"Already finished?" asked Mike, and indeed, his weapon lay on the table. It looked majestic. Mike examined the weapon closely and fell in love at first sight. The hilt was gold; it was a standard sword hilt. Then he looked up a little and noticed how large the sword actually was. Well, Mike had collected a lot of horns after all.
The blade was white, slightly gray, very sharp but also somewhat thick simply a perfect sword. Mike felt very satisfied and thanked the blacksmith.
"It… is perfect! Thank you," said Mike in a quiet tone, so amazed he wanted to touch and swing it immediately. But the blacksmith swatted Mike's hands away.
"Hey, what's that for? I want my sword!" The blacksmith smiled.
"Now, don't you want an enchantment?"
Mike tilted his head slightly; he didn't understand.
"Enchantment?"
The blacksmith nodded and said, "Exactly, an enchantment. It can only be enchanted the moment its owner lifts it for the first time."
Mike couldn't wait any longer, but he actually had an idea.
"Blacksmith, can you also transfer attributes from other swords or… daggers?"
The blacksmith looked Mike in the eyes and spoke with a smile.
"Of course, who can't do that?"
Mike couldn't hold back his smile and grinned widely. A broad, wide smile appeared on his face.
"Today must be my lucky day!"
Mike lifted the black dagger and showed it to the blacksmith.
"Ooh, a beautiful dagger," said the blacksmith, taking the dagger.
"Good, well, yeah, that was a lie, but useful it was!"
Mike looked the blacksmith in the eyes.
"Don't mess it up. This dagger has saved my life several times."
That was a bit of a lie; Mike hadn't lost any HP, but he had felt pain and bled a little. Mike watched the spectacle. The blacksmith placed the dagger next to the sword and raised his hands. Mike saw the calluses and marks on the blacksmith's hands they were the hands of a blacksmith. Mike whispered,
"Hm, not for me!"
Emphasis on the blacksmith's job, since in the Godslayer VR system, you could take on jobs like blacksmith or jeweler.
"Alright, look here, young warrior." Suddenly, black particles emerged from the dagger, and the dagger turned white. The black particles were transferred into the sword, flying into it. The gray-white blade turned pitch black. It looked unusual because that was also the black-and-gold color combination.
"You have to get used to it," Mike said loudly to the blacksmith. The blacksmith nodded.
Mike asked, "Is the dagger useless now?"
The blacksmith lifted the dagger and dropped it to the floor.
"Well, pretty much."
But now the moment had come. Mike aimed slowly with his open hand at the sword's hilt and grabbed it.
"I can't wait!"
Mike reached for it and lifted the sword. Suddenly, golden particles floated in front of his hand and jumped into it. Then a system window opened next to Mike.
Sword of Shadow User: MikeRank: DivineDescription: A sword that can control shadows and strike. Infinite usage. Cannot be destroyed.
"RANK DIVINE?!" Mike shouted, and the blacksmith nodded.
"Yes, of course. I mean, it's made from the King of Shadow Tigers. I don't even know how you managed to defeat him."
Mike stopped and looked at the blacksmith.
"The King of Shadow Tigers you know him?"
The blacksmith laughed.
"Yes, of course. He was the second strongest being in the entire jungle!"
Mike stopped and took a deep breath.
"Yes! I defeated him, without luck, only raw strength!"
That was a lie; Mike had only defeated the king using his hyperscale, so you could say the scale made him the king's slayer. But Mike accepted the title anyway.
"Well, you are also a strong warrior, right?" the blacksmith asked.
"Uhm, yes?" Mike replied uncertainly.
"Good, because about a hundred Shadow Tigers are standing outside the throne hall."
"WHAT?"
Mike looked through a small slit and indeed saw many Shadow Tigers in the hallway, stretching all the way down and outside.
"Why…? Why didn't you say anything right away???" Mike said as he went to the blacksmith.
"Somehow they were friendly, and I panicked a little, so I ran in here and forgot about it. Since they couldn't get in, sorry, sir!"
Mike rolled his eyes and returned to the door.
"Alright, time to try this out. Ice, watch him for me. If I need healing, I'll come back, okay?"
"Mhm."
Mike gripped the sword's hilt firmly and went through the smaller gate where one enters. His blood boiled. A hundred Shadow Tigers, roughly ten kings at once!
"Argh! Come here!"
Mike ran forward, ready to attack, but they knelt before him.
"Uhm, what?" Mike didn't see clearly. The tigers' eyes weren't on him they were on the sword.
"Oh, you recognize your king again? Sorry!"
Mike raised the sword so everyone could see. They all ducked and lowered their heads to the ground. Mike felt a little guilty, but maybe now they would obey him too.
"Stand up!" Mike shouted, and they all did. The tigers in the hallway and outside rose. Mike realized there was now a whole army of Shadow Tigers outside as well.
"I got it! They're also shadows! The sword description said they would obey!"
Mike walked down the hallway. The tigers parted for him. He had seen enough and turned back toward the throne hall. He opened the gate, and the blacksmith and Ice flinched.
"Hey, good news! They obey me!"
The blacksmith NPC raised his hands and waved them around.
"You are their new king!"
Mike sat down for a moment, took a deep breath, and fumbled through his system HP and stats still gone. Mike sighed and looked at the quest log (Main Story Level 10 Completed). He sighed again. They probably wouldn't even make it out of the jungle in three years. Mike closed everything and looked at Ice, then spoke.
"Ice, if you keep going like this, we won't make any progress through the jungle. Who knows, maybe…well, it's level 3 a big hot spring or a palace with, well, a nice king…"
Mike could only think about the delicious food they might get in a feast.
"Come on, Ice, you can do this!"
Mike stood up, and Ice did too. She finally spoke.
"You're right, Mike. I have to keep going, just like you said for Trix and Ryolos!"
Mike nodded.
"Yes, exactly for both of them!"
Ice stood up and looked around.
"So, let's finally get out of here!"
Mike waved to the blacksmith, who seemed like he would stay, but then he ran quickly after the two of them. Mike and Ice were already outside. The blacksmith shouted behind them and ran out.
"Sir, wait!"
Suddenly, Mike turned around.
"Yes?"
But as one of them was about to speak, the building they were in a small castle that looked like a ruin from the outside shook. The large trees around it moved too.
"What?"
Suddenly, a gigantic shadow rose above Mike and the others. They could make out two large wings and a massive tail.
"A…...a-dragon?"