With my trips alone to the dungeons came to an end. Unfortunately, I didn't get to explore as far as I had planned, my life is more important than the few thousand gold coins I would be able to explore all the way to the tenth floor of the Moonlight Forest.
When I left the dungeon, I need to treat my wounds and fix my arm which is well worn out, I decided to go to Lofar's workshop to see how much he would charge me to repair my arm and if he wants the three crooked arrows. Upon arriving at Lofar's workshop I was unfortunately not greeted by a group of beautiful women.
In the workshop, Lofar was arguing with a bearded dwarf who was insulting Lofar's parts and would even think he was a blacksmith rival to Lofar, but when he said that Lofar was too talented to waste his time living in a small workshop making basic equipment his talent was destined for a superior forge I realized that this dwarf might be a relative or friend of Lofar.
As I approach Lofar and the excited dwarf I see happiness in Lofar's eyes when he notices my presence, and that is strangely uncomfortable. But I believe he is happy to be able to escape the sermon and criticism about his life choice the dwarf is screaming at him.
"Good afternoon, Ulric, and what brings you to my workshop at this opportune time?"
Lofar's joy was radiant, in contrast to the angry look of the dwarf who needs a beer to brighten his day. And I know, I'm reinforcing a stereotype, but I doubt this dwarf wouldn't be happier if he had a mug of beer in his hand right now.
"Hi Lofar I just got out of the dungeon and I need help repairing my ripeness, it ended up wearing a little too much in the dungeon today, and I also wanted to ask if you want some bent arrows, they are from level three subjects so I figured maybe you wanted to buy it like scrap metal."
Getting an even deadlier glare from the dwarf, who just wants an excuse to use his ax on me. Lofar just need to take a look at my maturity to judge her condition.
"Looks like the werewolves gave you a lot of trouble Ulric, but I'm surprised you're entering the moonlight forest, you shouldn't enter this place with a large group or people you don't know well. And dangerous for a rookie warrior like you to enter the moonlight forest."
"Thank you, for worrying about my safety, but I've just passed the first five floors of the dungeon alone, Lofar. I believe I'm not a weak rookie anymore, I'm now a weak adventurer as I have my gray core now, but I also know now that it would be too risky to try to get to the tenth floor, from the moonlight forest with my current power level, I'm just going to get into that dungeon again if you have a decent partner or when you get stronger."
"I hadn't noticed before, congratulations on pushing Ulric forward."
"Hey boy you're still a rookie even though you've advanced to your core level, the only difference is that now you're not a rookie kid but a rookie man. It's still a long way from being a rookie, but you're not bad for your age."
Well, that's a different kind of compliment, and it improves as I get complimented while being scolded and almost insulted at the same time, I understand why Lofar was so happy with my arrival this dwarf, he has a way with words to hide a compliment that way.
"Uncle Durin, don't talk like that to my clients. Ulric is a very promising young warrior; he is the highest-scoring student of his year at that madwoman's institute."
"A child who has just entered the institute, his level is good, but there is nothing special about it. I heard from Luca that the twins of the Menfis family have already advanced to the gray core even before the school year is over."
"What an unusual uncle, you don't usually pay attention to gossip. And for his information Ulric has a better result in the final test of the institute's first year, even the twins of the Menfis family had lower results than a black-core warrior."
"Ignorant brat, the core level does not affect the institute test difficulty. And since you are so informed about this boy's life, you should worry about your own life and stop paying attention to other people's lives."
It's really fun to see them arguing, and now I'm sure the dwarf and Lofar's relative. But it's very strange that Lofar knows so much about my life, is he spying on me?
"You grumpy old man, you're the one who started talking about other people's lives. And because you're talking to Luca, I thought you hated him for stealing you."
"That's past now, bastard Luca paid me what he owed me and I buy an elemental gem I've been saving for the past few years for twice its value. And that's how I learned from the new generation of the Menfis family the elemental jewel was for the magician's staff and it's very difficult to find an elemental jewel with two elements so balanced and with that unique ability, and it's a shame that I lost the chance to use it for create a shield that could be a masterpiece."
"Well, it's hard to find a defensive warrior with the earth and water element. You've kept that gem for several years now, and you'd better have sold it. Now you can spend the money to buy more popular materials to try to create a masterpiece."
"What kind of jewelry is this Lofar?"
"It's a very special and unique Ulric gem, but I can't tell you as it was sold to someone else."
