“Why would you help me? I’m sure you should have a better skill at making armour than me” The Dwarf did have a point, but thats not what I wanted

“If I can upgrade a skill that belongs to an experienced armourer then the armour will turn out even better then anything I could make” The Dwarf stroked his beard, he seemed intrigued in my proposal.

“My name is Jotouk Raoli, call me Jot, how does this little deal of yours work, I haven’t heard of a player being able to upgrade another persons skills without being an extremely high level” He hasn’t? It was a skill any player was born with, all they needed was 43 SP to unlock.

“I have the Skill Granter Skill, if I give you an upgraded skill, you can become an even better armourer” I didn’t have the upgraded version of his skills though, does that matter?

“Hmmm, I’ve been told Skill Granter is a superior skill and only a very rare few have unlocked it” …….Huh?

“I don’t know what lies you’ve been told, but it is a level 1 skill, every player has the option to unlock it at birth” I had two other skills linked to the Skill Granter tree, maybe I should check them out before I do anything.

“WHAT!?” Jot burst out into a roar, Miko and Vnaa covered their ears, the shout was so loud it was shaking the shelves

“Are you lying to me boy! You better not be!”

“I’m not, it’s a level 1 skill”

“Those damn players! Every time I asked if I could pay them to use skill granter on me, they told me it was a superior skill!” Every story I hear, it sounds like players are what’s wrong with this dungeon, not the monsters.

“You can upgrade my skill!?” Jot ran over to me and grabbed my hands, he held them tightly looking into my eyes with nothing but hope, it was a little creepy seeing a muscular little man with sparkly green eyes.

“I don’t know, I said we can try it” I told him averting his sparkling eyes, I didn’t have the upgraded versions so I don’t know if it will work.

“Ok, lets try it, what did you want in return, money?” Hooked him

“I don’t want your money, if I upgrade your skill and grant you an extension of your skill, you need to make me some armour out of some materials I have gathered” I still need to give him the Armour Manipulation Skill

“A new skill as well, and all you want is a set of armour, you have a deal boy” Jot flicked his nose and gave me a smile, maybe all those muscles are for show.

“First lets start with the new skill, its called Armour Manipulation, it lets you create a piece of armour out of any material you deem useful”

“Sounds like a real useful skill” Jot held his hands out to me, I had to hold both his hands and say the skill while focusing on the skill I wanted to grant

“Skill Granter-Armour Manipulation” I said the skill I wanted to grant because it seemed easier then focusing entirely on it

“Huh?” Jot let go of my hands, it felt like a little jolt of lightning had travelled from my body into his.

“I see it… it actually worked! I have a new skill!” Jot clapped his hands together as he saw the new skill, I felt like I had lost something though

“Damn it! I didn’t think it would take my SP though” The damn skill took 3 SP, the price for the Armour Manipulation, this puts a hole in my plan to grant others skills.

“Skill Points you just said right?” Jot stopped his celebration and looked at me,

“If you need Skill Points I have heaps of them, let me check, 185 SP I have” …What!?

“How did you acquire so many!?” His a non-player with an artificial gem

“I levelled up, I’m maxed out on level 60 and I can’t use them so they added up over time” level 60, seriously

“I don’t know if you can transfer or receive SP though” Damn it! There has to be a skill that allows that, lets check all the skills I got at level 1…No…Way…Its right there!

Skill Point Transfer [Locked] ▼

-Skill Point Transfer: Level 1 Skill, 1 SP Required: Allows players to transfer their own skill points into another

It only allows players to transfer skills, surly they’d have a SP steal skill…Wait!? If I give this skill to Jot, he can transfer the SP back to me, yes!

“Jot, I’m going to give you another Skill, its called Skill Point Transfer, I need to unlock it first but it will grant you the ability to transfer your SP into me”

“Skill unlocked-Skill Point Transfer (C)”

Skill Point Transfer: 0/10 Mastery-Level 1 Common Skill, Unlocked: Allows players to transfer their own skill points into another

“All right, you ready” I sat back down with Jot and grabbed his hands.

“Skill Granter-Skill Point Transfer”

*Zap

“Did it work?” It felt like it worked

“Yes, there it is, wow, I have another new skill!” Jot clapped his hands again in excitement

“It says I have to place a hand on you and focus, how many SP do you want me to transfer boy?”

“Don’t transfer them all, it costs me 3 SP for Armour Manipulation and 1 SP for Skill Point Transfer, so for now just transfer 4” I didn’t want to steal his SP, if I could make use of him, it might be wise for him to have his own SP.

“You sure boy, I don’t use them”

“Yes, just transfer 4” Jot held my shoulder and transferred 4 SP

*4 Skill Points Acquired

“Lets see about upgrading your skill, I don’t think Skill Granter will work if I don’t have the upgraded versions, lets look for something else” I scrolled through the skills I unlocked at level 1 and found another hidden treasure, skills must unlock by themselves if you unlock the base skill on their skill tree, I had to study for the trade skills but all other skills I might not have to.

