The Shining Seed

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Learning Double Order 0/60

    "I've been smelting these, so they're clear of any impurities. They've also been carburizing. What I need to do now is knock out any remaining slag. It's half steel and half Troll's Iron, so the settings on the trip hammer don't need to be changed. If you like, you could continue hammering it along with the trip hammer like you were earlier," Hiroshi said.

    "Sure," Inoryu replied. He enjoyed this work anyway. He removed the lid of one of the crucibles,  carefully extracted the bloom and set it on the anvil. After double checking the mechanism and the space around it, he pulled the lever and the first crash of steel resounded. He then took a large hammer in his hands, and pounded the bloom as hard as he could in between the strikes of the trip hammer.

    When the bloom reached a certain point, Inoryu would fold it and continue. This went on for some time until Hiroshi decided it was good, and the genin went on to continue on the next bloom while Hiroshi set it in a crucible to melt in the blast furnace. He then extracted the large crucible with the pouring edge from the blast furnace, and checked its state. It was completely melted and ready to be cast.  

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Learning Double Order 0/60

    
    "Watch carefully, Inoryu," Hiroshi said as he retrieved the appropriate mold. The mold was unlike the previous mold that Hiroshi had used to create the torso armor. This mold was a closed mold with an opening to pour the melted substance. Carefully the material was poured into the mold and set aside by Hiroshi. He then did it again with another mold that matched the first. When all of the material was used up, Hiroshi nodded, "Now we wait. The substance needs time to cool in the mold and cast, and the crucibles in the blast furnace need time to melt."

    "Not a problem," Inoryu replied, "I'll just do some more reading." He removed the face protection and retrieved his book on the other side of the smithy. He continued to read where he left off, picking up where the author addressed certain techniques that armourers could do to be more efficient with their material.

    He read that section, and then he returned to the section explaining the properties of different materials. They were listed in alphabetical order, each page dedicated to a single material with a list of stats, a description, a picture of the ore and a picture of the material extracted, as well as prices and going rates. He started with the first: Adamantine. His eyes gazed over its hardness and its properties, the pictures then the stats. After absorbing the information, he wondered if he would ever work with that material. 

[Inoryu]

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Learning Double Order 0/60

    Inoryu was learning more and more of different materials and the tricks of the trade when Hiroshi stated, "Alright, the material in the blast furnace is melted, it is time to cast." The two put on their face protection and went over to the blast furnace. Inoryu took the foundry scraper and scraped off the tops of the crucibles., then he extracted them one by one with the foundry lift out tongs. He placed them on the anvil while Hiroshi retrieved the new molds. These were closed molds, similar to the pauldron mold but much longer to fit an arm. Hiroshi stood up the molds and one by one filled them up with liquid metal, "And now, we wait."

    More time was passed with Inoryu reading his book, possibly three hours consumed by meditating, until the first two molds were ready to be quenched. Hiroshi checked the state of the material and nodded, "Same process, but we don't need to extract the cast from the mold. See these holes here? It's a funnel for the cold water to enter the mold. The quenching happens inside the mold, and when you remove it, it will be a fully functional piece of armor."

    "Cool," Inoryu replied. He lifted them up in each hand, and gently dipped them in the icy water where they would take on the properties of carborized armor. He held them in the water for a moment before he was instructed to remove them from their molds. When Inoryu opened the molds, he found beautiful pieces of armor that merely needed to be polished.

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Sixth post learning Double Order 0/60

    The next few hours, Inoryu was kept busy polishing the pauldrons until the armor "sang". He admired the craftsmanship when he was finished, the details of the pauldron symmetrical, and artistic. Inoryu had to ask, "Where did you find these molds?"

    "Oh? I made them myself. I graph the measurements of my client to make a perfect fit, then I add my own personal flare to impress the client. It turns out, clients are more likely to return when their products are functional and aesthetically pleasing," Hiroshi said. Inoryu looked down at the pauldrons, and they were polished to pristine conditions. He waited patiently, returning to his book.

