Item Created: Wolf Leather Boots

  Resources used: Rough Wolf Leather x3, Wolf Leather x1

  I decided to use the wolf leathers because I had a feeling that the boar leathers would give bonuses to defense, while the wolf ones could boost my agility if I was lucky, however the result was just common boots.

  I was still happy as I had no boots other than my ordinary sandals I started the game with. It did boost my defense to 25 as well, which was pretty nice. Completing the boots also unlocked the skill Armor crafting, in which I had one point so far.

  Now for the good stuff, I thought, thinking about the Exquisite Boar Leathers. What'll it be?

  The recipe for the leather breastplate required 6 leathers so I chose the exquisite boar leather and the five boar leathers and put them on the workstation. I was a bit nervous since I didn't want to lose the exquisite material. After a while I noticed that the system had an option for me to add additional materials into the crafting process.

  After a brief thought I took out the boar fangs that I had and looked at the craftsman.

  "Do you think this breastplate could benefit from these?" I asked. He took a look at them, checked the recipe, hummed a bit and after a while he answered.

  "You know, at worst they will be decorative pieces, but sure, we could use these as well. Throw them in and let's see what the result'll be!"

  I added the 8 fangs as "additional materials".

  I set to work, treating the hides carefully, my movements slower and more deliberate. I wanted each cut to be perfect, every stitch tight. The NPC hovered nearby, occasionally offering tips but mostly letting me figure it out on my own.

  When I finished, the breastplate came out even better than what I was hoping. The system notification was almost as satisfying as the sight:

  

  Item Created: Tuskhide Breastplate

  Resources used: Boar Leather x5, Exquisite Boar Leather x1, Boar Fangs x8

  The armor looked fantastic. The set of boar fangs were hanging on it's lower side, almost like a belt, and the material was sturdy enough to give a significant amount of defense.

  I decided to use four of my rough boar leathers to make the last item. The cloak was simple but elegant, the dark fur providing a rugged look.

  

  Item Created: Hunter's Cloak

  Resources used: Rough Boar Leather x4

  My armor crafting skill also rose to 4 with the finishing of the cloak.

  As I packed up my new gear, the artisan patted me on the back. "You've got potential, Ranger. Keep at it, and you'll be crafting legendary gear before long."

  I smiled, glancing at the bustling festival around me.

  "Thanks," I said, slinging the Hunter's Cloak over my shoulders. "Maybe I'll be back soon."

  With my new gear in tow and my leatherworking skill a little sharper, I stepped out into the sunlight, ready for whatever challenge came next.

  I didn't realize before, but it looked like crafting all those leathers and armor granted me experience points as well, and it wasn't even at a bad rate. I was almost all the way through with level six, which meant that the hour I spent crafting items was almost as valuable as an hour hunting in the wilds. It looked like playing a full crafter build might have been viable in this game.

  I spent a little more time checking out the scenery and got surprised once again just how fast the festival was growing by each passing minute. It was almost like a living organism.

  Brightly colored banners and lanterns stretched between the wooden rooftops. Flowers of every color were decorating both doorways and fences. The faint sound of laughter, music, crafting stations, festivities and chatter filled the air.

  The heart of the festival was of course the marketplace in the village square. Stalls overflowed with wares, some more practical than others. NPC vendors shouted out their goods, waving their items in the air.

  "Freshly baked honey cakes! Perfect for your next adventure!" Sheila called out, her apron dusted with flour. Nearby, a blacksmith displayed an array of gleaming weapons and armor, although a lot of them looked like beginners like us would not be able to afford them.

  One stall offered bouquets of rare flowers, each with a slight magical shimmer. I quickly checked, but there were no Flamewing tulips for sale, which reminded me that I needed to make a quick profit off them as soon as possible.

  Another shop featured handcrafted trinkets: amulets, rings, and charms, some for aesthetics, others imbued with minor effects. I bought a ring for 20 silver coins that gave me +1 strength, +1 agility and +1 dexterity. 3 stat points for 20 silver didn't sound like a bad deal at all.

  Players mingled with NPCs, haggling over prices or debating the usefulness of a new item. One particularly crowded stall was run by a quirky alchemist, whose potions bubbled ominously in colorful vials.

  "Try my new Spring Elixir! The perfume of Spring, caught in a bottle!" he boasted, though his customers looked skeptical. The reason for the crowd however was not the perfume, but rather the fact that he was selling small HP potions for 5 silver coins; half the price of the ones bought in the apothecary.

  My purse was getting a bit too light, and I had plenty of potions so I held off on purchasing them.

  Beyond the marketplace, rows of tents offered games, crafting stations, and skill challenges for participants of all kind. A group of adventurers cheered wildly as one of their party landed a bullseye in the archery competition, while a paladin struggled to catch a nimble chicken in the livestock chase.

