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Chapter 5 - A Deal Struck

Eirik didn't lower his blade. He studied the woman standing in front of him, Lyra Windstrike. She moved with the fluid grace of someone who had seen more than a few fights, her eyes sharp and calculating. The bow slung across her back wasn't just for show, and the way her fingers twitched toward her side suggested she was more than ready to reach for an arrow if needed.

"I'm not looking for trouble," Eirik said cautiously, the Ether Dagger still glowing faintly in his hand. "But I'm not keen on taking orders either."

Lyra raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by his defiance. "Trouble finds you, whether you're looking for it or not." She took a step closer, her hands raised in a gesture of peace, though Eirik didn't miss the way her eyes flicked to his weapon. "That's quite the blade you've got there. Not exactly the work of your average blacksmith."

Eirik's grip on the dagger tightened. He had no idea how much people in this world knew about crafting systems, or whether his abilities made him a target. "I'm just a blacksmith," he said, keeping his voice even. "A decent one, at that."

Lyra laughed softly, a sound that was more calculating than friendly. "A decent blacksmith doesn't carry a dagger made of Ether Wolf hide and Ether Stone." She glanced around the darkening forest. "Look, I don't want a fight any more than you do, but this isn't the place to be waving weapons at strangers. You're lucky I found you before something worse did."

Eirik hesitated. He could sense that Lyra was holding something back, but she wasn't wrong, this forest was filled with dangers he barely understood. And while he didn't fully trust her, she hadn't attacked him yet, which was more than he could say for most of the creatures he'd encountered so far.

"What do you want?" he asked, lowering the dagger slightly but not sheathing it.

Lyra's smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "I want to know what you're doing in Veridion. People don't just wander into this world by accident, especially not with skills like yours."

Eirik narrowed his eyes. "And what makes you think I know any more than you do?"

"Because I've seen enough of these so-called 'heroes' with their fancy powers to know when someone's hiding something." She crossed her arms, her gaze never leaving his. "You've got a system, don't you?"

The question hit Eirik like a hammer blow. His first instinct was to deny it, but the look on Lyra's face told him she already knew. It wasn't just a guess, she had encountered others like him before.

He clenched his jaw, the weight of the truth pressing down on him. "Maybe I do," he admitted finally. "But I don't know how it works, or why I was brought here."

Lyra seemed to relax slightly at his confession. "Fair enough. You're not the first to be reborn in Veridion, though I've never met anyone with a crafting system before. Most of the 'heroes' I've come across are all about magic or fighting." She eyed him thoughtfully. "But a blacksmith? That's… interesting."

Eirik sheathed the Ether Dagger, sensing that the immediate danger had passed, though he remained on guard. "If you're not here to fight, what do you want?"

Lyra's smirk returned, but this time it was more of a businesslike smile. "I'm a ranger, and I've been traveling these lands for a long time. I know where to find rare materials, the kind your system is probably dying to get its hands on. I could help you gather them."

Eirik raised an eyebrow. "And what do you want in return?"

"Simple," Lyra said. "You craft me something. I've got my eye on a new bow, something stronger than anything you can find in the shops around here. You make me that, and I'll lead you to the materials you need."

Eirik considered her offer. It wasn't as though he had a better plan, and he would need those rare materials to survive in this world, let alone understand the full potential of his crafting system. But trusting Lyra was a gamble, he had only just met her, and she clearly had her own motives.

Still, it was a chance he couldn't afford to pass up. "Fine," he said, extending a hand. "We've got a deal. I'll craft you a bow, and you help me find the materials I need."

Lyra gripped his hand firmly. "Deal." She released his hand and stepped back, her expression once again serious. "But just so we're clear, blacksmith, this world isn't kind to people like us. You're going to need more than just fancy tools to survive out here."

Eirik nodded, already painfully aware of that fact. "What's next, then?"

Lyra glanced over her shoulder toward the thickening shadows of the forest. "First, we need to get out of here. There's a village not too far from here where we can rest and gather supplies. After that…" She paused, a flicker of excitement crossing her face. "There's a cave system to the north that's rumored to be rich in Ironwood and Mana Crystals. It's dangerous, but it's your best shot if you want to craft something that'll keep you alive."

Eirik's mind raced at the thought of new materials, especially something as rare as Mana Crystals. The possibilities for what he could create were endless. "Lead the way."