◈ 513. [Side Story] Equipment maintenance (3)
A few days later.
One week left until the start of Stage 25.
I took Lucas to a forge in downtown Crossroads.
“Welcome, Your Highness. and Sir Lucas. I was waiting.”
The head of the blacksmith union greeted us with a bright smile.
“The armor you ordered is complete. Come this way.”
In the center of the forge was a piece of light blue armor with a sophisticated design. The other blacksmiths were polishing the armor for the last time and polishing it with cloth.
“The armor [Suwol]. I can proudly say that this is by far the best piece of armor I’ve ever made since I took office as the head of the guild.”
“Nice.”
“As you ordered, we focused on magic defense in particular. However, physical defense is never weak. Try it and you will be satisfied.”
It was the armor ordered for the anti-magic warfare. Because you may have to deal with the Lich Corps in the next stage right now.
‘The magic damage reduction rate is exceptionally high. Although the probability is low, it even has a magic reflection function.’
Looking at the stats, I nodded my head in satisfaction. With this amount, even if you receive the magic attack of the Midnight Sun with your body, you should be able to withstand it several times.
“Lucas?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I chined Lucas. Lucas put on his armor on the spot.
Since the armor was custom-made from scratch, the new armor fit Lucas perfectly.
The armor, which was lined with small armor, had a cool appearance, but its stats were outstanding.
After wearing the Bone Armor, I look very different when I wear this. I suppressed a laugh and nodded.
“How are you Lucas? How do you feel about wearing the new armor?”
“… At first, I was happy whenever I received new armor, but now I feel a little sad.”
Eh? Why are you sad when you get new armor?
Looking at it in doubt, Lucas smiled bitterly.
“It’s something your lord gave you, and you’re going to break it again.”
“aha.”
Lucas seems to have realized it too. You have to pamper yourself, armor is armor. After all, they are just consumables on the battlefield.
I smiled and patted Lucas on the shoulder.
“Instead of the armor being broken, if you’re safe, wouldn’t that be enough?”
“That’s right, my lord.”
“The day will come when you won’t have to break your armor. Even if you want to change the armor you made at that time, you will have to wear it for the rest of your life. You might miss the present, when you change often?”
When I joked around, Lucas smiled as well. I then faced the head of the Blacksmith Guild.
“To be honest, I was underestimating the forge crafting equipment a little… My knowledge was short. Very good.”
“Haha, if your opponent is that Elder Warp craftsman, you can’t help but be compared. But the armor-making technology that the empire has built up over hundreds of years is formidable!”
When Lucas and I were satisfied, the blacksmith union leader smiled broadly.
“It is a pleasure to make equipment for ordinary soldiers, but it is also a pleasure to make high-end equipment that allows us to concentrate our capabilities like this. Please leave it to me often, Your Highness.”
“I’m begging you again.”
We left the forge.
Enter the base camp through the teleport gate in the backyard of the manor house. This time, as we headed towards Kelly Bay’s forge, we saw Kelly Bay putting on new armor for Torkel, who had arrived first.
“Hooray, hurrah~!”
“Hong live… .”
“No, there’s nothing to say with your mouth, all the way over your arms!”
Torkel was perplexed, as if the situation itself, where someone was putting armor on himself, was awkward.
However, the [Taishan] armor I ordered this time was, as its name suggests, very heavy and tightly wrapped around the body, so I couldn’t wear it alone.
Me and Lucas stood back for a moment and watched Thorkell put on his new armor.
Wearing this heavy armor made from the Gorgon sisters’ magic cores, Thorkel almost looked like a small rocky mountain or castle wall he could walk on.
I was worried about whether I could move properly because the helmet and gloves and even the shoes were made of the same material.
In addition, a huge rectangular shield.
In the center of the shield, two eyes that seem to embody the evil eyes of the Gorgon sisters are terrifyingly carved… … It’s just a piece, right? It’s scary in reality.
“Ahh~ That’s cool, Torkel. But can you move?”
