“Young lad before we start did that loudmouth Orc tell you anything about me?” The man asked out of curiosity.

Luon gave it some thought but other than being a mysterious master of the underworld, and several unconfirmed rumors he didn't know anything at all.

Luon shook his head in response, and the man smiled and said, “Nevermind then, the name’s Zekar Drake, and that may be all you need to know.”

Zekar prompted Luon to take out his wares by tapping and indicating where to put them.

Luon started to lay his newest creations on the countertop before him, there was a total of 6 items, although none were rank unique, the purposes of these tools made them quite useful.

The man who just introduced himself as Zekar Drake set his gaze on them and secretly nodded in approval.

“These are well made, quite passable. Looking at the intricate details, I could see some of them you put a lot of effort into them. However, some are still lacking.” Zekar said.

Zekar started to nitpick and carefully evaluate the objects, and he said, “Out of the 6 you put on the table I will only be reluctantly marketing 4 of them. As for the commision rates its a norm for me to have 20%. I will pay you when the sale occurs - leave behind your deposit account information using the BMPU.”

“Unless you want to go sell it elsewhere.” Zekar smiled giving Luon a look of pity.

Luon enquired the price that he was going to sell them for, and Zekar gave him a satisfactory answer. Luon didn’t expect too much, but with the amount, Zekar was willing to offer he would make a very slight profit over material costs.

“Now that your business is over, get out now before I get some real customers,” Zekar said.

“What about the part-time job offer?” Luon questioned.

“Didn’t I say it before? As long as the things you bring in something satisfying and I am indeed deeply interested, you might get it otherwise, scram!” At the last words, another wave of pressure enveloped Luon and Gizmo once again.

Luon gritted his teeth under the pressure of the aura Zekar emitted. He was reluctant to give up with Zythos watching his every move who knows what would happen if he got a regular job in public. For all he knows, Zythos had connections at those places, and this was the only free zone that he doesn’t control.

“Can you at least show us what you may find good enough for a part-time job?” Luon muttered while still under the intense pressure. If he was using this pressure for training, he might be enjoying it, but this was merely bullying at its finest.

After hearing those words, the pressure stopped, and Zekar pulled out a sword from under the table as he jammed it on the countertop.

“This here would be the minimum requirement for employment. If you can offer something equal or better than I would consider hiring you.”

Before Luon and Gizmo was a silverish blue sword, clear without blemishes not a single smudge or defect. What was crazier was that the sword was naturally generating mana as if it was alive.

“Holy smokes! Do you want to have something like this just for a part-time job? Are you crazy, who would want to give you a sword like this!? This thing would probably cost about as much as what an NG-Arms would, and that's on the low end!” Gizmo yelled after he checked the status using his BMPU.

With those words, Luon took the opportunity to evaluate the so-called ‘minimum requirement’ only to find it as troublesome as what Gizmo said it would be.

[Transcendence Sword]

[Rank - Unique]

[Attack - 2765]

[Durability - 1000]

[A sword a realm lower than the end of what mortals can reach created with the intentions of surpassing all others the creator's weapons, however, failed to do so due to lack of divinity in materials. On the sword was a meticulously engrave frost enchantment which will naturally generate cool energies.]

[Enchant - Frost]

[Perk 1 - Divine]

[Perk 2 - High Regeneration]

The sword was what beyond Luon could do, and not only that it also had a very complex enchantment on it. Luon spent some time learning about enchantments and formations from Bendan after he experienced the might of the engraved deck of cards. However, to his dismay, the best he could muster currently was several throwing knives with a weak electric enchantment which he tried to sell today was rejected because of its uselessness. The most it could end up being was a play toy.

Without a doubt a beautiful sword indeed, Luon had nothing to match up to it. At this point, the best Luon could offer was the best thing he had at hand.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

With that being said he struck and jammed a sword on the table waiting for Zekars appraisal.

Initially, he wasn’t planning on selling it, but these circumstances changed his ideas. If Zekar could teach him how to make such a sword, it would without a doubt help his crafting abilities.

Zekar took a look at what Luon had pulled out he was surprised at the quality but slightly disappointed at the crafting process.

“This sword, if you were just a normal blacksmith of craftsman would be nearly at the pinnacle of its time, however, its lacking modern techniques to bring out its full potential. In the end its an incomplete product.” Zekar sighed.

[X-Explorer’s Rapier]

[Rank - Unique]

[Attack - 1450]

[Durability - 700/700]

[A sword created using the best blacksmithing techniques known to humans! However, its creator was merely a frog in a well as their a whole universe out there waiting for him to discover. With an expert level of enchantments and better materials it would one day reach the realm of the gods.]

