“It can’t be done…” Adran muttered to himself. “It just can’t…”

  Right now, he was inside his forge, and behind him lay many pieces of bonesteel blades, each one broken from continuous testing. After the party last night, he had endeavored to get up early and get to work. The mold for the jawblades was already carved, courtesy of a woodcarver named Bohdi that had set up shop in town.

  It had seemed so simple at first; Adran had already perfected the mixture, so all it should’ve taken was pouring it into a mold and hammering out the final product. Unfortunately, every time Adran began hammering out the metal, they shattered.

  The jawblades consisted of two parts, the long blades and the handles that jutted out of the sides. The problem arrived in the form of the handle, which connected to blades in such a way that it made them brittle and easy to break off. With a sword this wasn’t a problem, since the blade and the handle were effectively one long piece of metal. With the jawblades, the handle was too close to the blade, so each time he began hammering, the handle would eventually snap off from the downward force.

  It was obvious why only a chitinshaper could make this. The blades and even the handle were all found as part of many insect mandibles. All you needed to do after ripping out the mandibles was to remove a few sharp bits and add a wooden handle. It was so easy, even a beginner could do it.

  Making it from scratch using steel, however, was much more challenging.

  Adran breathed hard, and his goggles started to become fogged up in frustration.

  Then, he slapped himself.

  “Get a hold of yourself,” Adran said, shaking his head. “If the handle snaps off too easily, just make it bigger.”

  Adran went over and grabbed two Bonesteel ingots from a pile in the corner. One of them was much larger than the other, and that was a necessity in his line of work. Different weapons required different amounts of metal, so he had everything measured ahead of time as a way to get things done faster.

  Adran wouldn’t be making the jawblades on this attempt; instead, he would be testing something else. First was the handle. Adran quickly took the smaller ingot in his tongs and began heating it up before gradually rounding it out with decisive hits to all sides. Eventually, what Adran ended up with was a small rod with rounded ends, something he was sure wouldn’t snap off at a moment’s notice.

  But how to attach it to the blade?

  Deciding to experiment a bit more, Adran took the larger ingot and hammered it out until it became a large, rounded rod, roughly a bit longer than his forearm. Then, he put the two Bonesteel rods side by side and fell into thought.

  Adran couldn’t just shove the hot irons together and hope they stuck; the two pieces would just snap apart after a few uses. The only thing he could think of was to shove the small pole inside the larger rod, or…

  Shove the large rod through the smaller one. If I go with the first option, I will have to make the end of the smaller rod even smaller and shove it inside a hole on the side of the large rod. It would work, but I really don’t want to risk the two parts detaching again. Although, how would I even go about making a hole in the smaller rod?

  Adran looked around and found his answer. Above his workbench was a tool for making holes in metal to make various tools. He quickly heated the small rod and used the hole punch, applying as much strength as he could to separate and push apart the metal. Once it was finished, the result was a ring with a handle, which was quickly expanded using an iron spike he had lying around.

  This… this could work.

  If Adran figured out how to attach the handle to the blade properly, then he could move on to actually making the blade. Determined to make this work, Adran quickly took the larger iron rod, heating it up and shoving it through the ring. To keep it from cooling quickly, Adran kept using [Flamebreather]. He kept hammering the handle, and it kept sliding down the large rod until it settled roughly a third of the way down.

  Good, the metal should expand and solidify as it cools. Though, I really should beat this thing into shape.

  While the metal was still hot, Adran kept hammering the ring, making it flatter and more even with each strike. As he did, he noticed that the handle was still stuck in place, with no signs that it would separate anytime soon. Once he was satisfied with the prototype, he dunked it in a large trough of water to let it cool. It was here, however, that Adran then began to feel a surge of aether, something he usually only felt when a weapon was completed.

  That’s weird. This is just a prototype. Can it even be considered a weapon in this state?

  Curious, Adran used his arts to identify it. It was fairly difficult work deciphering the threads of aether that embedded themselves into a weapon, but at this point, Adran possessed a wealth of experience in this field. The aether threads in the weapon would inform him of its nature, and eventually he found what he was looking for.

