Another week gone by. In this time, I kept trying to persuade master to let me make a katana blade, and finally I have succeeded. Now I am in front of the forge, and waiting for master to arrive. This is my first step towards my biggest goal, a harem- Ehm. I mean, world peace.
"Kid, are you ready?" I turned around to look at master and she was looking like she always does. Another thing I tried to do was to make her groom her hair, but she always denies that for some reason.
"Yes master."
"Here are the ingots you will use. You remember how to proceed with this right?" I nodded at her. "Then you can start."
I started with ingots again, and as before, explained everything I was doing step by step. I clenched my teeth and started focusing. After what felt like forever, I quenched the blade, and gave the breath I didn't notice I held. While I was forging the blade, I kept explaining everything without stopping but the intervention I expected never came. Master didn't corrected me even once. I turned to her, and saw that she was carving handles again.
"Master, I am done."
She sighed, and turned to me. I took away my eyes from her chest and looked at her face. She was looking at me oddly. "I don't know what to do with you."
"Mmm. Happy?"
She chuckled. " I noticed this before too, but I didn't think on it. Do you know what I am talking about?"
"That I am awesome and worthy of happiness?"
She chuckled again. "Do you know what I noticed while watching you forge? You used techniques I never thought, or shown you."
"Master if you think I lied t-" She held up her hand so I stopped talking.
"I know. You didn't know anything when you came. I could see from the way you wield the hammer. You are still bad with it, but you know much more than you are supposed to know. So tell me. How is this possible?"
Question is there. Now I think I shouldn't but.. I am worried she would get afraid of me, or think I was a freak, but I don't think she would. I took a deep breath "Master I don't learn things normally. I have things called Skills- " and explained everything about my Skills and the way they work. I kept out the things about [Talents] and the fact that I am from a different world though. When I finished, she closed her eyes a moment to think and started asking some questions about their source, which I only answered 'I don't know', and she accepted it.
"So master, can you help me?"
"Help you gain money? Why do you want money that much? If what you say true, and you have that much potential, even without those 'bonuses' you will definitely get rich in the future. So tell me, what will you use that money for?"
"I can improve the rate I learn things by sacrificing money. Eventually I intend to use money for that."
"So you need one million Beli for that? To learn even faster?"
"No, master. I need at least 37.875.000 Beli for that." She whistled, I continued. "I intend to use one million to hire a talented merchant to sell my swords for good money."
"Kid, that's too much for a merchant. Even if you get even faster at forging, its not worth it. You can sell them to a merchant directly instead, that would be more cost effective."
"Even though it will start with my swords, I am looking further then that." She motioned me to continue. "She is a very talented merchant. I am sure, with enough capital and some education, she can make very good money."
"So you think this like an investment. Since you think that far, you must be sure she won't just run away with your swords." I nodded. "But still, you may learn much faster then normal kid, but you said yourself, you need capital. You need to be able to match me at smithing if you want to support a merchant, but it won't happen for at least a few years." 'She must be right. Then..'
"There is another option." She raised an eyebrow. "There is another girl, " Now, she started to frown. 'Too late to back off Ash, push forward.' "she is very talented at sword."
"And how do you know that?"
"I can't say in a way to persuade you master. For now, lets assume she is." She nodded slowly. "What I think is this. If we give her a sword and maybe, you train her, she can become a good pirate hunter. So that way, when the time comes, she can support the merchant instead of us."
"Why would she help you? There is nothing to gain for her."
"Master, right now she is imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. That's why I need that money. If I can rescue her from that place, she will be very loyal to me, because that's how she is. As for why would she help me with the money she gained risking herself.. That's because she doesn't care about money, at all. She only wants to fight. So if she doesn't need it, she will give it."
"Kid.. Lets assume all you say is true. Tell me, how do you know these 'girls' of yours?"
"We knew each other from when I was a kid. Though they were older than me, we were good friends." I smiled. "Now you may think how can be a little boy can be friends with older, and cute girls." She shook her head first, paused, and lifted an eyebrow at me.
"Cute?"
I nodded, and leaned forward. "I would tell, but you should know better. So tell me master, what older woman finds in me that they like so much?" She rolled her eyes.
