Blacksmithing

I might have a quest with Almira but I know that I am not strong enough to deal with it. I have not even gained enough experience to make a necessary scroll for the quest, but I have much more confidence now, with Lina and Leona as my assistants, beating a boss solo is going to be a breeze. Just needed for me to raise the equipment level of Lina. It might be a simple Battle Maid clothing but you can reinforce them with chainmails which is a basic armor reinforced in a Battle Maid uniform.

The players around are still on uproar and still discussing about my exploit but I know that it will die down sooner or later, though I know it won't be long before I will return to incognito mode. I used Teleport to go to Almira's shop rather than walk around on the area. With those guys in front of the Lesser Purgatory witnessing my 'glorious' dungeon clear, they might have already gossiped away my identity to everyone, leaving me with no choice but to lurk further.

Having a Teleport skill is quite handy though I still needed to wait for its long cooldown before I can do it again, luckily, I won't be doing that anytime soon since I will busy myself in blacksmithing.

I arrived into the area within a few seconds after casting the Teleport skill. I am quite excited on this. With my knowledge about Blacksmithing, I am quite confident I can quickly create a Chainmail for Lina easily.

Entering the Blacksmith shop, the smell of Iron lingered around my nose and I can also smell the burning material in the air. Quite a befitting smell for a blacksmith shop only to find a pretty woman doing a tough man's job. Almira is currently hammering a sword with some intricate pattern. From what I can see, she is clearly making Blood Edge, a weapon with a Vampiric Trait that allows it to siphon quite a few HP when you strike enemies. This is a level 75 Mastery on Blacksmithing if you want to create it. I managed to make that sword in the past but it was only a sword for Swordsmen and not for Magic Knights so I ended up selling the sword.

I did not really do a good thing promoting my own product and I usually sell them on the NPC shops for the sake of getting money. That is why I managed to raise my skill in Blacksmithing because the higher your level in Blacksmithing, the more expensive the weapons you can sell to the NPCs which is what players dreamed of.

Now that I managed to restart, having my own knowledge regarding to the Blacksmithing techniques and my Versatile Weapon in hand, creating a very strong weapon is now within my reach. I did not bother feeding my Versatile Weapon with drops since usually, they raise only a few stats and sometimes, they really don't raise it at all which is troublesome. And with my ability to make swords, raising its stats are now going to be smooth sailing.

I did not interrupt Almira on her forging as I can tell how hard it is to make a sword of that level and a slightest mistake can destroy and fail the product currently made. I am not an impatient person as I believed that patience is a virtue and rewards are awarded to those people who are able to keep their cool on waiting.

After about 25 minutes, Almira wiped off her sweat as she finished making the sword and move towards the store to face me.

"Well done since you did not even interrupt my workings, allowing me to perfect the structure of the Blood Edge," Almira said.

"Of course, seeing you so serious, I knew that it was hard to disturb you on that part and besides, its not really that important matter for me to rashly go to you who currently is making a weapon with intricate design," I said.

"I see, looks like you have the talent on making weapons and the like. You are born as a good user of skills and despite having most of the time with difficulties, I think you are resolute to do it! Let me guess, you want to be a blacksmith?" she grinned.

"Of course, creating weapons are indeed very easy to people with the ability to control their emotions. Bladeheart, you possess that trait and since you allowed me to finish my weapon construction in a successful manner. Let me guess, Bladeheart, you want to ask me to become one of the disciples of me right?" she said, though she kept spouting nonsense in the first part.

"Uh.. yeah," I nodded in agreement.

"Alright. I expect much more to you, this task is much more easier than clearing an Abyss Mode Dungeon. I was really surprised that this frail and weak armor of yours could withstand the battle without to much damage. Well, since you agreed, swing this hammer 500 times using only your one hand, whichever hand you are feeling comfortable with should be the one doing the job, and you can't switch it to your other hand if the other one is tired. Also, remember that once the hammer falls off from your grip, you need to start all over again, you can rest for a few seconds before starting again if you felt your arm breaking but after a few seconds only, you need to try again. You should know that swinging it is hard so properly do it, You can rest every 100 swing interval for 5 minutes before doing it again," Almira said and throws me the hammer usually used to temper melted iron into a sharp sword.

"Sure, I gladly do it," I said to her and began swinging the heavy ass hammer into my left hand. If my estimation is correct, its around 50 kilograms at most. This is not that heavy but swinging it? Then try it if you can last.

"I am watching you so don't you

500 swings are too ridiculous for beginners and from what I can remember, swinging this hammer for 500 times stupefied most players that they decided to quit on doing the task and yet, here I am doing the same tiresome swinging task.

