The Holy Artifact is a special item unique to those who ascend to the Holy Rank.
Each Holy Artifact is one of a kind, a reflection of the caster’s soul.
The forging process is extrely mysterious, especially the final step, which is said to never have been the sa for anyone.
Moreover, many tis, experts of the Holy Rank complete the final step of forging their Holy Artifact through a sudden mont of enlightennt.
This enlightennt usually occurs during their ascension to the Holy Rank.
Therefore, those about to ascend to the Holy Rank or those who ascended but failed to forge their own Holy Artifact often carry a Holy Artifact Embryo, so that when the ti is right, they can smoothly complete the last step and forge their own Holy Artifact.
Lette’s first Holy Artifact, Sin Light, was not well prepared with a Holy Artifact Embryo; it was a standard Holy Knight Longsword he always used to practice swordsmanship.
This is considered a secondary choice of embryo, although not carefully prepared, it is at least sothing he commonly used.
Therefore, when the Dwarf Grey Bearded Bart learned that Lette wanted to forge such a shield, he naturally thought he was preparing a Holy Artifact Embryo.
"Who are you preparing this for?"
"For myself."
"You? Haven’t you already got a Holy Artifact?"
Lette downed the drink in his cup: "Who said one can only have one Holy Artifact?"
"Well, it’s said many extraordinarily talented experts possess more than one Holy Artifact."
Greybeard rummaged through the sack: "Given Lord Holy Sin’s abilities, having a second Holy Artifact is quite reasonable."
"It’s not the second. If all goes well, this will be my fourth Holy Artifact."
Clang!
Greybeard couldn’t sit steadily and fell off his chair.
"The! Fourth one?"
"Yes."
"I only know about your Holy Knight’s Greatsword. I’ve never heard of the other two."
After his shock, Greybeard was full of curiosity: "Can... you show what the second and third Holy Artifacts are?"
Lette spread his hands: "That might be tough. After all, I’ve well secured those two Holy Artifacts."
"Well secured?"
"Those two Holy Artifacts are too dangerous. They were forged when I wasn’t in a good state.
Rather than calling them Holy Artifacts, it’s more appropriate to call them big troubles."
Lette seed to recall sothing troubleso and couldn’t help pressing on his brow.
"It took three years to find suitable hos for them both."
Greybeard smacked his lips, only feeling a dry throat. He downed a large mug of beer and felt a bit better.
Goodness, the Holy Artifact is the treasure dreamt of by Holy Rank experts!
The lord before him had three in one go!
One was just left at the gates of the Holy City for three years without any care.
The remaining two were considered too troubleso, so he took three years to find places to discard them!
Now, he’s coming to make a fourth Holy Artifact embryo!
It seed to him that the fourth Holy Artifact was almost within reach, only needing a good Holy Artifact Embryo.
Greybeard sighed, realizing comparisons are odious. Comparing items only ends in discarding one of them.
But then he thought, why should he compare himself to him? It’s asking for trouble.
"How long before the finished product?"
"This... at least half a year."
Greybeard felt a lot of pressure: "And, it will require the entire Dwarf Kingdom’s concerted effort. If I were to do it alone, it would take forever in this lifeti!
Just lting down these fragnts and refining various tals will take a long ti."
"Half a month."
"You might as well kill ."
Greybeard imdiately resigned: "Half a month? It takes half a month just to return to the Dwarf Kingdom from here!
To get a top-grade Holy Artifact Embryo, you’d need to use the Earth Core Furnace under the Dwarf King’s Throne!
And right now, the dwarf clan lacks Great Grandmasters; only two or three Grandmasters and seven or eight Masters are left.
Even if they all ca to help you make this thing, it would still take four or five months!
Good things do take so ti."
"What if I can provide you with an Elven Magic Furnace?"
"Even then, it would take at least three months. It might even exceed half a year... after all, our Dwarf clan is not as friendly with those pointed ears as you imagine.
Cooperation? The last cooperation was eight hundred years ago!"
Lette shook his head: "This won’t work; I can’t wait that long."
Dwarf Greybeard paused for a mont: "Do you plan to leave after the Holy Presence Day?"
"Yes."
Greybeard pondered for a mont, then suddenly slapped the table.
"There’s a way! Does Lord Wright know about the Reforging Technique?"
"Reforging?"
"Yes! It was proposed by an ancient dwarf top great grandmaster, Iron Beard. My na is modeled after him."
ntioning his idol, Greybeard gestured excitedly.
"He once proposed a theory on the growth potential of forged items!
Every ti an item is forged, it undergoes worldly grinding and trials, then based on its growth, appropriate reinforcent materials are selected for the next forging and reforging.
Theoretically speaking, such a forged item will improve its strength step by step, like a living being."
