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Chapter Thirteen - "Enchantment: Flame Weapon"

"You shall not take my candle!" Big Candle Garg bellowed, unleashing a fireball aimed straight at Forseti.

As the fiery light erupted, Forseti's vigilance peaked, swiftly altering his trajectory, dancing with his copper hammer a tad faster.

"Boom!"

In the next instant, the fireball exploded and was partially dispersed by the swinging copper hammer, yet some flames still grazed Forseti.

It was difficult to completely evade.

Despite being the lowest-level fireball technique, Garg's casting and reaction speeds were exceptional. Forseti had attempted numerous challenges but never fully dodged the fireball.

Nevertheless, this was an ideal outcome; Forseti sustained only minor injuries.

Soon, the two closed in on each other. Garg roared, brandishing his hatchet and charging forward.

Unyielding, Forseti clenched his copper hammer and roared back, meeting Garg head-on.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

In the blink of an eye, their weapons clashed several times, sparks flying amidst the dimly lit mine.

"Charge!"

Their weapons collided again in a singular spot, sparks cascading as both Forseti and Garg gritted their teeth.

Suddenly, Big Candle Garg leaped with both feet, aiming a kangaroo-like kick at Forseti's abdomen.

However, having sparred with Garg multiple times in the experience space, Forseti anticipated this move. Almost simultaneously, he seized Garg's feet.

In a previous skirmish, he had successfully grabbed Garg's kicking foot, only for Garg to exploit the distance by swinging his axe toward Forseti's neck.

This time, however, Forseti opted to throw Garg.

"Boom!"

Garg crashed against the cave wall with a wail.

Forseti didn't ease up; he swung his hammer forward, striking Garg on the forehead.

"Clang!" At the critical juncture, Garg swiftly raised his axe to block the copper hammer.

Forseti freed one hand and delivered a swift punch to Garg's face, eliciting a cry of pain.

Seeing victory within reach, Garg suddenly shouted, flames erupting between his hands as fire burst forth.

"Boom!"

The flames singed both combatants; Forseti recoiled, while Garg struggled to evade.

Gritting his teeth against the searing pain, Forseti lunged forward, his copper hammer sweeping down, knocking Garg to the ground.

As Garg attempted to rise, Forseti struck again, this time landing a blow squarely on the back of Garg's head.

"Bang!" Garg's form exploded, dissipating into thin air, leaving behind only a slowly descending parchment.

Victory at last!

Exhaling heavily, Forseti collapsed to the ground, panting as he picked up the parchment.

Obtained: [Devotion 11.96], ["A Tear-Jerking Romance Novel: Drop of Wax"], [Enchanted Fire Weapon].

"A Tear-Jerking Romance Novel: Drop of Wax!"

Forseti's eyes widened as he read the title.

Could this kobold have any connection to Azeroth's renowned engineer, Marcus?

However, his attention swiftly shifted to the third item, [Enchanted Fire Weapon].

Forseti hurriedly exited the experience space and consulted the Sanctuary for details.

[Enchanted Fire Weapon: Infuse a weapon with magical fire power to enhance its attacking prowess. Only superior weapons can be enchanted...]

Reading the instructions, Forseti's heart skipped a beat with surprise and excitement.

However, he quickly composed himself, eyeing the wooden-handled copper hammer in his grasp.

Only superior weapons could be enchanted, and undoubtedly, his current battered hammer wouldn't suffice. It couldn't carry enchantments.

Forseti reckoned that Asgard bronze weapons could be enchanted, given that Asgardian warriors' armaments were all enchanted, albeit often with rudimentary spells—such as durability enhancement or increased sharpness.

Purchase a bronze weapon?

Or forge the Fist of Verrigan?

Instinctively, Forseti leaned toward the latter, yet crafting the Fist of Verrigan would undoubtedly incur substantial expenses, a prospect that daunted him.

Asgardian bronze ingots cost a hundred and thirty-five gold coins apiece, with at least seven required for a warhammer. Assuming Asgardian bronze could substitute Jordan's refined ore, it was still a fraction of the cost, not to mention the gem replacement from Cole, and of course, the substantial crafting expenses.

Crafting the Fist of Verrigan would demand a multitude of runes.

How could he muster such funds? Pocket money wouldn't suffice.

Deep in thought, brows furrowed, Forseti lapsed into silence for a long while.

After a prolonged interval, his expression suddenly brightened, recalling something and hastily rifling through the kings' sacred deeds once more.

Andorov's Hair Restorer!

Gazing at the alchemical formula, Forseti grinned, slapping his thigh in realization.

How could I have forgotten this!

Baldness afflicted some in Asgard as well. If this remedy could cure baldness more affordably than other methods, why not amass the necessary runes!

Initially dismissed as trivial, it now seemed the most pragmatic solution, revealing the sacred deeds' profound regard for both the old and the young.

Wait, I haven't perused "A Tear-Jerking Romance Novel: Drop of Wax." Might it unexpectedly prove useful?

With that thought, Forseti revisited "A Tear-Jerking Romance Novel: Drop of Wax," finding just one line on the page: [Content too lewd, will not display.]

Damn, not the appropriate content they're keeping from me!

Forseti muttered, dismissing the matter from his mind.

Returning to the hair restorer formula, he meticulously reviewed its technicalities.

Slightly more intricate than the healing stone, but manageable. Forseti believed he could craft it, provided he first secured alternative medicinal ingredients.

The principal ingredients of the hair growth agent—silver leaf grass and Khadgar's beard—were commonplace herbs in World of Warcraft, and substitutes in this realm wouldn't be scarce.

Moreover, he ran a pharmacy.

Hurriedly entering the pharmacy, Forseti identified the most frequently used medicinal herbs, testing them against the [Alchemy Formula: Andorov's Hair Growth Agent].

[Shining Star Grass: 77% substitute for Silver Leaf Grass]

The first herb identified yielded such a result, unsurprising to Forseti. Silver leaf grass was the most widely employed herb in World of Warcraft, whereas shining star grass was its Asgardian counterpart.

He continued testing other herbs.

[Blood Thread Flower: Unsuitable substitute]

[Lifia Foxtail: 53% substitute for Silver Leaf Grass]

[Black Thorns: Unsuitable substitute]

[Green Potato: Unsuitable substitute]

...

After assessing all the available herbs, Forseti gleaned only one viable option: shining star grass, substituting 77% for silver leaf grass.

How rare was Khadgar's beard?

Could it be replaced by someone's actual beard?

Unlikely.

Forseti dismissed the notion. He recalled clearly that though named "Khadgar's Beard," it was a legitimate herb, resembling Khadgar's facial hair in appearance alone.