Another breath of hot air was released with the swing of Ryder’s sword. Despite the draconic strength and deadly angle he was striking at the monster’s back with, the blade bounced off of its tough scales once more.

“Why are these fuckers so hard to kill?!” The human hopped backward in the snow. The white monster took the opportunity to unfurl and unleash a flurry of swiping attacks.

Green shot out a stream of acid from a carnivorous plant his magic created on his back at another one of those armadillo-looking monsters and growled.

“I know, but I don’t know how much longer my sword will last!” The rider glanced at his chipped and thinned blade. Biting his lips, he rushed toward the monster that was writhing in pain from the acid. With a single plunge into the puddle of melted scales, the creature let out one last cry before keeling over. Once the sword was removed from the corpse, he quickly flung away the acid that corroding his weapon.

Another monster let out a dying screech before Brown released its dead body from her boulder sandwich. Ryder winced at the battered corpse, unwilling to imagine the pain of having all of one’s internal organs crushed to pieces repeatedly.

Purple was doing most of the work as the corpses around him continued to pile up. His scowl grew more intense with each monster he tore in half, either vertically or horizontally.

The rider’s pants were getting heavier as time went on. However, when he saw there were only three of them left, he grunted and gathered all his remaining strength before charging forward with Green. Brown and Purple joined him too as he passed them by.

The gang thought they could take it a little easier as they trudged through the snow. To their surprise, the monsters weren’t planning to go out easily. The remaining three climbed uphill before pounding the ground with such terrifying force that it splintered their scales. The entire snowy landscape, which was already on the verge of crashing down due to the battle, trembled with each slam.

“We have to stop them now! Purple, send us up!” Ryder and the other two sprinted forward.

For once, their purple companion silently obeyed his rider and lifted all of them into the air via wind magic. Brown started spinning in the air, with the help of the wind magic, as she manifested rocks all over her body before hurtling down on the left monster; Purple simply enlarged his dragon paws back to its original size and smashed the middle one; Green shot out a stream of acid at the right one, melting away the monster’s scale; lastly, Ryder infused his draconic arm with a combination of magic that he thought would make the insta-killing of the monster more instantaneous and stabbed.

Their targets were eliminated as swiftly as they could blink. When they landed back on the ground, Green and Ryder lay next to the monster’s gruesome corpse and heaved like their lungs were collapsing. The human lifted his sword and saw it had been broken in half. A sigh escaped his mouth as his hand fell onto the fluffy snow.

“That’s… That’s all of them, right, Purple?”

"Unless these vile creatures are somehow powerful enough to hide their presence from me, that is all of them.” Purple huffed.

“Great-” When Ryder tried to stand up, he slipped and bumped into one of the corpses. It fell downward and crashed into the pile of corpses the purple dragon made.

A few seconds later, the hill trembled, and a wave of snow came tumbling down.

The human stared at the snow with despair as Purple rolled his eyes at him.

“Motherf-”

X

SLAM!

The snow on the dragon rider fell when he placed his Guild card, along with a help poster, on the counter.

“Request completed. Get your drones to verify it as fast as you can.”

The clerk sitting behind the counter took both the card and the poster. “That will be a charge of-”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Just do it already.”

“Okay! We’ll deduct the fee from your request earning once the verification process is completed. You may rest in the lounge as you wait.” The clerk smiled and gestured to him to take a seat.

As he trudged back to the lounge, a handful of small golem drones flew out from behind the building and toward the monsters’ location.

The human dropped down on the sofa and closed his eyes. However, that quiet bliss lasted for only a few seconds. He heard a heavy set of footsteps approaching, which was accompanied by soft gasps, until it stopped in front of him. Even without looking, he could sense a fierce stare aiming at him.

“5”

His eyelids twitched, but remained shut.

“4”

“3”

He could tell mana was surging before him.

“2”

“1”

The rider opened his eyes and roared, “For fuck’s sake, Purple! Just let me rest for a damn minute!”

“I demand an extra large feast today for following your orders so… obediently.” Purple made an exaggerated gagging action.

“I don’t have the money to serve you an extravagant meal right now! I still won't have enough even after we claim the reward because my sword is broken! Go and eat those corpses or find a chef that’ll cook them if you want, but you aren’t getting a damn feast from me!"

The Terror of The East bellowed and lifted Ryder by his shirt. His body was crackling with purple-colored electricity as a deep voice rumbled from his throat. “Watch your mouth, boy. I followed you because you promised me a fun time. If you think you can undo our Pact before I bite your head off, you’re severely mistaken. Give me my feast, or my mouth will be the last thing you see.”

Ryder gulped. His body trembled. He wanted to stand his ground, but only a few can stare into death itself without fear.

