But at that moment, a feeling stirred within me—a faint, sharp curiosity.
“What about me?”
My hand instinctively moved toward the system menu. How long had it been since I last checked my own progress? I was always working, crafting, directing… but never once had I turned around to look in the mirror. The calluses forming between my fingers, the faint aches in my back, the fact that metal which once felt heavy now moved effortlessly in my hands… these were all signs. Signs I had ignored.
The system panel opened once more, this time with my name at the top. I scanned the glowing text carefully:
[Craftsman System]
[Stats]
? Level: 16
? Mana: 125 / 125
? HP: 145 / 145
[Attributes]
? Strength: 21 (+6) [+10]
? Intelligence: 20 (+6) [+5]
? Endurance: 24 (+6) [+5]
? Agility: 18 (+6) [+5]
? Luck: 1 [+15]
I stared at the screen in silence for a long while. They looked like mere numbers, but to me, they reflected every sleepless night and every swing of the hammer. All the iron I had forged, the small cuts on my hands, the endless hours at the furnace… they were written right here, in these lines.
Strength: I no longer struggled with raw materials like I did in the early days. I didn’t just carry steel blocks—I shaped them, directed them.
Intelligence: While working with magical alloys, I could now sense the mana flows more clearly. Formulas no longer felt like puzzles—they unfolded before my eyes, step by step.
Endurance: Before, a single day's labor left me drained. Now, I could work for days on end, barely pausing.
Agility: My hands moved on instinct when dealing with fast-changing hot metals. My reactions had sharpened without me realizing it.
Luck: Still a mystery. But strange coincidences and miraculous moments kept finding me.
I turned and looked toward the entrance of the cave. The first light of morning barely touched the inside. The stones of the forge still radiated warmth. The room was quiet, but within that silence, I heard my own voice.
“I’m changing too…” I whispered to myself.
A tremor passed through me. This wasn’t just growth—it was a transformation. I used to be just another survivor in the tower. Now… I was a craftsman with his own workshop, a small team that followed him, and a purpose that grew stronger with each passing day.
I closed the system panel. My eyes wandered into the depths of the cave. Gob was fiddling with a planning board using his tiny hands, Zip had climbed up a tall rock and was signaling to Grob. Everyone was already at work.
And I… I was no longer just someone giving them orders. I was someone growing alongside them.
I nodded with a smile.
This was just the beginning.
The sun continued its slow rise across the sky as the soft morning mist prepared to leave the forest behind.
Back in the cave, the goblins were busy preparing for the day ahead. Gob stood by the entrance, watching me—with that same little leader’s expression on his face, full of trust and belief.
“Take a good look around, Gob. You’re the guardian of this place now,” I said with a grin.
Gob nodded seriously, then once more shouted, “Gob!” and gave a proud little salute.
I smiled, turned my back to him with a slight heaviness in my heart, and set off through the forest, heading toward the city.
City of Layers – Central Plaza
When I arrived at the city square, it was teeming with life. Street vendors, barkers, caravans, and adventurers surrounded me. Each one selling different equipment, haggling, displaying their goods. I glanced to my right and checked out the weapons on a nearby stand.
The first thing that caught my eye:
[Reinforced Steel Dagger – D Rank] → Price: 2,500 Tower Coins.
It was rather plain. No special effects, nothing flashy in the design. Yet it was still in demand.
Right next to it:
[Enchanted Venom Blade – B Rank] → Price: 9,000 Tower Coins.
Features: Basic poison effect, light enchantment...
People seemed to prefer these kinds of weapons especially in PvE (against monsters).
At another stall:
[Shadowfang Cloak – C+ Rank Armor] → Price: 6,500 Tower Coins.
It was stealth-focused, but couldn’t compare to the one we crafted. The material looked cheaper, the stitching was rough.
I walked slowly along the stone-paved street, taking notes. The rank and rarity of weapons and armor directly affected their prices. Also, the fame of the seller or guild selling the item influenced it too…
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
But I had faith in quality.
And then I realized—what we had was better than most of what I was seeing.
A Quick Glance at My Own Inventory:
-
[Alpha Wolf’s Fang – High-Quality Dagger] [B Rank] – 2 pcs
-
Quality: Handmade, rare materials.
-
Price Estimate: Similar quality blades go for 10,000–12,000.
-
Sales Price: 12,000 x 2 = 24,000 Tower Coins
-
-
[Alpha Wolf’s Claw – Poison-Enhanced Dagger] [B+ Rank] – 3 pcs
-
Quality: Poison-infused, high craftsmanship.
-
Feature: Poison activates on direct contact with blood.
-
Comparable Item: Enchanted Venom Blade (9,000), but this one’s stronger.