“Skill unlocked-Upgrade Other Skill (C)”

Upgrade Other Skill: 0/10 Mastery-Level 1 Common Skill, Unlocked: Can upgrade anothers skill if they have maxed it out, the player upgrading the skill doesn’t need to have unlocked the upgraded skill

“Perfect, Jot transfer 2 more SP and then I’ll upgrade your skills, actually make it 3, I’ll upgrade your other armour skill as well”

“This is incredible, I feel like a whole new armourer”

*3 Skill Points Acquired

“Skill Granter-Upgrade Other Skill-Basic Leather Armourer and Basic Metal Plate Armourer”

*Zap

The jolt of lightning felt stronger this time, I don’t know if it was because I did two skills at once or if it was due to it upgrading the skills

“How’d it go?” I sat there watching Jot, his expression turned blank serious, damn it, did it not work? Did it take the skills away from him?

“Uhh, Jot”

“Gahh” Miko and Vnaa looked at the Dwarf as confused as me

“This…Is…Incredible!” A blinding light illuminated around Jot, he stood up and shoved his fists in the air

“I have unlocked Intermediate Leather Armourer and Intermediate Metal Plate Armourer! Two new skills also appeared, one for my artificial Gem and one normal skill, Armourer +1 improves the quality of the materials I work with, and the normal skill was Material Combination, I can combine animal and monster materials in with other materials! This is incredible! Boy! How can I repay you!” Jot was shaking my hand viciously

“If you keep shaking my hand like that, you’ll tear my arm right off!”

“Master Udon, are you ok?” Miko came over and pulled me away from Jot, Vnaa stepped in front of me and growled at him.

“I’m sorry, I’ve never been this excited in my life! Its incredible! I’ll make that armour of yours boy, also, if you are ever in trouble you can count on me, I’m forever your friend” huh? Did he just say friend? I don’t know if you can count us as friends, you only like me because I did something for you, not because you like me for me, although, I couldn’t talk, I didn’t care what he said or felt, I just wanted my armour.

“Boy, what is your name? I feel rude calling you boy”

“Why do you need my name? This is just a business transaction”

“Master Udon! I’m sorry, this is Master Udon, I’m Miko and this is Vnaa”

“Gahh” Vnaa replied saying hi

Why does Miko care so much about people knowing my name.

“Udon, what a unique name” Did he just say unique? Thats just a polite way to insult someone!

“Miko, why do you insist on telling everyone we meet my name, I’m seen as a criminal, its not safe” I whispered to Miko glaring at her

“It’s not that I tell everyone, Master Udon, I tell the ones who truly take a liking to you, they see past the rude, sheltered attitude and see the real you, I care for you. I want to make life safer and better for you” I looked at Miko, her smile was as big as ever, her eyes were shining, literally shining, were they catching the light from the window, does she really mean what she just said? I can’t let my guard down, I know she’ll back-stab me, but…I really want to believe her, just having someone, an ally that I can trust would change everything, it would lighten the weight I carried, to bad, I know she’s lying.

“You say the most idiotic things Miko” I turned away from her back to Jot,

“You’ll see, one day, you’ll fall for me” Miko mumbled again to herself, if I knew what she mumbled all the time, I might be able to figure out her plan.

“Udon, how would you like to help me make your armour, it’ll boost that skill of yours?” Jot started walking into the back of his shop, I might as well, if I can create high quality armour by myself I wouldn’t need to talk to any other shop owners.

“Fine, I’ll help, the materials I want to use are 3 armour calf leather for the shoulder pads and a pad over my stomach, 4 cave centipede piecers, if we smelt them down, I want to use them as extra padding over my stomach pad, and the rest as knee pads, 1 green striped horned-back wolf fur as underlay for my padding I also want a Dark Warm Violet thick shirt and thick dark blue trousers with dark brown leather boots, do you have any materials that will work?” I almost had all the materials I wanted

“Master Udon, we could use those small blue golem eyes to create a thick dark blue trouser” Did Miko now how to make armour

“Yes, that will work young lady, for the dark brown leather boots, that will be easy enough, but, the Dark Warm Violet thick shirt colouring might be hard, if we could find a violet plant or herb that’ll do the trick, I can create dye rather easily and quickly” Did he say dye? As in colouring dye?

“Jot, what colour dyes do you currently have”

“Oh, come over here and take a look, I keep them under the counter” I walked behind the counter and saw 10 small glass jars, each with a thick coloured liquid in them

“Lets see, green, blue, red, black, white, orange, pink, brown, dark green and yellow…Jot, do you know if you mix the blue and red you get purple, add some black and its basically the colour I want” Did he not know about basic colour mixing

“What are you on about boy? You don’t mix colours, that’ll ruin them and turn it into an unappealing black” Was he seriously a level 60 armourer?

“Yes, if you don’t even out the colours and just keep adding more and more, you’ll create an unappealing black, but, if you combine a little bit of red and then some blue, mix it around, and then a dot of black and then, finished.” I grabbed a spare jar and placed the different coloured dye paste liquids into it and mixed it.

“What are you doing! Do you know how expensive colouring dye is!” Jot waved his arms like a kid having a tantrum.

“Wait? You made a different colour? But how?”

“I told you, you need to even out your colours depending on the colour you want and be carful not to over do it, now this is the colour I want for my shirt, can you make it?”