"Boy you shouldn't ask that kind of question; some people might think you have negative intentions for the Menfis family. Never ask about materials used in making a stranger's equipment, especially if that stranger is part of a powerful family with several enemies, you can be mistaken for a spy and end up dead in a dark alley by a noble family."
"I appreciate the warning, but I know Ingredi and I know on what equipment this jewel will be used."
"Even so, it's not good to gossip about other people's lives, don't sin this bad Lofar brat."
"Actually, I'm curious how Lofar knows so much about my life, does he happen to spy on his customers' lives, Uncle Durin?"
"Good question, young man. How do you know so much about this boy's life, Lofar?"
"Blame your teacher, Ulric. Balder was here for a few weeks and while I was inspecting the materials, he said that the weapons I forged for you were useless to you during the test."
"Well, that's true they were really useless during the test. I admit it took me by surprise, it would have been better to have spent the money on a ripening, but they are useful the rest of the time so I don't regret ordering them, Lofar."
"Why were swords useless? You've faced an acid monster or maybe an incorporeal monster! The test must have changed a lot that kind of enemy shouldn't show up in a first-year test."
"I had the same doubts, and that bastard Balder asked him for a twenty percent discount on his next purchase to tell me why my works were useless during that damn test."
"Then why were the boy's guns useless during the test?"
"If you give me a kilo of gray metal, I'll tell you, uncle."
"Bad-bred brat, I'm going to sing to your dad that you're begging for subjects again he's going to come here just to spank you. Hey Ulric boy, tell me why the weapons were useless during testing and I promise to accept an order from you in the future I'm a master blacksmith and partial to light and medium weight matures, like a mobility-minded warrior like you would be very smart to be friends with a master blacksmith like me."
"You will suffer a lot in the future to find a blacksmith who is competent. Most blacksmiths tend to focus on heavy and medium matures, the few who specialize and light matures like me."
"Okay, I'll tell you the answer and it's pretty simple. The test matrix simply took all of my weapons and to prevent me from stealing the monsters' weapons I had to take the test by inviting in my abilities to fight unarmed."
"What a fucking test this kid is! I've never heard of a test like this, it explains why your grade was higher than your peers, the fact that you were disarmed by the matrix should multiply your points. The professors must have been shocked to see your test. I have never heard of an illusory matrix taking a warrior's weapons."
"And boy, because you learned to fight unarmed, did you want to be one of those crazy masochistic monks by any chance?"
"I was never interested in being a monk, but I was lucky enough to get a manual that was written by a monk for one of my teachers. It helped me a lot in understanding how to use elemental energy flows, so I ended up learning the basics of unarmed fighting, even though I hoped I would never have to use that skill or the elemental art, but it's always nice to have one more trump card."
"And why don't you like the monks?"
"Not even a craftsman likes monks, they don't even wear equipment other than ordinary clothes that are just tough enough not to tear during a fight. Because the only thing worse than one of those idiot monks would be fighting a naked monk."
"That would really be uncomfortable to see. But back to my maturation, Lofar you can fix it for mine before the weekend, I have plans to explore a dungeon with my friends before school starts."
"Easy Ulric, I just need a few hours to get your ripe ready, tomorrow it will be ready for you to pick up."
"You should get a better ripe boy; she is very basic and when comparing her with your sword they are very weak and of poor subject matter. You should have Lofar make a new set of maturations for you."
"I'm even thinking about getting a new rip, but I was thinking about trying a light leather rip. I intended to order one with Calen, a medium weight metal maturation gets in the way of my fighting style a little."
"I understand your problem young man, Lofar doesn't really know how to make a decent light metal rip. It's quite tricky to make a light rip, and that's why so few blacksmiths specialize in this kind of rip, but a light metal rip is much tougher than a leather rip is the most common disadvantage and that they're worse. for sneak attacks because of the noise, but if they are made by incompetent people this problem disappears and the only disadvantage that remains is the difficulty of finding good stories."
"In the future you can try a maturation made by my boy, but I only work with warriors from level four and up, but since I liked you, when you reach the green core look for me to order a maturation, but I'll let you know. which will be very expensive."
"I would prefer my clients to remain loyal, and not go after other blacksmiths."
"Then learn to forge right, your father is still disappointed in your Lofar skill level, you have to work harder."
"I'm leaving, it was fun and informative talking to you guys. It was a pleasure meeting you uncle Durin."
I left poor Lofar behind, being reprimanded by Durin.