Jack of All Trades, Master of All

Jack hadn’t been able to attend any auctions due to his status. But now, with a Legend Insignia of a Maester, he found that no longer a problem. Jack immediately devised a plan and set out to sell his premium Lesser Mana Potion, as well as sneak a large amount of weapon into Oxdale through his newfound relations to secretly enhance Oxdale fighting capacity. The day after, Jack sought out Bastian to negotiate his intentions. Not only did he just want to take over the old smith’s minor contracts but also to utilize the forge’s equipment to craft his own System’s items.

Bastian instantly agreed when he heard about the royalty he would earn based on the profit. Every time he himself didn’t occupy the forge,  Jack could do whatever he wanted with it.

To acquire a good first impression with the other members of the auction group, Jack intended to craft two Herald weapons of Epic rarity. These two were sorted out after Jack had carefully considered the rarity of their ingredients and the requirement of their creation. He only made sure their effects would also catch many curious eyes.

Warfists of Fleeting Might (Weapon - Gauntlet, Herald, Epic, Infusible)

Descriptions: The strongest punch is the fastest one.

Effects:

 +15% Physical Damage.

 +40% Attack Speed.

 +20% Move Speed.

Special Effects:

  Grants the wielder the ability [Vanishing Blow]. Required: medium mana cost. Cooldown: 1 minute.

  [Vanishhing Blow] (physical damage, does not stack): attack with immense speed.

  Core Material: 1 x Bar of Nimble Metal, 1m2 of Faded Velour.

  *Lower-quality Nimble Metal will degrade the final product to Mythic or Rare.

 

Wind-forged Mace (Weapon - Mace, Herald, Epic, Infusible)

Descriptions: As light as the wind, as powerful as a falling meteor.

Effects:

+50% Physical Damage. 

+20% Attack Speed.

Special Effects:

                Grants the wielder the ability [Whirling Bash]. Required: medium mana cost. Cooldown: 3 minutes.

                [Whirling Bash] (physical damage, does not stack): swing the mace in a circle area with immense speed. 

Core Material: 1 x Bar of Aerosteel, 2 x Mighty Wood.

*Lower-quality Aerosteel will degrade the final product to Mythic or Rare.

Thanks to Bastian's extensive connections, it didn't take too long for Jack to gather enough materials. Despite the blacksmith’s cursing of annoyance, he diligently studied the recipe. Early in the morning, a few days later, Jack managed to forge an item by himself for the first time.

Bastian wanted to comment as well as guide Jack in times of need, so he stayed by his apprentice’s side to observe, just to open his eyes wide, watching Jack's smooth movements in one forging phase after another. In the end, it was the old swordsmith who was learning. The steps of controlling temperature, mana manipulation, or hammering tempo were all beyond what Bastian had ever known. It was as if he were watching his master perform during his Technopolis days.

Having finished Warfists of Fleeting Might, Jack took advantage of his working mood to continue with the Wind-forged Mace, not taking the time to admire his previous product. Bastian followed his actions closely, eyes fixed on the skillful pair of hands of the boy he had always called a dumbass. The only sound left in the forge room was the breathing of fire and the clashing of metals. The two flickering shadows on the walls moved with each beat of the hammer and the dancing flames. The suffocating heat spread to every corner but was of no concern to Bastian and Jack now as they had entered some kind of mystical state.

Clank…Clank….Clank…

Finally, the two weapons had been completed with a few eventual tweaks. Unlike Black Lightning Blade, they had all retained their stats. Jack's experience bar was also accordingly rewarded, but there was still a very long way to go to reach level six.

Warfists of Fleeting Might had a transparent white color, exuding a faint cold. It was quite compact and flimsy, befitting the name that focused on its speed aspect. Right next to it, the Wind-forged Mace had a heavy appearance because of the sturdy dark brown handle crafted from Mighty Wood and its thorny head. But when picked up, it was surprisingly light.