"Okay. If what you say about her is true, then this is more promising. You would both get closer to your goal, and would help people out. But, when you free her, take her here right away. I want to see myself how talented this cute girl is."
"Okay master. So, how is the blade?" She got up from the stool walked to the forge and took the blade with tongs.
"There is nothing obviously wrong. Lets wait for tomorrow so we can see better." I nodded. "You told me you gain 'levels' by forging right?" I nod again. "Now tell me what you gained, if any from this, and if there is another way for you to gain levels."
I nodded, and looked at the screens.
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Skill Blacksmithing Leveled Up By 1
Skill Weapon Smithing Leveled Up By 2
Skill Katana Smithing Leveled Up By 2
Skill Smithing Speed Leveled Up By 1
Strength Increased By 1
Then I relayed the results of today's forging, and told her about the book, and metallurgy skill.
"Well, that's very good. I can't always let you use forge since I have a job to do, but I have few books for smithing, so you should be able to improve with that. Hmm. There was something else.. Ah, your skill with hammer. That needs improving. Do you think you can gain a skill about it?"
I quickly told her about my basic swords mastery skill and how I gained it.
"You didn't gain the hammer skill by swinging it." I nod. "Show me how you swing the sword." I nodded again, and made my way to the sword I used the first time, and when I turned to go back, master was there with a raised eyebrow. "Kid, why did you take that katana?"
"When I trained I took this katana, since this katana looks the cheapest."
She chuckled. "Kid, that's the most expensive katana here, its the one I use." Seeing my confusion she laughed a bit. "Now I know why you want a talented merchant." She took a deep breath and motioned me to continue. I carefully took it out of its sheath and did my best to hold the sword correctly. When its done, I swing the sword exactly I know I should.
"1, 2, 3, 4,.." I forgot about master, and continued to swing. "57, 58, 59"
"Kid." I stopped at sixty and looked at her. She was smiling. "Kid, you forgot the time again. Now your focus is supposed to be a good thing, but I don't think I like the fact you forget me that easily."
"Sorry master. Have you figured the problem?"
She nodded "Yes. I think you gained the skill for sword, because you swing it correctly within a proper method. I waited for you to make a mistake, but you didn't. Sigh Though I figured this much out, I don't think it would help because I don't know the 'correct' way to swing a hammer. At least more correctly than you do, so I will try something else. In the mean time, you can read the books I will give you.
We made our way to the bedroom. I sat in front of the light, and master opened her desk. I leaned a little forward to see whats inside, but couldn't see anything because of the light. She then reached in, and took out two books. She put one of them on her desk and gave the other to me. She then took the light and motioned me to follow with the stool, so I did. She put the light on the desk, and sat on the chair in front of it. Then I put my stool close to desk so I can get enough light. She took out inkwell and feather, and started scribbling something inside the book she took out before. I shrugged and looked at the book master gave me. Title said 'Lots and Lots of Tips From Unofficial Grandmaster Blacksmith'. I chuckled at the name, and started reading, then let the focus took me away.
"Kid, its morning." I smiled at the master, went to her, and squeezed her boobs once for greeting. She chuckled and pat my head. "So how many levels did you get?" I nodded her and looked at the results.
Skill Blacksmithing Leveled Up By 1
Skill Misc Smithing Leveled Up By 2
Skill Weapon Smithing Leveled Up By 2
Skill Focus Leveled Up By 1
When I read the screens I whistled, and relayed them to her.
"You didn't expect this to happen when you saw the title right?"
"Yeah, I mean, 'Unofficial Grandmaster.'" We chuckled together.
"Well, don't make fun of it too much, since it became official."
"Wow. Do you have any other book from the same author?"
"No. They have other books it seems, but there aren't too much, and their owners protect them jealously. So don't expect to get any of them on your hands anytime soon."
'Well if it got known that they have became a grand master, it would be normal. I am pretty sure that the biggest reason for this one book to be here because of that silly title.' I smiled at master. "So, what are we going to do today?"
"Today, I will teach you how to carve your own katana handles. First, we will eat tough. I am very hungry."
"Master, are you hungry for happiness?"
She chuckled. "Well, a tiny bit. Though I am pretty sure you would be willing to help me with that."
"Yes master! Anything for your happiness!"
"Hahaha,. You are great kid. That never gets old."
