It had been two weeks since Jake secluded himself in Master Aaron''s basement.


    It took him a week to refine his basic jewelry skills and learn Savoir Faire Of Inspiration. Just like he had dered before, Jake was confident in creating a fire-resistant ne.


    He achieved this goal.


    Created from a fine copper piece, Jake''s ne bead received a drop of his inspiration, conjuring a fire resistance effect!


    [Your item, Archer''s Anti Fire Mage Ne, has beenpleted.]


    [Archer''s Anti Fire Mage Ne(Rare)(essory)(Durability(100/100)(100% Mana)]


    [Lv. Requirement—20]


    [Rare Passive Skill—It''s warm—applies an invisible fire resistance aura to the yer and his equipment. The skill''s strength depends on the mana stored within the ne. Current bonus: 25% Fire Resistance!]


    Jake stared at the ne bead resting on his palm.


    A spark of inspiration urged him to create a fire-resistance essory. It wasn''t a coincidence that he chose a ne, as Sin was the origin of that inspiration.


    If anyone knew, Jake would probably go all red before them.


    The skill''s name, It''s Warm, also made Jake recall the heat he felt upon picking up Eve''s Ne from Sin and seeing her tease him a week ago about its warmth.


    ''I didn''t expect that inspiration to work out so well… twenty-five percent of fire resistance seems huge! Maybe if I try more, I will be able to receive fifty percent buff! This is fun!'' Jake thought.


    He tried not to think about the inspiration too much, but Jake''s scarlet cheeks revealed that he had his meeting with Sin at the back of his head.


    ''After that, I should try to inspire myself with Cerberus'' howl. It was Odin that had awakened Cerberus, but if I craft an essory with an aura simr to Cerberus, my summons, particrly Odin, should benefit from it! Oh! I can make the strongest arrows for Fenrir''s Thunder with essories dotting arrow spines! It sounds so fun!''


    Someone else didn''t think it was fun.


    Odin attacked Jake''s leg as he widened his jaw and bit into his flesh.


    "Odin?!" Jake slightly jumped, as it was an unexpected attack! He looked below, finding his firstpanion gnawing on his calf as though it was a snack. "Don''t read my thoughts! Damn it! Why are you disliking the idea?! Stop biting on me!"


    Because Odin''s cooldown had been triggered, Odin didn''t let his master go until he was forcefully taken back to the tattoo stered on Jake''s right arm.


    Jake sighed with relief, "Sigh… was that jealousy? Fine! I''ll learn about bows now!"


    It was exactly for that reason that Jake spent one week on jewelry and another on bow crafting! Master Aaron had taught him a lot about bows, and his workce was the perfect ce to create the second Harbinger Of The Archer.


    Jake particrly loved the heat furnace as it allowed Master Aaron to control the flexibility of the wood the best! It was so much better than Jake''s primitive method of waving his bow''s riser above the bonfire.


    Each time Jake mentioned this, Master Aaron would rebuke him.


    "Yer have created many bows already. Each is of the highest quality, and yer have learned my Wooden Bow Mystery Of Craft. What''s stopping yer from crafting the second Harbinger Of The Archer?" Aaron asked.


    Holding his chin, Jake slowly replied, "Uh… how do I say that… I''ve learned new methods, and the facilities here are so awesome… I also should be able to make a sight for my bow with the jewelry skills I learned. But I feel like I must learn more or add something more so that this second Harbinger Of The Archer can be my partner for a long while.


    For it to be able to be continuously improved as I learn more about archery and its craft."


    "I see, I see," Aaron brightly smiled upon hearing this. "The answer to yer problem is simple. Combine jewelry with the bow craft."


    "That''s…" Jake instinctively parted his lips, only to finish his sentence with a faint smile… "so simple."


    "Right?" Aaron grinned. "But that''s what yer need! Yer should think of the inspiration first! What kind of inspiration would yet stuff into yer bow? Think about it!"


    Jake nodded.


    He''d think about it while performing a simple jewelry and bow craft. It''d not hurt to increase his proficiency in the artisan subss. Jake also discovered that his thinking became unbelievingly sharp as he honed himself, so contemting his choices was bountiful while working.


    After some time, Aaron casually asked, "Oh, I forgot! Yer said something about drinking two weeks ago? Yer want to go to a tavern with me?"


