The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 85

Chapter 85   The Right Competitor

At the Workshop, Aina and Wayne were once again locked in competition.

Their goal for the day was to make ten swords.

Wayne and Aina were working on their fifth swords.

(Alright. Today, I’m keeping up with Aina’s pace. If I keep this up, I can do it.)

Wayne added the final strike, completing his sword. However, the quality was slightly subpar for a C-class sword.

(Is it a bit off? Is the durability okay? It should be… Alright, onto the next sword…)

“Wayne!”

Startled by Laurent’s call, Wayne flinched.

“Wh-what is it?”

“That sword is D-class. The durability is insufficient.”

“No way, that can’t be right. It must be a mistake.”

“There are no mistakes here. As the guild leader, I can’t allow a sword of that quality to enter the market. You need to redo it.”

“Damn it…”

Reluctantly, Wayne prepared new iron.

(Damn, Laurent’s making me waste time.)

Trying to catch up to Aina, Wayne increased his hammering speed. However, the faster he tried to go, the less precise his strikes became.

“Wayne, you’re getting sloppy. Slow down and be more precise.”

“No, I’m doing it carefully. It’s fine. This will meet the requirements.”

But soon, Wayne found himself unable to grip the hammer properly.

(What’s this? My fingers aren’t…）

Wayne couldn’t manage to strike the iron accurately, ending up just scratching the surface.

“Damn it.”

[Wayne Melzer’s Status]

Strength: 20 (↘︎20) – 70

Endurance: 40 – 70

(His strength is dropping. His stats are still unstable.)

Wayne’s shaping of the iron became increasingly poor.

Laurent, unable to watch any longer, intervened.

“Wayne, your strength is decreasing. Because your endurance is unstable, your stats are falling, and your performance isn’t consistent. Until your endurance stabilizes, let Rody help you with the work.”

“I’m fine on my own. I work better this way.”

(Right. He isn’t the type to take advice easily.)

Rody looked at Wayne with a disinterested expression.

(Ah, refusing Laurent’s advice like that. He’s just getting worse. What is he thinking? Without speed or quality, he’s only hurting his position. Doesn’t he realize that?)

Wayne kept struggling on his own, but the result was an E-class sword.

Meanwhile, Aina finished making her ten C-class swords.

“All done. Rody, could you put these away?”

“Oh, sure.”

“I’m heading to the break room.”

Aina handed her hammer to Rody and left the workshop.

“Damn it.”

Wayne angrily smashed his E-class sword on the workbench, shattering it into pieces.

Rody winced at the sight.

(This guy’s attitude is unbearable. Doesn’t he realize how tough it is for those of us trying to support him?)

“What are you doing, Wayne? That’s dangerous,” Laurent said, but Wayne ignored him, turning away to start over.

“Wait a minute.”

Laurent grabbed Wayne’s shoulder, stopping him.

“What?”

Wayne glared at Laurent with a look that could kill.

“Why are you in such a hurry?”

“…”

“Does it have something to do with you leaving ‘Dragon’s Ember’?”

“I’m not in a hurry. Let go of me!”

Wayne shook off Laurent’s hand.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Don’t follow me.”

Wayne left the workshop, gritting his teeth.

(Why? Why can’t I beat that woman? Are my skills and stats really inferior to hers? No, that can’t be. I’m just having an off day. Tomorrow, for sure…)

Laurent and Rody tidied up the scattered workbench together.

(Wayne is completely losing control. If this continues, it will negatively affect the entire workshop. I need to do something about it.)

“Laurent, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Laurent turned towards the voice calling his name. At the entrance of the workshop stood Dylan, looking concerned.

“The shops won’t buy our equipment? Why on earth not?” Laurent asked, confused.

“It seems they’re concerned about maintenance,” Dylan replied.

“Maintenance?”

“Yes. The weapon shops on this island rely not just on the sale price of the equipment, but also on maintenance fees for their income. Most shops employ alchemists who handle the upkeep of worn-out gear. But this ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’ on the blue armor…”

“Only Aina can maintain it… I see.”

“Exactly. For equipment to be distributed to retail, it must be something that alchemists with ordinary skills, not unique ones, can maintain.”

“I understand.”

(I thought differentiating the product would make it sell easily, but using a unique skill to create the product has backfired.)

“Got it. We’ll handle it on our end. Let’s hold off on expanding to retail for now. Dylan, get back to pitching to the Adventurers’ Guild.”

“Understood.”

“Aina, Rody, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Laurent called out to the two as they prepared for their afternoon tasks.

“Yes, what is it?”

“We’ve run into a problem with expanding our sales to retail. According to Dylan…”

Laurent explained what he had learned from Dylan.

“I see. Maintenance fees, huh?”

“That was a blind spot for us.”

“If we continue like this, our plans to expand to retail will fall through. So, I’m thinking of developing new equipment that incorporates the ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’ but can still be maintained by alchemists with ordinary skills. Aina, Rody, I’d like you to step away from your usual duties and focus on developing this new equipment.”

“Away from our usual duties… But then, what about the regular work?” Aina asked.

“Wayne will handle it.”

“…Are you sure? Can we really trust him with that?”

