The lady’s expression returned to calm neutrality.
"Not everyone enjoys bloodshed and violence, Mr. Rain."
West tilted his head.
"But you could make way more money."
She shrugged slightly.
"Not everything is about money."
Then she added quietly:
"I enjoy the lack of constant competition."
"No betrayal."
"No backstabbing."
"Just work."
West looked genuinely surprised as she continued calmly.
"I think I’m fine here."
West studied her for a mont upon realizing that she was definitely different.
Most awakeners chased power endlessly but she seed content with sothing simple.
The transaction was finally completed and the funds transferred....
$520,000
West stood up.
"Pleasure doing business."
The lady’s bowed slightly in respect while he turned to leave but then he rembered sothing.
He suddenly pulled the Cryoheart shard out of his inventory.
The room temperature dropped slightly as the icy crystal appeared.
He placed it gently on the table.
"I want to craft a weapon with this."
"For soone else."
"Know any trustworthy places?"
The lady’s expression turned to disbelief for a mont before she promptly nodded, professionally.
She grabbed a pen and wrote sothing on a small piece of paper.
It was an address and a na.
"A specialist crafter."
"Reliable."
She slid the paper toward him and West picked it up.
"Thank uhm..."
He paused slightly.
"...I never got your na."
She looked at him quietly for a mont before answering
"Becca."
West smiled beneath his mask.
"Thanks, Becca."
The way he softly said her na made her blink in slight surprise.
Then he turned and walked out of the room.
A mont later, he disappeared down the stairs and out of the warehouse.
Elena sat quietly at the table for a mont with a thoughtful gaze before shaking her head slightly.
"...Strange man."
West stepped out of the warehouse district and into the fading evening light.
The streets here were quieter than the main city areas, but that didn’t an they were safe.
Places like that establishnt naturally attracted predators... ad predators often looked for easy prey.
West walked casually down the street with his hands in his pockets and the black mask still covering the lower half of his face.
He didn’t have to turn around to know what was happening.
Four footsteps followed him from behind.
They were keeping their distance, trying to look casual but their intent was obvious.
West sighed internally.
"Again?"
Last ti this happened, he had deliberately avoided trouble but this ti, West had less patience and didn’t care...
West rounded a quiet corner between two old industrial buildings.
The four n following him turned the corner a mont later and instantly froze because they didn’t find West standing there.
Instead, gwo figures stood waiting.
Gor’thala and Seraphyra...
The towering green warrior cracked her knuckles slowly while Seraphyra smiled sweetly as her tail swept out to wrap around one of the n.
They blinked in surprise.
"...The hell?"
Before anyone could react—
BOOM
Gor’thala’s fist connected with the first man’s stomach like a cannon.
The man flew backwards and crashed into a dumpster.
Seraphyra slamd the other into the wall with her tail, then flung him around, crashing him to another person.
The remaining two tried to activate their branches but they were too slow...
Gor’thala grabbed one by the collar and slamd him into the pavent.
Seraphyra flicked her wrist again, sending the last one skidding across the asphalt.
The fight lasted less than thirty seconds.
By the ti West casually stepped around the corner, all four attackers were groaning on the ground.
Seraphyra dusted her hands.
"That was disappointing."
Gor’thala snorted.
"Barely worth the effort."
The n scrambled to their feet with swollen and bruised faces.
One of them looked at West in terror.
"W-we didn’t know—!"
"Sorry!"
West watched them flee down the street before shrugging.
"Good."
Seraphyra giggled.
"Should we have killed them?"
West shook his head.
"Not necessary."
Then he dismissed them both back into the summon space.
With that handled, West pulled out his phone and dialed the number Becca had written for him earlier.
After a few rings, a rough but energetic voice answered.
"Yeah? How did a random number get my private line?"
"Becca recommded you to ."
There was a brief pause.
"...Na?"
"Rain."
There was another pause before the voice changed tone.
"Oh."
"Right."
"Becca ntioned you might call."
He gave West an address.
"Co by if you’re serious."
West hung up and hailed a transport.
...
Forty minutes later, he arrived at the location.
The building looked nothing like the warehouse district.
It was well designed, modern and almost futuristic.
Glass panels covered the exterior and bright white lighting illuminated the entrance.
Above the doors was a large tallic sign:
DIVINE FORGE – CUSTOM AWAKENED ARMORY
West stepped inside and what appeared in his line of sight made him stare in delight...
The interior was impressive.
The floor was so polished that West could see his reflection when walking on it.
The lighting was hypnotic, highlighting the items displayed throughout the showroom... and those items were incredible.
Weapons... Artifacts... Relics...
Everything was arranged neatly in glass display cases with a digital price tag.
West glanced at a sword.
$65,000
Another artifact.
$110,000
A glowing gauntlet.
$180,000
He whistled quietly.
"Awakened gear really is expensive."
He didn’t see anything below $30,000.
So items even exceeded $200,000.
Fortunately, West wasn’t here to buy.
He walked up to the main counter where a woman in a clean uniform greeted him politely.
"Welco to Divine Forge."
"How may I help you?"
"I want to commission a custom weapon."
She nodded.
"That’s possible."
But then she pulled up a schedule.
"However, there’s currently a queue."
She glanced back at him.
"Custom orders usually take several weeks before your turn arrives."
West imdiately went ’oh’, realizing that they probably got a lot of custors. If it would take weeks just to get them to start working on the weapon, then when would it be ready?
"I’m here to see Orion Voss."
The woman’s eyes widened slightly.
"You know Mr. Voss?"
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