《Godsmith》 [1] Yet again, a very quiet day. It seems like the sun starts to set. I have been at it for a while now. I knew I expected too much of myself. I¡¯ll need to work all night long if I want to get it finished. Luckily the heat is starting to drop outside. I like working on nights anyway. Working in the summer heat is almost unbearable when the forge is lit. It¡¯s also why I moved to a more secluded area rather than staying in town. I would only disturb the townsfolk with the sounds I make. Requests for business have dropped a little bit, but that might not be a bad thing. It gives me more time to focus on the tasks I already have. My father taught me well enough to open up my own shop. Even though I might not be the best blacksmith around, definitely not, my skill is very close to old man Sharuk¡¯s. If only my father were alive I may have already surpassed the old man. I also may have already finished this weapon. It took ten days longer than I said it would. I feel bad for the costumer but he did not seem to mind too much. Just a couple more hours and it will be ready. -- *ringg-ringg* ¡°Ah!¡± the young blacksmith named Hanma suddenly jumped up from his bed. He quickly jumped out of bed to put on some clothes and ran to the front of the house. That ringing meant a customer walked in. He was now standing behind the counter which was in the front part of the house. There were weapons and tools lined up to the left side of the entrance and the counter was to the right. No stairs to be seen and only one door leading to the back. That was his sleeping quarters which had a simple bed, a closet, and a nightstand. He could reach is workplace from there as well but that meant his room getting dusty. Usually, he went around back. ¡°Good morning sir! Ready to pick up your beauty?¡± ¡°Good morning, indeed I am.¡± the man answered. He had brought his sword to Hanma for repairs. It had become dull and had lots of dents in the blade. Hanma was well known for his repairing skills. Even so, this sword took way longer than Hanma initially expected it to. Hanma picked something up from beneath the counter. It was wrapped in a white cloth and had a linen rope keeping the cloth bound around the object. The cloth was undone and unwrapped. The costumer looked like he had seen a ghost, but was happy seeing that ghost. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful! This was certainly worth the long wait.¡± The man said. ¡°I am truly sorry about that sir! I guess I was overconfident in my abilities. It won¡¯t happen again!¡± Hanma replied ¡°It¡¯s okay, nothing to worry. I suppose I should be giving you my payment now.¡± The man took out a small sack and gave Hanma the last half of the payment. ¡°Thanks for your patronage!¡± Hanma said with a cheery smile.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Just before the customer walked out of the store he stopped for a bit and turned his head to the young boy. ¡°You know, lots of explorers are currently looking for a skilled blacksmith to accompany them on an expedition. I would rather have my sword repaired on the spot than having to wait after.¡± Hanma didn¡¯t like expeditions at all. Ever since his father never came home from one he was left on his own. He had been very lucky his father was a well-known blacksmith himself so he did not need to build up his reputation from the beginning. Most of the locals knew who he was and also favored the cheap prices he set. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Hanma said to the man. The man walked through the door and closed it behind him. Hanma wasn¡¯t fond of it when people said things like that. Suddenly lost in a train of thoughts Hanma would begin by cleaning up his mess in the workshop from yesterday. That was one of the few things bearable to do in the summer heat. His workshop was bigger than the storefront and his room combined. He had a large furnace to the back wall which both served as his forge and smeltery. In front of it was a rather large anvil with a rack of tools to the right. Placed against the right walls were workbenches littered with tools and metal scrapings. On the left side, there was a big grinding stone and a couple of smaller ones. They stood below the windows which could open. If he didn¡¯t he¡¯d be sure to get all the nasty metal dust in his lungs which would definitely not be good for his health. That is also why he wore a wet cloth in front of his nose and mouth if he got to grinding. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what the man said to him. His father used to do the same, always encouraging him to aim high just like himself. He was a Wandersmith after all. All Hanma has left of his father is a ring that a messenger one day brought to his doorstep. He never wears it but he cherishes it the most. He feels he isn¡¯t worthy of wearing the ring until he reaches the same skill level that his father once had if that was possible at all. He didn¡¯t know any better blacksmiths. It was becoming very lonely out here on his own. Not a lot of customers came by but enough did to get around. The five-minute lasting interactions also weren¡¯t interesting enough to actually be called conversations. Argh, I really need to get out of here someday. This life is just way too lonely. Wasn¡¯t it a dream of mine to be one of the greatest explorers? He thought to himself. -- Hanma lives in a world where there are various locations called Dungeons. Dungeons are filled to the brim with traps, monsters and most importantly loot. Loot could vary from scavenged monster parts, ores, currency, and artifacts. Dungeons come in various sizes and difficulties. It is generally well known that the loot a dungeon holds scales with its size and difficulty. Some of them are so hidden that they have not yet been discovered by mankind. Not something that happens frequently but it is said that some humans get lost in dungeons without them noticing that they walked into one. Eventually, a monster would find them and they¡¯d never make it out alive. People who purposely wander these dungeons for loot are called ¡°Explorers¡±. These explorers put their lives on the line for fame and riches. The more they explore the better they get which means that seeking higher level dungeons is a normal way of life for some. By clearing dungeons, one could be granted special powers as well. Besides that your physique would become stronger, your stamina increased and your knowledge widened. If you were to find high-level artifacts at the same time your power would increase immensely even. They could either enhance your abilities or make you incredibly rich if you were to sell them. This is generally why fifty percent of the population has explored a dungeon in their lives. But also why only 10% of beginning adventures actually continue. Once a child becomes an adult he is eligible for signing up at the renowned ¡°Explorers Guild¡±. Once you become an official explorer granted access at already discovered dungeons. Exploring a dungeon on your own is not advised, so it is rarely done. Being in a team of explorers greatly increases the chances of survival. Even though the loot is shared at the end of a dungeon coming out alive is more important than making huge profits for most people. Expeditions they call them, a team of explorers trying to clear a dungeon. [2] Errands After Hanma cleaned his shop it was time to go to town for supplies. Cleaning was the only task that wouldn¡¯t make one faint to the immense heat wave that hit the country. A lot of people chose to close their shops around noon because of it. Most of the elderly people kept their shops open. Hanma was running out of ore rather quick after making a special sword for the costumer of this morning so he had to buy more. Luckily the ore merchant was an elder so that would mean he could go shopping at any moment of the day. Walking the long road to town was very peaceful. Along the path were great forests, large fields, and lots of cattle roaming them. Every now and then someone would walk