    Eventually, enough time has passed that the arms were cast and capable of being quenched. Inoryu volunteered to quench them and carefully retrieved the first mold. Slowly, and cautiously, he placed the mold into the quencher. A resounding hiss could be heard as the icy water met with the heated metal. Steam rose up out of the funnels, and Inoryu patiently waited for the steam to end. Then he would place the mold aside and quench the other. Again, hiss and steam as the icy water evaporated instantaneously to exit through the vents of the smithy. When the steam was finished, he put the mold beside the other.

    He opened the molds to reveal the armor. They were twins, like the pauldron, who appeared to share the same personality. It was darkened in some places and needed a polish, but the armor's structure was compelling. There was a short rise in the middle of the forearm, like the long tip of two adjacent ends running down the middle of the forearm, and a protruding wrist border.

    After polishing the arms, all that was left to do were to strap the pauldrons and arms together with leather to make cohesive units. After some direction, Inoryu combined all of the elements of the left arm until it was one unit and after some more instruction, fastened the pauldron. When looking at the finished products, the greenish hue present on every piece, he felt a sense of joy. He wondered if there was more that could be done. 

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

Learned

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

-Still continuing the Thirst for Power Mission

Learning 0/10
Craft Training
Rank: "C"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User increases the crafting of a specific Artisan skill.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Choose 1 Artisan skill. User gains Crafting Time to this skill equal to +5 per Class Level. May learn 1 time per Miscellaneous Mastery.
Limit: Must be an Artisan.

    After the smithy was cleaned, Hiroshi smiled and went on his way with his newly crafted armor and Inoryu was left alone to undress out of the fire resistant suit. He wouldn't leave though, instead he would remain there and pick up his book. Helping to craft more armor motivated him to learn as much about the topic as he could.
   
    He picked up where he left off. The nonfiction was enjoyable and well put together. It made learning for him a pleasure. He would imagine himself using some of the tricks of the trade in an attempt to commit it to memory. He didn't really need to though as long as he had this book, but he did it anyway for safe measure. 

    He flipped towards the middle of the book where the special materials were listed. He had studied adamantium already, the next page was a display of aeroglass. The special material wasn't as strong as steel, in fact it was 1/5 lighter. What made aeroglass unique was that it floats, it was something an adventurer might be interested in. He read on, passing time. What really made the book appealing was that everything discussed could in some way be worked in the smithy he sat in. He would feel a desire to work those special materials into something practical and to generate armor to better protect himself and his fellow Kusa-nin.  

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

Learned but your dangerously close on being a bit light on those first two paragraphhs.

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

-Still on The Thirst for Power Mission
-Learning B-rank technique 0/50

Efficient Crafter
Rank: "B"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User has the ability to use components efficiently.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Reduce the cost of materials for crafting items by +1. (Example Material Cost is 1/3rd of Item Cost. This technique improves the need of materials by +1 making it 1/4 of Material Cost). User also gains a +10 to Crafting Time.
Limit: Must be an Artisan.

    While still fascinated by the book, Hiroshi Miyamoto had returned to the smithy. Inoryu looked up to glimpse at the man who smiled and said, "I didn't expect to find you here. You really have an interest in forging armor, don't you?" Inoryu nodded in return, "I'll tell you what. Show up at the entrance of The Shining Seed tomorrow morning, and you could help me make another set of armor, if you want. With enough practice, you'll be able to craft your own masterwork."

    "Sounds good," Inoryu replied. 

    "I see potential in you, and I want to help in your development as an artisan. You are careful when you work, you have the patience of an artisan, and you are motivated. Otherwise, I would've told you to 'Get lost' the first day. You are also a ninja; armor will help keep you alive. Therefore, it is an invaluable trade to learn. Go get some rest, we have a long day tomorrow," Hiroshi stated.

    "Alright, see you in the morning," Inoryu replied.

    The next morning, Inoryu had waited at The Shining Seed for Hiroshi to arrive, and right on time he could be seen making his way towards him. "First stop," Hiroshi said, "to the shop."  Inoryu and Hiroshi began their walk to the shop, which wasn't far away, "I was going to get the materials myself, but I decided to take you with me so you could see the entire process that goes into forging armor. First thing you need to do, is purchase the materials you need."

