Demigod Class Ascension Chapter 6: Weapon And Equipment Crafting

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After Will’s words, Maria seemed a bit surprised. She had no idea her ability could not only restore health but also mana. Will assumed that perhaps one of the reasons they kept her around wasn’t just because she could produce food, but also because of its healing properties. Even though he suspected these people might not have fully realized what her abilities could do, they indeed felt the benefits.

“…What’s your name?” Will asked her, glancing at the berries in his hands, which emitted small, magical glows—almost undetectable to the recently awakened.

“Maria!” the girl replied with a happy smile. “And you’re Will, right?”

“Yeah,” Will nodded, pocketing the berries inside his Bag of Holding for the time being. “Your berries are really special, Maria. Do you feel tired when you create them?”

“Not much, only a tiny bit. I think I can make up to ten before I get sleepy and hungry…” Maria said. “But I can keep making more after that…”

“…Did they force you to make more?” Will’s eyes grew more serious.

“Uh, no…” Maria said, looking elsewhere, as if she didn’t want to reveal the truth.

“…”

Will sighed, closing his eyes and then moving toward the corner of an abandoned electronics shop, which he’d decided to make his living space. Most of the items inside had already been stolen anyway, so the place was mostly empty, aside from a couple of things that remained. He wanted a bed, though, so he’d probably go grab one elsewhere later.

For now, however, he planned to focus on creating new equipment—or at least try. He had enough Tutorial Points to purchase the necessary items from the Tutorial Shop, so the only thing left was to do it.

“Um, mister, what are you doing?”

Maria was still there, and it didn’t seem like she ever intended to leave. Will considered telling her to go away, but after she’d gifted him those useful healing berries, he felt it wouldn’t be fair. Besides, it was better to maintain a good relationship with someone capable of creating healing items.

“I’m going to do a few things; they might be dangerous… You can watch, but stay farther away, or you might get hurt.”

“O-Oh, okay!”

She quickly sat down on a chair, observing Will from a distance while sipping the soda he’d given her. Will suspected the food he’d shared might have made the girl more attached to him than he’d intended.

“Master, are you sure you want that child to watch? What we’re going to do should be kept a secret!”

“She’s just a child, Cube. Don’t mind her presence.”

“But…”

“Hey, she lost her parents… I bet she just doesn’t want to be alone.”

“…That might not be wrong, but even then, what do you gain from having her around?”

“She can create healing items. Isn’t that enough?”

“Hmm… Wait, well… I suppose you’re not wrong…”

Cube, a rather pragmatic Administrator at times, didn’t truly understand how human emotions worked. Even Will, who was typically stoic and silent, still had emotions. Though he always hid them, as a human, they couldn’t be suppressed forever.

“You’re indeed a Demigod, Master. I can clearly see your human half in there.”

“Hm.”

Will nodded, quickly shifting his full focus to the task at hand. He glanced at the Tutorial Shop once more and purchased the two items he’d been eyeing—something he hadn’t done yet.

<Tutorial Shop: Rank 1>
{Tutorial Points: 2,095}
[Minor Healing Potion (F Grade)] [5/5] [Price: 70 TP]
[Minor Mana Potion (F Grade)] [5/5] [Price: 150 TP]
[Minor Antidote (F Grade)] [5/5] [Price: 100 TP]
[Small Bag of Holding (D Grade)] [0/1] [Price: 500 TP]
[+1 Weapon Enhancement Stone (D Grade)] [3/3] [Price: 400 TP]
[+1 Armor Enhancement Stone (D Grade)] [3/3] [Price: 400 TP]
[Rusty Alchemy Cauldron (D Grade)] [1/1] [Price: 800 TP]
[Rusty Portable Forge (D Grade)] [1/1] [Price: 1,000 TP]

“Hm, alright.”

He moved his fingers, selecting the items he wanted to purchase.

[Do you wish to purchase [Rusty Alchemy Cauldron (D Grade)] and [Rusty Portable Forge (D Grade)] for 1800 TP?]
[Yes] [No]

Will pressed [Yes] with his index finger, and both items instantly materialized in front of him, settling onto the clear white floor.

