Chapter 44: New Look
Rick, the tough blacksmith with a permanent frown, narrowed his eyes. "If by sword you mean flirting, then yes, I heard every word."
"Cough!"
Lira cleared her throat loudly and busied herself pretending to inspect a pile of imaginary paperwork.
"A-anyway, Master Rick, Ryu has returned with the sword and license as promised," Lira said, clearing her throat and stepping aside.
Rick turned his gaze toward Ryu, giving a small approving nod. "Well done, kid. And it looks like you’ve already leveled up a few times. Not bad. In the beginning stages, that’s to be expected, but the hard work really starts from here."
Ryu tilted his head slightly, intrigued. Rick seemed to know much more about System Users than most.
"Master Rick, you seem very knowledgeable... do you have a system too?"
"Yes," Rick replied simply, returning to his workbench. "I have a Blacksmith System. It helps me forge weapons no ordinary blacksmith could manage."
Ryu’s eyes lit up with curiosity. "That sounds amazing! What level are you at, Master Rick?"
Rick chuckled but didn’t look up. "I can’t tell you that, kid. If I did, it might kill your motivation."
Ryu blinked, caught off guard by the comment. Rick continued with a chuckle in his voice.