In the middle of the vast night sky, two moons helped each other combat the crippling darkness, illuminating the entire world with their subtle silvery glow.
Beneath the shimring constellations, a vibrant city was in the middle of a huge festivity.
Sixteen of the year's most skilled and prominent blacksmiths stood in front of their workstations, slight anticipation evident on their faces as they waited for the proceedings.
In front of them was one of their life's greatest masterpieces containing their experiences, their hearts, and even a piece of their souls.
All of the smiths had slight confident smiles plastered on their faces.
They believed that their craft–the embodint of their skills, would bring them endless glory.
Unfortunately, although they would receive rankings, in the end, only one will be crowned as king.
The stage rumbled as a huge hole miraculously opened up on the floor, then, a huge tallic machine astoundingly rose from the dark pit.
In the middle of the well-built contraption was a dium-sized diamond.
Although only the most inford of adventurers could distinguish what kind of diamond it was, everyone knew it was beyond tough.
"Ladies and gentlen! After such a masterful display from our honorable blacksmiths, it is now ti to decide who among them is the best. Naturally, we will use the three thods adapted from the most renowned smithing region, Weaven, to fairly and accurately decide which weapon towers over the rest like a king looking down on its subjects."
After the comntator finished saying his opening piece, loud footsteps echoed across the silent but vivacious Valenzia Square.
Naturally, the spectators, including Shye, turned their heads to look at the source of the slightly startling noise.
Everyone's eyes widened as a towering creature clad in teal-colored heavy armor made its way into the stage.
Was it a human?
A monstrous creature?
No one knew.
Seeing the crowd's dumbfounded reactions, the comntator smiled before answering the question in everyone's minds.
"Although we have the three distinguished judges here, regrettably, their raw physical strength isn't enough for them to be judges of the durability test. Thus, we've asked the adamantite-ranked warrior-class adventurer, Vyse Eustass, for help."
"The durability test is simple, Sir Vyse shall strike this diamond with all of his strength using the blacksmiths' weapons five tis in a row. If the weapon breaks, then the blacksmith is eliminated and will be ranked accordingly."
Shye gulped after hearing the rules of the brutal durability test.
'That monster of a man? Use his full strength to strike the diamond with the blacksmiths' weapons? Heck…Aren't the weapons steel-tier only?!'
He complained, feeling anxious for the blacksmiths as if he was the one who crafted the weapons.
Vyse walked towards the workstation of a prominent blacksmith nad Scott.
He then grabbed the greatsword in Scott's workstation, rotated the handle, and gave it a thorough observation.
"Good sword!"
Vyse exclaid before walking in front of the diamond and viciously slashing the greatsword towards the diamond.
*FWOOSH*
Water droplets splashed everywhere as the high-grade sapphire-enchanted steel greatsword ferociously cleaved through the air.
*CLANG!*
An ear-rending clanging sound echoed in Valenzia Square as the greatsword struck the diamond; multiple swirls of wind and dust made their way to the audience.
Seeing the horrifying raw strength of the adamantite-ranked adventurer, Shye was petrified.
'What monstrous strength! You an that greatsword has to survive four more of those hits?!'
He thought to himself, doubting that any swords would survive this ordeal.
*CLANG!**CLANG!**CLANG!**CLANG!*
The familiar sequence happened four more tis but to Shye's surprise, the steel-tiered greatsword actually survived.
He couldn't help but look at the blacksmith's face which didn't even budge. It seed that Scott wasn't even surprised that his greatsword survived five strikes.
Newfound respect grew in Shye's heart.
With the typical hulking middle-aged man look, Shye imdiately assud that these guys were nothing but ido's stepping stones and Doran's wannabes.
He was ashad to even have thought of things like those simply because these blacksmith brands were inferior to Doran's and he didn't like their crafts that much whenever he went window shopping at Hephaestus Armants.
Shye vowed in his heart to try his best not to underestimate people–intentionally or unintentionally.
After Scott, the crafts of the other blacksmiths underwent the sa test.
Shockingly, none of them broke.
Shye was worried that ido's dagger would be at a disadvantage seeing that its blade was so thin compared to the swords and axes of other blacksmiths, however, he quickly found out that his concerns were for naught.
As thin as the dagger looked, it was just as tough as the other weapons, if not more.
Naturally, Doran's battle axes made it through the test just as easily as ido's dagger.
Once the durability test was over, the ground rumbled once more as the familiar circular hole opened up and swallowed the durability testing machine, putting an official end to the first test.
Astoundingly, no one was eliminated.
It seems like these blacksmiths were neck and neck in terms of skills in crafting a weapon, making a statent to the adventurers who were watching that they could entrust their lives to the armants these blacksmiths created.
Still, this was a competition so winners and losers must be decided.
Thus, the comntator once again stepped in to smoothly facilitate the transition from one test to the other.
"Formidable!! Who would've thought that no one would be eliminated?! NO ONE!"
The comntator emphasized before continuing:
"Hence, we shall continue to put these otherworldly weapons to the test! As you all know, the primary purpose of a weapon is to deal damage to the enemy and, hopefully, even kill the loathso bastards in one hit."
"Thus, we have prepared the most fitting test to see the extent of destruction these astounding weapons bring to the table."
Right after the comntator finished his transition piece, sounds of chains scraping against tal filled the air, making the crowd confused as to where the sound was coming from.
After a while, most of them finally determined that it seed to be coming from…above?
Shye looked up.
Subsequently, as his mind comprehended the nature of the object held by the chains, he began to tremble in fear and apprehension, mirroring the reactions of the rest of the audience.
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