Chapter 215 Rune-Enforced Body Armament, Bountiful Blessing
The `Body Armament` skill was a special type that grew stronger along with the user's physical strength. Even if damaged, it could be restored through means like healing magic.
This was the skill's most obvious advantage.
In particular, the `Degraded Body Armament` that Tang Zheng possessed had overcome the limitation of being irreplaceable, even though its defense was only half of his own stats.
This skill, in Tang Zheng's hands, had become a suit of full-body armor that could be summoned at will.
The only issue was its low defense.
Tang Zheng had originally only used this skill as a means to conceal his identity. However, after seeing the damaged armor of the Grey Dwarf race, which possessed four highest-tier runes, an irrepressible idea surfaced in his mind.
What would happen if he inscribed these four runes onto his `Body Armament: Full-Body Armor`?
The moment this thought appeared, Tang Zheng couldn't help but want to experiment, which led to the current situation.
Facing the still bewildered group of dwarf artisans, he spoke.
"That's right, everyone. We will use this suit of armor, which can repair itself, in place of the higher-tier metal you require."
Tang Zheng spoke again, his tone serious.
"The only reason you need a higher-grade metal is that ordinary metal cannot withstand the power of four high-tier runes."
"While this suit of full-body armor I'm wearing might not be comparable to the higher-tier metal you speak of, it possesses the ability to repair itself."
"Even if the armor is damaged during the inscribing process, it can be repaired to ensure it can continuously withstand the power of the runes."
The so-called "damage from being unable to withstand the power" was, in Tang Zheng's eyes, nothing more than a decrease in the `Body Armament`'s durability.
This kind of damage could be easily restored through healing-type abilities.
"Can it really be done like that?"
"How the hell should I know?"
"I don't get what this human is thinking at all."
"Why does this feel a little crazy?"
"Hiss, did anyone see how this armor appeared? It was like it materialized out of thin air."
"It can actually be repaired. What a miraculous ability. Shouldn't this human be a magic caster? Why is he wearing armor?"
"..."
Muffled discussions arose from the surrounding crowd of dwarves.
All the dwarf artisans were a bit lost. Whether it was the inscribing of the highest-tier runes or this completely unconventional method before them, it left the craftsmen at a loss for how to proceed.
A dwarf with his beard tied into three ponytails squeezed through from the back, panting as he stared at the full-body armor on Tang Zheng. It was the dwarf, Gongde.
"You humans always come up with these strange ideas."
Gongde couldn't help but step forward, his beard twitching with excitement as his bright eyes seriously examined the grey armor.
"This armor has a metallic luster on its surface, but it's not actually metal, is it?"
"It's a special material I've never seen before. To think it can be repaired... it's truly beyond imagination. Is it considered magic?"
After a brief observation, Gongde's head snapped up, looking at Tang Zheng, whose face was concealed by the helmet. "I think your idea is brilliant!"
As his voice fell, Gongde turned to the other dwarf artisans around him and exclaimed, "Are you all really planning to let our dwarven technology be lost to time!"
"This is an incredible opportunity right before our eyes, isn't it?"
"I've always called myself an 'Expert in Rune Craft Development,' though I haven't made any progress so far. I can neither shorten the time for magic infusion nor can I increase production."
"But these are just means. The ultimate goal I pursue is to find a technology that can only be achieved with runes, to give rune craft a unique quality so that it can be passed down for good."
"Now, such an opportunity is right in front of us. Are you still planning to give it up?!"
Gongde clenched his fists, looking emotionally at all the dwarves, his gruff voice echoing off the mountain wall.
The crowd of dwarf artisans stared blankly at Gongde.
"Jeez, it's not like we said we wouldn't do it."
"Gongde! You're getting too worked up."
"..."
Voices rose from among the dwarves.
The next moment, a dwarf who appeared to be older walked out from the crowd. He passed the excited Gongde and came to stand before Tang Zheng.
"Sir, there is one thing I'd like to confirm. Can this suit of armor of yours be taken off?" the dwarf artisan asked.
"No."
Tang Zheng quietly watched this scene unfold and shook his head.
"Then this is a bit troublesome. Even if the material problem is solved, the inscribing process will generate extremely high temperatures, far beyond what an ordinary person can withstand."
As the dwarf artisan spoke, he took out a fist-sized ore with red patterns.
"This is a metal called Heat Ore. As long as you strike it with a hard object, it will generate high temperatures. This heat can easily melt steel."
