"..."
"Creating a weapon out of mana is ten times harder than forging one the old-fashioned way," he said bluntly.
"Ah. So it wouldn't have helped. Damn, I thought this might make it easier," I said, disappointed.
"Whoa, whoa. I didn't say I can't help you improve your weapons."
"But you just said-"
"It's just that your original thoughts were wrong. But I've got an idea," Steve said, scanning me from head to toe like he was reading a blueprint only he could see.
"Oh? Let's hear it," I said, perking up a little.
"First, give me that sword."
"Okay?" I said, handing it over.
"Ah, like I thought. You really did make it flexible," Steve said, bending the blade like it was a rubber stick.
"Well, it helped prevent it from snapping so easily..."
"Yeah? You dumb girl," he said, giving me a deadpan look.
"Sigh... no need to be that blunt, old man," I said, my cheeks burning slightly.
"You made ice flexible. That's counterproductive. Ice is strong because it's rigid. The harder it is, the more pressure it can take. But we'll fix that later. Now, here. Take your shitty sword and try to cut this," Steve said, dragging a thick, shimmering block of adamite onto the table.
"There is no way I'll be able to cut through adamite with this," I said, pointing at my sword with skepticism.
"Of course not, with a weapon like that."
"So what now?"
"I said, cut it. Don't worry if it breaks. I want to check something," Steve said, gesturing firmly.
"Okay?" I raised the sword and brought it down with all the force I could manage. It shattered on impact, pieces scattering like confetti.
"Hmm. Like I thought. Not even a dent," Steve said, inspecting the adamite, completely unfazed.
"So now what? Are you going to show me something that can actually cut it?" I asked, arms crossed.
"Yes," Steve said simply. Then, with a smooth movement, he formed a blade of pure raw mana in his hand. No elements, no tricks. Just focused will. He brought it down in a clean, effortless arc-and the adamite split like warm cheese.
"What!?" I exclaimed, mouth open.
"I'm a Forge King for a reason, girl," Steve said, grinning just a little.
"I see... So when you forge, you make the weapon's core out of mana, then add the metal afterward?" I asked, watching his weapon fade away.
"You catch on fast. That's exactly how we do it. But this kind of forging is rare-even for people like me. It's taxing. I can't do it often."
"Were the weapons you gave me years ago like that?"
"Oh hell no! Do you have any idea how many swords I gave you? I'd be dead, and this kingdom would be bankrupt. These weapons are called demigod swords for a reason. I can only make one of them a year, and that's pushing it."
"Oh. I see. Would it be possible for me to do it, though?"
"I don't know. But honestly... I think it is."
"Oh? So you showed me all this to test me, didn't you?"
"Hahaha, yeah. Just think about it. You're the first weapon sage ever. I don't think it's impossible for you," Steve said, his grin stretching wider.
"Haha, okay, I get it. Then I'll buy ten blocks of adamite for now," I said, beaming with excitement.
"I'll get that ready for you. Just remember-the first step is using only raw mana. No elements. Start with the core," Steve said, already digging through crates for my order.
"Alright. Hey-how about we make a deal?"
"A deal?" Steve paused and glanced back at me.
"Yeah. If I can make a mana weapon and cut through one block of adamite, you make me your assistant for your next demigod sword. I want to see the whole process, from start to finish."
"That'll take a whole month, you know," Steve said, eyeing me with a raised brow.
"So? If I can pop out a demigod sword every other month after learning it, I'll call that a win."
"You... you're serious about that?" Steve asked, sounding stunned.
"Of course. As a primordial and the first weapon sage, I have to live up to the hype, right?" I said this while flashing him a manic grin.
"Whahahahaha! You have two weeks."
"Deal!"
"It's a deal. Keep at it, missy!" The Forge King laughed, mimicking my grin with one of his own.
"Before I go, show me your mana weapon again. I need to study it."
"Fine by me," Steve said, summoning another glowing mana blade.
"Hmm... so it's like that. Damn. I'll have to go back to Kayda's training schedule again," I muttered, rubbing my chin.
"Good luck, missy. Get the rest of your blocks at the front. I'll see you in two weeks!" Steve called, already walking back to his forge.
"I'll be back. Thanks, old man," I said, waving as I left.
[15 minutes later]
"You're already back? It hasn't even been an hour," Mom said, spotting me walk through the mansion's front doors.
"Oh, hey, Mom. You're already leaving?"
