Morning sunlight painted the forest gold.Spirit birds glided through the ancient trees, and a cool wind blew from the north, carrying the faint scent of rain.
In the hidden clearing, Ren, Draven, and Lyra already moved like a small team.Draven practiced new ways to control his fire; Lyra, now wielding a makeshift bow of elastic wood and beast sinew, trained her aim under Ren's quiet supervision.
The ground around them was etched with small circular runes—simple symbols to channel the mana in the air.
[Guild Base Progress: 7%][New Function Unlocked: Minor Mana Storage]
Ren smiled, satisfied.The System was growing with them.
— "At this rate, we'll have a working base in a few weeks," he said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Lyra slung her bow over her shoulder.— "That's if Draven doesn't burn it all down first."
— "Hey!" Draven protested, summoning a small fireball to his palm. "Control is my middle name now!"
The fireball exploded.
Ren sighed.— "Of course it is…"
Lyra let out a small laugh—the first since she'd joined them.
🔨 The Sound of Iron
Their peace was broken by a sharp, rhythmic noise from the village: clang, clang, clang!Three hammer strikes, steady and strong.
Ren recognized it instantly.The village blacksmith, Borin Ironhammer, was back at work.
Borin was a dwarf with a braided gray beard, arms like logs, and a temperament as heavy as his forge.He lived alone, but the villagers respected him—he was the only one who could repair the guards' weapons.
Ren decided it was time to visit him.
— "Draven, Lyra, keep training. I'm going to the village to get something important."
Draven tilted his head.— "Important like… a secret mission?"— "Let's just say it's a conversation with destiny."
⚒️ The Smith of the Sleeping Flame
The forge was small, but the heat pouring out of it was enough to drive away even the forest insects.Ren found Borin hunched over his anvil, hammer falling in steady rhythm on a glowing red blade.
The dwarf looked up, frowning.— "Hmph? What's the little mage doing in my forge?"
Ren bowed slightly.— "I want to learn about iron."
Borin paused mid-swing.— "Iron? From a mage? That's new."— "Iron is the foundation of everything," Ren replied calmly. "And a guild needs tools."
The dwarf studied him for a long moment, then huffed.— "Hah! You talk big, kid. But got the arm to hold a hammer?"
Ren smiled.— "I've got the will."
[Potential Observer Activated.][Target: Borin Ironhammer][Race: Dwarf][Potential: A][Affinity: Earth / Metal][Recommended Class: Tank / Spiritual Blacksmith]
Ren's breath caught.
"So it's him…"
— "Master Borin," he said with conviction. "Would you help me build something new?"
The dwarf frowned.— "New? The village already has enough problems, boy."— "I'm talking about something greater," Ren answered, meeting his gaze. "A guild."
Borin stared for a long time, then rested the hammer on his shoulder.— "A guild, huh? And you think an old, half-deaf dwarf like me fits into that?"
Ren smiled.— "The world underestimates the ones who build."
A low chuckle rumbled from Borin's chest.— "You talk too fancy for a runt."But in his eyes, Ren saw it—curiosity.
— "Bring me a metal worth forging," Borin said at last. "Then I'll think about it."
Ren nodded.— "Consider it done."
The System reacted immediately.
[Recruitment Quest Activated: Soul Forge][Objective: Find a spiritual ore and deliver it to Borin.][Reward: Recruitment of 'Borin Ironhammer'.]
Ren left the forge with his heart racing.More than a quest, this was the beginning of the backbone of his guild.
🌳 Back in the Forest
When he returned, he found Draven and Lyra arguing again—this time about who had better accuracy, arrows or fireballs.
Ren chuckled at the sight.— "You two look like siblings."
— "He started it!" Lyra snapped.— "She provoked me!" Draven shot back.
Ren shook his head.— "Perfect. That means you're starting to trust each other."
He told them about Borin and the mission to find the spiritual ore.Lyra crossed her arms.— "A dwarven blacksmith? That could be useful."Draven grinned.— "Finally, someone to craft proper weapons."
Ren looked toward the horizon where the sun was sinking behind the mountains.— "Tomorrow, we head out to find the ore."
The wind stirred through the trees, and the guild's sigil shimmered faintly in his mind.
[Main Quest: The Forge of the Future][Status: In Progress]
As twilight fell over the forest, three young souls prepared for their first true journey together.And somewhere deep within the nearby mountains, something ancient stirred awake.