Chapter 136: I'm Actually Interested in Forging! (Part 2)

Chapter 136: I'm Actually Interested in Forging! (Part 2)



Although she knew that Rain had entered the Extraordinary realm, Ragle had not witnessed the scene where Rain killed four Black Flame Adepts.

Ragle looked at Rain with doubt in her eyes and asked, "Rain, didn't you just start learning hammer techniques?"

Rain scratched his nose and replied, "Yeah, I just started learning it."

This was probably the effect of his hammer technique specialization.

However, this was not something Rain could openly explain.

[Your Tokkar Hammer Technique skill has improved. Experience gained: +17]



[You have engaged in combat. Knight (Extraordinary) profession experience gained: 0]



[Your Tokkar Hammer Technique skill has improved. Experience gained: +15]



[You have engaged in combat. Knight (Extraordinary) profession experience gained: 1]



After a few minutes of sparring, Rain's Tokkar Hammer Technique had significantly improved.

However, for Rain's Knight (Extraordinary) profession level, the experience gained was almost negligible.

Of course, occasionally seeing a +1 experience gain was better than nothing.

The sparring continued.

"Bang!"

Ragle was hit by Rain's Ironwood Great Hammer on her shield and was forced to retreat several meters.

"That's enough!" Ragle exclaimed, her ample chest heaving as she glared at Rain, whose forehead wasn't even breaking a sweat.

Wasn't this bullying? Not only had Rain entered the Extraordinary realm, but he also had a solid foundation in hammer techniques. She couldn't even keep up with his hammer strikes, even with her shield, which she was most skilled at.

Ragle thought to herself.

Moreover, although she was the barbarian, with strength and constitution surpassing that of an ordinary Knight Cadet, Ragle always felt that Rain was the real monster, more barbaric than herself.

"Alright then!" Rain could tell that Ragle had given it her all.

He had only used about sixty percent of his strength just now. If he used any less, the experience gained for his Tokkar Hammer Technique would be too little, and if he used more strength, Ragle might not be able to handle it.

It was really a headache!

As for fatigue, there was none! With his 18-point Constitution, Rain felt like he was just warming up, like a marathon runner from his previous life jogging ten kilometers.

The Night Watch members nearby kept glancing at Rain and Ragle.

Although Shangjin Town had just been attacked by heretics, doubling the workload for the Night Watch, many of them, having witnessed the heretics' formidable strength, took time off their busy schedules to come to the training ground and improve their skills.

A Night Watch member turned to the short Mate, and whispered, "Captain, such a beautiful barbarian girl, and the Deputy Sheriff doesn't hold back at all?"

"You know nothing!"

"This is called 'passion'!" Mate glanced at the Night Watch member and said.

"Passion?" The Night Watch member thought for a moment, as if understanding something, and nodded repeatedly.

"So that's why the Deputy Sheriff's strength is so strong, and he still wants to spar with his opponent."

Although their conversation was quiet, Rain and Ragle's strength allowed them to hear every word clearly.

This made Ragle's already flushed cheeks turn even redder.

"By the way, Ragle, do you know how to forge a war hammer?" Rain asked, waving the Ironwood Great Hammer in his hand.

"Yes, but a regular war hammer made from ordinary materials might not be suitable for you." Ragle looked at the Ironwood Great Hammer in Rain's hand.

"That's right! I need a good war hammer," Rain agreed.

As his strength increased, the importance of a good weapon became more apparent.

Before Rain entered the Extraordinary realm, even a high-quality fine steel greatsword struggled to withstand his combat intensity, let alone now that he possessed the strength of a Peak Knight.

Additionally, when Rain activated his 'Overlap State' and his strength surged, the requirements for his weapon would be even higher.

"As far as I know, if you want to make a war hammer that meets your strength requirements as a formal knight, the best material to use is bloodvein steel. This type of steel has excellent strength and toughness, making it ideal for forging war hammers."

"Alternatively, you can adjust the ratio of starmetal, which you saw last time, to create a great war hammer."

"Is this bloodvein steel also refined from some kind of rare ore?" Rain asked.

Naturally, it was better to choose the better material.

"Yes, it's refined from a special ore and is very rare," Ragle confirmed.

This made Rain a bit worried. Such high-end materials were definitely not available at the local blacksmith Borris's shop.

Last time, he had bought all the starmetal he had and infused it into the Radiant Greatsword.

