Returning to the guild hall, I glanced at the sun and realized I had a few hours before dinner. Not enough time to walk out and see my undead while practicing out there before coming back. Also I would most likely be out of a job soon since Donven would no longer be running his butchery, and his son would probably take over.
Thinking of this, I realized that I should probably go out and find a new job to work at. As I was thinking of where I could find a job, I began thinking of what would benefit me the most. If I worked at another butchery, I may not get paid as much as I did at Donven's, but there weren't many jobs that could get me a good income for paying off my debts here at the guild hall. What's more, I was several days into my first month of required payment but I only had a single copper piece to my name.
The only job I could think that may possibly give me a good enough income to pay off the guild was working at Hunganner's Smithy. Thinking of this, I figured I could probably also learn a little bit more about making weapons and armor, so I would be able to craft proper weapons for my undead instead of creating poorly made tools that wouldn't increase their effect by much.
Deciding upon this I figured I could do my best and see if Hunganner would give me the chance to work for him. Leaving the guild hall, I made my way through the village until I reached his smithy. Entering, I once more saw the younger boy who had given me my processing knives from before.
"Greetings mister. What can I assist you with today?" The boy finished wiping down the counter as he looked up at me.
"I was wondering if Hunganner would be willing to take another staff or assistant."
The boy paused as he looked at me before nodding his head and standing up. "Give me a sec to go check with him." The boy gave me one last glance before entering the back room where Hunganner's forge lay.
I waited for several minutes before the back door crashed open and Hunganner came lumbering out, his red face sheened in sweat as his large and gruff beard sizzled from a few lighted ends.
"Ah Laddie! Didn't expect yer to be the one asking for being me assistant. After all yer Eric the classless aren't ye?" Hunganner raised an eyebrow in my direction as he leaned against the counter.
"Oh? You know about me?" I was surprised since I hadn't given my name to him the last time and I didn't think most people who I didn't interact with would be able to put my name to my face.
"Aye laddie, I know about ya. As the only blacksmith in the village, the guild hall gives me a list of all their adventurers along with their preferred weapons and fighting styles so that I can at least have an idea as to what to make for them should they come asking for advice on weapons and such." Hunganner leaned on the back wall as he folded his arms. "So tell me, how would a classless be useful for me to take as an apprentice? Ye can't lift as much as those with a class, nor can you get buffs and assist from any skills through the system. You're also taking that scrawny goat's classes, meaning you wouldn't be working the entire day. So what value would I gain in hiring you?"
Lowering my head in dejection, I softly responded. "Not much sir. I'm a hard worker, and good with my hands. But as you said. I'm classless and unable to gain any skills or buffs to improve myself and make the job easier."
Nodding his head in acknowledgement he finally sighed before saying something I never expected to hear, especially from a complete stranger. "You ain't classless though, are ya."
My eyes widened in shock, but I quickly schooled my emotions as I raised my head up to look at Hunganner with confusion. "I'm sorry sir, but I don't understand what you're saying. I most definitely am classless. Everyone who doesn't make it to the class stone is classless."
Giving me a toothy grin, Hunganner raised an eyebrow as he chuckled. "You can't lie to me kid. Me great grandfather was a celestial blacksmith. You know what that class is?"
Shaking my head in a no, Hunganner nodded. "Most don't. After all, it's a unique class, and if word were to get out that someone had awakened as a unique class, the Inquisition would've immediately come here and torn apart the entire village to find them. Good thing Arvgran kept it quiet now that me boy awoke that class. After all, he can now forge artifacts that are imbued with the laws of time, and can even create artifacts that see the future. Just as me great grandfather did."
Hearing this, I was both shocked that Hunganner was willing to tell me so much about his family, along with the fact that his son had already awakened a class though he seemed a few years younger than me.