[You have exchanged 1800 TP. You have purchased the [Rusty Alchemy Cauldron (D Grade)] and the [Rusty Portable Forge (D Grade)] Items from the Tutorial Shop.]

“Huh?”

He was, however, intrigued by their shapes. First of all, they weren’t as massive as he’d imagined. The Rusty Alchemy Cauldron was the size of a small kettle—indeed a tiny cauldron, perhaps suited for cooking something like fondue or a big hotpot rather than any witchy potion.

The Rusty Portable Forge was the stranger of the two. Will had pictured it resembling some sort of portable furnace, but it was nothing like that. In fact, it was just a silver-colored cube, similar to the Novice Administrator who shared its nickname.

“Wait, this is way too small,” Will said. “I thought it would be bigger. How am I even going to create equipment with this?”

“Patience, Master! They wouldn’t be convenient to carry around if they were huge objects, right?” Cube replied. “They’re special Magic Items that can transform and grow as you imbue Mana into them! They have internal Magic Cores that absorb the user’s Mana.”

“So I need Mana…” Will nodded, infusing Mana into the cube first, as he found it the more peculiar of the two. To do this, he simply touched the cube and released the mana within him, which he felt was like a cup of water—the more mana he used, the less water remained in the cup. The cube finally activated after he’d used half of his mana.

The cube transformed rapidly, blue neon lights emerging from the contraption as circuits activated, accompanied by the sound of metal reshaping itself. In a second, a two-meter-tall furnace made of silver steel emerged, with a blazing blue flame at its center.

“Ohhhh!”

Maria was amazed at the scene, clapping her little hands as she smiled with wonder in her eyes. Will ignored her for now, though he was just as astonished as she was.

“This is incredible… Cube, what now?”

“Now’s the most important part: you have to feed the Mana Flame with compatible materials.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yes, this isn’t the same forging you might know. This is Magic Forging—it’s much different because you’ll be making magic items. Humans might have created other methods, but first, you must feed the flame with the primary materials.”

“Magic Crystals?”

“Indeed! The stronger they are, the stronger the flame and the higher the item’s quality. How about you use a Tier 2 Magic Crystal?”

“Does it matter where they come from?”

“Yes, I’d recommend using the crystal from the Goblin Warrior! It might create a stronger weapon imbued with one of their skills, perhaps.”

“Alright, so we’re making a weapon first. That’s fine by me.”

Will retrieved the Magic Crystal from the Goblin Warrior, which was slightly larger than the smallest Tier 1 ones and a bluer shade than the dark green of Tier 1 crystals.

Then, he tossed it into the blue flames, which devoured the crystal as if they were alive. In that moment, Will glimpsed a spectral aura resembling the Goblin Warrior for a split second.

“Add a few of the little ones as well.”

“Hm, alright.”

Will added three more Tier 1 Magic Crystals until the small blue flames shifted, taking on a more purple hue and doubling in size.

“Perfect! Now comes the more challenging part: the basic components for the weapon. Usually, you’d have to make this from scratch—bring steel and so on—but you already have some weapons with you, so we can skip the process of creating it from zero!”

“Really?”

“Yes, however, for that, we’ll also need Alchemy—specifically, the power of Synthesis. It’s a mix of the two arts, so please pour Mana into the Cauldron now. Don’t worry, the flames will remain ready to be used at any moment.”

“Fine.”

Will did as he was told—not because he enjoyed being ordered around, but because he knew Cube spoke from experience as an Administrator. He infused Mana into the little cauldron, and it suddenly expanded, becoming four times larger. It now looked like the cauldron he’d expected, though, like the odd furnace, it was covered in a thick layer of rust.

“Ready! See that, Master? It’s Liquified Mana!”

“Hm, I feel a bit tired now. I’ve almost used all my Mana. I’d better not use more than that.”

Will peered into the cauldron, noticing the strange, sparkling water inside. As Cube had mentioned, this was his own Mana, now liquefied.

“What do you mean it’s liquefied?”

“That’s what Cauldrons do. With this water, you can now combine items through synthesis or use special recipes to create specific magic items! Pretty incredible, right?”

“It’s great, yeah…”

“Waaaaoow!”

And indeed, Maria agreed, having approached the cauldron to gaze at the liquid with awe.

