"Quite intriguing. Is this a God-slaying weapon?" Mithra stated, her eyebrow twitching subtly.
"Consider it a product of accidental genius. There appear to be some recognizable vestiges of individuals; there are also numerous skilled masters among the beast artisans," Fasellos remarked.
"Ordinary weapons, through sufficient forging and the condensation of enough dense, heavy power, can also attain the status of God-slaying weapons after imbibing divine blood..." Mithra murmured, repeating a phrase Fasellos had given her earlier regarding the necessary materials.
"Aside from Wandering God miracles, unless there are other specific mitigating circumstances, other miracles can hardly inflict damage upon a Wandering God. God-slaying weapons were conceived and manufactured precisely against this backdrop. Only a god can slay another god," Fasellos explained briefly.
"No wonder the sensation during the previous confrontation felt so strange," Mithra recalled some of the confusing aspects of her fight against the Night Hunter, but then pondered: "But I still managed to defeat it in the end?"
"Your fortuitous victory was due to several converging factors. Firstly, its current revival is extremely incomplete—not even a fraction of its former self. Secondly, you are a nascent divine bird, having preliminarily earned the qualification to slay a god. Finally, the Miracle of Ki can exploit this loophole in the established rules. As long as you can absorb divine Ki, then divine Ki can naturally harm a god."
Mithra nodded thoughtfully.
Fasellos continued: "Returning to the matter of God-slaying weapons, the task I require you to undertake is directly related to them."
"Please elaborate."
"Collect as many God-slaying weapons as possible."
"What is the deeper significance of this collection?" Mithra inquired.
"I am intensely curious about the later generations of God-slaying weapons and wish to observe them firsthand. Moreover, for your own development, an arsenal of wondrous God-slaying weapons can significantly augment your combat effectiveness. Of course, simultaneously subduing and controlling these reborn weapons, which are imbued with divine blood, will not be simple. For instance, this greatsword can effortlessly awaken the will of its Hunter."
"...In short, it's not an overwhelmingly harsh request. Even if you hadn't asked, given your influence over me, I would have eventually sought to collect them proactively," Mithra conceded.
"Influence is subtle and unilateral, and the initiative you displayed during our initial test was exceptionally gratifying to the vast majority of us, which is why I decided to engage in direct conversation with you. This interaction is on a relatively equal footing."
"Regardless, I have already received the gift, so I am obligated to perform the task," Mithra stated, showing little concern for the formality of the arrangement.
Being utilized as a vessel or tool by the entity supporting her was not an issue whatsoever.
If they desired to witness her struggle, allowing her to stumble through the process was entirely acceptable to her.
Rather, for the existence that had already provided her with aid, no matter how much torment was inherent in that assistance, Mithra remained deeply grateful.
She possessed no ultimate goals, no personal needs, and no driving ambition, so all of this arrangement was perfectly fine for her.
Fasellos perceived Mithra's detachment, feeling a touch of helplessness: "Your attitude, paradoxically, leaves some of my colleagues quite perplexed. Personally, I prefer individuals with more pronounced ambition; the more desires, the easier it is to stimulate the inspiration required for us to bestow gifts while simultaneously activating the associated cost... Ah. Of course, this is not to imply I dislike you."
"Dislike is useless. Anyway, you selected me, didn't you?" Mithra tilted her head, her tone placid.
"Hahahaha, while you offer no contradiction, you display no true reverence—only a basic sense of acknowledgment, perhaps... Very well, it has been a pleasure conversing with you. I eagerly anticipate our next meeting. Maintain your excellent work ethic, young one."
As the voice faded, the resonance receded into the distance.
Mithra stood motionless for a moment, then directly reached out and grasped the hilt of the greatsword before her.
Clang!
The moment her hand gripped the greatsword, all thirty-four eyes embedded within it snapped open, their dark, inky pupils, mirroring Mithra's own, turning toward her.
Her hand felt as if it were fused to the sword; even if she wished to release it now, she could not.