"No, not yet. What's that in your hand?" she asked, pointing to the block I was carrying.
"Ah, this? It's an adamite block," I said, hoisting it up for her to see.
"Why do you have that? And why are you carrying it like that?"
"To cut it, of course," I said with a grin, enjoying the confusion on her face.
"Mind explaining?"
"Nope. You'll have to wait until the tournament."
"Hmm... okay. If you can make demigod weapons by then, I'll give you a present," Mom said, holding out her arms for a hug.
"Hehe. Of course, you knew. Okay, it's a deal," I said, wrapping my arms around her.
"Okay. See you later then."
"Okay," I said, waving as I headed toward the training ground, already brimming with ideas.
avataravatar
Chapter 157
"Fuck."
Boom!
The ground cracked beneath me as the shockwave of my mana burst sent dust flying in every direction. The adamite block, however, didn't even wobble.
'How the hell am I supposed to do this?' I thought with unusual calm after the outburst, standing there in the middle of the ruined training ground, glaring at the chunk of metal like it had personally offended my family.
"I went back to Kayda's mana training, but there really isn't anything more I can squeeze out of that. So, how am I supposed to cut this damn material?" I muttered, more to myself than anything else, as I tossed the adamite block up into the air like a toy and caught it again, over and over.
"He made it look so easy yesterday. I really thought I would've made a dent by now," I said, my voice flat and disappointed as the block came back down with a loud thud in my hand.
"Ugh, what should I do next?" I hummed, dragging my fingers through my hair and staring at the block like it might magically offer up a solution if I stared long enough.
"Well, for starters, why are you trying to mimic him?" a voice asked from the edge of the training ground.
I turned my head just enough to see Kayda leaning against the gate, arms crossed, watching me with a look that danced between amusement and pity.
"Mimic? I'm not trying to mimic him, but I need to do the same as him to do that," I replied with a frown, tossing the adamite one last time before letting it fall with a dull thunk.
"He's a blacksmith. He lives by the hammer but forges the sword. You don't."
"Huh? What the hell? Why are you talking in riddles?" I asked, squinting at her like she had grown two heads.
"This is no riddle, youngling, but advice-"
"Don't even continue in that tone. Please. It feels like I'm dating a grandmother or something." I cut her off, groaning and rubbing my face with both hands.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry," Kayda said, laughing at my misery. "However, I was genuinely serious about the first clue."
"Sigh... So you were talking in riddles. Great," I said, glaring back down at the adamite like it was mocking me.
"Hmm... Another thing is that I would never be able to cut it," Kayda added with a casual shrug.
"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm a mage. I could easily melt that object with enough effort, but cutting it is impossible. Impossible. Not in the same way Steve did." Kayda explained, conjuring a small flame and spinning it lazily above her palm.
"Hmm... You're finally being useful."
"What! "I thought it would be nice to bring you some blacksmithing books from the Kunis," Kayda snapped, glaring as she pulled out a heavy leather bag and dropped it on the ground with a dramatic thud.
"...My lovely girlfriend," I said with the fakest smile I could muster.
"Don't even," Kayda growled, shooting daggers at me with her eyes before turning around and walking off without another word.
"Ah, I went too far," I muttered, watching her go. Her tail was puffed up in irritation.
"Her stress levels must be through the roof," I added with a sigh.
"There's not much I can do, but I can get this done faster." I thought, plopping down into a cross-legged position.
[Kitsu's inner monologue]
Steve is a blacksmith. Lives by the hammer. Makes the sword.
Kayda is a mage. Lives in the scorch. Kayda creates warmth.
...Hahahaha, what the hell am I thinking? Hahaha.
Wait. But that doesn't make sense.
Kayda said she could melt adamite but couldn't cut it-not like Steve did.
So the sword cuts. Heat melts.
Kayda's nature is characterized by her scorching magic. It fits. Destructive but flowing. It works with her.
Then what do I make? Or more specifically, what do I live for?
That sounds so weird, even in my head.
Live.
Live... live... live.
"Live... what do I live? Ice? No. Anger? Maybe. War? Too abstract. Think simpler, Kitsuna."
I'm a weapons sage. Something between a mage and a warrior. But crafting isn't my job-not the traditional kind.
Ugh, he made a sword out of pure mana and told me to do the same. But that hasn't been working. Kayda only provided cryptic advice, which has left me feeling even more confused.
Living anger feels too deep. And vague. I require a substance that penetrates deeply.
