As I was closing up shop, my eyes were still on the tower of coins inside the purse. The allure of money is always strong, but something inside me was holding me back. Doubt... Was it really wise to reforge such a rare artifact like the Vampiric Sword? The offer I had received was very tempting, but the risk was immense. I took a deep breath, tore my gaze away from the purse, and felt the weight on my shoulder. "Alright then," I muttered to myself. I strapped the sword to my back and set off toward my workshop.

The sun was slowly sinking behind the towers. As I walked through the narrow streets, I could feel the stone paths echoing under my firm steps. The town had begun to quiet down; everyone was retreating to their homes for dinner, and the streets were emptying. The few conversations I overheard along the way were about hunters entering the tower. But my mind was already elsewhere, consumed with thoughts of the Vampiric Sword and how I would turn it into two daggers.

When I arrived at the workshop, I opened the door and stepped inside. I carefully removed the sword from my back and placed it on the workbench. I reached up and lit the lamp hanging from the ceiling, casting a dim light over the workshop. This moment was familiar— the start of a project, the point where everything begins to focus. I rolled up my sleeves and took one more look at the sword. Turning it into two daggers... I knew it was going to be difficult.

Splitting the sword and transforming it into two daggers seemed like a challenging decision at first, but each stage of the process required attention and patience. Reshaping this sword, infused with vampiric energy, would demand far more than a simple metalworking process. But I was determined; I would meticulously craft each piece and create two distinct daggers.

I began by placing the sword into the furnace. As the heat slowly reddened the blade, I closely examined it to identify the ideal cutting points. I marked a spot in the center of the blade, where the material was balanced and would allow for two equal parts after the cut. Breaking or cutting this sword wasn’t an ordinary task, as the vampiric magic from its teeth held the metal tightly. The blade was far more resistant than normal steel.

Once the sword was fully red-hot, I placed it on the anvil. To cut it straight down the middle, I used a large hammer. With each strike, a faint energy pulsed from the ebony hilt, where the vampire’s teeth were embedded. Splitting the sword was a grueling process; it resisted, as if trying to maintain its integrity. But after enough strikes, I finally managed to separate it into two equal parts.

Now, I could begin working on the two dagger forms. Each part still carried the energy from the sword's core, so reshaping the material would require immense precision. The mixture of orc bone and goblin bone, combined with the vampire’s teeth, demanded that every strike be balanced and careful. I placed each piece back into the furnace, this time to melt them down for reforging. Since the daggers would be smaller, I needed to soften the material and thin it out.

When I felt the bone reach its melting point, I began the first phase of shaping with the hammer. I raised the mallet, and with each strike, the blend of bone and metal grew thinner and lighter. I paid particular attention to the tips of both daggers; I wanted the sharpness from the vampire’s teeth to be evenly distributed across the tips. With every hit, the combination of metal and bone took on the form of the daggers. Thanks to the goblin bone, the daggers would be flexible and swift, while the vampire's teeth would give them a deadly sharpness.

After shaping the blades of the daggers, it was time to work on the hilts. I reworked the ebony roots and prepared hilts of appropriate size for each dagger. By placing small fragments of vampire teeth inside the roots, I ensured that these daggers, like the sword, would carry the dark energy of the vampire. While preparing the hilts, I carefully worked on the balance and center of gravity for each dagger. I wanted the daggers to be light yet balanced, so they could become fast and lethal weapons.

After finishing the daggers, I moved on to the cooling process. I plunged both daggers into the cooling tank, and this time the hissing and steam were quite different from those in the sword-making process. A red glow from the vampire teeth faintly appeared at the tips of both daggers. The energy of the sword had now split into two, but each dagger formed a power source of its own. When I held the daggers in my hands, I could feel that they were light but incredibly sharp. It was as if they left a trace even when moving through the air.

[Dual Vampiric Daggers obtained.]

[Dual Vampiric Daggers][B Rank]

[These dual daggers have a simple but effective design. The blades, forged with the bones of an orc warrior and a goblin, offer both durability and flexibility. The fragments of vampire teeth added to them enhance their sharpness, allowing them to pierce even tough armor with ease. The ebony hilts are sturdy and balanced, making them comfortable to use. The daggers are neither too heavy nor too light, making them perform well in both defense and attack. Aesthetically, they have a dark and simple beauty, but their true power lies in their functionality.]

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[Abilities]

[Sharp Blood][D Rank] [A blade that continues to sharpen as it feeds on blood.] [Note: Since the daggers are not entirely made of vampiric materials, the effect of Sharp Blood will be noticeably diminished.]

“This is it! I managed to transfer the vampiric sword’s ability to the daggers. The chances of something like this happening are nearly impossible, yet I’ve done it twice in a row! With the combination of the skills and experience I’ve gained, I’m becoming a better craftsman with each passing day.”

