Chapter 67: Blacksmith Charsi
This morning, when I asked the Waiter, I realized that I had actually been in the Cave for almost 5 months. Adding the half month I spent before coming to the Cave, this Trial had taken me nearly half a year. What the hell, that's ridiculous! If someone had told me before that I could continuously engage in combat and Slaughter for half a year, and all by myself, I would have immediately sent them to a mental hospital for a thorough check-up. But looking at it now, maybe I'm the one who should be checked. Is this what they mean by environment shapes talent? Or is my adaptability comparable to a cockroach?
However, along the way, no one dared to show me a Gaze of Contempt anymore. Even some Class Changers who looked clearly lower Tier automatically made way for me. Damn, it felt great! Thinking about half a year ago versus now, walking on the same street, with the same Class Changers coming and going, but receiving completely different treatment, I couldn't help but once again lament the importance of Strength/Power in this world.
Half a year later, I walked this secluded path again. The scenery was the same, but the people were different. In the past half year, quite a few new Class Changers seemed to have appeared. For example, the Rookie Paladin who just walked past me, with a look of disappointment on his face, was clearly another simpleton hoping to encounter Charsi's 0.1% Chance. I think if they have this much time to rely on Luck, they might as well spend more time on Trials. When they reach a higher Tier, forming a Party to farm the Blacksmith would be more practical. The manufacturing cycle for Equipment is so long, is a 0.1% Chance that easy to come by? The huge Pressure on Charsi's head is mostly given by these Rookies.
"Ding ding ding..."
After walking for only a short while, a hammering sound that had almost faded from my memory gradually reached my ears. I involuntarily slowed my steps, afraid of disturbing that pitiable yet stubborn "big" young lady.
I was still standing at the spot where we first looked at each other. It was a pity that she was currently focused on the Forge in front of her and didn't notice my Gaze. After half a year, she hadn't changed at all. Her brown eyes were as bright as when I first saw her. Although a faint sadness always lingered unintentionally, it was quickly replaced by determination—even if her proud ability was questioned by others, she never considered putting down the Hammer in her hand. The hammering sound was crisp and clear.
Her light golden long hair was still beautiful, tied back gently. Its color was like full wheat ears, far less dazzling than the golden hair of the Amazon on the archery range. The tips of her hair, slightly damp with Sweat, bounced out countless crystal-clear tiny flashes as the Hammer in her hand fell, radiating the Charm called youth and vitality. Her well-proportioned and slender Figure, and healthy, elastic Skin, putting aside her Height, from a distance, the visual impact Charsi gave me was like the beautiful promotional images of female warriors wearing sexy Armor that I used to see in online Games, so perfect they didn't seem real.
"Good morning, Miss Charsi."
I only admired her for a moment before immediately walking forward. It was strange to say, if I had seen this scene before, I might have been so stunned that I would drool. Now, however, only an appreciation for beauty arose in my heart. Could it be that after long Trials, I had lost that basic thing a Man has? Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. No way, Lars, that strange old man, still got a good wife, and I've never seen Auntie Shari show a "plaintive" expression!
Ignoring my random thoughts, poor Charsi, whose state of full concentration was abruptly interrupted by my sudden greeting, this forging attempt undoubtedly ended in failure again. She raised her head somewhat annoyed, and suddenly saw my dazed (thinking) Appearance. The memories buried half a year ago surged back into her mind—why is it him again? Charsi stepped back, startled.
"You... hello, can I help you with something?"
I snapped back from my pointless random thoughts. Seeing Charsi's cautious and cute expression, like a Little Animal, I couldn't help but feel amused and bewildered. It was hard to imagine that a person with such a tall Figure could make such an expression so naturally and fittingly. But thinking deeper, although Charsi is indeed tall in the eyes of Humans, she is a Barbarian. In the eyes of Barbarians, she is clearly very small and weak. This personality and expression must have gradually formed when she was in her tribe.
"Miss Charsi, I'd like you to help me repair some Equipment."
As soon as she heard about work, Charsi immediately entered her state, a look of Confidence appearing on her face.
"No problem, leave repairing Equipment to me."
"Don't be in a hurry."
I glanced at her with a half-smile. While I appreciated her, I wasn't foolish enough to be lust-blinded and immediately take out my Equipment. In another Corner of my Inventory, I pulled out a handful of dark, lumpy stones. These were the Magic Crystal Ore that dropped when I killed Corpsefire during my first Trial. And during this Trial, I got quite a few more from Bishibosh and a few Elites, filling up a small Corner.
"This... this is..."
Charsi's eyes lit up, staring intently at the things in my hand, unwilling to move even an inch.
I chuckled, and slowly took out all the Magic Crystal Ore that Corpsefire dropped. Charsi's eyes were already sparkling. "This is just a part of it, Miss Charsi, what do you think?" I smiled very cunningly, like an uncle kidnapping little girls.
"Really?"
Hearing this, Charsi no longer cared about the Magic Crystal Ore in front of her. Her Gaze immediately shifted to my Body, her expression like a starving Little Dog looking at its Master. Although many people had sold her Magic Crystal Ore before, it was never this much, and this was only a part of it. "Um, excuse me, Lord, could you sell me this Magic Crystal Ore?" Her tone had already changed to Lord, hoho, it seems she's not inflexible after all. But it was obvious that she wasn't a qualified Merchant. As soon as she spoke, she revealed her intention. Her nervous, stuttering Appearance was undoubtedly telling the seller—I am an Easy Mark, please fleece me.