    Upon entering the shop, Hiroshi went to speak with the employee. Inoryu would browse the items around the shop, especially at the display of special materials used to craft. While the employee was gathering Hiroshi's order, he called out to Inoryu and said, "It's a good thing for an armourer to be efficient, you save lots of Ryo that way. And when you get really efficient like I have, you actually don't need as much material as one typically would." The employee returned with the material in a rolling cart and Hiroshi paid the man.

    Inoryu pushed the wagon to The Shining Seed, and brought up all the material to the smithy where they would dress into the fire resistant suits, protective head gear and begin. He started by firing up the blast furnace and placing the ore in crucibles to be placed at the bottom of the roaring flames. After some time, he took the foundry scraper to scrape off the undesirable material on top of the crucible, then lifted them out with foundry lift out tongs. He would then spoon out the impurities in each crucible, revealing a dark metal underneath. He placed wax in each crucible to cause any more impurities to rise and placed them back in the blast furnace. 

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Still learning Efficient Crafter 0/50

    Inoryu was intrigued by the dark metallic substance and couldn't help his inquisitive nature. "What kind of material are you using?" he asked while spooning out more impurities from the crucibles. He placed another cube of wax in them. He was returning the crucibles to the blast furnace, carefully, as Hiroshi answered his question. 

    "It's umbrite," Hiroshi said while working the settings of the trip hammer.

    Inoryu went to look up umbrite in his book, All an Armourer Needs to Know, and immediately felt an affinity to the material. He would pay close attention to the way Hiroshi worked it because he felt that this was the special material he wanted for his own set of armor. After he was finished smelting the umbrite, Hiroshi pulled out a mold to cast it into ingots. As Hiroshi did this, Inoryu continued smelting more umbrite ore.

    The genin placed the ore in more crucibles and placed the crucibles in the blast furnace. He would then watch as Hiroshi finished pouring the umbrite in the mold and set it aside. Inoryu, by his desire to forge his own armor with umbrite, would look at the settings on the trip hammer and memorize them for future reference.

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Still learning Efficient Crafter 0/50 (third post)

    After some time, Inoryu used the foundry tools to carefully remove the crucibles from the blast furnace and used a spoon to clear out all of the impurities to rose to the top. More of the umbrite was revealed beneath. He would do this for each of the crucibles, and then drop in a cube of wax in each one before replacing the lid and returning them to the blast furnace.

    As he waited for the wax to cleanse the umbrite, Inoryu would go and examine the state of the umbrite in the ingot molds. The dark metal was still in a liquid state and would need more time to cool before it can be worked with. He merely admired the metal and imagined himself wearing armor forged of that material. It was almost calling out him to be forged and worn.

    The genin made his way back to the blast furnace, scraped the top of the crucibles, removed them from the blast furnace, and extracted whatever impurities were left with a spoon so that only the umbrite remained. Hiroshi had brought around another mold to cast the dark metal into ingots. Carefully, he poured the liquid metal into the molds. While working with the umbrite, Inoryu noticed that all of the shadows in the smithy were deeper and darker, and he was well aware that he could work this effect into genjutsu and stealth.

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Still learning Efficient Crafter 0/50 (fourth post)

    Inoryu returned to the blast furnace to smelt more ore. He would repeat the process another time with a zen feeling of flow and contentment. When he finished smelting, Hiroshi poured the liquid umbrite into more molds shaped like bricks, and it was set aside with the other two. Inoryu would then go to repeat the process one last time.

    Now three molds of umbrite were in use, meaning there would be 30 total ingots cast so far. His body and mind were in a complete state of relaxation as he transitioned from one step to the next. Hiroshi had been keeping an eye on the boy as he worked, to give advice, aid when necessary, and to basically manage since it was his material that they were working with. But, he completely trusted the boy with his tasks due to his tendency to be cautious. For the most part, he was merely spectating.