Mithra sensed that the Night Hunter's scattered Inspiration residing on her hand resonated powerfully with the sword, triggering a wondrous reaction.
The inspiration directly surged into Mithra's body, forcefully completing its absorption—or rather, its total fusion!
Mithra glanced at her now-empty arm; the reflection of a ferocious beast claw was visible in her dark, inky eyes.
But she had long been prepared for such an outcome. There was no way she could encounter this sword untouched. Encountering a situation mirroring Safin's upon physical contact was inevitable. Yet, the true ordeal hadn't even commenced before the bestowed gift impatiently manifested before her.
[Event – "Becoming a Beast"]
[Vista's Gift: You will absorb this powerful beast's inspiration in a more stable condition.]
[Cost: Awaken beast nature; transform into a beast.]
[Vista's Signature: This is your third guise. Roar.]
[Do you accept?]
Mithra gripped the sword with one hand, patches of blue fur sprouting from her body, her skeletal structure already undergoing subtle, fundamental changes.
"Bring it on." Seemingly oblivious to the physical transformation underway, she accepted the terms instantly.
The text merged into her core, and Mithra's body immediately seemed to shed its former constraints. The dark blue fur was on the verge of spreading, but was first overlaid by alternating patches of black and white fur.
Mithra's form mutated; muscles bulged, and bones contorted.
This was especially true for her head. She retained human ears and eyes, but the shape of her skull became pronouncedly canine and feline—monstrous yet possessing an eerie, captivating beauty.
Her lower limbs became animalistic and curved, making upright posture awkward but granting her significantly more explosive power.
Dark, inky claws also grew significantly.
As the long black mane behind her head flared out, this grotesque creature—straddling the boundaries of beast-man, human, and even deity—materialized amidst the pile of corpses.
"Roar!" After venting with a cry, Mithra looked at her hands again.
Completely transformed into a beast?
No, this was a miraculous intermediate state.
It was the direct result of her inherent beast nature gaining dominance, much like how a "Stranger" is the product of intense emotions overwhelming a normal body upon miracle activation.
This Vista had previously intended to tempt Mithra into a beast transformation. Now, she had seized the opportunity to achieve it directly in a single leap.
It was just a shame that the final realized form somewhat violated the original intent.
At the very least, Vista's most anticipated bestial form for Mithra certainly wouldn't have been this clumsy, amateurish presentation.
Unconsciously sitting up, the structure of this body made it awkward for her to stand fully upright. It defied standard beastman aesthetics, leaning closer to the poorly nourished appearance of the Night Hunter. Although Mithra's beast transformation seemed to have directly invaded and overlaid it, the Hunter's influence was clearly still considerable.
Even in the fur covering Mithra's left hand—the one gripping the sword—dark blue strands were intermingled, symbolizing the Night Hunter's lingering presence.
Clang!
Observing her left hand, it unconsciously lifted. As a result, she easily drew forth the Hunter Greatsword.
The eyes covering the Hunter Greatsword appraised Mithra, then slowly all returned to staring straight ahead, as if acknowledging Mithra's identity as its rightful wielder.
Beast transformation differed from becoming a Stranger.
Its raw physical strength wasn't as immense as that of a Stranger, but it was still significantly superior to an ordinary human physique.
There was no full-body Sensory Synchronization as experienced with Strangers; the level of Sensory Synchronization in this aspect mirrored her human form perfectly.
Comparatively, aside from preventing Mithra from rapidly losing herself to instinct, this state seemed entirely utilitarian.
However, because she had fully merged with the Night Hunter in this specific state, only then could Mithra fully unleash specialized hunting miracles, and better command the Hunter Greatsword.
Mithra lightly covered her forehead.
The incessant barking of canines, the urge to devour prey, wanton slaughter, and the hunger of predatory eyes continuously surged within her mind.
Unlike a Stranger, whose purely emotional wave merely covered their normal consciousness, an intelligent beast carried more fundamental, ingrained desires, ones that threatened to lead Mithra down a path diverging sharply from conventional humanity.
