Chapter 269

269

“Specific specs for the weapons we’ll be using?”

“Um… I haven’t really given it much thought.”

The Lumeran students looked perplexed.

Not just the regular students but even the top students from each department displayed difficulty.

“Regarding the specs for the magic staff I use, I have a rough idea.”

Chelsea pulled out her staff from her robes.

Abad and Chloe used long staffs about their height, but the main staff Chelsea wielded was only about 30 cm, a short staff.

Of course, since every type of staff has its pros and cons, Chelsea also owned a long magic staff.

Kal placed his interlaced fingers on his head and said,

“Isn’t that staff you like to use one of the treasures of the LeWalyn family?”

“Yeah, that’s right. It belonged to the 5th Lord.”

Flamen.

Classified in the same tier as Celia’s beloved sword ‘Flame Storm,’ it was an equipment piece of great renown.

Weapon tiers are divided broadly into five categories:

[Regular], [Magic], [Hero], [Legendary].

And finally, [Divine Artifact].

[Regular] refers to weapons made of ordinary steel by typical blacksmiths. They’re the most commonly seen weapons and lack any special powers.

Starting from [Magic] tier, the weapons are crafted by blacksmiths with knowledge of magical engineering. Those that undergo special magical processes or contain mana are classified as [Magic].

[Hero] tier weapons possess special powers even among magic-tier weapons and are used by hero-class individuals.

Above that, [Legendary] refers to weapons recorded in the Hero Record.

Finally, [Divine Artifact].

Artifacts crafted by the hands of a god. Historically, only one person could create [Divine Artifact]-tier weapons: God’s Blacksmith Dwenno.

Both Celia’s Flame Storm and Chelsea’s Flamen were [Legendary]-tier. They were emblems of the Zerdinger and LeWalyn families.

“Watching them always makes me envious.”

Kal admired the Flamen.

For an ordinary magician, it’s something they could scarcely see, much less obtain, despite a lifetime of effort.

“By the way, now that I think about it, there were four people in our grade who possessed Legendary-tier weapons, right?”

From the prestigious hero bloodlines, Celia, Abad, Chelsea, and Eliza.

The Zerdinger, LeWalyn, and Hergin families stood out in their histories and renown compared to other notable hero lineages.

Even Duran, whose family history was short, didn’t have any [Legendary]-tier artifacts in his family.

‘Looking at that again makes me wonder how I ended up being friends with these guys.’

While Kal was lost in his thoughts,

Chloe asked, “If you’ve got a staff as powerful as that, shouldn’t you not need anything else?”

“It’s not exactly like that. Flamen is indeed a powerful magic staff, but that doesn’t make it all-purpose. It pairs well with my specialty, wind magic, but it doesn’t combine well with other types.”

Chelsea pouted her lips.

“It may possess immense power compared to any other staff, but the reason I can’t fully control it is that I have to adapt to it. Hence, I need a custom-made magic staff suited for me.”

The greater the power an artifact holds, the harder it is to handle.

Chelsea is an excellent magician, but still a relatively inexperienced fifteen-year-old. Though she was the wielder of Flamen, she had yet to fully master it. The same went for Celia, Abad, and Eliza.

“But still, I can’t help but wonder… Is it absolutely necessary to fully understand the specifics of a weapon when we’re requesting a magic staff to be made?”

“That’s right. Depeto mentioned that it’s not just about knowing the specs of the weapon you’ll use; it’s about truly understanding the weapon itself.”

As Chloe nodded in agreement with Chelsea’s statement,

“Let’s understand.”

At that moment, Leo approached the Magic Department students and said,

Kal tilted his head in confusion,

“Will knowing the details really give us much advantage?”

“It will give us a significant advantage.”

While Leo was speaking, Emio, who was listening from afar, curled his lips upward in a smirk.

“Let’s see how much of an advantage this counsel from the Student Council President gives.”

“Oh, here he goes again.”

