kscans

Chapter 8 - Full Effort

"Sensei, these are all the materials we have here."

"Thanks. That’s a big help."

And so, I immediately began to inspect the materials. These were the ores and other things stored in the barracks. The soldiers who had been here earlier had been ordered by Militar to return to their training. The large space felt even larger now, empty and quiet.

"It would have been nice if there were some better materials, even if they were D-rank or lower..."

"No, no, this is more than enough."

I looked over the materials Militar had brought from the warehouse. There were many different kinds, and quite a good selection.

[Iron Ore] Rank: D Attribute: None Description: An ore containing iron. Widely distributed and easily obtainable.

[Fake Metal] Rank: E Attribute: None Description: An ore that resembles the S-rank material Full Metal. It has low strength but is easy to process.

[Minor Thunder Magic Stone] Rank: D Attribute: Thunder Description: An ore containing a small amount of lightning-elemental magic. Amplifying its power requires skilled craftsmanship.

[High-Purity Copper Ore] Rank: D Attribute: None Description: An ore with high copper purity. It is also a favorite food of B-rank monsters, Bronze Dragons.

[Tinrock] Rank: D Attribute: None Description: An ore containing tin. It closely resembles the A-rank material Steel Ore.

Looking at the materials naturally sharpened my focus. It was the result of thirty years of practice, I suppose. As I was thinking about what kind of sword to make, Militar murmured in a small voice.

"A, are you really going to be okay? You’re up against a sword made with S-rank materials, Sensei."

"It’ll be fine. D-rank and lower materials are often used for weapons, you know. What’s important is ingenuity and combination."

An item’s rank is influenced by its quality, of course, but rarity has an even stronger effect. If you use a lot of rare materials, the weapon will also have a high rank. But a weapon’s strength isn’t decided by its rank alone. The skill of the blacksmith is directly connected to it. Above all...
What I was thinking in my heart naturally slipped from my lips.

"Making a great product from shabby materials is where a blacksmith really shows his skill."

"Sensei... you’re so cool."

I was concentrating, so I didn’t hear her clearly, but I think Militar said something. Well, it probably wasn’t anything important. Still, ten days... It didn’t seem like I would have time to look for new materials. I would have to make it with just the ores I had here.

"Militar. Will I be a nuisance to the army if I work here the whole time?"

"No, that’s fine. There are no units that urgently need weapon repairs at the moment. I will also tell the soldiers not to enter for the next ten days."

"Thank you. You’re a great help, Militar. Well then, I guess I’ll get started. Sorry for keeping you."

The blueprint was already complete in my mind. I would make a simple but sturdy longsword. Imbuing it with lightning-elemental magic would give it exceptional sharpness. I lit the forge and got the workshop going. Being enveloped in the heat that filled the barracks calmed my nerves. While waiting for it to warm up, I was organizing my tools and materials when I saw someone in the corner of my eye. It was Militar. She was standing a short distance away, watching me.

"Militar? I thought you had already left..."

"If I’m not disturbing you, could I watch you work for a little while? It’s been a long time."

"Huh? Oh, I don’t mind."

"Great, thank you. I’ll leave on my own when it’s time."

Saying that, Militar sat down primly on a nearby chair. Her eyes were sparkling as she watched my movements. Was it really that interesting? In any case, the forge seemed to have warmed up, so it was time to get started. First, I melted the [High-Purity Copper Ore] and [Tinrock] in separate crucibles. I mixed them in a ratio of ninety percent to ten percent to form a single ingot. This particular ratio dramatically increases the strength. I would hammer this to create the base of the sword.

"Militar, it’s dangerous, so please stand back a little."

"Okay."

I placed the mixed ore on the anvil and swung my hammer. The high-pitched sounds of KAAN! KAAN! echoed through the room. It was a comforting sound. It felt nostalgic. Once the metal was a rectangular shape, I folded it in the middle. I hammered and heated... hammered and heated... over and over again. As always, Militar watched with great interest. It must be boring just to watch, so I figured I’d at least explain what I was doing.

