[LSB] Chapter 110: Can't Get a Break

Julian was lost.

Not physically, but he had already mentally shut out Zoan’s voice since he had been talking for more than an hour now.

At first, Zoan spoke of grand things—ending the war, resisting the Order of Artemia’s growing influence in Gnarfolk territory. But then, his stories shifted.

He talked about his childhood love. His pet. He even talked about how he was taller than everyone else in the camp.

And that was when Julian’s mind started to drift.

At one point, he considered talking to MEGAN, but she was already deep in conversation with the Avatar of Searadyn, and he didn’t feel like interrupting.

So instead, he found himself staring at Zoan, who was now enthusiastically showing him a painting of a tree.

Julian blinked.

Before he could decide whether or not to feign interest, Zoan finally took a deep breath, settled back onto the ground, and said—

“You have my deepest gratitude for listening to my qualms, Master Julian. I have taken up your time, and I intend to keep my word. But… I know I am being presumptuous and exploitative, yet still, I must ask—may I also employ your skills?”

Zoan’s stomach turned flat as he hunched forward to the point his head was almost on the ground.

“I believe it is truly the will of the Lady Artemis that we met at this moment, and at this place—and I will not waste the chance given to me by her, and I will not be shy—may you improve my weapon, Master Julian?”

Zoan’s tail swung in front of him, and coiled in it was his bladed claw gauntlets,

“I will pay you much handsomely, Master Julian. Since you would be traveling our lands, you would need much of our currency—and do not think that this is the whim of a child. If the representatives of the country saw that I own equipment touched by a champion blacksmith, they would be inclined to believe me more. I can have a forge ready for you in a few breaths.”

Cyrus had told him that they already had all the money they needed for their entire journey, and he also had gnarfolk currency and they didn’t have to do anything at all.

It felt strange.

Not long ago, he had been buried in loans, constantly struggling to make ends meet. But now—on Earth and even in Artemia—he had more than enough.

Less than a year ago, no one had even wanted to touch the weapons and armor he created. Now, even a prince had to bow just to ask him for a mere modification—not even a full forging.

Zoan pushed the gauntlets closer, and Julian inspected them using the Guidance.

[Item: Zoan’s Claws]

Type: Bladed Gauntlets

Grade: Rare

Durability: 150/150

Sharpness: 65

Weight: 5

Special Effects:

Bond of the Young War Chief– Designed exclusively for Zoan, these gauntlets mold perfectly to his movements, enhancing his grip strength and precision by 15%. This effect is only active when worn by Zoan.

Skills:

None.

Description:

Forged with unmatched care, Zoan’s Claws were crafted solely for the young Gnarfolk commander. Their design blends elegance with lethality—razor-sharp clawed fingers seamlessly integrated into reinforced gauntlets, capable of rending both armor and flesh alike. Every curve, every joint, was meticulously shaped to match Zoan’s natural fighting style, making them an extension of his own body. The steel gleams with a dark sheen, a reflection of the masterful craftsmanship behind them. No other warrior could wield them as he does—for they were made for his hands alone.

[End of Description]

A small breath escaped Julian’s lips as he looked at the description of the gauntlet, but more so, he listened to its humming.

He didn’t speak, didn’t react.

And that silence made Zoan gulp. His tail twitched anxiously, moving on its own until he forced himself to grab it, keeping it still. When Julian finally looked at him, Zoan quickly averted his gaze, struggling to contain his excitement.

But Julian’s next action crushed it entirely.

With care, Julian gently pushed the gauntlets back toward him.

“I don’t want to make adjustments to them,” he said simply. “There’s no need to ask your men to build me a forge.”

Zoan’s lips parted. The individual strands of his mustache trembled from sheer disappointment. Of course, he hadn’t truly expected a blacksmith of Julian’s caliber to accept his request so easily. He knew better than to hope for that.

But before he could fully process the rejection, a hum escaped Julian’s lips. His gaze flickered toward the gauntlets one last time—then shifted to the flexible scale armor wrapped around Zoan’s tail.

“Your weapon and your tail armor… they’re already special enough as they are.”

Julian’s voice was soft.

“They were made by someone very close to you—someone who is no longer here. Perhaps... your mother?”

Zoan’s eyes widened at Julian’s words. He couldn’t answer him at first, and his hands moved on their own without knowing, his large fingers gently brushing against his gauntlets and tail armor. And with a longing sigh, he asked,

“How… did you know that?”

Julian didn’t answer right away. Instead, a rare smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“The gauntlets barely fit you, just like your tail armor. But you still wear them—even though they chafe your skin.”

He glanced down at his own hand, rubbing his palm with his thumb, lost in thought.

“The two were made at almost the same time. And unlike the rest of the equipment in this camp, they’re old. Unused, but old."

