The effects were immediate. Roy's mind cleared, his thinking speed accelerating a thousand-fold. Memories became vivid—even childhood memories from before his brain was fully developed resurfaced with perfect clarity. He felt omnipotent.
"Let's begin, Lord Goibniu!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Goibniu began to forge. Roy used the secondary workstation, mirroring the god's movements. His brain processed the data so fast he wasn't just copying; he was predicting Goibniu's next move. Even as a god, without using "Arcanum," Goibniu's work was purely a display of supreme mortal technique.
Goibniu was shocked. What is with this kid? Did he take some crazy drug? To a layman, it looked like Roy was just copying him, but to an expert, it was terrifying. Roy wasn't just mimicking the motion; his muscle tension, skin response, and breathing were all perfectly synchronized.
"Lord Goibniu, can you speed it up?" Roy urged. Time was of the essence!
"Fine!" Goibniu grit his teeth, his competitive spirit ignited. He wanted to see just how much this boy could swallow!
They entered a pure teaching mode. Goibniu functioned like a master engineer, multi-tasking by forging while explaining the properties of different materials—rapiers, spears, staves, armor, and the countless nuances of each. Under the thousand-fold boost, Roy offered insights and questions that frequently caught Goibniu off guard.
Roy was like a parched sponge, soaking up every drop of Goibniu's divine knowledge and technique. Man and God ignored the world around them, entering a state of absolute "Enlightenment" within the forge.There was only one spectator: Tione.
Though she didn't fully understand the technicalities, she could feel the extraordinary atmosphere—an aura of power that demanded respect. Tione held her breath, not daring to let out a loud exhale for fear of disturbing the two men. Her gaze toward Roy grew increasingly fervent; he was truly a man worthy of her devotion.
Name: Silver Moon Blade Rank: Epic Special Effect (Moonlight): When used at night, the blade absorbs moonlight to enhance its power. During a full moon, it grants the maximum buff, allowing it to cut through iron like butter!
Nearly twenty hours passed. The two worked without rest, without so much as a drop of water or wine. Any break in the rhythm would cause them to lose that rare state of "Enlightenment."
Roy and Goibniu finished their forging simultaneously. Two identical Epic-rank scimitars were placed on the table, their edges gleaming with a cold, sharp light.
Thud!
In the end, it was Goibniu, whose divinity was sealed, who reached his physical limit. His throat was parched and hoarse as he collapsed to the floor.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
Goibniu gasped for air, unable to summon even a sliver of strength. A trace of regret lingered on his face. He had realized that Roy was using something to temporarily boost his learning capacity, and he hated that his mortal vessel couldn't hold out long enough to pass on every single drop of his knowledge.
Roy was in no better state. He was severely dehydrated, his lips cracked and dry, half-kneeling on the ground. Ryu and Goddess Astraea had returned long ago, but they hadn't dared to enter the workshop to disturb them. Now, seeing it was over, they rushed in. After a quick check-up, Goibniu was immediately rushed to the Dian Cecht Familia's infirmary. Roy later learned that the god's heart had stopped; he had nearly died from exhaustion and been sent back to the heavens.
At this moment, Roy only wanted to keep learning. With a thousand-fold thinking speed, his mind remained incredibly sharp despite his physical exhaustion. He gulped down a large amount of water and felt his spirit surge back. With four hours of Enlightenment left, he turned to Goddess Astraea.
Back in the Dungeon, Astraea had displayed absolute mastery in swordsmanship, with combat skills rivaling a Level 5 adventurer. While Goibniu required a bribe of divine wine, Astraea agreed instantly.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two blurred across the courtyard, their blades clashing and sending showers of sparks into the air. In their constant sparring, Roy was knocked down countless times. The techniques Astraea displayed—while perhaps unsuited for gargantuan monsters—were invincible against other adventurers.
Roy fell again and again, but he kept standing back up, launching himself at Astraea with renewed vigor. A flash of pride flickered in Astraea's deep blue eyes. She unleashed the techniques she had honed over hundreds of millions of years, knowing exactly what he needed.
Roy was beaten black and blue. Yet, with every rise, he managed to last longer against her. His progress was visible to the naked eye. Ryu, Tione, Tiona, Daphne, and Cassandra watched from the sidelines, their eyes wide and hearts racing as they witnessed the youth's relentless drive.
Time slipped away. The countdown for the Fruit of Enlightenment reached its final minute, flashing in blood-red digits.
Clang!
A crisp clash of blades rang out. Roy decided to bet it all. He lunged forward, appearing instantly before Astraea, his blade thrusting toward her chest. Astraea danced back, easily dodging the strike, and swung her sword in a horizontal arc.
The cold blade came from a treacherous angle. Normally, Roy would have retreated, but he chose a riskier path. He ducked his head, feeling the sharp edge shear off a few strands of his hair. Then, he moved in closer.
"Lady Goddess, I win!"
Roy's blade stopped three centimeters from Astraea's snowy-white neck. Astraea froze, a gentle, proud smile spreading across her beautiful face. "You truly worked hard."
Roy collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Countless failures had finally bought him this single victory.
Status Update: Name: Roy | Level: 4 Strength: 2 → 655 (C) Endurance: 1008 → 1128 (SS) Dexterity: 202 → 999 (S) Agility: 200 → 350 (F) Development Abilities: Blacksmith (G → E)
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Danmachi : Starting with an Elf (405 Chapter – Ongoing)
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