Pushing open the heavy wooden door, I stepped inside, where the heat from the forge instantly wrapped around me like a thick bnket. Sparks flew as Orm, a burly old man with a thick gray beard and muscur arms, brought his hammer down onto a glowing piece of metal.Without looking up, he grunted. "What broke this time?"I smirked. "Nice to see you too, Old Orm."He snorted and finally turned his gaze toward me. His sharp eyes took in my battered axes, and he let out a low whistle.

  "Looks like you've been working them hard."I pced the weapons on the counter. "Too hard, apparently. Think you can fix them?"Orm picked up one of the axes, examining the bent handle and chipped edge.

  "Tch. If you weren't so reckless, you wouldn't be coming here every other week."I rolled my eyes. "Are you going to fix them or lecture me?"He smirked. "Brat, Both."

  Setting the axe down, he rubbed his beard in thought.

  "I can fix them, but the damage is worse than usual. I'll need a few hours."I nodded. "That's fine. How much?"Orm cracked his knuckles. "For you? Four silvers."I let out a low whistle. So cheap. Without arguing, I counted out the coins and pced them on the counter.Orm scooped them up and pocketed them. "Come back ter. They'll be good as new."With that settled, I turned to leave, but Orm called out. "Hey, kid."I gnced back. "What?"His eyes were sharp. "You're diving into the dungeon more often now, aren't you?"I shrugged. "Yeah."He grunted. "Then maybe it's time you thought about getting a custom weapon—one made to st."That made me pause. My axes were good, but they were standard weapons, not specially crafted for me.

  A custom weapon meant better bance, durability, and efficiency. But it also meant spending a fortune."…I'll think about it, when I have enough funds" I said before stepping out of the forge.With my weapons being repaired and my new magia book tucked away, I had one st thing to do before the day ended—meeting up with Elise to register our party.It was still early, so I decided to grab some food before heading to our meeting spot. As I walked through the city, I noticed something odd—a few unfamiliar faces watching me.I didn't recognize them, but they didn't seem hostile. Were they just curious onlookers, or… was someone keeping an eye on me?I shook off the feeling and made my way toward the guild district, where Elise was already waiting. She waved as I approached."Hey, Kael! You're te," she teased.I smirked. "You're just early."She rolled her eyes. "Ready to make this official?"I nodded. "Yeah. Let's do it."And with that, we stepped into the Dungeon Diver Guild, ready to register our new party.The Dungeon Diver Guild was as lively as ever, with divers bustling about, discussing their test dives, trading monster parts, or pnning their next expeditions. Elise and I made our way to the registration counter, where a young receptionist greeted us with a practiced smile."Welcome! How can I help you?"Elise took the lead. "We want to register as a party."The receptionist nodded and pulled out a logbook.

  "Alright. You'll need to fill out this form—party name, members, and primary dungeon of activity."Elise gnced at me. "We already decided, right?"I nodded. "Yeah. We're going with Dungeon Ravagers."The receptionist raised an eyebrow. "Sounds fierce."

  She scribbled the name down.

  "Alright, Party Dungeon Ravagers is now official. Your Party is listed as Bronze-rank divers."I handed over the registration fee—three silver coins—and the receptionist stamped the form with the guild seal."You're all set!" she said cheerfully. "Good luck out there, and don't get yourselves killed!"We stepped away from the counter, and Elise grinned. "Dungeon Ravagers, huh? Has a nice ring to it."I smirked. "Yep, since we teamed up we started madly ravaging enemies."She ughed. "Fair point. So, what now?"I stretched. "I need to pick up my axes from Orm's forge. You should come with me—he's a great bcksmith. If your sword and shield need repairs, he can handle them."Elise considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Lead the way."The familiar scent of hot metal and burning coal filled the air as we stepped into Bear Paw Forge. Orm, the old bcksmith, stood behind his work table, hammering away at a piece of glowing metal. His arms, thick with muscle from years of forging, barely showed any effort as he worked.He looked up as we entered. "Ah, you're back. Your axes are ready."I stepped forward as he pced my twin axes onto the counter. The edges gleamed, and the reinforced handles looked sturdier than before. I picked them up, giving them a few test swings.

  The weight felt perfect."Good work," I said. "They feel even better than before."Orm smirked. "Of course they do. You bring back quality weapons, you get quality work." His gaze then shifted to Elise. "And what about you, girl? Do you need something fixed?"Elise pced her short sword and shield on the counter. "Yeah. They took a beating in the dungeon."Orm picked up the sword, inspecting the bde with a practiced eye. His lips twisted in dissatisfaction. Then, without warning, he tossed it aside onto a pile of scrap metal.Elise's eyes widened. "Hey!"Orm crossed his arms. "This sword isn't worth fixing. You should switch weapons."She blinked. "What? But I—""You fight defensively, right?" Orm interrupted. "You rely on blocking and countering instead of aggressive strikes."Elise hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, that's true."Orm grunted and turned to one of his cabinets, pulling out a ten-fnged mace made from bck iron. He set it on the table in front of her."A sword is swift, sure," he expined, "but if you're carrying a shield, your swings are going to be weaker. A mace is straightforward and easy to use—it doesn't rely on cutting power, just pure impact. Even if your opponent blocks, they'll still feel the force."Elise stared at the weapon, thinking back to the battles in the dungeon. She had struggled to deliver strong counterattacks while holding her shield, and now that Orm pointed it out, it all made sense.She gave a firm nod. "Alright. I'll take it."Orm smirked. "Good. Now about that shield..."He walked over to the front dispy and grabbed a medium-sized buckler shield before pcing it beside the mace."This is made from light bck iron—bigger than your st one, but still light enough for quick movement. A rger shield means better coverage, which fits your fighting style."Without hesitation, Elise picked up the shield and tested its weight. It was surprisingly light, just as Orm said. She then gripped the mace and practiced a few swings, feeling the bance between the two weapons.A small smile crept onto her face. "This… feels right."Orm nodded approvingly. "I thought so, that would be 3 gold coins already discounted."

  Elise didn't say anything, probably knowing it was cheap for that high caliber equipment, she brought out two coins from her pouch and tossed it to Old Orm as the tter caught it swiftly.I watched as she adjusted to her new gear, swinging the mace experimentally before settling into a defensive stance. Her movements looked more natural than when she used a sword.Orm chuckled. "You'll be a proper shield-bearer in no time."Elise grinned. "Thanks, old Orm. This was a good call."I crossed my arms. "See? Told you he's the best bcksmith around."Orm snorted. "Damn right I am. Now, you two better get out of here before I start charging for advice."We ughed and stepped out of the forge, Elise now fully equipped with her new weapon and shield."That guy knows his stuff," she admitted.I smirked. "He wouldn't be the best if he didn't."With our gear in top shape and our party officially formed, we were ready for the next dungeon dive.

  Just as we were about to exit Bear Paw Forge, the door swung open abruptly, and a man entered. His shabby bck hair and rough beard were only part of his rugged appearance.

  His brown eyes scanned the room, lingering on me for a moment, then shifting to Elise and her new mace and shield. He gave Orm a quick gnce before speaking, his voice loud and brash.

  "Hey, gramps, I heard from Zhin you were looking for me."