    When the smelting was complete, Hiroshi poured the umbrite into the molds, carefully with pouring tongs, and set them aside to cool with the rest. He removed his face protection and instructed Inoryu to deactivate the furnace by cutting off the oxygen. Inoryu did as he was told and pulled the lever that closed every orifice of the furnace. The roaring flame died and it became a time for patience. Inoryu would continue to read his book to pass the time.

    

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Still learning Efficient Crafter 0/50 (fifth post)

    Hiroshi had gone out for breakfast, but Inoryu remained with the material and the deep, dark shadows it produced. He had gotten through a portion of his artisan book when Hiroshi returned and stated that the umbrite should be finished casting by that time. It as time to extract the dark metal ingots from their molds.

    Hiroshi and Inoryu flipped the molds upside down and knocked out the ingots carefully, so by the time they finished, they had ten umbrite ingots lined up in two rows of five. After extracting the ingots from that mold, they each took another mold and extracted ten more, so that a total of forty umbrite ingots were lined up.

    "Good, now to carburize them," Hiroshi said as he instructed Inoryu to fill the blast furnace with a 'good layer of charcoal' and light it. Inoryu did as he was told, opened up the vents of the blast furnace and it ignited with its built in flint. The smoke from the charcoal was evident that he hadn't noticed before. Together, Inoryu and Hiroshi placed the umbrite ingots in crucibles, and set them near the bottom of the blast furnace, "Remember, the more time spent in higher temperatures, and the higher the temperature the better carburizing that takes place. The more carbon, the better."

    

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

Learned

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

-Still on Thirst for Power mission
-Learning 0/50
Master of the Craft
Rank: "B"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User is more proficient with crafting and can automatically gain a 100 to their crafting die roll.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Choose 1 Artisan skill. User becomes skilled in the craft they are trained in. User may elect to take an automatic 100 to their die Rolls when crafting using the chosen Artisan Skill. May learn 1 time per Miscellaneous Mastery.
Limit: Must be an Artisan. Must know Efficient Crafter.

    After about ten minutes in the blast furnace, Inoryu was instructed to remove the crucibles and start knocking out any remaining slags. Hiroshi explained the three-fold system of doing this to make the time more efficient. One bloom of umbrite will be pounded by the trip hammer, another bloom of umbrite will be pounded by Hiroshi on the anvil to the east of the smithy, and Inoryu will pound out a bloom of umbrite on his own anvil on the south side.
   
    After hearing the instructions, Inoryu got to work. He used foundry tongs to place a bloom of umbrite underneath the trip hammer (which Hiroshi would be working), he placed a bloom of umbrite on Hiroshi's anvil, and then a bloom of umbrite on his own anvil. Then the sounds of metal crashing against metal commenced, three-fold.

    Inoryu focused on his bloom, working it with his two-handed hammer, hitting it as hard as he could, folding it and repeating the process. There was no need to be careful as the metals clashed because his suit and head gear protected him from any potential sparks or pieces flying off, though there was none in this instance. He continued pounding the bloom until Hiroshi said it was good. 

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Second post learning Master of the Craft 0/50

    After his instructions to place the bloom of umbrite on the middle level of the blast furnace to allow to to continue carburizing, he set it besides the other two blooms of umbrite and got to work on the next bloom. His hammer crashed down on the heated metal, and the metal flattened out more with every blow. When one side of the bloom was flattened enough, he folded it and continued to flatten it. This was an important phase of forging armor. This hard metal working was to ensure that the metal had no more remaining slag, or stony waste matter separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore, according to his book. Indeed, sometimes Inoryu would notice a tiny substance fly from the bloom.
   
    When that bloom had no more slag, the set was placed in the blast furnace beside the first three so they could continue carburizing as well. As the blooms of umbrite carburized in the blast furnace, Hiroshi and Inoryu began work on the next three. Clashing metal resounded through the smithy.