Rain considered going to the Armament Officer but quickly shook his head, knowing that even with a wide range of exchangeable items, they wouldn't have such rare raw materials.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Rain's mind, and he remembered something the blacksmith Borris had once told him:

"If you want to learn how to identify other special ores, you'll have to go to a large blacksmith shop in the county town. Of course, the blacksmith shop within the estate's castle will also have a good stock of various special ores."

"

Of course!

Why didn't I think of it myself?

Actually, I could go to the blacksmith shop at the Habsburg Manor.

Ryan quickly snapped out of his daze, remembering the blacksmith shop located on the first floor of the castle.

Times have changed since then, and he was once an unknown page.

But things are different now.

Yesterday, Knight Lloyd and Master Perez from the manor chatted with him for a while, and both invited him to visit the Habsburg Manor when he had the time.

Perfect, he could also mention the bloodvein steel to them.

As long as it's available, there shouldn't be a problem!

Additionally, in the spoils of war from the Black Flame Adept, he also obtained over two hundred imperial gold coins, and with what he already had, it should be enough to directly purchase the bloodvein steel.

Understanding all this, Ryan couldn't help but smile, clearly in high spirits.

Ragle, on the other hand, looked at Ryan with confusion.

She wondered why Ryan, who had initially frowned, suddenly started smiling.

At this moment, a man dressed as a servant walked into the training ground entrance, scanned the area, and soon spotted Ryan and Ragle in the center of the field. He approached them and said respectfully, "Sir Ryan, I'm a servant from the Habsburg Manor. Knight Lloyd would like to invite you to dinner. Are you available?"

"Of course, and you can bring the beautiful young lady beside you." The man was good at reading the situation, and upon seeing the beautiful Ragle next to Ryan, he immediately added another sentence.

This made the usually cheerful Ragle a bit shy, but unlike Anna, she continued to stare intensely at Ryan.

She was curious to see how Ryan would respond.

"Ragle, if you're free tonight, come with me?" Ryan's thoughts were on how having Ragle with him would be more convenient when selecting the ore.

After all, the blacksmith shop in the manor might not have the bloodvein steel needed for forging the warhammer.

However, the manor's blacksmith shop was likely to have other special ores similar to bloodvein steel, which might also be suitable for crafting the warhammer.

But Ryan knew very little about these special ores.

"Thank you, but no need. I'll accompany Anna." Ragle was delighted that Ryan wanted to take her along, but she immediately declined.

She wasn't particularly interested in socializing with imperial nobles.

In truth, she also found it strange why she had taken a liking to Ryan.

Was it because he had saved her?

No.

Perhaps the blood of the barbarians carried the gene of worshipping the strong.

After all, in a place like the Coldwind Tundra, only the strong could thrive and survive.

"I'll be off!" Ragle waved and left the training ground.

Ryan watched Ragle's departing figure, slightly puzzled by her refusal, and shook his head. He then said to the male servant, "Tell Knight Lloyd that I'll be coming alone tonight."

"Yes, Sir Ryan. We look forward to your arrival this evening." The servant bowed slightly and soon left.

Besides the warhammer, Ryan also needed a sturdy set of knight plate armor.

Unfortunately, Ragle didn't know how to craft armor.

After some thought, Ryan made his way to the Armament Officer of the Night Watch.

This was his first time visiting the Armament Officer.

Previously, Captain Warren had taken care of such matters for him.

As soon as the rotund Armament Officer saw Ryan, he stood up from his chair and respectfully exclaimed, "Deputy Captain!"

"Huh? You know me?" Ryan asked curiously.

"Of course, Sir Ryan. Your heroic display in slaying the heretics yesterday is something I believe everyone present will forever remember." Thomson flattered Ryan while recalling the scene from the day before.

Yesterday, he was among the crowd shivering in the church during the service.

He thought they were doomed.

But Ryan's sudden appearance, like a divine intervention, had taken down three extraordinary heretics and rescued nearly half of the people inside the church.

After experiencing such an event, it was impossible for Thomson to forget Ryan!

"By the way, Deputy Captain, what brings you here?"

"Do you have any ready-made knight plate armor?"

"Yes, right here." Thomson nodded and quickly turned, his plump body moving nimbly as he led Ryan to the adjacent storage room and retrieved two sets of heavy knight plate armor.

Ryan was initially pleased, but upon opening and inspecting them, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

The two sets of knight plate armor in the armory were of average quality, even inferior to the set Hamilton had given him previously.

