(I am finally back from abroad, so I can start writing again. Adding this novel to your library really helps.)
An unassuming house lay to one side of the blacksmith's district, a simple work of grey brick and black slate that wouldn't raise eyebrows.
Yet despite the seeming normality of the shack, when Regulus approached it, he felt as if he was walking into a dragon's maw.
Heat so sickening that the sweat Marty was producing couldn't even cool his skin before it evaporated.
Gulping down dry air, Marty backed away from the shack, dropped to his knees, and called out to the unfazed Regulus.
"I- I'm sorry it's difficult for someone without card energy to be able to resist 'Jack' ranked flames like that."
Regulus felt that the martial art he hurriedly wrote out wasn't wasted when he saw Marty try to breach the inferno for him.
Although in comparison to Croft's pressure, the 'Jack' flames David used to forge his weapons were comparable to an ant's bite, Regulus took a seat next to Marty.
"No rush. It's not as if he would have halted his forging process just to accommodate us anyway."
Glancing at the meditating Regulus beside him, who now seemed to be in his own world, Marty felt nothing but gratefulness at his understanding.
As a street urchin and guide to the blacksmith's district, Marty fully understood the importance of a smith's focus in the final stages of weapon forging.
Oftentimes, the clients he was guiding would disregard his advice and blame him for making them wait despite just being peasants.
Yet here sat Regulus, a man exuding an aura of nobility greater than the previous clients combined but still understanding the reality of the situation.
The morning sun rose higher above the district when the heat subsided, and the sound of metal came to a halt.
Regulus, who had begun forming the second star of Leo whilst waiting, opened his eyes. Compared to the first star of Leo, even for a monster like Regulus, it took a period of time to form the second star.
Knowing he had no chance of forming the star before tomorrow's examination, Regulus gradually increased his power, knowing every drop would count.
Entering the shack with Marty, it wasn't challenging to locate David Smith. Dressed in a simple shirt and heavy trousers, David was a muscular young man with sandy brown hair and brown eyes that were currently resting on Regulus.
"I don't remember seeing anyone like you around these parts. I'm David Smith, but you already knew that otherwise you wouldn't be here."
With a confident aura and smile, David reached out a dirty hand to Regulus, who took it without hesitation and returned the look.
"Regulus Cosmos, I came here because I need a sword to accompany me for a while."
A shocked expression flashed across David's face, having met lots of nobles who came asking for weapons. They would often begrudgingly shake his hand, and others would simply refuse it, yet there wasn't the slightest hesitation from Regulus.
The nobles who met David in the past were raised in greenhouses and simply flaunted their father's wealth, expecting a path to open up for them.
Regulus, a king who was born on the battlefield, would have been killed thousands of times if he hadn't been used to dirt and filth.
Although the news of the Anomaly hadn't yet spread amongst the blacksmiths who were constantly engrossed in their work, David could still tell Regulus was different.
"It's nice to meet you. I hope the business we establish today will carry on into the future."
Confirming that he would sell his weapons to Regulus, David began leading him to a separate part of his shack, which acted as a storehouse.
"Every blade you see tells a story of improvement from my first." David pointed at what looked like a mangled piece of iron. "And my latest."
Approaching a pre-prepared display case, David placed a sleek silver sword, which shimmered in the torchlight, into it.
This was the blade that Marty and Regulus had heard him crafting. Looking at David's display, Regulus could only nod in acknowledgement.
Just like David said, each time he crafted a sword, it would appear to slowly but surely improve, truly worthy of being called a genius.
Pointing to one side of the room where the weapons he sold were kept, David spoke.
"Seeing as you're entering the academy, my finest 'Ace' rank swords are over there. Pick the one that calls out to you."
In the world of Immisso, each weapon possessed a slight spirit within it that was imbued by the blacksmith who crafted it. Whilst not capable of anything like communication, weapons could still send energy, indicating their favorability towards the wielder.
Although there are weapons of higher quality in the room than the 'Ace' rank swords Regulus was currently looking at, Smith felt these were the right choice.