When I asked as I turned towards Torquel, who had finished wearing it, Torquell turned his limbs surprisingly lightly.
“It’s heavy, but there’s no problem with maneuvering.”
“of course! Who am I? Do you look like the kind of blacksmith who will only ignorantly make things heavy by risking their lives on defense? Maintain strength, but light weight as much as possible! Walk every nook and cranny to the lightweight magic! This is the armor made like that!”
Kelly Bay jumped out proudly.
“Even if the crossroad cannon fires crossfire, it will last for an hour! Is that all?! Because she used the magic core of the monsters of the Mythical Age called the Gorgon Sisters! Their magic defense is also superb!”
Then Lucas murmured softly.
“For magic defense, my armor is better.”
“huh? What did you say, knight?”
“No no… Big hum. That looks good, Thorkel.”
A look of vivid jealousy flashed across Lucas’ blue eyes, but Torkel, who was ignorant of it, did not know it, and let out a laugh that seemed to be drawn out of the helmet.
“That’s right. I wonder if someone like me can use such good equipment… … .”
“That’s how important your role will be in the future, Torkel.”
I had a bitter taste in front of Torquell, whom I liked.
What does wearing good armor mean in the end?
It means that you need to be beaten a lot in front of you. In a way, Torquell seemed to be facing a more difficult path in the future.
However, Thorkell nodded happily.
“It is what I wished for, Your Highness. Throw me into the toughest battlefield. I will protect my allies with this armor and this shield.”
“nice… It was a line that could truly be an example of a tanker, Torkel.”
Unknowingly, I was moved and rubbed under my nose.
Lucas kept pouting, probably envying Thorkel’s armor, but… … No, you got new armor too. And you and Thorkel have different roles. You are a mobile damage tank, and Torkel is a built-in pure tank. okay?
I took the two knights dressed in new armor and headed deeper into the dungeon.
In the meantime, he has been using Dark Night to defeat an army of monsters that are difficult to deal with and clearing dungeons that are difficult to overcome using Soya.
And as clearing the monster corps and dungeons became easy, we were using the surplus strength of our heroes to make all the dungeons up to Area 5 into our territory through occupation.
Today is the day to conduct the occupation war of the last dungeon in District 5.
Upon entering the dungeon room’s entrance, all the party members under his command were already standing ready for battle.
“Oh, the armor of the two of you is pretty cool, right?”
Evangeline, who was leading the other party members while I was gone, grinned.
“Well, it’s still slightly worse than my [Snow White]!”
“… .”
“… .”
Lucas’s face was clearly irritated, and Thorkell seemed to want to say something, but hesitated.
The three stretched out their bodies as if to show off their respective armors, and pushed their chests forward for no reason. It’s not a peacock boasting tail feathers, what are you doing… … .
“Kuhm kuhm! Hehehe!”
Even Quylan coughed beside him for no reason, flapping his leather cloak… … . Don’t get caught up in heavy armor competition. Leather armor. Because it hurts if you get involved too.
I left the battle of nerves between the avant-garde characters over their armor and looked at the rest of the heroes. All of them had bright complexions, but I saw five people who seemed especially nervous.
It was none other than the five members of the Gamble Club.
They were nervous not because they were afraid of this battle, but because all five of them were about to awaken.
Perhaps, after finishing the occupation war today, everyone will achieve level 50 and learn the ultimate skill. Realizing that the awakening time was near, everyone must have been instinctively nervous.
‘You gave me all the surplus experience points. Let’s pay for the meal, guys!’
With that thought in mind, I walked towards the center of the dungeon room. In his right hand he held a plain black flag.
After preparing to declare the occupation war, I looked back.
All the heroes under my command who met my eyes nodded. Now, it’s already past the stage of asking if you’re ready with words.
“This is right here… .”
Shouting vigorously, I stuck the flagpole into the ground.
“It is the forefront of the world!”
Whoaaaaagh!
My ultimate [Flag at the front] was activated, and a castle wall made of magic rose in all directions.
