The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor

Chapter 2 : Blacksmith of Magic Swords

Kuruso, the city of Dwarven craftsmen, had become famous because of Weed and was being visited by many players. They were impressed when they saw Kendellev's restored water sculptures and went around looking at the cool weapons and armor.

"Hah, I could buy it if I had a little more money... Mister Dwarf, can't you cut the price down a little?"

"Not even one copper."

Haggling players and Dwarves could easily be found. The goods sold by the Dwarves in Kuruso were extremely expensive, even for accessories. People couldn't easily decide to buy. For Merchants, accessories were more valuable trade goods than jewels or gold. They could be sold in any village, and they were good since one could receive a higher price by treating the residents well.

There were Dwarves who liked that Kuruso had become a bustling village, but some Dwarves didn't leave the smithy and were engrossed in their craft.

"Hmmm."

Fabio sharpened the completed sword on the grindstone.

*Raasp raasp*

The Sword Grinding skill!

It wasn't a skill only Weed could use, but a technique that could be grasped by any Intermediate Blacksmith. Of course, since Fabio had never learned Tailoring, he didn't know techniques such as Ironing and Hand Washing.

"It has become quite sharply honed."

Fabio turned the sword back and forth, trying to find flaws. The blade was slick enough to perfectly reflect the bearded Dwarf's face!

The most famous player on the Versailles Continent among Blacksmiths was Fabio. His specialty was perceived as armor and shield production, but he was concealing the fact that he actually made swords.

Whenever one of his swords occasionally went out into the world, they created a sensation. They were to the point where people engaged in searches to find the Blacksmith who made the sword.

Weaponry of an entirely different level from the works of ordinary Blacksmiths!

It was normal to acquire weapons through hunting once you reached a certain high level, but the swords made with Fabio's devotion were enough to incite wars between countless players. Having an excellent blade changed the hunting speed. The obsession for weapons and armor in Royal Road was fearsome.

Fabio made swords and occasionally released them into the world for fun, but he thoroughly hid the fact that they were of his make. He moved so secretly that he could be mistaken for a Blacksmith in retirement.

"The Sword Grinding skill is really quite good."

Fabio set down the sword, satisfied.

It was only temporary, but the skill raised damage. At Advanced Blacksmithing 8 and Advanced Sword Grinding 6, he could even bring up a sword's damage by a maximum of 85%. However, the side effects were severe.

"If the sharpness is raised excessively, the sword's durability falls quickly and it goes bad easily."

Used conservatively, there was no problem with 40% damage or so.

"A finished sword is truly beautiful."

Previously an ordinary salary-man in real life, as soon as Royal Road appeared, he had been immediately captivated. There were many professions, but the one that had moved him was Blacksmithing.

One could say that, in the very beginning, Royal Road was chaos. The majority of the players didn't even know how to fight Rabbits well. The appearance of a single Orc would send them fleeing all the way to the village gates, and instances where scores of players died together were not uncommon.

It was a time when one ordinary longsword brought enormous envy and jealousy.

Fabio decided to choose the Blacksmith.

"It was a good choice."

He couldn't leap into the fray of battle, but he didn't regret his choice. He improved his Blacksmithing skill through concentration after making a decision faster than others.

After becoming the most outstanding Blacksmith in the Dwarven village, there was no end to his work opportunities. As his name spread to the city, customers sought him from afar to entrust work to him.

There was always more demand than supply in the field of Blacksmithing. For the best Blacksmith, there was nothing more to be said. He accumulated money while taking enormous service fees, which he then reinvested into acquiring ores to make armor.

A profession that handled and hammered red-hot iron in front of a blazing furnace! Though it was lonely work, he endured and continued to forge.

With the best materials as a basis, he made contracts with upper tier players and supplied armor to them. As he made appearances on television, his supporters increased enormously. He was an idol figure for beginner Blacksmiths.