“Maria, I told you not to get too close.”

“A-Ah, hehe, but it looked like fun… Here!”

She suddenly offered Will a few blueberries.

“I noticed your Mana went down, so I brought you some blueberries. They recover Mana, right, mister?”

“Yeah… wait, you can sense my Mana?”

“It’s a weird bubbly thing around you. It got smaller…”

“Huh… Well, thanks, but still, go sit down.”

“Okay!”

Maria ran back to her seat. Will needed those berries, so he ate them all, restoring a bit of his Mana until he no longer felt exhausted.

“Now what, Cube?”

“Well, now begins the whole process. First of all, there are a few weapons we could use, right?”

“There’s the spears from the Goblin Tamers, the Goblin Warrior’s axe, and the Goblin Commander’s hammer…”

“Your Divine Weapon takes the form of a Trident, but you shouldn’t let that dictate what weapon you wield. Any that’s big and strong enough for you to exert your full power should be good.”

“Yeah, I’ll go with this hammer. It’s made of Magisteel already, right?”

“Kind of. It’s a weak alloy, though. We can further reinforce it with some of the metal from the Steel Bovines, yes. Please place the whole hammer inside the cauldron, along with a large fragment of the Steel Bovine’s metallic body—perhaps a leg.”

“Understood.”

Will quickly used his sheer physical strength to tear a metallic leg off the Steel Bovine corpse he’d taken from his inventory and placed it inside the cauldron.

“Now, while you’re there, I’ve already inscribed this useful Magic Circle into the little drone magic crystal you gave me.”

“A Magic Circle? For what?”

At first, Will examined the intricate runes, which seemed complicated and strange at first. But the more he looked, the more everything made sense—how each rune connected, creating a “magical chain reaction” of sorts.

“Magic is simply a way we’ve figured out to use a natural resource in the cosmos: Mana. Magic comes in various categories, but the one we all know and use since we’re toddlers is called Runic Magic. It uses Runes—condensations of Mana itself that are granted a word, a meaning—and these words interconnect, creating a complicated magical chain reaction called Spells.”

“So it’s kind of like chemistry?”

“Yes, Alchemy is the combination of both Magic and Chemistry! And this is what you’ll do today. First, please read this projected Magic Circle, and once you’re sure, conjure it.”

“Hmm…”

Will studied the projected Magic Circle emanating from the little floating stone. The more he read, the more he understood each rune. It took him ten minutes, but he grasped it more or less.

“Alright, I think I kind of get it…”

“Wonderful! Now we begin! Please conjure the spell by calling its name.”

“Synthesis.”

FLASH!

The Magic Circle glowed brightly as all the runes spiraled together and condensed. Magic manifested within the cauldron, and the ingredients began merging and melding together.

“Wow… So this is Synthesis. It’s… simpler than I thought.”

“Oh! I’m delighted! It’s not really that simple, Master. Most people can’t read a Magic Circle like you did… They need years of learning.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you read it instantly and understood it quickly due to your nature as a Demigod. Your very existence is attuned to Magical Frequencies, Mana, and the Elements.”

“Well, that’s convenient then. Now what?”

“It should be done. Let’s check! It’s safe to grab with your hand, don’t worry, Master.”

“Hm.”

Will nodded, retrieving the hammer. It was now covered in a bright sheen of dark silver metal, with circuits forming around it that flickered, glowing bright blue before returning to normal.

“Wonderful, isn’t it? Now, please place it in the furnace to continue.”

Will placed the hammer in the furnace while Cube glanced back at the cauldron.

“There seems to be a lot of the Magisteel left. You could definitely enchant another weapon, Master. How about we do the same for the Bone Axe?”

“Good idea.”

Will quickly placed the axe inside and performed another Synthesis conjuration. He felt his Mana drain again, but those berries really helped him out.

Afterward, while chewing on Hobgoblin meat, he began working on the furnace. Placing the hammer in the flames, he followed Cube’s directions, imbuing his Aura into them.

By manipulating the Aura flowing from his body and combining it with the highly reactive magical flames, the fire rapidly forged and repaired all imperfections in the weapon.

“Don’t I need a hammer for this?”

