'This is undoubtedly a second-tier weapon, and one of the highest quality among them. With such forging and engraving craftsmanship…', Tione's heart gave a slight jolt, 'The price, I'm afraid, won't be cheap.'
Emiya's fingers gently tapped on the sword blade, producing a crisp sound, "This sword was designed according to the standards of a second-tier weapon. However, in terms of attack power, it might not match the usual second-tier weapons. After all, it was not forged as a primary weapon."
Emiya spoke truthfully, first pointing out the shortcomings of the weapon.
The limitations of its length, shape, and weight were clear. A secondary short sword for a mage naturally couldn't compare in destructive power to primary weapons like longswords, katanas, or heavy axes.
However, no one present voiced any objections. Even Tione, who was particularly concerned about price, had no issue with it.
The only one puzzled was Lefiya, but seeing that her fellow Loki Familia members remained silent, she hesitated to ask.
As always, Tiona, being straightforward, was the first to speak, "This sword should be a magic weapon, right? Does it have any special effects, like enhancing magic power?"
"Eh? A magic weapon?", Lefiya voiced her confusion.
"Yes, an illegal staff-like weapon with magical properties. This kind of equipment is extremely rare. To forge such a weapon, one would either need special materials or a blacksmith with extraordinary forging skills, possibly even special abilities… or both."
Lefiya instinctively swallowed, "So, this is an exceptionally rare weapon."
"That's correct," Alicia gazed at the ornate sword and nodded lightly.
Although the short sword in its dormant state showed no magical fluctuations, experienced adventurers could judge its attributes simply by its appearance.
'The steel used in forging contains magically conductive mithril, this forging technique is Tsubaki's specialty. The guard and hilt gemstones are clearly magic stones, and the sword blade is inscribed with special runes… Truly, an incredible piece of work,' Alicia believed that the craftsmanship of this sword had reached first-tier weapon standards. The only thing lacking was high-grade materials, a compromise made because Lefiya's own level was insufficient.
"This sword indeed possesses a special function," Emiya said, "Let's test it at the training grounds."
He fastened the sword to his waist and picked up another, longer sword case.
The group left the workshop and arrived at the nearest training ground, or rather, a sword-testing field.
"This sword does not enhance the user's magic power," Emiya stepped into the center of the training ground, "However, it does have a fixed magical function, or rather, a magic output effect, which I call 'Mana Burst'."
The short sword was drawn from its sheath. As he gripped the hilt and channeled magic into it, the gemstone at the hilt's base, the guard, and the inscriptions on the blade began to glow in sequence.
The flow of magic was rapid. In the next instant, a violent gust of wind burst outward from Emiya's position.
Tiona, Tione, and Alicia stood their ground, completely unmoved, their hair merely whipping in the wind. Lefiya, however, staggered from the force and nearly fell.
"For a user skilled in magic control, even this is possible,".Emiya spoke as he swung the sword forward.
Once again, a turbulent gust of wind erupted. This time, however, it surged only in the direction he slashed.
"Incredible…", Tiona, unaffected by the Mana Burst, murmured in admiration.
This so-called Mana Burst had many shortcomings: it lacked offensive power, and its magic consumption was severe. If the same amount of magic were channeled through chanting, the effect would be several times stronger.
There was another drawback that Lefiya and the others were unaware of. The consumption of magic stones. The gemstones embedded in the short sword had a limited lifespan, and excessive use increased the risk of cracking.
However, all these drawbacks paled in comparison to one crucial advantage. It was a defensive magic that could be cast instantly.
Instant casting, one of the most valuable properties of any magic, especially in dungeon adventures.
Magic swords, even those lacking power, could sell for hundreds of thousands or even millions of valis because of their instant-cast and costless nature.
"Absorption, Amplification, Indestructibility, Curses… I always thought blacksmiths could only imbue weapons with these properties, but to create a weapon that can release magic?", Tiona exclaimed.
"Some weapons have special abilities, like the [Black Demon Sword] of the Freya Familia. That sword is said to have the power to change its length…", Tione spoke in a low voice, "Or perhaps, Emiya has given this weapon the inverse of 'Absorption'. A 'Release' trait?"
A sword that could release magic, or rather, a sword with a "Release" attribute—either way, it was the perfect weapon for Lefiya.
At least at this stage, where she had overwhelming firepower but lacked self-protection, the young mage needed a weapon like this the most.
Under Lefiya's delighted, excited gaze, Emiya handed the sword to her.
"Does this sword have a name?", Lefiya asked.
"'Wind Guardian'—that's its name," Emiya said.
"'Wind Guardian'… I understand," Lefiya solemnly accepted the sword with both hands, then said earnestly, "From now on, please take care of me, my partner."
"Shirou, it's my turn now, right?", Alicia, though patient, couldn't hide her excitement and nervousness at this moment.
"Yes, Alicia-neesan's weapon is in this sword case," Emiya said, his own emotions slightly unsettled.
[Skadi of Ice]—this was the third first-tier weapon he had forged. Though the goddess Hephaestus had given it high praise, even saying it was worthy of bearing a divine name, his heart still pounded with anticipation.
As the sword case opened, a burst of cold air rushed out, making Lefiya shiver. A faint layer of frost appeared on the training ground floor.
A long sword of icy blue lay inside, its entire body the color of pristine ice. The blade was over three feet long, shaped as a straight-edged octagonal sword, longer than Alicia's usual rapier.
The guard was sculpted like an ice flower, as if carved from frozen jade, while the hilt was a slightly deeper shade of blue than the blade.
Compared to the soft glow of the Wind Guardian, this sword exuded a chilling, bone-piercing frost, as if an unending winter had descended, carrying a blizzard that blocked out the sky.