It wasn't publicly known, but Fabio was the true leader of the guild called "Iron Road." He managed his guild while making them equipment. With more friends than enemies, he even wielded both tangible and intangible influence. Among players of the Dwarven race, there weren't many who could refuse a single word of his.

"Still, the worth of a Blacksmith is in making good weapons."

CLANG!

Fabio roughly tossed the sword he had just crafted aside. Swords were piled up like mountains around him.

"This time, again, the sword fell short of my expectations. The ultimate sword that can cut through anything, no matter what it is. I must make a sword befitting of being called the best in the Versailles Continent."

A Blacksmith's hidden skill set!

While walking the path of a Blacksmith, Fabio had learned unique techniques.

Among Blacksmith's hidden skills, Mineral Smelting was the very first one he acquired. It was a technique Fabio had learned when he changed his profession to Ironblood Blacksmith.

"Aahh, it makes me shudder even now to think about that process of changing profession."

In order to change professions as a Blacksmith, he had suffered to death in the smithy. Though he could have gone to the Blacksmith Guild like other players did and made a few weapons or armor to change professions, he did not do so.

Wanting to see it with his own eyes and hammer with his own hands before changing profession, he spent more than a month of his precious time doing chores in the smithy during the initial stages of Royal Road.

The profession changing quest he came to obtain through gruesome process!

"I'll never be able to forget the 'Joys, Sorrows, and Tears of a Blacksmith' quest for the rest of my life."

In order to change his profession, he had to busily run between several villages with his short and stubby Dwarven legs to successfully complete requests. Then, he had to be formally employed by the smithy to receive the quests at last.

A Blacksmith could fulfil quests not only in the guild, but also in the smithy. He tried making not just one type, but many different kinds of equipment. He accumulated Fame as he completed quests as they came in and also made money. Through such quests, he acquired the Equipment Enhancement skill.

The skill that made Fabio famous!

He learned this skill around the time when he reached Intermediate Blacksmithing.

There was a saying: "Never show all your cards." If one were to recklessly publicize their full skill on the Versailles Continent, where there were never-ending wars for supremacy, they could easily get dragged into a dispute or lose their life.

Fabio intentionally hid the fact that he could also strengthen swords in addition to armors through Equipment Enhancement. If he had also strengthened swords, he could have made money by the buckets at the time. He made more money in one day than he previously did in one month through armor enhancement alone. Even considering the fact that, besides Merchants, Blacksmiths enjoyed the most lucrative profession, it was an enormous profit.

However, if it was known that Blacksmiths had abilities to that extent, more people would choose to be Blacksmiths.

"My competitors would increase, and they would never let me be."

Fabio only enhanced armor to a sufficient level. After all, what he wanted was not money, but reaching the peak in his Blacksmithing skills and making the best weapons and armor.

After making money with the Equipment Enhancement skill, he was able to use minerals without limit. He went as far as to purchase the Thor Kingdom's mithril, iron, and silver ores in bulk.

His Blacksmithing skill reached Advanced.

And a hidden Blacksmithing skill he acquired through quests and his connections!

Ego swords.

Fabio experimentally tried imparting souls into the swords he had.

Ding!

He had great expectations as it was an ego sword. He had expected something amazing, something impressive to come out!

"It's a huge failure." Fabio scowled.

An ego sword possessed its own self awareness and was a weapon that steadily grew through hunting. For example, a sword with a damage of 40 could increase to 70 or 80 with hunting. It could also unleash certain defensive magic on its own initiative.

A skill that exceeded the limitations of a weapon!

However, there were severe downfalls. Compared to a normally made sword, the damage and durability were too greatly reduced.

"The magical property is nothing much either."

As a pure Blacksmith, Fabio invested most of his stats into Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Concentration, since it was important to be able to hammer strongly and accurately. Perhaps because his Wisdom and Intelligence were low, he had an insignificant amount of Mana, and he didn't even learn any magic. Maybe that was why, but a completed ego sword could only unleash basic magic, and possessed a low amount of Mana as well.

And most importantly, the ego couldn't talk or remember previous battles.

