Spirit Taming

Chapter 316: Robbing Me?

"Do it again. Can you do it again!?" It seemed more like a demand than a question. But this was just the passion of a true blacksmith. Someone that cared for their craft and only their craft.

"I could. I thought you cared more about how I used your name. But it seems that won't be a problem?" Clark raised an eyebrow while picking up the sword and looking at it. He could feel the cold and knew that he would have to rest a long time before he could even try to use the techniques had used just now again.

"Who cares about the past? I just need to see you do that again so I can copy it. Then I will let you leave here. And just call me Smith. I know that's odd since I'm a blacksmith, but if you say a word of my nickname or my actual name…" The words seemed kind but that was the scary part. This blacksmith seemed like he was the kind of person that was nice while killing someone and meanwhile showing care.

"Unfortunately, that took a lot of my energy and I have a tournament starting tomorrow. I can't just go and forge like that again. I doubt I can even hold this sword for much longer." Clark ceased using the techniques that directed all his energy in to his hands and dropped the sword on to the anvil. It seemed to partially cut it while also causing frost to gather on it.

"I have thirty more chunks of ice that size and even larger. You just have to show me that a little more and I can let you have some. You came here because you wanted it, right? That's why you are here? To rob me?" Smith seemed to have a different opinion. No one came looking for things out of kindness in the world.

They always wanted something from him.

"I do want the eternal ice. I want a decent amount of it in case I need to make a weapon in the future. But I don't have the energy to forge anything again. You watched carefully to the entire process and even to how I was able to touch the ice. I recommend you try that first with other ice materials and work up. Then maybe you will have success."

Clark explained this to Smith carefully. He wasn't trying to harm the chance that he would be able to get more materials from Smith. But this was how most people would have to learn these skills. Clark just had the system as an advantage. It literally put the information right in his head instead of learning it naturally.

"Having sharp eyes like that might not always be the best thing for you kid…" Smith seemed annoyed that Clark had caught on that he had burned every tiny action Clark made in to his mind. It was just natural that this was what any blacksmith would do. They didn't take notes like students, they learned on the job by watching and doing.

"I will give you ten chunks of ice and that sword. You just have to create a small dagger before you leave here today. I will even share the potions you need." Smith opened a cupboard and brought out varying stamina, energy, and health potions. There were even a few that Clark had not seen and was analyzing right away.

'Burn potion- uncommon

The burn potions are made from unique herbs that all are used to create salves and creams that assist in recovering burns. These potions help heal the body from within when it comes to the burns gained through breathing steam or hot fumes.

Frostbite potion- rare

Frostbite is a rare condition. This potion can be added to warm water to help repair the still living tissues in affected areas. This can not save dead tissue or body parts but can make an amputation process smoother.'

The two portions were very interesting. Clark had not seen either before because he had not needed them. However, he knew he should add them to his supplies in case he needed them. He just wondered why professor Wright had not insisted that they buy any frostbite potions before they left. The only explanation could be their rarity in their home city.

"I might have questions, but it looks like you might be a while." Isa caught on that she would have to wait to hear what else was going on here. Clark was clearly going to be forging something else and most likely getting caught up for another few hours.

"If you need help, I can write out some things for you. We have a lot of new materials to handle." Maria was ready to go as well. She found it amazing that Clark had casually made a sword out of ice that apparently didn't melt. Unfortunately, she also felt that she had wasted time just watching this. She had to prepare for the opening ceremony in her own way.

"And I will be following them. Have fun hammering things…"

"Ralph, you are not leaving, you have a molten boar. Bring it out. I know it is digesting that ore amalgamation. This is the best time to see what it does to ores and how it might be able to learn forging with you." Clark stopped Ralph in his tracks. It was a great idea.

"What in all of existence is a molten boar? Boars are made of meat. How can they be molten?" Smith thought that Clark might just be a little crazy. The boy had just forged ice in front of him. It would be normal for a random genius to be a little off in the head.

The sudden increase in heat and the fumes that were luckily sucked in to the multiple vent holes of the forge made Smith surprised. He then saw the large shape of the molten boar and how it was clearly not anything he had seen before. But what surprised everyone was that the molten boar had many spots where its metallic fur was melted.

The melted sections were where it was strengthening its body. The ores within its body were being digested. This brought the materials as nutrition throughout the body. The spaces that meted were being reformed and made tougher with those ores as nutrients. The acidic stomach acid removed almost every impurity, which caused fumes.

"Forging? You want this thing to forge for you? It is better used as an ore purifier. Look at that hair, it is made from some orichalcum, some blue steel, and even a little mythril. These metals are impossible to separate. But here they are in the hair!"

"If it's in my partner's hair, is it from the thing you gave me? Does that mean that my partner is even tougher now?" Ralph saw a chance to get well ahead of Clark. He wanted to go hunting for all this ore to put his partner well above everyone else's.

"I would say it has to be boy! That's great, you can have this partner of yours melt it down and remove impurities. Even a marble of these metals is worth it. I can make runes out of it. Just have your partner spit them all out." Smith didn't realize that all the metal was useless right now. It had already started to digest.

"If you have more ores, we can test it. It seems that the ore amalgamation I found was too little for the molten boar. It will be a learning process. You can teach Ralph a few things while that happens though. As payment, knowledge for his boar learning to purify metals and spit them out properly." Clark also knew that the molten boar would gain some of the metal and a lot of the energy.

"For you want to rob me of my ice. Now you want me to give up my knowledge!? You are a greedy child. But it will be worth it to have a perfectly purified material. My beast is no longer able to do these things. They lack the energy.

I will have you help me here." Smith seemed like he was ready to pay a higher price.

"Give me some tools and I will take a look at your beast. I have a knack for fixing some problems." Clark smiled. He knew that the system would have solutions for him. It would be ideal to get tools for forging without having to go and buy them. Then all he needed to do is learn a little more from the rune carving books. He would have perfect weapons in no time.

"You will find even a limit to your knowledge kid. Don't push it. You can look but my partner is going to be like this for a long time. He is retired." Smith waved a hand and a smaller beast waltzed out of a smokey looking portal. The information raced to Clark's mind as he caught it in view.