Crack…
Her body suddenly contracted, bones reverting to their human structure, the fur completely receding. The long mane at the back of her head transformed into natural hair cascading over her shoulders. Mithra shifted back into human form.
Taking a deep, stabilizing breath, she accepted human perception once more.
As a consequence, this form still couldn't be used casually; she couldn't sustain it for too long. It was marginally gentler than the Stranger state, but only marginally better.
She glanced at the greatsword in her hand. As the beast transformation subsided, all thirty-four eyes on the blade closed.
In this state, the Hunter Greatsword was merely a physical greatsword, capable only of basic strikes, completely unable to activate any special power.
Thwack—
She casually plunged the blade into her abdomen, slowly pushing it into her own body.
Her physical mass increased slightly, but the lightness and satisfaction of having acquired a new weapon were undeniable.
After all, this was her very first God-slaying weapon.
Mithra carried Safin's corpse back to his cave. After excavating a deeper recess, she buried him within.
After sorting through Safin's sparse belongings and securing the burlap sack he typically carried, Mithra moved toward the cave entrance.
She swung her hammer and directly brought down the entrance structure, sealing him away forever. Only then did she turn and depart without a backward glance.
...
Mithra emerged from the main tunnel path, strolling down the mountain road and back into town.
Although the Stranger form had nearly incinerated her mind, having experienced that powerful Sensory Synchronization—and wielding certain Miracles she hadn't fully mastered even in that formidable state—some residual effects lingered even after she reverted to her human form.
Her Sensory Synchronization, which had previously shown no progress, now extended faintly to her right hand.
Immense power was undeniably intoxicating, but the chaotic mental state of the Stranger and the progressive erosion of Self-awareness were sufficient to give anyone pause.
Mithra slowly retrieved Safin's pendant from her abdomen and hung it around her neck to ensure she wouldn't misplace it. Then, with a clear destination in mind, she headed towards the grand cathedral in town.
As she neared the town center, the density of powerful Cursed Beings noticeably increased.
However, they no longer dared approach Mithra recklessly.
Especially the spider-eyed monstrosity; even though all its eyes stared unblinkingly at Mithra, it lacked the nerve to deploy its ability to obscure inspiration.
Mithra's steps were light, producing soft sounds on the cobblestone road.
Yet, unbeknownst to her, a large swarm of Cursed Beings was trailing just behind her.
Along the way, she finally encountered a prepared contingent of Believers and several Nightborne Knights.
Upon spotting Mithra, they immediately assumed battle stances. Clearly, they had already received intelligence regarding the current bearer of the Eyes of Night in town.
However, when they saw the massive crowd of Cursed Beings following Mithra, they all froze mid-action.
Mithra raised her hand: "Everyone, let's inject a little more fun into this."
Then, she gently clapped her hands once.
"Screech—!"
"Ah ah—!"
"Aaaah!"
The monsters trailing her reacted instantly, as if a switch had been flipped, letting out cries and charging toward the not-so-distant grand cathedral.
The Believers, driven by panic, hastily engaged the horde, but within a short span, they were completely overwhelmed by the massive number of Cursed Beings.
The Nightborne Knights managed to respond with more measured calm, but they were quickly becoming exhausted.
Suddenly, a crimson vortex manifested directly, sucking in a knight who was locked in a tense standoff with a Cursed Being.
After releasing Ki Conduction, Mithra casually shifted two steps to the side.
The knight, bracing himself for an attack as he was being drawn in, was met not by Mithra's own strike, but by a familiar surge of dark blue sword energy!
Swish!
A knight was cleanly severed in half, his body swiftly devoured by the surrounding Cursed Beings.
Mithra nonchalantly patted the shoulder of a Cursed Being standing near her, then continued her unhurried promenade forward.
Such a significant disturbance undoubtedly attracted the attention of the church headquarters.
