Leo and Liana walked down the quiet streets of Avermoor, heading to Torgrim's shop for his weapon delivery. No carriage today—Leo wanted to walk, like always.
The streets were empty, just the sound of their boots on the bumpy stones. Liana looked around, frowning a little, then sighed. "Why'd that guy put his shop here?" she asked, sounding a bit worried.
"Could've picked a better spot in town."
Leo grinned small, hands in his pockets. "Torgrim's real proud of his weapons," he said. "Only sells to people who can use 'em good. That's why he doesn't get much business."
Liana mumbled something, still peeking at the dark corners. Last time, she took a carriage to take the knuckle glove. But walking here makes her nervous.
They got to the shop—old and beat-up, the sign above the door faded and creaky. Liana went in first, the bell ringing loud in the quiet.
Leo started to follow, but stopped short, turning back to the street. His crimson eyes got narrow, like he saw something sneaky out there.
"Young Master Leo?" Liana called from inside. "You okay?"
Leo stayed still a second, staring hard at the empty road, then shook his head. "It's nothing," he said quiet, and walked in, the door shutting with a groan.
Inside the dim shop, Torgrim grunted a welcome, his tone gruff and a little sharp toward Leo. "You two again," he said, eyeing them.
"I assume everything is ready?" Leo asked, unbothered by the dwarf's tone.
Torgrim snorted, turning toward a cluttered workbench piled high with half-finished projects. "I wouldn't be standing here wasting time if it wasn't. The detailing you gave—compressing voltsteel and stabilizing gravion—it made the whole process smoother than I expected. Never seen anything like those blueprints. The guy who came up with them must know metals better than his own name."
He rummaged through the mess before finally lifting a long wooden box. With a grunt, the dwarf carried it to the center of the room, placing it carefully on the table. "This here," he began, flipping open the lid.
Inside lay the sheathed katana, its black finish smooth and unassuming, yet sleek in design. Torgrim stepped back, folding his arms, allowing Leo to step forward and examine it.
Leo reached for the weapon, his hand brushing the sheath as he lifted it gently, weighing the balance in his grip.
"It's new for me," Torgrim remarked, his tone carrying a hint of pride. "making a long sword like that. Built for two hands."
Leo unsheathed the blade, revealing its gleaming surface. The metal seemed to glow faintly under the forge's light, its sharpness unmistakable.
Elynn quickly scanned the weapon.
[Name: Voltsteel Katana]
[Craftsmanship: Masterwork]
[Material: Voltsteel alloy with Blade metal core]
[Attributes: Enhanced conductivity for mana infusion; lightweight yet durable; amplifies elemental strikes by 30%]
[Durability: 95/100]
[Note: Optimized for precision and power, ideal for channeling fire or thunder mana. Prolonged overuse may strain mana reserves.]
"It's great," Leo said softly.
Torgrim huffed, nodding. "Mixed voltsteel with high-grade blade metal for the core—keeps it sharp and strong. Won't chip or dull easily, no matter how hard you swing. But…" His voice trailed off as his eyes narrowed, focusing on Leo with a pointed look.
"I only made this because you promised me those formulas for voltsteel and gravion stabilization. Let's not forget that deal. And one more thing." He leaned closer, his tone growing heavier. "Are you sure you can handle this weapon?"
"Why don't we find out?" Leo said smoothly. "Where's the testing ground?"
In the forge's backyard, the air was cooler but still carried the faint scent of steel and coal. The testing area was simple with sturdy dummies and durable targets scattered across the space.
Leo stood before one of the dummies, the katana held firmly in his hands. Liana and Torgrim stood off to the side, both watching closely as he prepared to test the weapon.
Leo closed his eyes briefly, centering himself. When he opened them again, his crimson gaze was sharp, focused. Slowly, he began channeling his fire mana into the katana.
The blade responded immediately, its surface glowing faintly as heat spread across the metal. The glow intensified, shifting into a deep molten red.
Then Leo swung the katana diagonally across the dummy. Flames followed the arc of the sword, colliding with the target. The dummy split cleanly in two, the top half tumbling to the ground while both pieces began burning.
Leo straightened, the katana still glowing faintly as he turned toward Torgrim and Liana. "It holds mana well," he remarked, his tone calm but satisfied.
Liana clapped fast, bouncing a little. "Great job, Young Master Leo!" she cheered, eyes bright.
Torgrim's jaw hung open, his gruff face slack with shock. "That's… crazy focus," he muttered. "How do you even do that?"
Of Course Leo has high concentration skills. Back as a hitman, he'd honed that focus—hours steadying a sniper, lining up shots that earned him Killing Machine title. Channeling mana into voltsteel is the same as using sniper—precision, patience, a long-range kill.
