“Interesting.”
Vogville stood aside, his experienced eyes watching the extraordinary encounter.
This weathered blacksmith had witnessed countless remarkable events over the long years. The interaction between this young man and the ghostly figure was unusually captivating, even for him.
“I never expected such a bond to exist,” Vogville said, a hint of respect in his gruff voice.
“Two young men, one responsible for guiding, the other bearing a heavy burden.” He slowly approached the young man lying on the ground, who had already lost consciousness.
His breathing was weak, as if it could stop at any moment, and the shining light covering his skin had long since dissipated, returning to its original color.
“Sigh… what a nuisance…” Vogville sighed, as it had been a long time since he had taken anyone in.
In the dimly lit room next to the furnace, Vogville carefully placed the young man on a makeshift bed.
The blacksmith, usually stern and weathered, now appeared unusually gentle as he gazed at the unconscious figure.
“You really do resemble him.”
He couldn't shake off the suffocating feeling in his heart. Looking at this young man, he was reminded of his own son.
“Kids are always so reckless,” Vogville muttered to himself, shaking his head.
He gathered some herbs and potions, remnants from when he treated injuries, both ordinary and magical. It had been a while since he had used these things for someone else, but his skilled hands remembered the muscle memory.
He carefully poured the mixed potion onto the burns on the young man's skin, marks left by the intense forging ritual.
The young man's upper body was half-naked, as the ritual process required.
“Hmm?” Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a small suit of armor in the corner. As a blacksmith who couldn't suppress his curiosity, he couldn't help but walk over. The moment he held the armor, he immediately realized it was extraordinary.
“Black armor?” Vogville whispered, his fingers feeling its cold touch. The craftsmanship of this armor was exquisite, and the black material seemed to devour the surrounding light. “You've got yourself a good piece of equipment, kid.”
Vogville carefully examined the armor, his experienced hands exploring the intricate details. There were subtle carvings on the surface, a testament to the skill of its maker.
“This isn't ordinary equipment. This kind of quality indicates that it was crafted by a master blacksmith, and it must have cost a fortune.”
Vogville continued to ponder the armor, his fingers tracing each delicate carving.
As he further analyzed the armor's structure, his keen eyes discovered its true purpose.
“Hmm, stealth gear, I see.” Vogville muttered, nodding. The choice of materials and design details indicated that this armor's focus was on enhancing agility and concealment. However, as an experienced blacksmith, he couldn't help but notice one fatal flaw.
“Decent defense, but poor practicality.” There was a hint of criticism in his tone. “Wearing this will make you stand out.”
He quietly pondered the armor's design, and ideas for improvements began to form in his mind. “This armor needs some [Morphmetal].”
Vogville stroked his beard, already thinking about how to activate the [Morphmetal].
“I can do it…” he said softly, as if he had found a way. “Unlike weapons, armor doesn't need to contain all the transformed properties; one rune is enough.”
He walked towards his inventory, reaching out to press a small button hidden behind the forge. The wall silently slid open, revealing a small space.
This hidden compartment displayed a series of small, shining objects, each adorned with ancient symbols, as if whispering forgotten secrets.
Vogville's fingers moved among these items until he found an intricately carved energy rune.
The energy rune flickered with a faint light, resonating with the potential power waiting to be unleashed.
Vogville carefully removed the rune, holding it in his palm. The patterns on the rune gently swayed in the soft glow, seemingly telling him of its power while drawing mana from the surrounding space.
“Perfect.” Vogville said to himself. Holding the energy rune, he returned to the armor.
“This should be enough as a gift.” He said, a hint of gruff tenderness in his voice.
“Cough cough… cough cough…” Just as he was about to raise his hammer, a sudden, violent cough erupted from deep within his chest.
He quickly covered his mouth, taking a deep breath.
“Am I pushing myself too hard?” Vogville said softly, looking at his aging body. Forging weapons with such powerful energy and souls was no easy task. The combination of the [Forging God] and a high-level [Invocation] placed a considerable burden on his body.
“Sigh… I'm getting old.” But he remained stubborn, readjusting himself before picking up the hammer again.
Clang!
In the silent cave, the sound of hammering echoed as Vogville began his work. The flames in the furnace emitted a flickering light, reflecting off the walls.
The young man still slept in the dim light, his body bearing the marks of his journey. And that weapon, it was quietly slumbering within him.
......