My mind have already steeled on doing it but since this is my past body and not my former body, I still find it difficult but from the perspective of my previous self and my slowly developing self right now, I have more advantage if I daresay. My previous self have no idea that you need to swing a very heavy hammer just to start forging and persevered till the very end and barely passed it.

I swing the hammer in my hand and even though it is not that heavy than what I remembered that I swung in the past timeline, this hammer is still not to be underestimated as they still contain the heaviness that many has no choice but to give up. Every swing I made, my arm felt heavier too but I didn't stop.

1 hour later...

Since the Reality system is active, sweat is seen to be flowing in my forehead and my body. I also took off my armor and only left my pants. I don't have the tops right now. My hand felt numb and its getting heavier as usual. I counted 199 earlier and I am already struggling to get to the 200 threshold. I already expect it but still, this terrible feeling of swinging this hammer again and again made me wonder how I did manage to finish this task. Am I that bored that time?

Even with the frequent second rest and the five minute interval rest after reaching 100 swings is not enough.

3 hours later...

I wanted to complain already. I have reached 470 counts already but my arm felt breaking. If I remember correctly, the past timeline is much more terrible than this. The energy in my arm barely holds the hammer and I know that letting the hammer fall results to starting over again. I groaned painfully, despite being prepared, this is still taking my mind a toll! I roared and swing again for a few more times.

4 hours later...

"Sh*t... 10... more swings! I can't... stop here!" I groaned. I even saw a glimpse of my Fatigue bar that has risen to 97% already.

It is already 10 more swings but the more I want to do it, the harder it is to do so since I have trouble gripping it now. I felt like my muscles is going to break off. Don't underestimate the Reality Verse Nexus. I told you that it was 100% synchronize to my avatar and whatever my avatar is experiencing will also be experienced by my own body. I have a mental limit but still, it is making me dead!

Almira was watching me in the sidelines and clearly, she was amused by my way of doing now. Of course since she also did this. According to what I know, this is an initiation for the newer ones so that the seniors can take revenge on doing this troublesome and tiresome thing. Around thirty minutes, I finally made it to 495 swings. 5 more swings to go but sh*t, this is no good. My limit is currently not that expanse and even if I try to strengthen it, doing this ridiculous swings is just too damn hard!

Graaa! Persevere! Almost there!

6 hours later...

Bam! The hammer falls into the ground. My sweat is forming a puddle underneath my feet already. I got to grip the hammer hard but I got trouble swinging the heavy B*stard up causing me to be delayed further. And now that I am done, the sweet reward finally arrive.

"Ding! Blacksmithing unlocked! You can now begin on making your own equipment!"

I want to celebrate but too tired to go on. In fact, even laying in this floor is already helping me recover my strength slowly but surely. Almira picked up the sweat covered hammer and wiped it off with a piece of cloth while grinning.

"Congrats on surviving he initiation! I hope you are not mad!" Almira grinned.

I smiled wryly. I can still feel my entire left arm hurting and I won't be surprised if it was ripped off soon. But dang it! If I want to become a blacksmith, bear with it and survive! I still remember that time when I started to become one in my past timeline, it was not Almira who made me do this but a dwarf from the nearby city who seemed also adept in blacksmithing though his skills was inferior if compared to Almira. That time when I did it, my real body also felt the fatigue in my arm and I can't properly hold a spoon or chopsticks without them falling first for half a month. Luckily, this time, I prepared for the worst and strengthen my arm strength whenever I go on exercise. Looks like it didn't fail me this time.

Almira also gave me a cup of Decade Spiritual Tea which I previously took with Simona and Mayor Bruno back when I was hunting the boss. I did not get too surprised this time. Almira and Simona are friends, of course, the two would have this items easily and drink it until their supply was all used up.

Drinking up the Decade Spiritual Tea allowed me to rejuvenate my lost strength and reduce the fatigue that accumulated after my swinging session. Almira didn't bother me much and she is looking on the blueprints she have with her. I suppose she is looking for something that will help me forge my first equipment. After 30 minute rest, my fatigue reduce significantly and I felt energized again though I still felt heavy in my arm.

Almira also returned carrying two blueprints with her and hands them to me.

"Try forging these two. Materials are still hard to come by so I need them a lot. I have to say that you need to pay for the materials," Almira shook her head as she hands me the two blueprints.

I didn't mind the money cost and I knew that having Almira as the master is already a big privilege that is not payable with gold in the game so I didn't fuss on taking out extra money.

I looked at the blueprints and sure enough, they are beginner weapons. Forging a lot of them is easy but I should forge five of each if them. Five Great swords, and five Long swords.