Chelsea frowned irritably.

Seeing her reaction, Emio’s expression darkened.

“Are you instigating trouble?”

“The one starting trouble is you.”

Chelsea stuck out her tongue at him.

“Let’s stop arguing and listen.”

Abad intervened between the two.

“Hmph!”

Chelsea smirked, while Emio turned his head away, making a face.

“Leo, could you share your thoughts?”

In response to Abad’s question, Leo took out a piece of ore from his robes.

“Mithril?”

Kal, skilled in alchemy, immediately recognized the mithril ore.

“That’s right. I borrowed it from Depeto Smith.”

Leo tapped the unrefined mithril ore casually while speaking.

“Since we essentially study magic engineering at Lumeran, you should already know about the properties of mithril, right?”

“It has a high mana conductivity and amplifies mana, right?”

“Correct. That’s why it’s most often used as a primary material for magic staves.”

“Hmph, everyone knows such basic knowledge. Are you presenting something so trivial as if it’s profound?”

Emio’s skeptical response was met with Leo flinging the mithril ore at him.

Thud!

“What do you expect me to do with this?”

“Can you enchant this ore?”

Emio smirked and cast an enchantment spell on it.

Whoosh!

The mithril ore was engulfed in flames, eliciting gasps of admiration from those around.

It wasn’t just due to the application of the enchantment spell.

‘Almost no mana loss?’

‘Even if this is mithril ore, when enchantments are cast on impure ores, there’s inevitably going to be mana loss.’

It was something impossible for anyone without exceptional mana control.

Most students of the Magic Department present couldn’t use magic on such an impure piece of ore without mana loss.

‘If the mithril content is present even in impure ores, it’s possible to minimize mana loss.’

“Why give us such an easy task that makes me want to yawn?”

Emio threw the enchanted mithril ore back at Leo.

Thud!

Leo effortlessly caught the mithril ore, and Emio’s enchantment vanished instantly.

“Excellent. However, you didn’t fully utilize the properties of mithril.”

“What, are you nitpicking my enchantment spell?”

“It’s not nitpicking, merely pointing out a missed opportunity.”

Whoosh!

Emio’s eyes widened as Leo cast the enchantment on the mithril ore.

The flames emitted were far more powerful compared to Emio’s.

The magic used was the same, and the amount of mana spent was identical.

Yet, Leo’s spell yielded much stronger results.

“Did you use some secret magical formula? An illusion, how pedestrian.”

“Unfortunately for you, it’s the exact same magic you used.”

Leo extended the flaming ore clearly for Emio to see.

No matter how closely Emio examined it, it was the exact same magical formula he used earlier.

Seeing it, Emio distorted his face in frustration.

Chloe asked with wide eyes,

“How did you do it?”

“It’s all about amplifying the mana-enhancing properties of mithril.”

“Isn’t it almost impossible to utilize the properties with ore that’s not of high purity?”

Chloe’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, revealing her desire to learn something she didn’t know.

“It’s not easy, but if you know how much mithril is contained within this ore, it’s possible.”

As Leo dismissed the magic,

“It’s the same with weapons. If you know exactly what material it’s made of and what properties it has, you’ll be able to handle your weapon more freely. This applies to knights, magicians, and summoners alike.”

At Leo’s words, Chelsea raised her hand,

“Leo-nii, but even if we don’t know these specifics, aren’t we all already using our magic staves to their full potential? Isn’t everyone maximizing the capabilities of their weapons?”

At Chelsea’s comment, the students nodded, but Abad and Chloe paused in thought before responding,

“We may all be using our staves to 100%, but is anyone using them to their fullest potential?”

Chelsea hesitated at Abad’s words,

“Well… no.”

“That’s right. You can’t use them fully without causing overload.”

“But a short while ago, Leo managed a very stable enchantment on that mithril ore.”

