Finally the day I get my private lesson from the Advanced Disciple came! Since I had nothing to do in the morning, I contemplated what I should do with my 2 [Bronze Ingots]. Eventually I concluded next time, I should make a visit to the leather goods shop and buy some boots, then plate them in Bronze. I do not have the [Leatherworking] skill, but the majority of it will be done using [Blacksmithing]. I only plan on using the leather as inner padding for the boots after all. Which should probably not be too hard... My feet end up hurting like hell some times when walking, and especially after using [Charge].

Then after breakfast, I stop by the counter and pick up my permission slip. From there I head to the Advanced Disciple ward.

“Ya must be the new impressive Junior Disciple I’ve been hearin’ about?” said Advanced Disciple Gregon.

“I don’t know about impressive, but I do my best!” I reply with modesty.

“So what exactly are ya interested in little missy?” Gregon questions.

“I want to learn to smelt steel!” I exclaim with excitement.

“Smelt steel ya say...Alright little missy, but I must advise ya. A private lesson with an Advanced Disciple is nothin’ like one with an Intermediate Disciple. To be taught somethin’, ya must first pass a test!” Gregon warned.

“Okay...what is the test?” I inquire.

“It is really simple little missy, smelt this without losing over 0.7 quality score” Gregon notified while handing me an ore.

Iron Ore

An above average quality iron ore. Used in the smelting of ingots.

Quality 6.7013/10.0000

* gulp *

The ores I smelted before had the quality score of only 5.0 - 5.9...this is the highest quality ore I have ever seen...It’s literally begging me to smelt it * drool *

I take out Tommy, my [Iron Blacksmithing Hammer] and begin to smelt the [Iron Ore]. Of course I also use the help of my [All-Observing-Eyes] here and there to insure perfection to the best of my ability. After an hour, I finish and hand over the [Iron Ingot] for evaluation.

“Lets see… 6.5… Impressive little missy! Ya really are quite talented! Okay then as promised, I shall teach ya to smelt a [Steel Ingot]” Gregon announced.

He took some high quality [Iron Ore] and some high quality [Coal] and began smelting them together. After about 6 minutes.

Your skill [NP][Smelting] has become Level 6

Exactly what I came here for! Other than being taught of course…

He explained the entire process to me step by step, so it took him about half an hour to smelt it. During that half an hour I got another surprise.

You have acquired a new skill [CP][Blacksmith: Smithing Perfection] Level N/A

[CP][Blacksmith: Smithing Perfection] Level N/A

You now have a chance of improving an item beyond its initial quality score when using smithing skills.

Improve your chance of improving an item when using smithing skills by 5% + 0.5% for every level in your non-combat class + 0.25% for every point of [PER]

I almost threw up in shock! They ain’t advanced disciples for nothing!

“Now it is ya’r turn to try smelt it! If ya can’t get a quality score of at least 3, then consider this the end of ya’r lessons!” Gregon cautioned.

“No problemo~” I reply nonchalantly.

Frankly put, my experience, skills and stats have gone up by quite a bit. As long as the knowledge is provided and demonstrated, adding in [All-Observing-Eyes], getting a score above 3 isn’t too difficult.

I begin producing my [Steel Ingot], spending on it an hour and a half for good measure, it was finally complete! And I hand it over to Gregon.

“4.2… How?... little missy, are ya sure this is ya’r first time smelting steel?” Gregon inquired dumbfounded.

“Yup~! Next, can ya teach me to smith using steel?” I insist.

“* sigh * Alright then little missy, ya gonna have to pass a new test then. Take the [Iron Ingot] that ya made, and make it into a dagger. But make sure ya’r quality score does not drop below 6!” Gregon demanded.

This might actually prove to be a bit difficult… I was shown how to make a hammer, but not daggers… Of course I have seen plenty of daggers being made by others over the time since it is the most common thing made. Reason for that being because it only requires 1 ingot to make, so it is quite a popular item. On top of that, Doran did give me some pointers here and there. ..but still...

I begin making the dagger, the process was extremely difficult. My senses told me the final result will end up at around 5.9999, I was pretty much there but the barrier was too large to cross no matter how hard I tried. But I still did not give up, if this was just a few hours ago, I would agree that it was hopeless. But things are bit different now! After spending 4 hours on making the dagger, I was finally done.

Iron Dagger

An above average dagger made out of iron

+3 STR +3 DEX +3 AGI +3 VIT +60 ATK

[Made by Shiro]

Durability: 480/480

Quality 6.0000/10.0000

That was too close for comfort...If it wasn’t for [Blacksmithing: Smithing Perfection] and my high [LUK] stat, I would have failed 100%…

Of course, I was also well rewarded for my hard effort…

Level up!

Creationist: +2 to all unlocked attributes +5 MP +5 Mental +2 PER

Yey! About time! Now then...

“Here ya go~!” I excitedly exclaim showing the dagger.

“… little missy… Are ya sure ya aren’t an Intermediate Disciple from some other guild?” Gregon questions in a perplexed tone after seeing the dagger.

“Uhm...pretty sure...So will you show me how to make a hammer out of steel?” I inquire.

“Fine! Ya win little missy! A promise is a promise!” Gregon relents.

He takes the two [Steel Ingots] that we made and begins to forge a hammer out of steel while explaining the differences between making things out of steel and iron. It took him 2 hours to smith the [Steel Blacksmithing Hammer] due to explaining all the stuff to me.

And of course I was well rewarded in more ways than one!

