"Without armor, you're just monster bait. Since you can't pay, please leave. We don't welcome those who waste resources."
"It's everyone's first battle, Ester. Kicking them out now is a bit cold, don't you think?"
A steady, cool voice rang out from behind the counter, shattering the tension.Lawson stood in the doorway, fully geared. He wore tactical goggles, his hands equipped with glowing mechanical exoskeletons, and he carried a heavy alloy toolbox.
But it was the crisp, white Smith's overcoat—stiff as iron and without a single wrinkle—that commanded the room.
He stood like a silent monument. The bickering warriors held their breath, suppressed by the sheer pressure emanating from the SSS-Rank Armor Smith.
"Consider this your Newbie Welcome Pack," Lawson's voice was dominant.
"Total repairs for everyone. Free of charge!"
Without another word, Lawson strode to Emma's pod. His left-hand scanner swept over the jagged plates while his right hand flicked through the tools in his box.
Fast. Precise. Steady.
People couldn't even follow his hand movements.
They only saw the shattered armor reforming and fusing under the guidance of the exoskeleton.
Every adjustment had a rhythmic artistry, as if he weren't mending cold iron, but reshaping a soul.
Finally, he drew a cloth and elegantly wiped the last speck of dust from the surface.
The armor, once scrap metal, now radiated a pristine, newborn glow.
Ester herself stopped her toxic remarks and began to clap.
"Complete. Take a look, Miss Emma."
From start to finish, it had taken less than fifteen minutes.
"This... this is SSS-Rank?" Emma touched the plates, unable to find even a hairline fracture.
She quickly reclaimed the data. "Thank you! Thank you, Legendary Smith!"
The hall exploded! "Me next!" "Master, look at mine!"
One hour later, silence returned. As Lawson wiped grease from his hands, he asked casually, "Ester, where are Dodge and that newbie? Don't tell me they 'Retired' already?"
"Oh, Brother Lawson, your tongue is still so sharp..."
Ester's eyes flashed with mischief. She suddenly lunged forward, locking her slender white arms around Lawson's.
This sudden intimacy hit Katie's sanity like a white-hot poker.
CLATTER—!
Katie stood up so violently her chair slammed against the far wall. "What... exactly... is your relationship?!"
Her voice was tight, every word squeezed through gritted teeth.
Her gaze was locked onto Ester's hands, which were now pressing her chest against Lawson's arm.
"Whenever Lawson was lonely, I was the one who talked to him and comforted him..." Ester poured oil on the fire, leaning in further. Lawson froze, his brain stalling.
He tried to pull away, but Ester's grip was shockingly strong.
"Lawson... you... you PERVERT!!"
Katie's pupils contracted with rage and deep humiliation. "I never thought... you wouldn't even spare an NPC!!"
She gripped the edge of the counter until her knuckles turned white. The sturdy surface creaked under her jealousy.
Lawson finally wrenched his arm back.
"No! Katie, listen! I just... every time I logged in, I talked to the guide first to get the gift packs! That's all!"
"Hehe, I was just teasing," Ester stepped back gracefully, giggling.
"Brother Lawson is as upright as ever. I won't scare your 'girlfriend' anymore... teehee!"
However, Lawson's next move jumped the difficulty from 'Easy' to 'Hell.' Lawson blurted out, eager to extinguish the flames:
"It's a total misunderstanding! Katie? She's my former boss and a good friend since middle school. We've known each other for ages! I have absolutely zero feelings for her like that!"
The air froze…
The anger on Katie's face vanished, replaced by an incredibly dark, chilling smirk.
"Is. That. So? Since middle school... just a 'good friend'?"
She turned her back on him, sitting down with a cold, silent spine. It was a declaration of war.
But Lawson, with the emotional intelligence of a guy with zero romantic experience for twenty-six years, just patted his chest in relief.
Phew, glad I cleared that up. She's finally quiet.
He had no idea that behind that icy back, a storm was brewing that could level the fortress.
"Anyway," Lawson turned back to Ester. "Where are those two?"
"Hunting the Brute Priest. The system gave them a massive bounty mission."
Suddenly, Ester's tablet emitted a sharp BEEP!
"Oh?" She looked down, her expression playful. "New mission for you, Lawson. I've sent it to your phone."
[Armor Smith Mission: Enhance Armor 20 times (0/20)]
Rewards:
Spatial Smart Band (Extract materials across space) x1
600 LP
"A Spatial Smart Band?" Lawson's eyes lit up.
"A mobile supply station! I can pull materials from the Forge anywhere!"
"Should be easy, right? As long as the warriors have the money and materials. Good luck! I'm out!"
Ester waved and vanished into a spatial rift.
"Easy? Money and materials are exactly the problem," Lawson sighed. "These rookies are broke."
Just then, Ester's sharp voice echoed through the main hall:
"Warriors! NEW MISSION DISPATCHED!!"
The atmosphere in the hall turned sharp and lethal as the missions were dispatched.
Lawson—the "Veteran" without armor—stood side-by-side with Katie.
His gaze swept over the five warriors who had just de-linked.
The cold corporate elite had green hair and wore spectacles;
Victor, the restless fast-food worker;
Valerie, the wild-eyed mall staff; a stoic high school girl;
And Emma, the anxious university student.
Their phone screens illuminated their faces with an icy blue glow:
[Mission Type: Stronghold Capture]
[Objective: Capture the Sector 5 'Brute' Stronghold]
[Rank: D]
Rewards:
500 LP
Enhancement Core D x10
"A [Stronghold Capture Mission]? Heh, finally." A predatory glint flashed in Lawson's eyes.
This was the aggressive smirk of a pro who had cleared the same map a thousand times.
He leaned toward Katie. "Get ready. It's time for {Moon Swift} to make its official debut."
Ester announced the departure with her usual indifference before vanishing into a spatial rift.
The warriors were left staring at their screens, fretting over the rewards and the cost of survival.
Lawson stepped forward, his voice low and seductive.
"Still worried about your pitiful wages and repair fees?"
That caught them. The green hair, Victor, and Valerie all turned. Lawson threw the bait: "There's an opportunity to make a fortune right now. If you don't want to miss the chance of a lifetime, follow me to the Forge. Let's talk business."