Chapter 22: Gray Sword

Facing Barn's kindness, Xia Nan did not refuse.

Since he had not yet made a decision, it was better to look around more.

"Don't worry. Even though they're all second-hand, since I dare to put them out for sale, the quality is definitely up to standard and durable!"

A coarse, thick voice echoed in the shop as Barn patted his chest in guarantee.

Currently positioned in front of Xia Nan were many weapons with aged appearances.

They did not have their own dedicated shelves but were simply piled together, clearly not receiving much attention from the shop owner.

However, through the metallic luster emanating from the surfaces of those weapons and the occasional glint of cold light that flashed as his gaze shifted, one could at least see that Barn was not lying.

They were undoubtedly second-hand, but they were all well-maintained.

Xia Nan crouched down and, with great patience, pulled them one by one from the pile of weapons, examining them closely before asking

"Do high-level adventurers use weapons like these too? I don't mean these second-hand ones, but those... uh, blank... non-magical items, you know."

To this, Barn stroked his beard and said in a gruff voice

"Many times, 'greenhorn' adventurers like you—no offense intended—always have many fantasies about those veterans who possess professional levels."

"But in reality, they are also human. They need money to eat, they will turn against each other over the ownership of a piece of loot, and they will save up more than half a year's income for a house in a prime location."

"The probability of magical items appearing in the hands of high-level professionals is certainly higher, but those wealthy enough to be covered in them from head to toe are only a tiny minority."

"What about our shop?" Xia Nan's tone was flat, as if he were just making casual conversation while picking through weapons. "Do you sell those legendary magic equipments too?"

Barn did not respond, only giving a mysterious smile.

Having obtained the key information, Xia Nan stopped wasting time, patted the dust off his hands, and slowly stood up.

As it turned out, second-hand goods were indeed just second-hand goods; he had gone through them all and found no suitable choice.

A net worth of over a hundred gold coins was neither much nor little, but it should be sufficient to buy a brand-new, factory-standard blank weapon.

If possible, naturally...

*Hum—*

Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of gray luster quietly passed by.

Xia Nan's gaze instinctively followed it.

In just a few breaths, there was a pause, a stare, a frown, and then a return to calm.

The translucent panel before his eyes faded and disappeared as his attention dispersed.

...

【Sturdy Decapitation Longsword】

Type: Two-handed Sword

Grade: Common (White)

Effects: Durability +50%, Decapitation Damage +5%

Description

A fine work produced by the "Rockhammer" blacksmith shop. A small accident during forging seems to have caused a peculiar change in this longsword.

Remarks

"One, two, three... wait, how many times did I just hit it with the hammer?"

—Barn Steelbeard, 105th place in the 492nd Rockhammer Clan Forging Competition.

...

This was a two-handed longsword buried in the shadows.

The hilt was about nine inches long; the spiral metal texture and protruding rivets both enhanced the friction between the palm and the hilt and provided a certain tactile feel when gripped.

The steel-cast cruciform guard did not extend very far to either side, being only slightly wider than half a finger's breadth beyond the blade, appearing exceptionally concise.

The blade was about four feet long, three fingers wide, with a thin edge, smooth lines, and a sharp cutting edge.

A minimalist and efficient style was maintained throughout; there were no patterns on the surface of the blade, only the occasional flash of sharp, cold light for decoration.

Unlike the other weapons in the shop, this longsword was an extremely peculiar iron-gray, as if a thin mist had been draped over the blade, making it far less conspicuous than other blades.

On the surface, Xia Nan showed no emotion, but his heart was already surging with excitement.

Pretending to be casual, he spoke nonchalantly

"Why is the color of this sword a bit strange? Is it a defective product?"

Upon hearing this, Barn actually showed a slightly embarrassed expression and scratched his head sheepishly.

"Hehe, a couple of days ago I was originally intending to forge a one-handed sword, but I got a bit distracted while tempering the edge..."

!

Wait, I was just saying that casually—was he actually selling it as a defective product!?

Xia Nan pursed his lips, forcing his expression to remain steady.

Beside him, Barn did not notice his reaction and continued to mutter

"Sigh, it's such a waste of these dozen or so pounds of gray steel. My cousin from the clan sent it to me, saying it was a new batch from Flamecast Peak for me to try out. I don't know how I'll explain it when they ask."

"Oh?" Xia Nan raised an eyebrow, following the other man's lead. "This sword only looks like the color is a bit strange; where exactly is the flaw?"

Barn still did not notice the slight tremor in Xia Nan's tone, remaining immersed in his regret.

Taking two steps forward, he picked up the two-handed sword and pointed at the blade

"Normally, equipment forged from gray steel should be a light gray, like lime. Look, isn't the color of this sword a bit darker?"

"This is because when I was casting the blade, I got distracted and hit it a few extra times, which dragged down the entire subsequent process."

As he spoke, Barn's expression turned to one of regretful sighing.

"Don't be fooled by the fact that its surface looks no different from other weapons besides the color; in reality, there might be a problem somewhere in the blade. It might suddenly snap during combat, and you can't test for that."

"As you know, our 'Rockhammer' products have always been known for being tough and durable."

"For a work like this, where the quality cannot be precisely controlled due to a mistake in the forging process, I naturally won't sell it as a regular commodity."

"I can't lose my reputation just for the sake of a few dozen gold coins in profit; the clan told everyone that before we left."

At this moment, Xia Nan finally felt the convenience of his "cheat" once again.

Information asymmetry!

Barn's mistake during the forging process made him unable to guarantee the quality of the longsword, fearing that potential issues would damage the reputation of "Rockhammer."

But Xia Nan, possessing the attribute panel, knew clearly.

The other man's small mistake had not only failed to decrease the quality of the longsword but had instead made the blade even more sturdy and durable, even bestowing upon it some other unique traits.

I must have it!

He thought to himself.

Since the other party had already explained the reason for treating the longsword as a flawed item, Xia Nan no longer hid his intentions and got straight to the point

"I'll take this sword. How much?"

"Didn't I make myself clear just now?" Barn froze, then said in surprise, "There was a problem during the casting of this sword; the quality isn't guaranteed."

"I think it suits me well. This one!"

Seeing Xia Nan's determined attitude, Barn stopped talking and just looked at him for a few seconds.

Then, he said helplessly

"Let's get this straight first: if something goes wrong later, don't come looking for me, and don't tell people outside that you bought this sword from me. You understand what I mean?"

"Of course!" Xia Nan nodded sincerely. "I picked this sword up in a goblin cave."

"35 gold. At cost."

(End of Chapter)