Sarah and Atomsk toured the academy. Sarah showed him the most important places and the rules. Above all, she explained the places he could find her if he had any problems…
After an hour, both went to the carriage, where Sebastian was waiting for them.
"Atomsk, what do you prefer to do?
We can go back home and rest ... it's been a complicated day and I suppose you'll want to rest... or if you prefer we can also take advantage of the fact that we're here to go to the International Blacksmiths Association.
You decide" Said Sarah
Atomsk, without thinking too much, replied "Let's go to the Blacksmiths Association ... I'm not too tired and it's better to go today, since we're halfway.
In addition, it is likely that Lauren has moved his tentacles within the association ... At school I doubt that he could do too much considering your identity and your contacts, but...
In the association it is different, there we only have my talent and the letter of recommendation of Mathias ... it is better to go now than to wait to give more time to our dear uncle"
Sarah, quite satisfied with the answer, said "I see that you have perfectly understood my concerns ... Yes, that is what I fear may happen, but I don't want to force you either, it has been a very hard day for you"
Atomsk, quite happy to know that Sarah cared so much for him, replied "Don't worry about me, I'm fine, compared to your trainings, today has been a break HAHAHA... I also rwant to do some shopping with the Zenniest that we have won today"
Sarah was happy and a little angry about Atomsk's response. "You have something against my training method? I wanted to let you rest for today ... but after our visit to the association ... I think we'll have to train"
Atomsk, with cold sweat on his forehead said "Come on Sarah, don't be like that, you know I love to train with you... have mercy just for today.
In addition, today I have to practice smithy I have many plans for my purchases"
…
The three went directly to the Blacksmiths' Association, which was an imposing building that stretched from the central district to the city's commercial district.
Within this building is not only where all the important decisions within the Zexarion Empire are made regarding Blacksmith, also the place where the best blacksmiths of the empire are, the best shops, products and even materials that couldn't even be found in the most important commercial association of the world.
It was the Mecca of blacksmithing throughout the Zexarion Empire.
Atomsk and Sarah entered inside.
Despite the large number of people inside neither Atomsk nor Sarah could go unnoticed.
Sarah for being the daughter of the head of the Vermillon family, member of the "Big Tree" of the Imperial Academy and the strongest female student in the history of the academy ... a future Avatar Saint with influence was not something that could go unnoticed by anyone.
Atomsk for hiss curious colour of skin, hair, and strange beauty that everyone found fascinating ... Some had already heard the rumours about him, others not ... but everyone knew that the boy who accompanied Miss Sarah could not be someone normal.
Both went to the main reception, Sarah using her influence and the letter of recommendation of Mathias… they let them go inside the facilities, where it was more likely to find Roman, Mathias' defaulter friend...
Roman, the only Space Blacksmith Emperor of the entire empire, Mathias' childhood study partner and one who could become the future professor of Atomsk...
"Please, wait here, I will immediately inform Mr. Roman of your arrival" said one of Roman's assistants.
Atomsk and Sarah stayed waiting near the work area, where most of the association's main blacksmiths were working on the orders assigned.
Atomsk was enthusiastic about what he saw
[Incredible, there are many people working at the same time, the types of AVATARs are very diverse, as well as their techniques ... most of those who work in this huge room are either AVATAR Marquis or AVATAR Duke.
I suppose the top blacksmiths will have their private work places...
I don't see any Space Blacksmith, none is as good as Mathias, but seeing how they work in different ways is helping me to better understand some of my doubts.]
Atomsk was focused on the work of the blacksmiths and Sarah was delighted to see that her brother was so excited to learn.
Due to the long wait, one of the secretaries arrived and, apart from giving them some snaks to ease the wait, they also received a catalog of products for sale ... both analyzed.
Atomsk smiled with malice, since most of the products he wanted to get were in this catalog and at a very good price ... especially the "Explosive impact Allerium", the "Stellar silver cooler", the "Solid titanium innert alloy" and the "Gray space ore" ... which were the materials that he most wanted to get.
However, while they watched the catalog... someone approached them
…
"Oh, Miss Sarah, I did not expect to see you for the blacksmiths association so early.
Did you come by chance to get a new sword?" Said a muscular man with turquoise hair who was accompanied by a boy with an age around 13 or 14 years.
Sarah changed her expression. It was evident that she did not like that man, which could mean that he was one of Lauren's lackeys, although it did not seem to belong to the Vermillon family. "Oh hello, Mr. Marcus Carrel, what are you doing here so early?
I thought that at this moment you would be licking my uncle's boots and not working."
Sarah's intention in saying these words was to alert Atomsk that the enemy they had been waiting for had appeared, and to vent her anger... since this man despite having some influence was not untouchable for her.
Marcus Carrel, quite annoyed by Sarah's words, replied "So funny as ever Miss Sarah. Is he the genius that everyone talks about? I had imagined him differently"
The intentions of that man began to become evident, he was there with a motive and that was Atomsk.
Sarah, who got an idea of his plan, said "I guess you don't have too much imagination.
