After I left the guild hall, I decided to head to a blacksmith shop I saw on my way.
I wanted to have a weapon custom made for me. While I could've just bought it at any of the shops in the city, I decided that it would be better to have one custom made for me.
Besides it's not like I'll be completely armless. I have a sword with me already. Although it's in my storage ring.
And besides right now I'm still just a Grade 7 adventurer, so the missions I can take on aren't that high in the first place.
Yes adventurer's are classified with Grades. The lower the number, the higher the rank.
With Grade 7 being the lowest and Special grade being the highest.
Special grade adventurers were cream of the crop. They were power houses in the world.
A special grade adventurer is basically equivalent to an [SSS] rank mage.
And due to how rare they are, there are only three special grade adventurers: Yuria Vardok, Valen Barden, and Charlotte Gates the head of the Adventurer's guild worldwide as well as one of the strongest humans alive.
Anyway I digress. Basically as a Grade 7, the mission I mainly have to carry out would probably be small extermination quests for low rank monsters.
The smell of iron and smoke entered my nose knocking me out of my thoughts.
Looks like I'm here. I looked up at the smithy and yeah it definitely had the vibe of a fantasy world smithy.
I proceeded to knock on the door and head inside.
"Oi. Who the fuck's out there." I heard a loud and obnoxious voice speak out.
"Hey. Um my name's Alex. And I came to have a sword made." I responded.
Tap Tap Tap
I heard their footsteps and the door to what I assumed was the forge opened. From inside came a middle aged man.
He had average height, build, and an ordinary looking face. And the aura he gave off was feeble.
Well I guess you don't necessarily have to be strong to be a blacksmith. Also he was human.
And yes. A human is a blacksmith. That probably goes against every single fantasy lore I've ever read.
The man looked me up from head to toe as if sizing me up. Then he asked.
"What type of sword do you want to make?"
"A thin rapier like longsword with cutting edges with a teal blade". I replied without skipping anything.
"I see." He just murmured. "Ok. I'll do my best. It should be ready in about a month."
"Okay. Alright". I replied. As I was about to head out, I remembered something if forgot.
"Hey what's your name?" I asked him. He smiled slightly before responding "Roger Thorkfield. And yours?"
"Alex. Alex Friedman." I replied without hesitation.
"A pleasure Alex Friedman ". He stretched his hand out with a smile.
"My pleasure as well Roger". I took his hand in a shake with a smile on my face as well. I then left the smithy.
I then headed towards the inn.
*********
Guraaah!
A young man, adorned with locks of raven black hair and glowing amethyst colored eyes, valiantly fought a swarm of human soldiers.
They were each casting different spells and without hesitation fired a barrage of attacks at him.
Boom Boom Boom
However, an impenetrable barrier shielded the young man. Every spell fired by the humanoids were thwarted, unable to even harm a single strand of his hair.
"Physical combatants prepare for close range combat!"
"Mages, provide support for the combatants!"
"Today we bring an end to this blight of humanity. We end this monster. And we protect our homes!"
"He has killed too many. Kill him. Charge!"
Surrounded by the pitiful humans, the young man could hear their voices intermingling as they communicated with each other.
Their call-outs, instructions, and self-motivation echoed in his ears.
Hearing their motivational speeches, he could only shake his head in pity. Yes pity. He was far stronger than all of them combined.
The only ones even capable of being a threat to him were the hero and his party after all.
And even some of them knew it. But still they charged at him, weapon in hand.
Unfazed by their advance, a menacing smirk grew on the young man's face.
He stood there calmly, eagerly waiting for his enemies' approach, and as they drew near, he dropped the barrier he had cast in front of him.
Engaging in close-quarters combat, he fearlessly clashed with his adversaries, his movements swift and precise, countering their attacks with utmost finesse.
Swish!!
In a swift, economical motion, he drew his sword, his blade slicing through the air leaving trails of a blue light.
The soldiers caught off guard stumbled back in disarray.
The young man easily wove through their ranks, his sword striking true time and time again.
Fwoom
He dodged a flame with a swift sidestep, then countered with a powerful kick that sent the caster crashing.
Boom
Crackle
A man covered in lightning leapt forward, lightning crackling through the air as he unleashed a lightning bolt.
The young man raised a hand, and to the man's surprise, the lightning was absorbed by his palm.
He countered with a swift punch, striking the lightning-wielder with a force that sent them flying.
As the battle raged on, the young man's movements slowly became a blur of speed and precision.
His sword sliced through the air, striking down soldiers left and right. His fists and feet struck with deadly precision, sending his enemies crashing to the ground.
Then, after what seemed like an eternity, which was infact only a few minutes, the young man stood amidst a sea of corpses.
He turned towards the remaining soldiers and started walking towards them.
"Is this all you have? Is this all the mighty soldiers of Dragoina have?"
As he spoke he had a massive grin on his face. "Come on. Show me mor-". He abruptly stopped speaking and looked towards the distance before smiling.
He then spoke again "Seems like I don't have a lot of time so. Let's end this here."
With a swift motion, he raised his sword to the sky. The air around him seemed to shimmer and distort, as if reality itself was bending to his will.
He then murmured "Infernum Dominus".
And then a massive, spherical aura erupted from his body, expanding outward in a blast of flames that obliterated everything in its path.
The soldiers, the trees, the very earth itself seemed to dissolve into nothingness as the aura expanded.
The young man stood at the center of the blast, his sword still raised to the sky. His eyes gleamed with an inner light, and his stance remained strong and unyielding.
As the aura finally dissipated, the young man stood alone, surrounded by a desolate wasteland.
The air was heavy with the acrid smell of smoke and ozone. The ground was scorched and blackened, and the only sound was the distant rumble of thunder.
The young man lowered his sword, his chest heaving slightly with exertion. His eyes turned to the distance and then a maniacal smile appeared on his face.
"Welcome. Although it seems you're too late, Aron."