And at the same time,
[Conquest War begins soon.]
The last Conquest War in District 5 has begun.
***
Conquest has ended safely.
Successfully defeated the monster wave and occupied this dungeon.
Clear all up to District 5 now. All dungeons from District 1 to District 5 were placed under my occupation.
‘Of course, dungeons up to District 5 are overwhelmingly behind in scale and level compared to Districts 6-10, but… … .’
But first of all, it’s occupied half of the entire dungeon in terms of numbers! This is a great achievement!
Also, the [Princess’ Soul Fragment] nestled in the last dungeon in District 5 was also successfully recovered.
“… .”
I held the collected soul fragments in my hand and looked down. After handing these pieces to Mu-myeong for the last time, quite a lot of people gathered again.
‘If I return this, will the state of obscurity be a little better?’
I remembered the image of an unknown person bound in darkness like a chain.
‘Well, of course, giving this will make him feel a little better… … .’
I had a feeling.
This is not a fundamental solution.
How can I help the nameless not become the final boss… … ?
“phew! So, is today’s work over?”
After removing the [Snow White] armor, Evangeline refreshingly wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Lucas and Thorkell, who had been in line together, sighed in relief and began maintenance.
The trio, dressed in flashy new armor, did a great job today. Most of the monsters couldn’t cross the wall of these three people and were very harpooned.
“Kuhm kuhm! Hehehe?”
Somehow, Quylan appealed for his presence with a clearing of his throat as if he was also active, but he’s not a beastman, but a human mode, so you’re a sunfish right now… … I deliberately adjusted my position so that I could fight lightly from behind.
“But I’ve been curious about it since before, senior!”
Items are retrieved from the dead monster body and everyone prepares to return.
Evangeline, who approached me as I was reaping the magic wall, tilted her head and asked.
“Since when… Has the starting word for fortress summoning changed?”
“huh?”
“Why is it that in the past, ‘I declare this land as the territory of the Empire~!’ You just said this. It was really cool, but at some point, ‘Here is the front line!’ You changed it like this.”
I was hot for nothing. Were you listening to that again? What a shame
[Imperial Declaration], which was my ultimate skill, has now evolved into [Foremost Flag]. Several features have been added, but there is another crucial difference.
“… Because my flag is not the imperial flag.”
I explained slowly.
“Because my flag is the flag that stands at the forefront, representing all who defend the world.”
The monster front is no longer the southern front of the Everblack Empire. This is the forefront of the world defense front that protects the entire world.
That’s why the ultimate name was changed and the starter was also changed.
After all, skills and ultimate skills are just tools I possess. It would be natural to change according to my values.
After hearing my explanation, Evangeline narrowed her eyes.
“Hmm?”
“… what. why. what.”
Why are you giving me such a mysterious gaze, junior?
“no! I just wonder if there are times when seniors would casually say things like the main character in a heroic story, so… … .”
What?! My face got hot.
“Are you dissatisfied with the couple?!”
“you’re welcome. Because that’s what everyone likes.”
Evangeline smirked. The other party members also grinned. Ayy! Lord, stop teasing these guys!
Shaking off my gaze, I headed towards the five members of the Gamble Club who were stuck in the corner of the battlefield.
The five gamblers did not just watch, each clumsily grabbed a weapon and fought together.
Although they received minor injuries, all five of them had their eyes shining more brightly than usual.
Finally.
All 5 people got along well and succeeded in reaching level 50 this time.
“Okay Gamble Club! As soon as you return, come to the manor house. I will look at the newly awakened skills and recheck the strategies I ordered before.”
“yes!”
The five members of the gamble club vigorously replied. Now, rather than being a gambler, you are getting an answer worthy of a heroic character under our command.
“… So, lord.”
Lucas cautiously asked after looking at the backs of the five members of the Gamble Club returning for maintenance.
“What is the strategy you instructed the members of the gamble club? Which of the two White Nights will you choose and how will you defeat it?”
