Learning forging from the dwarves(chapter 61)

previously in chapter 60

"Now then, what were they guarding?" Oliver asked rhetorically as he entered the room. It was dimly lit, with a musty smell of old metal and dust in the air. Several military-grade crates lay scattered around, each holding its secret. Oliver approached the first crate, its metal exterior cool to the touch. With a swift movement, he popped it open to reveal a sleek, futuristic weapon. He picked it up, feeling its weight and balance, contemplating whether to use it for practice or dismantle it for parts. His fingers traced over the smooth, alien-like design, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Moving on to the next crate, and the next, and the next, Oliver found himself amidst an array of advanced weaponry. Some were locked, but nothing was ever truly locked to Oliver. With a flick of his wrist, each lock yielded to his skills. Box after box revealed a treasure trove of cutting-edge technology. As he explored, his mind buzzed with ideas of how these weapons could be modified and enhanced. He mused to himself, "Hmm, I could use them for target practice or perhaps disassemble them to incorporate their components into my own creations."

Finally, he reached the last box, which stood out with its reinforced security. "Huh, this one is more secure than the others," he noted, a challenge glinting in his eyes. With a determined grin, he broke through the security measures, revealing a small ore with shimmering purple veins. A surge of excitement coursed through him. "Finally, vibranium," he muttered triumphantly, carefully pocketing the precious find.

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Chapter 61

Satisfied with his discovery, Oliver scanned the room once more, hoping for more traces of vibranium. However, luck seemed to have run dry as the room yielded no further secrets. He made his way back to where Shuri was, engrossed in her contemplation. She seemed lost in thought, her holographic screen displaying various data streams and calculations.

"The only reason I think he would do this is to create discord between the parliaments and the people of Wakanda. But why would he do this? There's nothing for him to gain," Shuri muttered aloud, her brow furrowed in deep thought. She was so absorbed in her analysis that she initially failed to notice Oliver's approach.

"Unless he isn't doing this for himself," she theorized, her eyes finally landing on Oliver, who appeared genuinely curious. "This is the affair of Wakanda. An outsider shouldn't involve themselves," she stated with a hint of haughtiness, though Oliver found it more amusing than intimidating.

"Did you find anything else?" Oliver inquired, breaking her train of thought. Shuri let out a sigh, torn from her contemplation. "No, I need to go back to Wakanda and sift through some evidence. In the meantime, our deal ends here," she stated firmly, glancing at him. "You've already received your reward. Or did you think vibranium just lays around in a box?" Her tone carried a hint of smugness, as if she had outsmarted Oliver.

Walking up to her, Oliver closed the distance, his demeanor relaxed. Shuri, however, stood her ground, her regal bearing undiminished. She was, after all, the princess of Wakanda, and she carried herself with the pride of her heritage. "You are amusing, Princess. I hope to see you again. I really enjoyed our time together," Oliver remarked, a playful glint in his eyes.

Shuri didn't flinch, maintaining her composure. "Yeah, that's still not going to work on me. You'll have to try harder. Who knows, you might have some luck if Bast looks upon you," she retorted, her tone teasing as she flirted back, a rare sight from the usually composed princess.

With a final smirk, Oliver turned to leave, his steps confident as he strolled away. "Oh, I wasn't trying. If I was, you'd already be naked, Princess. But if you want to, you know how to contact me," he teased before teleporting away, leaving Shuri to scoff in exasperation. "Right," she muttered, shaking her head before transforming into a flock of ravens and disappearing into the night sky. Yet, as she flew, an image of a naked Oliver lingered in her mind, a distraction she tried to shake off. "Stupid, sexy, Red," she muttered to herself, a rare moment of vulnerability showing through her typically composed demeanor.

---14 days later---

It had been two weeks since Oliver's brief encounter with Shuri, the princess of Wakanda. He found himself back in the realms of the dwarves, standing before a settlement nestled inside a mountain. The dwarves, known for their masterful blacksmithing, were initially reluctant to teach Oliver their craft.

Undeterred, Oliver negotiated with them, offering stacks of Midgardian alcohol, rare monster parts, and even ridding them of a troublesome creature that had been eating away at their precious materials. Eventually, the stubborn dwarves relented, agreeing to teach Oliver the art of blacksmithing.

For ten days, Oliver immersed himself in their teachings. The dwarves, with their ancient knowledge passed down through generations, taught him their techniques. Oliver absorbed everything like a sponge, his scholarly spectacles now equipped with three options, each enhancing his learning experience.

Every strike of the hammer, every fold of molten metal, Oliver honed his skills. The echoes of his efforts reverberated through the cavernous forge, the heat of the furnace warming his skin as sweat beaded on his brow. Arrows were his initial creations, fashioned from the iron ores he had collected. With each piece he forged, he felt himself growing more adept, his craftsmanship improving by the day.

