"...This will take some time..."
As Vogweir spoke these words, he couldn't help but shake his head. Even he, renowned as one of the world's top legendary blacksmiths, felt overwhelmed by the weapon displayed in the vision before him.
"A weapon that embodies multiple forms?" he muttered to himself.
When people talk about forging weapons, the first thing to consider is the blacksmith themselves.
But another crucial factor is the materials.
"How am I supposed to find the materials to make this weapon?" Vogweir wondered inwardly.
He knew he was far removed from the world's view, and the materials at hand were clearly insufficient to complete this task.
"Is there a problem?" Just then, the young man opened his eyes, stood up, and met Vogweir's gaze.
"Sigh..." Vogweir sighed and began to explain the weapon he had seen in the vision.
"The weapon I saw in your essence... it will be very difficult to create," he said, turning back to the forging table.
"Is it because it's not an ordinary weapon, but one that can transform into multiple forms?" the young man asked tentatively, his eyes darting around, searching for any remnants of the bottle.
"That's right. In a sense, a person's weapon connected to their essence is usually only one, but having multiple weapons connected to a person's essence is almost unheard of."
"And I am that exception."
"Indeed. That's why the vision I saw implies that the weapon you are to connect with needs to have multiple forms, not just a single one."
"Hmm..." The young man nodded.
"Creating such a weapon is no easy task. The essence we saw requires extremely rare and powerful materials, and some of these materials are not easily obtainable in this domain. We will need to embark on a journey to find these materials around the world."
"What kind of materials do we need then?" The young man seemed relaxed, showing no tension in the face of these challenges.
"..." Vogweir paused, organizing his thoughts, already sketching out a clear path in his mind for the weapon he was about to forge. "First, your power..."
Before he could finish, the young man nodded and said, "Moonstone."
Hearing this, Vogweir's eyes widened instantly.
'Does this child... know his origins?'
Looking at the young man's expression, Vogweir felt a surge of doubt.
'No, he probably doesn't know.'
He mused silently, this young man before him might be a bit rash and impulsive, but he didn't seem to know much about his background.
"Yes, we need [Moonstone] as a conductor for your power source," Vogweir nodded, confirming this.
'Too bad, I can't tell you more... Alas, that contract.'
Vogweir sighed inwardly. Although this child had the right to know some things, there were things he couldn't control.
Vogweir pointed to the various weapons displayed on the shelves, each weapon possessing a different form due to the uniqueness of its material. He held a small flame in his hand, demonstrating the interaction between materials and forms.
"Each weapon I create has at least one special form," Vogweir explained. "Each material has specific properties, and these properties determine the weapon's shape and function. However, sometimes due to certain limitations, the final product may not achieve the special form we desire, like the weapon you seek."
The young man nodded in understanding and then asked, "So, we need a material that matches this characteristic, right?"
"That's right," Vogweir replied, "a material that is not confined to any particular form, a material so rare that it is almost impossible to find, known for its unique characteristic: [Shapeshifting Metal]. This material can match your essence and provide the weapon with the ability to transform and adapt."
As Vogweir finished speaking, he looked at the young man with deep eyes: "However, acquiring [Moonstone] and [Shapeshifting Metal] will be extremely difficult tasks. They are extremely scarce, and their unique properties make them hard to find. The journey ahead is destined to be full of challenges and dangers. Of course..."
Tap!
Just as he was about to continue, an unexpected sound interrupted him.
"Are you talking about these?"
Vogweir turned around, and the sight before him made his eyes widen. On the ground in front of the young man were the two materials he had just mentioned.
"..." Vogweir was stunned, completely unprepared for these elusive materials to appear before them at this moment. The air in the cave seemed filled with surprise as the blacksmith tried to comprehend this incredible turn of events.
"You..." He was momentarily speechless.
'How could he have these materials?'
The young man he viewed as a child suddenly produced one of the rarest materials in the world.
"How do you have these?" Vogweir couldn't help but ask.
He looked at the young man in confusion. These two materials were so precious, and he didn't seem powerful, so how could he have them?
"Does it matter?" The young man simply shrugged, looking relaxed.
"...Well, it doesn't matter," Vogweir finally let go of his question.