DING DING DING

Their attention was promptly drawn to the counter. They saw the clerk waving with a smile. “Please approach the counter, Mr. Ryder.”

Purple shot him a glare of disdain before letting him go and sitting down on the sofa.

The human huffed while pressing his palm on his chest. Once his breathing returned to normal, he adjusted his clothes and approached the clerk.

“Thank you for your hard work, adventurer. Please place your hand here.” She returned him his card and set a slab of round obsidian on the counter. When he laid his hand on the slab, a string of light swirled around his hand. A few seconds later, the numbers on the back of his hand increased, and the light retracted back into the slab.

Right as he was about to leave with the card in hand, the clerk stopped him. “Would you like to spend your Guild Points on a week-long vacation in our most prestigious lodging here?”

The human raised his eyebrow.

“I couldn't help but overheard your conversation with your dragon. It’s an option you can consider, as you’ve amassed a large amount of Guild Points. The vacation package also includes a buffet for every meal at the lodging.”

He glanced back at his dragon, leaned closer to the clerk, and whispered, “He can eat up to half a village’s worth of food in a week. Are you sure this is a good idea?”

The clerk whispered back, “Don’t worry about it, Mr. Ryder. The lodging here is used to accepting customers with enormous appetites. Additionally, due to the avalanche, there likely won’t be any more new customers until the path is cleared out.”

“Ah.” He blushed slightly. “Alright, then. So, where’s this lodging?”

X

“Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh~” Ryder stretched all his limbs, causing a ripple in the hot spring. He picked up a small cup sitting on the edge of the pool, watched a snowflake land on the surface of his beverage in front of a setting sun, and emptied it in one go.

“I apologized for my outburst earlier, Ryder. You know how us dragons are like when we’re hungry.” Purple was sitting on the opposite side of the pool, looking more human than dragon. The only draconic features remained were a few patches of scales, a pair shrunk-down horns, and a shortened tail. He wrapped his purple arms around the shoulders of a hot young man and a sexy young woman with a dashing smile.

“Oh? The great Terror of The East knows how to apologize after threatening to bite my head off?” the human sneered.

“When I’m in a good mood, yes. In fact, I’ll even overlook your attempt at an insult. Aren’t I just the most forgiving person~?” He grinned while teasing the young man’s cheek with his tail and the young woman’s neck with his fingers.

Ryder rolled his eyes. “I’m not taking any responsibility if anything happens to those two.”

The dragon ignored him and initiated a... sexual advance on his hookups.

The rider stood up from the pool, disgusted, and went to the one currently accommodating Green with a cup and jug in his hand. The plant dragon wagged his tail excitedly when he saw his rider approaching. After Ryder sat inside the pool, the dragon shifted his posture in a way that his body surrounded his rider while their heads were sitting next to each other.

“I wonder how Brown is enjoying her time with the hot sand. I bet she’s loving it.” The human patted the dragon as the dragon nuzzled his hand with great affection. “You know, since we’re staying here for a week, and getting a new sword means we won’t be doing much fighting, you should definitely take the time to learn the language and polymorph spells from Purple.”

Green growled with lethargy.

“I know you and Purple don’t get along with each other that well, but you want to be able to speak to me like how Brown and Purple do, right? Purple’s probably going to be in a good mood for the rest of the week, so do your best, okay? I would love to spend time with you in places only humanoid beings can go.”

The dragon blushed and looked away. He then nodded and let out an embarrassed growl.

“That’s more like it! Anyway, we'll go and check out the local blacksmith after 10 more minutes.” Ryder poured himself another cup and drank.

After they left the hot spring, the human bagged his sword and strolled downhill with his dragon. As they walked on the street, they noticed the citizens of the city were mostly orange-skinned people with a third eye on their forehead. Since they didn't know where the blacksmith shop was, they went back to the Guild to grab a map of the city and a brochure.

“Hmm, interesting.” Ryder lifted the brochure closer to his eyes. “The city was founded after a magical cataclysm struck this land. Its founder apparently thought a land of perpetual winter with an active volcano in the middle is a great place for niche businesses to flourish. They’re really lucky that their gamble paid off, seeing this is quite the remote location.”

Green used his vines to pull his rider closer whenever he strayed too far away while reading. His vines were also holding up the map as he led the both of them to their destination.

“Wow, they even managed to transform all the energy from the active volcano to become the city’s primary source of power. Must’ve taken them years to set up the system…” The human continued to mumble as he read miscellaneous facts about the city.

A few minutes later, he felt a repeated tug at his shoulder, which prompted him to look up. Standing in front of the gigantic blacksmith shop, his eyes gravitated to the glamorous sign hanging on top of the entrance with the words “Neverdusk Blacksmith”.

