Ultimate Level 1

Chapter 192: Legendary Crafting

“You sure this is a good idea? Leaving the safety of the faction?”

Max nodded and waved off Tom’s concerned expression. “Let’s be honest. Sitting around doing nothing isn’t going to make my life better, and if I remember, someone told me to live and enjoy life.”

“Yes!” exclaimed Tom. “That was before you had someone attempt to kill you! Again!”

Tanila and Max both shrugged and continued walking toward the gate of the property.

“We’ll be fine,” Tanila informed Tom. “Besides, don’t you need to get some items together for us?”

“But... I mean... Uh…” Tom sputtered, unable to find words that made sense.

“We’ll be back tomorrow!” Max shouted as he waved at the older man, who had stopped a few feet back. “Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll have her home before curfew!”

Tom started to curse, and Max and Tanila grinned as they walked past the four guards.

“You’re going to owe me big,” she whispered as they moved to the carriage waiting for them.

Groaning, Tanila climbed into the cart, ignoring Max’s gaze as best as she could.

“This is an impressive list. I take it you two are open to discussion about materials I might want.”

Everett nodded slowly. “On the table, you will find all but a few items that I cannot trade away unless a few other council members that rarely meet agreed upon it.”

Max tried to hide his surprise, having never heard of a council before. He wasn’t sure if Everett was being serious or if he was making up an excuse.

“That is fine. For now, I’ll probably pass on wanting anything. I have a few ideas of things I might want, but unless I see them, I don’t want to tip my hand.”

Everett chuckled and began opening the different chests on the crafting room table.

“I’ll sit here until you get a look at each item. I have the items I suspect you will need in the chest on the table behind you.”

Nodding, Max extended a piece of paper to Everett. “One last thing. This boy on this paper has not yet had his choosing day. It is in a few years, but something tells me the gods themselves may provide another weaponsmith in a few years. Reach out to the dwarf Zach there. Tell them I introduced them to you and that you are interested in possibly forging a relationship.”

Everett groaned at the crafting joke, and Max couldn’t help but smile, honestly having not realized how it sounded until it came out.

“I can send someone to inquire about the boy,” Everett replied. “Do you seriously believe you can tell that this boy, Brian, may have been touched by the gods?”

Max continued looking through the table's chests, nodding and partially ignoring Everett’s question. He wasn’t certain, but inside him, something felt like it might be a possibility.

The chests were easy to get through. Nothing in his skill told him there was a single item that would be worth using with his dragon tooth. It begged the question of whether his faction even possessed items worth using. Without getting a chance to see what was hidden, Max could only build up a reputation and start earning materials he couldn’t collect for himself.

“You can close them. I’ll get started on the list and do what I can. After today, I’ll probably be gone for a week, maybe two, so don’t get anxious if I don’t show up for a bit.”

Everett nodded and began closing the chests. Once they were done, he moved to the door and opened it, turning before going into the hallway. “I’ll leave you to the items. Someone is outside if you need anything or me. I have also left a few drinks and food items in the chest with the materials.”

Grinning, Max waved at Everett. When it was only him and the chest with materials to complete the requests, Max’s grin grew as he headed to heat up the forge.

It was time to craft.

Hours passed, and Max was in the zone. His mind and skill were driving every swing of his hammer, each etching of the special chisels that would carve the runes and lines he knew needed to be set, all with the intent of housing the weapons he was working on.

Tom had stopped in twice, staying only for a few minutes, never speaking, just watching the impossible that unfolded before his eyes.

Everett had returned near the time Max was finishing up the blade for the sword. He had spent a good half hour just a few meters away, his eyes locked on the process.

Yawning, Max blinked his eyes, knowing it was late into the night. He should be exhausted, but knowing that he was only a few hours from finishing up two weapons at the same time had energized him.

Storing both weapons in his storage, Max moved to the door and opened it.

Sitting on a chair outside was a female dwarf reading a book.

“Excuse me. Can you tell the Faction leader that I’m probably going to be done soon with the requests?”

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The woman jumped up immediately and nodded. “I’ll have them here soon if they are still up.”

Smiling, Max shut the door and went back inside, ready to return to work.

He was almost done with the lightning essence. The sword was longer than he would prefer, over four feet in total length. The person it was being crafted for must be much taller to easily handle a one-handed blade this long.

Everett was sitting on a stool, still wiping the sleep from his eyes.

The essence arched occasionally as it moved along the blade, each time almost feeling like it was fighting to break free from the lines Max had carved.

A pop and sizzle came, and the whole sword glowed for a moment, lightning running along the double-edged blade from tip to hilt.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Max nodded and looked at Everett, who had risen to his feet and nodded slowly.

“Still want me to try for the second essence?”

Frowning slightly, the older man winced and studied Max.

“Be honest with me, Joshua. What are our odds it will work?”

“Twenty-five percent, though I’m assuming you know that already,” Max replied with a chuckle. “It’s your essence, so you get to decide if you want to risk it.”

