Chapter 50: Tier 1 Blacksmith.

Inside the commercial district, there were many restaurants offering various cuisines from across the kingdom. Elen picked a cosy establishment that specialized in regional dishes, and we found a quiet table near the window. When the server approached to take our orders, I gave my prepared excuse. "It seems like I’m still feeling a bit off from yesterday’s travel," I said, placing a hand on my stomach with a slight grimace. "I think I’ll just have some water for now. Please, go ahead and order whatever you’d like, Elen." She looked at me with mild concern. "Are you sure? You should probably eat something, even if it’s just light." "I’ll be fine," I assured her with a dismissive wave. "I’d rather not risk making myself feel worse. Besides, I’m more interested in hearing about your thoughts on the academy so far." Elen ordered a simple meal while I settled back in my chair with a glass of water, grateful that I’d managed to avoid the awkward situation of having to pretend food tasted good when it would likely make me nauseous. I started talking to her about various things inside the academy. This gave us something productive to discuss while she ate, and I could focus on building a friendship without having to remain in awkward silence. Time passed pleasantly as we spoke about our observations of the academy’s facilities, and our expectations for the coming semester. Elen proved to be an engaging conversationalist with thoughtful insights about our new environment despite being somewhat of an introvert. As the time for our next class with Sylvia approached, Elen and I left the restaurant and made our way back to Section A. There were still many students walking around, exploring the place they had always dreamed of attending, the institution where they would reside for the next few years. Once I arrived inside the classroom and settled into my seat, I noticed that my daily reward system cooldown had finally ended. [Daily Reward Available!] [Would You Like To Claim Your Reward?] [Yes | No] I mentally selected yes, curious about what today would bring. [Congratulations! You have received the knowledge of a Tier 1 Blacksmith.] A Tier 1 blacksmith? I thought to myself in bewilderment. The system had never given me pure knowledge before, all previous rewards had been physical items or my bloodline. I felt the comprehensive knowledge of a Tier 1 blacksmith suddenly appear in my mind, complete with techniques, material properties, and crafting processes. A Tier 1 blacksmith was without doubt the beginning of the true journey in blacksmithing. Tier 1 blacksmiths were capable of creating Mortal-grade items, which was actually quite respectable since it could provide them with an excellent living in this world. Not everyone could achieve Tier 1 status after all. Typically within the academy, students would only reach Tier 1 blacksmith level during their second year, and if they were really talented, they would do so usually by the end of the second or third semester of their first year. Of course, these students also usually had prior experience in the field. The current best blacksmith in the kingdom was Tier 4, capable of creating Superior-rank items, which was incredibly valuable. He held the status equivalent to a Royal-rank warrior, the second highest position after the king himself. Tier 2 blacksmiths were considered prodigies, while Tier 3 were regarded as true masters of their craft. Having this knowledge would give me a significant advantage in the upcoming blacksmithing module, allowing me to focus on practical application of the skill rather than struggling with basic theory like other beginners. Sylvia entered the classroom and gestured for us to follow her. "In this lesson, we’ll be moving to Section G for practical training," she announced. We made our way to the massive building that housed the academy’s training equipment. Sylvia led us inside to a section filled with various training dummies and practice equipment. The dummies were clearly built to withstand significant punishment, their surfaces showing some soft scuff marks and battle damage from countless training sessions. Nonetheless, the dummies were highly functional, as there is always constant check ups that take place every day. "Your first lesson will be combat assessment," Sylvia explained, positioning herself where she could observe all of us. "I want each of you to demonstrate your current strongest combat skill. For those with defensive or support abilities, don’t worry, you can show me those at another time. But for now, I want to evaluate your offensive capabilities." She gestured toward the training dummies. "These particular dummies can withstand attacks from Transcendent-rank individuals, so don’t hold back. There are stronger ones available, but those are reserved for more advanced students and they won’t be needed currently." One by one, she began calling students forward to demonstrate their abilities. "Elen, you’re first," Sylvia called out randomly. Elen stepped forward confidently, raising her hands as she began channelling her water-based bloodline. She closed her eyes briefly to focus as she gathered moisture, forming it into a large, dense sphere of water that rotated with increasing speed. With a focused expression, she launched the water ball at the training dummy. The attack struck with impressive force, the pressurized water creating a significant impact that would have been devastating against a living opponent. Sylvia nodded approvingly at the impact. "Good power and control, Elen. I can see you’ve practiced this technique extensively. However, try varying the density and pressure of your water attacks. A more concentrated, high-pressure stream might penetrate Armor better than a large sphere. Also, consider the strategic applications, water can be used to create slippery surfaces or obscure vision as well as direct damage." Elen absorbed the advice eagerly, her eyes lighting up with understanding. "Thank you, Professor Sylvia. I will make sure to look into them." "Excellent attitude," Sylvia replied with a warm smile. "That kind of openness to learning will serve you well." Sylvia called out the other students one by one and gave them advice and soon it was my turn. "Adrian Blackwood. Please step forward."