He met Torgrim's stare, smirking. "Believe me now?"
Torgrim huffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Alright, kid," he muttered. "You've proven yourself. But don't think I'm letting go of those blueprints."
Leo slid the katana back into its sheath with a smooth click. "They are yours," he said, and the blade vanished into his item space in a blink.
Torgrim's eyes popped wide, bushy brows shooting up. "Space magic?" he asked, voice rough with surprise.
Leo smirked faintly, his crimson eyes steady. "Yeah," he said casually, keeping the lie smooth and effortless. "Just a basic thing."
Torgrim snorted, shaking his head as if to dismiss the subject entirely. "Hmph. Lucky brat," he muttered under his breath, turning back to his shop.
Back inside the shop, Torgrim handed Leo a small wooden box, his expression calmer but still tinged with skepticism. Leo opened the lid, revealing the hunting knife inside—the very first weapon he had obtained upon arriving in this world. The blade gleamed brighter than before, its edge sharp and precise.
Torgrim folded his arms, nodding toward the knife. "I upgraded it," he said matter-of-factly. "Strengthened the steel, tweaked the balance. Should be more durable now, won't chip or dull easily."
Leo studied the knife closely, his crimson eyes narrowing as he ran his fingers along the edge. Elynn, scan, he thought silently.
[Name: Hunting Knife]
[Craftsmanship: High Quality]
[Material: Tempered steel with carbon alloy blend]
[Attributes: Increased durability (+40%); edge retention improved; balanced for throwing or close combat]
[Durability: 92/100]
Analysing the upgrades through his item space connection. Without hesitation, the knife vanished into item space, joining the katana.
Just as Leo placed the empty box back onto the table, Torgrim reached for another one. Before handing it over, Leo's attention shifted. A thought clicked in his mind, and he summoned the right-hand knuckle glove from his item space, laying it flat beside the box.
"The leather's burnt," Leo remarked plainly. "Fire mana tore through it during the last fight."
Torgrim picked up the glove, turning it over in his rough hands, inspecting the worn-out leather closely. "Hmm," he muttered under his breath. "I'll patch it up—shouldn't take long."
He placed the glove aside and handed the second small box to Leo. This time, the weight caught Leo off guard. His arms flexed subtly as he adjusted his grip, feeling the sheer density packed into the compact container.
Torgrim smirked faintly, his rough features crinkling. "Made with gravion—just like the blueprints outlined," he explained.
Without hesitation, Leo sent both hunting knife and heavy box into his item space, their weight lifting from his arms.
"Thanks," Leo said quietly, his tone carrying a rare hint of gratitude.
Torgrim grunted, waving a dismissive hand. "No thanks needed, kid. You handed me valuable blueprints—you're welcome here anytime. My forge's open for you."
"Got it," he replied and placed a pouch of commissioned money onto the desk, the coins jingling softly as Torgrim nodded in approval.
"Good doing business with you, kid," the dwarf grumbled, his tone gruff but appreciative.
Leo glanced toward Liana. "Let's go," he said simply.
The duo stepped out into the dim, desolate streets of Avermoor. The streets eerily quiet save for the faint echo of their footsteps on the uneven cobblestones.
Liana hugged her arms, looking up at Leo with a small, content smile. "It's good everything went so smoothly," she said, her voice breaking the stillness. "And the way you handled that weapon? Super amazing, Young Master Leo. You're… incredible."
Leo allowed himself a faint smirk at her praise but kept his focus ahead. His steps slowed slightly, his ears tuned to the faint sound of movement—something not their own. After a moment, he spoke softly, his tone calm. "I've got some incredible news too," he murmured.
She blinked, tilting her head. "News?" she asked, her voice light.
"We're being followed," he muttered quietly, his voice low and steady, almost dispassionate. "Mercenaries."
Liana's breath hitched, and she instinctively started to turn, but Leo's voice stopped her cold. "Don't turn around," he said sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If they see you notice them, it'll ruin the fun."
She swallowed hard, her brown eyes wide as she fought the urge to glance back. "How many?" she whispered, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to stay calm.
"Ten," Leo replied without hesitation. His smirk widened slightly, almost as if he found the whole situation amusing. "And their killing intent is strong."
Liana's knees felt weak, her stomach twisting with anxiety. "What… what do we do?" she stammered.
Leo's smirk turned sharper, his crimson eyes gleaming in the dim light, a predator catching the scent of his prey. He leaned slightly closer to Liana, his voice dropping to an almost playful murmur. "What do we do?" he repeated, his tone oozing quiet confidence. "We are opening the hunting season."
[Alert!]
[Hostiles Detected!(10/10)]