Today marks the first day of my new life! After the long bitter wait, and the less than pleasing breakfast. I went towards the counter to get permission to enter the Senior Disciple area, ignoring the loud commotion from the monthly selections that are going on. Once I got my approval, I headed there as quickly as I could.

I soon met up with Tagon who greeted me.

“Hey there missy! From today on ya are now an Intermediate Disciple. I will now explain to ya everything ya need to know...”

He then explained a bunch of things about being an Intermediate Disiple, to summarize the 7 major points:

1) I will be moved to a new room which has an occupancy of 2 people instead of my current 4.

2) The times for food are the same, but the cafeteria is a better one in the Intermediate Disciple area. There will be small snacks available at 12.

3) Quota for the Intermediate Disciples requires that I smelt 50 [Iron Ingots], if I reach that quota, 10 [Iron Ingots] and 3 [Coal Ores] are mine.

I now also have a monthly quota, but not for smithing but selling of items. The requirement is that all Intermediate Disciples must sell at least 5 items per month.

4) There are many new privileges which I now have access to. As long as I have a prior order, I can make use of the Blacksmithing Guild’s materials. If I plan to smelt my own ore, I can get access to [Iron Ore] which has a quality score of 5 and [Copper Ore] and [Tin Ore] with quality score of up 7. I can also get access to [Coal Ore] up to quality score of 5. If I chose not to smelt my own ore, I can get [Copper Ingots] and [Bronze Ingots] with quality score of up to 7, or [Iron Ingots] and [Steel Ingots] with quality scores of up to 5.

That said, there are limits. I can only withdraw 100 iron or copper ingots/ores per month. I can also get the accompanying tin and coal along side it. Anything beyond that is my own responsibility.

5) At 18 o’clock, the exhibition hall opens up for 2 hours. During those times, the public has access to the exhibition hall. Only during those 2 hours are we allowed to sell our wares. Any item we make using the guild’s resources, after subtracting material costs, we are allowed 15% of the profit. Any item made using our own resources, we are allowed to take 30% of the total cost. The rest must be paid to the guild.

We are also allowed to take order contracts during this time. Though it is warned that contracts carry the reputation of the guild and if one fails to complete a contract in an orderly fashion, there are strict punishments that are as severe as being suspended.

There is also a restriction that the displayed items must have at least a quality score of 5 or more, the exception being for order contracts, where guarantees would be based on the contract.

6) Like before, we can receive guidance from an Advanced Disciple. But now we can get it once per quarter. We can also get guidance from a Senior Disciple once per year. That said, we are not allowed to take guidance less than a month and a half apart from each other. So getting access to a Senior Disciple will unfortunately have to wait a few weeks.

7) Promotion to Advanced Disciple happens during a test once a year.

8) I am also required to offer guidance to Junior Disciples. Though I can decline for one month, the following month would be mandatory.

Lastly, I was told about the privilege for winning the competition. To get a commission and tutoring from the Grandmaster himself!

This will happen tomorrow at 12 o’clock, and I am responsible for bringing my own materials. Accepting materials from others is forbidden. The commissioned item will be made within the 3 hours, and will be soul bound to me. Thus preventing backhanded sale of the item.

I already have an idea for what I want, and coincidently I have the materials so it is not a problem.

Lastly, as far as quotas go. Since I fulfilled the quota as a Junior Disciple, I am not required to fulfill the Intermediate Disciple quota for this week… but the option exists if I want to. And it goes without saying that I most definitely want to!

After explaining all that, Tagon brought me to my new room and left.

The urge within me was screaming to go smelting as fast as possible! But before that, I have something else that is pretty important. Prior to the main course that is the Grandmaster, there is still the appetizer which I have not forgotten about!

I make my way down the hallways. My interest lies in Algon, the [Steelsmith]… maybe, just maybe he’ll have some delicious class only skills to share. On that note, I head down to the Intermediate Disciple's forge.

“Did ya hear? The town’s hero is finally comin’ back to town” said a dwarf in the hallway to another dwarf standing next to him.

Ha?

“Yeah, I heard. They are suppose to come sometime this week or next week based on the rumor” replied the other dwarf.