by and greet him as one does in the countryside. Greetings ranged from simple good evenings to them bowing depending on their status. The rich always feel like they need to show more dedication to everything they do. As always Hanma would check if the signs pointing out the location of his blacksmith shop were still standing. Sometimes the youth would knock them over for fun. After a while, he could see the town in the distance. It is a fairly big settlement with a population of around two thousand people depending on the season. They were either explorers or merchants. This town called ¡°Cairn¡± was one of the few mercantile towns in the country. Cairn was located at the center of the country. Because of this, roads that go out of it lead to many different regions and cities. Merchants and explorers would come and go so whenever Hanma visited he would always see new faces. He greeted the gatekeepers and took a straight right into a small alley. He was visiting a shop that was only well known by the locals. This certain shop sells ores and other materials related to artisan jobs. Because the owner used to be a very skilled explorer and admired the artisans that would enable him to be one he set up this particular shop. It¡¯s been twenty years now since he came to the town. ¡°Hello? Gregory! Are you here?¡± ¡°Good evening Hanma, how nice of you to come by. In need of supplies I reckon?¡± said the old man with a smile. ¡°Yes, I have had quite a few requests for handmade weapons these couple of weeks. I am burning through my metals faster than my forge can keep up.¡± ¡°I see. I am sorry to inform you but I think we may be running out of ore soon. You see, the local mine I get my minerals from has spawned a dungeon! It is too dangerous for the miner crew to go in at the time. I already asked the city council to deal with this but they told me it would not take priority. I should simply buy my stock from other merchants they suggested.¡± the old man his smile fainted away and he had a rather sad look on his face. ¡°Getting them from the mine is cheaper right? That would mean the prices would increase¡­ isn¡¯t there a party interested in clearing it?¡± Hanma asked. ¡°The guild has not set a bounty yet, and I have been told it is a low-level dungeon so the rewards aren¡¯t that appealing for most explorers. Maybe if some starters would get notice of it they might make up their mind to try but as long as nobody talks about it nothing will happen¡± Suddenly a tall white-haired man appeared from around the corner of the store. He was fairly tall but also really slender, wearing a white coat with a white shirt underneath. His pants and boots were black. With a better look, Hanma noticed the man was actually a young adult. Maybe two to three years older than himself.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Did I hear the words low-level and dungeon? Ah! Finally a chance to show my worth! I have been trying to join expeditions but none of them would accept me. They all said I was too low of a level. I was on my way to the guild anyway to look for some quests so this seems like an encounter of fate!¡± The man looked like he found water after spending 2 days in the desert. Hanma thought to himself; ¡°I do not understand people can be this happy about exploring dungeons. The only things that come out of it are treasure or death. Usually more death than treasure.¡± ¡°You do know that the guild is at the other side of town? Even if you came through the eastern gate you are taking quite a detour, sir¡­ eehm.¡± the old man said while almost visibly shaking his head in disappointment. ¡°How rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Garth! A rookie explorer always looking for an adventure. I have my trusty sword by my side so I am unstoppable! This dungeon you speak of will be no challenge at all.¡± He looked way too overconfident for a rookie. It sounds like he has never completed a mission at all. Hanma took a good look at his outfit and weaponry. It looks like he¡¯s wearing leather armor but everything above his waist is painted white and everything down his waste is painted black. From the looks of it, his sword didn¡¯t seem very sturdy. ¡°Can I see your sword?¡± Hanma asked Garth. ¡°Well, of course. You¡¯ll notice that this may be one of the finest in the kingdom!¡± Without hesitating he took the sword further out of the scabbard and gave it to Hanma. He analyzed it for a bit and came to a conclusion rather quick. ¡°Your sword is dull. The edges are not sharpened and I can see some cracks in the metal work. If you were planning on exploring a dungeon with this it would break in no time. Want me to fix it for you? It would cost money of course. Nothing is for free.¡± It looked like all of Garth¡¯s spontaneous energy disappeared for a moment after hearing Hanma say that. He was quick to regain his composure and asked Hanma something. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money on me anymore. That¡¯s why I wanted to find some simple quests to do.¡° Garth stood silent for a few seconds and it suddenly looked like he had a grand idea. ¡±How about this. If you fix my sword and accompany me into the dungeon I will give you half of all the loot I find! Is that a deal?¡± Hanma hated expeditions. The thought of dying didn¡¯t suit him at all and having to go through immense lengths to navigate, fight, and survive just was way too much for him to deal with. Of course, there also was the matter of his father. ¡°No. You can find somebody else.¡± he quickly answered. Now turning to the old shop owner. ¡°Sorry I have to make this visit short, but I am getting rather tired just looking at him. Can you sell me the usual?¡± ¡°Coming right up!¡± The old man went into the back of the shop to get some more materials that weren¡¯t displayed upfront in the store and when he had everything Hanma handed over the money. Garth was still dumbfounded about what was happening. His pride just took a huge blow. He never expected someone to decline his proposal. He was a noble after all, just not a very smart one. Hanma collected his materials, properly paid the old man and waved his goodbyes. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too offended.¡± The old man suddenly said. ¡°He lost a loved one inside a dungeon. From that moment on he didn¡¯t want anything to do with them. It did do something else on the contrary. It made his love for his trait even bigger. With a good smith comes good tools which protect their wielders.¡± ¡°Makes sense. I¡¯ll take my leave as well.¡± Garth walked away with a look of determination on him. ¡°Not even a goodbye. The youth these days are getting bolder by the days.¡± The old man stumbles back to his chair. He was worried about the increasing cost of restocking his shop. That dungeon needs to be cleared fast or I¡¯ll be out of business in no time. That and Hanma needs to buy his materials for far more and up his prices as well. It will surely hurt his business, people are used to his low prices by now. He should have figured that out by now, I shan''t worry too much. Hanma chose to walk the same route home, but one thing he did not notice was a very white figure following him along the way. [3] A happy swordsman ¡°Ah.. this is too much. Why are explorers exams this hard? Especially since nobody wants to team up with me. Their loss, I¡¯ll show them what I am capable of!¡± He flung back some of his white hair as he stood up from the ground. Three small figures are waiting for Garth to make his next move. They were small and had green and brown skin. One wears a club and the other two are wearing daggers. Garth charged forward with his sword over his head. He took one big swing and hit all three of his targets. Overcome by the joy that he got his total kill count up to a 10 which means he passes the exam, he did not notice that his sword was beginning to crack. It was becoming dull and it looked old already. The fight took him over an hour while a normal trainee would have got it over within five minutes. ¡°Yes! I did it!