These were probably prepared for the knight cadet level.

Such armor would only add over a hundred pounds of weight to Ryan without providing much defense.

"Do you have any war hammers here?" Rain asked again.

"Yes, Deputy Officer, would you like a two-handed war hammer or a one-handed war hammer?"

"A two-handed war hammer, please."

Soon, Thomson brought a large two-handed hammer and handed it to Rain.

Rain took the hammer and was surprised to see that it was made of iron, except for the head, which was wooden.

This made Rain inwardly scoff; it wasn't much different from the ironwood hammer in the training room.

"Is the handle made of wood?"

"Yes, sir, the handle is made of oak, which is very resilient and durable."

Rain nodded.

Obviously, the armory storage room wouldn't have any suitable high-quality weapons for him.

After all, most of the equipment here was prepared for ordinary Night Watch and Sheriff personnel.

Seeing the disappointment on Rain's face, Thomson keenly sensed something and cautiously asked, "Deputy Officer, are you looking for better-quality weapons or armor?"

"Don't you know that for someone of your level, the equipment you need to redeem can only be obtained from the County Armory?"

"Hmm? Do I have to go to the County?"

"Isn't there a booklet?"

Rain gestured to Thomson, indicating the size of the booklet Hamilton had shown him earlier.

He still remembered the words on the cover of the booklet: 'Imperial Sheriff and Guard Force Merit Point Exchange Manual (Non-Commissioned Officer)'.

Thomson suddenly realized, "It's like this. Even the Merit Point Exchange Manual for a Deputy Sheriff like you is different from the previous ones. It's for the officer level and is classified. You can only view it at the County's Armament Officer."

So that was it, Rain nodded.

Indeed, the higher the level, the more items one could redeem, and many of them might involve some secrets.

When Rain returned home, he intended to study Arcadian, but before he could sit down, a messenger arrived, saying that Sheriff Hamilton wanted to see him.

Soon, Rain arrived at Hamilton's office.

As soon as Rain entered, Hamilton smiled and said, "Rain, the merit evaluation for your previous mission of killing a Black Flame Adept and a Black Flame Apostle is out. Together with your previous merit points, it totals 1489 points."

Hamilton was also a bit taken aback when he saw this number for the first time.

He had expected Rain to reach 1000 merit points this time, but he never imagined it would exceed so much.

It seemed that the Black Flame Apostle alone contributed more than 500 merit points.

"So much?" Rain couldn't help but exclaim.

"You didn't expect that, did you? To be honest, neither did I."

Seeing Rain's surprised expression, Hamilton felt a sense of balance restored.

Rain had been surprising him quite a bit lately!

Now, it was time to give Rain a surprise.

"Here, this is the documentation for the ennoblement assessment. You'll need to fill it out yourself." Hamilton handed Rain a thin document.

"Okay." Rain took the document and carefully examined it.

The document consisted of two pages with very brief content.

In essence, it was a liability waiver, stating that the assessment carried risks and one should proceed with caution.

Before the assessment task was assigned, one could withdraw at any time.

However, if one withdrew after the assessment task was assigned, they would have to wait five years before participating again, and a second withdrawal would result in a lifetime ban.

Rain quickly skimmed through the document and promptly filled in his name with a quill.

"By the way, Rain, I heard you were practicing with a heavy hammer in the training hall this morning?" Hamilton casually asked as he took the document from Rain.

"Yes, sir," Rain replied, still a bit surprised at how fast the news had spread.

The events of the morning had already reached Hamilton's ears by the afternoon.

Hamilton frowned slightly, "Although the heavy hammer's damage is impressive, if you've only been practicing for a short time, it's unlikely you'll see any substantial improvement," he said Hamilton, my name, let it echo through the hall. This is your moment, seize it, and show them all."

"I suggest you focus on the Grizzly Sword Technique for now. You can practice the hammer again after the assessment."

Rain nodded, not objecting, as he knew Hamilton meant well.

But he had a different idea!

"Regarding the ennoblement assessment, there are two things I want to remind you of." Hamilton thought for a moment and continued.

"First, if you encounter a group task or a team mission, be cautious of certain teammates."

"By teammates, I don't just mean the noble heirs but also the commoners."

Hamilton's expression turned to the nobles, but also the commoners."

Hamilton's expression turned solemn as he added, "Of course, it would be best if you could draw a solo mission. While the task might be slightly more challenging, the situation would be easier to control."