“That would be for more advanced forms of forging, but this is more than enough, Master. Let the weapon absorb the flames and move the fire with your Aura.”

“It’s… not too complicated, surprisingly.”

Will could feel the flames move. They felt alive, as if they contained the souls of the goblins—their tenacity and scheming minds. He could even swear he heard a faint, evil laugh.

FLUOSH!

The hammer absorbed all the flames until only a tiny blue ember remained. All imperfections were eliminated, and the weapon was fully refined!

“It’s a success! First try, too, Master! Well done!”

“Hoh…”

The hammer was now the size of his head, with a long handle he could grip with both hands if he chose. Even so, with his current strength, one hand was sufficient. It was incredibly heavy and featured a small red jewel embedded at the top, seemingly crystallized during the forging process.

The jewel connected to various circuits throughout the hammer, imbuing the weapon with great magical power and the “essence” of the Goblin Warrior. Noticing the axe was ready in the cauldron, Will quickly moved it to the furnace. After recovering enough Mana by eating more of the distasteful Hobgoblin meat, he added the Goblin Commander’s crystal, along with three smaller ones.

The flames blazed, revealing the figures of goblins within them. Will repeated the process, having already memorized it. His Aura guided him as he forged the axe, its white bones—originating from some mysterious beast in the goblins’ home world—melding with the Magisteel to become metallic.

“And it’s finished! Now you have two powerful weapons, Master! They should be good enough for you at this point.”

As Cube celebrated, Will held the hammer in one hand and the metallic bone axe in the other. The axe bore a blue jewel at its center, which had crystallized during its creation, containing the Goblin Commander’s essence as well.

“Hmm, this is perfect.”

Feeling fulfilled after crafting his first two weapons—and discovering he might have a knack for forging as an expression of his imagination or even as art—Will glanced at the new system notifications.

[Congratulations, you have successfully forged the Magic Weapon: [Warrior’s Hammer (D+ Grade)]!]
[Congratulations, you have successfully forged the Magic Weapon: [Commanding Magisteel Bone Axe (D+ Grade)]!]
[Your understanding of Magic Forging and Alchemy has increased to the point that a new Skill has manifested.]
[You have learned the Skill: [Magic Forging (Tier 1: 0%)]: Combine your own Aura with the Flames of the Magic Furnace to Forge Weapons and Armor by using the necessary materials. The more you work, the better this Skill will become, increasing your Mastery and, as a result, helping you yield better results while reducing failure chances. This Skill can help you memorize recipes and item combinations.]
[You have learned the Skill: [Alchemy Synthesis (Tier 1: 0%)]: By using Magic and an Alchemy Cauldron, you can Synthesize Magic Ingredients together and create new Magic Items, from Potions, Elixirs, Antidotes, Magical Accessories, and even Magic Bombs. There’s no limit, as long as you have the right recipe. By repeatedly creating new Magic Items, this Skill will increase its Mastery and, as a result, help you yield better results while reducing failure chances.]

“I even obtained two Skills… This is perfect.”

Pleased with the results of his efforts, Will quickly inspected both weapons’ information and what they could offer him in combat and effects.

[Warrior’s Hammer (D+ Grade)]
[Weapon Type]: [Magic Weapon] [Hammer]
[Weapon Requirements]: [Warrior Class]
[Weapon Parameters]: [Physical Attack]: [1000] [Magic Attack]: [100] [Durability]: [2500]
[Weapon Bonuses]: [+8 Strength] [+8 Vitality]
[Weapon Skill]: {Crimson Blow}: [Spend Mana to unleash a destructive, explosive attack that releases a shockwave of crimson energy, damaging several foes at once. +100% Damage, +20% Defense Ignoration.]
[Weapon Description]: [A large hammer originally belonging to a Goblin, which has been imbued with the crystal of a Goblin Warrior and Magisteel, further strengthened into a powerful Hammer capable of unleashing destructive shockwaves upon impact with foes. Forged by the [Demigod] Will.]

“Oh, that’s a good Skill.”

The Warrior’s Hammer boasted incredible stats compared to any other weapon Will had obtained. The difference between a non-forged weapon and a forged one was like night and day.

