Chapter 173: Metal Slabs

"Do you want to participate?" the girl asked after noticing Leon’s thoughtful expression. "If you win, we’ll be able to make even more money. What do you think?"

Leon shook his head. "Nahh. I’ll only be forging weapons for you for a few more days. After that, I’m leaving for the military training camp. I probably won’t be back for six months. Maybe after that."

"What?" The girl’s expression immediately fell. "Only a few days?"

"Yeah."

She lowered her head and thought for a moment before suddenly looking back at him. "Then... if you trust me, why don’t you forge a stockpile of weapons before you leave? I’ll sell them little by little and send you your share of the profits every month during those six months."

After witnessing Leon’s forging capability and speed, she knew producing numbers of weapons in just a few days wouldn’t be difficult for him. With the quality of his work, those weapons could be sold for high prices, more than enough to support both of them while he was away.

"Sure," Leon replied with a smile.

"Y-You mean it?" The girl stared at him in surprise. After all, they had only met today. Most people wouldn’t trust a complete stranger so easily.

What she didn’t know was that Leon didn’t trust her at all. He simply had ways to collect his money if she ever tried anything.

Unfortunately...

She completely misunderstood his intentions. ’Don’t tell me... he has a crush on me?’ she wondered. ’We just met today, yet he offered to help me without even knowing me, and now he’s willing to trust me with so many weapons... Why else would he do something like this?

A faint blush crept onto her cheeks before she even realized it. ’But he’s definitely younger than me... It wouldn’t work. I’ll have to reject him gently so he doesn’t get his heart broken.’ She decided inwardly.

Leon would have been speechless if he knew what was going through her mind.

She was cute, sure. But romance was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

And right now, there was only one thing occupying his thoughts.

MONEY.

Leon returned to forging. The three spears had already been completed. This time, he was working on the war hammer.

Meanwhile, the first floor was buzzing with excitement.

The S-Class Hunter acting as the announcer climbed the stage and raised the microphone. "For today’s competition, the swords will be tested against five different metal slabs."

He pointed toward the row of metal blocks lined up on the stage.

"The first and softest is bronze, followed by refined iron, high-carbon steel, titanium alloy, and finally, tungsten alloy."

He swept his gaze across the contestants.

"The first to showcase his weapon will be last month’s twentieth-ranked weapon smith, Scott Monror. Scott, step forward and show us what you’ve forged this month."

Among the twenty weaponsmiths standing on the stage, a man who looked to be in his early forties strode forward.

He stopped in front of the bronze slab. This was Scott Monror. With a confident smile, he drew a sleek katana. Its polished blade gleamed brilliantly beneath the lights illuminating the first floor.

Scott took a deep breath and held his stance for a moment before slashing downward.

Schlk!

The blade struck the edge of the bronze slab and sliced smoothly through it, continuing all the way to the bottom without slowing.

Applause erupted from the crowd.

"Damn! Did you see that? Scott has definitely improved," a female Hunter whispered excitedly.

"If he climbs a few more ranks this month, I’m buying that sword no matter what," the young man beside her said with a grin.

Scott then stepped in front of the refined iron slab.

Taking the same stance as before, he swung once again.

Slash!

The sword cut cleanly into the metal, but this time it stopped after sinking about five inches into the thirty-inch-thick slab.

"Well done, Scott," the S-Class Hunter announced with a nod. "That seems to be an excellent sword. You may return to your position."

He glanced toward the remaining contestants.

"Next... Anna Smith."

A woman in her mid-thirties stepped forward.

She had finished nineteenth in the previous Arsenal’s Fury. Stopping before the bronze slab, Anna unsheathed her sword.

Unlike Scott’s katana, hers had a blade shaped like a jagged bolt of lightning, making it look both elegant and intimidating.

By then, the bronze slab had already regenerated through magic.

Anna raised her sword confidently.

Then...

Slash!

The blade passed through the bronze slab in a single, fluid motion. A smile spread across her face as she shot Scott a triumphant glance.

Although Scott had also cut through the bronze completely, his blade had been just a little slower. That slight difference meant Anna’s sword was sharper.

Without saying a word, she confidently walked toward the refined iron slab.

Anna raised her sword once more and slashed downward.

Schlk!

This time, although the blade didn’t cut all the way through, it carved eleven inches into the refined iron slab. A full six inches deeper than Scott’s.

"Hohoho.. Looks like she doesn’t want Mr. Monror to get ahead of her," one Hunter said with a chuckle.

"That sword is definitely better," another agreed. "Although... its shape is a little too flashy for my taste."

One after another, the remaining weaponsmiths stepped onto the stage to showcase their swords.

Meanwhile, the luxury car carrying Mr. Donovan, Marcus, and the Young Master sped toward Hunter’s Arsenal as if they were in a great hurry.

Unaware of everything happening outside, Leon remained completely focused on forging.

The war hammer was soon finished and placed on the weapon rack.

Thirty-five minutes later, a pair of sabers joined it.

One weapon after another, Leon continued forging without stopping.

Meanwhile, on the first floor...

The first test was nearing its climax.

Only four weapon smiths remained to demonstrate what their swords were capable of.

"Next... Nathan Steel."

As a young man stepped forward, the eyes of many female hunters immediately lit up with awe and admiration.