Unless deliberately manipulated by the source of the curse, Cursed Beings would rarely gather in such massive numbers or launch a coordinated assault with a singular focus.
The church had previously chosen not to overly concern itself with the Cursed Beings spawned within the town due to their ongoing rituals.
But now...
The source of the current surge was undeniably Mithra.
Although Mithra understood nothing of the cause, these Cursed Beings were indeed drawn to her, would not harm her, and even, to a certain degree, seemed to obey her unspoken commands.
With a simple gesture toward a cultist target, the Cursed Beings could swiftly redirect their aggression to whomever she indicated.
The resulting battle between the Cursed Beings and the church faction created a deafening roar, drawing even more Cursed Beings into the fray.
Thus, with a leisurely stroll and a mere wave of her hand, she had spontaneously ignited a massive street conflict between the church establishment and the Cursed Beings flooding the town.
Cursed Beings and church members clashed fiercely; Mithra meandered through the streets amidst this tide of chaos.
With a sack slung over her back and one hand resting on her hip, she passed by a room, slipped inside, surveyed the area, and rummaged through the contents. Adjacent to her, a group of Cursed Beings, having just toppled a Believer, violently smashed through a wall in a deafening clamor. Mithra, having anticipated the destruction, casually sidestepped the debris and ignored the ruckus, continuing her walk.
She discovered a wooden barrel on the street containing what appeared to be clean water, so she used Ignition to rapidly boil it before taking a long drink.
After quenching her thirst, she located several pieces of dried meat on the second floor of a nearby structure. Her beastly sense of smell confirmed they were still fresh and edible, so she retrieved them to replenish her energy reserves.
After a hard day's exertion, she was certainly thirsty and hungry.
Thus, casually scavenging for sustenance to cover her daily expenditure, Mithra unknowingly strolled all the way to the courtyard gate of the grand cathedral in town.
The Cursed Beings pushed open the massive iron gate. Inside, a squad of Nightborne Knights and numerous Believers were already drenched in sweat from exertion.
Stepping over a pile of fallen bodies, Mithra entered the cathedral sanctuary.
Inside, enthroned upon a hastily constructed seat at the head of the hall, sat none other than the elderly priest who had tried to deter Mithra earlier. Surrounding the makeshift throne were piles of sightless corpses, their blood still wet, some bearing clear bite and claw marks.
"It is truly quite disruptive..."
The old priest held his forehead, appearing almost asleep, still slightly drowsy from his ordeal.
However, when he opened his eyes, those sharp, beast-like vertical pupils indicated that his condition was far from as composed as his outward appearance suggested.
The Cursed Beings present seemed to have finally encountered something truly terrifying, daring not to follow Mithra into the cathedral.
Thud!
The cathedral's main doors slammed shut. Another contingent of Nightborne Knights had already surrounded Mithra.
The old priest slowly rose from his seat, his steps unsteady. Without the support of his staff, he might not even manage to walk properly.
"You were fortunate enough to escape once, yet you return to us with such an attitude. Truly ironic… Or perhaps, this is also the guidance of fate… Everyone must eventually pay the price for their choices. This town operates this way, our church is structured so, and so are you," the old priest rasped.
"You are absolutely correct." Mithra inclined her head, placing the sack she carried down.
Then, she popped the last slice of meat she held into her mouth. Her body suddenly swelled and transformed into a savage beast. With a wide, blood-filled maw, she directly consumed the large piece of meat.
The Nightborne Knights immediately retreated cautiously.
Then, they witnessed the cold gleam of the beast's claws flash before their eyes as she suddenly plunged them into her own nape.
Rip—
Flesh tore. The dark gray hilt appeared first, followed by the dark blue blade, until finally the sword, dripping with gore, was completely pulled out from the flesh.
All the knights felt a moment of suffocating dread. The dark blue light emanating from the weapon filled them with awe, surprise, and terror.
The beast stood upright, holding the massive sword with both hands, using it to shield the left half of its face.
Thwack!
