Author’s corner: HELLO HELLO! CRAFTING’S DONE AND TIME FOR SOME HISTORIC GEAR! BOOYEAH!

ANYWAY, no updates for probably the next two days. Sorry about that, guys, since I’ll have class all day long. At least I finally finished the long lasting crafting saga before the dungeon, hope he didn’t become too op…

ALSO, It’s finally time for some more light-hearted stuff. GEEZ, that crafting part left me exhausted! I really needed some more nonsense…

ALSO(2), THE CHURCH OF CYGNAS HAS ALMOST REACHED 850 FOLLOWERS! WE ARE ALMOST AT ONE THOUSAND! CYGNAS BE PRAISED! Maybe we can even get 3rd place in the weekly views? Who knows?

Have a good read!

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The player: Wargon, has completed the first ever Armor Set crafted by a player!

[BURNING SOUL SET (6 pieces)]

The announcement appeared in front of me and probably every single other player logged in at the moment. And I won’t deny the fact that I felt a strong set of superiority at the moment. Boy, does this makes wonder to your self-esteem!

As I stared at the window for a moment, I started to let my mind wander a bit, trying to escape the fact that I still had a sword, a shield and Aura’s hide to finish. Shaking my head to wake myself up, I decided to start working on what I already had almost done, and that was the sword.

Since I already had done most part of the sword already, and all I needed was to make a handle for it. I quickly started by cutting a tail from Aura’s hide and scrapping it clean of fur. With the piece clean, I asked Melinda for some way to harden the leather a bit. She said that I could use a the cauldron to do that.

When I looked at her stupidly for a moment, she laughed and pointed towards a large cauldron near a window. When I looked inside, I could see that it was full with water and had a magic inscription written on its inner side.

I activated the cauldron and could see as the water slowly started to heat up, but not at the point of boiling. Following Melinda’s instructions, I put the hide in the water and waited as it slowly started to darken in color and curl up. As I watched it, I started reminiscing what I had done for my current sword so I could do it for this one.

Back then, I had used a pre-made leather hilt that Torg had in stock, but this time I decided to do it on my own. After that I just needed to slide it into the end of the blade after the handguard, then lock it in place with the pommel.

OH MY GOD! THE HANDGUARD AND THE POMMEL!

I completely forgot about these! What the hell I’m going to do now? As I started to get panicky, my savior put his large bearded face in the window and dropped two things near the cauldron.

They were a hand-guard and a pommel, made with the same material as the middle of the blade!

I looked up teary eyed at Torg and swore myself I would buy him a whole cask of ale later!

“I saw that you forgot about them, so I made them with the remains of the center piece of your blade!” He said in his usual hearty laughter.

And if you guys are wondering what he is doing on the other side of the window, it’s because he simply can’t fit inside the room, so he has been watching everything from outside.

As I got the pieces on the ground, Melinda warned me that it was already enough time, so using a pincer, I took the leather from the water and put it atop of the table, where I cut it into a square shape. After quickly fitting the simple hand-guard into the end of the blade, I rolled the leather around it, before sewing it so it would fit well.

Melinda warned me that the leather would still shrink a bit, so I should leave it a little loose. Then, following some patterns I usually saw in games, I took a strong line and crisscrossed it around the leather part before tightening it. I heard somewhere that this should help with my grip. Finally, I locked the pommel in place using a thick nail, finalizing the blade, and with the help Sol, we also decided on its name.

Tumultuous Grace (One-handed Long sword)

(requires level 15) Attack: 20-23 Extra: 1 Frostfire Damage Quality: Excellent Durability: 35/35 Description

A Sword made with the parts of both, the Freezing tail and the Burning Tail. These two mortal enemies still wage their battle inside the blade, generating it’s conflicting nature.

STR +5 AGI+5 INT+5 MND +3

Reduces the slash skill resource costs by 20%

The Element dealt into the attack corresponds to the target’s lowest resistance.

(Made by Wargon)

As I shed my manly tears of happiness for receiving such an amazing sword that even reduces the cost of my most used skill, I started to think on what I would need to do for my shield. For now, I decided to leave Aura’s for last, since I still had no idea on what to do with it.

As I mused, I heard a bark coming from the door, and when we turned towards it, I saw Cygnas there, wearing the apron above her ronin clothes calling us for lunch.

