The Moon Fangs had served him well. Deadly, sharp, and perfect for close quarters. But against larger foes, or in wide-open spaces? They lacked reach. Their balance was different. They were backup tools now—not the centerpiece.

He needed something more versatile.

More brutal.

"Not just a sword and shield," he whispered, pacing the room. "But a shield that cuts."

The vision crystallized.

A heavy buckler, reinforced and layered, built to block—but mounted not at its center, like most weapon-shields. No, Ren envisioned the blade extending from the shield's edge, aligned directly with the position of his hand. When wielded, it would function almost like a large, armored gauntlet, with the edge-blade protruding like a deadly extension of his forearm.

The blade itself would be modeled after the cinquedea—wide at the base for strength and stability, tapering to a sharp, deadly point. Over a foot and a half long, double-edged and capable of thrusting or slashing in close combat. Perfect for quick, brutal strikes while keeping the rest of his body shielded. It would allow him to attack and defend in the same motion—pressing forward while warding off incoming blows.

A brutal union of offense and defense, designed not just to survive—but to dominate.

And then the sword.

Something modular.

Disposable blades forged in sets—lightweight, replaceable, interlocking hilts with ejectable cores. So when a blade dulled, shattered, or broke—it could be replaced in seconds.

Not repaired. Replaced.

It wasn't traditional. But neither was he.

He grabbed a sheet of parchment and began sketching.

A list formed beside it:

✅ Pulseguard forged

☐ Reinforced Chainmail (Runic Rings – ~150)

☐ Edge-Blade Buckler (Cinquedea – Hand Extension Mount)

☐ Replaceable Modular Sword (Snap-Core Type)

This would be his new project—his real gear.

And tomorrow, he would return to the forge not as a hopeful apprentice, but as a smith with vision.

The kind who bent metal not for coin or tradition.

But for survival.

The morning forge roared to life.

Ren stood at his station, sleeves tied high, sweat already beading down his brow before the first ingot hit the fire. Today wasn't just about leveling up his skills—it was the first true step toward building gear that would define him.

He began with the sword.

The design was clear in his mind: not a standard straight blade, but a curved katana—single-edged, finely balanced, and honed for precision. Lightweight but deadly, it would allow fluid strikes and deadly follow-throughs, ideal for both slashing and thrusting. But the key wasn't the blade alone—it was the hilt.

Ren engineered a locking core using layered springs and interlocking grooves, crafting a seamless mechanism that would lock the katana blade in place during combat, but eject it with a twist and press when dulled or broken. The system required finesse, and failure came often. But failure was fuel.

By the end of the day, the hilt was complete. And soon after, one by one, the blades followed.

Ten in total.

Two for each element—earth, fire, wind, water, and lightning.

The earth blades were heavier, with dense cores and dull bronze hues—perfect for shattering armor and staggering foes. Fire blades glowed with faint embers, narrow and sharp, designed for slicing and cauterizing. Wind blades were lighter, razor-thin and curved like leaves in the breeze, leaving vapor trails with each motion. The water set shimmered in the forge light, the edges fluid and elegant, ideal for flowing strikes and quick redirects. The lightning blades crackled faintly with embedded runic powder, their surface etched with jagged energy lines, excellent for shocking enemies and piercing through defenses.

Each katana blade was crafted for a specific combat scenario.

Each was a tactical choice.

Ren finished the last with aching arms and a fierce grin. With this elemental arsenal, he could counter nearly any resistance—or exploit an enemy's flaw with surgical precision.

But he wasn't done.

Next came the buckler.

A simple disc of steel became the base—but Ren transformed it into something far more dangerous. Along the inner edge of the buckler, where his hand would grip the shield, he forged a reinforced groove that housed a removable cinquedea-style blade. Over one and a half feet long, double-edged, and shaped like a wide dagger, the blade jutted out from the arm-guard at a natural slashing angle. It would allow Ren to swing, parry, and stab with the same motion.

The mechanism matched the katana's—quick release, elemental rotation, reusable.

And so, ten more blades were forged, paired by element to match his sword arsenal.

When that was done, he finally turned to the chainmail.

This wasn't a flashy project, but it was by far the most ambitious. Every ring had to be forged, imbued, and linked manually. And every one would provide a bonus.

With his new skill, Mana Trace Purge, Ren stripped warped mana from scrap metal rings. Then, using runic alchemic infusion, he imprinted each with a minor stat boost. +1 Agility. +1 Endurance. +1 Strength. Even the tiniest stat could mean the difference between life and death when multiplied hundreds of times over.

Ring by ring, the mail came together.

When he reached 100 rings, a system prompt appeared:

[Forging Skill (Chain): Level Up!]

He kept going.

500 rings.

Each link improved his forging, alchemy, and infusion skills. More than that—it was forging his discipline.

He laid the finished shirt on the anvil. Lightweight. Dense. Glowing subtly at the seams with a delicate network of new mana traces. His greatest work yet.

Just then, a low grunt came from behind.

Ren turned.

Master Ferrin stood there, unmoving, arms folded tight—but his wide eyes told another story.

"…This boy…" Ferrin muttered. "This boy's a damn genius."

Ren blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"You were a walking disaster when you came here. Now you're forging high-grade, elemental-swappable weapons with a katana core and shield blades. And this—" he pointed at the chainmail—"this is insane. Do you even know what you've made?"

Ren scratched the back of his neck. "Still needs work."

Ferrin scoffed, but his grin betrayed him. "Keep working, then. Just don't burn my forge down."

Ren smiled, bowing slightly. "Thanks, Master Ferrin."

He turned back to admire his arsenal—blade, buckler, armor—each crafted with purpose and intent.

And in his heart, one thought echoed: This is only the beginning.

Ren exhaled, lowering his blade with a calm hand.

He couldn't stop smiling.

It worked. Every piece. Every idea… it all worked.

He called forth his system mentally, and the familiar golden screen slid into his view.

Status: Ren Arclight

Level: 35
Class: Unassigned
HP: 940/940
MP: 680/680

Strength: 212
Agility: 157
Defense: 53
Magic: 58
Perception: 29

Titles:
– Alpha Slayer
– Self-Forged

Gear Bonuses:
– Chainmail of Echo Threads: +60 Strength, +40 Agility, +15 Magic, +10 Defense
– Wolf Cloak of the Alpha: +5 Agility, +10% Cold Resistance, +Aura of Predation (Intimidates Beast-type foes)
– Katana of the Storm Fang (Wind): +15 Agility, +5% Critical Chance, Elemental Slash
– Cinquedea Buckler (Wind): +12 Defense, +10 Agility, Blade Extension Skill

And this was without his full loadout of elemental blades or future equipment.