"Ron, why did you agree to his provocation?" Old John looked at Ron and wanted to blame him, but it was not so easy to say, the accusation felt too heavy. He could see that Ron wanted to defend himself because he saw that the other party was strong. However, Ron was just an apprentice; how could he be a match? Even if he tried to test his skills, he'd only end up humiliating himself.
"Is this Ron?" Clinton looked at Ron, but unlike his father, he smiled and said, "Father, don't blame Ron. In any case, whether we compete or not, we can't keep this piece of material. It's better to let the apprentice take a shot. That way, there's no shame in losing. At least our weapon store's reputation will be intact."
"Yes, I agree!" Old John nodded, sighed, and then said to his men, "Go and bring the forging furnace and the materials from the back. Use the best materials we have. Even if we lose, we can't let it be a complete disgrace!"
Both sides got to work. The materials they prepared were of high quality and suitable for crafting top-notch weapons, even though they weren't as precious as deep-sea cold iron. Their combined value amounted to tens of thousands of baileys. If they successfully forged a high-quality sword, it would be worth millions of baileys.
However, crafting a weapon of that caliber was no small feat. Not even the Master blacksmith of the Iron Furnace Weapon Shop was not 100% certain.
"Boss don't worry, I'm not planning to go all out against an apprentice," said the master blacksmith of the Iron Furnace Weapon Shop with confidence. "With my skills, while it may be challenging to craft a graded weapon, but I'm 50% sure I can do it, and even if it doesn't turn out perfectly, a fine weapon is a sure guarantee."
"Of course, I have faith in the expertise of our master blacksmith" the middle-aged man in the traditional Chinese attire smiled and added, "Fine weapons should suffice. The other side is just a young apprentice. Even with excellent forging materials, he might only be able to create subpar weapons that are considered okay for their level. Do you think he can win? Hahaha, that's highly unlikely!"
"Only a young boy," the blacksmith master looked at Ron with even more disdain. "I doubt he can even forge subpar weapons. Perhaps he'll be lucky enough to create a basic sword, but victory isn't determined by luck. It's more about skill and experience."
"That's absolutely right," the middle-aged man in traditional attire nodded in deep agreement. "Having a master go up against a young apprentice blacksmith is like using a sledgehammer to crush an egg. It's a one-sided contest!"
"Well, if we manage to secure this piece of material, it would be a major win. Our weapon store might even produce a graded weapon," Old John chuckled. "If that happens, we'll become the most renowned weapon store in Logue Town. We'd cause a sensation in the entire East Blue, and even famous swordsmen on the Grand Line would come to our shop for their swords!"
"Hahaha! I'm really looking forward to it!"
With both sides ready, Ron stood calmly in front of the forging furnace. Not far away, the blacksmithing master of the Iron Furnace Weapon Shop strolled forward, casting a contemptuous look at him, and then began forging with smooth, relaxed motions, displaying an advanced level of blacksmithing technique.
Ron, on the other hand, was dumbfounded as he watched. As a divine level blacksmith, being tested by a master of this level was like a father competing against his son. The victory was already clear, not in skill but in the fact that Ron had voluntarily walked into this situation.
Having made peace with the idea of leaving Logue Town, Ron wasn't in a hurry to forge. He casually examined the casting materials provided by Old John, assessing their quality and attributes.
With his blacksmithing skills now at the highest level, his knowledge and proficiency in the craft were unmatched. Each piece of material was assessed in an instant, and he could tell the quality and potential of the material with a single glance. After some inspection, Ron carefully began to kindle the fire, heating the forging furnace.
The crowd of onlookers observed the elegant, swift movements of the blacksmith master from the Iron Furnace Weapon Shop on the left, contrasting them with Ron's slow and leisurely actions. Heads shook in disbelief, with some muttering that Ron, an apprentice clearly had no clue about the craft.
"Old John's weapon Shop has already lost!"
"Sending an apprentice to forge a sword? What was old John thinking? This is a surefire way to lose. If only he had intervened personally, there might have been a chance."
"You don't get it. If old John had forged the sword himself and lost, the repercussions would be much worse than losing just a piece of material. Sending an apprentice is a way to protect the store's reputation and future."
"That makes sense!"
Not far behind the crowd, Grace walked with Smoker and Tashigi.
"What's happening over there?" Tashigi asked, intrigued.
"I'm not entirely sure," Smoker admitted.
Grace took a closer look and furrowed his brow. He recognized the two men as being from the Iron Furnace Weapon Shop, one of the three major weapon shops in Logue Town. They had been competing with Old John's Weapon Shop for business due to their proximity.
"That's the Iron Furnace Weapon Shop people, and it seems they're competing in blacksmithing with Old John's Weapon Shop," Grace explained quietly.
"blacksmithing competition?" Tashigi's interest was piqued as a swordsman.
"It appears so," Grace confirmed.
"Let's go have a look," Smoker suggested with a smile, leading the way with his two companions.
"Is that young man from Old John's shop?" Smoker inquired, looking at Ron with curiosity.
"Yes, that's him," Grace replied. He couldn't help but feel an odd sensation; what was this master blacksmith thinking? Ron had only been learning the craft for half a month, and now he was being tested like this?
"Huh?" Smoker noticed the change in Grace's expression and asked in a serious tone, "Grace, what happened?"
"That's him," Grace reluctantly confirmed, realizing that the navy captain was not someone to be trifled with. Ron's identity had become apparent to him.
"That's him?" Smoker confirmed, studying Ron closely. His expression changed as he, recognized Ron. Ron had a bounty of ten million baileys, and his notoriety as a pirate was well-known, even though it had been just a month since his bounty was issued.
"Is this pirate really a Great Swordsman?" Smoker's mind was suddenly filled with doubt. A Great Swordsman was no joke, It referred to the world's most exceptional swordsmen. A particularly recognized great swordsman known as the strongest swordsman is – Hawkeye Mihawk. Those who held the title of a Great Swordsman were considered some of the most formidable individuals on the Grand Line, and some even possessed the power and skill to combat a navy admiral.
Could this teenager in front of him be in his early twenties?
It seemed highly improbable. However, judging by Grace's reaction, it was evident that he believed Ron was the Great Swordman.
"Perhaps we've made a mistake. Although his sword aura is strong and formidable, it shouldn't reach the level of a Great Swordman. This young man might just be a skilled swordsman with significant prowess," Smoker doubted that Ron possessed the might of a Great Swordman, shaking his head inwardly.