Tiona and Tione instinctively took half a step back. The warrior's instinct sensed a strong threat. Alicia, however, stepped forward instead.
Possessing Ice Storm, she felt comforted by the cold, almost as if the sword itself was calling to her.
Alicia grasped the hilt and lifted the icy longsword.
She felt her magic flow naturally, resonating with the sword in a seamless cycle. As she gently swung it, cold air spread out, and in her mind, a giant's silhouette faintly emerged.
"This is truly… a weapon from legend," Alicia held the sword with both hands and softly chanted.
Her skill, Spirit Bond, activated.
When fighting alongside "specific individuals" or teammates with "bond-related" skills, all her stats increased.
A grand magic, unlike anything before, was unleashed.
———
Tiona opened her mouth wide, Tione's gaze trembled, and Lefiya even fell straight to the ground, pointing at the massive entity before them, unable to speak for a moment.
"What is this...?"
"It seems like... ribs?"
"I can tell it's ribs, but why... why would something like this appear...?"
"It looks like it's because of that sword..."
What lay before them was an existence that challenged their very perception of the world. Even as seasoned First-Class Adventurers, they were deeply shaken by the sight.
Alicia remained standing in place, but her figure was now obscured by multiple horizontal ice pillars. Semi-circular ice columns formed rings on both sides, and behind her, a thick ice pillar supported all the rings.
[Ribs and a spine]—anyone would make that connection. In fact, it was unmistakably an upper-body skeleton made entirely of ice.
If someone present had knowledge of another world, they might have instinctively blurted out the name "Susanoo," but for them, what came to mind was "Ice Giant."
Standing at nearly 2.5 meters tall, this skeletal structure was composed only of a spine and ribs. If a full head and legs were added, it could likely reach six or seven meters in height.
However, this was the extent of what Alicia could construct, for now, at least.
Beyond the ribcage, a massive ice-formed arm was slowly taking shape. The skeletal structure of solid ice appeared both menacing and exuded an overwhelming sense of power.
Inside the ice skeleton, Alicia breathed lightly, realizing she had expended a significant amount of magic power. Yet, her excitement was impossible to suppress.
"Shirou, you really did it!", A red-and-black shadow plummeted from above, crashing into the training grounds.
"[Cyclops]," Tione called out the title.
"From the sky?", Lefiya was startled.
"Ah, I was at headquarters just now, but when I saw what was happening here, I jumped over," Tsubaki spoke excitedly, "Shirou, you did it! You forged an unprecedented weapon!"
Lefiya glanced at the Etna Volcano, the tallest building in the vicinity. Though it wasn't particularly close, Tsubaki had still managed to leap directly over—it was no wonder she was a First-Class Adventurer.
"Mm, I was lucky to make it work," Shirou said.
At that moment, Tsubaki had already drawn her weapon. It was her personally forged First-Class armament—a naginata named [Benishigure].
"I can't wait to test it out. No objections, right, Shirou?", Her test subject was, of course, the "Ice Skeleton," and her method was to strike it with her weapon.
"Ahhh, I want to hit it too! But I forgot to bring [Urga]!", Tiona clutched her head in frustration.
[Urga] was the weapon of [Great Cleave] Tiona Hiryute, a dual-bladed greatsword that had been forged with rare materials by the craftsmen of the Ganesha Familia, who had worked tirelessly to create this First-Class weapon. In a way, it suited her title perfectly.
"Well, using my fists is fine too! Heh, heh, ha!", Tiona excitedly swung her fists, her seemingly slender arms generating a terrifying sound as they sliced through the air.
"Priority goes to those who called dibs first. Let me have the first go, [Great Cleave]," Tsubaki spoke as she lightly licked her lips, already raising her long blade in an iai stance.
A dark crimson glow, thick and flowing like liquid, coursed along the edge of [Benishigure]. Clearly, the weapon of the city's greatest blacksmith possessed its own special properties.
Tsubaki let out a deep breath, and in the next moment, everyone witnessed a crimson flash. Like a thunderstorm in a blood-red downpour.
BOOM!!!
The deafening clash sent shockwaves through everyone's eardrums. Under their watchful gazes, the Ice Skeleton was pushed far back before it finally stopped moving.
Directly in front of it, at the exact point of impact from Tsubaki's [Benishigure], several deep cracks spread across the ice-ribbed structure.
"It cracked...", Lefiya murmured softly, while Tiona and the others exclaimed in a completely different tone:
"It only cracked?"
"That was a fully charged strike from [One-Eyed Giant Craftsman]"
[One-Eyed Giant Craftsman] was a veteran adventurer who had long been honed at Level 5, whereas Alicia had only recently advanced. Their base stats were vastly different.
Furthermore, Tsubaki was a power-type adventurer. With each level-up, her Strength and Endurance had at least reached A-rank, while Alicia was a Magic Swordsman focused on Agility, Dexterity, and Magic.
Even so, Tsubaki's fully charged strike, delivered in a state of excitement, had only managed to crack the Ice Skeleton rather than shatter it completely.
It was clear that another attack might break it, but the fact remained. It had withstood the blow.
Moreover, as Alicia infused more magic power, the cracks caused by Tsubaki's strike were slowly beginning to mend.
Tiona glanced at her own fists. Despite possessing the [Fist Strike] development ability, she still felt that it would be best to retrieve [Urga] before attempting an attack on this Ice Skeleton.
Alicia did not continue using her magic to repair the structure. Instead, she stepped out of it, and the Ice Skeleton, now deprived of its magical support, began to melt naturally.
"Shirou~", Alicia leapt forward. With the full burst of speed from a Level 5 Magic Swordsman, Shirou had no chance to evade.
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