¡± He shouted while waving his sword in the air. Now let¡¯s collect their trinkets and walk back. I have a long way ahead of me. It really sucks having to walk all this distance just because the other trainees slaughtered the closer enemies. I would love to see their faces when they see me showing up back there! Garth arrived back at the entrance of the forest without any problems. His face looked shocked when he saw nobody except the examinator and the analyzer. ¡°Garth! You made it! Haha, you keep surprising us day after day. Have you gotten your trinkets?¡± The examinator looked as joyful as ever. He had a big black beard and some fancy armor. ¡°Is it that surprising I made it? I mean you should not expect anything less from someone like me! I might even feel hurt by your words, sir. What do I do with my collected trinkets?¡± Garth reached to his side where a small pouch with various items was strung on to his belt. ¡°You can lay it on the table over there. And then the analyzer will check if each one of them is from a different monster.¡± The examinator pointed to an old looking table where the analyzer was standing. If one would sit on it it might just break down from the looks of it. To pass the explorers trainee trial of hunting the trainees needed to hunt monsters. And for each kill, they collect a trinket to be brought back to the entrance of the forest. The forest has been used for trials for a long time and usually doesn¡¯t house any monsters. Advanced explorers catch these monsters and let them loose for the trainees to kill. This would ensure that no trainee was exposed to any danger beyond their expected capabilities.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Garth put his trinkets on the table and the analyzer didn''t as much as look at him before she started chanting a spell. [Analyzing activated] ¡°I see all of these trinkets are indeed from monsters. All were slain by mister Garth himself as well. I must congratulate you, it looks like you passed the exam. Please head over to John to collect your very first copper badge.¡± John was the examinator standing a few feet away. Garth was really happy he finally passed the exam after trying it for a total of 2 times. His first exam didn¡¯t go to plan as he got ganged up on by 5 goblins. Other trainees happened to see it and came to the rescue. Garth didn¡¯t kill any of them so he could not take their trinkets. He was 3 short in the end and had to wait 2 months until he could retake it. This gave him enough time to train and now he made sure he was going to succeed. ¡°Here¡¯s your badge. Take good care of it until you can buy your next one.¡± John handed over the copper badge which looks very much like dog tags. Badges come in different materials each representing the rank the holder has. Copper, Iron, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Mythril, Orichalcum, Adamantine, Glass steel. This is the order the explorer has to buy their badges in. Getting from copper to iron isn''t too much of a task. Going to Glass Steel, on the other hand, is one of the hardest tasks besides exploring an explorer has to go through if he so wishes. Because each of the badges has to be made by a smith, and the materials for the badges become rarer as you rank up they cost quite a hefty sum of gold. ¡°Thank you, John, sir! I will be sure to take good care of it. But may I ask, where is everybody else?¡± Garth asked while looking around the area. He hadn¡¯t noticed anybody on his way back either. ¡°You are the last one! We thought the monsters might have gotten the better of you. That would be a shame seeing that the last exam death has been over 7 years now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a rather weird thing to say. It looks like you care more about the reputation of your training than about your student!¡± ¡°Former student that is! You made it so heave ho you go! Where are you headed now? I suppose a good rest would help. But you mentioned Cairn?¡± ¡°Yes, Cairn indeed. It¡¯s the center of the country after all, and it¡¯s only a three-day trip. I should be there in no time at all. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now. Thanks for all your hard work!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It is fun after all! Safe travels Garth.¡± John smiled as Garth walked down the forest path on to his next destination. A destination where he would meet a very special young man. [4] The Cairn Mine Hanma was still pondering on what to do if the old man would run out of ore. Those materials were unmissable and he could buy them at a fairly cheap price as well. Other merchants would ask at least fifty percent more. He was lucky the old man sold to his father, but that¡¯s not the only reason he could get a discount. The old man¡¯s brother had a small mining company that worked in the Cairn Mine. Which meant he almost got ore for free hence why he could sell them for a low price. The Cairn Mine was a special place, unlike any other mine this one regenerated ores even quicker. With the Tsutharoth company, the owner being the old man''s brother, owning the deepest parts of it everything fell right into place. Cheap prices and an everlasting supply. Now that this was being threatened Hanma began to slowly worry more and more as he was on his way home. Maybe I should check out the mine for myself. The dungeon entrance is guarded by explorers. I can¡¯t accidentally walk in. If I could assess the status of it myself I could make better decisions should the time come I run out of cheap ore. The dungeon should have spawned fairly deep inside. Why wouldn¡¯t the miners be able to gather the ore? Instead of following the wide dirt path which led right to his home he took a right turn at a T intersection. This went through a lush forest with trees as high as five-story buildings. They were thick and fairly close to one another. Maneuvering through the trees seemed like an almost impossible job. It took the workers who cut this path eight months to clear it just so that carts could transport the material coming out of the mine. His father always used to tell him stories about how this town and its surroundings came to existence. He was told this forest was planted by a giant to hide the mountain it lived on. It spanned all the way around it. He planted the trees as close as possible to each other so none other than him could find a way in and out of the forest. It was fairly accurate as there was only one small path you could move freely on to the base of the mountain. This was the path that was eventually cleared and led straight to the mine. It was fairly quiet. And because of the shade of the trees, the path was nice and cool. Hanma wished he could stay here all day and enjoy it until fall. Fall was his favorite season. He liked the color of the trees and the rustling of leaves beneath his feet as he walked. The temperature was just about right until the start of winter and it was rather quiet at the shop. He¡¯d make enough money in the warmer seasons of the year to be able to live off it in the colder seasons. Lost in thoughts he found the end of the forest and a big mountain came into view before him. A couple more minutes of walking and he would find the entrance of the mine. When he did he was surprised. There were guards standing in front of the entrance. This meant that the whole mine was turned into a dungeon. Something like that rarely happens. Usually, they form at the end of a cave which creates an even more complex cave system. But if it spawned at the entrance it would mean that the mine was fully unable to operate. It was truly out of commission.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. One of the guards suddenly spoke. ¡°Hello young man, we cannot allow you to enter this mine without an explorers badge. Would you care to show it to us? Don¡¯t worry, you can enter the dungeon with a copper badge.