“I’m warning you for the last time - get out of this shop NOW!”

The duo’s attention was swiftly directed to the loud feminine voice in the shop. There were a few people standing in front of the counter, and they were blocking the sight of the shouting woman.

The pink-haired punk in the middle leaned forward. “Or what? You think other people will come to rescue you when your master’s not around? You should be glad that we aren’t here to take the shop’s merchandise. Give us your money now and we won’t-”

His sentence was cut short as he flew out of the shop and landed in front of the duo, unmoving. The duo lowered their heads and saw blood flowing out of the punk's nose. They then looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

“If you don’t want to leave the shop the same way as he did, you have five seconds to get out of my face. 1. 2. 3…”

The rest of the group scrambled out of the shop, grabbed their pink-haired friend, and shuffled into a dark alley.

When the duo peeled their eyes off from the punks and turned back to the shop, they were surprised to see what the woman looked like. She was sitting in a gold-colored mechanical chair with two giant fists stemming from the back. More importantly, her chair was currently extending above the counter, meaning both of them could see her lack of legs past her groin. The straps across her torso were preventing her from slipping out of her wheelchair as she was leaning slightly forward. As for her clothes, she was wearing an apron on top of a black shirt.

“Hello, customers! I’m sorry you have to see that.” Her wheelchair decreased in height and returned to a perfect right angle while carrying her out of the counter. When she arrived in front of them, her wheelchair raised her eye level until it comfortably met with Ryder's.

“It’s… fine,” the human replied warily. It wasn’t the fact that she didn’t have legs or the sight of her impressively complex wheelchair that surprised the both of them. It was her dark purple skin, black horns (on top of her head), and slim tail with a pointy end that put them on edge. However, their suspicions couldn’t be confirmed due to the opaque pair of blacksmith goggles she was wearing.

“So, what can I do for you two? Are you here to buy the best weapons you can find in this entire region? Perhaps you want to repair or enchant your existing weapon? If weapons don't interest you, we also sell a variety of gadgets, though you can also order a custom-made one…” The enthusiasm in her voice decreased until she stopped speaking entirely as she noticed the apprehension in the duo's eyes.

“I… Err… Mm…”

The woman sighed, reluctantly brushed past her short, black hair, and turned the tiny knob near her temple to retract the black, opaque lenses into the thick frame. She then gazed at them with her black pupil, purple iris, and dark sclera.

“Yes, I am a demon. However, I can assure you that you can expect nothing less than the best from me and the shop at a reasonable price.” She took a deep breath. “If you feel uncomfortable doing business with me, there’s another blacksmith shop on the other side of the city. It’s a bit of a hike, and the quality of their services aren’t as good as ours, but there’s no demon there and their prices are cheaper.”

Ryder opened his mouth, but no words were uttered. The demon extended the lenses back and waited for an answer. The dragon saw her other hand was gripping the armrest tightly.

What felt like an eternity later, the human gulped, raised the bag in his hands, and explained, “My… magic sword is broken. I need to repair it.”

Her tail flicked with excitement as purple light hummed from her horns. “No problem! Let’s head inside the shop!”

“Can my dragon come in?” He pointed at Green.

“Sure!” The wheelchair rolled in the opposite direction and into the back of the counter automatically. The duo followed without breaking eye contact with the demon.

Ryder unpacked the bag on top of the counter. The blacksmith took turns lifting the two broken halves of the sword close to her face and traced her fingers over its surface.

Green nudged his rider and growled in a low volume. Ryder raised his eyebrow, and his dragon nodded. He cleared his throat and spoke.

“So… Uhm... What’s your name? Mine is Ryder, and my partner over here is Green.”

“Hmm? Oh!” The demon ripped her attention away from the sword and smiled at them. “You can call me Estria! Nice to meet you Green, Ryder.” She reached her hand out to the dragon first and shook his paw.

When she shook Ryder’s draconic hand, the wheelchair tilted forward so she could lean closer and get a better look at it. A few seconds later, her head abruptly raised up to stare at him as she let his hand go. “You’re the Dragon Rider?”

He nodded.

“I’ve heard stories about you! It’s incredible that you took down Black Dragon all by yourself!” Estria’s eyes were sparkling with admiration.

“Yeah, haha.” The rider smirked awkwardly.

Her wheelchair tilted back, allowing her to continue to examine the blade. “Can you tell me where you got this sword and how it broke?”

“An old man gave it to me after I helped him out about a couple of months ago. It was an heirloom, a treasure given to his family by a mage a long time ago. He said it’s capable of channeling magic, and it did. I had an easier time using magic with and on the sword compared to other swords I used before. Although, I guess the effects must’ve worn off significantly over the years, because it finally broke when I used it with Green’s plant-acid magic earlier.”

