The First Legendary Beast Master

Chapter 803  Ashbringer

Karl looked at the Demonʼs name tag. {Ashbringer} Grandmaster Elemental Smith (Fire Element)

Karl smiled, and Hawk cheered. This one was just right.

”If you want to work here, we can offer you half the profit on all items you make that I upgrade and eighty percent on what you make, with the house taking the other twenty for operations.” Karl offered.

”What is it that you do that you think you could upgrade a Grandmasterʼs weapons?” The Demon asked, slightly offended.

”I am a Runemaster.” Karl replied simply.

The Demon looked at the carvings on the wall around the forge, and understanding turned its expression to a smile.

”So, you can do that to weapons? That is a powerful skill.”

”Not just that. I can add skills to the item, stat buffs, and even mana storage.” Karl elaborated.

”Do you have materials?” Ashbringer asked.

”My team is in the Dungeon now, collecting as much as they can to smelt for raw materials.”

That was good enough for Ashbringer, who gestured to the forge.

”May I test it first?”

Karl nodded. ”Go ahead. Let me know if you need anything and I will have it added to the workstation.”

But the smith simply began taking out items from its inventory, and set up a workstation complete with tables, benches and a leather padded stool.

Karl stepped back and let him work as the Demon put a chunk of glowing green metal in the forge and whistled happily as he activated the runes to bring up the heat. It took seconds before the metal bar was turning red with heat, and the smith brought it out to hammer it into shape on his own anvil, ignoring the one that had been made along with the forge.

The magic of the Demonic Grandmaster seemed to make the blade shape itself, smoothly turning into a sailorʼs cutlass in a matter of minutes. Then Ashbringer held it up to Karl.

”Let me see what you can do, and then I will decide if this is a worthy partnership.”

Karl nodded and etched runes for increased Skill Damage, Sharpness, Lethal Poison and [Flaming Body] to the weapon, then brought them all the way to the Overlord Rank, where they turned ghostly blue against the rapidly cooling green metal.

That was different. When he had done it to the tree, it had turned the runes bright green. Could it be a difference in Element that was making them change? Or perhaps the nature of the shrine would only accept green runes?

The effect was almost like Ghostfire leaking from inside the blade, though Karl hadnʼt used the [Ghostfire] skill. Ashbringer cast [Appraisal] on the blade, and stared at it in silence for a moment.

[Blade of Searing Agony] Adds 35% Skill Damage, Ignores 45% of target Armour Value, Deals 20% weapon damage as Poison Damage per second until cured. Adds 200% of Skill Damage as Fire Damage. Applies [Agony] effect to target.

Two hundred percent of Skill damage was significantly more than the poison damage, but the combination of being poisoned and in agony would reduce the enemyʼs ability to fight back.

”That is a thing of beauty.” Ashbringer whispered, while staring at the blade like a lover.

”I am glad that you like it. I donʼt think we would sell something like that in the shop. Custom order or auction only. But we do sell Royal and some Monarch Ranked items directly.” Karl explained.

Ashbringer winked at Karl. ”Never sell an item that you canʼt counter. Wise plan. Besides, every crafter knows that selling masterpieces is idiocy. You only make enough of them for yourself and those with life bonds to you.”

”Did you want to keep working, or meet the rest of the crafting team? Itʼs just the shopkeepers and a pair of sculptors here right now. My travel companions are at the Dungeon.”

The sword was reluctantly put in the Demonʼs inventory, and Karl led him in to face the chaos. Only, the chaos he found was much worse than expected.

The Gargoyles from the front door were inside, glaring at the customers. The customers were arguing with each other over prices at rates far higher than posted, and Mick was hiding behind Davis, who looked lost as he shouted at the customers to calm down, or he would kick them all out.

The entrance of two more Overlords calmed the crowd, especially as one was the rumoured Shopkeeper. ”Sir, might you have any more stock? The Appraiser has told us there are only fifty pieces in inventory.” One of the merchants pleaded.

Karl blinked slowly. Fifty pieces? There should be hundreds.

Davis sent a System Message. {I sold all the Commander Rank stock and a good portion of the Royal Rank stock in bulk before I realized that they were all looking to buy it for export. Now, we have a supply shortage.}

Karl sighed. ”There is a bit more upstairs. In fairness, what is on the shelves will be first come, first served. Then I will split the remainder between you evenly, so nobody has to leave empty-handed.”

Ashbringer nodded in satisfaction. He liked how this man did business.

One wealthy merchant was gloating, as he was the next in line when the gate opened, and he didnʼt even bat an eye when Davis rang up the sales total to a whopping eighty-four thousand gold pieces.

He bought everything that was left. Not a single ring was left for the others when he exited the shop.

Karl led their new smith upstairs to see what the others had made so far.

”Weʼve got thirty of the Monarch Rank rings ready for runes, with simple carvings. Then Wendy has got a hundred more Commander Rank rings made and inscribed. Who might this gentleman be?” Loros asked.

”This is Ashbringer, potentially our new Smith, should he decide to join the team.”

They all shook hands, and Ashbringer sat down to admire the handiwork of the two sculptors.

”This is beautiful. Obsession Demons really do have the advantage when it comes to artistry. I am half fire Elemental, and half Wrath Demon. A Grandmaster Smith, but such artistry is beyond my expertise.”

Loros shrugged. ”If you make the base items, we will happily carve them. But if youʼre making mostly weapons, they donʼt need all the pretty, just the functional runes. I am still behind, as you canʼt make Runic Items above your own Rank. But my sculpting skills are top-notch.”

Karl sat down and quickly inscribed dozens of different abilities onto the Monarch Rank rings, which was a much easier task now that the quality of his mana flow had changed. Rings werenʼt their only offerings for the remaining shoppers. Remi had two massive cauldrons of potions going, and was stirring both at the same time with her lower pair of arms, while chopping and measuring ingredients with her upper arms.

It was quite the sight, and the Naga Queen was utterly focused on her work.

She finished the vats just as Karl finished the rings, and began pouring them into small vials, instead of full-sized potion bottles.

[Minor Healing and Recovery potions. They have a quarter the effect, but take a tenth the volume.]

Ah, that made sense. With time and volume limited, she was making as many as possible to use up the small mountain of bottles that she had made with Hawkʼs help.

As she finished, she loaded them into crates, then came out to carry them downstairs.

”Letʼs watch the chaos from the stairwell.” Ashbringer whispered, then ushered the two sculptors forward. This should be fun.