"You don't know the horror of watching an Ancient graded weapon being crafted right in front of you, and knowing you'll never come close to making something of that quality. That day terrorizes my dreams. I spend my time trying to recreate what I saw, but I can't. What I watched is beyond mortal capability."
-Darren Fulwitter, A Royal Blacksmith of Edaria
~~~(POV: Justin Xander)~~~
~~~(Location: Blacksmith Shop, Geonia City, Aeternitatem Genesis)~~~
~~~(Day, Date, Time: Tuesday, April 16th, 10:35 AM PST)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 19 Years)~~~
The more I observe the exhaustion and general imbalance from the two, the greater my curiosity grows. What could've caused two experts in their fields such issues? I want to get straight to business about my armor blueprints, but I don't know if now is the best time, given what I've seen from the two of them.
"I was coming to ask your opinion on some blueprints I got. Is now a bad time for you guys?"
Zack lifts his head as he hears the word blueprint. Darren leans against the doorway between the blacksmith workshop and the storefront. He strokes his beard in thought for a moment before looking at his nephew.
There is an unspoken conversation between the two as they nod their heads. Darren looks back at me and motions for me to follow him.
"I figured you'd come back here, Zaediel. Suffice to say, you left us with many questions and no answers whatsoever."
That's not entirely true. I told them I got lucky when I made (Monument of Sin). While it wasn't a good answer, it still counts! Ah, that's neither here nor there. They were unconvinced when I left the first time, and I suspect their desire to know the truth has only grown.
"Sorry if my explanation didn't satisfy you, Darren. However, I don't have a reasonable explanation for how I managed to forge an (Ancient) graded weapon."
A long sigh escapes from Darren as we make it to the back of the shop, where a door is located. He opens it, and we walk in. What immediately stands out are countless drawings and designs for potential items.
I have to take a moment and look around the room. Each paper pinned to the wall or stacked on one of the work tables is a truly wonderful piece of art. These are concepts. Ideas that exist on paper alone.
The sad truth is, I could never make something this beautiful looking, no matter how hard I try. I'm not an artist. That doesn't stop me from wishing I had the talent. If you want to get good at something, you have to practice at it. I've never sat down at a table and created something with paper and pencil.
"This here is where we design all our weapons and armor before we forge them using the system. Most of what you see never comes to fruition, but Zack and I never throw an idea away."
Truly marvelous.
[The Primeval Angel blood within you amplifies. As the Last Descendant of Zophiel, your talent and potential in smithing is unrivaled.]
[The next item you craft will be of Epic grade quality or higher.]
As I receive the message from the system, a surge of indescribable energy courses through me. I don't show an outward reaction aside from maybe a slight widening of my eyes.
"It's always a privilege to see the workspace of true professionals in their fields. It makes me wonder how much time has been spent in this room, y'know?"
There is a bit of wonderlust in my voice as I finish looking around the room. Zack and Darren clear off a section of one of the work tables. I move in their direction, and they stand on either side of me as I pull the blueprints from my inventory.
---[Righteous Hearted Armor Set]---
[Production Blueprints] [Grade: Rare]
[Info: Blueprints for a complete set of armor exclusively used for people who've helped nobles and their subjects. It is quite sturdy and powerful. When worn, people will know you're connected to a powerful noble (Eliza Fard Cira Zada.)]
[You can craft this armor set.]
[You need the materials: Cold Steel, Purified Sacred Water, and Greater Wolf Leather.]
[Success rate: 100% due to being based on a blueprint.]
[More information available after the armor set is crafted.]
[Warning: Enemies of Eliza and her family will be hostile to you on sight.]
"This is the reward I got for a quest I handled for Eliza Fard Cira Zada. What I wanted to know is how I could get my hands on (Cold Steel), (Purified Sacred Water), and (Greater Wolf Leather). I'm unfamiliar with the methods to acquire these crafting items."
Darren and Zack lean in and stare at the blueprints. Taking in all the information. From what I've deduced in the last conversation I had with Darren, it's rare for any blacksmith to create an item higher than (Rare) grade.
So, having production blueprints for an entire set of (Rare) graded armor must be an uncommon occurrence for people in their field. Goes to show that keeping the blueprints for (Metallic Mana Strings) to myself is a good idea.
"It's amazing the kind of pull nobles have. I've heard that Eliza is wealthy, but to throw in this as a reward for a quest must mean she has replicas of this blueprint, or it holds little value to her in comparison to what else she might have."
Darren isn't wrong. Eliza must have items of greater value since she gave me this. There is a moment of awestruck between the two blacksmiths as they look at it for a bit longer. Once Darren finishes staring at the blueprints, he stands straight and looks to me.
"The (Purified Sacred Water) and (Greater Wolf Leather) are easily obtainable. For the first crafting item, you just need to find a local church and buy some of the (Purified Sacred Water). The (Greater Wolf Leather) can be found by killing the animal or buying the crafting item at a tanner's shop."
So, it's actually relatively easy to find these two items. However, from the exclusion of (Cold Steel), it looks like that's going to be the hardest to get my hands on.
"As for (Cold Steel), that can only be created from mining iron ore found in frozen mountains. Then, smelting the iron ore and forging the steel. The magic causes it to create a special kind of steel called (Cold Steel). It's not readily available on the market."
Son of a bitch!!
Just like (Adamantine), it's going to be a real pain in the ass to get a hold of. A long sigh escapes my mouth as I lean forward slightly and deflate a little.
"Can you guys at least tell me where I can hunt for (Greater Wolf Leather) and where I should go to find the iron ore needed for (Cold Steel)?"
The whole reason I came here was to find out where I can find all this stuff anyway. The exact locations of where to find these crafting items are the next step in the process of making this armor.
"Well, you can find the wolves you need to hunt around (Kardiack's Cave). As for the iron ore you need, the closest mountain range I know of that's cold enough to produce ore that can be made into (Cold Steel) is (Relalia's Fangs). It's almost 1,200 kilometers from Geonia."
If I could deflate any further, I would. The second I hear it's 1,200 kilometers away, a small ghost mini-me escapes from my lips.
"You guys aren't pulling my leg here, right?!"
The desperation that they're playing a practical joke on me is plainly obvious in my tone. However, they both shake their heads and give sympathetic looks.
So, I have the blueprints to make a genuinely good set of armor. However, one of the crafting items is so fucking rare, I need to crack into a frozen fucking mountain range to get the ore needed to make it.
I can't think of anything more of a tease than seeing something you want, but you just can't get it because you don't have access to one little thing. Then again, AG has proven to be tough in many ways.
It makes a lot of sense that really good items require the commensurate quality of crafting materials. The exception is the quality of the crafting skill used. My (Zophiels Smithing Technique) allows me to create higher-quality items with lower-quality crafting materials.
In the end, not being able to make the armor now seems to be for the best. But this wasn't a failed trip. I got the information I came here for, and I even got a quality boost on the next item I craft.
So, the question I should ask myself is, do I save my next item craft for the (Metallic Mana Strings) and get them above Epic grade with the boost I have, or do I use this boost for some other item I craft...
"Well, I thank you both for your advice and expertise with my questions."
I reach down and take the blueprint. Placing it back in my inventory.
"I wish I could stay and chat longer, guys, but I'm on another important quest. But I'll be sure to stop by again soon."
The disappointment on their faces tells me they had more questions for me. But I don't want to get grilled, so I make a quick exit. I really do need to get to work on this new quest.
Now, before anything else, I need to figure out Dusk's identity and where they're located. That's going to be the hardest part of this quest.