“Going to the Mubaid Ruins, one must be level 130 or higher!”

“Looking for those who want to hunt in the Grey Forest ~ A level 130 warrior is waiting for people higher than level 96~”

“Recruiting people for the Guardian of the Forest raid! A level 190 archer, level 181 martial artist, and other top rankers will join! Your class and level don’t matter! Anyone will do!”

When Grid accessed the game, he stood in a town square. He couldn’t resurrect at the Yatan Temple due to being in a hostile relationship with the Yatan Church.

‘Bairan Village?’

It was the place he visited before proceeding with Ashur’s quest. Grid frowned as he recalled his memories of the past.

“I got turned around.”

The monsters near Bairan Village were at least level 100. In addition, they were all ferocious monsters. The levels of users here was at least the mid-80s, and they always needed a party for hunting. It was a dangerous place where users below level 120 couldn’t leave the village alone. 

In the past, Grid wandered around here alone while searching for the Northern End Cave and died. At that time, the durability of some of his equipment was reduced to zero, and his boots and gauntlets shattered.

“I ended up resurrecting at this place.”

Maybe he was some stupid god in his past life and probably dishonored Lady Luck. Then his memories were erased, and he was banished to the human world. Since then, he lived an unlucky life.

‘This is true. I can’t be so unlucky unless I sinned directly against the goddess of luck.’

Grid placed his forehead on a wall and blamed his past life. Still, he couldn’t stay here forever, so he recovered his spirit.

“I should go to another village.”

Right now, the urgent thing was to raise his level. Grid wanted to escape from the negative level as soon as possible. There was no reason to stay in a village where hunting was impossible. He found a horse-drawn carriage waiting for customers in a corner of the square and asked the coachman, “Which is the safest village near here?”

“Winston Village. Many novice travelers visit that place. Do you need a driver to take you there?”

“How much?”

The coachman raised one finger. 

Grid thought the coachman was a crook. Carriages were a means of transportation for the rich. They were tremendous luxuries for debt-ridden people like Grid. It was a luxury comparable to eating a whole marinated chicken for one meal!

Nonetheless, there was nothing Grid could do. Right now, it was impossible for him to move to another village with his own power. If he left the village, he would only be able to walk a little bit before dying. 

Grid handed over one silver while shedding tears.

The coachman looked at him. “What are you doing? It is 10 gold.”

Grid made a surprised expression like he really didn’t know. “Heok! 10 gold? It is 10 gold, not 10 silver?”

“This must be the first time you are taking a carriage. In the safe zone, the base fare for a carriage is set at five gold. In a monster-infested area such as this, there should be some profit for the high risk. This price is actually cheap. Winston is close to here, so it is only the basic fare.”

“You are charging so much just for driving a carriage!”

“Tsk tsk, this is why I don’t like novice travelers. Don’t you know that all the monsters in the vicinity will attack as soon as they find humans?”

“No! I know that there aren’t any monsters fast enough to catch up to the speed of a carriage!”

The coachman flinched. Grid’s point had struck him.

The coachman coughed and explained, “Obviously, the monsters have slow feet. But they know the terrain and have the instincts of natural hunters. They use these advantages to catch up.”

It was like selling drugs.

“Then you should be vigilant.”

“Cough... then I will accept nine gold.”

Okay, the price bargaining had begun. The basic rule of bargaining was to cut it as much as possible!

“10 silver.”

“......”

“Excuse me?”

“......”

‘What? Why isn’t he saying anything?’

The response was different than Grid expected. 

Wasn’t it the normal reaction to say in response, ‘10 silver is too cheap. I will accept eight gold?’ Then Grid would return with 20 silver, while the coachman would offer seven gold. Then 30 silver, six gold... 

This was Grid’s grand plan to complete the bargaining at around two gold. Yet the coachman just ignored him, distorting the plan.

“Aren’t you going to bargain?” Grid asked.

“Who in the world would bargain with a crook like you? This useless bastard! I was kind enough to cut it to nine gold, yet you offered 10 silver? You want me to bargain? Who is going to make a deal with a bastard like you?!”

“Isn’t there the saying, ‘ the customers is king?!’ I will sue you and make you unemployed!”

“If you want to sue me, do it! Do you think the union will take your side? Get lost, you insane bastard!”

In Patrian, Grid’s bargaining had always been successful because his reputation and affinity with the residents were at the maximum. Even if it didn’t work, he would just laugh it off. However, this response was entirely new to him.

This was a serious issue. At this rate, he wouldn’t be able to ride the carriage. Currently, he only had 3 gold and 11 silver. The difficulty of the Ashur quest was so terrible that he had spent a lot of his money on potions.

