"Are you giving them to me?" As soon as Leon spoke, the other hunters in the training area cast strange looks in his direction.
"Of course not," Flora coughed lightly, explaining, "As a hunter, you must gather your own materials to craft equipment. The Hunter's Guild strictly prohibits gifting or lending gear and materials."
"Then..." Before Leon could finish, Flora interrupted him.
"Ignorance isn't a crime, but don't let there be a next time."
Noticing the odd looks from the people around him, Leon changed his tune. "So, should we head to the Smithy now?"
"No time like the present," Flora said, stretching as she walked toward the training area exit. "To the Smithy we go."
Along the way, Flora explained to Leon, "A large part of that rule is to protect novices. You understand, right?"
Leon understood perfectly.
Back when he played the games, the internet was full of videos showing masters defeating monsters without taking a single hit, or even while wearing no armor at all.
For a hunter, the most important thing was their own raw skill; equipment was merely a supplement.
If a novice were allowed to wear endgame gear to hunt monsters far beyond their skill level, they would likely never return.
Most hunter regulations were matters of principle, designed more for protection than actual restriction.
The two left the training area and followed the spiraling wooden walkways to the second floor, eventually stopping before a building surrounded by the heat of flames and the rhythmic clanging of metal.
"But..." Leon hesitated outside the Smithy. "I don't have any materials. What kind of Sword and Shield can I even make?"
"Don't worry!" Flora slapped Leon hard on the shoulder. "Dumpling picked up plenty of good stuff for you. Let's go!"
"Ah! Right... Dumpling?" Leon only then remembered he had left Dumpling at the training ground.
"It's fine, Coco will look after him." Flora pushed open the Smithy doors and walked straight in.
Unlike Flora, Leon wasn't entirely sure what materials were in his room's item box.
Perhaps during the days he was resting, Dumpling had mentioned his hauls to Flora.
Leon entered the Smithy and saw a dark-skinned, bald man standing behind the counter.
The bald man held a massive hammer, sported a thick beard, wore a leather vest, and had a black patch over his right eye.
Leon knew this was the Second Fleet Master. He had become a blacksmith in pursuit of the superior craftsmanship of the Wyverians.
Wyverians had lifespans far exceeding those of humans, and they possessed advanced forging and alchemy techniques.
Flora looked at Leon and said, "Based on the materials you have, you can craft the Bone Kukri or the Hunter's Knife. I'd suggest the Bone Kukri."
"Why?" Leon asked, puzzled.
Flora explained, "While the Bone Kukri's green sharpness isn't as good as the Hunter's Knife, it has better upgrade paths. Once you hunt a Great Jagras, you can upgrade it into the Jagras Edge. It's definitely your best choice for now."
Hearing this, Leon nodded thoughtfully. With so many weapons and armor pieces in the world of hunting, it was impossible for him to remember every crafting material and skill.
This wasn't a game anymore; there were no wikis to check or specialized build simulators to use.
Seeing Leon lost in thought, Flora continued, "Compared to other weapons, the Sword and Shield requires you to prepare various elemental options for different situations. I'll teach you more about that later."
"I'll take your word for it." Leon remembered his ruined hunter set and blurted out, "What about armor?"
"Simple. Start with the Bone Set, but if you want the full set, you're still missing a few Kestodon Shells."
"Full set?" Leon asked, confused by her phrasing. "Is it possible to wear only half a set?"
Flora clarified, "I recommend making the full set because it looks better..."
The Second Fleet Master suddenly interrupted, "Hmph! I'll never understand the obsession you Fashion Hunters have. Armor is meant to be mixed and matched to maximize its utility!"
"F-Fashion Hunter?" Leon turned to look at Flora. He truly hadn't pegged this careless and somewhat cold woman as someone with such priorities.
So-called Fashion Hunters were those obsessed with wearing complete sets. In this world, different armor combinations provided different skill effects.
But some people valued appearance above all else.
Flora didn't argue; she just gave an awkward smile. It was the first time Leon had seen her so submissive.
Seeing this, the Second Fleet Master didn't press further and turned to Leon. "Have you decided?"
In the end, Leon took Flora's advice and decided to craft a Bone Kukri and pieces of the Bone Set.
After asking the Second Fleet Master, he learned that even with the materials provided, crafting the Bone Kukri and upgrading it to its second stage would cost a thousand zeny in labor. The Bone Set—specifically the helmet, mail, and greaves—would cost another thousand.
Hearing the quote, Leon looked at Flora with a troubled expression, unsure if he should ask to borrow money.
This expense would drain Leon's entire savings, as he had only earned 2000z since arriving in this world...
What made him hesitate more was that Dumpling had been covering the cost of his meals while he recovered, and he hadn't paid the Palico back yet.
Flora naturally noticed the look on Leon's face—the expression of someone who wanted to speak but was holding back.
She sighed and said bluntly, "Look at you. If you're short on cash, just say so. I can lend you this small amount. Don't act like you're about to sell your soul or something."
Leon was stunned. "Are you sure? Didn't you say lending gear and materials was forbidden?"
"Lending money isn't the same as lending gear. The rules aren't that rigid." Flora crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "Besides, consider this an 'investment.' If you make it big in the future, don't forget about me."
Her tone was casual, but there was a flicker of sincerity in her eyes.
Leon was touched and was about to thank her, but Flora waved him off. "Don't give me any of that 'thank you' stuff. If you really want to thank me, then stay alive, kill plenty of monsters, and pay off your debt."
"Alright." Leon nodded, his tone becoming more serious.
The Second Fleet Master shook his head as he listened, laughing as he teased, "I say, girl, are you going to charge interest? This kid might end up sitting on millions someday!"
"Hahaha! If he really earns that much, I'll make him treat me to an Elder Dragon Marrow hotpot." It was rare to see Flora smile so broadly; she seemed to be in a good mood.
Elder Dragon Marrow hotpot was a luxury rarely tasted in either the Old or New World. Although Leon didn't know its exact value, the name alone told him it was incredibly hard to find. His lip twitched slightly, but he felt a rare sense of warmth in his heart.
"Alright, I've taken the order! Come back in three days to pick it up." The Second Fleet Master struck his anvil with his massive hammer, and the smiths behind him shouted their acknowledgment.
Watching the forge furnaces lit by the high heat of fuel, Leon's eyes were full of anticipation.
After placing the order, it was still early.
Leon returned to the training ground with Flora.
He wanted to continue practicing the correct way to swing the Sword and Shield, connecting combos, and learning how to guard.
For the next two days, Leon immersed himself in the training ground. The moves of the Sword and Shield weren't overly complex, and with Flora's guidance, he quickly mastered all the techniques.
What came next was the need to accumulate experience, learn how to face different types of monsters, and eventually form his own unique combat style.
According to Flora, the Sword and Shield was excellent at quickly building up status ailments to inflict various negative effects on monsters.
However, every monster had different resistances to these effects. Only through constant learning and combat could he understand their weaknesses and apply ailments accurately.
More importantly, he needed to gather monster materials to craft swords with different elemental properties.
Leon couldn't achieve all of this in a short time, so he kept it in mind as a long-term goal.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+40 chapters) patre0n.c0m/Royal_ink]