The guards led Shinon through the bustling streets of Haven’s Refuge and to the heart of the city’s activity until they reached their destination—a massive factory.

The clang of machinery, the hum of activity, and the smoke-filled skies made Shinon wonder how they got so much power to operate a proper factory in their dystopian world.

As they got closer, Shinon saw countless workers toiling within the factory’s confines, their faces etched with exhaustion as they worked with all their strength.

"Come on, keep walking." the guard nudged Shinon with his baton.

Shinon spared him a glance but didn’t react. After all, doing so would’ve destroyed his chances of finding anything about his father.

As Shinon stepped into the factory, he felt the collective gaze of the workers upon him. The arrival of a new face in their midst had piqued their curiosity, evident in the sidelong glances and whispered conversations that rippled through the workshop.

Shinon felt weird, judging by the way they were staring at him. It was like he had stepped into a zoo, but this time, he was the caged creature everyone wanted to see.

The guard loudly cleared his throat, and soon enough, a man approached them. It was one of the factory workers, a burly man with sweat-stained clothes and soot-covered hands.

He seemed taken aback by the presence of an unfamiliar face and the guard’s imposing demeanour. Regardless of that, he acknowledged the guards’ presence with a nervous nod. The guard nodded back before getting all serious again.

"Call the Masterbuilder. I have some business to discuss with him." the guard said.

"Right away, sir," the worker politely replied before pointing them toward what seemed to be a waiting room. "You can wait there-"

"I don’t have much time to spare, so just get to it." the guard interrupted him, and the worker immediately left without asking anything else.

It wasn’t long before he returned, accompanied by a man whose commanding presence marked him as the leader of the workshop.

"Heard you were looking for me, officer?" the man asked.

When Shinon laid eyes on the Masterbuilder, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. He had a glimmer of hope that his father might be in charge of the workshop and wondered what their shared reaction would’ve been. However, the man before him was a stranger.

’This doesn’t change a thing,’ Shinon reminded himself as he took another look at the man. ’Dad could still be here, somewhere in the city.’

The Masterbuilder was a middle-aged man with a grizzled beard and a stern face, examining Shinon with a sharp gaze. It was as if he was assessing every fibre of Shinon’s being, searching for something more than mere appearances.

"We’ve brought this new worker. He claims to be a blacksmith and wishes to join our ranks like the rest," The guard wasted no time and spoke to the Masterbuilder. "We need you to test his skill and decide if he’s worth employing."

"I’m sorry, officer," the Masterbuilder replied, pointing around him. "As you can see, we’re already packed with workers. We don’t need anymore-"

"I don’t remember asking for your advice, Makarov," the guard menacingly spoke. "Just do as I say, and none of your family members will have trouble walking through the alleys at night if you know what I mean."

"Very well," The Masterbuilder’s gaze lingered on Shinon for a moment longer before he gave a curt nod. "Follow me."

"Good, I know I could reason with a smart man like you!" the guard scoffed before turning to Shinon. "Go with him. I’ll be back here tomorrow to see if you are useful or not."

Shinon complied, walking alongside the Masterbuilder as they moved away from the guards and deeper into the workshop. The workers, their tasks momentarily forgotten, continued to steal glances at the newcomer; their curiosity remained unquenched.

The Masterbuilder led Shinon to a separate section of the factory where a sharpening table stood amidst a sea of tools and equipment. The table was cluttered with various blunt, bloodied knives and swords, their blades marred by brutal use and neglect.

Clearly, these weapons had seen their fair share of combat, and their sorry state was proof of the harsh realities of this world.

"That fucking bastard, who does he think he is!? Threatening my family like it’s nothing... One of these days, I’ll kick his ass myself! Till then, you’ll have to do," the Masterbuilder addressed Shinon with a rough tone, scepticism showing through his voice.

"You claim to be a blacksmith. Let’s see if your skills match your words," he continued. "The task is simple but crucial. You have twenty-four hours to sharpen these blades to perfection. If you succeed, you’ll earn your place among us. If you fail, you’ll be thrown out of the city. Are we clear?"

Although Shinon wasn’t pleased with the guy’s tone, he had to remain timid, so he nodded before saying, "Crystal clear."

"Very well. I’ll leave someone to keep an eye on you." The Masterbuilder’s expression remained stern as he left Shinon to his task.

As the Masterbuilder departed, a fellow worker approached Shinon. Judging by his expression, Shinon knew that man wasn’t pleased to have him there either.

"You’re the new one, huh?" the guy remarked. "Sharpening blades is no easy feat, especially with the time limit they’ve given you."

Shinon nodded. He didn’t want the guy to think it was an easy task for him and call the Masterbuilder to give him another job. However, strangely enough, his task was similar to the first task his father gave Shinon when he first stepped inside a workshop.

’Nah, I’m overthinking things,’ Shinon dismissed the thought and got to work. ’It could be mere coincidence.’

With the worker’s watchful eye on him, Shinon rolled up his sleeves, his fingers instinctively reaching for the first blade on the table.

As the first blade met the sharpening stone, Shinon’s thoughts shifted to finding the truth about his father. But for that, he had to get close to the Masterbuilder as he was the first guy Shinon thought would know his father.