After listening to Benson’s speech, Vicente was not confused by his master’s terms and analysis.
Each item produced by magicians would have efficiency, progress, or purity, in short, a characteristic that would show how good the item was for magicians of the same stage as the item’s grade.
For example, purer pills meant that they were better concerning the impurities but also more effective for magicians near the peak of their stage. In the case of blacksmith-crafted items, efficiency concerned how well the item would defend or deal damage when worn.
Armor with 100% efficiency would be impenetrable to magicians of the same stage as the item’s grade, using weapons of a similar grade with less than 100% efficiency.
This was also an important attribute to know how much maintenance you would have to worry about.
Any artifact used in battle, even those with 100% efficiency, would eventually require maintenance. But while an item with maximum efficiency might last dozens of battles before you had to take it to a blacksmith, an item with 10% efficiency might even lose its properties after a single battle.
But for Vicente, 45% was pretty good for the second item he had made using what he had learned from Benson’s tips and study materials. .
‘When I reach 100% on my weapons, I believe the Senior Apprentices will be able to use all their power to fire bullets!’ Vicente smiled as Benson finished analyzing the dagger.
“… Anyway, Vicente. I want to see you produce something with a hammer. Understand that using your skills makes everything easier for you. But your skill will develop even faster if you train with the hammer.”
With that, Vicente would soon spend the next two hours working under Benson’s observation, following his advice and getting tips.
In the end, he would produce a slightly less beautiful weapon with slightly less efficiency than the previous dagger. But Benson was pleased with his student’s progress.
“Here is your new material,” Benson said as he smiled in satisfaction. “Absorb the contents of these 20 books over the next few weeks. When you have time, train with this new equipment.”
Vicente quickly gathered these study and training items before Benson gave him his last order of the night. “Don’t forget to try to extract metals from ores whenever possible, like you did today.
Anyway, that’s all for today. Come back when you are finished or if you have any questions. After you’ve mastered what’s in these books, it will be time for you to visit the Association.”
“OK, master.”
After that, Vicente said goodbye to Benson and quickly went back to his house.
…
The next morning, Vicente said goodbye to Nina when she woke up and headed back to his headquarters.
Arriving there, where his men were already nervously waiting for him, Vicente was soon gathered with his principal men.
“I have good news. Last night, I managed to produce the first weapon with my skills.” He said with a smile, making all the worried faces in the room change, considering what they had planned for this day.
“What? Are you serious?” Rory asked in surprise.
That was pretty fast!
There were young people Vicente’s age who understood forging even more than he. But they were youths who had studied their craft for years, not days like this black-haired chap.
That’s why everyone was shocked!
Vice smiled even more. “Yes. From today, we will not buy any more weapons. I will make everything we need from now on. Then we will have to concentrate on buying metals and ores.
But that’s not the only good news. Soon, I will be able to improve the quality of our weapons!”
Unlike ordinary blacksmiths, Vicente was able to modify already finished items. In a way, he could recycle his weapons, something blacksmiths could not normally do because, once produced, these items took on characteristics that were difficult to separate.
If one recycled an artifact, much of its structure would usually be lost.
But Vicente was confident he could overcome this and recycle these items to create even more powerful weapons!
“Right now, I can’t do much, but I believe that in three weeks at the most, I will have refined my skills to the point where our Senior Apprentices can use their weapons at full power without the risk of destroying them.”
“That’s fantastic!”
“We can change many of our current problems with better weapons.”
“Yes, this will be our path to glory!”
The level 1 Acolytes there commented with satisfaction.
Vice then ordered. “Therefore, I want you to use the resources that come from the Peters family to buy minerals from now on. Gather what you can from these minerals.”
The men watched as Vicente quickly wrote down the names of the minerals and metals he wanted on a piece of paper.
Feeling more energized by their leader’s news, the group soon began to discuss the topic of the day in a less tense mood, the action against one of Defiant Tyranny’s most heavily guarded outposts!
“Prepare yourselves. Tonight, we’re going to attack the bastards who are trying to frame us!” Vicente became more serious, eager to deal a heavy blow to these enemies.
“Boss, everyone is ready. We have followed your orders and prepared everything for the invasion and escape. You just have to give the order, and we’ll start the plan!” One of the Acolytes said with clenched fists, eager for revenge.
“Very well, by nightfall, we will make Defiant Tyranny reconsider their actions!” Vicente said firmly.
…
As dusk fell, Millfall had another night like any other, with people working, residents retiring to their homes, or going to their nightly meeting places.
The brothels were especially busy at this time of day, and the effects of alcohol were more apparent in these establishments and others.
In one such brothel, the men were celebrating their recent actions, feeling that some of their problems would soon be solved.
“Boss, what will we do with them in the meantime?” A subordinate of the leader of the Defiant Tyranny asked his leader, referring to ‘Cesar’s’ group.
“Order the subordinates of our men to increase the frequency of incursions in Cesar’s damned territory. Let’s weaken his operations while he doesn’t lose his right to operate in that area.”
One of the high-ranking men there agreed with his leader. “With this, the Scarlet Syndicate may withdraw from the agreement with Cesar before the end of the month. After that, we can crush these people!”
With that, the men there smiled and celebrated the start of Vicente’s case in the Martial Court.
They wanted to crush this young man who thought he could act against them. But the leader of this group wanted to do it for himself, so he had to fend off Vicente’s defenders before he could act.
‘Soon… Soon, I’ll rip your head off, you bastard!’ The level 5 Acolyte laughed as he inhaled the smoke from a cigar.
Little did he know that at that very moment, 2 of his 4 posts surrounding his territory were under attack!