That was because his Ego Sword Production skill was low leveled and he lacked magical prowess.

"Still, since you never know..."

As an experiment, Fabio made his daughter sell the created ego sword in secret so he could keep track of the ego sword's growth. However, the sword met the fate of being thrown away after being used to some extent by beginner or intermediate players. Even if it was an ego sword, from the exterior it only appeared to be a magic item with one or two defensive options attached.

One person thought something was strange and posted on the forum.

The replies to his post:

"It'll be hard for Ego Sword Production to show any satisfying results if it's not at Intermediate or Advanced level."

Although the Dwarves were a race that naturally excelled at Blacksmithing techniques, he did think the skill didn't suit him since his magical ability was poor. An Elf or Human Blacksmith would have been able to make a slightly better ego sword.

It was really a shame, but Fabio was giving up on Ego Sword Production.

The skill Fabio currently had the most expectations for!

"I'll make the sword imprinted with the best magic."

It wasn't impossible. Materials with magic power could be acquired in small amounts from places deep within dungeons or by hunting high-leveled monsters. He was striving to make the ultimate magic sword with those materials.

"A true magic sword is made by a Blacksmith, not a Magician."

A Magician could invest all their Mana into a sword to grant magic that could be used a few times. However, a Blacksmith created a sword imprinted with such magic.

It was a secret skill Fabio had earned after clearing a request he had discovered after finishing a fearsome number of Blacksmithing quests.

It was a profession quest he cleared by secretly leading his guild there.

A magic sword had greater damage than a regular sword, and it also grew by gaining bloodlust every time it absorbed blood. Since it had fewer ego sword-like uses, it could actually be a better method for creating a sword to be used as a weapon.

*CLANG, CLANG, CLANG!*

Fabio silently hammered the steel.

"An absolute weapon, nearly perfect armor; only with such works will a Blacksmith be able to stand at the center of the Versailles Continent."

Since other Blacksmiths on the Versailles Continent were hard at work, even at this very moment, he could not rest.

On the extensive Versailles Continent, Fabio was a great figure who was restraining and concealing his true self.

* * *

The Crimson Mercenary Guild.

A guild proudly showing off its force on the Versailles Continent. Only Mercenaries over level 280 were permitted to join. They operated Mercenary guild branches in every kingdom, and the entirety of the wealthy Nemere Lakeside basin area was under their control. They were the rulers of a vast region, possessing 5 castles and 28 villages.

The Crimson Mercenary Guild was meeting in Haryun Castle, the closest castle to the Nemere Lakeside.

"It's Wargod Weed."

"Guild master, shouldn't we subjugate him?

The Crimson Mercenary Guild's chief, Maren, nodded.

"There's plenty of reasons to subjugate Weed."

The glory of fighting the Wargod Weed and winning!

For the Crimson Mercenary Guild, which sought dominance over the entire Versailles Continent, it was something to be desired.

However, there were some Mercenaries who opposed it while shaking their heads.

"Since the Continent of Magic, he is an idol-like figure for Mercenaries. It's too much for us, the representatives of Mercenaries, to subjugate him."

"There needs to be a justification. If we attack him with no reason at all, how is it any different from thieves who steals from another?"

"How is a justification important? Think about the fame! It's a chance to gain the fame of having won a fight against the Wargod Weed."

"Only time will tell if it'll become fame or dishonor."

20 top ranking Mercenaries were arguing, without budging an inch from their opinions.

Maren, the Chief of the Mercenary guild, had been greedily considering subjugating Weed at first. But, after hearing the opposing viewpoints, he was a little hesitant.

There was glory in it. The title of being the player who had killed the Wargod Weed was very charismatic. On the other hand, they would earn the hostility of the players who revered Weed.

Even former Continent of Magic players didn't dislike Weed. His fame on Royal Road was reaching a peak among general players. As far as fame went, Weed had risen to the ranks of Bardray, whose Hermes Guild was officially the strongest. There was no knowing if striking Weed, who succeeded in impossible quests and was becoming an idol for players, would be profitable for their guild or not.

