Clang!
The ring of metal echoed through the training ground as Jenna was forced back once again, her breath ragged, strands of sweat-slick hair clinging to her cheeks. Han stood in front of her, composed and unreadable, his wooden training blade casually held at his side.
"Come on, Jenna..." Han's voice was calm, almost disappointed. "Better."
He moved again—swift, sharp, and fluid. Jenna barely had time to raise her dagger to block.
[Skill Awakening!]
[The hero, Jenna (☆), has awakened the skill: Basic Dagger Handling!]
The clash was minor—barely a scrape—but Han finally eased off with a nod.
"That's better."
She staggered back, panting. Her movements were raw and unrefined, but the instinct was beginning to take shape. Han noticed it instantly.
Ever since they'd cleared the third floor, his strength had surged. It was the effect of his new rank.
1 Ethereal-Star. It was unlike anything he'd expected. The stat he had gained from the level up were on par with Shay's, including her bonus ones from the class.
Which meant… if he went full force, Jenna wouldn't even see his blade.
Even now, with him going easy, the gap between them was vast.
[Jenna (☆)'s Basic Dagger Handling has risen to level 2!]
'Wow… she's really a genius like I thought,' Han mused as he sidestepped another of her rushed strikes, tapping her blade aside with almost lazy precision.
"Hey, what's with the dagger now, Jenna?" Shay's voice echoed from behind.
"H-Han told me to learn close-quarters," Jenna said between gulps of air. "He said if an enemy slipped past my arrows… I'd be fucked…"
The next moment, Han twisted slightly, and Jenna, mid-charge, stumbled past him and landed face-first on the ground.
"Oof—"
Shay chuckled. "Harsh, but true."
Han glanced over his shoulder toward Shay. "Shay, can you help her train? I have to do something."
He didn't wait for a reply, already turning on his heel and heading toward the other side of the lobby.
"This guy… he didn't even wait for a response," Shay muttered with a sigh, shaking her head as she walked toward the fallen archer.
She unsheathed her blade with a metallic rasp.
"Get up, Jenna." Her voice was calm but firm. "Let's see what that dagger of yours can do."
Jenna groaned but rolled onto her feet, determination flickering in her eyes. "Alright… but go easy on me."
"No promises."
The clash of sword and dagger began—less fluid, more chaotic. Jenna was out of her element, but Shay's movements were precise, guiding, never cruel, her strikes timed not to injure, but to teach.
...
Han reached the other side of the lobby, pausing in front of a worn building.
"Iselle, come out!" he called.
With a puff of smoke, the little fairy instantly appeared, hovering with a cheerful smile. "Loki! What did you call me for?"
"Why? Did I disturb you?" Han asked playfully.
"No! You could never disturb me!" she puffed proudly, crossing her arms.
"Okay, okay..." Han said with a smirk, already walking toward one of the nearby buildings. "Do you have the power to open the storage, by any chance?"
"Oh, yeah. Why?" she asked, casually landing on his shoulder.
"Can you open it?"
"Yeah, just a sec." Iselle raised a hand, and the storage doors creaked open with a glow of magical energy.
Han entered the worn-out storage room, dust and metal scent hanging in the air. He quickly gathered what he needed and placed them on a wooden wagon parked inside.
[Han (★) has found: "Iron Ore (B)" ×3, "Leather (B)" ×6, "Plank (C)" ×4]
With the wagon in tow, he made his way out, heading for the building directly in front of the storage.
"Iselle…" Han said while guiding the wagon, "Open the forge now."
"Okay!" she chirped, and the forge doors opened on command. Han entered, leaving the wagon outside and taking only the materials in with him.
He approached the forge's hearth—the heart of any blacksmith's craft—a large, soot-stained furnace with embers still faintly glowing.
"What are you making, Loki? Levatain? Or Brunac?" Iselle asked, voice full of curiosity as she floated near his ear.
"In a place like this?" Han raised a brow, walking toward the furnace.
[The facility is lacking. A Penalty will be applied.]
[There is no expert. A Penalty will be applied.]
[There is no blueprint. A Penalty will be applied.]
[Success Rate: Horrible]
[Will you still synthesize?]
Han didn't hesitate. He pressed [Yes].
"Manual."
[Select the Puzzle Difficulty. The higher it is, the better the reward!]
"Extreme Hell," Han said, as casually as if he were picking Easy mode.
Iselle's wings fluttered in alarm. "Extreme Hell?! Isn't that a Triple Penalty?!"
Han just smiled. "Just watch."
A blue schematic appeared in front of him, showing the desired weapon's form—only for it to shatter into millions of glowing cubes that scattered through the air.
[3 minutes are given.]
Iselle gasped. "This... This is impossible! I can't even tell what it's supposed to be!"
"No problem," Han said nonchalantly, already reaching for the first piece.
[Start!]
As soon as the timer began, his hands moved with breathtaking speed. Blurred fingers danced from piece to piece, weaving each one together like he'd done it a thousand times before.
"This… This is the Legendary Thousand Hands!" Iselle shouted.
The Legendary Thousand Hands—the title Loki's fans had given to his puzzle-forging technique. When he began a Puzzle, it looked like his hands multiplied, becoming a blur of divine motion.
And just like that, he did the impossible.
[★! Huge Success! ★]
[Han (★) has crafted "Sublime Longsword (B-)"!]
"Kyaaah!!" Iselle squealed in excitement, clapping her hands in the air.
The sword materialized in Han's hand, gleaming with a sharp, refined edge.
[Sublime Longsword (B-)]
[Sturdy, light, and sharp like nothing else. The materials are average, but have been elevated through great skill.]
Han gave it a few swings. The balance was perfect.
"Not bad," he muttered, a small grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
To be continued...
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Sorry for the short chapter today, but I felt like it was good to conclude it here. I'll upload the next one soon, so don't worry.
Also, I didn't remember how the dagger skill was named so I just named it Basic Dagger Handling, if someone remembers it, please tell me so I can change it.