Episode 3

**The Grizzled Old Blacksmith** is the third episode of the Reincarnated as a Sword anime series.

## Summary

As Fran with Teacher on her back explore the stalls around Alessa seeking equipment, they're approached by Garrus, who suggests they visit his shop for some. Teacher casts **Identify** on Garrus to learn his name, stats, and skills and is impressed by them. Following Teacher's advice, Fran is guided by Garrus to his shop. On their way to the shop, two men chastise Fran in envy for being allowed to do business with Garrus, but he reveals they planned to resell his gear and refuses to do business with such men. A
curious Fran then asks Garrus why he'd refuse to do business with the two scornful men and yet do it with her. Garrus then claims he was impressed with how she handled the men in the guild and would happily conduct business with her.

In Garrus' shop, Fran tries on the equipment that Garrus offers her, and Teacher was impressed by their stats boosts and skills. Despite his continuous self-consciousness over how the swords in the city are more robust than he is, Teacher suggests that they investigate what swords the shop has to offer. Surprised that Fran would want to see his swords, Garrus then reveals that he knows Teacher is actually an Intelligent Weapon. Alerted by this, Fran takes a side-step backward as Teacher tries to deduce how Garrus was privy to his identity. Garrus then laughs and reveals that he has an extra skill called **God Eyes** that allows him to see past **Identity Protection**. Using his **God Eyes** again, Garrus appraises Teacher and notes that his skills are far more impressive than the others he's seen, which causes Teacher to blurt something out telepathically. Garrus picks up on this, and Teacher scornfully curses, but Garrus assures, Teacher that he merely wishes to have a chat as an intrigued blacksmith. He then mentions that after seeing what Teacher was, Garrus notes that Fran doesn't have to have another sword; however, Teacher points out that one of Garrus' swords is stronger than him. To that point, Garrus notes that although it has higher ATK power than Teacher's, he then mentions that Teacher probably doesn't know about Mana Conductivity. To demonstrate the difference between the two, Garrus retrieves the sword with 450 ATK from the wall and asks that Fran unravel Teacher, endow him with 100 Mana points, and attack the sword. Fran does so, and the 450 ATK sword breaks with a single swipe. Garrus then reveals that Teacher's Mana Conductivity was A, meaning he has 200% Mana Efficiency and should be able to charge up to 1k Mana without any trouble. Teacher deduces that his attack power would be over 2k if he uses a max of 1k Mana and Garrus praises him as one of the most impressive enchanted swords. Hearing this causes both Fran and Teacher to have a bonding moment that irks Garrus, who then inquires who originally forged Teacher. However, Teacher has no clue who may have forged him and asks if Garrus' **God Eye** could elaborate. On the other hand, Garrus details that someone of Garrus' smithing capability couldn't forge him; however, he notes that perhaps a Godsmith could. Garrus then details the history of a Godsmith and how they can forge swords called Divine Swords, of which Teacher is not one. Furthermore, Garrus explains that the only Divine Sword he's ever seen was called Ignis. Thankful for what Garrus has told him thus far, Teacher requests that Garrus create a sheath for him with the monster material he's collected. Unloading his collection of monster material onto the flustered Garrus informs Teacher that the material provided come from D-C ranked monsters and offers to create it for free. Told by Garrus that it'll take three days for the sheath and a month for him to complete the armor, Fran and Teacher leave Garrus' shop.

While walking the streets of Alessa, Teacher asks if Fran needs panties, to which she informs him that they're unnecessary; a lady admonishes that notion and insists they visit her shop. Inside the place, the shopkeeper shows Fran an assortment of panties to choose from as well as dresses. Following the advice of the shopkeeper, Fran and Teacher head to the General Store owned by a towering man called Rufus. After Teacher uses **Identify** on Rufus, it's learned that his STR is 150, and Fran asks him if he's an adventurer, whereas Rufus claims he retired and opened up the shop three years ago they're in now. Hence, Fran purchases a bunch of cooking supplies from the shop, and after they find an inn to stay at for the night, Teacher makes Fried Chicken for Fran. Once Fran finished her dinner and was dressed in her pajamas, Teacher allocated his EP to Healing Magic before they went to bed, to be better prepared for the battles ahead of them. Unbeknownst to them, a horde of Goblins emerge from a cave.

The following day, Fran and Teacher find some Healgrass in a local forest used as an ingredient in potions. They then find a fruit used to cure poison and then some Staminashrooms, which are good for cooking. Because they were G-Ranked Adventurers, tasks like herb collecting were common, as were subjugating monsters such as a few Goblins. Fran then hears the voices of adventurers in trouble and heads to their location and finds the adventurers Lily, Crull, and Eustace surrounded by thirteen Goblins. Arriving at the scene, Teacher spots that some of the Goblins are Hobgoblins. Hence Fran decides to rush in and assist the adventurers and defeats three of them with a fire spell. To prevent another unintentional bonfire that Fran created in the forest, Teacher advises that she use Earth Magic instead. So both Fran and Teacher, respectively, cast **Stone Arrow** and **Stone Bullet** against the Goblins, taking out a few of them in the first volley. Fran then defeats a couple of the Goblins with Double Slash, and Teacher uses **Stone Bullet** against one, allowing Fran to level up to 4. She then finishes all of the Goblins with Teacher's **Stone Bullet** and **Heavy Slash**. Once that was done, Fran approached the Adventurers and cast **Circle Healing** on them and, as her reward, agreed to take the Hobgoblin materials. When Eustace mentions the appearance of Hobgoblins signals a Goblin Stampede, an ignorant Fran and Teacher learn what it is from the adventurers.

After the explanation, a single Goblin signals its comrades, and Teacher takes it out with a **Stone Bullet**. With more Goblins on the way, Fran has the adventurers return to Alessa to warn them about the upcoming Goblin Stampede as she deals with the incoming Goblins. In doing so, Fran levels up to 8, and despite being surrounded and outnumbered by the Goblins, she refuses to give in to them all.

## Characters

* Teacher
* Fran
* Garrus
* Rufus
* Donadrond (Flashback)
* Nell
* Lily
* Crull
* Eustace