[Test Your Skills]
Mission Objective: Forge 100 repair tools
Mission Reward: Strength +3, Coordination +3, Weapon Mastery +3
Mission Penalty: None
Mission Time Limit: Two months
"Forge a hundred tools in just two months?!"
Ronan was stunned and couldn't help but blurt out, "Are you telling me to stick to blacksmithing forever?"
Looking at the reward, he was torn.
It was exactly what he needed right now. But the number—one hundred—made his head hurt.
Even though Uncle Harry's skills were excellent, Shiganshina District was only a small town on the southern edge of Wall Maria. The population wasn't large, and the demand for iron tools was limited.
Since Ronan started helping at the blacksmith shop, it had already been nearly a month and a half. In that time, they'd barely received fifty orders in total.
Most of them were just small things—hoes, kitchen knives, scissors—and the total count was just over seventy pieces.
Finishing a hundred within two months? That was like asking a chef to cook without ingredients.
Even if the orders came pouring in, Ronan wasn't the main smith—Uncle Harry was. Ronan could only help with the simpler parts.
Still, since there was no punishment for failure, he decided to give it a try. Whether he could complete the mission or not… was a different matter.
But what Ronan didn't realize was that his serious expression at the moment looked pretty dumb in Uncle Harry's eyes.
"This kid's spacing out again. Is he just slow?"
Thinking back to Martha's words about Ronan sleeping on the floor, Harry shivered a little. His wife wasn't one to joke around.
And even though he looked big and strong with muscles all over, Martha was definitely the one in charge at home.
Tracheitis… no, respecting women is a virtue in any world.
At that moment, Martha also noticed Ronan's spaced-out face and shot him a sharp glare, making Harry even more uncomfortable.
Thankfully, Ronan quickly came back to his senses. He walked over and handed a polished kitchen knife to Uncle Harry.
Harry took the knife, ran his thumb along the blade to test it, and nodded lightly. "Barely passable. You still need to improve."
"I understand, Uncle Harry," Ronan said seriously.
The system wouldn't lie—Ronan was sure Uncle Harry was just being strict and hiding his praise. After all, he'd lived two lives. He could tell.
Later, Harry began teaching him more techniques and tips about forging—things Ronan didn't know yet.
It was clear Harry wasn't holding anything back.
Ronan was deeply moved.
Inside the walls, there was only so much space. After over a hundred years of population growth, jobs were scarce. Especially in the Wengcheng District, where people were packed in tight, finding work was even harder.
There was even a saying: "Teach your apprentice too well, and the master starves."
But even in that harsh reality, Harry was selflessly teaching him everything he knew. How could Ronan not be touched?
He listened seriously, absorbed everything, and even though he didn't plan to be a blacksmith forever, he kept helping with whatever tasks he could—both to improve and to work toward completing the mission.
He wasn't going to force the outcome, but he would do his best.
That was his mindset for now.
Time passed quickly. The new year was just around the corner, and the military conscription was getting closer.
Physically, Ronan was far ahead of others his age. He was confident that he'd be selected—assuming the selection was fair and no one had any special connections.
That morning, as usual, Ronan jogged to the blacksmith shop at full speed. His running time was shorter than before, but his physical stats hadn't improved.
It couldn't be helped. His base physique was already too strong.
Just as he was about to go for another run before work began, Uncle Harry—who normally didn't show up until nine during the colder months—suddenly walked out of the house with a big toolbox in hand.
He spotted Ronan and grinned. "Come with me. We've got a big job today."
"A big job?"
Ronan froze for a moment. He had been wondering how to bring up his upcoming resignation for the conscription meeting. But he quickly followed behind Harry toward the city wall.
On the way, he learned what this "big job" was about.
The Garrison Regiment in Shiganshina District was doing an equipment overhaul and had called in all the registered blacksmiths.
This kind of large-scale maintenance only happened once every three years. The amount of equipment stored up? No need to explain—it was massive.
Just as Harry said, this was definitely a big job.
"When you're tired, someone brings you a pillow. Maybe I really can complete the mission after all~"
Excited, Ronan followed Harry to the Garrison's equipment depot, full of hope.