Suddenly, a grin appeared on her face as she studied the handle. The grin grew wider and wider until she broke into a chuckle, confusing the duo. “No, no, it's not because the effects wore off or anything of the sort. It’s just-” Another chuckle came out of her. “I’m sorry, but this is too funny.”

“What do you mean?”

“This sword isn’t a magic sword at all. It’s a sword-shaped wand.”

“Eh?”

“Try pouring mana here. It’ll be easier for you to understand.” The blacksmith pointed at the half without the handle.

Ryder glanced at her with furrowed eyebrows and placed his finger on the blade.

“You’re pouring mana into the blade now, right?”

“Yeah. Hmm, that’s weird. Nothing’s happening.”

“That’s because the blade can’t channel magic at all. If it really is a magic sword, it’ll glow.” She raised the handle. “This is the only part that can channel your magic. It’s a miracle that this normal blade withstood months of being used with magic.”

Green let out a bewildered growl.

“I don’t understand. Why would someone make a magic sword where only the handle can channel magic?” The human was equally baffled.

“Actual magic swords are pretty difficult and expensive to make, while normal blades can’t handle the stress of magic coursing through it often. So, the only conclusion I can draw is that it’s a novelty wand. Mages are notorious for being bad in close quarter combat. Having a blade installed on top of a wand will help them get out of a close-quarter pinch and create enough distance for them to start casting spells again.”

The duo was dumbfounded.

“Magic swords usually take a couple of weeks to make, but I got an incomplete one from a canceled order. Since you already have a magic handle, I can combine it with the magic blade and give you the sword by tomorrow evening. Or would you prefer to have a normal blade installed in the handle again?”

“Uhm, I would like a magic blade, please.”

“No problem! Let me do a quick calculation on the fee…” Estria pulled out a pencil and scribbled the details of the cost on a nearby piece of paper before handing it to him.

Ryder’s eyes widened when he saw the number. “You weren’t kidding about it being expensive…”

“Oh, uhm…” The blacksmith blinked rapidly before she recalled something. “If you can’t afford it, I have a proposal for you, Dragon Rider.”

“Ryder is fine.”

“Right. So, Ryder, I was thinking we can do a non-monetary exchange. I’ve been working on a project that requires a special metal from an underground cave near the volcano. It’s a dangerous place for normal adventurers, but you’ll probably be able to handle it without major issues. If you help me get the amount of metal I need, I’ll give you the magic sword. What do you say?”

The human glanced at his dragon. Green was initially hesitant about the idea, but since his rider really needed the sword, he reluctantly nodded.

“Deal.” Ryder stretched his hand out.

Estria’s horns buzzed with purple light as she shook it passionately. “I’ll have an agreement ready when you come by tomorrow! Is there anything else you would like to ask or add?”

The duo shook their heads.

“Great! See you two tomorrow!” She waved with a bright smile.

The duo bade goodbye and returned to the street that was illuminated by moonlight.

“...A demon living in a city, huh? After seeing what demons in this world are capable of, I never thought I would see the type of wholesome demons that often appear in manga or Twitter.” Ryder mumbled on their way back to the lodging.

Green growled with curiosity.

“Okay, so basically-” A loud rumbling from the human’s stomach cut him off. “... After dinner, then.”

The dragon giggled, though it was also cut short by his own stomach rumbling.

Ryder grinned as Green looked away, embarrassed.

“First one back to the lodging wins!” The rider then started sprinting uphill.

The dragon snapped out of his embarrassment and started racing back, too.

X

Even without touching it, a normal person would be able to tell that the sword on the counter possessed an extraordinary power. While it is merely a magical conduit in the form of a weapon, the metal of the blade is capable of creating a resonating ripple in the soul of any entity with mana. After all, its sole reason for being is to channel the untamed power in its wielder and the world into a glorious display of might and miracle.

“There is excess mana from the process of its creation that still dwells within the sword. So, when you first inject mana into it, there’ll be a discharge. When that happens, the sword will register your mana signature and be bound to you forever. Unless you relinquish your ownership of it or someone else with a similar mana signature to you got a hold of it, no one can channel magic through the sword.” The blacksmith explained as she rolled up the signed agreement.

Ryder marveled at the craftsmanship of his new weapon, while Green’s vines twitched energetically above the surface of the sword.

“Should I do the discharge outside?” The human gently lifted the sword with his non-draconic hand from the wooden rack holding it.

Estria nodded. “Follow me.”

