Chapter 185: Emerald and Ruby
Irwin sighed happily as he lowered his hammer and stared at the green-bordered Emerald card.
"That went better than I had hoped," he said, picking it up and examining the card's simple image. It displayed a shovel standing upright on the ground.
If any of the smiths back on Scour knew he'd spent so much effort taking a simple utility card from quartz to amethyst to topaz and finally emerald, they would likely call him crazy.
"Of course it did," Ambraz said, his gray metallic lips curved in a massive grin. "I told you that practicing those songs would help!"
"So… let me get this straight?" a voice came from the side.
Irwin blinked as he turned to Greldo, who was leaning against a tree and looking sleepy.
"Smithing is supposed to be difficult, and most people can't do it while those that can need considerable effort to reforge a card up a rank… right? So, why did that look so easy? You were just singing and humming softly, struck the card, which seemed to cause the tiny holes to disappear and those ugly patches of dark mucus to vanish, and finally, that card mysteriously went up to emerald. Are you smiths just fucking with the rest of us?" Greldo asked, shaking his head with a grin.
Irwin laughed as he raised the card. "First of all, this is an easy card with a clear 'song', it's not that special. Second, I didn't really change much but simply continued it along its predetermined path, merely nudging it a bit. Third? Well, Ambraz and I are just that good!"
Greldo's smile slipped as he gaped at Irwin before snorting loudly. "You did not just say that!"
"Damn right he did," Ambraz snapped. "And he's right! It's about time he figured it out! You go out and find yourself another smith with less than three years of experience who can do what he just did, or any Anvil that's not a world anvil that's got any more potential than me! You're not going to find them!"
Ambraz burst out in laughter while Greldo stared at him stupidly.
Irwin tried to hold back from laughing at the stunned look on Greldo's face but eventually couldn't, and his joy boomed out as he shoved the shovel card into his pocket. It would be one of those he'd give to one of the builders he hoped to bring from Giard to here. It would allow the person with it to dig massive holes and trenches in record time while smoothing and strengthening the sides.