  What on Eterna is a tonfa?

  That was the first question on Adran’s mind. He had heard of all types of swords, spears, axes, and even the many variations of such weapons. He would’ve never even considered that a stick with a handle could be used as a weapon. Yet, this creation registered as a weapon, albeit a very shoddy one.

  There were still many things Adran was unclear about when it came to aether, but one thing he did understand was that it was the energy of thought. Somewhere on Eterna, these “tonfa” were already invented and in use. The impressions of the people who used them had collected as part of the aether in the atmosphere, then that energy distributed itself all across the world, eventually reaching even this remote island. It was part of the nature of aether, something he still didn’t quite grasp.

  Adran was about to dismiss the creation as a lucky fluke, but then he looked closer at the description.

  Easy to use? High defense? Creative application? These traits sound exactly like something Lukey would want. But… If I show these to him, and he doesn’t want them, there goes my pay.

  Adran began turning his head in thought. At this point he didn’t really need the money, although it would certainly be appreciated after all the work and resources he had already put in. He had already created a small mountain of pole spears for Ocean’s Bounty, so he was already very well paid. On top of that, by creating a new weapon, he had received quite a bit of aether. If Adran decided to perfect the tonfa, then he would earn additional aether with each improvement.

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  Finding it difficult to decide, Adran looked at his level.

  [Adran Galz (Bonesteel Blacksmith) Lv.115]

  Nice! I guess making that tonfa put me over the edge for my next level!

  Working with bonesteel was nice, but it was still a material reserved for making lower-level items. If Adran wanted to start leveling quickly, he would need to do one of two things: get better materials to work with or find a way to improve what he was already making. The first wasn’t an option due to the isolated nature of the island and its lack of materials. The second required him to be a bit crafty and perhaps start imbuing weapons with additional effects.

  After a bit more consideration, Adran came to a conclusion.

  “Screw it! I’ve spent long enough trying to make something impossible; better to work with what I’ve got!” he exclaimed.

  Lukey would probably be frustrated with him, but he was frustrated trying to make those jawblades. Whatever these tonfa were, they were a step in that direction. For now, it would be better to figure out how to improve them before moving on to something more advanced.

  With his mind made up, Adran focused on strange new weapons, grabbing them by the handles and taking them in hand.

  Weird… How am I supposed to use them? Maybe a punch?

  Adran went over to a makeshift dummy he had created to test his weapons. He then reeled his arm back and, with half-hearted force, drove the short end of the tonfa right into the dummy's chest. The tonfas hit with a solid clack, and Adran pulled back to reveal a small indent had been created on the dummy.

  Huh… Guess they specialize in impact damage. I wonder…

  Adran flipped around the tonfa, extending the long end outward, before whacking the dummy with it. Once again, the tonfas made contact, creating a resounding crack with the impact. Adran followed it up with a few more hits to the dummy, flipping the tonfas around occasionally, and even grabbing it by the rod to back the dummy with the handle.

  I guess you really can get creative with these. There’s basically no wrong way to use them!

  Adran looked down at the tonfa, analyzing its features and determining what could be improved. He already knew that he needed to add a grip to the handle and maybe a knob on the side to prevent his hand from slipping. The main arm could also be bigger too; instead of a large stick, he could make it more like a baton, or a miniature club.

  With a plan in mind, Adran got to work. Maybe he couldn’t make the jawblades, but at least he could deliver a refined product.

  …

  Lukey looked out at the harbor of Tranquil Waters with a renewed sense of purpose.

  His new weapon wasn’t finished yet, so today he would endeavor to make some new equipment for the guild. At first he had no idea what he should make. All he knew was that the pole-spear was weak but was very light and mobile. Meanwhile, [Wild Trapper] was sadly underutilized, due to traditional traps like nets not working well while underwater.

  What he did know was that he needed a new fishing rod.

  The rod was carved by Bohdi, who had started up a part-time furniture business in Tranquil Waters. The fishing line came from Ginny, who gave Lukey the whiskermoss she used as sewing thread. Finally, the coral hook came from Ki’ida; funnily enough, the earrings he got so long ago for his mom were what gave him the idea to use coral to begin with. All these things were combined in Lukey’s workshop, and the result had been this.

