Time passed as a day slipped by before Nova could finally rise to his feet. He glanced at Varkun and saw the giant’s body slowly healing—the bleeding had long since stopped, and most of the broken bones had reconnected, though a few were still in the process of mending.

  ‘His regeneration is slower than mine’, Nova mused as he studied the giant. ‘He should be able to speak by now.’

  Slowly, Nova stepped closer to Varkun, who lay with his eyes closed, making an effort not to draw attention from this demon.

  Standing directly before him, Nova’s lips curled into a smirk. “I know you're awake. Feel like talking now?”

  Varkun slowly opened his eyes, casting a wary gaze down at Nova. His voice was cautious as he spoke, a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the air. “What do you want?”

  Nova sighed, the exasperation clear in his voice. “You know what. The crown. Tell me where it is, and I’ll leave.” He shook his head, irritated. ‘How hard would it be to just tell me already?’ The sooner he had the information, the sooner he could be gone.

  Varkun locked eyes with Nova, his gaze intense. After a long pause, he seemed to weigh the words carefully before responding. “The crown is at the sealed mountain.” His tone was cold, and without another glance, he closed his eyes, retreating into silence once more, as if he wished to distance himself from this outsider.

  Nova stood still for a moment, absorbing the answer. He glanced over at Eiruk, who met his gaze with a subtle nod, confirming his understanding of the mountain’s location.

  Still, Nova couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else worth knowing. His eyes flicked back to Varkun, the smirk returning to his face. “Where’s Ordun?”

  Varkun’s eyes snapped open again, annoyance flashing in his gaze. His response was sharp, almost a growl. “The same place.” He spat the words as if they were venom. Didn’t I tell you where the crown was? Why can’t you just leave already?

  ‘I see,’ Nova thought, reflecting on the mission he had been assigned. Now everything was clear—the location of the sealed beast, and the reason Ordun had granted power to the three noble families to protect their cities. ‘At least now I know where this quest will end. Next, I need to learn blacksmithing.’

  Without even glancing at Eiruk, he gave the command. “Let’s leave.”

  Eiruk, though disappointed, had expected this and complied without protest. He cast one final, lingering glance at Varkun, still lodged in the wall, before turning and following Nova.

  From where he lay, Varkun cracked his eyes open just enough to watch the two depart. A smirk twisted across his face as he muttered under his breath, “Trying to play me for a fool, huh? You’re hundreds of years too early for that. Enjoy your journey, little outsider.” With that, he closed his eyes once more, focusing all his energy on healing, intent on returning to his peak form.

  As they made their way out of the Xalathar family estate, Nova spoke to Eiruk with quiet authority. “Take me to the best blacksmith in the city.”

  “I know just the place,” Eiruk replied with a nod.

  The streets outside the estate were eerily quiet, the bustle of the previous day’s events having dissipated. The search for the culprits behind the deaths of the two guards had yielded no results, and the bodies had already been disposed of. To any newcomers, it appeared as though nothing had happened, as if the events of the day before were a mere illusion.

  Once they crossed the estate’s gates, the two made their way through the city. Eiruk’s intimate knowledge of the area ensured they didn’t waste time; it took no more than ten minutes before they arrived at a quiet, secluded corner of the city. There, standing before them, was a ‘small’ building by giant standards—its height barely reaching 20 meters. Unassuming and modest, the structure seemed to reject attention, its simplicity speaking volumes about its purpose.

  Nova eyed Eiruk skeptically, silently questioning whether this was really the place.

  With a bitter smile, Eiruk shrugged and explained, “The best blacksmith doesn’t care for ostentation. Most of the high nobility don’t either. It’s the middle-tier nobility who like to flaunt their wealth. Sure, now and then you’ll find a noble heir who enjoys it, but they’re the exception, not the rule.”

  ‘It’s the same back on Earth’, Nova thought, a weary sigh escaping him. ‘Civilizations may be worlds apart, but the emotions… they seem oddly familiar.’

  “I understand,” Nova said, his voice steady, before heading toward the smithy’s entrance with Eiruk at his side.

  Inside, the shop was as unassuming as the outside—simple and functional. The space was sparsely furnished, with only a few pieces on display to showcase the blacksmith’s finest work. Nova’s gaze swept over the array of weapons: war axes, halberds, spears, swords, shields, and even bows.

  ‘But the size...’ He shook his head, amused. ‘Everything here is designed for giants, of course.’

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  He made his way toward the counter, where a giant—older than any he had encountered since stepping through the portal—was soundly asleep. His age was written in the wrinkles of his face and the steady rise and fall of his chest.

  With a mischievous grin, Nova hopped up onto the counter and leaned in. “Sleeping well?” he asked, his voice light and teasing.

  A single eye cracked open, scanning the surroundings with slow, deliberate movements. It briefly landed on Eiruk, standing nearby, before the realization hit—the voice hadn’t come from him. The giant, unfazed, closed his eye again, and his breathing resumed its even, rhythmic pattern, signaling that he had fallen back into a deep sleep almost instantly.

  Nova’s face twitched in frustration. Unable to resist, he muttered, “Look closer. You can’t be going blind just because I’m here.”

  This time, both of the giant’s eyes opened fully, his gaze shifting to the counter where Nova’s voice had originated. His expression shifted to one of surprise as he finally saw the small figure standing on the counter. “An outsider?” he rumbled, his tone nostalgic. “It’s been a long time.”

  He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice dismissive. “What are you doing here? My weapons are too big for you. You’d be better off going somewhere else.” With that, he closed his eyes again, clearly uninterested in the interruption and determined not to lose another moment of precious sleep.

