It seems like the sun starts to set. I have been at it for a while now. I knew I expected too much of myself. I’ll need to work all night long if I want to get it finished. Luckily the heat is starting to drop outside. I like working on nights anyway.

Working in the summer heat is almost unbearable when the forge is lit. It’s also why I moved to a more secluded area rather than staying in town. I would only disturb the townsfolk with the sounds I make. Requests for business have dropped a little bit, but that might not be a bad thing. It gives me more time to focus on the tasks I already have.

My father taught me well enough to open up my own shop. Even though I might not be the best blacksmith around, definitely not, my skill is very close to old man Sharuk’s.

If only my father were alive I may have already surpassed the old man. I also may have already finished this weapon. It took ten days longer than I said it would. I feel bad for the costumer but he did not seem to mind too much. Just a couple more hours and it will be ready.

--

*ringg-ringg*

“Ah!” the young blacksmith named Hanma suddenly jumped up from his bed.

He quickly jumped out of bed to put on some clothes and ran to the front of the house. That ringing meant a customer walked in. He was now standing behind the counter which was in the front part of the house. There were weapons and tools lined up to the left side of the entrance and the counter was to the right. No stairs to be seen and only one door leading to the back. That was his sleeping quarters which had a simple bed, a closet, and a nightstand. He could reach is workplace from there as well but that meant his room getting dusty. Usually, he went around back.

“Good morning sir! Ready to pick up your beauty?”

“Good morning, indeed I am.” the man answered.

He had brought his sword to Hanma for repairs. It had become dull and had lots of dents in the blade. Hanma was well known for his repairing skills. Even so, this sword took way longer than Hanma initially expected it to.

Hanma picked something up from beneath the counter. It was wrapped in a white cloth and had a linen rope keeping the cloth bound around the object. The cloth was undone and unwrapped. The costumer looked like he had seen a ghost, but was happy seeing that ghost.

“It’s beautiful! This was certainly worth the long wait.” The man said.

“I am truly sorry about that sir! I guess I was overconfident in my abilities. It won’t happen again!” Hanma replied

“It’s okay, nothing to worry. I suppose I should be giving you my payment now.” The man took out a small sack and gave Hanma the last half of the payment.

“Thanks for your patronage!” Hanma said with a cheery smile.

Just before the customer walked out of the store he stopped for a bit and turned his head to the young boy.

“You know, lots of explorers are currently looking for a skilled blacksmith to accompany them on an expedition. I would rather have my sword repaired on the spot than having to wait after.”

Hanma didn’t like expeditions at all. Ever since his father never came home from one he was left on his own. He had been very lucky his father was a well-known blacksmith himself so he did not need to build up his reputation from the beginning. Most of the locals knew who he was and also favored the cheap prices he set.

“Thanks, I’ll think about it.” Hanma said to the man.

The man walked through the door and closed it behind him. Hanma wasn’t fond of it when people said things like that. Suddenly lost in a train of thoughts Hanma would begin by cleaning up his mess in the workshop from yesterday. That was one of the few things bearable to do in the summer heat.

His workshop was bigger than the storefront and his room combined. He had a large furnace to the back wall which both served as his forge and smeltery. In front of it was a rather large anvil with a rack of tools to the right. Placed against the right walls were workbenches littered with tools and metal scrapings. On the left side, there was a big grinding stone and a couple of smaller ones. They stood below the windows which could open. If he didn’t he’d be sure to get all the nasty metal dust in his lungs which would definitely not be good for his health. That is also why he wore a wet cloth in front of his nose and mouth if he got to grinding.

He couldn’t stop thinking about what the man said to him. His father used to do the same, always encouraging him to aim high just like himself. He was a Wandersmith after all. All Hanma has left of his father is a ring that a messenger one day brought to his doorstep. He never wears it but he cherishes it the most. He feels he isn’t worthy of wearing the ring until he reaches the same skill level that his father once had if that was possible at all. He didn’t know any better blacksmiths.

It was becoming very lonely out here on his own. Not a lot of customers came by but enough did to get around. The five-minute lasting interactions also weren’t interesting enough to actually be called conversations.

Argh, I really need to get out of here someday. This life is just way too lonely. Wasn’t it a dream of mine to be one of the greatest explorers? He thought to himself.

--

Hanma lives in a world where there are various locations called Dungeons. Dungeons are filled to the brim with traps, monsters and most importantly loot. Loot could vary from scavenged monster parts, ores, currency, and artifacts. Dungeons come in various sizes and difficulties. It is generally well known that the loot a dungeon holds scales with its size and difficulty. Some of them are so hidden that they have not yet been discovered by mankind. Not something that happens frequently but it is said that some humans get lost in dungeons without them noticing that they walked into one. Eventually, a monster would find them and they’d never make it out alive.

People who purposely wander these dungeons for loot are called “Explorers”. These explorers put their lives on the line for fame and riches. The more they explore the better they get which means that seeking higher level dungeons is a normal way of life for some. By clearing dungeons, one could be granted special powers as well. Besides that your physique would become stronger, your stamina increased and your knowledge widened. If you were to find high-level artifacts at the same time your power would increase immensely even. They could either enhance your abilities or make you incredibly rich if you were to sell them. This is generally why fifty percent of the population has explored a dungeon in their lives. But also why only 10% of beginning adventures actually continue.

Once a child becomes an adult he is eligible for signing up at the renowned “Explorers Guild”. Once you become an official explorer granted access at already discovered dungeons. Exploring a dungeon on your own is not advised, so it is rarely done. Being in a team of explorers greatly increases the chances of survival. Even though the loot is shared at the end of a dungeon coming out alive is more important than making huge profits for most people. Expeditions they call them, a team of explorers trying to clear a dungeon.