Chloe continued,

“If we imagine this mithril ore as a magic staff, Leo’s example serves as a demonstration of utilizing the full potential of our staves without any hassle.”

The magic students began murmuring among themselves.

At this, Leo nodded,

“That’s correct. This skill is actually unrelated to magical techniques. It’s purely about handling objects well. Though it doesn’t provide an advantage in daily situations, it does make a difference under extreme circumstances, where it might even determine life or d*ath.”

As Leo said this casually,

The magic students swallowed hard at his words.

For second years, the phase of academy life where life-and-d*ath situations began was just kicking off. Therefore, the word ‘life’ mentioned by Leo carried much more weight.

“As hero candidates aiming higher, mastering the specifications of our weapons is essential, isn’t it?”

At Abad’s muttered thoughts, Leo nodded,

“That’s right. And blacksmiths judge a person’s value based on the type of weapon they request.”

“Who says that?”

“A blacksmith I know.”

Leo responded with a smile,

“I’ll return this.”

He headed back towards Depeto with the ore.

The magic students began jotting down specifications for dream weapons after hearing Leo’s words.

“Abad, what are you doing?”

Kal asked with a puzzled expression as he saw Abad staring intently at Leo’s departing figure.

“Oh, just feeling the gap again.”

As Abad clenched and unclenched his fists,

‘The difference in talent… it’s not like that.’

Abad looked down at his hands, looking confused.

‘It’s like the difference in experience.’

“Feeling the gap, huh?”

Seeing Abad’s slightly stiff posture, Kal spoke,

“Didn’t you drag me into this to beat Leo? I was originally meant to enjoy a peaceful school life at Leo’s dormitory. But you dragged me in, right? So you shouldn’t show such uncertain expressions!”

“That’s true.”

A peculiar smile spread across Abad’s face as he heard Kal’s words.

‘Well, you do look really great.’

Kal looked bitter.

“Speaking of which, Kal. Did you find out what type of equipment Leo intends to request?”

“Why are you asking that?”

“Let’s say it’s checking our opponent.”

“You said we’re not using him as a spy, right?”

“It’s something friends can teach each other, isn’t it?”

Abad put a friendly arm around his shoulder.

Kal replied to such an Abad,

“I don’t know either. When I asked him to show me, he mentioned he hadn’t prepared anything.”

“Surely not?”

Leo was an accomplished top student.

Therefore, it was difficult for Abad to believe that Leo hadn’t prepared.

“Chloe, do you by any chance know what Leo intends to request from Demian?”

“He hasn’t prepared anything,”

Chloe shook her head, seemingly as bewildered as he was.

At that, Abad wore a strange expression.

‘What is he thinking?’

*

After two hours had passed,

Presentations began.

These presentations alternated between the schools.

However, those struggling during the presentations were the students from Lumeran and Seirun.

While the students were comfortable presenting their academic achievements, many found it challenging to speak on a topic they were not familiar with.

They explained the detailed specifications well, but the materials were what tripped them up.

While observing the students’ presentations, Depeto nodded,

‘Impressive indeed. Especially in this presentation, everyone more or less understands what Demian is aiming for.’

Understanding the tools they would use.

This implies fully utilizing the tools they wield.

‘There are many great tools in this world.’

And there are many who are swayed by these great tools.

A majority of the powerful tools are actually made in Demian.

Students from Demian and its graduates,

following the legacy of the great God’s Blacksmith, Dwenno, continue to forge artifacts in hopes of reaching Dwenno’s realm.

‘A craftsman desires someone who can fully wield what they have created.’

An overly precious tool is as worthless as pearls before swine.

Most students from Demian carry this mindset.

Therefore, blacksmiths seek the users who match their ideals.

‘Especially this year’s second years are exceptionally talented.’

Their skills as smiths were as remarkable.

‘Though, there is one oddball in the mix.’

Depeto noticed a female Demian student enthusiastically scribbling something down,

‘There goes Drina, evaluating the presenters rather than focusing on the tools!’

