Assessment (Seeking Follow-ups!)

In the blacksmith shop at dawn, Hawk's resonant voice echoed between the furnaces as usual.

"So today."

The old blacksmith crossed his arms, his sharp gaze sweeping over the young apprentices before him.

As his eyes passed over Roland's clear face, he nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"It's the day of your assessment!"

Hawk raised his voice.

"Baron Foslin will be here personally to observe the assessment shortly, so all of you be on your best behavior! Do you understand?"

"Yes!"

Upon hearing the news that their lord would be arriving, the young apprentices, led by Marco, showed expressions of mixed nervousness and excitement.

Although as blacksmiths' children, they already held a relatively high status among commoners, there was still a world of difference compared to nobles with hereditary titles.

Unlike the others, Roland felt little turmoil in his heart. Instead, a hint of curiosity arose.

Since transmigrating to this world, he had heard many rumors about Baron Foslin.

It was said that this lord lived a life of luxury and squandered his wealth.

However, based on Roland's observations and hearsay, while the common people of Blackwater Territory were not wealthy, they were far from starving.

If Baron Foslin were truly as extravagant as rumored, the villagers' lives should have been more difficult, not maintaining basic sustenance as they were now.

Just as Roland was pondering, a series of footsteps approached from a distance.

He looked up and saw a middle-aged man in a luxurious velvet coat, his pale face tinged with a slight flush, walking slowly towards them.

The man was tall but somewhat thin, and his every movement exuded the unique reserve of a nobleman.

Behind him, two guards armed with armor and weapons followed closely, and even more striking was a robust young man walking right beside them.

The middle-aged nobleman's indifferent gaze swept over the apprentices, his eyes unruffled, until it fell upon Hawk. Only then did the corner of his lips curve slightly, revealing an almost imperceptible smile.

"Mister Hawk."

Hearing his name called, Hawk immediately stepped forward and bowed.

"My Lord Baron, Blacksmith Hawk greets you and awaits your command."

Baron Foslin chuckled lightly, lightly supporting Hawk's sturdy arm with his hand, then gestured to the young man beside him.

"This is my son, Darko. I'm sure you've met him before."

The young man straightened his back, his eyes keenly observing everyone.

"This child insisted on coming to observe the assessment. I trust you don't mind?"

"It would be our honor."

Hawk bowed again, acknowledging Darko.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the Baron changed the subject.

"How are the preparations for the apprentice assessment?"

"Everything is ready, my Lord."

"Then."

The Baron elegantly raised his hand in a gesture.

"Let us begin now."

With that, he walked to a prepared high-backed chair, lounged in it lazily, resting his elbow on the armrest, his palm supporting his cheek, and yawned nonchalantly.

In stark contrast was Darko.

This young nobleman scrutinized the apprentices with burning eyes, sometimes shaking his head, sometimes nodding, as if silently judging something in his mind.

"Listen up, you brats!"

Hawk turned to face the apprentices, his loud voice echoing in the blacksmith shop.

He waved his large hand, pointing to the neatly arranged anvils.

"Now, return to your workstations, study the blueprints carefully, and complete the forging within the allotted time!"

"The final assessment result will depend entirely on the quality of the finished product!"

"Yes!"

The apprentices dared not delay, immediately rushing to their assigned workstations, frantically grabbing blueprints and studying them.

Roland also quickly moved to his position, his gaze falling on the densely packed annotations and complex structural diagrams on the blueprint.

"Two-handed sword?"

His eyebrows rose slightly, and he instantly activated the [Focus] trait.

In an instant, while the other apprentices were still frowning in thought, he had already imprinted every detail on the blueprint into his mind.

Without any hesitation, Roland turned and walked to the furnace.

Add charcoal, pull the bellows, and fire the ore.

A series of actions flowed smoothly, without the slightest hesitation.

While the other apprentices had just put down their blueprints, he had already picked up his hammer and begun forging.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

The crisp sound of metal striking metal broke the silence of the blacksmith shop.

"Damn it! How is this guy so fast?"

Noticing Roland's astonishing speed, the faces of the apprentices who had been confident moments before changed drastically.

"Hmph! He's probably given up on himself! Look at him, he doesn't even observe before striking. He must know he won't pass the assessment and just wants to finish quickly and leave!"

After comforting themselves, the apprentices began to act one after another.

Soon, the sounds of hammering filled the entire blacksmith shop.

Roland ignored the discussions around him, swinging his hammer with complete focus.

Between each hammer strike, he precisely recalled the details of the blueprint in his mind.

Compared to ordinary single-handed swords, the forging difficulty of two-handed swords was much higher.

A heavier blade, a longer edge, a tapered tip that balanced chopping and thrusting, and a crossguard that had to be precisely crafted.

Every detail was an extreme test of heat control and forging skill.

If it were before he transferred to become a blacksmith, forging a two-handed sword would indeed have been a significant challenge for Roland.

Even if he succeeded, it would be difficult to create a clear gap between himself and the other apprentices.

But now, things were vastly different.

With the enhancement of [Basic Forging Technique], he could accurately judge the degree of forging from the very moment the hammer struck the rough embryo.

"Bang!"

With the final hammer blow, Roland didn't even look. He directly picked up the rough embryo and put it back into the furnace.

With the effect of [Heart of the Furnace], he could even feel the firing status of the rough embryo without opening his eyes.

His seamless operation made the observing apprentices even more anxious.

Darko, standing beside Baron Foslin,'s eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but ask Hawk.

"Mister Hawk, who is that..."

He pointed at Roland, who was pulling the bellows.

"What's his name?"

"His name is Roland."

Although Hawk's face was tense, the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed his emotions.

"What, young master Darko, are you interested in him?"

"Indeed."

Darko nodded frankly and chuckled.

"Mister Hawk, you should know that I am about to enter the Knight Academy for further studies. With my strength..."

He confidently patted his sturdy chest.

"Passing the graduation assessment and obtaining the Knight Breathing Technique to become a formal Knight is not a problem at all, but..."

"As a Knight, one cannot be without a skilled blacksmith accompanying them."

"You'll have to ask his own wishes."

Hawk, as if he had expected this, pondered for a moment and said.

"This kid's talent in forging is no less than mine. After passing this assessment, it probably won't be long before he gets certified by the Blacksmith Guild."

"Once he becomes a formal blacksmith, whether he stays or goes is no longer up to me."

"I understand."

After hearing Hawk's evaluation of Roland, when Darko looked at Roland again, the admiration in his eyes had already turned into fervent desire.

While the two were talking, Roland had already completed another round of forging and entered the final polishing stage.

After a long time, Roland gently stroked the brand-new two-handed sword in his hand, flicking his fingertip against the blade.

As a faint hum sounded, the corners of his lips curved into a satisfied arc.

Then, he turned around briskly and raised the cold, gleaming two-handed sword high above his head.

"Mister Hawk, my work is complete."

His clear voice pierced through the continuous hammering sounds, and all the hammering in the blacksmith shop came to a halt.

Baron Foslin, who had been dozing against the back of his chair, suddenly sat up straight. A hint of interest flashed in his narrowed eyes as he began to scrutinize the young man.

"Nonsense!"

Master Hawk's scolding exploded like thunder, but softened involuntarily at the end.

"Did you forget the forging process? Check it carefully three more times!"

His thick fingers tapped on the wooden table.

"Once everyone has finished their work, we will evaluate them all together."

"Yes!"