Lette thought for a while: "A growth-type equipnt enhancent concept, is that what you an?"
"If you say so, that’s fine."
Greybeard looked at the ragged sack at his feet: "I an, if you’re in that much of a hurry, I can first forge a simple Holy Shield Embryo for you.
You can carry it with you as you go about your business, and once you’re nearly done, co to the Dwarf Imperial City to see us.
By then, based on your feedback, we will reforging and improve the Holy Shield.
During this ti, any treasures, precious ores, or other items you obtain can be used to enhance the Holy Shield!"
Lette stroked his chin: "That sounds like a good plan."
Greybeard clapped his hands: "Right! Since you’re in such a hurry, not to ntion whether the barbarians’ ores and the elves’ magic patterns can arrive smoothly, it would be a lot of pressure for us dwarves.
I’ll first forge sothing basic for you, and you use it.
Once everything is ready, and people are gathered, as soon as you co, we hand you the shield. We then go tinkle-tinkle and upgrade it for you!
Next ti, gather conditions again and do it once more!
While this whole forging cycle seems lengthened,
firstly, it doesn’t delay your use. Secondly, it avoids resource or manpower waste. Thirdly, this Holy Shield’s potential future ceiling is higher."
Lette pondered for a mont: "It is indeed more practical... but you said this is only a theory."
"That’s my idol Iron Beard’s thousand-year-old theory, actually, the technology is quite mature. However, he was too old at the ti to put it into practice!"
Greybeard grabbed Lette’s wrist: "Mr. Wright! Lord Lette! Please give this opportunity!
Only you can make those old stubborn people of the Dwarf Kingdom obediently participate in this project.
Please give this chance, let fulfill my idol’s last wish!"
Lette was quite surprised, not understanding how he went from being the one seeking help to being the one being sought after.
"Then how long will the first step take?"
"One week! If I can freely use the mines and resources here!"
"Sure, feel free to ask for what you need. Or contact the president of the comrce guild here, Grandet, he’s also my man."
Lette poured drinks for them both and raised his glass.
"Then it’s settled, cheers to a successful partnership!"
"To a successful partnership!"
Just as they clinked their glasses, the pub’s door opened. Lilith and Emily, who ca in, were almost driven out by the strong alcohol fus inside.
After the bar’s door had been open for a while and the alcohol sll had mostly dispersed, Lilith returned.
"Goodness, you really are here... how much did you three drink?"
"It’s three of us!"
Mangu, who had been lying down, suddenly sat up, then turned around and lay down again.
Lette looked at Lilith: "Why did you two co?"
"Why did we co? We even went ho once, only to find you weren’t there. So, we all went to the Red Robed Holy Hall, thinking you were there.
But the Archbishop said you had left long ago, and he was so angry that he gnashed his teeth, almost crying, overall looking very conflicted."
Lette scratched his chin: "Not to that extent, have him share so of the Pope’s tasks. The teacher is so exhausted, and in the future not just Delman, but also Cadwen Archbishop should help.
If they don’t share the burden, it will fall on Joanna.
Besides, they’ve been having it too easy these two years, a bit more intense workload wouldn’t be bad."
"By the way. We got the crystal."
Lilith stretched her hand to tear open the space, pulling out a waterlon-sized natural magic crystal. From her effortlessly fluid maneuver, it’s clear that she’s more proficient than Lette.
Lette took the crystal and examined it: "It’s not easy to find such a large piece? And it’s precisely an attributeless magic crystal?"
"This crystal... is massive!"
Greybeard shook his head: "It should be a specialty of those pointed ears."
"I’m not sure about that."
Lilith thought for a mont: "Grandet said at the ti that soone took advantage of the Holy Presence Day’s festivities to sell it to the comrce guild.
Apparently, it was before Joanna’s situation happened."
Lette suddenly stopped speaking, only holding the crystal and watching it repeatedly.
Seeing this, Lilith quietly asked, "Are you suspicious because it seems too coincidental?"
Lette pondered and then analyzed: "Starting from Emily’s teacher, Moslian, things have been quite odd.
Do you rember the black mud that erupted when he died? It was also inside the Legendary Mage I encountered at the palace on the lake.
If they’ve been plotting since we moved into Lawrence Manor,
then the timing of this crystal appearing on the comrcial street is not so innocent."
Lilith looked at the crystal and then at Lette: "If you’re not going to make shoes with it, I do have a crystal product I want..."
"Of course I’m making shoes with it!"
"Aren’t you worried it might be a trap?"
"How would you know it’s a trap unless you step on it? Let’s take a swing whether there’s a snack or not!"
Lette put away the crystal: "This is called going with the flow, luring a snake out of its hole! Co on, let’s go ho! See if those demons have got any results from their internal competition!"
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