Scratching the scruff on his face, Everett took a moment to consider how rare they were and the risk involved.

“If it was yours, what would you do?”

Laughing, Max shook his head. “Don’t ask me that. As a crafter, I always want to push my limits. You have to decide as the one paying for all this. It will take more time, and if this one fails, we will be done trying to add another essence. How badly do you want this sword to be as powerful as possible?”

Groaning at Max’s words, Everett smirked. “That’s a bastard of a question to ask, and you know it. Fine, let’s give it a try. After all, it’s only money, right?”

Nodding, Max moved to the chest and retrieved the fire essence waiting on him. He was hoping that Everett would risk this. The crafting skill was guiding him, telling Max just how hard this was going to be, and part of him wondered what a Godly weapon would be like.

An hour had passed, and Max was sweating—not from the heat the essence gave off but from the way the blade seemed to sometimes accept the magic of the essence and other times push it away. The core was almost gone, and Max couldn’t decide what the outcome was going to be.

Infuse the blade with your fire magic… flood the essence with your mana.

Max’s hands almost shook as the voice of the skill flooded his mind.

I can do that?

Most crafters do not have magical affinity… you have an elemental affinity. What you can craft is beyond what they can. When you finally acquire what you need for that dragon’s tooth, I will share some guidance with you. That beast may regret sharing that tooth.

Taking a few deep breaths, Max began to pour his magic into the essence, and it grew brighter, almost as if it was growing in size.

Everett shifted on his stool, leaning forward. His eyes studied the essence, which was not acting as he had expected.

Why are you helping me?

Max couldn’t understand why the skill had changed. At one moment, it felt like a whirlpool of desire to consume everything; at another, it was calm and helpful.

Silence seemed to stretch as Max continued to pour mana into the essence, and it flowed into the blade.

We will talk later. Focus for now.

Grunting, Max redoubled his effort, watching as the blade's lines grew brighter. Fire ran up and down the blade, sinking into the runes, and a flash of orange light erupted as the essence soaked into the weapon.

“It worked!” Everett shouted as the older man leaped to his feet. “You did it!”

Max nodded and let out a sigh of relief. “All we need to do is finish it.”

The Faction leader was ecstatic, fist pumping and shadow boxing in the air. When the usually reserved man noticed Max smiling at him, he coughed and grinned. “Forgive me… just a little excited.”

“I understand. Give me a few more minutes, and I’ll have the final product for you.”

“Everett… are you serious?” Tom’s eyes never left the blade as he held it in his hands.

When Max had started the final process of ending the creation of the sword, Everett had sent the dwarf off to get Tom, not caring what time it was.

“Yes, but don’t talk about it. Joshua is adamant about not knowing the stats.”

“Still… this is…” Tom trailed off, hearing a cough from Max as he finished up the dagger they had requested. “Sorry… this is just exceptional.”

“Glad to hear you both like it. Perhaps you should document how excited you both are so when I finally ask for payment, neither of you will complain.”

Each of the older men chuckled and nodded.

“You should ask now,” Tom replied. “I’m not sure how you’ll be able to overcome this moment.”

Max shrugged and turned to finish up the last part of the dagger he was almost done with.

“These stats,” Tom whispered as he handed the sword back to Everett. “She will flip!”

Grinning, Everett took one last look before storing the weapon. “You certain you don’t want a room? It’s been a long night.”

Max shrugged and continued wiping down the blade of the weapon, letting the last bit of magic seep into the places it needed to go.

[ Legendary Dagger Crafted ]

[ 5 Experience Gained}

Sighing to himself, Max shook his head in frustration. Those early experience gains had been for crafting something at a higher level the first time. Even the sword had only given him five experience.

“It’s done,” Max said as he set the dagger on a cloth on the bench. The next moment, Max started collecting his tools. He had purchased a dimensional tool pouch that was making keeping up with everything much easier.

“I actually need to head out. Don’t ask, as I haven’t got a clue when I’ll be back. I made a few promises to some others, and I need to make sure I keep them.”

Grunting, Everett nodded and fought the urge to pick up the dagger and inspect it immediately.

“You sure I can’t give you even a little gold? Something to help me feel like I’m not taking advantage of you?”

Max shook his head and stored his tool pouch. “I never charge money. That's always been the way I’ve done it.”

“Well, just know that sword will make a certain tower climber very happy. I could get her to swing by and thank you personally if you want.”

Moving toward the door, Max shrugged. “Maybe one day. For now, I need to go. I’m assuming the woman outside can show me out?”

Both men nodded and turned toward the dagger, waiting for Max to be gone from the room.

The second the door shut, Tom couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Seventy-five strength and dexterity! On a sword! Do you have any idea how incredible that is?!”

Everett bobbed his head once, his hand already on the dagger.

Those grey eyes of Everett sparkled as his white eyebrows raised in excitement.

“I just wish we knew where that kid came from. This city is becoming a melting pot of impressive people.”

Tom held out his hand and coughed, waiting for a turn to see why his friend was so excited.

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