Fox ice? No.
Devil fire? Lightning? They're powerful, but they're just elements.
It has to be something I live by.
But that's too floaty again.
I'm arrogant. A narcissist. I act like I'm everything, really...
Fox.
Wait... no way.
I'm dumb.
I'm really dumb.
[Kitsu's inner monologue ends.]
I sprang to my feet like lightning struck me, adrenaline suddenly pumping through my veins. With a manic grin, I flung the adamite block into the air, letting it spin slowly as it reached its peak. Raising two fingers, I made a simple slashing motion through the air.
Clang.
My eyes widened.
"No fucking way," I whispered, staring at the 2-centimeter groove sliced into the adamite's surface.
"Hahaha! I can't believe I forgot how I lived on Earth!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the empty training grounds.
"The worst part is-I'm a fox. We live in shadows. We use everything at our disposal to win. We don't fight fair. We hide our fangs until the moment we strike. That's how I lived back then, after escaping... that thing. Hahaha... well, shit. I figured it out," I said, cackling with wild joy.
Ten minutes passed with me laughing, pacing, muttering, and laughing again. Finally, I wiped a tear from my eye and stood tall.
Bringing my hand up again, I held two fingers upright, the rest curled down in a tight fist. Focusing, I felt the mana react, sharp and silent like a whisper through my bones.
"You really can't see it at all... and it's gone," I muttered as the sensation vanished like smoke in the wind.
"I can't hold it long. But it's a start," I nodded, feeling excitement bubble beneath my skin.
'Now how do I make this kind of mana trailing stronger? I need to ask Kayda... but she's probably still mad at me.' I sighed, shoulders slumping.
"Wait, I've got those books she dropped off." I turned toward the heavy bag lying near the edge of the field.
"Let's see what we've got here. 'Blacksmithing for Dummies'? Seriously? They actually named a book that?" I delivered my line with a deadpan expression, holding the book as if it were contagious.
"Fuck... I guess I'll start here," I grumbled, cracking it open as I sat back down on the floor.
"Mother! Help us!" Apricot's voice screamed as she burst into the training grounds like a hurricane.
"Don't shout like that. And why are you in here?" I asked flatly, not even looking up from my book.
"Huh? 'Smithing for Dummies'? Really, Mom?" Apricot blinked, revealing a sudden lack of respect for me.
"Apricot. What do you want?"
"Please do something about your wife. She's killing us!" Apricot said dramatically, half-collapsing onto her knees.
"Killing you? You mean training, don't you?" I asked, raising a brow at her sweat-soaked uniform.
"Y-Yes, but she's going too far!" Apricot cried, rubbing her temples.
"Then it has nothing to do with me if you're getting overworked."
"But-"
"Apricot. Leave. Before I drag you back myself."
"Fine, fine, I'll go!" she huffed, stomping out of the field.
"How do you expect me to help you? She's mad at me too," I muttered after her, sighing.
'Let's see if we can at least make her a little happier.'
I raised my hand, gathering mana and shaping a small bird-a sleek eagle with sharp eyes and sharper feathers.
"Huh. Can you even move?" I asked, watching the creature blink at me.
"Caw. Of course I can move, caw," it replied indignantly.
"...And talk? How the hell? Whatever. Go to Kayda and thank her for the help."
"Caw. Whatever, whatever," the eagle grumbled, flapping off.
[Eagle Kitsu POV]
"Caw. This feels weird. Caw," I muttered, watching the wind ripple under my wings as I soared.
"Well, at least I don't have to stay like this for long," I mumbled before diving down toward Kayda, who was watching her squad train with the menace of a drill sergeant.
"Oh? And what are you?" She asked as I circled above, then floated down toward her extended arm.
"Caw. I'm your lovely girlfriend's clone. Caw," I said, puffing my chest.
"...Ara, how unfortunate," she muttered with a sigh, letting me land.
"How unfortunate!? Caw-whatever. I'm here to apologize... and also to snitch on Apricot. She ran away."
"Oh? She wants to apologize? What for?"
"She figured out what you meant," I said with a proud nod.
"Already? So what was the outcome?" Kayda asked, her voice suddenly more interested.
"Uh... I can't really do it myself."
"I assumed that. I want you to explain it to me."
"Trickery. She's using... invisible mana."
"What? Invisible mana? Is that even possible?" Kayda muttered to herself, rubbing her chin.
"Yes, that is possible if your core personality relies on stealth and deception."
