Chapter 2: A Thousand Strikes
In the northern borderlands of the Loanium Empire, tucked inside a run-down blacksmith shop that looked more like a shack than a proper business.
Clang, clang, clang...
The hammer crashed down on red-hot steel, sending sparks flying across Thane’s oil-slicked muscles.
Sweat beaded up and rolled down his rugged, handsome face, his thick curls plastered to his skin from the heat.
Thane didn’t care. His deep blue eyes stayed locked on the sword blank, making sure every hammer blow hit exactly where it needed to smooth out the rough spots.
In this medieval world with its crude smelting methods, iron ore was loaded with way more junk than anything from Earth in his previous life.
To forge a blade sharp enough to slice through iron like butter, Thane had already put in a solid month of work. This was the final fold and forge.
[You have hammered iron ore 1,000 times. Unlocked trait: Forging Might]
The see-through text popped up, but Thane wasn’t surprised. He set down his hammer, straightened up, and focused on the notification.
The next second, a glowing screen appeared:
[Forging Might (White): Increases base strength by 20%]