Zoan’s grip tightened around the gauntlets.

"And I can feel it," Julian continued. "Every strike of the hammer. Every delicate touch. This was made with passion, with gentleness—with a care that could only come from someone who knew you intimately and loved you deeply."

Zoan’s breaths started to tremble.

Julian’s voice softened. "Someone made these for you before you could even walk. They knew you’d grow taller than most of your peers—but not as tall as you are now.

And yet, you still wear them.

Instead of making the gauntlets fit you, you adjusted yourself to fit them.”

Zoan’s fingers curled around the metal, his large hands pressing into it as if trying to feel the warmth of the past lingering in its surface.

His vision blurred.

Still, he managed to whisper—“I… wanted to be like her.”

Zoan’s words paused for a bit, but after a few shaky breaths, he continued.

“But the Lady Artemis had other plans for me. She gave me a combat-related class instead. Of course, I am eternally grateful. Most of my peers were not even granted mana.”

He exhaled.

“My mother—like you, Master Julian—was a Grandmaster Blacksmith. The best in the chiefdom.”

Julian hummed quietly, acknowledging the words without breaking the silence between them.

Zoan took a deep breath, placing the gauntlets aside with a newfound reverence. “I understand why you did not want to alter them. Thank you. I had almost forgotten—”

“I did.”

Zoan blinked. “…What?”

He narrowed his eyes at Julian in confusion.

“I upgraded them. Your gauntlets.”

Zoan’s lips parted, but no words came out.

Even though he had only known Julian for a short time, he was certain of one thing—this man was not the type to jest.

But… how?

All he had done was touch them.

Zoan didn’t speak.

He only furrowed his brows further before finally picking up the gauntlets again and whispering—

“Guidance.”

The moment he read the text before him, his entire body froze.

He wasn’t even sure what he was looking at.

Julian had begun explaining what he had done, but Zoan didn’t hear a single word.

“I didn’t modify their appearance,” Julian said. “But I upgraded them—just enough to enhance them, not enough to erase your mother’s craftsmanship.”

Zoan’s grip tightened.

“I adjusted them to fit your hands better, made them more comfortable. It—”

Before Julian could finish his words, Zoan suddenly crawled toward him fast. 

Julian didn’t dodge, however, as he knew Zoan wasn’t going to lunge at him. But what exactly was he trying to do? 

Well, Julian got his answer fast as Zoan placed his palms on the floor and flattened his stomach—no. He didn’t just flatten his stomach, perhaps it was better to say he swallowed it in with how much it was tucked inside.

“I—I was a fool, Master Julian!” Zoan’s tail slammed to the ground, harder than it ever did before, “Forgive me, because you were a hyum, I still have reservations and underestimated your skill even as your people's champion—but what you did transcends everything I have ever witnessed in my 18 years of life. Our champion blacksmith has a unique class, I assume you do too. But what I just witnessed here transcends anything I have ever witnessed her do—I have made a folly, Master Julian. I said I would pay you, but not even everything in the entire camp combined could ever amount to what you have done for me. I feel truly ashamed.”

“Hmm. You can pay me what you originally had in mind.”

“But that would not be enough!”

“Then you don’t need to give me anything,” Julian sighed and stood up, “I think I’ve wasted too much time here already. Can you point me in the direction of Dodona?”

“But—”

Julian tuned out the rest of Zoan’s words as he stepped out of the tent.

Outside, the gathered Gnarfolk let out a collective sigh of disappointment as soon as they saw him step out—the moment they realized they had to return Searadyn’s Veil to him.

Even though Julian had spent over an hour listening to Zoan, his men still hadn’t tired of passing the translucent weapon around, marveling at it like an artifact of legend.

As they approached him, reluctantly handing the blade back, Julian couldn’t help but think—

This was reward enough.

“Are you leaving already, Master Julian!?”

“Will we see you again anytime soon?”

“Do you have any other weapons as impressive as Searadyn’s Veil?”

“I have an older sister, are you perhaps interested in inter-species mating?”

All of them spoke to Julian as he made his way out of the camp, waiting for Zoan to come out of his tent.

He did, but he didn’t approach Julian and instead ran in another direction, only for him to return while dragging what looked to be a giant buffalo.

“You mentioned that you were traveling on a seikrobos, Master Julian,” Zoan presented the buffalo to Julian, before gesturing to his men to get something. And not even a minute later, they brought out a large cart and attached it to the animal.

“This cart has been specifically made for travel and can traverse even rocky terrain. You told me you and your companions traveled here all the way from hyum territory riding and sharing a seikrobos—’tis not a mount fit for a champion. The payment for the gauntlets is also inside, they are not enough. But please, I hope you accept them—I will repay you fully once our mission is done.”

