Chapter 127: Forging the Second Generation Army Breaker

Before arriving at the arsenal, Zhang Ran found it guarded by a group of well-equipped guards at the Evolver level—a necessity given that the facility was one of the Black Eagle Company’s most critical strongholds. While the strongest among these guards was only at Level 4, their superior weaponry, advantageous positioning, and coordinated tactics made it nearly impossible for even a Level 6 Evolver to breach the perimeter unscathed.

After surrendering his equipment and undergoing a thorough inspection, Zhang Ran handed the captain of the guard two Black Eagle coins, each valued at one hundred points. With this, he was finally granted passage into the interior of the arsenal.

Because Zhang Ran was not commissioning a standard weapon, but rather a high-end piece forged from Level 3 alloy with three distinct enchantments, the voucher he had obtained from the administrative center was not a common one. It was a premium permit, granting him access to a master blacksmith.

Upon presenting his permit, Zhang Ran was led to a bright, spacious office. It was filled with finished weapons and lacked any sense of ostentatious luxury. The person waiting to receive him was no ordinary smith, but a high-level blacksmith whose personal strength reached Level 5.

The master blacksmith wore a simple gray robe and sported short, graying hair. Despite his age, his face was smooth and free of wrinkles. His arms were thick with muscle, and his eyes remained sharp and vibrant, betraying no signs of decrepitude.

Compared to lower-tier smiths, the fees for a high-level blacksmith were exorbitant; one would typically need tens of thousands of Black Eagle coins just to commission a single weapon, with the subsequent enchantment process costing even more.

"Greetings, sir. My name is Shynia, one of the five high-level blacksmiths here at the Black Eagle Company. What kind of equipment are you looking to forge? Have you brought your own blueprints, or would you like me to design something specifically for you?"

The master blacksmith offered a polite, faint smile as he introduced himself, then waited for Zhang Ran’s response.

"Of course. Here are the blueprints; please, take a look."

Although Zhang Ran’s strength far surpassed Shynia’s—he could easily kill the non-combatant smith in a direct confrontation—this was not a battlefield. Zhang Ran had a favor to ask, so he responded with great courtesy.

As he spoke, Zhang Ran drew the blueprints from behind his back and presented them to Shynia with both hands. After perfecting his combat techniques, Zhang Ran had tasked his internal chip with the simulation of the "Second Generation Po Jun" design. After nearly a week of optimization, he had arrived at the final, masterfully refined version he now held.

"What a brilliant design! It is truly incredible—I have never seen such ingenuity!"

Shynia took the blueprints from Zhang Ran and opened them with a casual air. However, as soon as he caught sight of the content, his eyes lit up. He leaned in closer, studying the intricate details on the page with growing intensity, unable to suppress his amazement.

"Master Shynia, may I ask how long it will take to forge this weapon according to my requirements, and what the total cost in Black Eagle coins will be?" Zhang Ran asked once he saw that the master had finished his review.

"Hmm. If we were only talking about the forging itself, a day and a half would suffice. However, you have requested a triple-attribute enchantment. The few blacksmiths in Black Eagle City capable of such work are quite busy; they have other weapons already in the queue, so they cannot enchant your blade immediately."

Shynia pondered for a moment before continuing, "However, if all goes well, you should have your weapon within a week. As for the price, it would normally be 2.85 million Black Eagle coins. Since your design has provided me with such inspiration, I am willing to waive the extra amount and charge you only 2.8 million."

Triple-attribute enchantment was no simple feat. It placed a tremendous strain on an Evolver’s stamina and mental energy. Generally, only smiths with the [Enchantment] ability who were at least Level 3 possessed the qualifications to perform it. Furthermore, due to the sheer exhaustion caused by multi-attribute enchanting, a blacksmith required significant recovery time, making it impossible to perform such tasks back-to-back. Thus, the Second Generation Po Jun could not be enchanted the moment it left the forge; a waiting period was inevitable.

"I understand, Master Shynia. Here is the payment for the weapon." Zhang Ran handed over several high-value checks.

"Excellent. Once the weapon is finished, I will send word for you to retrieve it. For now, you need only wait. By the way, I am curious—did you design these blueprints yourself?" Shynia took the checks, verified the amount, and asked with a hint of anticipation.

"Yes, Master Shynia. I did indeed design this weapon myself," Zhang Ran replied with a slight nod, making no attempt to hide the truth.

"A hero among the youth, truly! Not only is your strength formidable, but you possess such profound attainment in design. Even I have gained inspiration from looking at your work. It is a pity you lack the aptitude for smithing; with your talent, you could have become a truly great blacksmith!" Shynia praised him with a mix of admiration and genuine regret.

"You are too kind, Master. It was merely a stroke of luck that I managed to design something you found acceptable. In terms of true skill in design and forging, I still have a long way to go to catch up to you," Zhang Ran replied with characteristic humility.

"A stroke of luck? That is a shame indeed. Even so, it proves you have a unique intuition for the craft. Tell you what—in the future, if you wish to forge any other weapons or armor, contact me directly. If your designs continue to inspire me, I will waive the forging fees entirely."

"That is a generous offer! In fact, I am planning to commission a set of Level 3 alloy armor in the near future. I will certainly look for you then," Zhang Ran replied.

"It would be no trouble at all, no trouble! Now, I shall not take up any more of your time. I must begin the work on your weapon."

Seeing that Zhang Ran had accepted his offer, Shynia offered a faint smile and signaled that the meeting had concluded.