“Ugh…” As I opened my eyes, a low groan involuntarily escaped my lips. The familiar burning sensation immediately touched my senses, followed by the fatigue and pain in my body.
“You're awake.” Vogville's raspy voice broke the silence, revealing that he was nearby. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness forced me to lie back down.
‘What is this feeling?’
This feeling was unusually foreign, as if there was something unnatural existing within my body.
“Don't rush,” Vogville's voice remained straightforward. “You've just been through quite the ordeal. The forging fusion process is no child's play, especially when it involves materials like mana cores.”
As I adjusted to my surroundings, Vogville continued, “However, I must say, the result is quite impressive. The weapon you wanted has been successfully forged and is waiting for you to inspect it.”
Hearing his words, the memories of before I lost consciousness flooded back like a tide. Those agonizing voices, and the immense energy I felt within my body.
‘Brother, I am with you...’
In the midst of the painful torment, I even saw her. That strange feeling, as if her voice gave me the strength to resist that pain.
‘I guess this is what it feels like when characters in dramas look back on the past.’
Anyway, as Vogville said, the weapon was successfully forged. Before I closed my eyes, I did feel a strange energy entering my body.
“Take a look at your weapon,” Vogville said, pointing to my chest. There, a small imprint had appeared. I looked down and saw a shining crescent moon mark in the center of my chest.
“This is…” I knew what it was, and I had anticipated this outcome. But seeing it and feeling it firsthand still felt a little strange.
“This isn't an ordinary weapon. It's connected to your essence. It will only manifest when you summon it. Just focus your mind.”
Listening to his explanation, I closed my eyes. A weapon connected to my essence meant it was similar to how I mastered my abilities.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the weapon, thinking about the form it should take.
It was an interesting process, like sculpting a mental statue. As I delved deeper into my mind, a series of images flashed before my closed eyes. They were like glimpses into the weapon's potential forms, each representing a different aspect of the weapon.
As the mental exploration deepened, the images became clearer, as if the path to each form was unfolding before me. I could feel the unique essence of each weapon, waiting to be released.
The first to appear was the Green Moon.
As my consciousness flowed, the surrounding cave seemed to change. The moon emitted a green light, and an energy rifle appeared. I seemed to be able to feel the weight of this weapon and the cold touch of its metal surface.
Then, the second form appeared, and the scene changed again. The moon burned with blue-gold flames, illuminating the vast heavens and earth. I held the Blue Moon Bow, each arrow shot producing an explosive impact. The intricate details of the bow were vividly presented.
The third form took shape, the moon emitting a deep crimson light. This time, I held the Red Moon Twin Blades, and when the blades cut through the air, the crimson energy left a trail of withered destruction. The precision and lethality of the blades were clear in my mind.
The fourth image revealed a silver sky, and in my hand, I held the Silver Moon Chakram. As the chakram spun and danced in the air, threads of silver energy connected them, and their graceful movements were mesmerizing.
Finally, the scene turned into a deep purple-black sky. I held a series of Black Moon Rings in my hand, manipulating the power of darkness and crushing the ground beneath my feet. The overwhelming power of gravity control echoed in the intricate design of the rings.
As the display in my mind ended, I instinctively knew the weapon's name.
This was not something I decided myself, nor was it something Vogville and I had discussed.
[Celestial Radiance, Transcendental Eclipse]
This was the weapon's name itself.
As Vogville's voice echoed in the cave again, I was pulled back to reality from my meditation. “Figured out your weapon?” he muttered with a hint of curiosity.
“I think… I know,” I replied, still immersed in the mesmerizing experience.
“Then, I suggest you open your eyes,” Vogville instructed.
As I opened my eyes, [Celestial Radiance] appeared before me, the weapon that had just appeared in my mind now materialized in front of me.
The intricate details, the ethereal light, the weight in my hands, were no longer figments of my imagination. They were real, tangible.
It was a transcendent experience, the weapon connected to one's essence could be so extraordinary.
I could feel the energy emanating from the weapon, the feeling of touching it, as if it were a part of my body.
Vogville calmly observed my reaction, his rough face showing almost no emotion. “Well, it seems you got what you wanted. If there's nothing else, you better leave. This is no place to linger.”
Despite his gruff words, I could still hear a subtle hint of approval in his voice.
However, before leaving, I needed to check one more thing.
‘Status.’
This was the change in my body and skills, and I knew something must have changed.