Naphgel, one of the top Mercenaries, said, "How in the world can you say that bringing out our whole guild and trampling Weed is a chance to gain fame? Is there anyone among us who is confident they can win a one on one fight against Weed?"

"..."

At that, the entire gathering fell silent. Even Maren couldn't say anything in response to that.

Weed had never publicized his level or skills before.

"It'll be tough if we assume he's a normal Sculptor. Who can fight like Weed in the Palrangka battle?"

"..."

No matter how you looked at it, his ability to swing his sword in a battle, with only a meager chance of success, was due to his mental fortitude. Regular players revered Weed because of his courage to throw down everything and take up the challenge.

"Just considering his fighting ability, there aren't many people here who are confident they can win against him. And his real profession may not be a Sculptor."

"Naphgel, you mean...?"

"We can't be off-guard just because he's a Sculptor. With his use of Necromancer magic and the physical fighting prowess he's shown, there's really no telling what his profession is."

Maren was also a ranker within the top 50 of all of Royal Road, but he didn't know his opponents' abilities at all. Considering the fighting ability Weed had shown when fighting the Bone Dragon and the quests he had completed, it was, honestly, daunting.

'We fight as a guild. But honestly... I have no confidence in being able to do a quest alone like that. And, apart from level, his battle sense is at least several times greater than mine.'

There wasn't much information known about Weed.

Being defeated in a one on one fight with many variables would be very damaging. If a ranker of Maren's level died, it would be extremely difficult to regain the lost level and proficiency. He could even be culled from the breathlessly tight competition between rankers. Moreover, a fight with Weed would definitely be put on broadcast, and videos would be posted as well. If he was defeated in such a fight, he had to bear the knowledge that he could also lose his fame.

The image was being drawn in Maren's head!

'He'd tear our guild members apart like tissue paper, and the Ice Dragon, Phoenix, Wyvern... and if he used that uber rare Necromancer magic too, it'd be a big pain in the ass.'

The might of Necromancer magic was publicly acknowledged. There were fierce complaints from the people who actually tried raising a Necromancer about how the class's Stamina was low and that they were hard to raise, but because of the terrifying sight Weed had shown in the broadcast, it was a profession many people aspired to be.

'A Necromancer's magic... his fighting ability is truly nothing short of being called a God of War.'

Weed, laughing brutally and slicing Maren's throat apart in the public eye...

"Ahem."

Maren couldn't take action recklessly.

"I've no thought of losing, but it's a difficult issue, since we can't ignore the 'what if' either."

"And, if we send an expedition all the way to the North, we could be giving the other guilds, who are waiting to pounce on us, a good opportunity."

As powerful as the Crimson Mercenary Guild was, they had as many enemies. They were in a position where they couldn't send out their main force indefinitely.

"Are you saying our guild could be attacked while trying to catch Weed?"

"It's a definite possibility. Our territory will inevitably become vulnerable while our attack force is all the way in the North. From the viewpoint of other guilds, don't you think it's more reasonable to aim for our large, profitable territory than the fame of catching Weed?"

They had many Mercenary guild competitors, and there was no law preventing them from joining forces to attack.

It was an issue with all sorts of worries for the Crimson Mercenary Guild.

* * *

Weed was left with just a few things after he disposed of all the japtem. He planned to find owners for the Sophia's Greatspear, Large Crystal Gemstone, Jorudia's Signet, the diamonds, and Isuren's Magic Weapon elsewhere.

"It'll be good to sell off the Large Crystal Gemstone to nobles after I process it with sculpting and make it a large ornament... it wouldn't be bad to use it when I'm Light Sculpting, either. I'll have to sell the other items through the auction site or the Dark Gamer's Union."

A dresser and dining table made with the large crystal! They would be hard to sell in the North, but they were luxury goods he could sell at extremely high prices in a Central Continent kingdom.

After selling the miscellaneous items, Weed walked along the streets of Morata with Yellowy.