Since Torg couldn’t fit through the door, he told us that he would leave for his house and be back later. Having an idea with this, I took out my actual shield and gave it to him before passing him the instructions. He widened his eyes and nodded before leaving.

For lunch we had stuffed squirrelwolfthingy, which was a surprising delicacy that we all ate greedily. While we ate, I had to explain to Sol about the fact that Aura slash Cyg had learned her cooking, which she found amazing, and took my chance to ask her about the gems I got from the Blazing and from Aura.

When I had asked Torg about them earlier, he said that Sol would be able to explain it better to me, and she had told me she would teach me something about them anyway, so I took my time to see this while we ate.

She told me that these gems, that should be rare, can be used as a magical conduit for Alchemically-made magic staff. What that means? Well…

Basically, there seems to be two kinds of magical staffs that can be crafted. One is made with alchemy and involves using a gem as a focus for the energy and a body for some kind of buffer for the energy, where it concentrates before being released. The other, is by making a staff with an appropriate material, and then engraving it using magic words to enchant it.

Although I had no plan on using blatantly magic weapons like magic staffs, wands and such, I still found it amusing on how it works. Rather, let me specify that. I have no plan on using magic to attack directly, so staffs and wands that you use for casting magic are out. But magic effects of items are still acceptable. Or something along these lines.

Afterwards she also told me on what I would need to do to make a staff or something of the like, but I mostly heard it out of curiosity rather than to craft one myself.

Done with the lunch, I decided to go back to the workshop and start working on what I would do with Aura’s, while I waited for Torg to come back with the shield. However, no matter what I thought, I couldn’t bring myself to have any good idea, after all, I did not have enough material for an armor set, but aside from that, there wasn’t much I could do with it.

Also, I’d rather not risk using her hide on something experimental, only to mess it up and lose all the leather. I wouldn’t mind messing with the Blazing-tails hide so I went all crazy on them, but Aura’s? That would be unforgivable.

But this left me in a deadlock where I had no idea on what to do at all.

I spent almost ten minutes staring at it, but in the end, Torg came back and I hadn’t done anything. Sol was even laying face-first into the table snoring.

Sighing in defeat, I took the shield through the window and stared at it in wonder. I asked for Torg to remove the plating it had and substitute it for Crystal-steel alloy. I did not have many resources for this, so I had to be a bit more stingy. Gathering the last remaining piece of hide from the Blazing-tails I had, I cut it into the shape of shield, but making it slightly larger, so I could rivet it on the shield’s back part.

Also, thinking on my talk with Sol about the whole gem they had in their foreheads being magical, I decided on a whim to actually sew the gem in the middle of the shield. This way I had an at least presentable shield. Maybe I would go back to the forest later and kill a couple more of the Blazing-tails to get some decent materials...

Did I just say that I would go farm a boss alone just to get some basic crafting materials?

Protective Grace (Shield)

(requires level 15) Block value: 84 Magical Block: 42 Quality: Excellent Durability: 40/40 Description

A simple yet effective shield made with a special alloy and Blazing tail leather. The gem in it’s center casts its protection to whoever wields it.

TGH+6 MND+6 VIT +6

(Made by Wargon)

Even the description was a bit lackluster compared with the rest of the equipment, but at least the quality was excellent. But I have the feeling that it might have been my title doing the work for me. Well, at least it works just fine for me.

Anyway, that aside, at least the shield seemed to be on the good side.

And now, we are left with the last remaining part. Aura’s hide. Not like I can run away anymore.

I thought and thought for a good half an hour, but nothing at all came to mind. Well, not like nothing came, but I was a bit afraid of not being able to do something useful with it and then regret for the rest of my life.

In the end, I went with a slightly depressing simple idea, but it was the only thing that I had enough courage to make with it without the chance of messing it up. And it was the last piece of armor I was lacking.

I took the hide and cut it into a long rectangle before taking it to the table. Cygnas jumped to the it and started to watching me curiously as I scrapped the middle area of the hide using a comb, leaving it only with a thin layer of fur. However, on all the borders but the upper one I left the fur alone.

Basically, I was making a simple cape. I know. Aura deserves something better, but I couldn’t think of anything better to do with it. I did add a few gimmicks, though. Since I didn’t want the cape to limit my movements, I sewed some buttons on the inner side of the cloak and cut a few slits on its borders, this way I could fold it into a smaller shape but keep wearing it whenever it was needed.

