Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

"Some people really know no shame..."

"Right, right. He barely has the money to buy steel..."

"I bet he's been home and drinking ever since his shop got closed. You should have seen the faces of those rubes that kept buying his stuff out of gratitude."

"You mean their veneration when they first hold something made from something like <Dark Iron>?"

"Right, Right. Isn't it hilarious?"

Neill kept a blank expression, but his ears were almost steaming from listening to people gossip about him. He definitely didn't lack confidence in his skills, but their comments really bit into his ego. Suddenly, someone sat down beside him.

"Listen, Neill. I'm only telling you because I care. Don't you think you are in the wrong place?"

"They invited me, so-"

"It's not what I meant. Look around you. I know you are a great blacksmith, but... you probably spent your whole time on a steel sword and then threw a shabby sheathe together, right? You know why they are looking down on you, right? Do you think a steel sword could measure up to anything they put their heart and soul into?"

"Right, Repmore. You should listen to your friend. Even if they invite you to travel to the tree stations, do you really think you will be of help to anyone when your focus lied on steel swords?"

"Even if you open a new store, without the guys buying your stuff out of gratitude, how will you sustain yourself?"

Neil was about to puke. Liam was one thing, he knew the young man spoke out of some misguided care, but the others were plainly mocking him, trying to sound like they cared. It was just a minority openly talking like this, maybe 4 or 5, some more judging him silently, but nobody tried to stop them. They silently agreed or didn't care.

His fist balled up, but he couldn't say anything. He had chosen his path to help others but it seemed like he had missed his exit. He knew that his situation might have been hopeless. He knew it may have been a better idea to go for a different class. But he couldn't help but cling to this single chance. He didn't want to give up being a blacksmith.

"Yo, who of you made this?" a rude young man in his mid-twenties had appeared in the waiting room holding up a sword in a shabby sheathe.

"Haha, are they going to ask him to leave right away?" someone exclaimed.

"Wait, isn't that the tower master?" "Why would the tower master come to throw someone out?"

Neill hesitatingly lifted his arm. It really was the Tower Master. What was he going to do with him? Had his sword offended him enough to come out and ridicule him personally?

"You made this?" the tower master asked seriously.

"Y-Yes, this is my sword." "What is your current skill level?"

"I-I'm stuck at Apprentice lv.9," Neil admitted honestly.

"With an ordinary blacksmith class?" he questioned further.

"Alright, follow me," the Tower Master ordered succinctly.

"W-What for?"

"Didn't you apply to join Minas Mar? Of course, we are going to have a personal interview."

---Earlier---

The potions had caused him some mental damage, but he had mostly recovered by the time he returned to the sections with weapons and armor. The dwarfs and Orry were still busy with their preliminary judgments.

Seth trusted his friends, and he was only going to check on the ones they recommended later on. Instead, he concentrated on the new items that were still pouring in. What fell into his eyes was a rare sight among the entries.

A haphazardly glued together sheath. When his eyes stopped at it, he found that the crappy sheath stood in stark contrast to the expertly crafted and polished handle. A crossbar and pommel made from pattern-welded steel and dark brown wood for the handle that gave a warm and inviting contrast to the dark metal surrounding it.

The blacksmith knew the reason for the lackluster sheath the moment he grabbed the hilt. Someone had given it their all to make this sword. He unsheathed it and almost flung the unworthy sheath away. The weapon felt light in his hand, so well balanced that Seth was unsure whether he could do it better.

It was a great blade that made him want to swing it. Aesthetically, it also convinced with the expertly forged pattern-welded steel. This person had even managed to create an uncommon weapon from common materials

Seth knew a blueprint that could accomplish the same, but he could tell, that this sword went a step further. The blade's edges were made from a special steel. It was still common steel since it held no magic or element, but in conjunction with the overwhelming technique that went into it, it gave this weapon an uncommon rating.

Unlike Seth, this was a craftsman who had spent a lot of time studying the ins and outs of steel and overcame its initial rating by bringing it to its very limits. He had been standing there for a while when he heard a whistle from the back. Hoen had come over, his eyes glued to the sword, just like Seth's.

"Was this made by a purist?"

"What do you mean?"

"No enchantments, not engravings, no special skills. Looks like the work of a purist. Those kinds of people are rare. It's an arduous path to take, but if they make it..."

"What?"

"If they make it, they would be the favorit of any enchanter, since they make items that purely rely on the skill of the craftsman and the power of the material, it is a lot easier for a magician to enchant them with their spells. You know, since there won't be any other magic interfering?"

"Is it a special class? I can also just leave out any enchantments."

"Well, yes and no. Unless they reach journeyman this way, they stay an ordinary common blacksmith. Once they do, they can rank up to an Indomitable Blacksmith that specializes in exploring the limits of a material and bringing out its absolute maximum.

That class also majorly improves items that only rely on the materials. The base stats of these items will be a lot higher than ordinarily. In my world, it was mostly humans that managed to earn this class, mostly because they had no talent for magic, so they explored the limits of the materials instead." the dwarf explained.

"Interesting."

Taking into account that they would have enchanters joining their ranks soon, Seth made a quick decision.

---Current---

Everyone stared at Neill's back as he followed the Tower Master to a meeting room. He still had a hard time grasping what was going on, before he had a warm cup of tea in his hand and listened to the Tower master, Seth, explaining why he was invited up.

" So, are you willing to stay with Minas Mar and become an Indomitable Blacksmith?"

Neill stared at him as he processed what he had just heard. While he had been doubting his path and was at the cusp of giving up, suddenly a master blacksmith appeared before him and told him not to give up.

He knew it would be hard work. He knew it would be a long way, but hearing that he could gain a special, coveted, class as long as he persevered until he reached the journeyman tier sparked new hope inside his heart.

Seth mentioned that Minas Mar would completely support him with knowledge and materials as long as he signed the contract and joined them. He would no longer have to worry about the material costs or the way to treat an uncommon material. It sounded like paradise.

"What question is that? Of course, I want to!"

With that, Neill Repmore was the first blacksmith, also the first craftsman, to join Minas Mar after their declaration of independence.