Once the duo was out of the shop, the demon pressed a hidden button under a weapon display and erected a transparent barrier at the entrance. Her wheelchair then carried her into an alley that led to the back of the building. Ryder curiously tapped on the barrier before following her with Green. Moments later, they found themselves standing on an empty wide road that appeared to be dedicated for large cargos to travel easily around the city. On the opposite side of the road was a tall wall that surrounded the entire city, while a few meters behind them was the back of the shop.

Ryder raised his sword to the sky, ready to fire his magic, before he was interrupted.

“I have a small request, if you don’t mind.” Her tail was swishing left and right.

“What is it?”

“Can you do a cool move when you unleash your magic? I always heard about how cool the Goddess’s warriors are, but I never had the chance to see one in action with my own eyes before. Pretty please?” The young woman smiled pleadingly.

“Sure.” The edge of the dragon rider’s mouth curved upward. His legs opened as he tossed the sword to his draconic hand before positioning it next to his hip. He aimed the hilt upward as his right hand hovered a few centimeters away from the blade. Estria retracted her lenses and gazed at him with anticipation.

As he slashed his blade toward the sky, his mana, manifested as blue light, was clearly seen travelling from the butt of the handle to the tip of the sword. The swing was so powerful that it repelled the falling snowflakes away violently. When the tip reached the end of the curve, a bolt of purple lightning instantly crackled through the blade and cleaved a cloud above them in half.

After lowering his sword, he turned to the blacksmith. “So, what do you think?”

Her demonic eyes were beaming with reverence. “That was so cool!! Thank you!”

The dragon and rider pair chuckled.

“Where’s the sheath? I wonder if I should carry it on my back or hip this time.”

“Oh! It doesn’t have one, because it’s retractable. Try pouring mana in and then ‘sucking’ it back.”

A feeble line of blue light slithered to the tip of the blade again. As the line retreated, so did the blade into the handle. While comparing the size of the handle and the underside of his draconic arm, an idea popped into Ryder's mind. He lodged the handle in the empty space between his draconic plates before concealing it completely under a layer of thick scales. His draconic arm already had a bulky appearance, so the extra bulkiness didn’t come off as odd.

“Neat. So, time to talk about your request?”

“Let’s.”

She turned around and lifted a metal shutter at the back of the shop up with her large hands, revealing a spacious, dimly lit workshop within. The duo noticed no snowflakes made it into the room as they stepped in. The cold they experienced outside was also instantly replaced by a comforting warmth. Once all three of them were inside, the blacksmith pulled the shutters down before guiding them to a wooden table next to a flight of stairs. Two scrolls were sitting on top of it.

“Have you heard of Camptosium before?” She unravelled one of the scrolls and revealed an encyclopedic diagram of a pink metal.

The duo shook their heads.

“It’s a metal used primarily for anything that needs to be as tough as steel, but as flexible as rubber. It sounds contradictory, I know, which is why it’s considered as a type of magic metal. People often utilized it to create specialized components for unique tools, gadgets, or equipment. Not only is it expensive, it's also rarely seen in the market. When it does show up, it's usually sold out before the sun even sets.”

She unrolled the other scroll. It was an incredibly detailed map of the city and its surrounding areas. She pointed at a dot not far from the walls, at the bottom of the volcano. “Camptosium is only found in volcanoes overflowing with magic, and there’s a cave here that’ll lead you into a vein. According to what I heard, the vein is located close to the magma chamber. If you need heat-resistant armor, I can lend one to you-”

“I have a draconic armor form that provides resistance to all elements, so I’ll be fine."

"What about Green? He's a plant dragon."

Green scoffed pridefully.

"He says he can handle it." Ryder shook his head subtly. "In any case, this doesn’t seem too hard. Just walk in and pull the ores out of the rocks.”

“If only it’s that easy.” Estria sighed. “The heat is only one of the problems. The second problem is the metal itself. See this?” She pointed at the pink liquid flowing out of an egg-shaped rock. “Camptosium is solid while it’s inside the rock. However, the moment it comes in contact with air, it’ll turn into a liquid. It won’t change back to a solid form until it undergoes a special purifying process. You need to store them in a container like this.” The big hands on her wheelchair grabbed a cylindrical metallic container the size of a five-year-old and placed it on the table.

“Can’t we just grab a chunk of the rock with the metal in it and then leave?”

“It won’t contain anywhere near the amount I need. Don’t worry, you simply need to fill up to three quarters of this container. To detect the metal, just send a pulse of mana to the ground and feel where the echo was reflected from. Then, you need to carve the rock out instead of puncturing a hole directly at where the ore is, because most of them won’t be at an angle where it’ll flow into the container easily.”

“Gotcha.”