¡± The guard knew who Hanma was. But not if he was an explorer or not. Even if he knows, asking for badges was mandatory. If he let in any normal citizen and something were to happen to them it would cost his job, and maybe even his life. Hanma didn¡¯t have one though, he wasn¡¯t an explorer. ¡°I just came to check upon the status of the mine. My merchant gets his ores from here. I didn¡¯t think the dungeon would engulf the whole mine though...¡± ¡°It happened overnight. Luckily only one of the Tsutharoth¡¯s team was working at the time. They all escaped but barely. As soon as it happened we were stationed here. The next day was quite a debacle as they all still wanted to enter. They said they wouldn¡¯t go deep but they also hadn''t realized the entire mine became a dungeon.¡± Then the other guard spoke as well. ¡°Either we have an explorer clear it for us or we wait until the dungeon vanishes. But that could take years according to the guild. I heard they were quite busy with other Dungeons popping up as well. This is sure doesn¡¯t seem to be a priority. We haven¡¯t seen any explorer try and clear it.¡± The guard walked back to one of the chairs and sat down. Knowing Hanma wasn¡¯t trying to go in making him at ease. ¡°Sure is a shame. That was all I wanted to know. Thanks for your help. Stay safe!¡± Hanma turned around and was about to walk away but the guard said something else. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take a try? You seem like a strong person, the dungeon is only at copper level. If you gather a team for an expedition it shouldn¡¯t be that hard.¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± Hanma continued to walk down to the forest. Why does everybody always tell me to go exploring? Maybe they knew my dad? I really wish they would stop. It¡¯s a nuisance. In the meantime, Garth was still following Hanma. He hid behind a tree but if you actually took a good look you would spot him in an instant. He was lucky Hanma had more pressing things on his mind. Not that he would care, but Garth¡¯s ego would take a dent for a couple of seconds if he were to be spotted. Somehow this man never seemed to mind emotional abuse as well. He was just too stubborn to notice it happening. Making his way back to the store Hanma threw the bag with ore next to a big looking furnace. The sun was beginning to set and he didn''t feel like doing much more today. Just as he was about to head to bed he noticed a white figure looking through one of his windows. [5] Recruit Hanma signaled Garth to come in. He had no idea why he was just standing outside the window. Garth entered the storefront and took a good look around before approaching Hanma. ¡°Nice place you have here. Thanks for letting me in.¡± ¡°No problem. What are you here for? Want that sword repaired after all?¡± ¡°I would want nothing more for my sword to get a good repair job but, as I said. I don¡¯t have the money for it. And even I begin to think that without a proper one I won¡¯t be able to clear the dungeon. You see, I just graduated the explorer¡¯s trainee program¡± Garth took out his copper badge. ¡°Maybe we can strike a deal. You repair my sword and I¡¯ll clear the dungeon. I¡¯ll repay you with fifty percent of my earnings! How about that!¡± If he clears the dungeon it would definitely solve my ore problem. Although an explorer who just graduated should not be trying to clear a dungeon. Even a low-level one can be tough enough for a solo explorer. Either he needs to team up or assemble a party for an expedition. ¡°Without any payment, it would be foolish of me to repair it. What makes me so sure you won¡¯t run after I have finished.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave my badge! This way you know for sure I will need to come back to collect it. If I were to leave it behind the guild would get mad at me. It¡¯s traceable you know, I would have to come back for it. Unless it is destroyed of course.¡± ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Hanma couldn''t believe his lack of general knowledge. ¡±You need your badge to enter the dungeon. You can¡¯t leave it here even if you want to. If someone came to inspect my shop and would end up finding the badge, I would be investigated. If you died on me and I would have the badge I¡¯d be jailed for suspicion of murder.¡± Governments ruling towns are no fan of violence amongst explorers. If the explorers were to go rogue and turn into bandits there was a law that demanded they be killed on sight if you had the skills to do so. Hanma was right about that. He would be jailed without any trial. ¡°Then.. why don¡¯t you come with me! A blacksmith like you must at least have earned his first explorers badge right? You must have accompanied a team by now. A blacksmith is well sought after to join expeditions after all.¡± ¡°No. And I don¡¯t plan on going on one either. I¡¯d rather you bunch stay safe with my equipment than trying to protect me while we¡¯re down there. This is my final answer. It¡¯s getting late as well. Either find some way of payment and come back or try your luck with somebody else.¡± ¡°I understand. I am truly sorry to bother you. I will be taking my leave.¡± Garth bowed. He rarely bows. He firmly believes everyone is equal. Only on rare occasions, for example, if he hurts a person or destroys something of them by being clumsy, he bows.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Garth left and it became very quiet. All you could hear was the wind blowing every now and then and with that the rustling grass alongside the outer walls of the shack. Hanma was lost in thoughts. Thinking of what just happened in a logical sense would mean that there was literally no reason to decline Garth¡¯s request. The dungeon would get cleared, he¡¯d get fifty percent of the loot and the mine could operate again. This would mean he had to pass an explorers trainee exam first but his father trained him for that a long time ago. I can¡¯t help but wonder what you would do in this situation pops. Would you simply go with the flow, or go against the stream. Well no, I know what you would do. You would fight to protect what¡¯s yours even though you''re just a blacksmith. Always ready to help everyone in need and never batting an eye to what''s about to come. I wish I could be more like you, but that¡¯s the problem. More like you would mean that I¡¯d have to go into a dungeon. A place you died in. Hanma opened a drawer beside his bed. He took out a small cloth with an object inside. When he opened the cloth you could see a golden ring garmented with a big opal and some small diamonds. This ring alone would cost a fortune so he¡¯d never show it to anyone. He could get robbed for it. Inside the ring were engraved letters: ¡°Harman Foji¡±. This ring belonged to his father. Hanma placed the ring on his finger thinking it would give him some comfort. Something he had never done before. He felt like he hadn¡¯t earned the right to wear it. The ring came with a messenger that told him the bad news. That all they found when they went to search for his father¡¯s party were some satchels and this ring. The party seemed to have completely vanished and since it was in a high-level dungeon the party was perceived dead. *zzzzzt-krrrrr-ssss* The ring suddenly began to make strange noises. Some zapping could be heard as well when suddenly the opal began to lit up. From the opal, a blue liquid gas like substance began emerging and after a while, they began forming letters above the ring. The magic that sprung forth looked like it was dancing in the air. It looked like a flowing river, one where you could drown in because of awe. After a while, a clear message could be read from it.
Dear son, may you find this ring and hold it dear to you as a memory of me. I never leave behind much because of our occupations but I never imagined I couldn¡¯t give this ring to you myself. What a shame. I want to wish you all the love and luck you deserve in life. I am sure this will come as a shock but such is the life on an explorer. May you meet wonderful people and go on big adventures just like your old man. Don¡¯t be afraid to follow in my footsteps. Dad.