The full potential of a blade could only be bought out when in harmony with its owner; if more energy than the sword could handle were used, it would break. Conversely, if too little was used, the sword would become practically a lump of sharp metal.
This resulted in an 'Ace' ranked student wielding an 'Ace' ranked sword being likely to beat an 'Ace' ranked student holding a 'King' ranked one.
Many at Karta Academy were thankful for this restriction as it prevented the offspring of nobles from chasing them around with weapons of mass destruction.
Regulus frowned as he saw the direction David was pointing; the swords he had wielded in his lifetime could build a throne, so Regulus could feel that these swords were unsatisfactory.
Unlike everyone else in Immisso, Regulus used celestial energy paired with celestial martial arts. Unlike card energy, which provided far greater power to aura and magic, celestial energy was optimised to be imbued into weapons.
Surprised that Regulus had finally said something so typical of a noble, David instinctively responded how he usually did to arrogant young masters.
"Well, if you can break one of those swords, I'll let you buy any sword in the shop."
Shrugging but not intending to turn down such an enticing offer, Regulus began walking towards the display of 'Ace' ranked swords.
As he got closer, Regulus felt himself suddenly get bombarded by the reactions of the sword spirits as they all screamed at him to get away.
The onlooking David Smith couldn't understand why the swords he crafted were reacting in such a way to a man clearly weaker than himself.
The now concerned David watched as Regulus took hold of a sword that was now sending energy which signified terror whilst the others breathed a sigh of relief.
Taking a deep breath and getting into stance, Regulus began circulating celestial energy to launch a move impossible to others at his level.
The sword in his hand began shaking at the foreign energy coursing through it that seemed far denser than the unguided card energy that usually entered it.
Lifting his sword to the sky, Regulus said out loud, his every word sucking the light from the room as the sword shook more vigorously in response.
"Leo Style-"
Just as gold particles of light began forming above his head, a panicked voice cut through the dead silence of the room.
"WAIT STOP! THATS ENOUGH!"
David could no longer keep his composure and refused to watch as Regulus shattered one of his works before him. The energy he felt Regulus embuing into the sword seemed foreign yet extremely potent.
Halting the execution of the Leo technique part way, Regulus scanned the room again, a smug smile on his face due to the little performance he had just put on.
In one corner of the room stood Marty, who seemed horrified by the profondness of the martial art he had just witnessed.
Although he hadn't seen any 5 star martial arts in person he could tell that Leo's move was far more profound then the 4 star martial art he had once seen.
Looking down at the martial art Regulus had given him as payment, it now seemed like solid gold, and he resolved to practice it as soon as he returned home.
The formerly panicked David had now managed to calm himself down as he gave Regulus a funny stare out of the corner of one eye.
"Although I have no idea how someone so young could make the weapon spirits feel like that and almost shatter one of my weapons."
"I wouldn't be a blacksmith if I wasn't true to my word. Any weapon in this store you want, you can buy."
Although Regulus knew he couldn't afford a 'Jack' rank weapon with just a platinum coin, he decided to raise the bar even further to clear some of his doubts.
"The boy that brought me here told me an interesting rumour about a 'Prince' ranked weapon you forged?"
Hearing these words, the expression on David's face melted as he recalled the biggest disappointment of his life and the reason he was working so hard in smithing.
"Whilst it is true that I have crafted one 'Prince' rank sword, I'm sorry. It's not up for sale."
Raising an eyebrow at David's seemingly thick skin, Regulus asked.
"What happened to whichever weapon you would like? Don't tell me you've already sold it."
At this point, a look of frustration could be seen on David's face, not at Regulus but instead at himself as he spoke through gritted teeth.
"No. The reason I can't sell it to you is because the thing holds a terrible curse trapped within it."
-Author's Note-
I'm finally back from abroad, so this chapter is slightly longer in celebration. Now that I'm back, expect a speed-up in the production of chapters as well as bonus chapters. All support towards the series goes a long way and is appreciated :)