"Of course." Seeing that the fish had taken the bait, my smile became even brighter. I then poured out all the black fragments from my Inventory, delivering the fatal blow to Charsi. "Ah..." Looking at the pile of black fragments in front of her, like a small mountain, Charsi's mouth was wide open, and it took her a long time to react.
"Great. This is absolutely fantastic, thank you, esteemed Lord..." Charsi cheered like a child who had found a Treasure. In her excitement, she actually grabbed me under the armpits with both hands and lifted me up like a child, spinning me around.
Holy hell!!! Are all Barbarians so bold and carefree and thick-skinned?! I instinctively wanted to struggle free, but then I remembered that Charsi was not a Class Changer. If I accidentally used too much Strength/Power and injured her, I believe the Class Changers who needed their Equipment repaired would be very happy to tie me up and hang me upside down on a tree to dry. Sigh, forget it. I couldn't reach this Height without Shapeshifting into Werebear Form. I'll just treat it as a free experience. Resignedly, I lowered my hands that were about to struggle. My Gaze looked into the distance. As Charsi spun, the whole world seemed to be spinning. Damn, it was like a reinforced, zero-gravity version of a carousel. Feeling a bit dizzy, I quickly lowered my head. Hmm, the scenery here seems pretty good—from a high angle, Charsi, wearing only a shirt, her fair and firm peaks reflected in my eyes, incredibly clear.
After a while, Charsi snapped out of her state of excitement and realized that I was being held high in the air. Her Movement instantly stiffened. "Are you satisfied?" I asked, suspended in Mid-air, expressionless. "Uh... uh, yes... yes." "Then put me down." Although the "scenery" was indeed good, thinking about it carefully, it felt too damaging to a Man's dignity. To be lifted up like a ragdoll by a woman, how embarrassing was that?
After Charsi practically threw me down, I didn't give her a chance to apologize. I immediately instructed her to sort through the pile of black fragments behind her. There were definitely some Demon Cores mixed in, which were good things for making Town Portal Scrolls.
As a Blacksmith, if Charsi couldn't even distinguish between Magic Crystal Ore and Demon Core, she might as well go back to Harrogath to make Haagen-Dazs, that would be more promising. I saw her picking and choosing for a long time. Every time she picked out a Demon Core, she would sigh and then casually throw it aside. Please, this is hundreds of times more valuable than your Magic Crystal Ore, okay? Don't treat things that are useless to you as not being Treasure. I quickly caught them, afraid of missing even one.
Out of the large pile of fragments, less than one percent turned out to be Demon Cores. After putting away the Demon Cores, I took out more than ten White Items that were useless to me. Charsi seemed to be completely absorbed by the pile of Magic Crystal Ore. Seeing me take out so much Equipment, she didn't show a surprised expression. She just picked one up, looked at it, and asked with a Question. "Lord, the Durability of this Equipment is full!"
"Who said I wanted to repair this Equipment?"
"Then..." Charsi looked at my eyes, and her Gaze of sympathy gradually began to overflow again, as if she remembered the first time we met.
"What are you thinking?" I glared at her fiercely. I don't know when it started, but our relationship had naturally formed a hierarchy. At this moment, my expression was like teaching a subordinate, and Charsi didn't seem to feel uncomfortable at all.
"Leave these with you and help me sell them. It'll also save those Rookies from constantly coming to bother you. Remember, you can sell a maximum of one piece a week, and the price should be a bit higher, especially for those little Rookies who always come to trouble you. Fleece them heavily, understand?"
"But..." Charsi froze for a moment, looking at me as if Incredulous. After a long time, she whispered like a mosquito. "Why are you doing this? I..."
I was taken aback. Actually, there were two purposes for doing this. One was that I had secretly promised to help her get the Blacksmith's Hammer back then. Now that I hadn't done it, this could be considered a form of compensation. As for the second purpose... "I will continue to provide you with Equipment and Magic Crystal Ore in the future, as long as you promise me one thing: that you will keep the Equipment I bring for repair a secret. Can you do that?"
I stared intently at Charsi. If there was even a hint of hesitation in her eyes, I would definitely turn around and leave. Even if I had to throw away this Equipment, I would never give it to her to repair—with the Bugged Amulet, my Equipment would get better and better in the future, even surpassing others by a large margin. This was definitely a Hidden Danger. I didn't believe that all Class Changers were people of Justice. A good piece of Equipment is equivalent to a portion of Strength/Power. How many people could resist such a temptation? And even the best Equipment has Durability. When the Durability is gone, you have to find a Blacksmith to repair it. My Equipment could be hidden from anyone, but not from the Blacksmith. Therefore, Charsi was a crucial link. I spared no effort to appeal to her with "emotion" (Equipment) and enlighten her with "benefit" (Magic Crystal Ore). The ultimate goal was to win her over and get her to keep my secret.
Charsi was stunned for a moment when she heard my strange Request, but she didn't show any Question. She just lowered her head, her expression showing disappointment, and forced a smile. "You are the customer, this Request is very reasonable. You really don't need to do this." She felt some regret, but also stubbornly looked at the Magic Crystal Ore in front of her. Although she was extremely reluctant to part with it, she was even more unwilling to lie and deceive.
Hearing Charsi say this, I felt even more relieved. At least, I couldn't find a more suitable Blacksmith than her right now. "It's okay, this Magic Crystal Ore and Equipment are useless to me anyway." I waved my hand, indicating for her to accept them. Then I took out the Equipment I needed to repair.