Crackle! Spark!
Golden lightning danced between Lyu's slender fingers, sparking and popping as she molded the electricity into various shapes like clay. This was Roy's magic—Lord of Lightning. Under the contract, she could now wield it.
Lyu played with the golden arcs, her beautiful face filled with wonder. The magic's greatest strengths were its lack of a chant and its incredible versatility. Swords, axes, shields, clones... its uses were endless.
"Will you be going back to the 'Secret Realms' tomorrow?" Lyu asked. She knew that during Roy's "disappearances," he was actually hunting in those strange other worlds.
"I'm taking a rest day," Roy shook his head. Targets Level 3 and above were dangerous; if he wasn't fully prepared, he risked being killed.
With the Synchrony Contract, he no longer feared the Ikelos Familia. They had only one Level 5 adventurer—their captain, Dix Perdix. Roy's team now effectively had two Level 5s. Even with the 30% stat penalty on the "donor" during the contract, a Level 5 was still a Level 5—a transcendent existence compared to anyone below that rank.
"Do you have plans?" Roy asked. "We're going to the Goibniu Familia to commission custom gear," Lyu replied. "I'm having a set made for you as well."
The Goibniu Familia was a smithing group. While less famous and smaller than the Hephaestus Familia, their equipment's performance was on par. The main difference was that Hephaestus mass-produced gear for shops, while Goibniu focused almost entirely on bespoke commissions for high-level adventurers. Most of the Loki Familia's elites used Goibniu gear.
The next day, Roy, Lyu, Daphne, and Cassandra arrived at the Goibniu forge. A wave of heat hit them, accompanied by the rhythmic clanging of hammers. Most of the smiths were Dwarves, whose strength stats far exceeded other races.
Daphne and Cassandra were buzzing with excitement. Their custom weapons were being paid for by the Familia's treasury. Astraea Familia operated like a close-knit family; the girls turned in most of their earnings to Astraea, who managed the budget.
As they were being measured for their gear—a strict requirement for custom work—Roy spotted a thin, scrawny old man. He was shirtless and covered in soot, but the subtle Divine Aura identified him as a God.
"Lord Goibniu," Roy greeted. "It's an honor."
Goibniu glanced at Roy. "Justice Sapling. My ears are growing callouses from hearing your name lately. What do you want?" He looked at Roy with a hint of appreciation; Gods loved mortals who achieved "Great Feats."
Roy humbly presented the Demon King's Armor. "Could you take a look at this?"
Goibniu's eyes locked onto the armor, and he couldn't look away. he examined it, tapping the surface, his brow knitting tighter with every second. "This breastplate was forged from the torso bone of some monster. It strengthens the wearer by drinking their blood. It can't be comfortable to use."
Roy gave him a thumbs-up. A God's insight was no joke. "Can you improve it? It drinks too much. I'll be a shriveled husk if I use it too often."
Goibniu shook his head. "No. This armor is 'perfect'." He looked almost annoyed. "It wasn't forged; it was created by some power. It fits together like a puzzle where not a single piece can be moved. But 'perfect' means it has reached its limit. There's no room for growth. To a smith, this is an insult."
Roy felt a pang of disappointment. But Goibniu's eyes suddenly brightened. "Don't be in a hurry, kid. I said I couldn't improve it. I didn't say I couldn't make it 'worse'."
────────────────────────────────────────
My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Danmachi : Starting with an Elf (Simulpub – Ongoing)
────────────────────────────────────────