As I extended it and watched the work, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret on having to do something so simple for her. In the end it seems that I did mess up in the end. Just as I started to let out a long sigh of defeat, Cygnas approached the cloak.

Rather, it wasn’t Cygnas, it was Aura. I have no idea on when they changed, but just with a look, I knew that it was her since she lacked that naïve aura around her.

She approached the cloak in a state that almost looked like some kind of trance, and when I was starting to get doubtful if she was feeling well, she took a deep breath before gently blowing out the air at the cloak. As she did that, I saw some small ice crystals shining in her breath as it flew towards the cloak.

All of us in the room could only look at the scene in shock, as the ice crystals slowly covered the whole cloak before slowly melting away. However, not all of the ice melted, and some remained even as we waited. When I blinked, I recognized the shape they were forming.

In there were three ice stalagmites, just like the ones she had used during our duel, with the middle one broken and a three tailed fox standing at its remaining. All the image was made extremely simple, but had some kind of impact to it.

The whole image had a soft white color that made it almost invisible against the light blue of the fur, so unless we looked at it really closely it was pretty much unnoticeable.

However, the whole cloak as a whole suddenly looked a lot livelier than before, having an beautiful glow to it, not looking like the same simple work as before. Even if almost nothing about it changed.

I noticed that Aura was also staring a bit lost at the cloak for a moment, then she seemed to look at window in the air for a moment before a window popped in front of me.

Chronicles of the Frozen Battlefield

(cloak) Def: 5 M. Res: 5 Quality: Historic Durability: 40/40 Description

Behind this simple, yet incredible cloak lies a whole story of a unique relationship that began near a hole in a tree and almost never happened due to duties and pride. This cloak may boast no power at its beginning, but its power will grow together with their story.

(For every first time a boss is killed or an heroic or greater difficult quest is completed in the presence of Aura, this cloak will be upgraded)

(Whenever someone touches this cloak, they may view any memory that both Wargon and Aura share)

(Made by Wargon and Aura)

(This item can’t be sold)

(This item can’t be traded)

(Only Wargon can hold this item) Congratulations, you are the first player to create an item of historic quality. Would you like to disclose your name for other players? (Yes/no)

I blinked in surprise as I saw the windows appearing before me and kept staring at them for a good while. I mindlessly accepted the second window and didn’t even bother with the announcement window that appeared.

When I looked back at Aura, I noticed that she was as shocked as I was. Did she chose the name of the cloak? I’m sure as hell that it wasn’t me.

“Hey… What exactly is a Historic quality item?” I asked absentmindedly as I took on the cloak and wore it.

“I… Don’t think I’ve heard of it before…” Melinda said as she looked at me with a confused look.

I stole a glance at Torg and he shook his head confused as well.

When we heard a yawn, we all turned towards its source and we saw Sol waking up lazily while scratching her head.

“Was my bed always this hard?” She asked while yawning and looking around. “And was my room always this bright?” When she turned to us, she stared for a few seconds before suddenly hitting her open hand with the other as if she suddenly remembered something. “What happened? Why do you all look confused?” She yawned once again.

“Well… This cloak got the Historic quality and we are kind of confused on how it works…” I explained to her.

As soon as she heard historic, her eyes shot open and all the laziness seemed gone. She quickly grabbed my shoulders and hurried me to explain what exactly happened. Seeing her like that, we quickly began to explain what happened, and she looked at Aura and me alternatively for a couple of times before starting to nod.

“Little Sol, do you know what it means?” Torg asked from the window.

“Yeah. Those kinds of equipment appear every once in a century. They are unique in that they become stronger under very specific circumstances, but can’t be upgraded under any other way.” She said in a teacher’s tone with one finger lifted.

Then it’s something really rare? WOO HOO!

I DID IT!

I HAVE NO IDEA ON HOW I DID IT, BUT I DID IT!

I picked Aura up and hugged her tightly, which left her surprised for a moment before she started wagging her tail.

Basically, I got some kind of cloak that seems to get stronger the more irresponsible I am, which basically means that I won’t have to change it. This kind of thing is basically Cygnas-given to gamers, since it makes the need to find equipment easier on them.