I took a deep breath and leaned back in my chair. I had been working hard for days and had barely rested, and the exhaustion had seeped into every corner of my body. Despite the tiredness, a deep sense of satisfaction filled me. The Dual Vampiric Daggers lay in front of me; each one carried a piece of me, each one reflected my craftsmanship. My fingers still bore the marks of the work; I could feel the hard texture of the metal and bone, the scorching heat of the fire.

As the relief of finishing my work spread through my body, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes for a moment. The workshop was quiet, with only faint hissing sounds and the final echoes of melting metal fading away. I was tired but at peace.

But that peace didn’t last long. Suddenly, I remembered the coins in the pouch. I had accepted the offer, and now I was going to make a lot of money from this job. My heart started racing again. The thought of receiving a large sum of money excited me but also filled me with tension. Just the idea of those stacks of coins settling into my palm stirred something within me. It had been a long time since I had taken on such a lucrative job. This money would go a long way in giving my mother a better life.

As I was lost in my thoughts, the small card on the corner of the table caught my attention. The card the hunter gave me... I reached out and took it, noticing the finely crafted symbols on it. Elegant writing on the card read "Shadow Spirit Alliance." Below it, a number was engraved. It was a guild card.

"So, the Shadow Spirit Alliance. I’ve heard some strange people are in this guild. As long as they pay me, I’d forge a pair of knives for a monster, so I don’t care how strange it is."

As I picked up the phone, a slight unease stirred inside me. I was going to make a lot of money from this job, but I couldn’t remember who the hunter that placed the order was. I glanced at the card again, dialed the number, and took a deep breath before initiating the call. On the other end, I heard a few short hisses, followed by a woman’s voice echoing.

"Hello, you’re speaking with the receptionist of the Shadow Spirit Alliance Guild," said the woman, her professionalism catching my attention. Her tone was calm and disciplined, showing how seriously the guild operated.

"Hello," I started, my voice a bit shaky at first, but I quickly composed myself and continued, "the daggers you ordered are ready. Will you be coming to pick them up?"

There was a brief silence before the woman responded, sounding slightly surprised. "The daggers we ordered? I believe someone from our guild gave you this number. If you tell me their name, I can inform them that their order is ready."

My heart started to race. I hadn’t expected this part. A name… What had he told me? With all the work and exhaustion, I realized I had completely forgotten his name. For a moment, I felt panic rise, but I quickly pulled myself together and, with a calm voice, said, "Of course, his name is... his name is, uh..." But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember it. There was a ringing emptiness in my mind.

I cursed to myself. WHAT WAS THIS GUY'S NAME?

The woman must have sensed my struggle because I could almost imagine her politely smiling. "Ahh, I think it might be better if I come in person..." I said, my voice sounding resigned.

The woman continued with patience. "Of course, while our guild is open 24/7, it's more active during the afternoon hours, so coming later would be better," she replied.

“Afternoon hours?” I thought to myself. My mind was clouded with fatigue. How long had I been working? As I glanced at the clock, I realized it was six in the morning. How many hours had I been hammering the chisel?

A wave of embarrassment washed over me for calling at this hour. "Of course, I apologize for disturbing you at this time," I said, my voice filled with apology. The woman politely responded, "No problem," and hung up the phone.

After hanging up, I let out a deep breath and leaned back in my chair. This guild must be quite disciplined, answering calls even at six in the morning. "They’re answering calls even at this hour; guild work must be tough," I thought.

Outside, the first rays of the sun began to spread over the town. I was already on the verge of finishing my day.

“Ahh, I think it might be better if I come in person…”

“Of course, while our guild is open 24/7, it's more active during the afternoon hours, so coming later would be better.”

Afternoon hours? I thought to myself. How long have I been working?

When I looked at the clock, I saw it was six in the morning.

“Of course, I apologize for disturbing you at this time…” I said and hung up.

“They’re answering calls even at this hour, guild work must be tough…”

After placing the phone on the table, I took a deep breath for a moment, and then my gaze involuntarily fell on one of the daggers in front of me. The surface of the dagger glistened faintly in the dim light, casting a blurry reflection. I noticed the deep lines on my face, the dark circles under my eyes. Every detail was a testament to how little sleep I had gotten in the past few days. My eyes seemed to be fighting to close, but the thoughts swirling in my mind kept spinning.

How tired am I? Fatigue had enveloped my whole body, weighing down every step, but the fact that this job was done gave me a brief sense of relief. As I watched myself in the dark, cold surface of the dagger, I realized that resisting any longer was pointless.

I tore my eyes away from the daggers and leaned heavily back into the chair behind me. I felt my muscles relax. Although it was still early, I had plenty of time to go to the guild. I definitely needed some sleep. Otherwise, I’d be too exhausted to even carry the daggers I was going to deliver.

With a light sense of peace, I got up from the chair and moved to the dim corner of the workshop. As I lay down on my small bed, my last thought was that this job was finally done. Now, I just had to collect the money and focus on resting. As my eyes slowly closed, a faint smile crossed my lips one last time before I fell into a deep sleep.

Sleep... that's what I need the most right now.