In just ten days, Oliver had progressed from a novice to a master blacksmith in the eyes of the dwarves. Though they grudgingly admitted his skill, they still referred to him as a mere beginner. Oliver, however, knew that his journey with the dwarves was just the beginning of his path to mastering the forge.

Currently, Oliver could be seen wielding a massive hammer, its weight palpable in the air around him. The hammer itself glowed with a high-intensity purple aura, casting eerie shadows in the dimly lit forge. The rhythmic clang of metal against metal filled the space as Oliver swung the hammer effortlessly. Each strike emitted a surge of magical heat, the metal he worked on glowing bright orange as it reached its ideal forging temperature. The hammer, named Moonforge, was his newfound companion in this journey of true forging.

[ Name: Moonforge ]

[ Grade: Purple (Peak) ]

[ Description: Crafted with a fragment of the legendary Uru ore from the first moon and infused with adamantium, this hammer is a masterwork of ancient Dwarven smithing. It is a work of unparalleled power, soon to be known for shaping the most formidable weapons and armor across realms. ]

[ Option 1: Eternal Heat (Rank: D) (Active) - When striking metal, the hammer emits a surge of magical heat, instantly heating the metal to its ideal forging temperature without the need for a forge. ]

[ Option 2: Anvil's Blessing (Rank: D) (Passive) - The hammer carries the blessing of the Dwarven forges, ensuring that every strike hones the metal to its purest form, reducing impurities and creating weapons and armor of exceptional quality. ]

[ Option 3: Arcane Imbuement (Rank: D) (Active) - By channeling magical energy into the hammer, it can imbue the metal being forged with elemental properties, such as fire for a flaming blade or ice for frost armor. As long as appropriate agents are added. ]

[ Durability: 100% ]

Each option on this magnificent hammer, whether active or passive, aided Oliver on his new journey of crafting. Sweat beaded on his brow as he worked tirelessly, his movements precise and calculated. The heat of the forge enveloped him, the temperature rising with each strike. Despite the challenging conditions, Oliver felt a sense of exhilaration as he worked on a large structure.

The structure he was forging was no ordinary piece. It was a crucible, a vessel for melting down metals. His original crucible, while functional, was store-bought and lacked the finesse he desired. This new crucible, however, held a nugget of adamantium and mysterium, adding to its significance. Oliver adjusted the heated metal, shaping it with careful precision.

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A/N Well, here it is, ladies and gentlemen. Oliver has learned from the dwarves, and thanks to his scholar spectacles which enhance his learning abilities, Oliver is now a master blacksmith. But most importantly, he can forge his ultimate alloy so that he can prepare himself for the upcoming ???? with the ??????. 

As for yesterday's vote, it was 11 to 5, so yes, the winner is the Eldritch Bloodforged Gauntlet. Anyways, some of you were saying both, and yes, he will eventually get both of them. However, the purpose of the poll is to determine which comes first. Every rejected (I know how that feels) item will get a chance (really) to appear, so don't worry if your favorite item didn't get chosen.

As for today's poll, here we go.

A:

[ Name: Runecarver ]

[ Grade: Purple ]

[ Description: This stone sword, was made from an eon old stone, once wielded by an ice sorcerer giant to carve runes into object. ]

[ Option 1: Rune Carving - Allows the user to carve 100 words into an object, creating a manifesting rune representing the words' meaning, however, runes cant be carved on living being, the chance of failure higher. Each rune can be used 100 times, (Rank: D) (Passive) ]

[ Option 2: Elemental Infusion - Enables the user to dip the sword into a liquid with elemental properties, imbuing carved words with the liquid's essence as long as the words intention match liquids elemental properties, creating an elemental rune. (Rank: D) (Passive) ]

[ Option 3: Overcharge - Temporarily overcharges a carved rune, boosting its effects. After use, the rune disintegrates. (Rank: D) (Active) ]

[ Durability: 100% ]

B:

[ Name: Titanium Ruby Dual Axe ]

[ Grade: Blue ]

[ Description: A formidable dual axe forged from titanium and adorned with radiant ruby gemstones. Crafted with precision, this weapon combines strength and elegance in its design. ]

[ Option 1: Razor's Edge - +100% damage to cutting attacks (Rank: D) (Active) ]

[ Option 2: Ruby Flames - Envelops the blades in ruby flames, dealing additional 100% fire damage (Rank: D) (Active) ]

[ Option 3: Recall Mastery - Enables the user to recall the axe at will, returning it to their hand with a swift motion (Rank: D) (Passive) ]

[ Durability: 100% ]