“Please... My sick mother is in Winston Village all alone... She will die soon. What a sad son I will be if I can’t watch my mother’s last moments... Please take pity on me and consider the bargain.” Grid looked as miserable as possible as he told a heartbreaking story. 

However, the cold-hearted coachman just snorted. “You are obviously telling a lie. You didn’t even plan to go to Winston Village in the beginning, so who would believe you now?”

“...Sheesh, you’re smarter than you look.”

“W-What! You cheap bastard!”

There was no chance of this succeeding. Grid ran away from the coachman, who chased him with a red face, and visited other carriages. Still, despite being as careful as possible, it was impossible to bargain it down to three gold. No matter what heartbreaking stories Grid used, the limit was 8 gold and 90 silver.

He was frustrated by Satisfy’s modern society.

“Why?”

Was it necessary to be stuck at level -3 while being isolated in the remote Bairan Village?

“I can’t do that.”

Then Grid realized he had a means to obtain the money for the carriage. He could just make items! If he made an item, he could gain some experience. Then if it had a normal rating, he could sell it to a store.

Grid opened the skills window and confirmed the ‘Blacksmith Craftsmanship Skill.’

[Blacksmith Craftsmanship Skill] 

[Lv: Master

Produce equipment items that you know how to make.

There is a certain probability of creating rare rated items.

There is a low probability of creating epic rated items.

There is a rare probability of creating unique rated items.

* Due to the effect of mastering the skill, the attributes of all items are increased by 10%.

* When rare rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +2. 

Reputation throughout the continent will rise by +30.

* When epic rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +4. 

Reputation throughout the continent will rise by +80.

* When unique rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +12. 

Reputation throughout the continent will permanently rise by +300.]

“This is absurd...”

According to the rankings, the first place blacksmith only had intermediate level blacksmith skills. Despite having produced tens of thousands of items by the time he reached level 110, he barely reached the intermediate level. Thus, he said that production skill levels are hard to raise. However, Grid had basically mastered the ‘Blacksmith Craftsmanship Skill’, which was beyond the ‘Advanced Blacksmith Technique’ and ‘Intermediate Blacksmith Technique’. If the person ranked number one in the blacksmith rankings were aware of Grid’s presence, he would probably quit the game.

‘When I compare myself to him, I finally realize the greatness of a legendary class.’

Grid then confirmed the other ‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship Skill’.

[Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship Skill] 

[Lv. 1

Produce equipment items that you know how to make.

You can create the production methods for a new item with the ‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Creation’ skill.

There is a certain probability of producing rare~epic rated items.

There is a rare probability of creating unique rated items.

There is a very rare probability of creating legendary rated items.

*All stats of a production item will increase by 10%.

* When rare rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +2 and reputation throughout the continent will rise by +30.

* When epic rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +4 and reputation throughout the continent will rise by +80.

* When unique rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +12 and reputation throughout the continent will rise by +300.

* When legendary rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +25 and reputation throughout the continent will rise by +1,000.

* Something special will occur with every five legendary items created.] 

“Wow...”

The ‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship Skill’ was only level one. Nevertheless, it was far superior to the mastered ‘Blacksmith Craftsmanship Skill’. Grid couldn’t help admiring it.

He was excited and immediately confirmed the ‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Creation’ skill.

[Legendary Blacksmith’s Creation Skill]

[You can create three equipment item production methods every time the skill level of the ‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship Skill’ goes up.

Number of items that can be created at present: 3/3

* When items are produced using this skill, the name of the creator is automatically placed on the item.] 

“Create an item? What is the method?”

The explanation wasn’t easy to understand. Seeing was believing, so he decided to try it out.

Grid used the Legendary Blacksmith’s Creation Skill without hesitation.

[What item do you want to create?]

The most important item was naturally a weapon. A weapon allowed quick hunting and was directly linked to high levels. Among the weapons, Grid thought the best one was a greatsword. 

Thick, big, beautiful... A big sword that could smash the enemy’s armor was a man’s romance! Up to this point, he had never selected a weapon other than a greatsword in games. Then first, let’s make a greatsword.

“Greatsword.”

[Have you decided?]

“Yes.”

[What materials would you like to use?]

Ohu~ That’s right. Grid was creating an item, so he needed to use the materials.

Wasn’t it natural to use special materials?

He thought of the person who had asked for party members to go on the ‘Guardian of the Forest’ boss raid and said, “I heard that the guardian of the forest drops the best mineral so far... The name is…”

Grid recalled it and replied, “Blue Orichalcum.”

[Have you decided?]

“Yes.”