  At the leatherworking station just behind me players sat hunched over their crafting tables, stitching hides and furs into useful gear.

  Nearby, a black-and-white striped tent housed a "Test Your Strength" game, where players swung oversized mallets to send weights soaring up to ringing bells.

  The Fishing Derby by the riverbank was equally popular, with players vying to catch the rarest fish of the day. NPCs waded through the crowd, announcing the current leaders and offering tips.

  At the far end of the square stood the Feast Pavilion, a massive wooden structure draped in garlands of greenery.

  It was getting more popular by the minute.

  Long tables filled with steaming dishes; roasted meats, spiced vegetables, and other delicacies. NPC cooks were running back and forth, refilling platters and offering samples to hungry adventurers. Players could also try cooking in one of the corners.

  One particularly long table was dedicated to desserts, its surface covered in fruits, honey-glazed pastries, a hundred different kind of chocolate and frosted cakes shaped like animals.

  A cheerful bard played a lively tune on a lute, encouraging festival-goers to grab a drink and join in the dancing.

  One could pay an entry fee and eat as much as they wanted for a period of time.

  I was still full with the stew I ate earlier, so I decided to check out the shooting range.

  Currently there was an ongoing competition, but I quickly went to sign up for the next round. The villager overseeing the archery range was called Nolan, and he was the village's hunter. From a glimpse of an eye I could tell he was decent with the bow, which was to be expected, since it was how he made a living for himself.

  "I would like to partake in the next event, sir!" I said, when I was next in line.

  "Great to hear, young adventurer! May I have your name?" the hunter asked.

  "I'm Orion, nice to meet you."

  "Welcome to Carpa, Orion! I'm Nolan, and I will be your judge for the competition. Sixteen people can partake in one round, and you're number 15, so you can take position at the fifteenth table once the current round is over. My apprentice, Jackar is currently judging the event, but as soon as he clears the field, you'll be set to start. I will then explain the rules for all participants. The entry fee is 10 silver coins."

  After paying for the event I only had 9 silver left. Hopefully I can win some of it back in this event, I thought.

  As I was waiting for the round to be over, I decided to check out all the other participants. From a quick count, there were 11 players and 5 NPCs waiting to start the competition.

  All players were rangers, obviously, and three of the NPCs looked like villagers from Carpa; they didn't look particularly skilled in archery. The remaining two looked a bit more interesting.

  One of them was a tall man in his thirties, with a leather hat and jacket, holding a well designed longbow; a bow of much higher quality than mine.

  The other was a younger man wearing chain mail and a kettle helmet. His bow looked more ordinary, but judging by the fact that he was more likely an official soldier, he definitely had some training behind him.

  Among the players there were three who had caught my eye.

  The first one was a girl, no more than sixteen, with her brown hair up in a ponytail and blue eyes. The reason I noticed her was because she was wearing a breastplate similar to mine, which meant that she had probably crafted it at the leatherworking tent. It didn't have any fangs, but it was still rare to see crafted armor.

  She also had a bow that I already saw a couple of at the carpenter's workshop, which meant that she probably crafted it as well.

  The second player who looked a bit more extraordinary than the others was a young, bald man and a bushy beard. He had a serious expression and a build that resembled berserkers more than rangers, but he had his bow equipped too, and to my surprise, it was the exact same one I had.

  This meant that he too had cleared at least the goblin camp with the archer leader. It was my hardest fight to date, so he definitely had some skill as well.

  The third player that had caught my eye was a man in his late twenties. His face looked like a hawk and his eyes could almost pierce through the targets even without a bow and arrows.

  He was still using his beginner's bow and had no other equipment than a pair of bracers that were not beginner's stuff, but still I felt like he was someone I couldn't underestimate.

  A couple minutes later the previous competition ended. The sixteen new participants lined up in front of the targets. Nolan had stood before us, and started explaining the rules.

  "Welcome, competitors! Sixteen of you will fight in this event, and three of our top scorers will get rewarded. The rewards are as follows:

  First place will get 60 silver coins and a special reward.

  Second place will get 40 silver coins.

  Third place will get 30 silver coins."

  "The competition will consist of three rounds. Each round, you will have to hit three targets," he pointed at the targets behind him. "With each round, the targets get farther and farther away from you, but even in one round, the targets will be at different distances from you."

  He pointed at the round, wooden structures in the distance. "Hitting a target on the outer ring grants you one point. Hitting it on the inner ring grants you two points. Hitting a bull's eye nets you three points. Every round the maximum amount of points are 9."

  He glazed through all of us quickly, then continued.

  "If there are ties for the top three places, players will keep shooting at one of the furthest targets until one of them gets a lead. We will start soon if there aren't any questions, so get ready!"