"Me great grandfather left me family a record that foretold a prophecy that would push my family into greatness never before seen. It's why he upped and moved us here to this backwater town from the gleaming pearl city Kognarahamak." Hungannder appeared to be filled with great excitement when he began speaking of his great grandfather's prophecy, and listening to him made one feel vastly curious as to what the prophecy entailed.
"May I ask for what your great grandfather's prophecy stated?"
Hearing my question, Hunganner chuckled boisterously. "It didn't state anything. Instead it showed us! That's the uniqueness of a celestial blacksmith. Unlike prophets, fortune tellers, oracles, and seers, who tell what the prophecy is, a celestial blacksmith will instead forge an artifact that attunes one to the passage of time, allowing them to see certain segments of time. For instance, you could pick up an axe and all of a sudden be seeing a vision of a bloody battlefield where you are beheading your enemy with said axe. The only down side with this forging is the fact that once one sees the visions of the future, they usually will not change. They will either fade after the segment of time has passed, or if you are lucky enough to strengthen and reforge the weapon during or slightly after the segment of time, you may be able to gain a new vision of the future."
I listened intensely, excited to learn what the difference between a celestial blacksmith and other future seers were, though I did pause upon hearing that one could gain new visions. "What exactly do you mean by reforging the weapon during the segment of time?"
With a nearly crazed grin, Hunganner looked at me. "Unlike regular forging, a celestial reforging would mean that the user either devotes part of themselves or very rare resources to the weapon to strengthen it during the time of the vision. In my great grandfather's records, one of his friends who had attained level 96, had devoted almost all of his experience points and levels to the weapon during the blood moon of Kognoroha, increasing the weapon's vision capabilities and strengths. Though he dropped back to a low level adventurer, my great grandfather said the weapon had leveled up to the point that it was able to permanently slay a Greater Demon."
Hearing this, I became quite shocked. It was well known throughout the world that demons could not be permanently slain, let alone a Greater Demon; so having a weapon that could do something like that was a great boon, especially if it was during the dredges of the demon wars.
"That sounds like a very amazing class, more worthy of being considered a mere unique class and more so a legendary class." I stated as I pondered over if it was possible to make one of my undead a celestial blacksmith.
"Aye, only those that have reached the peaks of celestial blacksmithing can truly make it, after all, for a celestial blacksmith, he must also have easy access to the passage of time. Usually this means forging beneath the stars during the different seasons since a celestial blacksmith can then channel the energy of time from the stars, but this is also extremely difficult since the blacksmith must become one with the craft and sense the passage of time and energy as they forge. It's why many of the class fail to craft great weapons like me great grandfather, but I know me boy can do it."
Nodding my head in acknowledgement, I finally admitted to the first person ever that I was not classless. "Your earlier statement was correct. I'm not classless. And the reason I asked to work with you is because my class, though not a life skill class, does have a semblance of forging and crafting capabilities in it. I wanted to learn from you so that I could form proper weapons, armors, and tools."
Nodding his head as he gazed off in thought, Hunganner responded casually. "Interesting lad, Never knew that a combat skill could have the ability to forge things with it, but if you say you can do it, then you most likely can. I understand that you may be unwilling to share your class, and I will not pry, after all everyone wishes to keep their secrets, though I do hope that you could one day feel that me family and I can be trusted with your secret. Until then, I will gladly work with ya and teach ya what I know, all I ask is, if something 'ere to happen, please protect me son. He's me only boy, and I fear what may happen should someone learn of what he can do."
I felt that this would be quite a reasonable request to do, after all, if something did happen and the Inquisition came, they would most likely be here to look for me. And if they found out about Hunganner's family as well, it would be because of me.
"I can do that. Though your son will have to be willing to withstand any struggles we may face should something drastic happen, forcing us to flee from Hothal Aldu, and possibly the Undarthu Kingdom entirely." I made eye contact with Hunganner as a seriousness settled between the two of us. We both knew that with possibly two extremely rare and powerful classes being in this village alone, it was only a matter of time before the Inquisition eventually made their way out here.