Hanma couldn¡¯t believe what he just saw with his own very eyes. Two years went by since he got the ring and never did he even think once about wearing it. If only he had sooner. Or maybe, this was at the right time after all. Just when he needed a little more courage to try and overcome his fear, just when he needed a little comfort, that¡¯s what he was granted. He swept away the few tears from his face and it suddenly changed into a very determined one. Tomorrow I will be heading to the guild and I¡¯ll be signing up. The trainee exam is in 3 days. Which gives me enough time to prepare. I have survived in that forest more times than can be counted on two hands. Seems like my pops was determined I would follow in his footsteps. Even his last words made that clear. Hanma never made decisions this rash. He always took time to go over every possibility. But somehow those words form his father changed his mind in the most abrupt way possible. He trusted his father with every cell in his body and those words of encouragement really did something to him. He turned off the lights that were dimly illuminating his bedroom and went to sleep. He had no dreams that night, only a good well rested sleep. [6] Recruit 2 Hanma was walking down the same road as he has been doing for the past two years ever since moving out of the village. The relaxing sound of trees rustling in the wind on one side, and the gorgeous view of the wind blowing over the grass on the other. The road was placed parallel to the forest until it branched off eventually where one path would actually split into the forest and the other would lead to the city he was heading to. The sun was currently rising and it¡¯s a first that he actually woke up this early for a long time. After all, he couldn¡¯t sleep because of what happened yesterday. After arriving in the city he went straight to the Explorers Guild. It looked like a bigger version of an Inn and was three stories high. On the first floor, you had the run of the mill cafeteria and reception every guild has. On the second floor would be temporary housings and on the third, you had offices for the people who worked here. Everybody would know to stay away from the third floor since it was practically branded as treason to go up there if you did not belong. Some things in this world have very strict rules and everybody would abide them for their own sake. It didn¡¯t mean that breaking all rules was strictly seen as treason, but the guild has had their troubles in the past with individuals who felt like they could just barge in any given moment. Let¡¯s just say there were made example of. ¡°Ah. I¡¯m too early aren''t I.¡± He muttered to himself when he stepped inside. The reception clerk wasn¡¯t sitting behind his desk yet. It would probably take a while seeing he was this early. Only two souls could be seen sitting at a table chatting to each other. One of them was a big guy with very gigantic muscles. His clothes were way too tight for his build. But most importantly it was wearing a big greatsword on his back. He recognized it right away since it had his mark stamped into it. Well, his family mark actually. It was his father who made that sword. One of the reasons he never came close to the guild was because of that. His father was a well-known blacksmith who made lots of weaponry and armor for explorers. And especially in this village since he¡¯d be willing to give the locals a discount. The other person was a total stranger to Hanma. He looked very bland. Not someone you¡¯d think would be an explorer. He had farmer clothes on after all. He then remembered you didn¡¯t have to be an actual explorer to simply enjoy a meal here. The bulky men looked over to Hanma¡¯s direction once he stepped inside. ¡°Tiny? Is it you? It¡¯s been ages!¡± The man jumped up and walked over to his direction. Saying it had been ages would have been an overstatement, but it had been a while. ¡°Hey, Gronk. How are you?¡± A fitting name for his appearance. The guy resembled a lot of an oversized woodcutter. ¡°Good as ever! I came back from a dungeon near Alterra. A big one that was, took a whopping forty-six of us to clear that one. Luckily we lost no-one! All thanks to our healers of course. The extra bunch of explorers we picked up along the way were terrible at coordinating with us. They made lots of mistakes and took lots of blows.¡± It was probably you and your ¡®bunch¡¯ who suck at coordinating with outsiders. Hanma thought to himself. ¡°Glad you made it back safe. Will you be staying for a while?¡± Hanma only asked because he could maybe convince Gronk to come along while he¡¯d try and clear the Cairn Mine Dungeon. ¡°For a week probably. I will be helping my friend there on the farm for a bit. Harvest season is upon us after all! Oh and now that I think of it. My sword could use a polish. You still open for business?¡± Gronk thought this may have been a good way to get a discount. He would have gotten one seeing how generous Hanma always is. That''s too bad, could have really used him. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll be closing down for a while. I will be taking the trainee exam in two days.¡± Everybody could sign up for the exam regardless of past and status. Some people were discouraged because of how brutal it can be on the unprepared and were advised to take some lessons and training. ¡°Oh really now?! Your father would have been proud, Tiny! I am sure of it.¡± Gronk said loudly with a big smile. Gronk always smiles but this one was particularly big. ¡°Will you be partaking the Hunter or Survival exam.¡± ¡°Survival of course. I¡¯m better at surviving than killing monsters after all. Seven days alone in a forest is long, but nothing compared to actual fighting.¡± Hanma could feel some hesitation in his words. It¡¯s not that he was scared of the exam. Moreso of what followed if he passed. He wasn¡¯t obliged to do anything but going into a dungeon was still a big step for him. ¡°I am sure you¡¯ll come out unscathed. It looks like the receptionist is ready to see you. Good luck Tiny!¡± While the conversation was happening the receptionist took place behind the desk. Gronk walked back to his seat to continue stuffing his meal down his throat. ¡°Welcome, how may I help?¡± The receptionist was a small man with an oddly weird curled mustache and his hair was combed all the way back. His face looked rather funny but also very comforting. It was probably one of the reasons he got this job. ¡°I would like to register for the upcoming exam.¡± Hanma raised his voice a bit. He was a bit nervous, it was his first time after all. ¡°Hunting of Survival?¡± ¡°Survival.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hanma Foji. I own the blacksmith out of town.¡± ¡°Of the Foji family? We have a celebrity in our midst I see. Aiming to become a Wandersmith like your father?¡± Hanma had not expected that question at all. A Wandersmith was a blacksmith who would go on expeditions. They would tend to broken or damaged gear and fix them or replace them. This was no easy task and bringing a forge inside a dungeon was not possible. Wandersmiths used other means of forging. They had these small red crystals called Fire Charges. These, when thrown in a pile of wood or coal, would ignite and set it on fire. They would also at the same time release a magical compound that would greatly increase the duration of the fire. Their tools weren¡¯t light either and they would need a flat and hard surface to work on. Most Wandersmiths knew a bit of earth magic for this exact reason. They could strengthen and flatten stone to serve as an anvil. Usually, they carried a steel plate with them which they would iron to the flat surface or if none were available in the ground. Because this was such a hard job a Wandersmith was very sought after and paid very well. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Oh, okay then. Here are your registration papers. Look it over with care and sign your name at the bottom.¡± Hanma read over the papers. They were mostly guidelines on how the exam would work and some lines about the guild not being responsible for any damages. This included the rare chance of dying. The survival exam Hanma was signing up for was one of the two exams available. In this one, the trainee was blindfolded and dropped in a forest. You could only take the blindfold off if you could hear a horn blow. At that point, the trial started. From there on out the trainees had to survive for seven full days. Unlike the Hunting exam, there weren¡¯t any monsters running loose since they would be carefully taken care of before it would start. Once those seven days were over they had to find their way back to the entrance and they could collect their badges. That was all it took to become an explorer. If you could not survive this simple task then becoming an explorer was simply out of the question. Surviving in a forest isn¡¯t that big of a task compared to the hunting exam where you were faced with actual dangers. Of course, there were animals in the forest which could be threats. Bears, boars, and stags. But if you could circumvent those animals it was nothing compared to fighting actual monsters. Granted if you could fight then going for the Hunting exam would be much faster. It really depended on how fast you could slay and find them with the maximum amount of ten hours. Garth took nine hours to finish his. ¡°Here, all signed.¡± ¡°Thank you, here is your wooden badge. We¡¯ll see you in two days. Do you know where you need to be?¡± ¡°Yes, all there on the papers right?¡± ¡°Indeed. Good luck!¡± The man handed the papers back to Hanma and also gave him a wooden badge. This badge was a symbol of a trainee. Only with the badge, one could participate in the exam. Hanma decided to visit the old man. The stone was near the road back anyway. ¡°Back again are we? Not enough ore? It¡¯s not my fault when you screw up the smelting process. So don¡¯t be getting angry at me like the last time.¡± The man chuckled a little. He can still remember the first time Hanma came to buy ore with his father¡¯s recommendation. He screwed up the refinement process and blamed it all on him! ¡°Hello, old man. No just came to chat again. You¡¯re the only one I can actually bear to speak with. The rest is either overly enthusiastic or they¡¯re a moron.¡± Hanma sighed and placed his hands on the counter to rest his body on. ¡°You know, you should really stop calling me old man and by my real name. Philip is fine.¡± Philip had become used to being called an old man but that did not mean it was to his liking. That¡¯s when he suddenly looked down at the hand of the young man. ¡°That ring! I see you finally started to wear it. What made you change your mind? Finally got sick of having to guess the status of your tools and materials?¡± ¡°Status? All I know is that the ring holds a message from my father to me. And what changed my mind I¡¯d rather keep to myself.¡± ¡°Yes, status. It¡¯s an Appraisal Ring after all. Don¡¯t you know? And what¡¯s that about a message. Show me.¡± Hanma concentrated on the ring and after a second or two, the message was displayed hovering above the ring. ¡°An Appraisal Ring showing messages? That¡¯s new to me. How did he manage to¡­. oh my I think I know. Could you hand it over for a second?¡± Philip took some tweezers out of a drawer and Hanma handed over the ring. Philip took a close look at it and started spinning the round around in the tweezers. That¡¯s when he noticed a darker spot in between where the opal sat in the gold. ¡°Aha! Found it, to think your father really succeeded in changing a material¡¯s appraisal information. He never ceases to amaze me, even in the beyond.¡± Hanma still did not understand what was happening at all. It knew what the word appraisal meant but what had that to do with the ring? Philip took a little shard of metal out of the ring and laid it on the counter. ¡°That small piece of metal there contains the message your father made for you. You see, this ring can appraise the value of objects and will give you information about it. That¡¯s what the letters normally form. But your father altered the information this piece of metal would give. He must have magically inscribed it. If people were only half as smart as that man, the world would be such a better place.¡± ¡°How do I appraise an item?¡± Hanma took the tiny shard of metal and put it in a small bag. He then took the ring and put it back on its finger. He tried focussing on the ring again but the message did not appear. It seems the old man is right. ¡°Hold on.¡± Philip said as he walked over to a piece of stone. He picked it up and set it down. ¡°Now, place the opal on this piece of stone, and do what you did to make the message appear.¡± Hanma put the opal on the stone and indeed. The blue liquid gas like substance formed.