“You are a genius boy! I’ll get on it right away, come to the back with me” Jot grabbed the new dark purple colour jar and headed to the back of his shop, I thought he felt rude calling me ‘boy’

“Miko, why don’t you take Vnaa to get some lunch and come back” I chucked Vnaa 3 Silver Shark Coins and headed into the back of the shop, it was Jot’s workplace.

“On it Master Udon” Miko dropped her bag and Vnaa’s small hemp back behind the counter and went off into town.

“You see Udon, its not just about the motions, you need to control your feelings and mana, this goes with any trade skill, focus on the main feeling you want this armour to have, and that’ll help shape it” What was he on about now? Some gooey emotional, feeling crap.

“If you do this technique with accessories you can enchant it just with your emotions if they are strong enough” That made more sense, it was like aura then, the stronger ones aura the stronger the equipment

“Ok let me try” I took over from Jot, he had already done the foundation of all the pieces, I hammered the leather, controlled the temperature for the smelting of the cave centipede piecers and stitched some of the fabric for the clothes.

It was close to midnight, Miko came back with Vnaa a while ago with lunch, Jot and I were to busy in designing and creating my armour to eat, Miko and Vnaa left us some but ate the rest, Jot told them he has a spare room in the back they can rest in, they were likely asleep by now.

“Done, I must say this is the finest piece of armour I’ve created” Jot wiped his hands off with his rag, I looked over the armour and put it on

“This makes me look like a bandit, I don’t want to stand out” The armour did turn out fairly well, we ended up dying the pads dark green, it was more hunter green in my opinion, everything else went the way we designed it, but, I didn’t expect to look like a bandit in it

“The emotions you put in it Udon, that is the reason it looks so, vicious is the word” Jot did explain how emotions changed or shaped the piece of equipment, was that my normal emotion now? Vicious?

“Master Udon, have you finished, you need to eat something and then get some re……So cool!” Miko walked out of the spare room, her eyes widened as she saw my armour, her hands gripped into a tight fist, she leaned forward, it looked like she was at her favourite rock band concert.

“You look so cool Master Udon!”

“Told ya, that look suits ya” That wasn’t a compliment, you basically just said I looked like a vicious person!

“I don’t have anymore good equipment I want to use, it’ll have to do, how much did your mastery skills go up by Jot?” My Basic Metal Smelting and Basic Leatherwork went up by one, I’m now at 7/10 Mastery, while my Basic Leather Armour, Basic Tailoring, Basic Leather Cleaner and Armour Manipulation went up by two, they’re now at 8/10 Mastery except for Armour Manipulation which is 2/10 Mastery.

“Mine went up by +4, I’ll need you to upgrade me soon” Jot let out a deep chuckle, 4 huh? He did do most of the work so it made sense.

“Master Udon, appraise your armour, its so cool” Miko still looking at me like a rock star,

“Appraise? I’ll give it a shot”

Weak Appraisal-2/10 Mastery

Vicious Viking Armour

Defence: +100

Magic Defence: +25

Weight: Light-Medium Light

Special Effect: Vicious Intimidation

Enchantments: None

“Are special Effects and Enchantments different?” I still can’t believe the name of my armour is called ‘Vicious Viking Armour,’ it did have a viking feel to it, but really? Vicious?

“Special effects can only be imbued into a piece of armour, weapon or equipment during the forging stage, its better for the person who is using or wearing the equipment to help, so they can imbue their own emotions into it, thats what causes the Special Effect, you can’t add a special effect once its finished like Enchantments” So the reason its called Vicious is because of me…

Vicious Intimidation: Special Effect on Vicious Viking Armour, Causes the target to fear injury or harm, results in a negative effect on targets defence and attack attributes depending on how intimidated they are.

“Its so cool Master Udon!” Miko could not get over this, maybe we should make her some armour?

“I’ll agree the stats are pretty descent” The defence was the main thing, I need to find a way to boost its magic defence though,

“Here Udon, I got this cloak while I was still starting out, it was a present from my Teacher, the one who taught me all I know about armouring, its just siting in the back gaining dust but it should suit you quite well, an ‘Open Dark Maroon Griffon Cloak’ put it on and see how your stats change

“A cloak, really? I’ll look even more evil with that dark red on me”

“At least try it on Master Udon” Miko was starting to get on my nerve, I’m not some dress up doll!

“Fine”

Vicious Viking Armour

Defence: +115

Magic Defence: +55

Weight: Light

Special Effect: Vicious Intimidation

Enchantments: Feather +1

“It boosted my stats, it even has a Feather +1 Enchantment, thats why the Weight changed” The cloak did make me look even more of a villain but its stats boosts weren’t something to dismiss

“I thought it would suit you, its a gift from me to you, as a thank you for all you’ve done for me” Jot sat down and yawned,

“Master Udon, it is getting late, how about we get some sleep”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, Jot…”

*Snoor

“Really? You can fall asleep just like that? Miko, there’s two beds in that room right?”

“Yes, Vnaa’s sleeping on my bed currently”

“Good, lets get some rest then” We headed to bed and turned the lights out of the workshop.