549 Will
Liam was pleased with how the agreent between him and Bill worked out. Truth be told, he didn't have nearly as many issues with exploring the Tomb as Bill thought he did. Of course, it wasn't without his reservations. For one, it felt like he was diving into pitch black waters, unsure of its depth or lurking dangers. Best case scenario, mister Naxathra was a kind soul who got caught up in a very serious ga of hide and seek… or he was a greedy, bloodthirsty demon who wouldn't share his possessions, even after his untily demise. Either way, he had already agreed to the request. It was not like he could back out now, anyway. Not after what he knew about a corporation's top-secret operation. "Before I leave," Liam said. "I have a few questions I hope you don't mind answering."
"Ask away," Bill said, smiling. His mood was much better after hearing Liam accept the job.
"Have you heard of a woman by the na of Silivar?" Liam asked, and saw Bill's face twist with disgust.
Bill adjusted his expression.
"Ah… yes. Sort of. We were… an item, in the past. It ended on a sour note. She's doing her own thing now." "Uh-huh…"
Cared not, Liam did.
"What about a humanoid mantis looking thing, with scythes for arms." Genuinely looking confused, Bill shook his head. "Doesn't ring a bell."
Liam paused.
"What about a viscous glob with a massive eye in its center? Shoots laser beams, can ignite its sli…" Bill arched a brow in confusion, then shook his head. "You went for a couple of weeks and saw so wild things, man. What even is that?" "Nevermind then," Liam said. "Last question. Where does Gorock live?" Bill was startled.
"Uh… c-can I ask why you want that information? If I have it, even…"
Liam grinned. "I might pay him a visit." Bill slowly raised his hands, as one would when calming down a feral beast who wanted to devour them. "Will you reconsider?" he asked in a friendly voice. Liam remained silent for a second, then smiled coldly.
"No."
"Lad," Bill said seriously. "His nickna is the 'Prince of Cruelty'. Fighting him on his turf is akin to suicide." Silence.
"I never said fighting, did I?" Liam responded. "Just a visit." ***
After a very tense conversation with Bill McGill, a satisfied Liam left the Headquarters of the NOCL… along with the morized coordinates of Gorock's location. Truth be told, Liam wasn't looking for trouble. However, it was Bill who told Liam of Gorock's speciality in using demonic piranha swarms to devour his enemies. Blood Piranhas were ravenous creatures that greedily devoured blood. They were not easily controlled, and the thod of dostication was one of two types. Breeding and raising them… or enslaving them. 'I have to lean towards the latter,' Liam thought. Not to ntion Gorock lived not too far away from the Unholy Lamprey… a Great Tide who's sole power was based upon – you guessed it – blood. All this gave Liam the impression that Gorock knew a lot about the secrets of ichor. Way more than Liam himself. If Liam wanted to explore the Tomb with his mind at ease, entering with a Rank 5 body — or, at the very least, one that wasn't stuck at the fourth — would greatly bolster his confidence. Finding himself a large crevice to settle inside in — and using all his White Matter to produce a set of guards for his protection — Liam sat cross-legged and unfurled the original Primordial Forging sheet. It was still largely unaltered, and the processes were more or less the sa.
Starting today, that would change.
Primordial Forging had a very rigid structure. Now that Liam spent years forging with the thod, and coming across countless other skilled blacksmiths displaying their techniques, he realized how inflexible it was.
It depended too much on Magical Beasts and their innate powers, as opposed to the user's creativity and personal will. In a way, this ant that the item's real forger was the Magical Beast, not the blacksmith. That was what Liam wanted to change. Although eting Kamjin inspired him to do so, his promise with Rogan had happened years before. He was going to master this art and bring it to the upper ranks. And the sa went for Blood Weave.
Ti blurred. Altering a Forging thod, even a little, was an extrely complex process that required diligent care. Liam already had a tad bit of experience, since he had renewed the workings of Blood Weave. But damn it if Rogan's thod was even more difficult than the forr. Since everything was centered around Magical Beasts, Liam literally had to transform an animalistic frawork into a human one, which was infinitely more complex.
Halfway through, Liam made a very drastic change – completely removing the Will of a Magical Beast from the thod. Of course, this ant that he would no longer be able to subjugate Magical Beasts' innate abilities into his weapons. It would vastly increase the ti needed to forge items, no longer have the readiness and diverse variety that Magical Beasts offered him, and lessen the number of products Liam could dish out.
Of course, this didn't change the fact that his weapons would still be made from Magical Beast parts. That was never going to change.
Except, Liam added sothing in its stead. …His own will.
The process was the sa. Except, now, instead of using the Will of a Magical Beast, Liam would use his own. The result was mixed. On one hand, it ant that the item was going to be much weaker in terms of sheer power, endurance, balance and sharpness and whatever else. That was because, although Liam had just a Rank 4 ntal sphere, the Magical Beasts he subjugated were even at the middle and upper tiers. But now, his base Rank 4 sea of consciousness would substitute as a base. The strength of his ntal sphere would directly correlate with the power of his Will.
…But on the other hand, it finally ant Liam had full control over his cruel products.
That put a huge smile on his deathly pale, sweaty, weak face. As he fell unconsci
ous, Liam had just one thought. 'What sword should I tweak first?'
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