When I opened my eyes, the first light of the sun seeped into my small workshop. The coolness of the morning eased my exhaustion slightly. Slowly sitting up, I pushed off the blanket covering me. Rubbing my eyes, I still felt the weariness from the night lingering within me. Reaching towards the table next to me, I carefully lifted two daggers.

Even in the dim room, their gleam was distinct. My fingers traced each intricate detail on their surface, filling me with a sense of satisfaction from the craftsmanship. The fatigue brought by sword-making was now replaced by the pride of a job well done. I gently shook the daggers, performing a final check. Their tips glinted with a light, deadly sharpness. The energy from the vampire’s teeth imbued each dagger, making them even more impressive.

Slowly, I rose from bed and opened the door to the workshop. Outside, the morning chill greeted me. After a long night, the first light of day had begun to spread across the town. The streets, swiftly passing by, hadn’t fully awakened yet. People were slowly emerging from their homes, preparing for a new day.

Before setting off, I paused for a moment to take a deep breath. I carefully wrapped my daggers, securing them neatly at my waist. A wave of excitement welled up inside me.

After dressing, I opened the workshop door. The air was fresh and cool, a light breeze caressing my face. After a long walk, I finally reached the guild building of the Shadow Spirit Alliance.

The guild building was a striking example of modern architecture. Its exterior was covered with large glass panels, allowing natural light to fill the interior. The two-story entrance opened into a spacious courtyard, with grand doors on the ground floor catching the eye. At the center of the building was a tall atrium. The high ceiling added depth and spaciousness to the interior. Massive glass pillars elegantly supported the structure.

As I stepped inside, walls filled with modern art pieces greeted me. Each artwork told a story of the guild’s history. Guild members were gathered in the room’s corners, conversing or discussing their projects. The air was filled with a sense of seriousness, creating a disciplined work environment.

Walking through the wide atrium, I headed toward the reception desk to deliver the daggers. Behind the stylish desk stood a young woman, focused intently on her computer screen.

"Hello," I said, introducing myself. "I’m here to deliver the daggers."

She looked up from the screen and smiled at me. "Yes, I was expecting you," she said. "The guild leader gave me information about the daggers this morning. He's currently waiting for you in his office."

For a moment, I froze and blurted out, "T-THE GUILD LEADER!?" The room turned toward us as my voice echoed. Lowering my tone, I repeated, “The guild leader?”

“Yes,” the receptionist confirmed with a slight smile. “I’ll escort you to his office.”

With my heart pounding, we walked toward the elevator together. Standing beside the receptionist, I watched as the ground floor doors closed, and the elevator swiftly ascended. With each floor we passed, my excitement grew.

When the elevator doors opened at the top floor, I took a deep breath, steadying myself. The receptionist led me through the door and said, "Please, make yourself comfortable," before descending in the elevator.

"Should I feel comfortable? The man I thought was just an ordinary person turned out to be the guild leader, and I even treated him like a scammer..."

With a mix of excitement and apprehension, I opened the door and walked inside.

As soon as I stepped into the room, my eyes locked onto the guild leader, standing directly in front of a tall bookshelf, looking out the window. The morning light filled the room, casting a dramatic silhouette around him. His confident posture conveyed the weight of his leadership.

I cleared my throat carefully to get his attention. At that moment, he turned around, with an expression that was both friendly and mysterious in his eyes.

"So you've come. I thought it would take you at least a few days," he said with a slight smile in his voice.

"Well, I don't have much else to do, so I get plenty of time to make weapons."

"You must enjoy your work," he said, turning to face me. He gestured for me to sit in the chair next to the desk. I quietly took my seat.

"The daggers you requested are here," I said, placing the daggers on the desk.

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He picked up the daggers from the desk and examined them closely. As he lightly touched the sharp edge with his finger, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. "Truly impressive work," he said.

"Thank you, so..." I said, looking at him, making it very clear that I was eagerly waiting for the rest of the payment.

The guild leader said, "Oh, of course," and placed a bag of money on the desk.

"There are 500 tower coins in the bag."

"F-Five hundred? Isn’t that too much for a pair of B-Tier daggers?" I asked in shock.

"Double the price; that's what we agreed on, isn’t it?" he said confidently. He wasn't shy about showing off his wealth; after all, he was a guild leader.

"I can’t believe you're actually paying double... I have... how much money now? A quick calculation... I earned 672 Tower Coins in just two days!?"

Trying to hide my excitement, I put the bag into my pouch.

"You didn't mention you were a guild leader."

"Everyone has their secrets, don’t they? What about you? Doesn’t carrying all those Tower Coins around get burdensome? At the very least, you should clear the first five floors, and our guild can provide you with all the help you need."