The residents recognized him and greeted him first.

"Welcome, my Lord."

"My Lord, they say you have successfully completed an impressive request once again... Please be sure to tell us the story later. My son says he wants to be just like you when he grows up."

"Count of Morata, I am a Merchant from Rintle Kingdom. It is an honor to meet such a famous man."

Because of the enormous Fame he had accumulated in the River of Lamentations, even NPCs from the Central Continent responded to him warmly.

"The apples have ripened beautifully in our front-yard. We've saved the most delicious apples for you, my Lord, so please be sure to try them."

A woman handed him apples by the basketful! It was a fruit basket she had taken out to sell to the market, but when she saw the Lord, she had given it to him on the spot.

Weed received the fruit basket and took a big bite out of a ripe, red apple.

"Yellowy, you eat one too."

He threw Yellowy a worm-eaten apple. The bull stuck out his tongue to lick it, then opened his mouth wide and crunched into it.

Weed solemnly proceeded to give it a lesson.

"Yellowy, the way people are, they help each other when times are tough. Don't you think things like these are all because of our daily actions?"

Yellowy didn't believe him at all, but he just nodded; he was busy eating the apples in the basket.

Morata had become very different from the last time he had come. Mystical figures were sculpted on the sturdy bridge on the crossway to the Lord's castle. Sculptors, Artists, and Painters had come to Morata and were enriching the city.

"We're building a shopping district!"

"I'm a Painter, please take me with you."

"A Sculptor is participating, leave the ceiling to me!"

When a construction quest appeared, all the artists joined in to construct a beautiful building.

With its crystal clear river and lake, Morata's attractions continued to increase.

There was even a sizeable ornament hanging from Morata's spire, visible from the square.

Adventurer Spenson's hair ornament of Ankia!

Spenson was a very distinguished adventurer in Royal Road; the hair ornament he had excavated after coming to the North was displayed in Morata.

Adventurers could arrange or publicize a special kind of excavated item in a town. They sometimes sold such items for very high prices, but the adventurer received a massive increase in Fame if they donated it to a town. There was also the effect of their intimacy with the townspeople increasing instantaneously, and they could also buy goods very cheaply — at much better prices than an average Merchant would get. Moreover, their popularity with the employees at a tavern was the best! The residents would also go out of their way to find the adventurer in order to offer them quests.

Spenson had predicted that the future Morata would grow into the central city of the North and had left his excavated item here.

Returning to Morata after a long time, Weed could feel the vivid liveliness of adventure.

"It's beautiful."

"Aren't you glad we came here?"

"Yeah. The ambience is good."

One of the changes was the sight of many couples swarming like cockroaches in the vicinity of the bridge and buildings, which boasted great views. Ever since beginners began starting in Morata, many couples had formed. Love, which sprouted while hunting rabbits and foxes!

The consumption and sale of lots of goods by beginners became the pivot of Morata's economic development. There was no main cause for the influx of beginners that rivaled that of Versailles Continent's eastern Rosenheim Kingdom, and made Morata overflow with liveliness. It was a common sight to see beginners with their starting equipment and a wooden sword eating 10 pieces of barley bread sparingly while doing quests in the village.

Morata, a delightful city full of vitality!

The growth in Morata while Weed had been away was dazzling. As beginners appeared, the shops also multiplied quickly. They weren't sellers of cheap baubles, but decent, high class stores.

Merchants and people who wanted to build a house had been stingy with artwork at first.

"What help would such a thing be..."

"Just build it quickly, quickly. Make the warehouse a little wider as well."

However, buildings with outstandingly artistic design boasted much better business. Even if they were the same general store, people gathered in the beautiful building, and so in Morata, investing in sculptures and paintings was no longer just a luxury.

Sculptors, Painters, and Architects gathered to make the city incomparably colorful.

"The song that will be played today is called 'A Night in a Goblin Dungeon'."

