Elijah was sitting on a boulder, taking notes on a small book.
The Thunderclaw Falcon was scouting certain places in the outer part of the Forbidden Forest.
This was the Mission Elijah had taken when he was at the Ranger Guild Branch a month ago.
It was almost time to return and report back to the guild.
He used the keen eyes from his falcon to confirm the numbers of different Demonic Beast.
His falcon had grown stronger and its eyesight became sharper, it really helped him in avoiding the stronger beast.
'There aren't any major changes, in the power structure, but I need to report that some lone dangerous Demonic Beast have started to roam in the outer parts.'
He closed his book, ordering the falcon to return through his Soul Link, that's how he decided to call it.
Elijah traveled back to the border, slaying beast on his way, storing their corpses from inside his space ring.
He remembered that his grandfather had gifted him a flying sailboat, he took it out when he excited the Forbidden Forest. He felt stupid how he could forget about it, he could it use now comfortably after becoming a Rank-3 Senior Warrior.
The boat soared up into the air, flying at fast towards the border checkpoint.
Elijah maade a brief stop, telling the Soldiers that he had finished his mission and was on his way back to Clearforest City.
The Soldiers asked him with concern how the situation inside the Forbidden Forest was. Elijah calmed them down, telling them that nothing out of the ordinary was going on in the outer parts.
They were relieved and thanked him for his hard work.
Elijah took off on his flying sailboat towards Clearforest City. His falcon was happily flying beside the sailboat.
It took him only 3 hours flight to reach Clearforest City, he put the sailboat back inside his space ring and walked straight to the Ranger Guild building.
Elijah reported his findings, the receptionist noted everything down and was surprised when he told her about the dangerous solitary Demonic Beast roaming in the outer parts of the Forbidden Forest.
He gained extra Contribution Points for that information. Elijah excited the Ranger Guild and went to a middle class inn. He booked a room for one week.
He walked through the streets, stopping in front of a large building. This was the branch from the Master Guild, Elijah entered it an walked to the receptionist.
"Hello what can I do for you Ranger?" Asked the receptionist politely.
"Hello, I want to join the Master Guild." Said Elijah.
The receptionist nodded, "What is your Master Path?"
"Blacksmith."
"Okay, Semi Membership cost 15 gold and Core Membership cost 100 gold. Which one do you want?" Asked the receptionist.
"Wait, I can become a Core Member even though I'm a Core Member from the Ranger Guild?" Asked Elijah surprised.
"Of course, it's because you are a Core Ranger that you can become a Core Member of the Master Guild. Core Hunters have the same privilege. We don't accept people that belong to other forces as Core Members beside Core Rangers and Core Hunters." Explained the receptionist.
Elijah's eyes lit up, 100 gold was expensive but it was worth it in long term.
"I will take the Core Membership then." Decided Elijah.
"A wise choice, please give me your Ranger Emblem for confirmation."
Elijah handed over his emblem, the receptionist put it inside an array behind him.
The Ranger Emblem lit up and words flew out from it.
"Fenrir Blackwood, Age 16, Core Ranger."
Elijah watched it interested, he didn't know that his Ranger Emblem had that kind of function.
The receptionist nodded, everything was fine.
"Please follow me to the test room, we still need to check your Master Skill Level."
Elijah followed the receptionist inside a great forge that was on the fourth floor.
Two old but robust looking man were sitting in front of a desk, chatting with each other while drinking tea.
The receptionist bowed towards them, "Esteemed Sir's please assess this new Core Member." The receptionist spoke with uttermost respect.
Both old men turned around, checking out Elijah's body up and down.
"Alright, the materials are all there, forge whatever you are proficient in." Said one of them with vigour.
The other one kept sipping his tea without any worry.
Elijah took off most of his clothes, only wearing his leather pants and boots.
He started to check the materials by touching and knocking them, he needed to keep up his cover as a blind person. His actions piqued the interest from both old man.
He heated up the furnace until it reached the perfect temperature after picking the materials he needed.
Elijah wanted to forge his own blades and armor in future, he needed the Master Guild to keep improving. His grandfather had showed him the basics and he was pretty confident in himself.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
Elijah started an hour later to hammer on the hot blacksteel. He controlled his Soul Flux, pouring it steadily into the hammer while striking down on the hot blacksteel.
Elijah struck the blacksteel with strong but precise hits.
He was too focused to notice that both old man who didn't really bother themselves with him in the beginning had stood up and walked behind him.
They observed how Elijah was striking down on the hot blacksteel.
It had an irregular rhythm but it didn't sound like it was out of place.
They exchanged a knowing look, before turning back to observe Elijah's work.
He was 14 years old but his body was already well developed, one would guess his age around 16-18. He was 180 meters tall and had a well trained body like an athlete.
His whole body was covered in sweat, he kept hammering the blacksteel bare chested.
Parts of Elijah's Soul Flux entered the blacksteel that was already resembling a blade.
He put it back inside the furnace to heat it up before it cooled off.
Both old man nodded, they could see that Elijah had plenty of experience in forging.
Elijah's focus and commitment to his work put a smile on both faces of them, he reminded them of their past when they had started to forge their own weapons.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
Elijah stopped, he wiped away the sweat on his forehead. He put the hammer on the table and observed the blade he made, it looked good.
"Not bad boy, it almost became a Silver Rated Weapon, a wonderful forged Peak Bronze Rate Blade." Commented on of the old man standing behind him.
It was only when the old man spoke that Elijah noticed them both behind him.
He smiled, "Thank you Senior." Thanked Elijah politely.
"But who teached you that peculiar hammering technique?" Asked the other old man.
"It was my father, he was an Hunter before he died, I don't know where he learnt it." Answered Elijah carefully.
Both old man nodded. It wasn't strange for Hunters to come across ancient books that contained certain skills from the old time.
"You passed the test with easy, you are very promising, tell me boy do you have a bloodline?" Asked the bald old man with a full grey beard.
"I don't have one Senior." Answered Elijah wondering why he would ask that.
"A pity you could forge a growth-type weapons and armor if you had a bloodline..." Said the other old man with long grey hair and eyebrows.
"What? It is possible to forge growth-type weapons and armor?" Asked Elijah shocked.
"Well it is a secret to the public but it is possible to forge them as long one has a bloodline." Spoke the old man with long eyebrows.
'Incredible...I could forge my own growth-type weapons?' Thought Elijah delighted.
"Are you interested?" Asked the bald old man smiling.
"Yes Senior, I'm very interested, how is that even possible? How can I learn more about it?" Answered Elijah with respect.
"You can study it, here I will give you the manual, return it to me tomorrow. It's useless for most people but it is interesting to browse through. Even if you tell other, no one would believe you anyway hahaha" The bald old man too out a book from his space ring, giving it to Elijah who couldn't believe that he just gave it to him like that.
"We will give you a good rating, you have potential and it won't be long until you will be able to forge Silver Rated Weapons. See you tomorrow."
Elijah bowed towards both men thanking them before walking out of the room.