Multiple different crystals of different colors, shapes, and sizes were placed on the table in front of Randin. When the little dwarf stopped stuffing his mouth full of food to look up at who it was, he could see it was an old friend of his.

  Randin was in the middle of teaching a class. Many people had been recruited and were now part of the blacksmith group. The problem was that they needed training in Randin's unique techniques, and he often would have to show them different concepts that had been created by the Dwarfs. Because of him, the city and everyone could enjoy his new creations and it was how they were able to implement the changes around the city so fast, such as the carriage that required no beast or horses to pull it.

  The others were hard at work hammering away at their work benches, placing steel into the furnaces. Still, Ray was disguised, so the students and other workers didn't know who it was that had come to visit them, but the only one that wasn't working was Randin, who was at the back of the room, eating. His favourite pastime when he wasn't working.

  Ray could have sworn in the short time he was away, the little dwarf had gotten more plump, but he wouldn't dare hurt a small old man's feelings. At least not a non human.

  When Ray arrived with the crystals, he knew straight away who it was. It was a feeling between the two that Randin couldn't quite explain. No disguise was going to fool him.

  "How are you, bo…" But before he could finish what he was about to say, his eyes suddenly moved on the crystals below. He couldn't believe it. He had never seen so many different types of King Tier Beast crystals in front of him before.

  He was incredibly pleased when he was able to work on the king tier bow, and now this as well. A broad grin appeared on his face, and instead of greetings, he went straight down to business, "What do you need?" He asked.

  "Jack needs a new weapon, a large one," Ray said. "It doesn't matter what it is or what it looks like as long as he can swing it about and hit things with it. The bigger it is, the better. Those were his exact words, not mine."

  "I like it," Randin said. "The more simple, the better. It allows me to be as creative as I like…" With a slight pause, Randin started to look at Ray, durng his time here, he had only created things for his city and hardly ever created anything for him.

  "And for you? How could the King carry on with those gauntlets while everyone else is using King Tier equipment? A king should use King Tier equipment at the very least, wouldn't you agree?"

  This made Ray think about his battle approach, he had been using magic a lot more than his actual fighting skills. His level of equipment hadn't mattered to him for a long time, but now that he had promised himself not to use mana steal on his allies. He felt perhaps new equipment would help.

  "If there's anything left from these after creating the equipment for Jack, then go ahead, I won't turn it down." Ray replied, "Oh, and there's one more thing."

  Out from his dimensional space, Ray pulled out a book and handed it over to Randin, before also pulling out a few pieces of the yellow armour he had retrieved from Zrey and handing it over to him.

  "Apparently, that book contains smithing techniques on how to create that special armour there. It seemed to have the power to increase a Normal Knight around fivefold."

  Randin's eyes started to light up hearing this. "I thought you had already brought me the main meal, but now you're saying what was before was only a starter. Smithing techniques I don't know of, and a mysterious armour with mystical power. Hga hga hga." He started to giggle to himself.

  'Ray couldn't help but think the man had a strange laugh, and Ray wanted to giggle himself, 'Ga, ga, ga, ga' he thought.

  "I don't regret the day I started working for you. I'll start working on the weapons and equipment for you and Jack's first. Then I will move onto this special project. I heard you would be taking part in the All Kingdom Tournament, and I wish to make you something before you set off. I'll let you know through somebody when it's ready."

  If Randin was able to figure out how the special armour worked before the war with the Shadow Plague, then Ray felt like they had a great chance of winning. The one thing the shadow had the upper hand on them over, was the special effect of the shadow. If one was infected with the shadow, it would give them a strange power boost and that included beasts.

  While the Redwings army was small, but full of highly skilled knights. However, the newest additions, including those that had just entered from the nearby towns, were not at a considerable level. It would take a long time to train them to the point they wouldn't just be cannon fodder for the Shadow. The armour would skip all that and would be a great help to the army.

  However, Ray was sure there had to be a catch, otherwise, why didn't Russell, Jack's father, sell the yellow equipment to others. Why only have so many men, and why not mass supply it? Either way, he would soon find out.

  Outside, by the green sash training area, students' lessons had ended for the day. The lessons were no longer taught by Martha as she was busy with other things, and she would also be one of the ones who would be travelling with Ray for the All Kingdom Tournament. She stood looking out on the balcony at the small model town that the green sash knights used for training.

  In her hand, was a regular bow, rather than her King Tier one. After the destruction last time, Slyvia had nagged her quite a lot, telling her not to do something like that again. Even though most of the damage was actually caused by Ray.

  She continuously fired standard arrows into the red targets all over as they would appear, but for some reason, she just wasn't into it. After the beasting outing with the others, she remembered the day they had all lost Monk. They were on the search for what had escaped from underneath the Kingdom.

  When she returned she had asked Sir K, if there was any news or information about the beast. Maybe then she could learn about what happened to Monk that day and why he had chosen to join the Dark Guild. However, Sir K had reported there had been no reports of dead beasts in the area or anything like it. Assuming that the beast had moved on from this land, quite possibly heading to the Shadow Plague continent or someplace else.

  "Monk, I promise I will save you…" Martha had made up her mind.

  That day, although the others didn't know it, Monk had met the person behind the whole Shadow Plague continent. This was what happened back then…


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