Grabbing onto the hilt of his blade, he stabs at one of the wolves with extreme prejudice. But revealing his blind spot, the wolf behind immediately jumps at him and lands a devastating claw slash scraping his back wide.
"Ah." He groans while gritting his teeth. With one of them out of the picture, he rotates his body swiftly, causing the wolf to jump back in fright.
Looking at his maddened expression, the wolf who was on the verge of starving to death whimpered, with their eyes lowering.
As the wolf backs away slowly with the impending doom, looming around the figure, riddled in claw marks, and their wide eyes stained in crimson red. They couldn't help but yelp and run away, leaving their hurried trails behind.
Feeling the weight of over exerting oneself, he bites his lips, grabbing the dead wolf back to his encampment next to him.
With sheer willpower, he takes medications, wraps himself with bandages and finally lying down on the bed that felt more comfortable than usual.
"I need repairs." Muttering to himself in his slumber.
—-
City of Arterie
A place known for flourishing marketplaces, non-lethal public battles, carriages housing high class citizens with armoured individuals standing near it on all four sides.
Walking through the bustling and congested street, a man in woollen clothing walks with pace towards a narrow road, rid of sunlight.
Striding across the filth and dust accumulated across the years, he head towards a doorless smithy.
Looking around, he mumbles to himself, "What happened to this place?" Putting those thoughts away, he barges through asking, "Mister Hulk?"
A stout man, with a grey, long beard, a cigar sticking out of his lips, lifts the curtains up, revealing themselves and the bright smithy behind, looking for the voice of the individual.
"How long has it been since I last seen you, Doni?" With excitement hinted at his tone, Hulk makes his way to Doni hastefully.
"You recognise me?" Shocked at this revelation, he felt internally satisfied. The man saw through him who had a considerably bigger build with battle scars across his entire physique.
With a light giggle, Hulk smacks his wide, calloused hands on his back causing Doni to stiffen in pain. "No matter what you look like, I always remember the same little kid playing with my daughter out in the village."
As he said those words, Hulk had a shift in expression, that of a pained and miserable man.
Noticing it, Doni asked, "What happened?"
With a long sigh, Hulk replies, "Things happen, I just had the bad end of things." Waving his hands off, he continues with a following question, "I assume you need some repairs?" Looking at the rusty and chipped sword sheathed.
"You got some amazing eyes Mister Hulk." Doni said with a look of sarcasm.
"Of course you donkey! You think I, who worked here for decades don't know the states of sword just by looking at the handle?" Turning his back around, crossing his arms, Hulk sulks internally.
Tearing up in joy, Doni hands over his sheathe to Hulk.
"How is business going?" Doni asked.
Raising his brows at that question, he stares momentarily at Doni in mockery.
Clueless, Doni looks at him with a funny brow raise, "So is it bad?"
"You think I'm rolling in gold? I'm rolling in mud, you knucklehead!"
Hulk grumbled, waving his hand dismissively. His voice was loud, but there was a warmth beneath the roughness, a hint that he didn't mind Doni's curiousity as much as he let on.
With a grunt, Hulk pointed to a stool nearby. "Go on, sit down while I work."
Doni, chuckling under his breath at the outburst, took the seat. "You've got a way with words, Mister Hulk," he said, settling in.
The stool creaked as he rested on it, the worn wood surprisingly well-maintained despite the dusty surroundings.
'He really does have it rough.' Resting his head on his palms, aloof, staring through the dark and miserable atmosphere outside.
"Hello." When Doni heard that, he felt it was extremely soft and soothing. But as he gauges at the feminine figure in lightly padded armour, silky, navy long hair, he sneers and turns around.
The unknown woman looks around, finding everything to be empty except a tan man looking through the bleak windows in boredom.
*Clank*
The sound of metal clashing against each other echoes throughout the rundown smithy.
Taking a sip of glass, Doni contemplates about his living conditions and what to do next.
'Man… If only I had a better sword." Muttered to himself, annoyance spread across his face when he thought about the bout he had with the mysterious blonde swordsman, he tightens his grip on the hilt around his waist.
Distainfully lifting his chin, he silently expresses contempt.
"Uncle!" Choking the drink mid-gulp, nearly spilling the drink on his finger tips, Doni looks back to the woman in disbelief after uttering the impossible.
Running to the front with swiftness, Hulk looks up at the woman and asks, "What did you just say to me greenhorn?"
With a poker face, the lady responds, "I thought if I called you uncle, I would grab your attention."
"Hahaha!" Holding onto his stomach, Doni teared while giggling at this revelation.
Both of their heads turn in unison, staring daggers at him. Doni continued, "Good one! I didn't know girls could make jokes like that."
Wiping his tears with his index finger, the other two continued their conversation.
"Alright. What do you need?" Hulk giving her a run down, he couldn't predict what she wanted with her perfectly good equipment.
Irritated, she looked back at Hulk and said, "I want you to forge me a better sword." Handing over a material illuminating a great shine, a mysterious and dormant power revealed with a darker hue inside, Hulk's eyes bulge, flabbergasted.
His palms shaking, the material he held with a firm grip. Hulk looks at the majestic material, the more he got close to it, the more magnificent it looked to his sparkling eyes.