In an instant, the thirty-four eyes on the sword flared open one by one, deepening the greatsword's dark blue hue.
The hunting ritual.
"Now, lambs, begin to offer your prayers."
The voice, a complex blend of the originally human tones and the beast's heavy, indistinct growls, issued from the monster's mouth.
The old priest's expression became even more vacant, yet he still waved his hand dismissively.
The Nightborne Knights snapped out of their stunned reverence, then all gripped their swords, their eyes gleaming, and unleashed Blade of the Unseen!
Streaks of dark blue light flashed, and several circular sword energies flew towards Mithra from all directions.
But compared to the Night Hunter's Greatsword in Mithra's hand, these Blades of the Unseen were undeniably like fireflies battling a blazing moon.
Mithra gripped the sword with a single claw, the back of her claw flashing with a hunting miracle totem—a swirling eye lacerated by beastly claw marks.
With a sweeping, grand motion, a dark blue, sharp, circular sword energy spread outwards, instantly overwhelming the faint light of the Blade of the Unseen, mercilessly consuming the Nightborne Knights.
Bang!
Piece by piece, dismembered flesh bloomed into flowers of blood within the cathedral.
The beast stood upright on two legs, one claw bracing its upper body, the other clutching the greatsword, slowly advancing toward the old priest.
The old priest's body trembled.
This was not fear, but a strange sort of excitement.
His complexion grew even more dazed, and his body began an anomalous transformation. Fur uncontrollably sprouted across his form. All the years of careful cultivation he had invested to perfectly accommodate the traces of the Wandering God's miracle completely lost control at this moment.
The man was on the verge of falling into a beast form while chasing the night.
This transformation process was irreversible.
Yet, the old priest welcomed it joyfully.
Even if he transformed into a beast smaller and more helpless than the black and white creature before him, he had made his choice, walking his chosen path.
"Continue, pray."
Observing this scene, the beast Mithra remained expressionless, and that combined, heavy voice once again emanated from between her sharp fangs, echoing throughout the cathedral, lingering long after the sound faded.
A continuous rumble erupted within the cathedral.
A bench was smashed by a dark blue beast. The priest-beast was thrown clumsily to the ground, only to struggle and stand up again. He looked at the black and white beast that now had one foot resting upon his former throne. Its majestic figure, with a black mane streaming in the moonlight filtering through the stained-glass window, swayed without any perceptible wind. That same Hunter miracle totem—the greatsword they had pursued for years—gleamed with dark blue light, its eyes fixed upon him.
The priest-beast roared, raising his staff. The Hunter miracle totem also flashed, and a large quantity of dark blue light converged.
That staff was a high-quality, specialized medium. Such a conduit was perfectly acceptable as a weapon and could even, to some extent, serve as an external miracle transmission point.
The invisible attack was released once more.
However, now, before the beast Mithra, that dark blue trajectory was exceptionally clear and distinct.
Swish!
She leaped, the throne was instantly shattered by the impact, and the black and white beast landed upon the cathedral's stained-glass window, its flashing eyes peering downwards.
The priest-beast swung its staff again, and a continuous stream of dense, flowing light surged toward Mithra.
Mithra traversed the cathedral walls as if moving across flat ground. Her black and white silhouette was like a phantom in the dim cathedral; one moment of inattention and her form would vanish.
The flowing light shattered the stained-glass window. Shards of vividly colored glass rained down, followed by splintered wooden wall panels and stones.
This cathedral had long been renovated to the point where its original sacred purpose was almost unrecognizable. Hopefully, that deity above wouldn't mind the structural compromises.
The priest-beast had nearly brought down the entire structure, yet it still couldn't manage to harm a single hair on Mithra.
Swish!
A streak of dark blue sword energy suddenly shot out from that rapidly moving figure, giving the priest-beast no opportunity to react before the strike landed squarely on its frame.
Fur swirled violently, flesh flew, and gruesome gashes were etched onto the beast's body.
