Holding the hammer in his right hand, it was indeed very heavy.
But it wasn't truly unliftable; after all, his physical fitness had improved a lot compared to before, and his previous work of slaughtering poultry also required a lot of strength.
After all, you had to hold the poultry to prevent it from moving around, and also ensure you could slit its throat with one cut.
Durin swung the hammer and struck down hard.
Clang—
Sparks flew from the iron material. Durin swung the hammer again and struck down heavily once more.
Clang—Clang—Clang—
As the iron hammer continuously struck the red iron.
Blacksmith Kang and his son on the side were somewhat surprised. They hadn't expected this Ionia man to actually be able to swing an iron hammer. Each strike made sparks fly from the iron material, and he even seemed to get more energetic as he worked.
With the character card system as support, Durin believed that his forging proficiency would increase rapidly. By then, he would be promoted to a qualified blacksmith, and then he would be able to forge a qualified weapon.
A long sword sold in the lower levels of Zaun could easily fetch 160 copper circle coins. You should know that the hard-headed hammer he bought yesterday cost him 2 silver lun coins!
Thinking of the wealth that would flow in later, a smile couldn't help but appear on Durin's lips.
Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Durin felt his body filled with strength, even though his arms were a bit sore from swinging the hammer, and his palms were a bit numb from the vibrations.
But he felt he could still persevere.
But after hammering iron for quite a while, Durin was ultimately a bit exhausted.
His palms and wrists were also numb, almost losing sensation.
After all, the injuries from his trip to the mine had not yet healed, and his physique had not fully recovered, so his endurance was indeed a bit lacking.
"No more! I need to rest," Durin put down the hammer, his face showing fatigue.
The body is the capital of revolution. Even if you're grinding proficiency, you have to consider whether your heart and body can handle it.
But when Durin took off his gloves, he suddenly felt a burning pain in his palms.
Upon closer inspection, his palms were already covered in blisters.
To get blisters even while wearing gloves showed how extraordinary the blacksmith's trade was, and the suffering involved was beyond what ordinary people could endure. Furthermore, Durin also felt that his upper body clothes were soaked. And the muscles in his entire right arm were involuntarily trembling, a sensation of soreness and weakness.
However, this bit of pain was child's play for Durin.
Compared to the pain caused by the small stone figures during his trip to the mine, this pain was like a mosquito bite, insignificant.
Blacksmith Kang indifferently handed Durin a piece of lard wrapped in oil paper and said, "Go back and put some on your hands; you'll be fine in a few days."
Durin carefully took out a gold cogwheel from his inner pocket, his only one, and handed this hard-earned gold cogwheel to Blacksmith Kang, saying, "This is the apprentice fee."
Blacksmith Kang didn't take it; instead, his son stepped forward, took it, and then went behind the counter to retrieve six silver lun coins, which he returned to Durin.
"How do you plan to arrange your time?" Blacksmith Kang asked with a somewhat cold expression.
Although those Enforcers in Piltover were violently sealing various shops, his blacksmith shop was protected by a Chem-Baron, as it regularly forged some high-quality weapons or other ironware for the Chem-Baron.
And the Chem-Baron who protected him, to ensure his own interests were not harmed, would naturally have communicated with the Piltoverianss in Upper City in advance, telling the Enforcers not to seal his shop.
The eighteen silver lun coins Durin gave was not a small sum for ordinary people, but for Blacksmith Kang, it wasn't much.
Because, sometimes the blacksmith shop would receive an order from a Chem-Baron, and the net income for that month would usually be around five gold cogwheels.
Normal income generally stayed around twelve silver lun coins, with only a very few individual months where income would drop to only five silver lun coins.
Durin pondered for a moment and replied, "I want to come every morning to be a blacksmith apprentice, because I also have to work as a mage assistant in the afternoon."
"Mage assistant? You?"
Blacksmith Kang was a bit surprised; he didn't expect the other party to be an assistant for those mysterious mages with strange temperaments and unpredictable personalities?
But it was only a slight surprise; he then said with an indifferent expression, "I also need to make it clear first, you only have the right to stand by and observe and learn; I will not actively teach you. How much skill you can learn is entirely up to you personally. Hmm... initially, you need to start with the most basic, charcoal burning."
"If you think you can do it, then start tomorrow morning!"
Durin thought about it and felt there was no problem. After all, he was an amateur, so he definitely had to start with the most basic tasks, and besides, burning charcoal could also improve his forging proficiency.
So, he agreed: "No problem!"
Blacksmith Kang nodded indifferently and said, "Then you need to be here tomorrow morning at seven, and you'll finish at twelve for lunch. You can also stay and eat lunch with us; you'll need to pay three copper circle coins per meal, and don't worry, there will definitely be meat."
After getting a definite answer, Durin finally breathed a sigh of relief and left the blacksmith shop excitedly, preparing to take the elevator back to the lower levels of Zaun.
It was almost twelve o'clock, and he needed to buy something to eat on the way before starting his work as a mage assistant.
Currently, Durin's total assets were thirteen silver lun coins plus ninety-five copper circle coins!
Compared to his previous assets, the trip exploring the mine and digging for Synthetite crystal brought Durin a net income of six silver lun coins plus seventy-six copper circle coins.
Of course, he also acquired a more powerful weapon, the page hammer! And he got the blacksmith apprentice job he had long yearned for!
A wonderful life was waving at him.
He believed it wouldn't be long before he could buy a house of his own in Zaun's Entresol Level with his diligent hands!