Iron ore. 15% Purity. It can be processed into wrought iron.
¡°Does this mean the ore only houses a small amount of iron?¡± Hanma was amazed at what just happened. He could tell the amount of iron that he would get out of ore and started to wonder what the ring could tell him about all sorts of things. ¡°Exactly, although fifteenTake good care of that young man. It is something rather special. But be aware, significant use can tire you out. The amounts of time between rests depends on the person.¡± ¡°Thank you, Philip! I won¡¯t forget this. I¡¯ve got to head home now but I¡¯ll come back before I leave!¡± Hanma started hastily walking back. ¡°Leave where? Where are you going?¡± Philip did not quite know what that meant. ¡°The exam! I enrolled!¡± Hanma had already gone around a corner but Philip had heard him. ¡°It seems like he¡¯s finally starting to fulfill his destiny. You''ll look after him from up there won¡¯t you, Harman?¡± [7] Exam 1 Sitting in a carriage was actually pretty nice for a change. He would be on time if he were to walk, but getting to relax a bit in the cart before it all starts was very refreshing. Hanma had been picked up by a farmer on his way to Fiery Forest. To his surprise, he wasn¡¯t the only one in the carriage who was going to be taking the exam. ¡°Always happy to pick up future explorers. You¡¯ll be the one keeping us alive after all!¡± While the man wasn¡¯t completely wrong, he did sound like he had no idea how dungeons actually operated. Monsters didn¡¯t leave its premises as they were bound to it. Although dungeons could spawn in important places, like the mine in Cairn, it didn¡¯t mean that they were in any life-threatening danger. The man was laughing a bit too over-enthusiastic, nobody really replied to him. A small ¡®thanks¡¯ was all he got. Before Hanma left he went to see Garth. After all, why would he even bother if Garth decided to go alone and get killed? He notified him of his plans and asked him to wait for a week. Garth couldn¡¯t be happier and said he¡¯d likely be training anyway before actually attempting the dungeon. He did find it odd that the guild made no attempt at all to put a bounty on the dungeon. Even if they had more pressing matters, how long would it really take to put up a bounty? It¡¯s as if they purposely didn¡¯t want anyone in there. Maybe they had a feud with the Tsutharoth mining company? No one seemed to be able to want to answer that. There were two other travelers in the carriage. A boy with a rather large basket that he sat down on the ground after climbing in the cart. It was sealed off properly so nobody could see what was in it. He had one of those farmers hats and looked downwards so it was rather hard to see his face. The other one looked older. The other boy was a bit older, had a small sword strapped to his belt and was currently sound asleep. He didn¡¯t mind the bumping and rocking of the carriage at all. His hair was shaved into the form of a mohawk and very short. His clothes looked like old rags it had picked up somewhere. One would guess he could have been homeless but the sword told you otherwise. It was in pristine condition, though a bit weird to wear one without scabbard. Hanma thought he may have lost it somehow and should get one before accidentally cutting himself.. Hanma himself was carrying an axe it had forged a while ago. It had not been sold yet so he took it himself. He wasn¡¯t quite as versatile with the sword yet. After a while, the carriage came to a halt. ¡°This is as close as I get! Good luck to you all!¡± Hanma walked to the front of the carriage and said his thanks. He noticed the other two had already left. He followed them but didn¡¯t talk to them. The two in front of him seemed to get along after a while and he picked up some of their small chats about where they came from and what their goal was. The farmer¡¯s boy wanted to be secured of a spot in his town¡¯s guild if the time ever arose he would want to become a full-fledged explorer. The ragged clothed one said it came from out of the mountains a day or four from here. His family is one with great explorers so naturally, he had to become one as well, he reasoned. The farmland was left behind as they walked into the forest. After an hour of walking with nothing happening in particular, the forest seemed to change. Now and then you would see a red tree sprout between the green ones but as they strode on they became more and more frequent until the green was fully replaced with red. They had entered the Fiery Forest. ¡°It¡¯s not far from here.¡± the farmer turned to Hanma. ¡°Just a little more and we should reach the rendezvous area. From there on out we have a couple of hours to rest.¡± ¡°Ah, thanks. How is it you know all this?¡± Hanma asked the farmer boy. ¡°It¡¯s not my first time I¡¯m partaking in the trial. Last time was a bit¡­. Well let¡¯s say things did not go as I was expecting them to. I ate the wrong kind of mushrooms, not the ones that make you sick, and I started tripping really bad. Somehow I woke up at the entrance and was disqualified. Not that I could go on anyway.¡± The farmer was awkwardly smiling. This was also the first time they had a conversation and somehow Hanma felt like he could become friends with him. Something he rarely did.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°I¡¯m Hanma. Nice to meet you.¡± Hanma put his arm forward. ¡°Tak, nice to mee you Hanma.¡± Tak shook his hand. ¡°My name is Wackerion, friends call me Wacko.¡± Hanma had a quick giggle when he heard that. ¡°Nice to meet you as well.¡± Instead of walking behind the two he now walked with them. He started telling a little bit about himself as well. He thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°You¡¯re a blacksmith? How cool! You must be trying to become a wandersmith right?¡± Tak couldn¡¯t keep in his excitement when he heard it. ¡°Uhm.. not really. There¡¯s something I need to do in my village and it involves entering a dungeon. What¡¯s past that, I have no idea.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do good. You seem strong. I guess all blacksmith are strong seeing as they are doing hard labor all day. I¡¯m in the field but most of the animals do all the hard work. That and I mostly tend to the small animals.¡± They continued to have a chat and after a couple of minutes, they saw the clearing where they are supposed to meet. In the back stood a gate that would be the entrance of the exam grounds. The perimeter was set off with a small fence and spanded several kilometers wide. Crossing that small fence would mean immediate disqualification. This much Hanma knew but that was all his father had explained to him. He believed it was best to try it rather than him explaining everything. He had also meant for him to take the exam when he returned from his expedition. Naturally, that thought hadn¡¯t crossed Hanma¡¯s mind for a while. ¡°Welcome! The name¡¯s John. I¡¯ll be your examinator for the next couple of days. Please join the group, you should be the last to arrive. If not I¡¯ll give them a seperate explanation.