Seeing Drina lost in her artistic inclinations, Depeto pressed his temples.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, the Demian students burst into exclamations of admiration.

A male student from the Magic Department of Lumeran was presenting.

‘Let’s see, a Magic Attack-dedicated magic staff. The presenter is… Kal Thomas?’

The tool concept was intriguing.

‘Not an item meant to defeat enemies but rather to restrain them… Indeed, aiming to be a supporter at such a young age, quite forward-planning.’

The direction of the tool alone reveals what positions they aim for.

A rare supporter candidate among hero candidates.

Students from other schools wore slightly bored expressions.

However, the creativity sparked the interest of the Demian students.

They, as artisans, showed great enthusiasm for innovative items that stirred their craftsman spirit.

‘He seems to have some knowledge of material engineering… and appears suitable as a creative partner rather than a mere customer.’

Depeto looked at Kal with interest.

Not just Depeto but the Demian students paid significant attention to Kal.

Meanwhile,

The presentations by the top students began.

For the top students from each school, their desired weapon specifications were suitably advanced matching their skills.

“A battle axe made of 70% Adamantium, 15% Mithril, and 5% Orichalcum alloy, coated with Black Iron.”

Don Dion of Azonia, a second-year powerhouse and a specially large beastman, perfectly conveyed the details of his desired weapon to the Demian students.

Don Dion wasn’t the only one.

Interestingly, Azonia students were giving the best presentations among the three schools unexpectedly.

Their demands were concise yet clear.

Watching this from behind the stage, Celia crossed her arms.

“Surprising. They’re presenting so perfectly.”

At Celia’s comment, Arga, listening from behind, snorted,

“To a warrior, fully understanding the weapon you’ll use is the very basic principle!”

“No kidding, we could learn from them.”

Celia nodded.

“By the way, I have something to ask the Black Rabbit about.”

“Leo’s last. The one after next is yours. Ask after the presentations are done.”

“Your cousin, the Black Rabbit, is quite picky.”

‘Really, how long will you keep calling Leo the Black Rabbit? A White Rabbit would at least be different…’

Thinking of the Black Rabbit, Celia unconsciously felt anxious.

That way, the presentations reached their concluding phase.

Leo, standing at the back with crossed arms, observed the seriously listening Demian students.

‘Well, it’s the same for everyone, wanting their creation to be used by a person worthy of it. Even Dwenno was like that.’

Dwenno didn’t have much interest in creating weapons,

Yet, as a craftsman who creates objects, his pride as a blacksmith was undeniable when it came to making items only for those he deemed worthy.

On his first day joining the extermination squad, he had boldly declared,

‘You shouldn’t use anything other than the weapons I create.’

‘But I use Polium?’

‘Isn’t that a staff made directly by a god?’

Dwenno glanced at Luna for a moment and continued,

‘I may be an artist, but first and foremost, I am a craftsman. I cannot tolerate the people I recognize using the creations of other blacksmiths.’

Dwenno smirked,

‘If you find yourself in a situation where you must use them, then make sure of one thing. That you are people whom I, Dwenno, recognize and have given custom-made weapons to. Thus…’

“Leo Flove.”

Finally, it was Leo’s turn.

Leo stepped onto the podium with measured steps.

The Demian students showed keen interest in the unprecedented presence of the All-Class warrior.

The Demian students lit up with anticipation.

They were curious to see what kind of weapon the All-Class would request.

In the midst of this anticipation, Leo spoke,

“I believe I can handle any weapon perfectly.”

At Leo’s words, the Demian students hesitated.

“That’s why I expect you to craft it well.”

All the students froze with shock.

This was a venue for Demian students to evaluate other hero-candidate students.

And here, Leo had proclaimed,

‘I cannot tolerate being evaluated. Any fool who commits such behavior shall have their head smashed in by my hammer!’

“I will do the evaluating, thank you.”