Old Kent took one last look at the Dwarf’s retreating figure as he disappeared through the doorway. He then turned around in silence, carefully putting away the Dwarf Ring just as he treated his Blue Protective Talisman.
When he faced Raine again, a somewhat stiff smile had already been squeezed onto his wrinkled, bronze-colored face.
"It was quite noisy just now. I hope it didn’t ruin your mood, kid."
The Old Blacksmith’s gaze measured Raine’s entire body in an instant like a precise ruler, ultimately locking onto the old Short Sword wrapped in dirty cloth strips at his waist. "Repair, or replace?"
Raine met his gaze and waved his hand slightly. "Don’t worry about it, Master. I want to buy a new Short Sword."
"Follow me." Old Kent was concise. He turned and led Raine toward the inner part of the shop.
The atmosphere here was completely different from the outside. The air was filled with the distinct smell of metal and maintenance oil. A dazzling array of weapons was displayed across the entire wall. Heavy and ferocious War Axes, spiked flails, and gleaming Long Halberds—each piece seemed to contain astonishing Power, reflecting a cold, dark gleam under the dancing hearth fire. They were far superior to ordinary goods.
Eventually, the two stopped in front of an exquisite wooden rack exclusively displaying Short Swords. There weren’t many Short Swords here, but each one was like a work of art. Old Kent casually picked up the first one. Its blade was slender, reflecting ripples like flowing water under the firelight.
"The Tide Messenger. The main material is Star Iron Ore, unique to the vicinity of the Holy Mountain in the Holy Faros Kingdom." He flicked his wrist, and the tip of the sword drew several swift silver lines in the air. "Light, thin, and fast. Like a viper’s fangs, it specializes in thrusting, but don’t expect it to clash head-on with heavy weapons. Three Golden Kings."
Next, Old Kent picked up a Short Sword next to it, which had an obviously broad and thick blade with a dark fuller along the edge.
"The Armor Breaker, forged from Sand Red Iron found at the edge of the Kara Desert of the Sun Kingdom." He knocked his knuckle against the thick spine of the sword, producing a dull thud. "Heavy, but sturdy enough. It cuts through inferior Chain Armor like tearing paper. Six Golden Kings."
Old Kent then picked up a Short Sword with smooth lines, looking as if it were condensed from ice and snow, gleaming with a cold silver light throughout.
"The Frost Howl. My proudest work." His tone carried a trace of imperceptible pride. "It’s over ninety percent Northern Icefield Steel. It took a lot of effort to get this piece of material.
"Its blade is exceptionally hard. Whether facing extreme cold or molten lava, its performance remains stable in extreme environments. Eight Golden Kings." He swung it gently, and the blade pierced the air with a sharp and brief whistle.
Finally, he pointed to a Short Sword with an inferior Magic Crystal inlaid at the crossguard and crooked Runes carved into it. His tone carried a bit of helplessness.
"This one is enchanted with a permanent Light Technique that only works sometimes. Sometimes it lights up on its own in the middle of the night.
"Aside from serving as a torch during cave explorations, or suddenly exposing your position in the dark, it doesn’t have much use. The material itself is pretty good. Two Golden Kings, buying it for the novelty."
Raine listened silently, feeling the cold, sharp aura exuding from these Short Swords. Their quality was undeniable, but the prices—measured in Golden Kings—acted like an invisible wall, firmly keeping him out. The cheapest one cost two Golden Kings. Given Old Kent’s style, there wouldn’t be much wiggle room in the prices, and it was naturally impossible to haggle as he would with Robert.
He sighed softly in his heart and sensibly shifted his longing gaze to a slightly plainer wooden rack nearby. The weapons here were mostly priced around forty to fifty Silver Lions. He picked up a few and examined them closely. The Forging craftsmanship of the blades was pretty good, but they lacked luster. When he lightly ran his finger along the edges, he could feel obvious resistance. Compared to the fine pieces from earlier, the difference in quality was immediately clear. These were the true reflections of Bottom-level Adventurers struggling to survive.
Just as he was hovering around a few Short Swords priced at about fifty Silver Lions that looked decent enough, his steps suddenly faltered slightly. He stopped in front of a rather unremarkable Short Sword nearby.
At that exact moment, the Mottled Ring in the inner pocket of his Cotton Armor seemed to emit an extremely faint vibration. The sensation was fleeting, like having a fluttering bee trapped in his pocket.
Surprised, Raine walked around to the other end of the rack, and the ring’s vibration immediately subsided. When he returned to his original spot, the faint tremor reappeared. After testing it a few times, he confirmed that it was no illusion. The Mottled Ring only reacted to this unremarkable Short Sword in front of him.
"Interesting," he murmured.
Raine suppressed the doubts churning in his heart and focused all his attention on this Short Sword. The blade was about fifty centimeters long, featuring the most basic straight-edged design. It was a dull, dark gray all over, and the hilt was wrapped in plain leather without any other decorations.
He reached out and took it down from the rack. The moment he gripped it, a wondrous sense of harmony spread through his entire body. The weight distribution was perfect. The center of gravity fell steadily an inch in front of the handguard. Swinging it required no effort; it felt like an extension of his arm. The dark gray blade cast almost no reflection under the hearth fire, yet it flowed with an understated, profound luster.
Unable to resist, Raine walked to an empty space. With a slight flick of his wrist, he lunged forward. The Short Sword pierced the air with a low, sharp whistle, its trajectory astonishingly stable. He could even feel the smooth feedback as the blade sliced through the air.
"What a great sword!" he praised in his heart. Just judging by the quality of the blade, it had absolutely reached the level of those Golden King Level weapons from earlier. It was more than ten times better than the old companion at his waist that was about to retire! Joy spread through his heart. With this sword, his confidence in handling close-quarters threats would increase significantly!
"Good Eye Power, kid." Kent’s voice rang out from the side. He looked at the Short Sword in Raine’s hand, his gray-blue eyes carrying a hint of approval.
"I didn’t forge that sword; I bought it. Judging solely from the hammering marks and Forging craftsmanship, it’s absolutely the work of some Master blacksmith. The materials are incredibly solid as well. It should be a type of dark iron ore," the Old Blacksmith said, taking a step closer with his eyes slightly distant.
"About half a month ago, a wandering merchant came to sell it. He looked weathered by the elements, as if he had come from a distant land, and only emphasized that he urgently needed money.
"I inspected it carefully. The blade is almost perfect. It’s just that the material itself lacks luster, so it looks very ordinary.
"As you know, the vast majority of Adventurers prefer shiny, high-quality weapons. That greatly satisfies their vanity.
"I didn’t pay much for this sword, so you can take it for seventy Silver Lions. If your funds are limited, it’s indeed a very good choice."
Hearing this, Raine nodded thoughtfully. A weapon that was sharp, sturdy, handy, and reasonably priced was exactly what he needed most right now! Being able to buy a Golden King Level weapon for just seventy Silver Lions couldn’t be more perfect! As for its appearance, that wasn’t important to him. Furthermore, the fact that the Mottled Ring had solely reacted to it proved just how extraordinary this sword was!
However, the Sloppy Ranger’s warning about Cursed Magic Items still lingered in his ears, forcing him to be a bit more cautious.