In a spacious garden, with various flowers, plants and fruit trees, was a blue-haired boy, with cold, cobalt eyes. He was sitting on the grass, a few sticks, stones and metals in front of him.
"Let's get to work!" Lancelot smirked, grabbing two sticks.
Then, he closed his eyes, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
Inside Lancelot's body, his heart beat faster- a stream of Od, which appeared like liquid crystal, flowing through one of his valves. The Od travelled within his blood stream, using the artery to rush into his brain.
To activate one's Emblem, they must supply Od to their brain, which carries the spiritual instructions that enact the Emblem. This is the reason the body evolves to turn its veins and arteries into 'Magic Vessels'. Because of this, a magus requires Od to use their Emblem, like all other magecraft.
Immediately, the two sticks in Lancelot hand hummed, glowing with a teal light. They turned semi-transparent, but aside from that, no change occurred.
"I need to use more Od.." Lancelot deduced, sending more Od to his brain.
Eventually, around 30% of the water in his Soul Dam was used up.
The two sticks hummed louder, sounding like the jingle of bells as they rushed towards each other. The teal light they produced increased, eventually coalescing into one shining mass.
Lancelot opened his eyes, shoulders slumping as he relaxed, a smile on his face.
Floating in front of him now was a wooden sword, looking blunt and dull-like, with a leaf on its hilt.
[Analyze.]
A panel similar to the Soul Panel emerged, and Lancelot quickly read it.
[Twig Sword: Low Durability with Low Attack.]
[Skill: Nature's Blessing. This skill allows the sword to sprout leaves on its blade.]
[Evaluation- FFF Rank, Trash Tier.]
Lancleot's eyebrow twitched, his smile fading as he felt a sense of indignation.
"It's because I used some random sticks." He justified, throwing the wooden sword over his shoulder. The sword, if it could be called that, landed on a pile of twisted items.
Some of them were thick, wonky poles. Some were deformed circles, whilst others were simply longer sticks.
These items were the 'failed' products, ones that didn't come out as expected. This is because Lancelot only had a slight influence on the result of the 'Crafting'. It was mostly up to luck, and because the items couldn't be 'Uncrafted', it also wasted resources.
Lancelot had gotten lucky with the sword, but the Rank of the item was so low because of a multitude of reasons. Namely, the material itself.
"...Pfffhh.." Ddraig laughed at Lancelot's, admittedly, trash results.
"Shut up! It's my first time using this Emblem." Lancelot grumbled, folding his arms. "I'm only Stage One anyways, once I reach Stage Two or Three, I would probably be able to control the results."
Lancelot clenched his hand, determination etched onto his face.
"I'll make the greatest weapon ever! This Emblem is.. perfect! The strongest should possess the strongest weapon, after all."
Lancelot was coping.
"..." Ddraig blinked, feeling touched.
Lancelot had just called Ddraig's Emblem perfect!
"Y'know.. I could use my authority so that the result is exactly what you want." Ddraig offered, flattered.
Dragons were prideful, and Lancelot had unknowingly praised him. Even if it was indirect, Ddraig felt inclined to help someone who acknowledged the grandeur of his potent abilities!
"Huh? Really?" Lancelot was surprised, even feeling a tad bit suspicious. "You can do that?"
Ddraig had helped him many, many times before. But, he would always make sure that Lancelot remembered to pay him back, counting them as 'favours'.
Most of the time, he would force Lancelot to do embarrassing things, like holding his earlobes and squatting in front of people, larping as a beggar on the street, or flirting with drunken men who passed by.
This is why Lancelot was so upset at owing Ddraig six favours, who knows what he would make him do?
"Of course I can! My power, when I was alive, is something far beyond the limits of you humans." He snorted. "Now, try again."
Lancelot paused for a moment before nodding.
Never look a gift-horse in the mouth, they say.
He looked at the materials in front of him, picking out two metals.
One of them was a chunk of steel, and the other was a bit of aluminum. He had gotten both of these materials via asking the blacksmith, who he was familiar with.
Though, he wouldn't go as far to calling him a 'friend'. The only people who knew him was Sarah and Ddraig Wen, and even then, Sarah didn't even know the real him. He naturally didn't want to interact with 'normies', but his status as the village chief's younger brother required him to make certain.. connections.
"Sarah's out talking to the merchants, she'll probably invite them over for dinner. I'll give her the necklace back then." Lancelot reminded himself.
"Hey, stop sitting around and use your Emblem already!" Ddraig urged.
"Yeah, yeah. I was just thinking about something." Lancelot muttered, closing his eyes and concentrating on manipulating his Od.
Once again, 30% of his Od was used up, his Soul Dam only containing just under half of it's maximum capacity.
It took a hour for his Soul Dam to fill up again, and since Sarah was out, he decided to practice his Embelm for a few hours.
Immediately, the two metals took on a teal glow, shining brightly as they fused. Once the light receded, a long, silver spear floated in front of him.
Lancelot's eyes lit up.
"It really worked!" Lancelot rejoiced internally, standing up and grabbing the spear, holding it in both hands and testing it's weight.
"Sturdy yet lightweight, slim and around one point six meters long." He listed in his mind, running a finger along the sharp tip. "Sharp too.. It's exactly as I imagined!"
[Analyze.]
[Alloy Spear: High Durability, High Attack. Capable of causing critical impale, slash and blunt damage.]
[Skill: Piercing Javelin. Makes the weilder throw the Alloy Spear in a throw that uses 150% of the weilder's physical strength.]
[Evaluation: C Rank. Uncommon Tier.]
Lancelot's eyes widened.
The difference between the two attemps was like that of heaven and earth. This weapon would be a great help to him if he encountered an enemy around the Stage Two level, and could easily dispatch a Stage One with his own strategy and skill.
Lancelot smiled, "Thanks Ddraig."
He quickly frowned.
"This doesn't count a favour, right?"
"Hehe, no. I'll help you out with this anytime, the growth of your Stage is linked to regaining my power, after all."
Lancelot let out a sigh of relief.
"As I increase my Stage, your soul will grow stronger too. You're like a parasite, resting and getting nutrients from my soul. Eventually, at Stage Eight, you'll regain around a quarter of the power you once had." Lancelot mused, recounting what Ddraig had once told him.
"Yeah, but it's easier said than done. Stage Eight is the level of the Angels depicted in that Sun God's bible. The depictions are eerily accurate too, so there's a large chance of them actually being Stage Eights.."
Lancelot simply sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Aside from being the strongest, another one of his goals was to 'overthrow the heavens'. This goal was of equal importance to him as becoming the strongest. Ddraig's words just now increased the difficulty of the task in his mind by hundreds of times.
However, he didn't feel despair or regret.
If it was going to be easy, he wouldn't be here right now. One of his other Incarnations could have done it. Only a goal as grand and difficult as this could be worthy of him to pursue! He wouldn't settle for less, to gamble his life should be as natural to him as breathing, only then could he be 'the strongest'!
There was only room in his heart for determination, perseverance and excitement!
Suddenly, he heard sounds of keys jingling, followed by the footsteps of four people.
Even though he was in the garden, and many meters away from the front door, with the heightened physical capabilities of a Stage One, he could barely hear it.
"Hehe, it's time to surprise her." Lancelot chuckled internally, a smile already spreading on his face as he tossed his 'training equipment', including the spear, into a bush.