[Commanding Magisteel Bone Axe (D+ Grade)]
[Weapon Type]: [Magic Weapon] [Axe]
[Weapon Requirements]: [Warrior Class]
[Weapon Parameters]: [Physical Attack]: [900] [Magic Attack]: [300] [Durability]: [2200]
[Weapon Bonuses]: [+5 Strength] [+5 Vitality] [+5 Agility] [+5 Senses]
[Weapon Skill]: {Commanding Roar}: [Spend Mana to let out a powerful Roar that commands all allied troops to charge forward, boosting their Strength, Vitality, and Agility by 10% of your Strength, Vitality, and Agility Parameters for 30 Seconds. In exchange, you’ll gain a boost of 1% of anybody you’ve commanded stats for the same duration.]
[Weapon Description]: [A bone axe of low quality that has been refined with Magisteel and the crystal core of a Goblin Commander, becoming both a powerful magic weapon and a useful tool to strengthen allies and yourself.]

“Commanding Roar, huh? Isn’t that the same Skill the Goblin Commander used before? Yeah, that’s why he was so strong… He could draw power from his subjects and also make them stronger.”

“Indeed, for someone with such high stats, it’s a perfect skill, don’t you think, Master?”

“Hm, I suppose…”

Because Will’s Class was Demigod, he wasn’t restricted by their Class Requirements—his Class was born from the combination of every Class available. However, Cube had previously explained that those unable to match a weapon or armor’s class couldn’t access their Weapon Bonuses or Skills.

Now that he had a weapon for each hand, he needed some armor—nothing too heavy, though. Perhaps a large coat to cover his back, a spot his foes loved to target due to its size. With his muscular build, it was hard for Will to reach his own back with his hands—a blind spot he’d rather not leave vulnerable.

“Wow, mister, you made weapons! They look really cool!” Maria exclaimed, eyeing them on the floor.

“Don’t touch them; they’re dangerous,” Will warned, glancing at the Chimeras’ corpses. “Hm, alright, let’s make the coats using their leather. I think it could work just fine, right?”

“Yes, I suppose you could even make a pair of pants and boots as well, Master,” Cube said.

“I don’t know if I could…” Will replied.

“As long as you have something to use as the base…” Cube suggested. “Even your current pants and shoes are suitable, but aren’t there clothes in this mall? Perhaps finding some better boots to reforge into magic equipment could work too.”

“Right, let’s go shopping then,” Will smiled. “Maria, don’t you want some new clothes?”

“Huh?” Maria tilted her head, confused by what Will meant.

The two ventured out, walking to the nearest clothing store. Many clothes had been looted, but a vast majority remained. There were also some survivors inside who greeted Will and the little girl by his side with a mix of happiness and nervousness.

“Hello! We came looking for clothes… Um, mister said something about boots? I want a dress! Do you have a pink dress with Hello Kitty?”

“Uh, we could help you find… something similar, dear,” a nervous blonde woman answered, her green eyes darting to Will’s immense frame and presence. “Uh, you want boots… Will? Can I call you by your name?”

“It’s fine, and yeah,” Will said. “You don’t own this place, I presume. And you don’t need all the clothes either, right?”

“O-of course not! You can keep them…” the woman replied as her family members rushed over—two blond kids, about two years older than Maria, and a man in his early thirties with short brown hair. The kids were a bit more relaxed, though both parents looked like they were hyperventilating.

“H-Here…! P-Please take all of these…” the man stammered.

“T-Thanks!” the woman added. “Bye!”

As they handed over several bags full of clothes, Will and Maria walked away. Maria ran back to offer them some berries, but they’d already shut the door.

“Mister, why were those people so weird?”

“They were scared of me.”

“Eh? But why?”

“Because… Because I am, aren’t I?”

“No… you’re not scary!”

“…”

Will glanced back at Maria as the girl smiled at him.

“You’re like a big bear!”

“A big bear… well, whatever.”

Will rolled his eyes. He wasn’t good at talking with kids and didn’t really want to bother anyway. Once he’d secured his clothes, he returned to his forge and continued working. For clothes, the process was mostly the same—even the magic flame part. Remarkably, the leather didn’t burn but absorbed the fire and changed shape.