And this was only the opening salvo. As Mithra's sword-wielding claws began to flash with successive Hunter totems, the latent power within the Hunter Greatsword started to be fully mobilized and unleashed.
Streaks of circular sword energy followed Mithra, scaling walls and leaping across the roof, flying toward the priest-beast from every conceivable angle.
Although Mithra's unleashed "Blade of the Hunter" wasn't as potent as the Night Hunter's original form, the current priest-beast was decidedly less formidable than the previous Stranger entity.
After just one offensive exchange, the priest-beast could barely maintain its posture, supporting itself precariously with two claws resting upon its staff.
And when the priest-beast struggled to lift its head, attempting to pinpoint Mithra's current location, it discovered that its adversary's traces had completely vanished from the immediate vicinity.
Suddenly, a faint sound reached its ears. It abruptly looked upward.
The black and white beast's saliva dripped onto its face. Its sharp claws pierced the cathedral's dome. The inhuman monster hung inverted directly above it.
Its claws released, and Mithra forcefully kicked off, plummeting straight down onto the priest-beast.
Simultaneously, she drove the sword into its back, the blade emerging cleanly from its chest.
Mithra gripped the hilt with both claws, the Hunter totem flashed once more, and she forcefully twisted the weapon.
"Roar—!"
The priest-beast let out a shriek of absolute agony. Mithra's superior physical mass, combined with the critical wound inflicted by the greatsword, rendered its final struggles utterly futile. It was pinned down, with no avenue for escape.
This technique this time was the "Night's Roar," a move the Stranger had once barely managed to escape via a self-sacrificing detonation.
Rumble—
The grand cathedral shook violently. Having already sustained previous damage, it finally succumbed to the immense pressure and began a catastrophic collapse.
All the remaining Believers and knights still engaged with the Cursed Beings felt the ground tremble in shock, witnessing the massive structure crumble before their very eyes.
Some unlucky individuals positioned too closely were instantly swept into the implosion.
Once the collapse finally ceased, observers discovered a deep, jagged pit in the ruins. Within lay a dark blue beast, only its upper torso remaining, and even that section was heavily marred with bite marks.
Aside from that wreckage, there was nothing else left.
...
Mithra staggered along the road, her hands slick with blood, her face smeared with crimson stains.
"Cough, cough!" She coughed violently until she gagged, spitting out chunks of tissue. Then, gasping for breath, she forced herself upright and continued onward.
Good, now she had fully experienced the adverse physical repercussions of prolonged beast transformation.
She couldn't help it; she had consumed that old man. Although she only took a small portion, she did consume him, quite literally devouring him like a savage animal. From a typical human perspective, eating raw flesh held no appeal, but her inherent beast nature was deeply satisfied by this physically primal act of "survival of the fittest," even becoming energized by the experience.
Along the moonlit path, she aggressively slapped her own head again, trying to clear her senses.
The barking of dogs was incessant in her ears. Walking down the street, she constantly felt as if predatory beasts were lurking in the dark corners, watching her; her own shadow even seemed to momentarily shift into a crouched, predatory posture.
"Damn it, it's too loud," Mithra suddenly cursed in a low voice. The dark energy surging from her core directly triggered her transformation into her Stranger form.
"Aah—!"
A long, piercing shriek aimed at the sky reverberated, shaking the entirety of Gross town.
The Stranger bowed its massive head, and in an instant, it reverted back into Mithra.
Mithra clutched her head, her steps still unsteady.
"Mithra… Mithra… I am Mithra…" She whispered the name repeatedly until finally, she raised her head again, a flicker of awareness returning to her eyes. Though, it was difficult to ascertain the true depth of thought behind her lightless, murky gaze.
The aggressive vocalizations momentarily ceased, and the agitated bestial state subsided once more.
Ding.
She prioritized invoking Calmness first.
Finding a secluded chamber and fetching water to cleanse herself, Mithra finally permitted herself to calmly examine the loot she had taken from the old man.