Aina’s distrust was evident in her tone.

“I know Wayne has issues, and I’ll handle him. I need you both to focus on developing the new equipment.”

“Understood,” Aina replied.

Aina immediately began working on the new equipment. She started by applying the ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’ to various colors of paint.

(To develop new equipment, the current blue ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’ won’t work. I need to find new special effects besides ‘Reflection’.)

She took some old armor from storage, painted them in different colors, and applied enchantments to each. Some enchantments had no effect, but others caused the armor to harden or become gelatinous.

(Alright. Some of them reacted. They should have some special effects now. I’ll have Laurent appraise them and then pass them to Rody for design.)

Meanwhile, Rody was drafting designs.

(Equipment that regular alchemists can maintain… If ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’ is exposed, only Aina can repair it when it gets worn down in battle. But ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’ is meant to protect the exterior. How do I keep the coating from being exposed yet still protect the exterior? It’s a contradiction.)

Rody scratched his head in frustration as laurent and Aina entered.

“How’s it going, Rody?”

“Oh, Laurent. It’s tough,” Rody replied.

“Hmm, let’s see. So, you’re thinking of putting the ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’ on the inside?”

Rody’s design showed the coating sandwiched between the armor’s exterior and interior layers.

“Yeah. If we can’t repair it when it peels off, I thought putting it inside might help. But it’s not working; it defeats the purpose of protecting the exterior.”

“Not a bad idea. Take a look at this,” Laurent said, showing Rody an old piece of armor covered in a green film.

Rody touched the green film. “This feels like… rubber?”

“Aina discovered a new special effect of the ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’: ‘Elastic Flexibility.'”

【Old Armor Stats】

Power: 10

Durability: 30 (+20 from ‘Exterior Reinforcement Coating’)

Special Effect: Elastic Flexibility

“‘Elastic Flexibility’ implies flexibility. This special effect might allow us to utilize the protective function of ‘Exterior Enhancement Coating’ even if it’s placed inside the armor.”

“I see. I’ll try it out right away.”

“Let’s discuss this,” Laurent said.

Aina and Rody started exchanging ideas based on the new design and special effect.

(Aina and Rody are gaining a deeper understanding of their skills. This is a good sign. Their manufacturing and development speed is improving. Now that this is sorted, I need to deal with Wayne.)

Laurent began a new round of recruitment to find a partner for Wayne.

(Wayne is off his game because he’s trying to keep up with Aina’s agility, pushing himself to work faster than he can handle. His overly competitive nature is backfiring. To channel his competitive spirit positively, he needs a rival of equal level.)

It wasn’t long before the perfect candidate appeared.

This young man had short black hair, a serious demeanor, and an easygoing vibe. Though small and slender, he was not weak, possessing a lean, springy strength that suggested agility.

Aize Galner’s Skills and Stats:

Skills

Metal Shaping: C→B

Stats

Strength: 40-60

Toughness: 40-60

(I found him. An alchemist with similar strength and toughness to Wayne, even when Wayne’s off his game. And…)

Aize Galner’s Stats:

Agility: 70-90

(His agility is exceptionally high. Even without unique skills, he can be very effective as support staff.)

“My name is Aize Galner. Due to the landslide caused by the recent ‘Giant Fire Dragon Grand Fafnir’ incident, the workshop of my guild was destroyed, and I lost my job. I have high agility, so I excel at quick and efficient work. I was valued for this and worked as support staff at my previous workshop.”

“I see. Well, we’ll have you work as support staff here as well. But if you don’t mind, could you start as a main staff member?”

“As main staff?”

“Yes. We’re currently short-staffed in ‘Metal Shaping.’ We plan to hire more people soon, but for now, we’d like you to handle ‘Metal Shaping.’ Of course, you’ll be compensated accordingly.”

“Sure, but my strength isn’t that high. Can I really do ‘Metal Shaping’?”

“Don’t worry. We’ll provide adequate support here. We won’t push you too hard.”

“Alright, that’s fine.”

And so, the next day, Aize started working at the ‘Workshop.’

When Wayne opened the door and entered the workshop, he noticed that something was a bit different from the day before.

(Huh? What’s this? There’s an extra workbench. And it’s right next to mine…)

“Good morning, Wayne.”

“Laurent, there’s an extra workbench here.”

“Ah, that’s for the new guy.”

“New guy…?”

“Yeah. Aina is working on developing new equipment, so I hired someone to fill in for her.”

“I see.”

(Damn it. Aina gets to work on new gear while I’m still stuck making Class C equipment. This sucks.)

“He should be here any minute… Ah, here he comes. Let me introduce him. This is Aize.”

“Hey there. I’m Aize Galner.”

“Hey.”

“Aize, this is your workbench.”

Roland indicated the workbench right next to Wayne’s.

“You’ll be making Class C armor. Here’s the design blueprint.”

“Class C, huh? Well, I think I can handle that.”

Wayne eyed Aize suspiciously.

(Who is this guy? Can he really do this?)

“Aize used to work as support staff, so this is his first time being the main person for shaping,” Roland added, noting Wayne’s expression.

“Oh, really?”