    Inoryu felt himself sweating, working at the smithy meant being subjected to high temperatures. Not only that, but he was physically exerting himself as well, working his large hammer against the bloom. He hit the bloom with all of his force and molten pieces of sediment flew up and hit his face protection. He could see the burning material from the corner of his eye protection and was exceedingly grateful for the protection. 

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Third post learning Master of the Craft

    Inoryu got to work on the next bloom and counted how many he and Hiroshi had already gone through. He mentally counted how many blooms were carburizing in the blast furnace, "Six." He hit the bloom as forcefully as he could, causing a minor explosion of slag. His eyes widened with understanding. "This is why this phase is important," he thought. He wouldn't want any slag in his armor, he concluded it would weaken it.

    He continued slamming the hammer against the black metal, hoping to set off another minor explosion of slag. He found it satisfying, the material flying from the umbrite in all directions. It reassured him that he was doing it right and gave a visual affirmation of this. After the minor explosion, he hit the bloom with even more might than he can muster, and still more slag flew off of the metal. He did it again and yet still more slag came off. He did it again, though this time there seemed to be no more remaining slag.

    He continued working on the metal, folding it, and flattening it out again until Hiroshi deemed it worthy to be carburized. He extracted the crucible from the blast furnace and placed the bloom to be carburized with the others, then he started on the next bloom. Metal crashed with metal, and more slag being knocked out of the bloom. 

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Fourth post learning Master of Craft 0/50

    Inoryu understood why Hiroshi implemented the three fold system. It really did make a difference with the time elapsed. They were working at three times the efficiency than if it was a single man working the trip hammer. It seemed this was the most appropriate strategy when working with a large amount of material and you had an additional smith to help.

    More time elapsed and more blooms of umbrite were ready to be carburized and set into the blast furnace. This strategy worked very efficiently and before Inoryu knew it, they were halfway through with all of the umbrite. So they continued working in this way, in a productive self-sustaining momentum.

    More slags rocketed off of the bloom of umbrite and it made Inoryu feel satisfied. He continued working on the bloom and tiny bits of more slag rocketed off. Inoryu couldn't help but crack a smile as he pounded the bloom with his hammer, hoping to knock out more slag. Sweat how gotten into his eyes, so he removed his face protection for a short moment, got a clean rag and wiped his brow before continuing.  

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Fifth post Learning Master of Craft 0/50

    Before he knew it, there were only nine more blooms to go. The sounds of the smithy resonated throughout The Shining Seed and possibly to the civilians three floors down, outside on the street. The physical exertion was a good workout.

    Inoryu glanced at Hiroshi who was turning the bloom of umbrite underneath the trip hammer then return to his bloom on the anvil. Inoryu continued working on his own bloom, and time seemed to pass quickly. He rather enjoyed his time in the smithy, again, it had a cathartic effect on him. Before he knew it, he was working on the next bloom, then the next, until all 30 blooms were being carburized.

    Inoryu removed his face protection and wiped off more sweat from his brow. He was excited to see the next phase of forging the umbrite armor. It would make all the hard work pay off to see the umbrite transform, even if he wasn't the one to wear it. Rather, he would see this process done so he may forge his own armor.

    "If you want to have lunch, now is a good time," Hiroshi stated. Inoryu shrugged and began removing his suit for his lunch break. He would go out on the street and purchase an apple, salad, and sandwich, then return and eat in the smithy. He then continued to read his artisan book until the blooms have carburized enough.   

[Spectre of the Falls(Kuroki)]

+48 Tp

[Inoryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Learning Master of Craft 48/50

    As Inoryu read through the pages of All an Armourer Needs to Know, he was picking up numerous tricks of the trade. One that he learned even tied in to what Hiroshi had taught him that morning about being efficient. The trick was to always do research into the material you wish to utilize for armor, and determine how much of that material is needed to be effective. It was better to only get the amount of special material necessary, and to use steel as a filler. Steel was the cheapest material to craft with and had thus become the default. But by using steel as a filler, you retain the special properties while reducing the cost, as long as the special material's condition was met. The book used Troll's Iron as an example. The armor piece needed to be at least 50% Troll's Iron to retain its special properties.