While working, Will felt inspired. Despite having to endure eating disgusting Hobgoblin meat to recover Mana constantly, he worked relentlessly for over five hours, crafting item after item. Sometimes it failed, and the item would explode, turning charcoal-black and unusable. However, Cube assured him these could be used as new fuel for Alchemy, helping him save on Mana.

In the end, he not only made a new pair of boots for himself, along with pants and a coat, but also crafted a few extra sets with the spare clothes and boots he’d received. He didn’t want to admit it to Maria—who asked who he was gifting the clothes to—but he’d made them for his group.

Once he finished and was inspecting his new attire…

[Congratulations, you have completed one of the Hidden Objectives of the Phase 1 Tutorial: Forge 10 Different Magic Equipment Pieces: 10/10!]
[Please choose your Reward.]
[+4 Dexterity.]
[+4 Senses.]
[+4 Magic Defense.]
[+New Trait.]

“This is… well, I had no idea.”

“Oh! A Hidden Objective! Those are usually placed there for special classes. I suppose this one is for Crafting Classes so they can get some reward for their efforts!”

“Is that so? I guess I was able to benefit from it.”

Will didn’t hesitate to choose the fourth option again, obtaining a new Trait.

The card turned into white flames, merging into his hand and letting the power flow through the rest of his body.

[You have acquired the Trait: [Beast Hunter (C)]!]

“Beast Hunter? It’s not B but C… Let’s see.”

[Beast Hunter (C)]
A Trait only obtainable by those who relentlessly hunt powerful beasts alone, chasing both glory and the thrill of battle.
Increases Damage Dealt against Beast-type Monsters by 50% and all other Monster types by 15%.
While looking for prey, you can more accurately smell, hear, and sense Wild Monsters you can hunt within 300 meters around you.
While in Wilderness, Forests, or Savannas, Agility and Dexterity increase by 20%.
When eating Wild Monsters or Beasts’ Meat you hunted, you gain twice as much nutrition.
When butchering Beasts and Monsters, increases Efficiency of Materials Harvested by 20%.

“Hm, okay, this is great. It definitely feels more like B Rank based on all these effects…” Will murmured, glancing at the description.

“No, it’s definitely C Rank. B Rank would’ve had even higher bonuses, Master,” Cube clarified. “Now that you’ve worked so hard, I’d recommend resting for the night. There’s no need to overexert yourself and end up—”

“I need to test these new weapons. Sorry, but I’m going outside,” Will interrupted. “I also have a feeling that at night, things become a bit different… I don’t know why, but I can feel it.”

“A feeling? Hm…” Cube seemed to know something about that. “Perhaps that ‘feeling’ could be tied to your Divinity, Master… Well, fine, let’s go outside! But please don’t be reckless—be careful! Night is more dangerous than day in the Great Beyond for a big reason you’re about to see!”

“Understood,” Will nodded, heading toward where Evelyn, Vivian, and Ralph were staying, not far from him.

“Ah, Will, you’re back?” Vivian asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Can you take care of Maria, Vivian? She just fell asleep in the electronics store,” Will said. “I’ll go outside and hunt some more. I just crafted some new weapons I want to test.”

“Y-You’re going to hunt outside? At this hour?!” Ralph exclaimed.

“Are you crazy? No, wait, you’re definitely crazy,” Evelyn sighed.

“You can stay here. I didn’t come to ask for help. I’ll do a small scouting trip—nothing too serious,” Will said. “Anyway, Vivian…”

“Sure, sure, I was going to take care of her anyway,” Vivian nodded, walking with Will to the electronics store.

On the way, Will showed her everything he’d made. “W-What the hell?! You made this?! Will! I took you for a big, strong guy, but you’re also an amazing craftsman! Wow.”

“It’s more like… I just discovered I could do that,” Will said. “Anyway, it’s one pair for you, your brother, and Evelyn. Distribute them later.”

“S-Sure! Thanks a lot!” Vivian said. “I don’t even know how to repay you…”

“Just make sure to be in top condition for tomorrow,” Will replied, walking away.

Once he stepped out of the mall, Will finally saw what Cube meant when he said the night was so much different from the day.

“T-This is…!”

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