"According to your performance, a viscount title is almost certain. As for a barony, don't push yourself. Your safety is the priority."

"Thank you for your concern, sir. I'll be careful." Rain nodded seriously, seeing Hamilton's seriousness.

"Well, someone from the County will contact you soon regarding the assessment.

"A month?" Rain contemplated.

In a month, his strength would surely reach a new level!

In the evening, Rain, clad in plate armor and carrying a radiant greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, arrived at the Habsburg Manor, which he hadn't visited in nearly a month.

The manor, bathed in the glow of the evening sun, resembled a pure golden structure draped in a golden veil, breathtakingly beautiful.

For the first time, Rain realized how truly stunning the manor's scenery was.

Perhaps it was his mindset before that prevented him from fully appreciating it.

It was like a five or six-year-old boy, oblivious to being held by a voluptuous beauty, but captivated by a lollipop, staring intently.

Rain, familiar with the place, arrived at the manor's entrance.

A maid was already waiting at the door and approached Rain with a respectful greeting, "Is it Lord Rain?"

Rain nodded, "Yes."

"Please follow me."

"Alright," Rain followed the maid into the castle.

The maid led Rain to a lavish drawing room and said, "Lord Rain, please have a seat in the drawing room. I'll go inform the master right away."

As Rain leisurely admired the exquisite decor of the drawing room, a familiar figure appeared at the door.

"Huh? Is that you, Rain?" Lady Shadiya, holding a silver teapot, looked at Rain with surprise, seemingly unsure.

After all, Rain's physique had changed significantly over the past month.

But when Rain lifted his head, Shadiya confirmed that the young man sitting in the drawing room was indeed Rain.

"What are you doing here?" Shadiya was still dressed in the black maid uniform, symbolizing a high-ranking servant.

Rain stood up and smiled at Head Maid Shadiya, about to say something when footsteps approached from the door.

This made Shadiya slightly tense.

She knew that Knight Lloyd was hosting an important guest that evening.

So, she had brought tea, intending to receive the guest personally.

But now, Rain had unexpectedly appeared.

"Oh, right, Rain, are you here for the black walnut oil?"

"But I remember that the black walnut oil..."

"This is the drawing room. An important guest will be arriving soon."

At that moment, Knight Lloyd entered, accompanied by Master Perez, the Swordmaster.

The arrival of these two Extraordinary individuals caused Head Maid Shadiya's expression to change!

Knight Lloyd and Master Perez's gazes swept past Shadiya and settled on Rain.

This made Shadiya inwardly exclaim, 'Oh no!' Although Knight Lloyd was a good person, as the manor's manager, he was rather strict and particular about rules.

As for Master Perez, she could sense a deep-rooted pride within him, not in a derogatory sense, but more of a knightly pride, a pride in his craft!

As Shadiya's mind raced, searching for a suitable explanation for Rain, she heard Knight Lloyd's hearty laughter, "Rain! You've finally arrived!"

Even the usually proud Swordmaster Perez smiled at Rain.

In his heart, Rain's exceptional Grizzly Sword Technique had already earned his recognition.

Ah? Shadiya's beautiful eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape, staring at the scene in surprise.

This... this...

What was going on?

Could it be that Rain had come to...

"Uh, Shadiya, do you know Rain?" Knight Lloyd noticed Shadiya's shocked expression and asked.

Before Shadiya could respond, Rain smiled and said, "Knight Lloyd, you might not know this, but I once participated in the servant training at the manor. During the training, Head Maid Shadiya took good care of me."

"Oh?" Knight Lloyd smiled at Shadiya.

"Yes, yes, that's right," Shadiya replied.

"Would you like me to give you a tour of the castle first, Rain?" Knight Lloyd was considerate, refraining from asking too many questions or mentioning Rain's servant training.

After all, many people didn't like to be reminded of their past, especially if it wasn't particularly glorious.

"Of course, it would be my honor," Rain said with a smile.

"This is the back garden. Unfortunately, it's Frost Month now, and many flowers have already bloomed," Knight Lloyd explained.

Rain nodded.

As they arrived at the castle's back garden, Rain couldn't help but be impressed.

Knight Lloyd pointed to the end of the corridor on the first floor, "Over there is the forge."

"Oh? The forge?" Rain asked, feigning ignorance.

"Can I take a look inside? Actually, you two might not know this, but I'm very interested in blacksmithing!"

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end