Lock drew his sword from its sheath. The cold glint of the blade made Armin and the others shift uneasily, an inexplicable heaviness pressing on their chests.
"Boy, did you fight a Titan this time?" Uncle Harry frowned.
Though he mostly forged agricultural and household tools and only occasionally inspected Garrison gear, the seasoned blacksmith's eyes missed nothing.
He immediately noticed the abnormality—the blade was faintly stained with blood.
"There are thousands of Titans outside the Wall who love to eat humans," Lock said calmly. "Fighting them isn't the goal—but it's inevitable."
There was a maturity in his tone that belied his age.
If one didn't know him well, it would be hard to believe this boy was only fourteen.
"The brat's grown up a lot after that trip outside," Uncle Harry grunted, grinning.
He raised his large, calloused hand and clapped Lock on the shoulder.
"I'm glad you came back safe. But why draw your sword on us?"
"I want you to check if you can improve its sharpness," Lock said frankly.
With his own blacksmithing skills, Lock wasn't yet capable of modifying a weapon of this class—but Uncle Harry, as a senior blacksmith, surely could.
If the blade could be improved, it would greatly increase his chances in battle.
Uncle Harry didn't reply immediately.
He took the Ultra Hard Steel blade in both hands—gripping the hilt with one, the tip with the other—and bent it into a deep arc.
"Uncle, don't break Lock's sword!" Armin blurted out.
"No," Lock reassured him. "The flexibility of Ultra Hard Steel is excellent. It won't break easily."
Hearing that, Armin, Mikasa, and Eren leaned closer, curiosity gleaming in their eyes.
Lock himself felt a faint pulse in his chest—a strange thrill, a desire to wield this weapon fully, to feel its lethal edge in motion.
Uncle Harry ignored their chatter, studying the blade with full concentration.
He was familiar with Ultra Hard Steel from inspecting similar equipment for the Garrison—but this was the first time he treated a blade like this with genuine care and precision.
His dedication said it all: he was serious about helping Lock upgrade his weapon.
After all, if Lock had stronger gear, his survival chances against Titans would rise.
Lock stood silently aside, not interrupting.
Meanwhile, Armin crouched beside the workbench, examining Lock's three-dimensional maneuver gear with bright eyes.
Mikasa and Eren observed closely too—after all, this was humanity's only weapon against the Titans, and few could resist the urge to understand it better.
After several minutes, Uncle Harry straightened, a grin forming under his beard.
"You're lucky, boy. I studied blades like this in my youth. Thinking back now, some of those old methods might actually work."
"Thank you, Uncle Harry," Lock said with a faint smile.
"Don't get too happy yet," Harry said, pointing toward a pile of dull iron blanks in the corner.
"You don't expect me to use that scrap to upgrade your weapon, do you?"
"Of course not. Uncle, name your price. If I can get it, I'll pay it," Lock said, patting his chest.
"These materials aren't easy to find," Harry muttered, rubbing his beard. "They're strategic resources controlled by the government. But with your current standing, it shouldn't be too hard… depends on how much the Survey Corps values you."
While speaking, he moved to the cleaner table in the shop, pulled out a sheet of paper, and began scribbling down a list.
Lock leaned over to glance at it, immediately understanding.
"Uncle… you don't mean to forge an entirely new blade, do you?"
"What else?" Harry said, scowling. "Don't ask stupid questions."
Lock sighed. It really was a stupid question.
Ultra Hard Steel, once fused with metal, couldn't be separated without destroying its inner structure. Trying to dissolve the bamboo would ruin its flexibility, turning the blade into a rigid lump of iron—useless for combat or storage.
Lock's ears reddened slightly as he realized the obviousness of it.
Uncle Harry scolded him again, leaving him speechless.
Armin, Eren, and Mikasa burst out laughing.
Lock's glare in their direction was nothing short of lethal.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded on My Patreon
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