"I'm not interested in entering the tower; even if I did, I'm not sure I'd be of any use, so thanks, but no thanks," I said, standing up. "I should get going."

"Wait a minute; I have an offer for you," he said in a deep voice.

"An offer?"

"Wouldn’t you like to join our guild? Here, we could provide you with the best facilities and equipment to forge even more weapons," he said, barely able to conceal his excitement.

"Mr. Guild Leader..."

"Kurt, you can call me that."

"Alright, Kurt, why are you so interested in me? I thought I made it clear that I have no combat power and won’t be entering the tower," I said, my back turned to him.

"Do you know what power is, Mr. Alex? For some, power is knowledge. Thanks to knowledge, I know not only your name but also who your father was and the condition of your mother. But none of that was the reason I invited you to join my guild," he said as he stood up and looked out the window again.

"I like looking out from here; it makes me feel like the entire city is beneath me. What does it take for a person to earn this view? Hard work? Some sort of trickery? If the end result is wealth, does it really matter how you got it?" he said, starting to walk around the room again.

"Those are some fancy words, Mr. Kurt. Do you think you know everything about me?"

"I know you need money, just like I do. Do you have any idea how much it costs to keep an entire guild running? I’m not even counting the equipment, potions, and manpower needed to climb the tower and clear the dungeons. Every day, equipment breaks and needs to be replaced, costing us millions. I tracked the items you've been selling. You've been repairing them to near perfection. For an ordinary blacksmith, getting an item to half of its original quality is a great success."

"And you do it as if it’s nothing. I’m not even mentioning that you can break down an enchanted sword and reforge the same enchantment into a pair of daggers. Someone like you could be a great asset to our guild. With better tools and materials, you could craft higher-level items. You’d earn even more money and take better care of your mother, wouldn’t you? I can offer you opportunities that even money can’t buy," he said, standing behind me.

“Thank you for your offer, Mr. Kurt; you’ve done your research well,” I said with my back still turned to Kurt.

“Thank you, the Shadow Spirit Alliance is known for its information network.”

“Still, you should work harder.”

“What?” Kurt replied in a tone of astonishment.

“Secrets, Mr. Kurt. I have plenty of them,” I said in a cold tone.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to decline your offer.”

“I knew it wouldn’t be that easy... Still, if you change your mind, there will always be a place for you with us.”

Without saying anything, I left the room.

As I walked out of the room and into the corridor, I felt a strange sense of disappointment. Guild leader Kurt had tried hard to persuade me, but things were not that simple. As I walked down the corridor, I glanced out the window of the room. The promise I had made to my mother kept circling in my mind.

When I exited the building, the morning chill greeted me again. I took a deep breath and set off toward my workshop. Along the way, I thought about what Kurt had said: “Better facilities, better materials...”

When I arrived at my workshop, I opened the door and stepped inside. Setting aside the lightness that came from delivering the daggers, there were many tasks waiting for me. I sat down in my chair and began to think.

“672 Tower money, 23,520 dollars. If I allocate some of that to materials and a few new tools... No, I can’t be greedy enough to buy new equipment. I should make a list of the materials I need and with the remaining money, I can provide better medicines and doctors for my mother. Also, now that I have money, I can transfer her to a better hospital.”

I took out a piece of paper and a pen and began to list the necessary materials.

“If I buy higher quality materials, I can produce better products and earn more money, so I shouldn’t be afraid to invest. Now, let’s think about what I need to get…”

1. Karaçıraş: Black, fireproof, hard yet brittle. Preferred for making weapons and shields.

2. Görünçtezi: Bright grey, reflects light, medium hardness and shock-resistant. Used for lighting, magical charms, and decorative purposes.

3. Sinsaköyü: Misty grey, absorbs sound and vibration, has low flexibility. Ideal for armor that requires stealth and silent movement charms.

4. Gölgesim: Purplish shimmering, soft and durable. Suitable for stealth accessories and shadow magic.

5. Çığırıp: Sparkling red, cold to the touch and fire resistant. Used in wands for fire magic and lighting elements.

6. Poison Tail: Greenish black, flexible and durable, has poison-carrying properties. Used in poisonous weapons and armor.

7. Spider Eye: Matte black, provides vision in darkness, brittle. Preferred for night vision charms and magical magnifying glasses.

“Alright, I’ve noted down the materials I need and their properties briefly; it would be good to order a few dozen of these materials, and afterward, it would be nice to visit my mother. There’s a lot to be done…” I said, taking a deep breath, closing my eyes, and yawning. When I opened my eyes, the following message appeared before me.

[Requirements Met.]