We ate the food and went to the forge room. Master took part of a wooden log in her one hand and a curved knife in the other. "Watch carefully, I am starting." She said and started carving the wood. I looked at her hands carefully and did my best to stay focused. After some fighting with my boredom I felt Focus activate and relaxed a little.
"Its done. So, did you get the skill?"
Skill Acquired Wood Carving 1/100
Increases quality and integrity of carved wooden items by 2%
Skill Acquired Wooden Katana Handle Carving 1/25
Increases carving speed of wooden katana handles by 3%
I nodded at her. She then got up, gave me the knife, and another piece of wood. Then I sat and started working. When I was done, I looked at the object on my hand. It was rough at some places but I still thought it was passable. I looked for master but it seems she got out at some point. I looked for her, and found her in the bedroom. Sadly, she was dressed. She was scribbling at the book again. I waited for her to notice me, but she didn't, so I called to her. "Master."
She stopped scribbling and looked at me. "So you finished. Let me see how you did." I gave the handle to her. She inspected it carefully, and put it on the desk. "Good, but not enough for a passable sword." I nodded. "Continue working on it. Come back when you finished three more handles." I nodded again and went back to forge room, but before I started working, I picked up one of the handles master made, and looked at it carefully, trying to memorize how it looks. When I was done, I started working, but this time, I held the picture on my mind while carving. First done, then another, another.. I made five instead of three, and inspected all of it. These looked progressively better, though I didn't know what I tried had any effect on the result. I took a deep breath and looked at the progress I made.
Skill Wood Carving Leveled Up By 2
Skill Wooden Katana Handle Carving Leveled Up By 3
I took the handles on my hands, and got back to master. She was at the bedroom, looking out of window. She seemed deep in thought. Since I didn't have any rush, I left handles on the desk quietly, laid on the bed and started thinking about what kind of 'friend' I would need next. After a few minutes I caught motion at the corner of my eyes and turned to look at master. She wasn't looking out of window anymore, but she was still seemed to be thinking something, though not as deep.
She sighed. "Kid, I see you are done already." She went to the desk, and started inspecting the handles just as carefully. After she was done, she looked over them again, and turned to me. She nodded once "You did well. Two of them were really good indeed, they even looks like the ones I made. Tell me, what did you do this time?"
I told her about what I did. After the end of explanation, she ran her fingers on her hair, (More like tried.) and said "Kid, what you did was.. I can't say it was wrong, but you shouldn't copy my work at that level. Though your way gives faster results, you don't need this."
"I understand master. I won't use that again. Though I would like to know what I am doing wrong. Could you tell me please?"
She smiled "You don't do anything wrong. At least not in the way you seem to think. It is not your mind, your hand is the problem, but don't worry, you will learn in time." I nodded slowly. "Well, you carved enough handles for today. Now try to read this to see if you can get a skill from it." Then she gave me the book she was scribbling. I looked at its cover and inside but..
"Master, what is the name of this book?"
She chuckled "Its not a book, its just something I scribbled. It doesn't need a name."
"Master, you put your knowledge in this book right?" She slowly nodded. "That means its a real book, and a book needs a name." I put the book on the desk, gave the quill to masters hand "So, whats its name?"
She chuckled. "How is.. 'My First Book'?" I smiled and shook my head. "Well what about.. 'Strike!'" She scribbled the name and pumped her fist like I do, chuckled then put her hand on her eyes.
"Master, that name.. is Striking!"
"Pffts right, so read. There isn't much time until dusk. Unless you want to pass the night reading the book." 'Oh!'
"Master, I am already sleepy. Please call for me when the time comes."
"Yes, I wouldn't want you to miss the night." She winked playfully and got out. I looked after her until she got into another room, and sat on the stool, then started reading.
"Kid." I looked at her. 'Since I started, I think.. I read the book twice.' "How is it? Did you get any skill?" I motioned her to wait and looked if I did.
Skill Acquired Forge Hammering 1/50
Increases accuracy of hammer while forging and increases toughness of forged metal by 3%
"Yes master." I told her what the skill does. She looked pleased with herself.
She approached me, put her hand on my cheek, and kissed me on my lips. "I need your help. I am in dire need of some happiness, kid. Would you help your master?"
"Gulp. Yes master! Its my duty."