14: The Magic Sword Smith and the Fully Armed Supporter
The morning sun filtered through the clouds, illuminating the great avenue leading to Babel.
"E-Emiya-sama, are we really going there?"
Lilliruca looked at the magnificent storefront ahead—the "Hephaestus Familia Headquarters"—and felt her legs go a bit weak as she adjusted the old backpack that was larger than her own body.
"Of course."
Shirou Emiya stopped, turned around, and looked at his Supporter with a helpless smile. "Since we've decided to challenge the 'Middle Levels' (Floor 13 and above), updating your equipment is a necessity. That leather armor you're wearing is heavily worn, and that backpack... it's too heavy and poorly designed from an engineering standpoint."
As a magus possessing [Structural Analysis], Shirou simply could not tolerate the low-quality gear Lili wore, which was riddled with flaws and hidden dangers.
"But... everything from the House of Hephaestus is so expensive!" Lili clutched her small coin purse, her face contorting in financial agony. "Actually, buying something secondhand from 'Gnomette's General Store' would be just fine..."
"It's not just about buying gear."
Shirou shook his head, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.
"I also need to see a 'friend' and borrow her forge while I'm at it."
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As they stepped into the shop, a wave of heat washed over them.
Unlike his low-key visit to the first floor last time, Shirou went straight to the counter and presented the black-and-gold card inlaid with a ruby—the [Divine Smith Card].
"Th-this is..."
The receptionist's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Her attitude shifted 180 degrees instantly, her waist bending into a near-perfect right angle.
"Deepest apologies! I didn't realize you were a distinguished guest of Lady Hephaestus! How may I serve you today?"
"I'd like to rent a high-grade forging room. Additionally, please help this lady select a set of top-tier Supporter-specific light armor—the kind with 'Auto-Repair' and 'Weight Reduction' enchantments."
"Certainly! Please follow me! Also... the Captain happens to be in the shop; should I inform her of your arrival?"
"Tsubaki-san? If it's not too much trouble."
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Ten minutes later, in a high-grade forging room.
"Hahahaha! So it's you, kid!"
Before she was even seen, a boisterous laugh rang out. Following closely behind was a half-dwarf woman wearing an eye patch and red kimono-style work clothes.
Tsubaki Collbrande. The Captain of the Hephaestus Familia, the only Level 5 smith in Orario, known as the "Cyclops."
She walked up to Shirou and slapped his shoulder so hard the floor seemed to vibrate.
"I heard Lady Hephaestus gave out a Divine Smith Card and was wondering what kind of legend it was. Turns out it's such a young lad! I heard you can do 'fireless forging.' Is that for real?"
"Captain Tsubaki, a pleasure," Shirou said, rubbing his numbing shoulder and smiling calmly. "Whether it's real or not, you'll see for yourself in a moment, won't you?"
"Oh? Interesting! I like your spirit!" Tsubaki grinned, revealing a row of white teeth. "Then I'll watch from the side, if you don't mind?"
"Of course."
Shirou turned to look at a restless Lili. She had been changed into a set of pale-red high-grade light armor, and her back now carried a new-model backpack engraved with magic circles.
"How does it feel, Lili?"
"S-so light..." Lili moved her limbs, speaking in surprise.
"Even though the defense is much higher than my old leather gear, it feels like I'm wearing nothing at all! And this backpack—it has more capacity, but it feels like only half the weight!"
"Well obviously, that's high-end stuff infused with 'Ethereal Crystal.' A set like that costs three million Valis," Tsubaki remarked casually from the side.
"Three... three million?!" Lili nearly fainted. Selling her whole self wouldn't even fetch that price! "Emiya-sama! This is too precious! I can't..."
"Don't move."
Shirou cut off her panic and stepped forward.
"While it's high-grade, mass-produced gear always has its imperfections. Since you're my partner, you need something 'custom-made'."
With that, he placed his hand on Lili's pauldrons.
"Trace—On (Tuning, Start)."
Emerald-green Magic Circuits flared to life, covering the entire suit of light armor. Beside them, Tsubaki narrowed her single eye.
There it is... that mana that directly interferes with the internal structure of matter...'
In Shirou's mind, the blueprint of the light armor unfolded instantly.
'Materials: High-grade monster hide, Ethereal Crystal, Mithril thread.
Flaws: Joint connections are loose, mana conductivity is only 70%. Sufficient against physical impact, but weak against magic.
"Reinforcement... start."
Shirou took a deep breath. In the past, he might have needed to be cautious. But now, with his Level 1 peak mana reserves (SSS-rank), this level of reinforcement was effortless.
"Structure Reinforcement!"