“There’s one final problem. The magma chamber is filled with lava crabs. As their name suggests, they live in lava and have very tough shells. They’ll attack any intruders in swarms if they spot one, so you need to distract them while mining the metal.”

Green let out a small growl.

Ryder raised his eyebrow. “I can see why you propose to exchange favors instead of asking me to pay directly now.”

The blacksmith lowered her head. “I’m really sorry, Ryder. Even though the price for the amount of Camptosium I need is lower than a magic sword, no one from the Guild is willing to take on the request at a price higher than that. While high-ranking adventurers often visit the city, they do so with the intention to relax. I couldn’t let this rare opportunity go, even if I have to deceive you-”

“Woah, woah, calm down.” The human waved both of his hands. “I wouldn’t say you ‘deceive’ me. You said it yourself. The price of the Camptosium you need is lower than the price of a magic sword. If anything, I think I got the better end of the deal, especially when I have the help of three dragons. You don’t need to apologize for anything.”

She solemnly nodded her head before lifting it up.

“What do you need the Camptosium for? It’s okay if you don’t want to answer.”

Her head shook. “It’s fine. I’ll show it to you.”

Estria led the duo to a table with a blanket over it. When the blanket was removed, a pair of incomplete mechanical legs with a bunch of unconnected pieces and components placed tidily around it could be seen on the table.

“Have you heard of the name Phastus Eisen before?”

“Uhm, I don’t think so.”

“He’s one of the most famous blacksmiths on the entire continent, and my master. This wheelchair,” She patted its wheel. “was his gift to me when I officially became his apprentice. Without it, being a blacksmith would just be a dream to me. However, it’s not perfect, and I still have to rely on my master from time-to-time as a result. If I want to open my own shop, I need a pair of legs that can withstand the stressful workload in the forge. I’ve spent years designing and creating all the parts necessary to construct a pair of perfect legs. The only thing left I need is Camptosium. Now that you’re here, I can finally complete it.”

“I… see.” Ryder opened his mouth, thought for a few seconds, and changed what he wanted to say. “We’ll do our best. I promise.”

The demon turned to him, lowered her head, then raised it back up again before speaking in a slightly choking voice. “Thank you, Ryder. It means a lot to me.”

Green used his vines to pat her back.

The blacksmith cleared her throat and informed, “You’ll need to notify the Guild before you head to the cave. As for the container, you can come by tomorrow morning to grab it.”

“Alright. I think it won’t take more than a day for my team to finish collecting the amount you need.”

X

Purple laughed out loud in a high-pitched voice. Then, he paused for a brief second, saw that Ryder was still looking at him with a serious expression, and laughed again while slapping the table. His laughter gradually faded away before he spoke.

“Did you honestly believe I would say yes?” He picked up the cup on the table and drank.

“I need the sword-”

“Exactly. You need the sword. I don’t. This ‘vacation’ is the first time I’ve had the chance, since I joined your posse, to chase after delectable boys and girls to my heart's content. I’m not giving it up.” The dragon proceeded to wink at a middle-aged woman passing by, instantly making her blush.

The human sighed and took another bite.

Brown, who was in her human form, arrived next to her rider and sat down before patting his back.

Ryder did a double take when he met the earth dragon's yellow eyes. “Long hair? That’s rare.”

She was currently wearing a black, yukata-like robe with her long hair draped over her shoulders. Even though she had the stature and appearance of a pale teenage girl, she radiated an aura of maturity that’s greater than the old woman sitting at a nearby table. Despite that, her ever-present, soothing smile always made people comfortable approaching her.

“This lodging reminds me of a time when I was young.” She then started chewing on her food.

The rider stared, expecting her to complete her explanation, but she never did.

“Tell me, what does the blacksmith look like?” Purple licked his lips. “I don’t think I’ve ever slept with a blacksmith, even before I was sealed. I’m craving for a good night with a muscular partner right now.”

“Uh, the blacksmith’s a demon. She doesn’t have any legs, so I don’t think she’s as… muscular as you would like.”

The dragon froze. When he snapped out of it, he narrowed his eyes at the rider.

“And you let her make a sword for you?”

“I know, I know. But she’s nothing like the demons we’ve seen before. She’s just like any other normal person-”

The cup was instantly crushed into tiny little pieces in the dragon's hand.

“When you die, you’ll wish you didn't trust a demon to forge you a fucking sword.” Purple swiftly rose and left.

“... Guess I shouldn’t have said that.” Ryder shrugged and resumed eating.

X

“How are you holding up, Green?” Ryder undid his draconic armor for a few seconds to let wind magic blow his sweat away before it covered him up again.

Green whimpered weakly as his vines held the container.