  One thing Lukey also noticed during the creation of the Giant’s Rod was how [Wild Trapper] assisted with the process. Looking into how it worked, Lukey was able to see that the art continuously ran aether through his hands and sped up his movements as he made the traps. [Wild Trapper] assisted with actions like tying strings and carving wood for the purposes of trap making. Lukey could also feel the art working as he maneuvered his rod to cast his line out to sea.

  Best of all, I gain aether for making the trap!

  Indeed, making traps was part of his class, and thus, he partially absorbed the aether of the materials whenever he crafted something new, much like how a craftsman absorbs aether from the items they make.

  Lukey looked at his level as he waited for a bite.

  [Lukey (Nimble Butterfly) Lv. 44]

  Two whole levels for making this. Well, I suppose it’s fair. After all, I did use some special materials to make it, not the least of which was that hook. I guess using items imbued with aether gives something of a bonus.

  As Lukey mused over how he could abuse this, something caught his hook, yanking his rod hard. In response, Lukey grabbed on tight, with his right hand grabbing the bottom half and the left grabbing the top half. The Giant’s Rod was, indeed, giant, and Lukey needed to muster all his strength and dexterity if he wanted to control it properly. Fortunately, manual use of [Wild Trapper] gave Lukey finer control over his rod as he began maneuvering it left and right.

  Wow, whatever is on the other end must be a monster! It’s really putting up a fight.

  Lukey really had to be careful as he gradually pulled the line back, taking careful steps as he moved across the dock with his rod. If Lukey were the same person he was when encountering the eel, he would’ve gotten yanked into the water a long time ago. Now, after rigorous lower body training and his enhanced attributes, he could stand undeterred as his catch flew out of the water and crashed on the deck.

  [Murky Flounder Lv. 23]

  It had two eyes staring up on one side of its face; it was as long as Lukey was tall, with brown and black blotched skin and a flat, circular body. The Murky Flounder was truly the bane of any poor fish that caught its gaze. It always hides beneath the ground, waiting for something to pass overhead, and its camouflage makes it nearly impossible to spot.

  Now, it had become prey.

  “Incredible,” Lukey murmured. Never had he dreamed he would ever catch something this big, and it was an exciting feeling. With monsters, you typically just beat them up until they died, but angling required equal parts guile and concentration. Catching something alive was both easier and more difficult than confronting it directly, easier in the sense that there was less risk of death, harder in the sense that it required a completely different skill set.

  Lukey absorbed the flounder’s aether for completing the live catch, then quickly speared the flounder to end it, acquiring another flood of aether for the kill. He then unhooked the flounder and tossed the oversized beast into a preprepared crate.

  Good, now that that’s done, it’s time to use the other thing I prepared.

  Lukey grabbed for his side, where a fist-sized shell was attached to his belt.

  During Lukey’s visit to Ki’ida, he also bought one of the Seashell Chests. He had money to burn after all, and now that he had to provide new equipment for his guild, the best thing to do was to spend it all on things that made his life easier. Detaching the Seashell Chest from his belt, he set it on the ground and commanded it to expand, then opened it up to reveal another new trap he made.

  Ginny was responsible for the basket, and he was shocked at how fast she could weave and stitch. The net was formed at a rapid pace, almost like the threads danced through the air, and once the net was woven, she quickly stitched it up to his specifications.

  The coconuts and rock were Lukey’s modifications, just so that the basket would stay upright and not float away. It wouldn’t hold any large fish inside, but at the very least it could lure in some small fry. Lukey quickly grabbed another of Ki’ida’s earrings and placed it inside the net, then tossed it out over the docks.

  Excellent, now while the basket does its work, I can fish to my heart’s content.

  Caldoon wanted new equipment, so for now, he would have to be satisfied with this. At the very least it will help the new recruits gain some early levels, giving them an easier time as they set off into the labyrinths.

  Altogether, it only took Lukey half a day along with half his wealth to get all the necessary materials and make the modifications. Now, it was time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor as he made some easy money.