Chapter CLX - A New Set (part 1)

I made the layer of the shadow of the pot ten times thicker before I started compressing, just in case the shadow won't be able to hold what is inside.

The pot kept on becoming smaller and smaller. All of the muscles in my hands screamed as I pushed my shadow magic to its limits. Sweat fell faster than when I was heating the bottom of the pot due to the concentration.

And finally, I was able to reach the amount I think I needed. I stopped compressing at that spot and just let the molten lava cool down.

I lowered my body from the fatigue, and the dwarf noticed how tired I was.

"Great job. You did it perfectly."

The dwarf patted me, but realized I was sweating. He wiped the wet hand on his clothes and returned to the armour blueprints that had cooled down and started working on the armour.

It doesn't take long for him to clean the armour pieces. But he will need some stuff back at the kingdom to finish the armour, so I can't wear it right away. It will also take a lot of time for him to design everything, so it might take a whole day until I can wear it.

After an hour of cooling down, the dwarf told me to open the pot and see the insides.

"Yep. It's cooled down."

Immediately, I took down the currently small shadow pot, and just like that a square of solid metal fell to the ground.

I watched it in slow motion as the square solid Nychromium falling to the ground, and I immediately noticed the weirdly fluctuating air that surrounds it as it fell.

Immediately, I knew something was wrong.

ZRRRRRRRRRGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As soon as the square touched the ground, everything shook. The drop made the whole mountain shake and the ground shattered like glass. 

I immediately picked it up from the ground with my shadow magic, with sweat all over after realizing how bad it could've gotten.

After picking it up with my hands covered in shadow magic, I turned to the dwarf with a really guilty face and found the veins popping on the dwarf's forehead.

"Y-You idiot! Now that it's compressed, that thing weighs at least a hundred fold!!"

"S-Sorry!!"

If I didn't pick it back up, that thing would have destroyed the whole mountain…

Damn… this scythe will be very dangerous, huh…?

I placed the cubical metal on a shadow table. Somehow when it is touched with magic, it doesn't get that heavy.

The dwarf let out a sigh.

"Will you even be able to lift this thing…?"

"I can. I lifted it just now, didn't I?"

"Right... Now that it has cooled down, you need to cook it again. And once it melted, you could pour it into the blueprint."

"Oh dear... How long should I light it up?"

"About ten times the previous duration."

"F-For real???"

We ended up spending more time melting the small amount of compressed Nychromium. Luckily its size is much smaller, so it is actually faster than before. In the end, it only took half an hour for it to completely melt.

I poured in the molten compressed Nychromium into the blueprint of the scythe on the ground, and the molten lava flowed down the path and filled the blueprint hole.

There is a very small amount left, so I suggested making a knife from it.

And from that giant blade, I was able to get armour, a scythe, and an overly powerful and heavy kitchen knife.

We waited for some time until the compressed blueprints cooled down, and when it did, we went back to the kingdom with that thing inside my space ring.

It was already evening, and everyone was quite busy with their lives on the south-eastern main road. They all got startled when a black winged person with a dwarf in their hand landed in front of the blacksmith shop.

I followed the dwarf to the far back to the dwarf's personal forging room where he will be working on the scythe and armour. He also will be working on the super knife, but it won't be much, only sharpening it.

"Okay. You can leave. Come back tomorrow evening, and it will most likely be done."

The dwarf said after I placed down the ugly looking scythe blueprint on the ground.

"What? Can you even lift this thing?"

"Of course I can! I have magic tools!"

The dwarf puts on some metal magic gauntlets and tries picking up the ugly looking rough scythe. It was still extremely heavy for him, even with the magic gauntlets. But he still managed to lift it up by the blade and handle, and he slammed it down on top of the smithy table. What's funny is that the smithing table is still standing and not collapsing.

Magic forging is weird…

I left the shop and went to my inn to take a bath. I smelled so bad after that forging, so a bath is definitely a must-have. After cleaning up, I went to Hod's restaurant for a meal.

Boy does it look crowded.

I sat on the tall chair in front of the counter and talked with Hod as I ate dinner. I told him about the forging today, and how painful it was. Hod was pretty shocked when he heard about the material being the Compressed Nychromium, but he had to nod seeing that it is me talking here.

I don't know how powerful it will be, but if it breaks right after I use it, I will not use any weapon ever again.

The day after, I went on a mission with only Cane and Emily. Fran was a little too exhausted and decided to skip today's mission. Plus, once again we received a ton of money from the dungeon raid, so not going for a mission today is good enough.

Brod and Rath said they have something to attend to, and Emily asked for training with me, so she goes with us on a Yellow ranked mission.

After finishing the mission, which is just slaying a bunch of escaped dungeon monsters from yesterday's dungeon, Emily and I had some training sessions while Cane watched from a distance.

I told Emily about the tips on tiering up, and she was able to tier up two of her magic, which is the fire magic into the Knight tier, and her wind magic also to the Knight tier. Her lightning magic is rarely used, so it is still on the Intermediate.

Cane was pretty shocked seeing this, but I merely told him it was the academy's teachings. Meanwhile, I myself tried to tier up my healing magic. 

But just like any day before this, no luck.

I can feel that it is merely a tiny bit until it can tier up. Just a tiny bit, and yet I still can't do it.

I'm not sure why, but it is definitely something I 'theoretically' missed.

Something that is a fact. Something that makes the King tier and the Emperor tier very different. Something that I have been trying out and looking for so long, and still have not obtained.

We finished the training when it's already afternoon and headed back to the kingdom. 

During the evening, I went to the old dwarf's blacksmith store, only to find that it is closed. But when I pushed the door, it opened. The lady from before doesn't seem to be present, so I allowed myself in.

I entered and went all the way to the back, only to find the old dwarf barely alive on the ground.

"Oi! Are you okay??"

"Uhuk!! Yeah... Just a little... tired..."

I healed his whole body with healing magic, and he felt slightly better. I healed the poisoning from the smokes inside his lungs, but his exhaustion is still there, so it's best to let him sit.

From his position and condition, it looks like he was just done with the gear. It also looks like his forging tools are still hot, so it was actually pretty recent.

It's best if he takes some time to breathe and relax. But no, this old dwarf is stubborn as heck.

"No, forget me! Look at the... the thing."

He pointed on top of the forging table, where a shiny item can be seen covered with a cloth.

I removed the cloth and my eyes opened wide.

VWUNG!!

I lifted the handle and swung it around easily. The sound it makes as it cuts the air, even when just being moved around, shows how much power it has.

It is light, but it is definitely heavier than any other weapons. Every other weapon I held is lighter than a feather, and yet this one felt like holding a pencil.

I can tell that this thing is extremely heavy, and that it is special.

"Y-You can swing it so easily..."

I placed it down on the table, while the old man stood up.

"How was it?"

"It felt... perfect."

The length, the blade, everything.

It is so much better than the shadow scythe I used to make. The old dwarf is definitely talented, like what everyone said. He knows exactly the perfect length for me, and the right angle for the blade to curve from the stick.

"Thank you, old dwarf. This is… special."

I glanced one more time at it, and finally had one last idea.

"Ah!! Does it come with paints!?"