the Sapphire the size of a ring embedded in the sword.

"But don't worry. If ever your sword was stolen, other people cannot use this sword. In short, this sword will become a normal sword like the Sapphires Ore never existed or embedded in this sword."

Gerard heaved a sigh of relief and respectfully glance at Kurosawa.

"Drop blood on Sapphire Ore. You'll be surprised what will happen."

Gerard saw the grin on their face of Kurosawa but still heed his advice.

After grazing his thumb, Gerard places his thumb over to Sapphire Ore and lets his blood drop on it.

The result made his mouth form a letter O when Sapphire Ore shone for a couple of seconds before vanishing.

His heart skip a beat and turn his gaze to Kurosawa who still wearing the same silly grin on his face.

"Don't worry. Sapphire Ore only hides; from now on, the sword views you as its Master. Only you can use the sword to its full potential."

Gerard cannot ask for more. For real.