Vogweir's gaze turned to the materials on the ground, examining them with surprise and curiosity. The [Moonstone] emitted a soft, ethereal glow, its surface shimmering faintly as if moonlight were dancing upon it. Its translucent quality revealed intricate patterns, resembling the captivating transformations of moon shadows.
The [Shapeshifting Metal] beside it displayed a completely different appearance. Its form was elusive, like a liquid substance sealed within a transparent container. The substance shimmered with ever-changing colors inside the crystalline container, as if constantly adapting to the surrounding energy. Its mysterious structure vividly embodied the essence of adaptability and change.
What Vogweir found most peculiar was that both materials were encased in special containers, a design he had never seen before.
'Is this the craftsmanship of modern human blacksmiths? The effect is quite impressive.'
Like an old man encountering technology for the first time, he carefully examined the containers, analyzing their structure.
"This method of utilizing mana magnetic fields is interesting. Is this the work of some modern blacksmith?" Vogweir asked, expecting the name of some famous blacksmith.
The young man shook his head. "Not a blacksmith, but a magical engineer. They've found a way to use advanced mana magnetic fields to enhance and protect these materials. It's a combination of craftsmanship and magic, creating containers that not only preserve the materials but also enhance their properties."
"Magical engineer? What's that?" Vogweir was unaware of the changes in the outside world and unfamiliar with this term.
The young man explained, "Magical engineers are people who specialize in combining traditional craftsmanship with magical principles. They manipulate mana through technology, integrating it into their creations to produce items that possess both physical and magical properties. These containers are the result of their fusion."
Vogweir stroked his beard, marveling at the advancements in craftsmanship. "Times have indeed changed; I was completely unaware of these developments during my seclusion."
The young man nodded. "The world is constantly evolving, with new methods emerging all the time. These containers not only protect the materials but also enhance their properties, making them more effective in forging."
"Interesting... It seems they rely more on methods than the creator's skill," Vogweir said thoughtfully.
"Yes, that's right," the young man replied.
He leaned forward slightly, focusing his gaze on the materials. "Vogweir, when can we start forging?"
Vogweir looked at the materials on the ground and shook his head. "Your weapon is still missing something," he said, walking towards the shapeshifting metal.
The young man frowned. "I thought we already had all the necessary materials. What are we missing?"
Vogweir shook his head solemnly. "There's still a crucial component."
"My essence?" the young man asked.
Vogweir nodded, "Indeed, that's very important, but there's another key factor. What's missing is an energy supply."
The young man's confusion deepened. "Energy supply? What do you mean?"
Vogweir sighed, "While shapeshifting metal has great potential, it has a flaw that limits its widespread use. To freely manipulate shapeshifting metal, you need a continuous and substantial energy supply. We not only need to forge it into a shape, but we also need to maintain that shape during the forging process and manipulate it as needed. That's the challenge of shapeshifting metal."
He pointed to the container and the shapeshifting metal inside.
"This container utilizes the special power of the internal mana magnetic field, allowing the shapeshifting metal to be continuously operated by a special mana, which is why we can see it in its current special form. But in reality, we must rely on external mana, and the situation is completely different."
The young man's face showed a sudden realization, clearly not expecting such a conclusion.
"So, we need a fairly powerful energy source to forge the shapeshifting metal into a weapon," he summarized.
Vogweir nodded, "That's right. This energy supply will help us unleash the shapeshifting metal's transformation abilities, turning it into the weapon you need. Without it, all our efforts will be in vain, and the potential of the shapeshifting metal cannot be unleashed."
The young man fell into thought, seemingly digesting Vogweir's words.
Vogweir observed him, understanding his concerns. "Such a powerful energy supply is not common. However, I have a solution."
A hint of curiosity flashed in the young man's eyes. "What solution?"
Vogweir continued to explain, "Within the bodies of high-level monsters, there's a powerful energy source called a monster core. These cores are the condensed essence of a monster's magical power. If we can obtain a monster core from a powerful monster, I can use it to create a special compressed mana device to serve as the energy supply we need."
As he spoke these words, the young man's eyes widened, as if suddenly realizing something.
"As an energy supply, is this enough..." He suddenly took out an item from his spatial bracelet.
"This!"
Vogweir's eyes widened instantly...