“Same here. I didn’t expect mining this shit would be so hard! She wasn’t lying when she said a chunk of the rock barely contains any of the Camp… Whatever it’s called.” The rider held a rock up with both his hands and used his tail to puncture a hole at the bottom. A second later, pink liquid dripped into the container.

“Any movement from the crabs, Brown?” He glanced at the earth dragon, who was sitting in front of a rock wall meant to conceal their presence.

“A crowd has gathered at the edge of the lava, but I don’t believe they noticed us yet.” She peeked back at the duo. “You two seem to be greatly exhausted.”

“I think we need to head back up and rest for awhile before resuming our mining operation. It would be so much easier if that damn Purple is here.” The rider grumbled before gently placing the empty rock at the side of the wall. “Okay, time for another chunk.”

Brown lifted Ryder up the wall with a slowly ascending rock pillar. When the pillar stopped, he whipped out his magic sword, coated it with a diamond-like substance, and carved a chunk out of it from the wall. Once an outline of a square was formed on the wall, he used earth magic to detach the back of the cube so he could pull it out. When he did, a loud crack was heard. It instantly drew some of the crab’s attention to them. He quickly camouflaged his back to that of the wall's color and stood still. The crabs quiet down as well, as if they were confirming whether there really were intruders. The awkward pause lasted for a few minutes before the crabs moved further away. Green and his rider let out a sigh of relief as the rock pillar descended.

When Ryder was emptying the cube, he noticed a crab exiting the tunnel they came from. The crab noticed him as well and stared back at him with its tube-y eyes, unmoving. The two dragons spotted the crab and were similarly unmoving as they wondered what to do. Unfortunately, the human's arms were getting tired of holding the cube. He didn't want to, but he was forced to set the rock down as gently as possible. The moment he did, the crab rushed toward the trio. Ryder aimed his fist at the crab and shot a seed at it. The seed quickly grew to restrict the crab's movement entirely.

The crab's furious screech alerted the nearby swarm of crabs, and they promptly charged toward the trio.

“Green, seal the container! Time to run!”

Ryder and Brown swiftly raised multiple earth walls in front of them as the green dragon did as his rider asked. To their shock, the collective force of the crab wave was so powerful that it burst through the walls like it was cardboard.

“Uhhahhhhhhhh!!”

X

SLAM!

Estria hurried to the workshop door when she heard the noise coming from the other side. When the door opened, she saw the dragon rider gang were all beaten up as they stood under the setting sunlight. Ryder and Green looked especially worn out since they were still panting.

The human handed the container to her. “We only manage to get about one quarter full. The crabs were easy to deal with individually, but a wave of them is impossible to defeat. I think we need two more days to get the amount you need.”

“It’s alright! I’m glad that all of you weren’t severely injured. Thank you, all of you, truly.” The blacksmith lowered her head as the big hands on her wheelchair lifted the container.

“We’re just fulfilling our end of the agreement. No need to worry about us. Although, do you have some heat-resistant armor for Green over here? It turned out he couldn't handle the heat, after all.” Ryder patted his scaly companion’s head. The dragon lowered his head in embarrassment.

“No, but I think I can cobble up a gadget that’ll solve the problem by midnight. I’ll lend it to you when you come by tomorrow again to pick up the container.” She gave him a little finger up.

“Alrighty.”

The gang bade goodbye to her before heading back to their lodging.

At a distance, a shadowy figure observed the demon closing the door before disappearing into an alley.

X

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Coming!” The blacksmith removed her protective mask before heading to the door and opening it.

The trio looked slightly less worn out compared to yesterday as Ryder handed her the container. “We weren’t caught by the crabs today, but we had to look around for a while before we found a rich spot. So, that’s another quarter down.”

“Thank you.” Her big hands took over the container. “How’s the gadget? Did it work well?”

Green growled happily. A metallic box tied to his back was generating a thin layer of reddish barrier around his entire body.

“Yep. How’s your legs coming along?”

“It’s… coming along well. I just… need the rest of the Camptosium and it’ll be done. Yeah.” The blacksmith squeezed a smile.

“Alright. Honestly, I’m quite excited to see it. The people back in my hometown have prosthetic legs, but those aren’t as awesome as yours. Does it do anything special? Or is it just… legs?”

“Hmm, I’ll… show it to you once I’m done. It’s cooler to see it in action than hear what it can do from me, right?”

“That it does. Well, see you tomorrow then.”

“See you. Thank you all again." Her tone ring a little hollow.

X

KNOCK…. KNOCK…. KNOCK…

Estria anxiously and reluctantly peeled herself away from her worktable to open the door. When she did, she saw the gang lying on the snow with the container next to them.

“Oh my gosh, are you three okay? Should I call the doctor?” The demon speedily put the container inside and rolled down the slope in front of the door to check on them.