“Hmm.”

Julian looked at the buffalo, and for some reason, it seemed incredibly happy dragging the cart.

“The zautoros know the lands of my people better than any other creature. They walk as soon as they are born, and never stop doing so until they are adults. They run when they are awake, and they walk in their sleep—I hope their conviction carries on to you, and to me, Master Julian. May the Lady Artemis guide us in our quest. And may we meet again if she allows it.”

And for one last time, Zoan and all of his men hunched and sucked in their stomach, giving respect to Julian with all of their sincerity.

And of course, one last time, Julian also did the same.

***

Several minutes after his little side quest, Julian and his party were back on the road.

Their hair whipped violently in the wind as the zautoros pulled the cart at speeds nearly matching that of their seikrobos, which was running alongside the buffalo.

Juliet kept a firm grip on her bandana, making sure it wouldn’t fly off—never to be seen again.

As for Cyrus, he was still riding his seikrobos, angling himself to get the perfect montage shots for Julian’s videos.

Once he had everything he needed, he guided his mount closer to the cart and rode alongside them.

"So, what did you even talk about with them, Julian?" he asked. "The chat’s been buzzing my eyes since earlier. Did it have something to do with your quest? You’d know if it did—the description would’ve changed."

Julian paused, bringing up the Guidance of Artemis to check.

Sure enough, a new line had been added.

“It says: ‘Go to the village that never sees the stars. The frozen fields of Dodona, always visible in their eyes.’”

"Huh…" Cyrus's eyes widened. "...That’s the clearest Artemis has ever been. Must be a quest she really wants you to do. That also means we’re on the right track—it’ll take a day or two to reach Dodona. Hope you guys brought your coats, 'cause it’s gonna get cold soon."

The trio continued their journey, making full use of their Zautoros—a creature that could walk even in its sleep.

With no need to set up camp, the large cart they had been given was more than enough to accommodate both themselves and the Seikrobos.

Cyrus volunteered to keep watch, making sure their giant buffalo-like mount didn’t stray from the path.

As Julian lay down inside the cart, he couldn't help but appreciate just how convenient their new setup was.

Apparently, Juliet agreed—she curled up next to him, pulling a blanket over herself as the wind grew colder.

“We should have traveled like this from the start,” she whispered. “Are you going back to Earth right away, Boss?”

“Hmm.”

Julian gave a noncommittal hum, closing his eyes.

“I… wonder if I’ll ever get to see your world,” Juliet mused. “I’d like to meet Ellie—and see if Cyrus was lying about towers that reach the sky. Your soul transfers between here and Earth, right?”

"Our consciousness, but I suppose you could say that."

Julian opened his eyes and turned his head toward her.

"I think you’d like it there. You love using equipment and blueprints when forging, and on Earth, we have machines that can print entire weapons—highly complex ones, too."

"Printing?" Juliet frowned at the unfamiliar word.

"Basically, you load a blueprint into the machine, provide the necessary materials, and it forges the weapon for you."

"Like… a flame spirit?"

"No."

"That sounds too good to be true."

"It’s real."

Julian smirked. "We also have femto-particles. They look like smoke, but they’re actually swarms of microscopic insect-like machines. They can reshape themselves into almost anything."

"Into… anything?" Juliet blinked. "What does that even…"

Their quiet conversation stretched into the night, until eventually, Juliet dozed off.

Julian stayed awake a little longer, staring at the starless sky before finally closing his eyes, and transferring his consciousness back to Earth.

As soon as he opened his eyes on Earth, however, Victoria’s scent quickly welcomed him back.

“Oh? You know that I’m here?” And Victoria also noticed Julian turning in her direction.

“I apologize for intruding in your room, but believe me—I only just got here 11 seconds ago.”

“Did you need something from me?” Julian carefully stood up and started stretching his limbs and spine.

“No, not me.” Victoria shook her head, “One of the heads of the Daemon Control Center is here to see you, Mr. Winters—they are requesting your help to deal with a very… unexpected Daemon wave. And they also told me to tell you that they are willing to compensate you greatly.”

“But I’m not an exterminator.”

“I told them that, Mr. Winters—but the situation, I’m afraid, has made them desperate. Truth be told, even Humanity Engineering is surprised.”

“Is it happening in a major city?”

“No. Perhaps it is more appropriate to ask which planet it is happening, Mr. Winters.”

“Planet?” Julian stopped stretching his limbs and fully turned to face Victoria.

“Yes. For the first time in humanity’s history—the daemons are attacking Mars.”

[LAST CHAPTER] <-----> [NEXT CHAPTER]

Julian is slowly becoming the MC type "I just want to create weapons, why am I saving the world!?". Lol.

Alas, with greater power comes greater responsbales.