"It, it can''t be..." The manager fell to his knees with a horrified expression.


    The vestige duel had just concluded. All seven tests were carried out in public and the results were disyed at the same time to everyone. Continue reading at empire


    The trident crafted by Grey Finger Sofoklis had actually surpassed the spear by a margin. Although the gap wasn''t wide, winning only four out of the seven tests, a win was still a win.


    The durability test was won over by the spear created by the lesiastics member from the Gold Rain Factory. It also managed to clinch a victory in the Sharpness and Strength tests.


    However, the ster energy properties -ster energy purity and matrix efficiency- were won by the Trident. The Hardness test was also taken by the Trident as well, bringing both sides to an equal number of victories.


    The power test was thest test and it usually ended in a draw in most vestige duels. It wasn''t easy for one to forge a Grade 4 vestige, so that made the best piece of equipment anyone could create to be at Grade 3. Minute differences couldn''t be used to determine a victory here because that was used for the ster energy purity test.


    If such practice was taken, it would mean that whoever won the purity test would naturally win the power test, which would imply there was no point to thetter test.


    As it usually ended in a draw, the manager was calm and felt lucky. Even if the trident won the ster energy purity test, it didn''t matter. A draw was better than a loss, and it wasn''t like the spear performed badly in the tests it lost.


    However, just as the power test was carried out, his worst fear -which he never even considered- urred.


    "Hand of God Trident, Grade, Grade 4!"


    The overseer screamed while staring at the result. It might be the weakest Grade 4 he had ever seen, but it was definitely a Grade 4 vestige.


    In fact, the overseer wasn''t the only one shocked by it. Everyone else was too.


    Hand of God was the name of the trident Sofoklis had created; a masterpiece that could truly be described as a one after this vestige duel.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A Grade 4 vestige was something only the toppanies and master vestige-smiths could make; it wasn''t something the Gold Rain Factory or the previous Sofoklis could create. For it to be done now, there was only one exnation, Sofoklis had advanced in rank and skill.


    As for whether he cheated and had someone else forge it, no one had that idea. It was a taboo for a vestige-smith to use a vestige not created by their hands for a vestige duel, unless they stated it prior to the duel. The other exception applied topanies.


    If one were found guilty of cheating, not only would they lose their standing in the industry, but they would be stripped of the right to create and sell vestige anywhere on the. If the higher-ups were informed of this, they could even lose the right to sell vestiges anywhere in the gxy. Hence, no matter what, vestige-smiths never cheated during a vestige duel.


    Sofoklis remained calm, but the slight smile on his face showed that he wasn''t truly immune to the gasps and shocking stares of the crowd.


    "Master Sofoklis, have you?" The overseer carefully asked.


    Sofoklis didn''t reply to him, but his aura burst forth. It was at the seventh level of the Apertures Opening stage.


    "Indeed. I apologize for the disrespect." The overseer bowed.


    While the sixth level of the Apertures Opening stage was difficult to achieve, ster practitioners at this level could still be found here and there. Most frencer guild leaders were at this stage. In top families and higher ranks of the City Defence Force and the Patrol Corps, one could also find them. However, the seventh level was a different story.


    At this level, one would be an influential member of society and a true leader.


    For vestige-smiths in Eretre, themon prerequisite to be able to forge Grade 4 vestiges was to be at the seventh level of the Apertures Opening stage. It was due to this prerequisite that there weren''t as many Grade 4 vestiges in the market as there were Grade 3, because vestige-smiths capable of making such were rare.


    Being a seventh level ster practitioner was difficult, but being a seventh level ster practitioner and a vestige-smith was even more so difficult.


    Now that Sofoklis was confirmed to be this level, he couldn''t be treated the same as himself from a few minutes ago. Even the overseer, despite being from a hegemonic association had to be respectful and address Sofoklis as ''master'', while also apologising for the questioning.


    "Don''t worry about it." Sofoklis remained calm while signalling for his disciple to pack up the vestige.


    As soon as thetter was done, the duo left the scene, acting as if what they had just done and revealed was amon urrence.


    ''Tsk. Such horrible acting.'' Lucas snorted, but he didn''t underrate them.


    A Grade 4 vestige was truly a powerful item from what he could sense during the test. Actually, thanks to his sensitive soul, Lucas had already identified the winner before the vestige duel even began. He had noticed that Sofoklis'' vestige was quite different from a Grade 3 vestige.


    Having made what could be described as the best Grade 3 vestige ever, Lucas had to admit that even the gauntlet could only barelypare to the trident.


    There could hence only be one exnation; the trident was at a higher grade.


    ''Grade 4 vestiges are indeed something. If I could make one of those, I wonder how much it could sell?''


    With the store''s 200% pricespared to others, Lucas couldn''t help but salivate at the amount of money he would make from one Grade 4 vestige sale. Even if the system took its usual charges, his profit would still be enough to purchase a few shops in the market zone.


    ''No, this is wrong. System, you have to bring down your charges.''


    Just as he said so, a mission popped up.


    [[ Mission Overview: The host has finally been exposed to some of the traditional practices of vestige-smithing. It is now time for the host to announce his existence to the world and stomp all other craftsmen to the ground.


    As the sessor to the Crafts-God, neither failure nor mediocrity is eptable!


    Mission Description: Consecutively defeat twenty vestige-smiths in a vestige duel before the convention is over. Host is to not take any loss or reject a vestige duel during the duration of the mission.


    Reward: Two Bronze Grade Cards (fourth level, second card''s level depends on the level of the strongest vestige-smith the host defeats).


    Penalty: There exists no penalty for abandoning the mission or failing toplete it in time. However, if the host were to ept the mission and lose a vestige duel, one random ability granted by the system would be taken away. ]]


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