My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

The horse-drawn cart wheels made a dull rolling sound on the bumpy dirt road, kicking up a trail of dust.

Xiu Qi sat in the carriage, closing his eyes to rest.

There are less than two weeks left until the college's first-year year-end assessment.

Xiu Qi knew in his heart that relying solely on his current strength was not enough.

The threat from the Fernand family hangs like a sword of Damocles, ready to fall again at any moment. The college's assessments not only determine academic performance but also the resources and opportunities available to the student in the future.

He needs more practical experience, to acquire more monster cards, and to upgrade the "Princess's" card star rating to further enhance his strength.

So, after asking Master Alvin for leave, he and Hodor once again embarked on their journey to Summertown.

The goal this time is clear: to venture deeper into the Grey Forest, hunt more monsters, and complete Adventurers' Guild quests to cover expenses.

As the carriage emerged from the forest path, the outline of Summertown gradually came into view.

Xiuqi lifted the curtain of the carriage, and a familiar scene came into view—

The afternoon sun shone on the roof of the wooden house, wisps of smoke rose from the chimney, and the air was filled with the aroma of roasted meat and beer.

Unlike the bustling harbor city, this border town has its own unique laziness and wildness.

The chocobo lizards moved much more nimbly, the three robust creatures almost jogging across the open area outside the town.

Old York the coachman whistled, his whip flicking lightly in the air, never actually falling.

"Summertown is so much more comfortable!" Old York turned around and grinned, revealing his missing front tooth. "Harbor City is too crowded, full of people and carriages, even the air smells of money."

Xiuqi nodded in agreement.

Compared to the bustling Harbour City, Summertown has a truly relaxing and rustic atmosphere.

Familiar shop signs swayed slightly in the afternoon sun on both sides of the street.

Ado was huddled in the carriage, his enormous body almost filling the entire space.

It peered curiously through the car window, its clear yellow eyes reflecting the receding street scene. As it passed the orchard, the ogre let out a low growl.

"Missing Grandma Martha?" Xiuqi asked softly.

Ado nodded, his huge hand unconsciously stroking the linen coat that Granny Masha had sewn by hand on his knee.

"After we complete this mission, we can go see her," Xiuqi promised.

When the carriage stopped in the town square, it immediately attracted a lot of attention.

After all, it's not common to see an ogre stepping off a carriage in Summertown.

"Gods above... is that an ogre?"

"It looks too docile; it's nothing like the ferocious monster of legend!"

"That gray-robed boy in front of it... he looks familiar."

Xiuqi ignored the surrounding chatter. He led Ado straight toward the "Steel Hammer" blacksmith shop.

Ado's massive body cast a long shadow on the street, and each step made the cobblestone pavement tremble slightly.

The children on the roadside were so frightened that they hid behind their mothers, but they couldn't help but peek.

But soon, someone recognized Xiu Qi.

"It's that monk!"

"The one who tamed the ogre? Unbelievable..."

Whispers spread through the crowd.

The way those people looked at Xiuqi changed from wariness to curiosity, and then to awe.

In this small southern border town where strength reigns supreme, the status of the strong is earned through their own power.

......

The giant, life-size black iron warhammer still hangs at the entrance of the "Steel Hammer" blacksmith shop.

Before even getting close, the rhythmic clanging of blacksmithing could be heard coming from inside: "Clang! Clang! Clang!"

As you push open the door, a wave of heat hits you.

The dwarf Baal was sharpening a longsword at his workbench when he heard the door open. He looked up, and when he saw Xiuqi, a smile immediately spread across his face: "Ha! My old friend is back!"

But when Baal saw Ado squeezed into the doorway behind Hugh, his smile widened: "What did you feed it? How come it's gotten even bigger?"

"Mr. Baal, we've come to pick up the custom-made equipment," Xiuqi said calmly.

Ado shrank back shyly, but the blacksmith's door frame restricted its movements.

Xiuqi smiled: "It's still growing. Is the custom equipment finished?"

Baal composed himself, circled Hador, and sized up the ogre's body, a look of satisfaction typical of a craftsman shining in his eyes:

"Of course it's done!"

"When has my craftsmanship, Baal Steelhammer's craftsmanship, ever disappointed you?"

"Wait a moment."

A short while later, he came out pushing a specially made wooden cart, on which were piled three enormous objects.

The first item was a cloak of chainmail. The armor was woven from countless steel rings, each of which had been repeatedly quenched and polished, gleaming with a cold, hard metallic luster in the dim light of the shop. The outer layer of the armor was covered by a thick, dark gray linen cloak, reinforced with leather at the edges, with a simple shield pattern embroidered on the chest.

Baal patted the chainmail: "As you said, full-body coverage. I added a detachable hood, and the shoulder armor and knee pads are also movable, so they won't affect movement."

He turned to the second item—a massive spiked club. The hardwood handle was as thick as Xiuqi's arm, its surface wrapped in non-slip leather. The hammerhead was forged from high-quality steel, covered with jagged barbs, each as long as a finger, their tips specially treated to gleam with a cold light.

"Hardwood core, steel casing. I've tested it; one hammer blow can shatter a half-foot-thick slab of stone," Barr said proudly. "Of course, it might be a bit too light for your big guy."