¡± Hanma, Tak, and Wacko joined the group of teenagers who were already sitting down on the grass facing John. In total there were around 20 of them. ¡°Today we will be the start of the Survival exam of this year. Currently, forty of them are held around the country and you can be proud of yourself to attend one of them. The challenge ahead will be rough, but let¡¯s not fret about that. I am sure most of you will make it if you keep your wits about!¡± John told them about the perimiter and not to cross it unless you wanted to be disqualified. Furthermore that the area did not have any monsters roaming around. They did a full sweep of the area before today. This did not mean that wild animals, which roamed the forest, would ignore them. That¡¯s why it was permitted to bring a weapon but only a weapon. You couldn¡¯t take any other tools with you. Hanma quickly took off his ring and slowly put it in his pocket. He certainly wasn¡¯t planning on giving it to anyone so it was best he hid it. At last, he told them about the time limit. They had seven days to get back to this very clearing. If they got lost and didn¡¯t make it in time there would be a team sent out to rescue them. Depending on how deep into the forest they were it could take a couple of hours. They would then be escorted back but not given a copper badge which signaled that they had completed the exam. ¡°That¡¯s all. Any questions?¡± Nobody seemed to have a question for John. ¡°Alright, you can rest for now. I¡¯ll call you all to gather ten minutes before we start.¡± The three boys that met eachother on the road stood up and began walking to a tree to rest at. ¡°You there, farmer boy. Come here real quick. I¡¯ve got to check the contents of that basket.¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± Tak put down his basket in front of John and opened it up. ¡°I see, it would be quite bothersome if you had to carry that in your hands yes. Well alright, it¡¯s permitted. Just be careful with it alright?¡± ¡°Will do!¡± Tak walked back to the duo and they went to sit under a tree. ¡°I am going to rest for a bit. Don¡¯t mind me¡± said Wacko. ¡°Same here.¡± Tak also laid down. Hanma soon followed but he didn¡¯t know if he could actually rest. He was beginning to feel very nervous right now. I hope John didn¡¯t notice my ring. I don¡¯t see anybody else wearing any jewelry. Also, what¡¯s with this year''s trial. Normally you¡¯d had to venture out into the forest and the perimeter would be a lot smaller. Does this mean we can complete the trial in less than seven days? I should have asked John when I had the chance. Gotta stop hesitating like that. Time to rest now. [8] Water attracts more than one creature. ¡°Oof, please don¡¯t wake me up like this.¡± ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t have fallen asleep like that. I told you I¡¯d be gathering you guys soon.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Sorry, sir! Ready to assemble.¡± ¡°Good, now follow me.¡± Tak had fallen asleep under the tree and had to be woken by John. The others did not succeed at all even though they have been trying for a minute or two. John had to give him a rather hard slap in the face. What a deep sleeper. Wish I could sleep like that sometimes. Although if I got hit like that I would have had a different reaction. Hanma followed them to a spot a bit deeper in the fences of the forest. The gate wasn¡¯t all that spectacular. Just an iron gate like you see on farm fields. The fence itself seemed to stretch on for miles. How will they be keeping an eye on us like this? After reaching another clearing five minutes away from the gate John told all of them to gather around him. Hanma noticed that the group had gained five new members. Not that he cared to notice what they looked like and who they were. He was here for himself. ¡°Some of you with a magic background may have noticed that there have been some teleportation moments in this rather short walk. Right now we are in the middle of the forest. Getting to one of the sides of the forest would take you a full day of walking. You are free to choose in which direction you go when I announced that the exam has begun.¡± What?! Did they use teleportation magic? Maybe that¡¯s how they¡¯ll keep an eye on the students¡­ I have not even noticed. Did anyone else? ¡°I¡¯ll tell you one more time. Crossing the fence will mark the exam as an instant failure for yourself. If you, in any way, make someone cross the fence we will know. The same rules apply, but you both fail. Each one of you should be capable of defending yourself. Don¡¯t think this exam is any less difficult than the Hunting Exam. Ready? Start!¡± John suddenly vanished right in front of their eyes. Lots of the other students started to mumble in utter fascination and confusion. Some of them even started running away as fast as possible.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Can¡¯t blame em. With remarks like being threatened, I would get out of here as fast as possible as well. Let¡¯s see what Tak and Wacko are up to. ¡°So what will you be doing? I was thinking of finding someplace to build a shelter at. These woods suddenly feel a lot different, don¡¯t they? Will we be teaming up?¡± Tak had become a little more scared by the remarks John made as well and was very eager to team up. He didn¡¯t want to let the other two notice though. ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.¡± Wacko sad. ¡± What about you Hanma? We could use an axe for a lot of things now that I think of it.¡± ¡°Sure, I would feel a little bit safer that way as well. I¡¯m just a blacksmith. I¡¯ve been forced to camp in the woods for a couple of days but¡­ something makes my spine shiver here.¡± The three of them started wandering in a random direction. They eagerly searched for a water source to set up camp. ¡°So, how will they notify us if the exam has ended? We can count the days but my recollection of the current time will probably not be accurate.¡± Tak said. ¡°No idea, we¡¯ll find out in seven days. Getting bored might be more of a concern. How hard will it be to survive for seven days? All we have to do is find a water source and some food that¡¯ll last us a while.¡° Wacko replied. I just hope we can get enough food for the three of us. I know how to ration but we have just met. Will we be alright? Hanma couldn¡¯t help himself and worry. He never really talked with other people much other than his customers of Old Man Philip. He decided to stay quiet and lead the small group forward. The walk took a while before one of the three students said something. ¡°Shhh¡­ I think I can hear water flow.¡± Hanma said while suddenly stopping. ¡°I can hear it as well. It¡¯s to the right.¡± Wacko said and immediately turned 90 degrees to the source of the sound. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I am thirsty as hell!¡± The three of them started walking towards the sound as it became louder and louder. They slowly picked up the pace and were almost running until the trees suddenly came to a halt. There it was, a river that was several meters wide. Hanma guessed it might have been seven or eight in total and it was rather deep. You could see the rocks at the bottom but only because the river was very clear. Maybe a little too clear for a forest river he thought. ¡°Haha! Yes! Now, all we need is shelter.¡± Tak looked like he was about to jump in the air before his face suddenly turned that frown upside down. He became as pale as a ghost. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Tak?¡± Hanma asked him in a rather pressing way. ¡°Do. Not. Move.¡± He pointed towards their right. ¡°That''s.. A bear...¡± Hanma froze completely. Never had he encountered one this big. The bear was three meters tall. Had grey fur and a weird red look in his eyes. His claws were normal bear claws but the size of them was something else. And then suddenly, it seemed to notice their presence. [9] Whats a class? It¡¯s a beautiful day. The sun is out, only a couple of clouds to be seen up high, the overwhelming sound of a river flowing and a bear that¡¯s growling. ¡°JUUUUUMP!!¡± Wacko yelled as hard as he could. Without any thinking, he jumped into the river and felt the current sweep him away. The current might not look like it was strong when standing on land but it was a strong one for sure. He got pushed underwater in an instant but was able to get back up to the surface of the water fairly quickly. The bear growled and suddenly took a dash at the two left standing on the side of the river. Hanma knew bears were fast and that they could swim but his best chances were to take a big dive into that river. Tak did not hesitate as well, he immediately jumped after Hanma. His big basket wasn¡¯t much of a help but that¡¯s something he did not want to lose. The bear was running in their direction and at an insane speed that no ordinary bear should have. It seemed they were lucky enough to be more than a few meters away from it when it started to consider them as a snack. The bear jumped after them into the river, certain that it would be able to devour its new prey. It was heavy though, so heavy it almost sunk to the bottom of the river when it hit the water. The current was way worse below than it was up top. The bear was dragged away by it and started hitting several rocks underwater and then *THUMP*... It hit its head on a rock. The light in its eyes dimmed and nobody would ever see it again. Of course, the three soon to be adventurers did not know of this and were still fighting for their lives to get to the other side. Tak was struggling the worst. He had his heavy basket still clung to his back and couldn¡¯t move as well as the other two because of it. He actually started to consider dumping it. Even if it would decrease his chances of survival. Not that it mattered. He was no ordinary farmer like he made the others believe. Wacko was already making strides and Hanma couldn¡¯t decide if he should go help Tak or save himself first. After a second or two he decided it was best to help. He tried to swim back to Tak as the river took them all downstream. ¡°Grab my hand!¡± He screamed. ¡°I am trying but I keep getting pushed in all directions! Hold on!¡± Wow, is he actually able to keep a cool head like this? Are farmers trained for situations like these? I am panicking really hard right now! Aaargh almost there. Just a little more! Eventually, Tak was able to reach Hanma and grabbed his hand. Together they slowly swam to shore, sometimes getting dragged down by the current and almost drowning because of the water pushed down their throats as they gaped for air. They made it to the riverside and climbed upon the rocks that separated the river from the land. ¡°Blurgh! *cough cough*. Let¡¯s never do that again.¡± Tak said. ¡°You should be glad we made it. Rivers can be dangerous like that, what if we hit a rock or something. One of us could have been dead. A river this strong should even be in a forest like this. It¡¯s no mountain for damn sake. Wacko is from the mountains, right? He would know best what to do then... Where¡¯s Wacko by the way?!¡± Hanma jumped up and started searching for his teammate. ¡°WACKO! Can you hear us?¡± After a minute or two he could see Wacko run towards them. He already had a headstart and was a quicker swimmer. He made it to shore way before them. ¡°Ah, there he is. It looks like he was faster than us. Good for him. I was worried the bear might have got to him.¡± ¡°Speaking of which. Where is it? I am pretty sure it jumped in after us.¡± Tak said.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Guys! I see you made it. You even have all your gear! Good, we''re going to need that to set up a camp and fire right away. We are drenched and need to dry and warm ourselves. Hanma we need your axe to gather firewood. Best to search for dry branches. We can¡¯t waste any energy. We just spilled it all.¡± Wacko didn¡¯t give them a second to reply and strolled further into the forest looking for a good place. It couldn¡¯t be too far out from the river and it had to be big enough for 3 persons and some tools. But also not too big since they would want to be able to protect it. Wait¡­ my ring?!. Hanma grabbed into his pockets wildly searching for it. It didn¡¯t take him long to find it. Thank god it''s still there. I should put it on just in case. Losing it would be devastating for me. Plus, I think my father would rise from the grave just to give me one last lecture if that happened. Hanma softly brushed the gem on the ring with his fingers. The gem started to lit up and then as quickly as it lit it began to lose its light.
Ring Activated Bound to Hanma of the Foji clan
Ah, that¡¯s right. My family was an official clan. Too bad I don¡¯t know what happened to the rest of them. I wonder why no one ever visits. Maybe I am the last of my family? Dad an mom never spoke of any other family. ¡°Hanma hurry!¡± Tak shouted. ¡°Coming!¡± Hanma yelled back. He took two steps but suddenly stopped. Wait, what?! What did I just see? Ring activated? Does it hold more power than the appraisal spell? Hold on, can I let it appraise itself? ¡°You know what, you two walk ahead! I need to think for a bit about how we''re going to gather food!¡± He had to make some kind of excuse to be alone for a bit. He did not want the others to know about this. ¡°Hanma, you sure? It can be dangerous. Apparently, some of the animals in this forest aren¡¯t your run of the mill ones.¡± Tak wondered why he¡¯d wanted to be alone right now. Did something happen? Besides almost drowning and getting eaten by a bear. ¡°I will be close behind don¡¯t worry!¡± Hanma shouted back. Tak followed Wacko and they started chatting. Hanma was slowly walking forward and couldn¡¯t focus on what was being said at all. He was thinking of something else lost in a deep train of thought. So bad he almost stumbled over a rock. ¡°Dangit. Need to be more careful. But first.¡± He tried a couple of movements with his hand and ring, nothing happened. He then touched the gem again. Still nothing. ¡°Why won¡¯t it work.¡± He then slid his finger over the gemstone and to his surprise another strange image appeared in his head.
Information
Name Hanma Foji
Class: Blacksmith
Subclass: -
Age 19
Rank Unranked
Skills ****
Wait this information is about me? Name, Class? Does it mean Job? Subclass? It knows my Age. And there¡¯s a Rank as well. Might this be the explorer rank? Weird, the ring is sending all this information straight to my head. What''s with the skills? As soon as he thought of the world ¡°Skills¡± another box appeared in his head.
Skill Level
Metal Basics 1 [MAX]
Tool Handling 3 [MAX]
Leather Works 1 [ 86%]
Weapon Forging 2 [62%]
Armor Forging 1 [78%]
Unlockable