n

n

nA female human stepped up, mid-twenties with dark hair and a golden glare. She looked like she wanted to strangle the butcher.

nThe master butcher ignored her and made a gesture.

nThe apprentices rushed to take down the carcasses and take away the pelts.

nShe turned the glare on Krow.

nHe smiled at her, unperturbed. She huffed, crossed her arms, ignoring the apprentices wiping down the tables.

nTwo slabs of cold meat were placed on the tables.

n

"The challenge, slice these pieces of Swordhorn Elk meat in Magmigant Stoneroast style!

"

nKrow had never been to magmigant territory, but there had been restaurants popping up some years after the Quake, as the transmigrators adapted to Zuskenar that sold magmigant-style barbecue.

nMagmigants were a race that lived near or on volcanoes.

nStoneroast was traditionally cooked on top of hot lava rocks. The meat was sliced thinly, so it roasted quickly, retaining natural taste and tenderness. The obsidian tools the magmigants used meant the slices were thin enough to be translucent.

nOr so the stories said.

nKrow dropped his gaze to the slab of half-frozen meat before him.

nIt was a leg, three times larger than his head.

nThis was Swordhorned Elk meat?

nSwordhorned Elk were monsters over Lvl 30, and rare.

nWhy would the butcher use the meat for a contest like this? This kind of meat would grace only the finest restaurants.

nKrow's lips twitched. Or was it an attempt at intimidation?

nDid he do better than expected, master butcher?

nHe studied the meat. He'd eaten Swordhorned Elk meat only a few times before.

nDelicious.

nIt was not as lean as most deer, skeins of pale fat showing through the red meat.

nEven chilled, the scent of the raw meat was strong. Strangely, it wasn't offputting.

nKrow washed his gloved hands in the basin one of the apprentices offered.

nHe stored his skinning knife and took out the Uncommon cleaver, long as his arm.

n

"Are you afraid it would jump off the table and attack you?

" one of the apprentices hooted.

nThe room laughed at him.

nKrow shrugged. What could he do?

nThe Uncommon butcher knife had been pitted against the Bloodcrow bandit captain in the caves and lost most of its durability.

nThe cleaver was the sharpest knife he had besides the skinning knife.

nThe door to the inner part of the shop slammed open, cutting off the laughter.

nFaces paled.

nThe person who strode through the door looked around, eyes sharp, with a presence that Krow recognized as the confidence of a master.

nTwo master butchers in one workshop?

nIt was a more prestigious place than he thought.

nShe eyed the contest area, the surrounding apprentices, many of who were trying to sneak away. A tick in her cheek jumped visibly, she glared at the butcher.

n

"Balgurai…

" she grit out.

"I leave you in charge for one hour…

"

nOh.

nThis was the master of the shop.

n

"My dear friend, you told me to keep the kids away from you for the night.

" The other master butcher, or whoever he was, waved his arms at the contest.

"What do you think I'm doing?

"

n

"What is he doing?

" She narrowed her eyes at Krow.

nHuh, he knew who Olanda Arellas was emulating now.

n

"After your…friend?

"

nShe grunted.

n

"After your friend insulted my knife skills, we made a wager. If I win against the wrights of this shop, he'll sell me all his wright skills. If I lose, I won't bother the butchers of Rakaens until I won here.

"

nShe eyed him, up and down, snorted.

"And you're doing it with that? This isn't the place for swords.

"

nKrow brought out what had once been a pretty nice the butcher knife.

"My knife lost a fight with a bandit. Unfortunately, I only have this left.

"

nHe hefted the cleaver.

nHe had a suspicion…

nShe flicked a hand. Two knives flew and buried themselves into the two hunks of meat.

"This contest only. I'll be the judge.

"

nFrom Olanda Arellas' expression, the knife was pretty nice.

nKrow pulled his from the hunk of cold meat.

nHis eye twitched.

nSix of Nine Adalace's Butcher Knife

nQuality: C Legendary

nElement: Air

n'I calculate the cut precise.'

nBoosts all Butcher skills by 100% if used by any butcher rank above apprentice.

nDefense Multiplier: 2

nDamage Reduction: 120%

nWeight: .5kg

nDurability (4

/4): 30,478

nKrow put it down, sighed.

nHis first legendary.

nAnd it was a butcher knife.

nA legendary butcher knife.

nAnd it was the sixth of nine similar knives?

nThe player blacksmith who made it had to be at the peak of the blacksmith craft. And they used it to make a nine-item set of butcher knives.

nCraftmaster Blacksmith, you sure have a lot of free time, don't you?

nKrow glanced at the actual owner, who was talking to Balgurai.

nHe'd just assume the guy was a butcher, because otherwise, what skills was he doing this contest for?

nFrom the pained smile on the butcher's face and the low voice of the owner, she was threatening him quite thoroughly.

nHe studied her. His suspicion was definitely true.

nThis was a player.

nA player craftmaster.

nShe finished her conversation, stood aside, and Balgurai sighed.

"So the conditions have changed. Win here, lose here, this is the end. Craftmaster Adalace herself will be the judge of your skills. Are you both ready?

"

nKrow hefted Six of Nine.

nIt was light.

nThat should be a good thing, but he was used to wielding a gun three times the weight.

nA knife as weightless as Six of Nine would be difficult to control.

nHe twirled it like he was in a circus act, frowning, changing between hands until he approximated some comfort with wielding it. His Knife-handling skill and DEX helped.

nHis opponent needed less time to get used to her knife, and watched him with crossed arms and a lifted brow.

nWith a last series of twirls using his dominant hand, he nodded at the announcer.

n

"Begin!

"

nThe apprentices, and some customers who'd come in, cheered as both knives flashed in the light of the lamps.

nThe speed of movement meant the motions of the two were difficult to see. The slabs of meat looked like they were falling apart, like the pages of a book rifled through.

nPage after page curled away from the slowly diminishing slabs of meat.

n

"Stop.

"

nThe single spoken word stilled the room.

nOlanda Arellas froze, knife poised above her hunk of meat.

nKrow, who had not spent years obeying that voice, twitched, one last thinner-than-paper-thin slice falling away from the main slab.

nThey both blinked.

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"That's enough to judge.

" Craftmaster Adalace nodded to Balgurai.

n

"Apprentices,

" Balgurai grinned.

"The lamps.

"

nEagerly, the apprentices set up lamps on long stands, like streetlights.

nKrow raised his brows. They'd done this before, apparently.

n

"You two,

" Adalace neared their tables.

"You watch as well.

"

nKrow put down his knife.

nHe and Olanda moved from behind their tables to stand near Balgurai.

nShe glanced to the side.

"Ready?

"

n

"Yes, master,

" acknowledged the apprentices near the lamps.

nThe craftmaster grabbed a single slice from each table and threw them like a frisbee. The slices glided horizontally, and as they passed the lamps, a sound of wonder rose from the throng.

nThe slices were illuminated by the golden lamps behind them, vivid red and pink, the color of a sunrise.

nThe apprentices, ready to the side of the lamps, grabbed the slices gently, quickly rolling them in butcher paper.

nKrow sighed.

nHis slice was slightly murkier than Olanda's, the sudden order to stop having made him lose his focus.

nBut the craftmaster grabbed another two slices, tossed them. This time, both slices shone equally rich quality, vivid and glistening.

nAnd again.

nTen slices, before she stopped.

n

"Apprentice,

" she rapped out as the apprentices caught the last slices.

"The count.

"

nThere was a pause.

nOlanda Arellas sighed.

"There's no need, master. It's my loss.

"

n