  Nova’s patience snapped. ‘I’m going to beat his ass’, he thought, his irritation flaring. Without wasting another second, he quickly checked the giant's status, eager to size up this smug old blacksmith.

  [Giant Crafter]

  Rank: 0

  Name: Grimthar

  Species: Orc

  Affiliation: None

  Level: 8

  Class: None

  Attributes:

  Strength: 476

  Vigor: 507

  Dexterity: 512

  Speed: 106

  Intelligence: 381

  Wisdom: 349

  Will: 2

  Luck: 0

  Nova's lips twitched in surprise as he examined Grimthar's Stats. ‘How did a crafter end up stronger than a commander? What kind of prank is this?’

  After a moment, he said, “Grimthar.”

  The giant's eyes snapped open, and he regarded Nova with a look of amusement. “I forgot outsiders can see Statuses. What else do you want?”

  “I’m here to learn how to become a blacksmith,” Nova replied, his usual calm smile faltering slightly, though he quickly regained composure. “Can you teach me?”

  Grimthar paused for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. Finally, he spoke. “I can teach you, but in exchange, I want you to tell me about your civilization. What do you say?”

  Nova didn’t hesitate. “Deal. When do we start?”

  Grimthar’s smile widened. “You start now. Talk. Talk until I’m satisfied with it.”

  Eiruk stood quietly to the side, careful not to attract the giant’s attention. He knew Grimthar was eccentric—an unpredictable force—but he was also the best blacksmith in the city and ranked highly within the kingdom. Nova had asked for the best, and Eiruk had delivered.

  Hearing Grimthar’s words, Nova couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “I’ll talk for an hour, and you’ll teach me for an hour. Is that okay for you?”

  Grimthar chuckled softly. “Sure, I’ll let you have this small request. But now, start talking.” His tone was casual, though inwardly, he was already amused. ‘How much can this little one possibly learn in one hour? Nothing? Less than nothing?’ The thought made Grimthar smile even wider, as he eagerly awaited the strange conversation to come.

  Noticing the sly grin on Grimthar's face, Nova couldn’t help but match it with one of his own. He had a pretty good idea of what the giant was thinking, but Nova was confident he’d come out ahead in this exchange. He was certain he could learn more from Grimthar than the other way around.

  With that thought in mind, Nova began speaking, diving into Earth’s cuisine with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. He didn’t leave out a single detail, recounting every dish he could think of. He stretched the topic as far as possible, deliberately narrowing the scope of each subject to minimize the number of topics he covered. Grimthar, who was hoping for a broader overview, gritted his teeth in frustration but couldn’t take back his words.

  From the side, Eiruk couldn’t help but cringe. The sheer audacity of Nova’s approach was almost painful to watch. Who would have thought that someone so strong could be so shameless? Perhaps that was the secret to his success.

  An hour passed quickly for Nova, but for Grimthar, it felt like time had slowed to a crawl. He endured the monotonous recounting of a single dish for an entire hour, with Nova barely giving more than a sentence about anything else. Grimthar’s patience wore thin, and his irritation began to show. ‘I’ll show you that two can play this game’, he thought, his smirk now tinged with mischief.

  Grimthar stood up abruptly and walked toward the back of the shop, his voice commanding. “Come.”

  Nova followed with a smirk of his own. ‘I know you’re mad, but against me, you stand no chance.’

  In the back of the smithy, Grimthar picked up a massive hammer, his eyes glinting with challenge. "I’ll show you how to hammer metal into a weapon," he said, his sly smile never fading. "It will be up to you to gain any insight from it."

  "Where can I get a hammer my size?" Nova asked, already half-expecting the answer.

  "Heh, you can make your own," Grimthar replied with a grin. "As I always say, the best hammer is the one you forge yourself!"

  Nova cursed the giant inwardly for being so shameless at such an old age. ‘Of course he would say that.’

  Unaware of Nova's thoughts, Grimthar continued, "Watch closely, you only have one hour."

  Grimthar reached for a piece of metal from the nearby stash. It was obsidian in color, its dark sheen drawing Nova’s gaze, though he had no knowledge of its name or properties. The giant placed the metal inside the forge with practiced ease, and before the sound of his words had even faded, he pulled the glowing metal from the heat with tongs and placed it onto the anvil.

  Nova’s focus never wavered as his eyes tracked the hammer and the metal, absorbing every movement.

  The first strike rang out like thunder. The hammer came crashing down onto the obsidian-like metal, its surface slowly elongating and flattening with each blow. Nova could see the process at work—the grain structure of the metal being refined, the material becoming stronger as it was hammered.

  Despite the brutal force with which Grimthar swung the hammer, there was a delicate precision in each strike. Every hit was calculated, as if the giant was not just shaping the metal, but breathing life into it. The rhythmic sound of hammer against metal echoed through the room, like a heartbeat, steady and alive.

  After a few minutes, Grimthar heated the metal once more, bringing it to a bright red glow before folding it over itself, a process designed to make it stronger and more flexible. He continued this cycle of heating, hammering, and folding—more than a hundred times in the span of just thirty minutes. His movements were so swift and fluid that Nova wondered ‘Does he have to be this petty?’

  Bonus Chapter Count: 0

  Extra chapter for each milestone              Ratings 53/200

  ?????????? 40%

  Reviews 5/20

  Followers 320/500

  Whoever wants to help and read advanced chapters can check out my .

  Thank you for reading.