“We’re… fine… Just… tired….” Ryder spoke as she helped him sit up.

“What happened?”

“We… hit the jackpot. But… we were ambushed. Had to make another route out… We only got… a little bit. Don’t worry, we’ll… have the rest for you… tomorrow…”

“I’m, I’m sorry, Ryder. I knew it was dangerous, but I didn’t expect it to be-”

The human shook his head. “We’re fine… Just…” He stood up with considerable effort. “We just need rest. How’s the… progress?”

“It’s…” She bit her lips. “It’s going well. Just some unexpected issues I need to deal with.”

“I hope the issues aren't serious.” The rider patted his dragons with fatigue. “Alright, let’s go. See you tomorrow, Estria.”

Green groaned and stood up while Brown did so silently.

“...See you all tomorrow. Thank you for your hard work.”

X

SLAM!

The blacksmith’s heart almost leaped out of her chest. She removed her mask sluggishly and headed to the door. Upon opening it, she saw a smug look on Ryder and Green's face as they presented the container.

“We managed to get it half full~”

“Wow! That’s incredible. Thank you all so much.” Estria gave them a strained smile.

His grin withdrew. “Are you alright? You looked stressed.”

“I… It’s…” She looked down.

Just as he was about to speak again, a growl was heard from her stomach. She immediately blushed.

“How about we have dinner together? Do you know any good restaurants in the city? We’re getting a little tired of the lodging's food, anyway.” Ryder gave her a comforting smirk.

“Sure.” She returned with a drained smile. “Wait for me at the front. I’ll be with you all after I take care of some stuff.”

“Alrighty.”

Estria returned to her worktable, sighed, and covered it with the blanket. After she absentmindedly picked up her magic keycard and opened the door wide, she rolled down the slope and let the door slowly close itself.

Right as she turned the corner and as the door was about to shut tight, a foot was shoved in front of the doorframe.

X

The demon chewed her food unenthusiastically, despite the cheery atmosphere of the restaurant. They were sitting on the bar right next to an opened window. Outside the window was, of course, a disappointed Green. He kept staring into the window enviously.

“How’s the legs coming along? Did you fix the issues?” Ryder asked before drinking the soup in his hands. He placed the half-empty bowl down, licked his lips delightfully, and praised, “This soup is incredible, Ma’am.”

“Glad you liked it, dear.” The middle-aged woman behind the bar smiled as she skillfully prepared a dish.

Estria gulped and replied hollowly, “It’s… more serious than I expected. It’ll take a few more days before I can complete it.”

“Ah, I see. Hopefully, we can see you with your legs before we leave, since we only have three days left? I think.”

“Yeah…”

All of a sudden, a small plate slid into her vision. When she raised her head, she saw it was the middle-aged woman.

“Mrs. Leim, I can’t-” The demon tried to return the dish, but the middle-aged woman stopped her.

“I can tell you’ve been working hard again, Estria. It’s on the house, so just enjoy your favorite dish, okay?” The owner smiled warmly.

“...Thank you.” The young woman sniffed a little.

Right as she took the first bite, the middle-aged woman started coughing violently, causing her helper to rush toward her with a bottle in his hand. She only stopped coughing after taking her medicine and drinking some water. Minutes later, she resumed her cooking like nothing happened.

“Is your body acting up again, Mrs. Leim?” Estria asked.

“Sadly.” Mrs. Leim sighed. “By the way, I heard my son harassed you a few days ago with his new gang. I’m so sorry my boy did that. I would’ve punished him and made him apologize to you, but I can’t seem to find him at his usual spots. Next time, don’t hesitate to call an officer for help. He needs to have some sense beaten into him.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Mrs. Leim.” The blacksmith nodded.

The dragon rider gang spent another 30 minutes there enjoying their meal before escorting their friend back to her shop. Upon reaching their destination, they saw multiple fresh footsteps leading from the back of the building. Ryder and Estria swiftly exchanged a grim look before bolting into the workshop. When they entered the room, they saw the blanket was thrown to the side, and the container was gone. The mechanical legs on the table were smashed to pieces and there was no sign of the pink metal anywhere.

“Brown! Green! Track the footsteps or any lingering scent! Don't let the thieves escape!”

The dragons nodded before leaving.

“I’ll go and call an officer. Check if there’s anything else missing. Those bastards won’t get away with this.” Ryder gritted his teeth, patted the demon’s stiff shoulder, and dashed out of the door.

The golden wheelchair ferried its owner to the front of the worktable. The blacksmith, with her slightly trembling fingers, caressed the remains of her life's work in silence. Only the mild crackling sound of the forge fire was audible in the room, and nothing else.

End of Part 1