Hum—!
A faint golden light flashed. The originally dull red armor suddenly manifested a layer of complex magic circuits on its surface, resembling a circuit board. The texture of the armor became denser, even emitting an aura of indestructibility.
"Th-this is..." Tsubaki leaned in closer, her face filled with disbelief.
"You changed the alignment of the Mithril threads? You forced the mana conductivity up to over 95%?! And... you fixed a concept of 'Physical Resistance' onto the surface?"
"Just a slight improvement." Shirou withdrew his hand and nodded with satisfaction at the brand-new Lili.
"This armor should now be able to withstand a full-force strike from a mid-tier Level 2 monster."
"..." Tsubaki opened her mouth to speak, but finally just gave a thumbs-up.
"I'm floored. You were born just to spite us blacksmiths, kid. This method... it's practically cheating!"
"I'm not finished yet."
Shirou walked to the forge and pulled out materials he had scavenged in the Dungeon—an "Orc's Fang" and an "Al-miraj's Horn."
"Lili doesn't have a proper weapon yet, does she?"
"E-Emiya-sama?" Lili was still reeling from the shock of "wearing three million Valis" and hadn't come back to her senses.
"A Supporter needs the ability to protect themselves too," Shirou said, picking up a hammer (this time, to hide his more miraculous methods, he chose to use tools symbolically, though the core was still magecraft). "Besides, you aren't very strong, so a normal sword wouldn't suit you. I think... this should be perfect."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Accompanied by the crisp sound of hammering, and under Tsubaki's shocked gaze, Shirou fused, reshaped, and reinforced those seemingly ordinary monster drops.
Ten minutes later, a compact and exquisite Hand Crossbow appeared on the forge. It was bone-white, with a bowstring made of special monster sinew, also covered in reinforced magic engravings.
"This is..." Shirou picked up the crossbow and handed it to Lili.
"I'm not the best at making intricate mechanical gadgets, but the structural integrity is flawless. This crossbow can fire in rapid succession. Combined with your size and agility, it's more than enough for backline harassment or self-defense."
"F-for me?" Lili's hands trembled as she took the crossbow. It had a heavy, solid texture and a perfect grip. This was... a weapon forged specifically for her.
"Try it."
Lili raised the crossbow and aimed at a distant target. She pulled the trigger.
Swish—!
A white light flashed, and the center of the target was instantly pierced, the bolt sinking deep into the wall behind it.
"So powerful!" Lili exclaimed.
"Heh heh, of course," Shirou smiled and patted her head. "After all, it's 'Emiya-made'."
Tsubaki watched the scene, her eyes burning with an intense heat.
"Shirou Emiya... Lady Hephaestus was right. You really are a monster capable of bringing change to Orario."
"Now then, about the modification fee for this crossbow and armor..." Tsubaki rubbed her hands together, wearing the expression of a merchant. "Even though you're a VIP, we still have to account for material depletion."
"How much?"
"In exchange for showing me such interesting techniques, I'll give you 50% off the armor—1.5 million Valis. Consider the crossbow a gift."
"One point five million..." Lili felt like the sky was falling.
"No problem." Shirou didn't even blink as he pulled out his pouch and paid. That was nearly his entire fortune saved up from his frantic monster-slaying (especially on the 12th floor) over the last few days.
"Emiya-sama! Th-this is too much!" Lili was on the verge of tears. "For someone like Lili..."
"Because we're going to the 'Middle Levels'." Shirou knelt down to meet Lili's eyes, his expression becoming serious and earnest. "Starting from the 13th floor, it's a true hell. I don't want you to be in danger because of your equipment. This money... compared to your life, is nothing at all."
"Besides," Shirou smiled, pointing at Lili's new gear, "arming you this well is so you can carry back even more Magic Stones. It's called an 'initial investment,' understand?"
Lili looked at the man who had just spent his life savings yet was still comforting her. Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced them back.
"...Yes!" Lili nodded vigorously, gripping her hand crossbow with unprecedented fighting spirit. "Lili will work her hardest! Even if I have to strip the 13th floor bare, I'll earn this money back!"
"Hahaha, then I'll look forward to it."
After bidding farewell to the enthusiastic Tsubaki (and promising to return for another exchange), the two fully armed adventurers walked out of the shop.
Lili, now clad in pale-red enchanted light armor, carrying a weight-reduction backpack, and sporting a rapid-fire hand crossbow at her waist, was essentially a little tiger armed to the teeth.
"Let's go, Lili."
Shirou Emiya looked toward the massive tower leading underground, a sharp light flickering in his amber eyes.
"Target: Floor 13, the 'Labyrinth of Rocks'."