["Beast Priest of Chasing the Night" Scattered Inspiration: Scattered Inspiration of a Believer whose beast nature ran wild after absorbing the remnants of a Wandering God, subsequently slain. Upon absorption, it can significantly boost supplementary Senseforce and enhance comprehension of specialized miracles. However, latent beast nature will also awaken.]
[— "Grant me more sight, so that I may relentlessly pursue the distant night."]
This Scattered Inspiration, in terms of raw effect, was not drastically different from Erik's acquisition, carrying both merits and drawbacks.
For Mithra, it seemed to offer little utility beyond the immediate enhancement of her supplementary Senseforce. As for the comprehension of special miracles, that likely referred to the Hunter miracle, which Mithra already knew how to utilize proficiently.
Redwyn had advised against absorbing vast quantities of supplementary Senseforce before achieving the second major milestone: Luminary.
Unfortunately, Mithra had only absorbed one instance, and it was a direct boon from a Wandering God's remnants. Her supplementary Senseforce was now immensely powerful.
For instance, immediately following a significant confrontation, she hadn't deliberately managed her reserves, freely employing the Hunter miracles, which usually demand substantial Senseforce expenditure. Yet now, Mithra displayed no symptoms of depletion.
Originally, casting even a rudimentary Blade of the Unseen would induce sensory stagnation, but now she could deploy the authentic "Blade of the Hunter" almost limitlessly.
An occasional, subtle buzzing resonated within her head, and her physical form felt charged with an abundance of unseen potential.
This new reality had already begun to quite thoroughly transform Mithra.
But at least, this transformation allowed her to integrate swiftly, she reasoned.
Next, another trophy required inspection.
Mithra drew forth the staff that was now stored within her body.
[Nightborne Archbishop's Staff: A perfectly wrought, high-grade intermediate medium, superior in material composition. This is the symbolic artifact of the Nightborne Church branch's archbishop. The entire staff can also function as a special medium; its core, situated at the tip, is the legendary "Crystal of Eternal Night," capable of establishing a link with Anderet.]
Mithra scrutinized it for a moment, then, following the implicit information, focused on the beautiful black crystal crowning the staff. It was intricately carved into the shape of three pairs of folded wings.
[Crystal of Eternal Night: A Fragment of the Eternal Night. Legend holds that Anderet once ushered in the Eternal Night during the era of the forty-four Pillar Gods. Even though the Eternal Night was eventually overthrown, a portion of its residual power still permeates the world, conveying an alternate possibility. By utilizing it as a perceptive medium, one might potentially comprehend the miracle of Night.]
If nothing unexpected occurred, this staff would primarily serve as a crude, blunt instrument for Mithra.
But regarding blunt weaponry, Mithra already possessed her cherished Hammer Bro, and this object felt too lackluster and awkward for any significant combat role.
Fortunately, Mithra had already unlocked the "Blacksmith" option for herself.
She was her own forge!
Fleshforge wasn't merely for restoring equipment durability. How could a functional "forge" be limited to simple repairs?
Mithra returned the staff into her body temporarily. First, she separated the Crystal of Eternal Night from the staff structure; considering it the more critical component, she secured it for the time being.
Then, employing her Senseforce, she selected her hammer and the staff's remaining shell, commencing the smelting process.
"Ugh—!"
Intense agony and nausea surged concurrently. Mithra vomited again that day.
"Fasellos, you failed to mention there would be such a violent reaction when smelting weaponry…"
She murmured internally, but Fasellos, naturally, could not respond to her words in this current state.
Smelting could not be instantaneous. Or rather, Mithra had no clear estimate of how long it would take her physical structure to fully integrate the staff's high-grade materials into her otherwise ordinary stone hammer.
What was certain, however, was that at least until the smelting finalized, she would be compelled to endure this wave of pain and nausea.
This, she reflected wryly, was the inherent cost of foregoing an external blacksmith and streamlining all ancillary procedural tasks.
Quite a profitable exchange, she concluded.