The Primordial Dragon Artificer System.

Hollen Kirkland was startled there for a moment. This kid was really serious. Let me show him what a bumpkin is truly is and it shall ever be...a bumpkin!

Without wasting words, he drew his sword and charged forward.

Rune stood still until his opponent had swung his sword. He side stepped, barely evading the hissing sword, and swung his leg out at the rushing boy's legs.

Hollen was send sprawling head first into the ground.

Rune confidently walked up to him, kicked his side and pointed his sword at the bewildered boy.

Just like that, he had been defeated!

Hollen didn't even know what had happened. One minute he was charging, and the next, he was crashing into the ground sending his sword flying.

How could this be, this kid was younger than him. And moreover, his body was smaller than his!

But there was nothing he could do, not with a sword pointing at his heaving chest.

Rune looked at the kid on the ground. The once boastful face was now pitiful, more terrified.

He shook his head.

"I don't want to ever see you again. Leave." He instructed to the kid as he turned away from him.

Sigrid had expected Rune to hold his ground, but she had underestimated him. He had grown more skillful and stronger.

She had not realised because he was always sparring with someone far much stronger than him, her! This was most probably the underjudgement this kid must have made too when he first saw her and Rune fighting.

Unfortunately for him, he learned the hard way.

Hollen didn't wait for Rune to change his mind, he unshamefully hurried off. All he could think of was to take revenge on this brat. How could he embarass him in front of a girl he likes! He swiftly hurried back to his colleagues.

...

" You have improved quite some, you are too merciful though, never leave your opponents alive if you can't break them " she flicked the sword of Hollen she had picked up to him.

"I will work on it my beautiful Lady"

He caught the sword hilt first while Sigrid blushed. He always find it very easy to make her blush. How he liked to see her cheeks, neck and ears turn red!

Pop!

[ A middle grade Iron Level artifact discovered, would the host like to refine it?]

The system immediately notified him.

Yes, refine and restore its original shape.

The sword disappeared before Sigrid's eyes. This is exactly what had happened with the healing fruit. Only that, back then, she didn't know what was happening.

Now she looked at him wanting to see what he can do with a sword.

[ Refinement complete and successful!]

A pure silver sword appeared in his hand. Its blade was exquisitely smooth and sharp. It was an entirely different artifact from the previous one.

[Host can enhance the artifact with runecraft]

Rune spelt the strengthening, sharpness, lightness and hardening runes onto the sword.

They seamlessly sank into the blade with a faint hissing sound.

The blamed shimmered each time a rune sank into it as if jolted by the soul strength imbued in these runes.

Sigrid: what!? What kind of runecraft is that.

Artificers used magical pens or beasts' blood to write down the runes before imbuing them with their soul power, also known as spiritual energy .

Moreover, the runes are always printed on the surface of the object! Never inside the object.

What she had just seen defied everything she knew of runecraft. Even though the runes used by Rune were the basic ones, some of which she recognized, the method was astonishing.

Rune had the system analize the artifact again.

[ 11 points have been debited to your account. An early silver Level artifact made of pure still and reinforced with strengthening, sharpness, lightness and hardening runes by a low level artificer]

Rune sighed at those credited points. At least the weapon had been upgraded.

He flourishly twirled the sword in the air before handing it to Sigrid hilt first.

She took it and examined thoroughly examined it. She had always wanted to see first hand Rune's abilities. Being told was different from seeing.

The sword was completely different..if she had not been here while the sword was transformed, she wouldn't have believed that it was the same sword.

He looked at him with a complex gaze before sighing and handing over the sword back to him.

" What? It's yours" said Rune.

" What? No, I can't accept this Rune" she shook her head.

Her sword was far much better than the one she was being given. But it wasn't the reason she was refusing it. The reason was because it was his sweat, most probably his first and only valuable possession.

How could she accept that.

Rune covered her hands with his and pushed back,

" Sigrid, I want you to have it" he softly whispered while looking her in the eyes.

This nearly broke her into tears. She reluctantly accepted it. To her, this sword was the most treasured object she had received from someone other than her parents.

She would cherish it wherever she goes.

To think after so long, she had finally found someone selfless and caring, who made her feel wanted for who she was and not her status.

She flashed and tightly hugged him, burying her beautiful face into his hair.

Sigrid: this is embarrassing, I never cry!

She sniffed and backed off looking anywhere but at Rune. Rune pulled her back and hugged her. He had never cared for anyone nor feel loved by someone before.

All people who treated him well before had always wanted mostly to use him or something from him.

Sigrid was different, he can never have her, but he can still care about her!

Rune understood her, after all he was in reality older than her in his past life. It's just that he was reborn in a younger body.

Supper was usual. They ate while having a light banter.

We need to move deeper into the forest if we are going to get stronger quickly, we need stronger opponents and not wait for foes to find us. Conveyed Lenthandra to both Sigrid and Rune.

Sister, aren't you afraid that we will come across higher tier beasts? This was Sigrid asking the dragon.

Over the time they had spent together, they had naturally grown close and closer to the extent that Lenthandra had allowed them to fly on her back at night.

They gathered their little possessions and stored them in Sigrid's storage ring.

They rode into the night on the back of Sigrid's horse.

.....

That very time, at a campsite not far away from where Rune and his company were evacuating, preparations were underway.

From Hollen's description, a country bumpkin was holding a beautiful girl hostage. But because the said kidnapper is said to have colleagues, almost everyone was going for the rescue.

How could they nobles stand and watch as beautiful girls get kidnapped! It wasn't because of their lust and thirst for blood, no! Never!

In no time, they were on their way.

.....

Sanders had looked for days for Sigrid to no avail. After searching for her at the edges of the forest for days with no sign of her, he had finally decided to venture deeper into the forest.

He had come to Valoria specifically for Sigrid, and even joined this stupid event just to stay close to her! But now where was she!? Gone! Gone!! All because of that good for nothing brat!

I will tear that brat into pieces if he isn't dead already. His hands shook with barely contained rage.

Only a week and some few days were left before everyone would head out of the forest to receive a token of adulthood before going back to their respective homes. If there were any anyway!

.....

" Do you hear that? Keep quiet and listen"

" No I don't"

" Me too"

" Shut up and quietly follow me."

The ones being reprimanded rolled their eyes and giggled before following on Augustus' heels.