After finally seeing me finish my crafts, Torg and Sol left, with Torg seemingly pumped to get on crafting his own things and Sol clearly with something in her mind as she went back to her own shop.

Me, however?

“HAAAH! TOO MUCH SERIOUSNESS!” I shouted as soon as the two were out of earshot, surprising Aura and Melinda who were still close by. CYGNAS DAMMIT! THERE WAS TOO MUCH SERIOUSNESS FOR ME THESE LAST HOURS! I’M ALMOST BLOWING UP HERE!

Without even minding them, I threw myself against the wall and slid down to the ground immediately opening a chat window while ignoring the one from Incarnus, Phantons and Red Hurricane.

[Me]: Are you occupied?

[Yuu]: Shishou?

[Yuu]: No. Why?

[Me]: Get to Melinda’s.

[Me]: You have five minutes.

[Me]: Or you are disowned.

After that I closed the window and completely ignored her worried questions. Aura looked at me confused, but I ignored it and made a signal for her to come closer. She approached me a bit worried, but as soon as she was in range I picked her up and put her in my lap and started petting her.

Not even two minutes had passed before Yuu darted through the door looking for me worried.

“Shishou! What happened? Why were you so hurried?” She asked me worried.

“Less talking. Now sit here.” I said as I pointed to the ground besides me. She looked at me confused, but quickly sat on her knees at my side, but… “Too far, come closer.”

She blinked surprised and edged a bit closer, but it still wasn’t enough and I signaled her to get closer. As soon as I found it enough I told her to lower her head a bit, and as soon as she did that, I put my hand on her head and started petting her.

She squirmed surprised for a moment, but I made sure to keep her still as I slowly petted both her and Aura. Aura had the fluffy and soft fur of hers, and Yuu had a smooth hair that simply slid wonderfully between my fingers.

Ahh… nothing better than some petting to relieve my stress.

As I felt my stress slowly melting away I started to let out a loose smile. And it seemed that neither Aura nor Yuu were really bothered by it, since there were five tails happily wagging close to me.

“Shishou… What… Happened…?” Yuu managed to ask me after some time.

“Too much seriousness for too long… Fluffy things, great cure…” I explained to her with some effort of my own.

“I… See…”

We spent a few other minutes like that until the door opened for a really excited Hanbei, who came bursting while saying something about having a cool crafting skill and whatnots, but I seriously was unable to even understand what she was saying.

Can’t you see I’m getting cured here?

As soon as she noticed the scene, she suddenly stopped and looked at us surprised, before smirking mischievously and probably doing something. I’d bet she was taking a screenshot or something.

“So, is that the set you did?” She asked looking at my new equipment. Yuu briefly lifted her head and eyed my gear for a moment before closing her eyes again.

“Shishou… Looks… good…” She murmured.

“Yeah. Now I’m curing my status debuff from crafting.”

“Huh? You get status debuff from crafting?” She asked slightly horrified before sending her eyes to the upper corner of her vision worried.

“Yep. Stress and excess seriousness.”

She blinked for a moment before face-palming and laughing wearily.

“I see… Well, what exactly does your new set gives? We only got the set bonus, but not the status themselves.”

I quickly opened my character screen and showed her all my equipment since I didn’t have much patience right now. She and Yuu looked at the window for a moment, and the more they saw the more their faces changed to one of surprise.

And when they got to the cape, Yuu became confused, but Hanbei immediately understood and became wide eyed.

“What kind of cheat did you use to get this?” She asked me surprised. However, before I could even answer, someone did it for me.

“He got it through completely legit means.”

Both girls became surprised at the sudden voice they didn’t know, but I simply raised my eyebrows while looking at the silver-furred fox in my lap.

“Aura-chan… Can talk?” hanbei asked confused.

“Technically, I’m not Aura.” She said in a cheerful voice, receiving even more confused looks from the girls, who turned to me in look for explanations.

I picked Cygnas up and lifted her to be on eye level with the girls.

“Girls, meet the other personality living in Aura’s body. She’s called Cygnas, and she’s somewhat of the main goddess of this world.” I said in my deadpan face, receiving surprised gasps from them.

“Hello, I’m Cygnas, and it’s a pleasure to meet you!” She said while lifting her paw up as a greeting.

“Also, it’s better to keep it a secret from the NPCs, ok?”