"If we strike it for a long time, the temperature will get even higher. This is also an important method our Grey Dwarf race uses for forging weapons."
Because the Grey Dwarves lived underground, they couldn't use things like coal or firewood to forge metal.
The dwarf artisan's meaning was clear. If Tang Zheng wore the armor during the inscribing, the high temperatures generated by their use of Heat Ore would be unbearable for a human.
"If that is the issue, then you all need not worry. I have a way to resist high temperatures," Tang Zheng said, chuckling lightly when he heard this.
Heat Ore could be used to forge metal, so the temperature it generated had to be at least 1500 degrees Celsius. If it were used to smelt metals like mithril or orichalcum, the temperature would likely be even higher.
However!
With his `Fire Attribute Nullification` ability, such high temperatures had no effect on Tang Zheng whatsoever.
"Well then, everyone, let's begin together."
The Forging Minister, who had been standing to the side, stepped forward.
All the dwarf artisans looked at each other and simultaneously split into four groups, positioning themselves in front, behind, and on the left and right sides of Tang Zheng.
These were precisely the positions where the four high-tier runes needed to be inscribed!
"The four high-tier runes must be inscribed at the same time. There can't be the slightest error in the process," the Forging Minister announced loudly, directing and explaining, causing the faces of the dwarf artisans to fill with seriousness and anticipation.
Suddenly!
Several dwarf artisans moved at once.
*Ding, ding!*
*Clang, clang!*
Peculiar tools struck the `Body Armament` heavily in unison, and the high heat released by the Heat Ore began to scorch the surface of the armor red-hot.
Tang Zheng sat cross-legged on the ground, allowing these dwarf artisans to hammer away at his body as he took a deep breath.
He didn't know if it would succeed, but facing the eventual arrival of the Great Tomb, he had to try every possibility.
He glanced at the `Body Armament`'s information:
...
Skill: Degraded Body Armament
Level: Low Class (11-20)
Durability: 287
Physical Defense: 140
Magic Defense: 147
Effect: None
Description: None
...
Runes did not look complex on the surface, resembling strange symbols, but that was merely a superficial appearance.
In truth, every rune contained a special and complex pattern of magic power. The higher the tier of the rune, the more complex and intricate the pattern.
This was why crafting a piece of rune equipment took so much time, unlike the simple enchantment of magic infusion technology.
Days passed one by one.
Tang Zheng remained seated in place, letting the dwarf artisans take turns inscribing the runes on his body.
Food and wine had been prepared in abundance, so the dwarf artisans had no need to worry about sustenance. They were fully immersed in the exhilarating mood of recreating high-tier rune equipment.
Tang Zheng's side of things was far more tedious.
Maintaining the same posture for a long time was painful enough, not to mention he needed to constantly monitor the drop in durability and restore it from time to time.
As for eating, that wasn't a problem.
The helmet of the full-body armor appeared sealed, but the mask part could actually be opened. However, to avoid unnecessary actions, Tang Zheng basically only drank some water.
It was a good thing he had already reached the level of an `Aberrant`, and his constitution had improved significantly. An ordinary person would never have been able to endure it.
This state continued until the tenth day.
The twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month.
Lava Zone.
One by one, the dwarf artisans lay on the ground, completely exhausted and gasping for air. Yet, their faces were filled with excitement.
"We succeeded!"
"Something so incredible was actually completed."
"So tired, I need to sleep!"
"..."
The Forging Minister propped himself up with his arms, his face heaving from heavy breathing and also full of exhaustion. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the full-body armor on Tang Zheng.
"This great... masterpiece... was actually... able to appear in this world again," the Forging Minister shouted, both excited and somewhat hysterical.
*Crack!*
"It's finally done."
Tang Zheng stood up and spoke faintly, stretching his body by swinging his arms and legs. The full-body armor continuously emitted creaking sounds.
He had originally braced himself for failure but hadn't expected them to actually pull it off. He was indeed a little excited, but not overly so.
After ten consecutive days, that feeling of excitement had long since faded.
Tang Zheng lowered his head and inspected the full-body armor transformed from his `Body Armament`. Overall, there was no change from before, aside from the addition of four runes.
They didn't look particularly remarkable, nor did they have any special energy signature, but the information for `Body Armament` had changed significantly.
...