NO! NO! NO! Anything but that! After I finally found a comfortable place for myself, last thing I need is some darn hero messing things up!!!

Wait… calm down… I am over-thinking things... So what there is a hero coming? It has absolutely nothing to do with me, and I’ll stay away as far as possible to be extra sure… There is no reason to fret… Yup, it’s all good! Lets go get me some skills and then smelt some ingots to cheer myself up!

I find my way into the forge and search for Algon, the [Steelsmith]. Luckily, he was fast at work already. Once I got into a good position where I could spy on him without being seen, with help of [Eagle Eyes] I monitor him carefully.

You have acquired a new skill [CP][Steelsmith: Enhanced Steel Smithing] Level N/A

[CP][Steelsmith: Enhanced Steel Smithing] Level N/A

Improve the speed of your smithing related skills by 30% + 2% for every level in your non-combat class + 1% for every point of [PER] when making steel based items

Improve the quality of your smithing related skills by 30% + 2% for every level in your non-combat class + 1% for every point of [PER] when making steel based items

So that was his secret! He is pretty much 2X better at making steel items than anyone else!

Lets see what else he has! I continue watching and as expected another one appeared.

You have acquired a new skill [CP][Steelsmith: Steel Smithing Perfection] Level N/A

[CP][Steelsmith: Steel Smithing Perfection] Level N/A

You now have a chance of improving an item beyond its initial quality score when using smithing skills on steel.

Improve your chance of improving an item when using smithing skills by 20% + 1% for every level in your non-combat class + 0.5% for every point of [PER] when making steel based items

You now have a chance of giving bonus stats to an item when using smithing skills on steel.

Improve the probability of your smithing skills to give bonus stats by 20% + 1% for every level in your non-combat class + 0.5% for every point of [PER] when making steel based items

Wow… talk about a cheat! …Though technically speaking, I don’t have a right to say anything in that regard…

I continued to watch after that for quite a bit, and that seemed like it was the end of it. So I went about my own business.

Personally, I really want to put all this to the test, but thinking about it a bit more... it will have to wait for another day. Since tomorrow is my tutoring with the Grandmaster, I will definitely get some skills then. So I should wait. Instead I should smith the 2 [Bronze Ingots] I got.

As for what to make, there is no point in making body armor since I don’t have enough. Well, unless I make chainmail. But considering I could make steel, there is simply no point. Instead I’ll make a lesser piece like Bracers.

So like that, I began making of the Bracers. Since I had a lot of free time, I worked on them until 17 o’clock trying to get them as best as possible. The results?

Bronze Bracer of Greater Agility

An above average bracer made out of bronze that has been specialized by its creator to fit a young child.

+7 AGI +34 DEF

Bonus: +1 AGI

Restrictions:

Minimum Level:

Level 15 – Benefit: +1 AGI | Penalty: 90% reduction in stats

Owner Restriction: Shiro

Benefit: +1 AGI | Penalty: 90% reduction in stats

[Made by Shiro]

Durability: 139/139

Quality 6.9937/10.0000

Both Bracers came out the same as far as stats go. And I surpassed the original material quality so it was all good. Though considering the time I spent on it, the results were not too surprising, even if it was my first time making Bracers.

From there, I went to take a look at the exhibit hall. While I don’t plan on selling anything today, I still wanted to get a feel for it.

When I came there, what I saw looked like a sort of equipment bazaar. The smiths sat on the floor by the walls, and people went around looking at all sort of equipment. There was a lot of yelling from the noise of the customers to others trying to advertise their wares. I also took a look around the wares and came up with one conclusion.

I totally got this!

My wares will most definitely be better, so if I sell at the same price, I will rule the entire market! muwahahaha!

After that, I went to have dinner in the new cafeteria, and surprisingly or not surprisingly. They also served broth!

That said, this time around shockingly enough it actually had some flavor! It seems that some spices were added which was definitely a welcome addition. It was nothing to write home about, but still better than anything I ate so far.

I then went to my room and went to sleep. Even the beds were slightly better. So far things are looking pretty good!

I smile brightly at the days to come.