With his pockets heavy with coins, Ryn turned his attention to his next priority: Gear.

  He looked at the iron ingot in his hand. He could easily forge a sturdy longsword or a saber. With his experience from the Tower, even a basic weapon made by him would outstrip the shop standards.

  But before he struck the metal, a thought occurred to him.

  He was currently an "Apprentice" to Boldar. In the game's lore, this wasn't just a title. It was a relationship status. And relationships unlocked doors that grinding never could.

  Ryn set the hammer down and wiped his hands on a rag.

  "Teacher," Ryn called out, his tone respectful.

  Boldar, who was busy counting the massive pile of coins they had just made, looked up with a grin. "What is it, lad? Hungry? Thirsty? With this much coin, we can buy the whole tavern!"

  Ryn shook his head, his expression turning solemn.

  "No, Teacher. I was just thinking. The village is crowded now. Strangers are everywhere, and the monsters in the forest are getting restless." Ryn paused, looking Boldar in the eye. "Is there anything dangerous? Something that has been bugging the village specifically?"

  Boldar's smile faded slightly. He leaned against the anvil, studying Ryn. "Why do you ask?"

  "I've learned the hammer from you," Ryn said smoothly. "But a smith doesn't just make weapons. He protects the people who use them. If there's a threat to Naven, I want to help."

  It was a calculated line. Ryn knew exactly how the NPC AI for "Mentors" worked. They valued loyalty and community spirit above all else.

  Boldar stared at him for a long second. Then, his face broke into a beaming, proud smile.

  "Hah!" Boldar slammed his hand on the counter. "I knew I had a good eye! Most adventurers just ask where the loot is. But you want to protect the people."

  Boldar turned around and walked to the back of the shop. He rummaged through a heavy iron chest and pulled out a cloth-wrapped bundle.

  "I forged these years ago, waiting for hands steady enough to wield them," Boldar grunted, placing the heavy bundle in Ryn's hands. "But a blade has no soul until it draws blood. Take them."

  Ryn unwrapped the cloth.

  Inside lay a pair of daggers. The blades were dark, matte grey, with edges that caught the light like jagged ice. The hilts were wrapped in high-quality leather that offered a perfect grip.

  ──────?????──────

  [ Item: Twin Shadow-Forged Daggers ]

  [ Grade: Rare (Masterwork) ]

  [ Durability: 95/95 ]

  [ Effect 1: Phantom Edge - Attacks have a 15% chance to ignore 50% of the target's physical defense. ]

  [ Effect 2: Silent Step - Reduces sound generated by movement by 30% while wielded. ]

  [ Maker: Master Smith Boldar ]

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  ──────?????──────

  "These are... incredible," Ryn muttered.

  He didn't have to fake the surprise. Finding a Rare grade weapon at Level 1 was unheard of. Even in TOT, the first Rare weapon didn't appear until the Level 10 floor clear.

  "They are yours," Boldar said firmly, with an expression saying 'I won't take it back'. "And one more thing."

  The smith quickly scribbled something on a piece of parchment, sealed it with wax, and handed it to Ryn.

  "Take this to the Village Head. His name is Idrich. He's been worried sick about something in the Northern Mines, but he won't trust just any wandering mercenary. Show him this, and tell him I sent you."

  [ Item: Boldar's Letter of Recommendation ]

  Ryn took the letter, bowing deeply.

  "Thank you, Teacher. I won't let you down."

  "Go on then!" Boldar laughed, waving him off. "Make me proud!"

  Ryn stepped out of the shop.

  The crowd outside had thinned slightly, but players were still running around, shouting for parties.

  Ryn slipped into a narrow alleyway between the bakery and the general store, ensuring no one was watching.

  He looked at the daggers in his hands, then at the letter.

  'Perfect,' he thought, 'this trait is really amazing.'

  He closed his eyes.

  "[ Echo of Genesis: Native Mode Deactivate ]."

  Shimmer.

  The world shifted. The "soft" reality sharpened back into a gamified interface. The blue tint returned to his peripheral vision. Above the heads of the distant villagers, the green NPC markers reappeared.

  Ryn looked down at himself. The System recognized him as a Player again.

  And the moment it did, his vision was bombarded with blue windows.

  Ding! Ding! Ding!

  ──────?????──────

  [ System Synchronization Complete. ]

  [ Calculating Deferred Achievements... ]

  ──────?????──────

  [ Server First: Life Profession! ]

  [ You are the first player to acquire a Class (Blacksmith). ]

  [ Reward: Title [ Pioneer of the Craft ] ]

  (Effect: Reputation +500 with all Crafter NPCs.)

  ──────?????──────

  [ Server First: Companion! ]

  [ You are the first player to form a Soul Bond (Nero). ]

  [ Reward: Skill [ Soul Link ] (Passive) ]

  (Effect: Allows telepathic communication with your bonded companion.)

  [ Reward: Mystery Box (Rare) ]

  ──────?????──────

  [ 'Basic Forging' has leveled up! (Lv. 1 -> Lv. 4) ]

  [ 'Basic Smelting' has leveled up! (Lv. 1 -> Lv. 3) ]

  [ 'Heat Resistance' has leveled up! (Lv. 1 -> Lv. 5) ]

  ──────?????──────

  Ryn blinked as the notifications cascaded down his retina.

  "Right," Ryn muttered, dismissing the windows with a wave of his hand. "Native Mode must have suppressed the server announcements. I almost forgot about the 'First' rewards."

  He ignored the Fame points; they were useless to him since he was already a 'Respected' individual, but the Mystery Box sat enticingly in his inventory. He decided to save it for later.

  The new Title and Skill were incredibly useful too.

  With the title, it would be even easier to talk with some NPCs.

  [ Soul Link ] meant he wouldn't have to shout commands at Nero like an animal trainer; he could just think them.

  Satisfied with the rewards, he pulled his hood up, hiding his face. With the twin daggers sheathed at his waist and the letter in his inventory, he stepped out of the alley.

  He walked past the line of players arguing with the guards at the Village Head's manor.

  "Let us in! We want the quest!"

  "Move aside, citizen!"

  Ryn ignored them. He walked straight up to the guard at the gate. Before the guard could block him with a spear, Ryn silently produced the wax-sealed letter.

  The guard's eyes widened briefly when he saw Boldar's seal. He immediately stepped back and opened the gate.

  "The Elder is expecting you, sir."

  Ryn walked past the stunned players, suppressing a smile.

  The heavy oak doors groaned shut behind him, instantly cutting off the noise of the shouting players outside.

  He found himself in a spacious hallway lined with tapestries depicting mountain landscapes.

  'The Elder is expecting you...' Ryn muttered the guard's words under his breath.

  It sounded like a scripted line, but it also implied urgency. If Boldar's letter was the key, the lock was somewhere in this building.

  He walked toward the main office at the end of the hall. The door was slightly ajar.

  Ryn knocked once on the frame, then pushed it open.

  "Excuse me, Village Head Idrich?"

  He stepped inside.

  The room was large, dominated by a massive mahogany desk. But the person seated behind it wasn't who Ryn would usually associate with the title of 'Village Head'.

  It was a... boy.

  He had messy brown hair and was currently frowning deeply at a spread of maps and messy stacks of paper scattered across the wood. He looked no older than fifteen.

  Ryn paused mid-step. He looked around the room again. There was no one else.

  His gaze returned to the boy at the desk.

  '...This is the Elder?' Ryn questioned inwardly.

  He studied the boy's face.

  Smooth skin, youthful features, no sign of wrinkles.

  '...Could it be he is an elf or sort?'