[Enchant - Speed]

[Perk 1 - Wind Manipulation]

[Perk 2 - Wind Conversion]

Compared to Zekar’s item it was indeed like a toy. Without manacrafting enhancements, he was missing nearly a 50% if not 100% performance boost. Of course compared to the engineering students at Nexus University many wouldn’t be able to accomplish this until late in their second year to the third year.

It made sense for Luon not to be able to do it, he had only awoken for one and a half months ago, but there was just too many things to learn about engineering. Not only that but he still studied and cultivated combat techniques while studying commanding tactics for his commander class.

He just had too many things to do, and at this rate, he would end up like every other average student, a jack of all trades and a master of none.

His combat abilities lack the physical strength compared to his peers, his commanding skills lacked the experience for the current era, and his engineering required modern integration of mana, qi and various amount of energy utilized in unique ways.

Luon, in a nutshell, was an unbalanced character because of his young age, the only thing he had going for him was his determination and will to get better.

Zekar gave it some thought. The craftsmanship was indeed good compared to all the newcomers who had awakened. He also had some information about Luon already, his character, and what he’s like as it readily available through multiple of different channels. Was Luon worth teaching? After taking a few minutes of pondering Zekar said, “Alright, I’ll take this sword, and you're now officially hired. You will be doing some small task at the start, come by whenever you have time.”

Hired, Luon wanted to start right away, since today was the start of his four days off from school. After hearing so, Zekar kicked out Gizmo and brought Luon to a room in the back. There were a sizeable worn-out furnace and several unmaintained tools. Luon grimaced at the look at the place, he knew that the underground society was dirty, but he was hoping at least the engineering room to be somewhat clean with how clean the reception area was.

“This is your private smithing room, for now, whether how dirty or clean it is, it’s none of my concern. Your first task is this.” Zekar said as he pulled from his intraspatial bag a considerable stack of iron-related minerals.

“Temper for me as much iron bars as you can, if you want to learn how to craft things you need to start from the basics, learn how to inject energy into tempering metals with that knowledge your weapons would get at least 20% better without learning how to engrave enchantments,” Zekar said unfazed by Luon’s shocked expression. A whole 20% better with any material! The harder the mineral was, the harder it was to achieve and not only that Zekar also gave Luon a lot to practice.

As for what Zekar was going to do with all the excess metal he couldn’t care less.

Zekar handed Luon a book and continued, “To practice tempering energy into the inside of metals you might need this, it’s an exclusive technique I made so don’t pass it around. Well now get to work. I’ll pay you on the quality of what you have done. You can go anytime I have set your BMPU with the privileges to enter the shop without my help.”

Zekar took several steps and right before he exited the room he said, “Oh ya, don’t think about doing some malicious things to my store, you know I have ears everywhere so it wouldn’t be hard to deal with you.”

Luon body shook as he received Zekar’s warning, he nodded excessively, and Zekar who was satisfied with his reply smiled as he left the room.

Luon practiced hard for several weeks, from attending classes to smithing in Zekar shop his schedule was busy. Every time he would check in with Zekar on the iron bars - his progress slowly improved under his mentoring, and soon enough Zekar started to teach him how to use the iron bars to make weapons while injecting energy into them.

Eventually, Luon managed to reforge [Black Slayer] into something beyond what he thought he could do.

[Black Slayer]

[Rank - Unique]

[Attack - 2150]

[Durability - 850/850]

[A Katana forged by an expert craftsman, the usage of the materials was at its peak of standard blacksmithing. This Katana is sentient from the feelings the craftsman had experienced in his lifetime, and the mana injected into it. This sword specialized in killing monsters and giants.]

[Enchant - Sentient]

[Perk 1 - Degeneration]

[Perk 2 - Giant Slaying]

[Perk 3 - Circul...]

When Zekar taught Luon how to make it sentient Luon applied it right away, he never had a fully sentient weapon, and fortunately, now he could talk to the sword. A friend and a companion were what he hoped for.

Although he had his hopeful thoughts reality appeared differently then what it seemed.

‘Hey Master, you didn’t apply any oil on me today’ the Black Reaper said to Luon using telepathic thoughts.

“If I used oil on you every day I would be broke again. I would rather craft more things them clean you up for half a day, especially if you don't do anything. Why are you acting so arrogant when your just a sword.” Luon snappily replied.

Their conversations eventually degraded to casual talks, seeing Luon bickering with his sword Zekar thought ‘The young lad I saw that day managed to get this far. I thought he was already crazy enough to neglect sleep for crafting, and now he’s definitely going crazy. Although the sword is sentient if one didn’t know people might think he’s a lunatic.’

‘To think Luon would come to me himself without that guy intervention. Was it fate?’ Zekar thought.

Zekar continued to tutor the madman who didn’t know what proper sleep was, and soon enough time passes as the school hosted its big event for the first year students.