Jack tried them on. The gauntlets blew into him a strange energy, making his body more agile. Jack tried a few Warrior-style punches and felt that his punches were all enhanced in power, as well as making his attacks blurred and elusive. On the other hand, the mace’s most desirable attribute, its destructive prowess, couldn’t be tested here. Bastian would kick his ass if he destroyed the smithy. When combining both the glove and the mace, Jack realized that the two were such a match. The speed-enhancing ability of the two items resonated with each other, which resulted in the buff of Wind-forged Mace rising to around 30% instead of the 20% displayed in its stats, according to Jack’s estimation. He would use this special property to get people to pay a higher price for the right to own both.

“Are they really Epic?” Bastian murmured in disbelief.

“So? Do they look great?” Jack glued his eyes on his creations, unaware of the smith’s frowning face.

Bastian himself had never forged an Epic item, even though he looked down on the forging of Herald-class products. To forge a weapon of such quality, not only did it take talent and practice but also luck, guidance, and perseverance. This reminded him of his master, the owner of the original Stormbringer, an Archon Epic sword. The conclusion of the Artificers was that not all items were capable of reaching the Epic tier with superior stats, no matter how hard they tried to perfect it. Yet, his master had chosen Stormbringer as his lifelong project, continuously refining and perfecting it. With the teachings of the elders of Technopolis and the perseverance of trials and errors, Bastian’s master had been able to successfully rise to glory in the Artificer community.

So, how lucky had Jack been to choose the right two items that had the ability to become Epic?

Who had been his instructor, for it had definitely not been Bastian?

And how the hell could he have that perseverance when he was only ten years old? Bastian’s master had taken twenty years to complete Stormbringer.

Nobody could answer Bastian’s questions, for he knew Jack wouldn’t.

“You’re a freak,” the old smith concluded.

Jack nodded, considering it a compliment.

Bastian shook his head, thinking that he should start correcting himself and becoming more attentive. He had been sleeping on his victory of promotion for long enough now.

Jack returned to the office to complete the final step: disguise himself.

For the past few days, he'd asked Sophie to make him a hooded cape. It had a black color with a few purple lines iridescent in the light, adding a bit of necessary luxury. The robe was made wide and long per Jack's request. When he put it on, a small lump on his shoulder was added to create a hunchback appearance. He also wore a mask with a homemade voice changer inserted.

Standing in front of the mirror, Jack tried spinning a few times and testing his voice to make sure he looked like a mysterious freak. After making sure everything was up to his standard, he left the office.

The sunset cast a soft orange veil over the sky, adorned with ripples of clouds that make the afternoon in Oxdale strangely peaceful. The majestic statue of King Marcus Festus bathed in the blue light reflecting from the small lake. There were already a few places with lights on around the corner as the flow of people started flooding the surrounding with chattering during the after-work hours. Some of them noticed an odd figure that seemed to be gliding through the crowd toward the Bank of Omnivell.

The bank was in its closing time, so there wasn’t much activity, save for a few special requests and side services, such as registering auction items. The facade of the bank was quite spacious, its structure old, built of white brick and a type of stone like basalt. Two of the three arched reception doors were closed, save for one leading into a room bathed in golden light, its floor paved with the finest marble reflecting the magnificent chandeliers above.

A female employee in a luxurious and classic uniform sat behind the reception desk. Her hands were holding her bored face as she looked at the clock on the opposite wall, just waiting for her shift replacement. Her eyes cast an exhausted glance, seeing a man in a black robe walk through the door. The guest's appearance made her frown. In her experience, the more eccentric the client, the more problematic the request.

“How can I help you?” The receptionist asked as the guest approached the table. The person couldn’t even see over the table, causing her to hold her laughter and lean forward to see the top of his head.

“I need to consign some auction items,” A raspy male voice answered her.

Then, before she could give him instructions, the man placed three items, neatly placed inside a box on the table, from his inventory ring.

The bank employee let out a gasp, then tried to keep herself together and opened her mouth again.

“I'll call for an appraiser,” she said, then shook her head. “Please wait a moment while I prepare a room for you. The appraiser will receive you there. Is that fine with you?”

The man nodded as the girl opened the door to the back to find someone who knew better than her.

She wasn’t sure about the two weapons, but the three jars of Mana Potion next to them were enough for her to lose her nerves a bit. Mana Potion was a common item that Maesters brought to consignment, so the receptionists were trained to recognize its quality. And the three jars she had just seen would surely disturb the higher-up of Oxdale.