Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

Seth was just joking. He didn’t have the time or will to scold Mike. In life-and-death battles, he couldn’t blame him for going for the vitals. Currently, he just wanted to get back home, since he didn’t know how long the next project would take.

“Here, put it on, let’s see how it looks,” he said and brought out the crate, that held the Slaughterer’s set.

One by one, he took out the various armor parts and explained their effects to Mike as the chosen put them on. As the armor found its completion upon being united with the owner, a bright aura surrounded Mike as he abruptly turned into his massive lion form.

Seth opened his eyes wide, as the Slaughterer’s Set changed before his eyes. In the aura, the <Blood of Maahes> turned a deeper red, while the various jewels integrated into the armor became brighter. An additional set effect appeared on the armor.

<…nove(l)bi(n.)com

Set-Effect: 8/8

<Divine Transformation> can be kept up indefinitely.

All magical stats are raised by an additional 45% during <Divine Transformation>

All physical stats are raised by an additional 10% in humanoid form.

…>

“Quick, take the blades, too,” he said and gave Mike the Slaughter Blades to see if that would also do something. Look and behold, the blacksmith was right. When Mike took hold of the two blades, they also gained a set effect.

<…

Set-Effect:2/2

Flowing Damage Carry

…>

<Flowing Damage Carry: Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Subtract damage from one blade and add it to the other.>

Seth marveled at the effect. During Mike’s Lion Transformation, he would be able to lower one blade’s damage to raise the damage to the other. This meant, in theory, either blade could burst out up to 4444 points of damage.

This also opened another path for usage that came in favor of the swordsman. Not only would Mike be able to adjust his damages depending on his opponent or the skills he intended to use, but he could also switch to mainly using a single sword, as he was used to.

If he transferred all the damage to one of the swords, he could use that one as a main weapon, and the other in the manner of a parry dagger. While Seth as checking the options, Mike started waving around his new weapons and posing in his new armor.

<Ding! You have accomplished the Divine Quest: Armaments of Maahes! Rewards are being distributed!>

<Ding! Title: “Blacksmith of Maahes” gained. "You have successfully finished the quest -Armaments of Maahes-" Minor Sigil of Maahes and Minor Sigil of Slaughter are 15% stronger.>

Having handed over the blades and armor, Seth had fulfilled all the quest conditions. Notifications of new enchantments followed the quest one. Seth had received a new title and the sigil enchantments mentioned in its effect.

Checking the enchantment he found that the Minor Sigil of Maahes effect could randomly strengthen stats depending on the weather. The description was not conclusive and he would have to look into it.

The Minor Sigil of Slaughter on the other hand was pretty clear on what it did. It raised physical damage by 25%. The effect would improve in increments of 5% with every kill, stopping at doubling the physical damage.

“Haha, this is awesome!” Mike exclaimed as the power flooded through his body. The massive humanoid lion so tall his head almost hit the ceiling, was happily jumping around.

“What's with the frown, Lydia?” Seth asked, noticing her expression. “Are you jealous?” he teased her.

“How couldn't I be?! Look at that! “ she pointed at the lion in his ostentatious heliopolian armor, happy skipping around. Mike's Lion transformation already looked very imposing beforehand, but with the addition of the powered-up Slaughterer's Set, he was quite the sight.

“You know, the Slaughterer's Set is a blueprint. I still have to look into it to see how to substitute the material, but I plan to make one for Ortega. Maybe I could see if I could make one for you, too?” Seth offered to her. After all, Lydia was also the chosen of a Heliopolian deity with the power to transform. Lydia seemed tempted for a moment but ultimately shook her head after thinking it over.

“No, I prefer my current leather armor. Although I envy Mike, our specializations are different.”

“If that is how you think. Anyway, he should calm down around now, no?” Seth asked a little unsure. They had been watching Mike geeking out on his own for several minutes. The reason he was still here and not on the way out was Mike's armor.

“Mike, it would be nice if you could calm down for a moment and return the substitute gear to me, so I can leave,” Seth finally spoke out, curbing Mike's enthusiasm a little.

“Oh! Yeah, sorry. I almost forgot,” Mike finally realized what he was doing and calmed down a little. Of course, he had to return the relic-rated oathguard set, now that he had his holy armament.

One by one, Mike gave him the parts of the Oathguard Armor and Seth put them into the crate where the Slaughterer's Set was previously. The beastman halted when it came to the Whitehilt.

“Errm, it doesn't want to...?” he said baffled. “It doesn't want to? Give it to me, let me talk to it.”

Seth didn't expect it, but it was nothing unusual for an ego to ...well have an ego and grow a liking to a specific owner or wielder.

~I want to stay with Mike! I won't accept a new owner!~ the sword cried out when Mike handed it to Seth. Who would have thought that the result of the automaton core could become so willful?

~Are you sure? Mike has two new special blades now. You will only be a secondary weapon in the future and spend a lot of time in his inventory. You could help someone else a lot more.~

~B-But I like Mike... The journey was really fun and I feel really powerful in his hand..~ Whitehilt tried to argue back.

~But spending time in the inventory won't be fun. Wouldn't it be cooler to find more friends and grow even stronger together with them? I promise you don't have to stay with a guy you don't like.~ he tried to persuade the sword.

~Really?~ ~I promise.~ ~...Okay.~

After placating the Whitehilt, Seth put it and the crate of armor back in his inventory.

“Okay, I will be leaving now... And thanks for the reactor thingy,” he said his goodbyes and thanked Lydia once again, although he had no idea what to do with it, yet.

“Of course, don't worry. Have a good trip, I will contact you about our next steps.”

Since Mike's quest was finally over, they could get back to doing stuff at Minas Mar, or vacation a little longer. There was still a month until the Pythian Games and Seth was happy as long as they showed up at that time.

With Mike in his new Armor, he had become even more reliable. The blacksmith doubted Mike would lose that set, too. Despite turning over Y-City, Mike's lost armor and the Helmet of Krios especially, stayed lost.

Seth left the two and returned to the ground floor to use the teleport of the church and return to Delta. When he materialized at Delta's System Church he was greeted by a familiar face. Simon was waiting for him and he seemed a little tired.

“Seth!” “Simon? What are you doing here?” he asked the priest. Simon was actually quite high in the hierarchy of the church, he wasn't at the rank that would greet travelers at the teleport formation.

“They asked me to wait for you, in case you forget to visit the Embassy before returning to Minas Mar,” he explained his presence. Seth stared at him for a moment. Indeed, he had forgotten the call from Leana... it was something about someone waiting for him and that they had prepared something for him.

“Right, right. I will go, and visit the embassy then. Was that all?”

Simon only answered with a nod and guided Seth to the exit. Since he was going to the embassy, the blacksmith didn't bother returning to Minas Mar first. Taking the elevator up actually took longer than simply walking there.

Delta had changed once again. With only one month left until the Pythian Games, the city had filled with visitors and cultivators. Delta had once again turned into a lively hotchpotch, although these were mostly tourists. Since Delta didn't have a strict entrance policy, Seth guessed that there would be a lot more chaos on the streets, however, during his Walk, he only saw the nice effect of the influx of people.

Ten minutes later he had already reached the embassy. Who would Leana have been talking about?