“Well, let’s get started then.”

Laurent placed a partition between Wayne and Aina so they couldn’t see each other, ensuring Wayne could focus solely on his competition with Aize.

As soon as they started working, Aize began hammering the iron at an incredible speed.

(No way, this guy’s fast. Faster than Aina… Crap, I’m already losing to Aina. I can’t afford to lose to this guy too…)

However, the armor that Aize shaped quickly started to fall apart.

In the end, the armor Aize made was only Class E.

“Huh? Why isn’t it working?”

Wayne slumped in frustration.

(This guy… He’s fast, but his quality is terrible! What a scare.)

“Damn it. That’s not how it’s done. ‘Metal shaping’ should be like this.”

Wayne swung his hammer with precision and struck the ore firmly.

The ore transformed, solidifying into a stable form.

“Oh, I see. You need to put that much force into it.”

“You’re just moving your hands fast, but your strikes lack power. Take it slow and be more thorough.”

“Got it.”

Wayne and Aize slowed their pace and started hammering the iron more carefully.

The iron held its shape, gradually forming into armor.

Laurent watched them closely.

(It seems to be working for now.)

Saki then brought them some tea.

“Good work, everyone.”

“Saki, thanks.”

“So, you’ve got a new member, I see.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s great to see the business is doing well. Wayne seems more relaxed and in better shape today. He was so off his game yesterday.”

“Yes, until yesterday, he was trying too hard to compete with Aina’s agility and lost his rhythm. But now that his competitor is Aize, he’s regaining his composure.”

“You hired someone new just for that?”

“Wayne’s the type who hates taking advice from others and is very competitive. Since he doesn’t respond well to direct advice, I had to change the environment so he could find his pace on his own.”

“I see. That’s impressive, Laurent. You really know how to manage people.”

“It’s nothing special. Besides, today’s work isn’t over yet.”

【Wayne Melzer Status】

Strength: 30 (↘︎10) – 70

Toughness: 30 (↘︎10) -–70

【Aize Galner’s Status】

Strength: 30 (↘︎10) – 60

Toughness: 30 (↘︎10) -–60

(Both of their strength and toughness are starting to drop. The real challenge will come this afternoon.)

“Saki.”

“Yes?”

“Tell Rody to come here this afternoon.”

The afternoon came.

Wayne and Aize had lunch and took potions to restore their stamina before getting back to work.

“Alright. Stamina’s back, and today I’ll definitely hit the quota.”

Wayne, reinvigorated, resumed making C-grade armor.

(I made four C-grade armors this morning. Today, I’ll finish all ten.)

Wayne glanced at Aize beside him.

Aize had only made three C-grade armors so far.

(Good, I can beat this guy.)

Wayne regained his confidence and focused on his work naturally.

“Ouch.”

Aize winced.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Well, my arms feel weak.”

“What? Get it together, man. At this rate, you won’t hit the quota… ah!”

Wayne noticed that the recoil from the hammer strike was stronger than before.

(Oh no. My strength is dropping too. Damn it. I thought I’d hit my quota today. If only my stats were at their peak…)

“Aize, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Laurent interrupted.

“Sure,” Aize replied, stopping his work immediately.

“It looks like you’ve been struggling with shaping the iron. Is your strength dropping?”

“Yeah, I can only seem to muster full power about half the time.”

“I thought so. From now on, you’ll receive Rody’s support this afternoon.”

“Support?”

“Yes, Rody, please assist him. Handle all the heavy lifting except for Aize’s shaping.”

“Understood. Leave it to me.”

“Wow, it’s impressive that you offer this kind of support.”

Rody immediately began helping Aize.

He took care of moving the ores, transporting the finished products, cleaning the workbench, and everything else except hammering the iron.

“Alright, I’ll flip the armor for you. This is where you’ll hit next, right?”

Thanks to Rody moving the armor, Aize could focus entirely on shaping it.

“Wow, you can tell exactly where I need to strike. Rody, do you have a high rank in ‘Metal Shaping’?”

“Not at all. I’m just used to supporting.”

“This is a huge help. My arms have been getting tired quickly and I couldn’t apply enough force.”

Aize, regaining his rhythm, continued shaping the armor.

He completed his fourth piece of C-grade armor.

(Damn it. He’s catching up.)

Wayne felt a sense of urgency.

“Hey, Rody. Help me next. I need support.”

“I thought you didn’t need my help.”

“Just help me out.”

“Alright, alright. Man, you’re demanding.”

(Wayne probably doesn’t realize it, but it’s thanks to Laurent’s intervention that he’s back on track. Well, if that’s how Laurent wants it, so be it.)

Rody supported Wayne with a wry smile.

In this way, Rody alternated between supporting the two, reducing the depletion of their stats.

That day, Wayne managed to produce 8 pieces of C-grade armor, while Aize fell short with 7 pieces, missing their quota. However, the depletion of their stats was minimized, and by the next day, their stats had recovered.

【Wayne Melzer Stats】

Strength Power: 50 (↑10) – 70

Endurance Toughness: 50 (↑10) – 70

Agility Agility: 30 (↑10) – 50

Stamina: 60 – 70