"By doing this, I’m removing the impurities from inside the ore. The more you hammer metal, the stronger it gets."

"That’s very educational, Sensei."

Come to think of it, she used to stare intently at my work back in the old days, too. Maybe she has a strong interest in swords. Once I had tempered it enough, I moved on to the next step. [Iron Ore] and [Fake Metal]. [Iron Ore] is a good, hard material, but it’s difficult to work with. So, by mixing in about twenty percent [Fake Metal], I could achieve both strength and workability. Mixing this with the alloy from before should result in a sturdy sword. Eventually, as I was swinging the hammer, Militar quietly stood up.

"Sensei, thank you for letting me watch. I should be getting back now. I’ll bring you something later."

"No, you don’t have to do that."

After that, Militar came and went, watching my work whenever she had free time.

A week later, the base of the longsword was complete.

"Sensei, it’s really starting to take shape."

"Yeah, once I’m this far, it’s just one last push."

I wiped the sweat from my brow with a worn-out towel. Before me lay a longsword with a straight blade. Despite not being polished yet, its blade shone with a beautiful silver light. It had turned into a fine weapon for being made from low-rank materials. But the most important step was still ahead. Using the remaining [Minor Thunder Magic Stone], I would imbue this sword with immense sharpness.

"Militar, sorry, but could you not come to the barracks for the rest of the time?"

"Of course. Is it an important part of the process?"

"It’s the final touch. I have to keep hammering for three days and three nights straight."

"Three days and three nights!? That sounds like incredibly hard work..."

If a [Minor Thunder Magic Stone] cools down, its internal lightning magic is released. So, to imbue a strong magic effect, it needs to be kept hot until the work is finished. Hammering for three days straight is tough, to be sure, but for me, it was a common occurrence. I neatly arranged my tools and materials and centered myself in front of them. As I took deep breaths, the waves of my mind gradually calmed.

"...Alright."

I melted all the [Minor Thunder Magic Stones] at once. The released lightning magic burned my arms. There was a lot of ore, so the magic must have been potent as well. But that didn't matter. Right now, making a good sword was more important than my own body. I think Militar had disappeared at some point without me noticing. Before I knew it, I was so engrossed in the world of smithing that I was oblivious to my surroundings.

As planned, after three days and three nights of continuous hammering, a sword cloaked in electricity was complete. The polishing was also finished, and the longsword was gleaming. It was a fine sword, if I did say so myself.

"Alright, it’s done!"

I stretched my back with a groan, and the bones all over my body popped and cracked. The muscles in my arms and legs ached. Was this too much for a forty-year-old man? As I was feeling my age, my heart was filled with the satisfaction of having created a good product. As I moved my body, the door to the barracks creaked open. Militar peeked her head in quietly.

"S, Sensei...?"

"Oh, Militar. The sword is finished."

"Really!? Congratulations!"

Militar happily trotted over. The day of the smithing contest was today, so I was glad I made it in time. Just as I was thinking that, Militar murmured with a tense expression.

"U, um, Sensei... you’ve made an incredible sword. As expected of you..."

"Eh?"

Prompted by Militar, I looked at the longsword again. Sparks of electricity were constantly crackling from the blade. Not only that, but the tips of our hair were standing on end, and the skin on our arms and faces was tingling. It was like the prelude to a lightning strike. ...Hmm? What is this?

[Thunder Emperor's Evil-Slaying Sword: Kamina] Rank: S Attribute: Thunder Ability: A longsword imbued with abundant lightning-elemental magic. It boasts an abnormal sharpness that makes victims unaware they've been cut.

"...S-rank? That’s a higher rank than I expected."

"Sensei, don’t you think you put a little too much effort into this...?"

"Y, yeah, I might have gotten a bit too serious..."

From D-rank and lower materials, I had gone and made a full-blown S-rank sword.