    Jake froze.


    He eximed, "I forgot!"


    "What?" Aaron narrowed his eyes.


    "I forgot to drink while working!" Jake eximed.


    "Yer cheeky brat ain''t gonna drink in my workce!" Aaron shouted, his long beard swaying left and right. The old master was mad, definitely!


    Jake shook his head, "No, I mean… I have odd circumstances—"


    "Circumstances be damned! No drinking in my workce! Understood?!" Aaron said without giving Jake a chance to negotiate the terms of work here.


    He was so angry that he turned around and left Jake alone.


    "Uhhh… I guess he''s honest about his work and passion," Jake faintly curved his lips. He was so absorbed in his craft that he''d forgotten to see his potential while being drunk! His new blood should give him various boons!


    ''It''s a good source of inspiration, though!'' Jake shrugged… ''Can''t really add this kind of inspiration to my bow… or can I? I can''t imagine the effect.''


    The only thing that Jake could have thought of was his bow getting stronger as he became more drunk. It''d be a bow of the drunk master, but Jake didn''t want to rely on that liberation too much.


    He was just too reckless while drunk.


    Atst, the sunset nketed Last Night.


    Jake decided to log out and think about the inspiration while bathing.


    Bathrooms were often said to be the source of the greatest ideas!


    -


    "I''d like to meet Mrs. Minerva," Jake said.


    Aaron widened his eyes in surprise, "Minerva? Why?"


    "I recalled her impressive spectacle of raising trees from seeds… it sparked an inspiration within me! She''s the source of this idea, so I''d like to see more of her magic and experience it in person. I don''t know if that''s possible, so I request your help, Master Aaron." Jake exined.


    It could be said that Jake''s time in the bath was fruitful. He received such a great idea that he had been raring to enter the game and talk about it with Master Aaron.


    Seeing Jake''s excitement, Aaron nodded. "I''ll speak with her. Give me some time. It''s difficult to meet her, and she doesn''t give up on her schedule at all… but she might stuff you into her calendar if I and Viktor ask her."


    "Thank you, Master Aaron!" Jake broadly smiled at the old man.


    Aaron said, "I''ll meet Viktor, then. Yer take care of the basement and hone your craft until I return with good news!"


    "Yes, sir!" Jake saluted like a soldier or a good disciple.


    Aaron chuckled.


    He left his house and strolled toward Viktor''s workce. It was on the outskirts of the capital, so he had a lot of time to think about Jake''s request.


    ''Minerva is on our side,'' Aaron thought as he caressed his long beard, ''She treasures Viktor as though he were her own grandson and is so close with his grandma that I wouldn''t be surprised if these two had an affair in the past. We should be able to squeeze Jake into her schedule and have him follow her.''


    At this point, Aaron reached Viktor''s house.


    He knocked.


    No one replied.


    ''Strange… this tsundere doesn''t really leave his house, does he?'' Aaron thought.


    That was when loud bangs came from across the door.


    Aaron trembled.


    He heard those peculiar whistles and those satisfying sounds of targets getting hit!


    He turned down the knob and entered the house!


    ''Ah, this… this is a passion reignited!'' Aaron joyfully eximed.


    On the other end of Viktor''s workce—the tree ntation—Viktor stood with a bow clenched in his left hand. Various effigies with skulls wearing red mantles were lying down at his feet, all torn and utterly broken!


    Arrows'' ends poked from their tough hides and bones!


    Those were high-level effigies that nomon yer could rest their eyes on!


    Only soldiers of The Warmonger Empire could practice on those highly advanced menaces!


    Viktor tilted his head and looked over his shoulder at the old master.


    He said, "You need me?"


    Aaron sneered, "Only for a short talk. I won''t take much of your time, tsundere."


    Viktor scoffed.


    When he heard that Jake wanted to meet Minerva, Viktor dropped a peculiar gaze at Aaron. In his eyes, Minerva was such an annoying old hag that he couldn''t see through Jake''s idea or inspiration, even with Aaron''s exnation.


    "It''s not up to us to question or see through Jake''s archery. We have yet to see it fully disyed! Yer want to lend me a hand?" Aaron said.


    Viktor btedly nodded, "Let me take a bath first. I''ll go with you to the castle."


    "Good," Aaron nodded.