-
Sales Price: 10,500 x 3 = 31,500 Tower Coins
-
-
[Steel Fang Wolf’s Fang – Throwing Knives] [C Rank] – 12 pcs
-
Feature: Very high flight speed.
-
Ideal as a set.
-
Market comparison: A set of 5 steel knives → 3,000 Tower Coins.
-
Ours is 12 and made of rare material.
-
Sales Price: 6,000 Tower Coins (set of 12)
-
-
[Alpha Wolf’s Pelt – Stealth Armor] [C+] – 1 pc
-
Feature: Silent movement, cold resistance.
-
Market comparison: Shadowfang Cloak = 6,500
-
Ours is more flexible and more durable.
-
Sales Price: 7,500 Tower Coins
-
-
[Steel Fang Wolf’s Pelt – Reinforced Light Armor] [C Rank] – 6 pcs
-
Reinforced light armor, ideal for adventurers.
-
Regular versions on market: 3,000–3,500
-
Ours are specially treated.
-
Sales Price: 4,000 x 6 = 24,000 Tower Coins
-
Total Revenue Estimate:
? Alpha Wolf’s Fang (2): 24,000
? Alpha Wolf’s Claw (3): 31,500
? Wolf Fang Throwing Knife Set (12): 6,000
? Stealth Armor (1): 7,500
? Reinforced Light Armor (6): 24,000
Total: 93,000 Tower Coins
I squinted slightly. That was a solid number. Better than I’d expected...
Even though I didn’t quite reach my target of 100,000 Tower Coins, this profit was jaw-droppingly good.
There was a time when I used to struggle for just a few hundred coins—now, numbers like 100,000 weren’t just a dream.
Still, a small voice inside urged caution. Maybe for this first time, I should lower the prices just a bit and focus on gaining recognition. But I trusted the quality.
These weren’t just weapons. They were the result of craftsmanship, effort, a week’s worth of sweat—and the work of a team.
I reached into my bag and checked the pouches. Everything had been carefully packed. Each item had its own tag and a small info card.
I adjusted the prices, prepared to set up a small stand, and slowly began organizing for my showcase in the plaza.
And then, a thought struck me like lightning.
“If Gob could see this scene…”
I imagined the little leader back in the cave. Perhaps he was my biggest supporter. This success didn’t belong to me alone—it was ours.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"We did good, Gob." I whispered internally.
Now it was time to present these creations at the value they deserved.
I took a step forward and began setting up my display.
One by one, I took the items out of my bag with care. Each carried the marks of weeks of effort, sweat, and patience. The daggers forged with the Alpha Wolf’s Claw, the armors I had shaped with my own hands… I gave each piece one last glance. The shinier ones went to the front, the eye-catchers in the center.
Then, by old habit, I laid out a black cloth on the stone floor. Pressed it flat and secured the corners with small rocks. Everything was ready.
I had chosen a small empty spot just off the main road within the Tower. It was away from the biggest shops but still in a high-traffic area. It reminded me of the place where I used to sell my first potions. Just like back then, I didn’t have much choice.
All that was left now: wait.
As time passed, my eyes wandered to the passing crowd. Everyone seemed to be heading somewhere.
Some carried shopping bags, others looked freshly bloodied—probably returning from a hunt.
But none of them even looked my way.
I sat cross-legged behind the stand, elbow on knee, idly turning my thumb in my palm.
The armors shimmered, the daggers practically whispered—but the only sound around was the murmur of the crowd.
I shook my head slightly and smiled.
"It’s not just what you sell. It’s how you sell it."
My weapons were high-quality. My armor was functional.
But in this market, value wasn’t just about content—it was about visibility.
Other stalls had dancing magical lights, flashy enchantments, even animated signs.
I had none of that.
Just a wooden signboard. And it read:
"Real Wolf Fangs Sold Here."
If the right person passed by, it might catch attention...
But for now, my voice was drowned beneath the noise of bigger names.
Elbows resting on knees, I lowered my head slightly, eyes still on my wares.
Some passersby didn’t even notice the difference, others glanced and moved on.
"That’s not a sword," one muttered, "looks more like a trinket."
I chuckled internally.
"Try poking yourself with that venom dagger and see if it’s a trinket..."
But the truth was—
My materials were premium.
My craftsmanship was solid.
Yet the city's marketplace revolved not only around quality but also around stories and branding.
"..." I muttered to myself.
"If people don’t know you exist, they’ll never know how good your weapons are."
I took a deep breath.
"No ads? Then I’ll put on a show."
Then, slowly, I stood up.
Picked a few throwing knives—
And started crafting a small plan.