If you'll excuse us, we're waiting for the Master Roman... so we're kind of busy"
Marcus didn't back down in the least and with a smile replied "Oh I see, you want the boy to become the disciple of the old Roman, it makes sense, but ...
Should not you wait until he becomes an AVATAR Student before he becomes an official blacksmith? Or have you just come to introduce him?"
Sarah with arrogance and pride replied "I see that this news has not yet reached your ears.
Thanks to your master's generous gift, my little brother has been able to quickly become AVATAR Student, we just went to the Academy and will be enrolled in the same class as his son.
By the way, how is he? Is he already able to speak or walk on his own now?"
Marcus, quite surprised and annoyed by how Sarah was stoning his pride, addressed Atomsk. "Wow, with less than 10 years and you're already an AVATAR Studen, I see you're a little genius.
Not only are you able to win someone several levels higher than you are also able to cultivate at a very fast speed, but tell me...
How are you doing with the smithy?"
Atomsk, who understood from more than a minute ago what were the intentions of that person, responded with a very cordial and childlike tone to let his guard down. "Pretty well, I recently started studying how to forge but I have been told I'm pretty good"
Marcus, satisfied with the attitude and words of Atomsk said "Ah yes? Congratulations Sarah, you have picked up an exceptional little brother from the street...
Tell me that it would you like to do small blacksmithing competition with my disciple, it is very likely that it will help you to improve"
Atomsk smiled internally, had guessed right at the intentions of that man.
Either he was sent directly by Lauren to look for problems with him or he had taken the initiative to earn points with his master.
It was obvious that Lauren would try to cause problems for Atomsk, either by humiliating him and bothering one way or another or trying to harm him, and the Blacksmiths Association was an ideal place for it.
Atomsk had shown to have a high combat potential, so it is not a wise idea to make him fight ... Would it be humiliating if an AVATAR Infant lost to an AVATAR Scholar or Avatar Master? No, and an aggression like that would not be well seen.
So the best thing he could do now was to find problems with his profession, which were likely would humiliate him because of his short experience ... and also to check what his abilities were in that.
And, of course, that person could not be someone from the Vermillon family, since the rest of the people would see that the Vermillon family had serious internal problems, which could weaken the family ... and his brother Lorenz could intervene with that excuse.
That's why Marcus and his apprentice were the ideal means for that purpose.
Atomsk replied in a very short way "I'm sorry, but I do not feel like it, when I get home, I'll have a hard time waiting for me"
The apprentice behind Marcus when he heard Atomsk's words said "What's the matter, are you afraid of losing? I thought you were a genius"
[Perfect, Lauren must have told them that provoking me that way is effective... perfect, is what I wanted]
Atomsk, pretending to be upset said "I'm not afraid of losing, I just don't like to spend energy on something that does not give me any benefit
In addition, why should an Avatar Student compete with an AVATAR Scholar?"
Upon hearing Atomsk's response, both Sarah and Marcus understood the meaning behind his words.
[You want to place a bet]
Sarah smiled shyly; she understood that her brother would never try to bet on something he had no chance of winning, which meant he had a plan to pluck Marcus.
Marcus however did not know Atomsk, and he did not know how twisted he can be when it comes to making money. Believing that winning Atomsk in a bet would be something easily said "Oh I see that you are very materialistic boy, but it is not a bad thing, it means that you live with your feet on the ground.
What do you think if we bet?"
Atomsk feigning doubt about what to do said "I don't know, betting is not something very to do good for someone of my age ... also how do we compete? Our cultivation levels are very different and also our AVATAR's ... it is very difficult that we can do a fair competition in any aspect, also will be difficult to determine a winner"
Marcus confidently said "You are right, there is a difference in level and elemental properties... although I am sure it is not so much for a genius like you ... but if you insist that you find it unfair ... I can let you decide what kind of competition we will have.
As long as my pupil is able to do it of course, I don't think he is capable of creating an inner artefact with spatial properties ... although I doubt that you can too" Said Macrus to provoke Atomsk.
Atomsk pretended to be interested and said "Okay, but before setting the rules ... I would like to know what we bet."
Marcus said "I see you're looking at the category 1, 2 and 3 metals catalog ... what if I bet enough of my association points ... what do you think 10000000? Since you still do not have points ... what if in the event that you lose you will give me the equivalent amount in Zeniest?"
Atomsk's eyes went on when he heard the terms of the bet.
The points given by the association were only possible to obtain in two ways
1 Making orders for the association
2 Winning them in a competition or bet among blacksmiths that is based in the smithy
These points were hard to come by and were not interchangeable for money.
These points could be changed within the association by materials of a purity, quality and properties far superior to those sold to the public ...
And 10000000 million were not a small amount to acquire materials of category 1 2 and 3.
....
[Poor idiot, you just gave me 10,000,000 points, and I have not even said what the competition will be like
He must be very convinced of his disciple ...he underestimates me too much ..., or he's just an idiot.
Lauren, in the end it will be impossible for me to have hatred towards you ... you do not stop sending me gifts one after the other.]
"I accept the duel"