Skill: Rune-Enforced Body Armament
Level: Low Class (11-20)
Durability: 287
Physical Defense: 140
Magic Defense: 147
Effect: Rune Reinforcement · Bountiful Blessing - Can absorb substances of the same type to continuously strengthen and improve.
Description: An unexpected product resulting from the reinforcement of `Degraded Body Armament` using rune craft.
...
The stats hadn't increased at all, but an ability called `Bountiful Blessing` had appeared in the effect section.
Tang Zheng's spirits lifted.
The effect's description was brief, but it reminded him of the ballad the Forging Minister had mentioned back in Despair Valley.
The last two lines were:
"The armor that devours ores, with the souls of Grey Dwarves bound."
"A greatness that even ancient dragons would notice."
The reason that suit of armor was called a failure was that the material used to make it was extremely rare.
This resulted in the armor being unable to improve by devouring ore from the moment it was created.
Tang Zheng had speculated back then that the ability from fusing the four highest-tier characters might be related to "absorption" and "strengthening," and now this was further confirmed.
"'Absorb substances of the same type' to strengthen."
Tang Zheng repeated these words in his mind, his eyes growing brighter. It was just as he had speculated.
Armor forged from a special metal would need to absorb the same type of metal. And if the material was something like `Body Armament`, then what it needed to absorb would naturally be the same material as `Body Armament`.
So what was the material of `Body Armament`?
Substances like skin, teeth, and nails.
"I'll just have to test it."
Tang Zheng glanced at the exhausted and sleeping dwarf artisans, and with a flash, his figure entered the central area of the Lava Zone.
"Since this ability came from you, I'll use your corpse." With a wave of Tang Zheng's hand, the corpse of Forest Sage King Hamusuke appeared on the ground.
The surrounding scorching temperature immediately caused the fur on the Forest Sage King's corpse to curl up, and the faint smell of burning filled the air.
Tang Zheng walked forward and placed his palm on the corpse of Forest Sage King Hamusuke. He silently chanted in his heart: "`Bountiful Blessing`."
*Swish!*
The four runes on the grey full-body armor suddenly flickered with an iridescent light. Then, centered on the point of contact between Tang Zheng's palm and Forest Sage King Hamusuke, an invisible power was triggered.
In an instant!
The fur on the Forest Sage King's body turned into a flowing substance and was rapidly absorbed by the grey armor. And it wasn't just the fur.
The 20-meter-long tail, the hard teeth, the meter-long claws, and even the bones were all absorbed by the grey armor.
In just three breaths' time, the corpse of Forest Sage King Hamusuke before Tang Zheng had been reduced to a pool of pure flesh spread across the ground, emitting a bloody scent.
Meanwhile, the original grey color of the full-body armor had become a deeper shade.
He withdrew his palm.
Tang Zheng fell into a brief silence, closing his eyes for a few seconds before reopening them.
"Jungle Acceleration!"
A verdant green light flashed across the full-body armor.
Tang Zheng's figure began to move rapidly, flashing back and forth a few times on the open ground. Then, his figure paused.
"Tail Strike!"
*Whoosh!*
With lightning speed, a 20-meter-long, arm-thick grey whip shot out from the chest of the full-body armor, lashing through the air with a sound like a clap of muffled thunder.
*Screech!*
The thick whip shuddered, and its surface suddenly erupted with layers of razor-sharp scales, which hissed as they cut through the surrounding air.
*Swoosh—*
The 20-meter-long grey whip retracted back into the chest of the `Body Armament` and disappeared.
How was that a whip? It was clearly the tail of Forest Sage King Hamusuke.
...
Skill: Rune-Enforced Body Armament
Level: Low Class (11-20)
Durability: 287
Physical Defense: 140+65 (205)
Magic Defense: 147
Skills:
—Jungle Acceleration
—Tail Strike
Effect: Rune Reinforcement · Bountiful Blessing - Can absorb substances of the same type to continuously strengthen and improve.
Description: An unexpected product resulting from the reinforcement of `Degraded Body Armament` using rune craft.
...
The skill's information had completely changed.
Not only had its stats increased, but it had even gained two skills, which were precisely the abilities that Forest Sage King Hamusuke originally possessed.
"Is it because of the `Body Armament`'s level that I can only choose two skills? It seems I can also erase skills."
"This is completely beyond my expectations."
Tang Zheng looked at the Forest Sage King, which was now just a puddle of flesh on the ground, then back at the information on his panel, his face a mask of astonishment.
(end of chapter)