Every street corner was decked out with a small stage for performances. In a narrow space, about five steps wide, Bards sang songs and played instruments. It was a sight that could normally only be found in the City of Artists, Rhodium.

In Morata, Artists, Bards, and Architects were respected.

It was the result of the haphazard investment of the money Weed had shed blood and tears for into art by the Village Elder. Other cities or castles spent 0%, or maybe just 1%, on cultural development, but Morata was committing several times as many funds.

There were many beginner Bards, and with the visits of Bards whose names were well-known throughout the Versailles Continent, the lively music became one of Morata's charms.

The tavern, smithery, weapon shop, and armor shop were crowded with beginners and players. There were many players in the streets, as though there was a festival.

"I wonder how much has changed while I away away. Region Information Window!"

Ding!

The explosive increase in tax revenue as a consequence of the population increase, commercial development, and the influx of Mercenaries and Adventurers!

"Heh."

Weed made a straight face. The corners of his mouth threatened to rise, and the muscles in his face spasmed as he tried to hold back a smile. He was so happy he wanted to roll around on the ground, but he had to maintain his lordly image, especially in times like this, to save face.

"It's nothing much. Tsk, tsk... It's such a primitive and rural village."

Weed, who was rejoicing with furrowed brows and quivering cheeks, revealed a rotten expression!

It was particularly good that the monthly offerings to the Church of Freya had been reduced from 15% to 9%.

"Seems like it was automatically adjusted as the income sum increased."

More was spent on offerings, but the percentage had decreased with the increase in income.

As the budget increased, there were steady investments into culture, military power, economic development, and village maintenance. Since there was also an explosive increase in beginners, Morata could now be called a respectable, mid-size city.

"Granted, I'm still not getting much tax money compared to the number of people..."

Even on the street Weed was on, 86 out of 100 people were beginners.

Low taxes, adventure, free hunting grounds, and the Tower of Light sculpture. Beginner players were skyrocketing thanks to the positive feel Morata radiated.

"The more these beginners raise their levels, the greater the tremendous growth in taxes!"

He had rosy hopes for the future. They were happy thoughts only a Lord could harbor.

Of course, Morata also had many disadvantages.

There were no other churches besides the Church of Freya. It was very unfortunate that players who wanted to become Clerics had a narrow selection.

Technological development was low, and the quality of weapons and armor was low because there weren't many Blacksmiths. Since the amount produced each day was also limited, all the weapon and armor stores were sold out by morning. The beginners had a lot of complaints because even the beginner weapons in stores had to be sold at premium prices. Mapan aimed for that niche market and was mostly importing weapons to earn big bucks.

Weed didn't worry too much. "To deal with the scarcity, Blacksmiths will probably increase later."

To do things like adjust weapons, maintain armor, or reinforce gear, a Blacksmith's existence was necessary! Since Blacksmiths were receiving as much respect as Clerics, there would gradually be more of them.

Despite many shortcomings, the beginners, who loved adventures, were growing while helping each other out.

Weed also stepped outside the village boundaries. In the breadbasket, wheat and barley were growing rapidly. The wheat, blessed with fertility by the Church of Freya Priests, had so many grains that their stems started to bend. There was also a significant number of people who held pickaxes and were going off to mine in the nearby mountains.

"I've got to earn at least a copper."

"We need money to live, dear."

"We can't even hunt as much as we want with the weapon prices this expensive."

"The weapon prices are still better — the armor prices are really unspeakable."

"Phew, maybe it wasn't a good idea for me to choose the defensive Warrior. I'm gonna be hunting with a Freya Church Priest anyways."

Even beginners were carrying pickaxes and were on their way to the mines. Even if one weren't a miner, pickaxing could be done by anyone, especially by Warrior, Swordsmen, or Knight wannabes with robust physiques. Beginners were going to the mines with slumped shoulders in order to earn money.

"This is a highly desirable sight."

The corners of Weed's mouth rose at last. The flawless re-emergence of that rotten smile!

That the exploitation was rolling smoothly was no different from evidence that Morata's economy was healthy.