The third item was a giant shield. The shield surface was made of three layers of oak planks glued together, with iron plates wrapped around the edges, and a thin steel plate fixed to the front with rivets. In the center of the shield was a raised metal dome that could serve as a ramming horn for secondary attacks.

"Oak core, lightweight and sturdy. I rounded the edges to avoid injuring our own people." Baal patted the shield's surface. "It'll be fine against arrows and axe blows."

Xiuqi carefully examined the three pieces of equipment. The dwarf's craftsmanship was indeed impeccable; every detail was handled perfectly.

He was particularly pleased with the design of the burqa and chainmail—it provided sufficient protection without being too bulky to hinder Ador's movements.

"Give it a try." Baal rubbed his hands together, his eyes full of anticipation. "I've forged countless pieces of equipment, but this is the first time I've ever made a complete set for an ogre."

Under Baal's guidance, Ador awkwardly put on his burqa and chainmail.

The weight of the chainmail wasn't much to the ogre, but the cumbersome straps left it somewhat bewildered. Xiuqi stepped forward to help, fastening the leather straps on its chest and adjusting the position of its shoulder armor.

Even Xiuqi was shocked when the armor was fully donned.

A dark gray robe covered Ado's rough, grayish-green skin, and the steel rings gleamed with a cold, hard luster under the light.

The armor fits the ogre's body perfectly, providing comprehensive protection without hindering movement.

When the hood of his cloak was pulled up, only Ado's bright yellow eyes and prominent fangs were visible, making him look more like a fully armed giant warrior than a savage monster.

"Perfect!" Baal clapped his hands in admiration. "I dare say you won't find another suit of armor like this in all of Summertown!"

Ador looked down at himself, curiously turning his body. The chainmail made a soft, metallic scraping sound with his movements.

"Try the weapon." Baal held up the spiked club with both hands and handed it to Ado.

The ogre's enormous hand gripped the handle and swung it gently.

call--

The spiked club tore through the air with a dull whistling sound. Ado's bright yellow eyes lit up; he clearly liked the new weapon.

Finally, there's the shield.

The oak shield in its hands was like a moving city wall, able to completely cover most of its body when raised.

"That's amazing!" Bal exclaimed. "Wearing this gear on you is like being a mobile fortress."

I bet even fully armed cavalry would give you a wide berth.

Xiuqi carefully inspected each piece of equipment.

The chainmail is densely and evenly woven, with reinforcements in key areas; the mace is well-balanced, and the barbs are finely forged; the shield is sturdy and durable, with a sufficiently large protective area.

"I'm very satisfied," Xiuqi said. "How much is the balance?"

"45 gold coins," Baal announced. "You paid a 10-gold-coin deposit, making it a total of 55 gold coins."

Xiuqi took out a money pouch from his spatial ring and counted out 45 gold coins, placing them on the worktable.

The gold coins were piled up in a small heap on the table, gleaming enticingly in the firelight.

Barr's eyes lit up, but he quickly regained his composure. He carefully counted the gold coins, then took a wooden box from under the counter.

"This is a free gift." The dwarf opened the wooden box, inside which was a set of maintenance tools—a whetstone, an oilcloth, and a chainmail cleaning brush.

"Equipment needs regular maintenance. Especially chainmail; after it gets wet in the rain, you need to wipe it dry and apply oil, otherwise it will rust."

"Thank you." Xiuqi accepted the wooden box.

"Seriously, Xiuqi, you big guy... how about you consider participating in this year's Summer Town Sports Tournament? With your physique, you could easily win the championship prize."

"A competitive tournament?"

"Yes, it's next month. There are individual competitions and team battles." Baal rubbed his hands together. "If Ado participates, it will definitely attract a lot of people."

Xiu Qi pondered for a moment: "Let's see next month. We have other tasks to complete right now."

Baal put away the gold coins, then suddenly lowered his voice: "Kid, a group of people came to Summertown a few days ago, they seemed to be asking about you."

Xiu Qi's eyes narrowed: "When?"

"About two days ago," Baal said, "two guys in black robes were in a tavern asking if anyone knew a young mage with goblins and ogres."

No one in town dared to speak up—Secretary Erwin had specifically instructed them otherwise.

A warm feeling welled up in Xiuqi's heart. Scribe Erwin, that kind-hearted Summer Town official, was still secretly offering help after he left.

"Thank you for telling me all this," Xiuqi said.

Barr waved his hand: "You'd better watch yourself, kid."

"I see."

After paying the balance, Xiuqi left the blacksmith shop with Ado, who was dressed neatly.

Now, Ado is completely transformed from head to toe.

The cloak of chainmail provides a protection level equivalent to level 6 armor, and combined with its own level 2 [Hardened Skin] talent, its defensive power has reached a terrifying level.

The combination of a spiked club and a shield makes it both offensive and defensive, turning it into a true mobile fortress.

Xiuqi pondered: If he applied level 4 [Blade Protection], Ado's resistance to blunt, piercing, and slashing damage would increase by 65%.

With such defensive capabilities, it can withstand attacks from high-level professionals and remain standing even in a storm.

This investment of 55 gold coins is well worth it.