Your skill [NP][Blacksmithing] has become Level 5

You have acquired a new skill [CP][Blacksmith: Imbued Smithing] Level N/A

[CP][Blacksmith: Imbued Smithing] Level N/A

You now have a chance of giving bonus stats to an item when using smithing skills.

Improve the probability of your smithing skills to give bonus stats by 5% + 0.5% for every level in your non-combat class + 0.25% for every point of [PER]

Improve the probability of your smithing skills imbuing the stats you desire by 10% + 1% for every level in your non-combat class + 0.5% for every point of [PER]

The rewards were much sweeter than I thought!

“Now then, it is ya’r turn! Unfortunately though, this private lesson only allocates a set amount of resources, so we only have 1 [Steel Ingot] to work with, so ya’r gonna have to settle for making a [Steel Dagger] instead. Ya need to get a minimum quality score of 3 to continue the lessons” Gregon explained.

“Okay! I’ll give it a shot!” I respond.

I take the provided [Steel Ingot] and begin smithing it into a dagger to the best of my ability. I spent about 4 hours on making the dagger just right...

Steel Dagger

A slightly below average dagger made out of steel

+5 STR +4 DEX +5 AGI +4 VIT +88 ATK

Bonus: +1 AGI

[Made by Shiro]

Durability: 887/887

Quality 4.4361/10.0000

“...”

“...This is madness! How in the world am I suppose to believe this?” Gregon bellowed in confusion. “I mean just gettin’ 4.4 in itself is already astonishing! But to get a bonus option as well?!?! How is anyone suppose... to believe... this?...* smirk *”

Suddenly in the middle of his raging he suddenly let out a greedy smile.

“Hey, ya’r name is Shiro if I remember it correctly? How about doin’ Uncle Gregon a little favor? As ya know, the quarterly competition is commin’ up soon, all Uncle Gregon wants ya to do is win. And in exchange, Uncle Gregon will give ya some extra free lessons and the materials ya need. How does that sound?” Gregon asked in a soft familiar tone as he hands me some ore.

Why are you calling yourself my uncle? You’re not my uncle...

Iron Ore

A semi-superior quality iron ore. Used in the smelting of ingots.

Quality 7.1002/10.0000

Coal Ore

A semi-superior quality coal ore. Often used in the production of smelting steel.

Quality 7.2518/10.0000

* gulp *

“Yes Uncle Gregon! I’ll do my best!” I agree in excitement, clearly not being bribed!

“Good then! Make sure to come by after tomorrow. While I can’t exactly provide ya with the same private training as today, ya can watch me work and I’ll explain my work to ya, Okay?” Gregon confirms.

“Sure...Though since there is still some time today, mind if I ask a few more questions?” I inquire.

“Of course! Ask away!” Gregon affirms.

“I was wondering about how enchanted, demon and holy steel is made and is there anything special required to make it?” I ask.

I always wondered how it differed from regular steel ever since I first heard about it...

“Well… there are multiple ways to make magical steel. The most common is Enchanted-steel, it is made when [Coal Ore] or [Steel Ingots] are infused with mana over a long period of time. Of course, it is possible for already made steel items to also become Enchanted-steel, but that is far rarer and takes far more time. The majority of Enchanted-steel and mana infused coal comes from dungeons, as dungeons tend to have a lot of condensed mana afterall. This is also why many magical items come from dungeons as well.

Demon-steel and Holy-steel is more complex though. In essence, it is the same as Enchanted-steel, but in reality it is much more difficult. Demon-steel comes from being exposed to a specific type of dark attribute mana called miasma. Which can be found in some dungeons or areas of corruption.

While Holy-steel in same principle is only made when exposed to a type of light attribute called holy. Most of it comes from churches where lots of holy mana is released consecutively over a long period of time. The other places it comes from is being exposed for a long time to holy areas, such as the World Tree for example.

These magical items come in 2 tiers. Magic items which store mana and need to be refilled from time to time. And magic items that have permanently embedded themselves with mana and can absorb the mana around themselves to refill themselves.

As far as smithing them goes, the process is in theory not too much more complex than normal steel. But the difficulty lies elsewhere...Since the ore and ingots contain magical power, the trick is to prevent it from leaking out during the smelting and smithing process. The more mana you can retain, the more powerful the magical item is. This is why if a smith plans to make a powerful magical item, he will be sure to smith it in a place with lots of mana, to minimize the leaking and also infuse extra mana from the surroundings.

As far as Demon and Holy steel goes, it is the same as enchanted steel for smithing. Except the smith themselves has to be able to control that attribute, making them even more rarer.

When ya come after tomorrow, one of the items I’ll be smithing is a low end magical item. So ya can see it then.” Gregon informs.

From then on due to limited time, I just continued to ask questions and get tips on things I found difficulties with until it was time for dinner.

After dinner, I went straight to bed, and as I was trying to fall asleep, I contemplated on what to do for tomorrow. While it is tempting to smith my [Bronze Ingots] into gear, I decided against it. Since I was going to watch Gregon work after tomorrow, he may provide me with more insight into smithing. So if I wait a bit, that would help me overall. On top of that, if I make a [Steel Blacksmithing Hammer] first, I will get even more improvements.

So the best thing I can do for tomorrow is see if I can raise my [PER] even more while at same time buy the base leather item for my boots. Since now I do not have to worry about raising money for materials, things have become a lot easier.

As I was about to fall asleep, an idea came to me. So I gave it a try and what do you know... * evil grin *

Like that I fell asleep satisfied.