NOVEL NEXT Chapter 74
Chapter: 74
First off, I made a greatsword.
I used a hefty amount of silver and gold that had been magically transformed, mixing them into an alloy of appropriate ratios. For the joints, I used the magically transformed gold… Hmm, calling it that is kind of annoying!
Let’s just say the magically transformed steel is adamantium!! The magically transformed silver is mithril!! And the magically transformed gold is orichalcum!
Strictly speaking, they might be different metals, but who’s gonna stop me from naming them whatever I want since I made them?!
Ahem. Anyway.
Holding the sword completed with an alloy of mithril and orichalcum with both hands, I pushed a specific pattern of magical power into the hilt…
Kiiing!
The metals forming the blade of the greatsword quickly transformed, and silver armor started to cover my hand from the grip.
Armored gauntlets protected my backhand and forearm, body armor shielded my chest, shoulders, and hips, and finally, greaves were added to cover my shins, calves, and feet, all sequentially put on.
Hmm. Good. It’s working perfectly. Especially the parts that automatically equip during the transformation; it’s flawless. The multiple trials and errors paid off.
Moreover, after the transformation, the armor is firmly fixed. Until I input the magical pattern to revert it back to a greatsword, I can’t take it off.
Honestly, I wished I could cover my entire body in plate armor, but sadly, I just didn’t have enough metal, so this was the limit of what I could make.
The compromise I settled on is this current form. If I hadn’t compromised, the greatsword would’ve ended up even larger.
I secretly wanted to add armor for my fingers, upper arms, and thighs, and include a helmet too, but enough whining for now.
I moved around a bit to check the state of the armor. Even though it’s made of metal plates, the armor doesn’t hinder my movements at all. Most major joints are exposed, which is only logical. For the joints that are covered, I made sure they wouldn’t restrict movement.
I can twirl my wrists with no obstruction, and the same goes for my ankles. Twisting my waist feels perfectly natural.
Next up is the strength test, but honestly, this alloy of mithril and orichalcum mixed correctly is so strong that it’s tough for anything else, even adamantium or orichalcum, to leave a scratch on it.
At most, adamantium or orichalcum might leave a mark, but since the marks restore themselves when the shape is transformed, as long as I change its form in time, it’s basically self-repairing.
Should I toss in some more functions? A feature that absorbs pieces of darkness from monsters’ magic stones that the blade slices, the power to absorb magic, and a buffing ability for the user… Hmm… What else?
Blast fire or shoot ice from the sword would… honestly screw with magic absorption.
Well, is this enough? Not having any ranged attack options is a bit of a letdown.
Oh, right! I made a slot to insert a black diamond but hadn’t done so yet.
I popped the black diamond into the slot on the chest plate. Good, that’s perfect.
Now the black diamond embedded in the sword will absorb and store magic power and fragments of darkness. It’ll also have the feature of drawing out that magic to enhance the user.
Think of it like a battery.
I gave the one-handed sword I was holding a light swing and checked it out.
This one-handed sword is the key to transformations. Even by itself, it’s a pretty sharp weapon.
The edge is thinned with adamantium, making it super light while remaining tough and resistant to chipping or bending.
In an era where iron weapons are rare, this sword could easily be called a legendary weapon.
I infused the sword with magical power, and the silver armor synchronously began to transform.
In reverse order of how I equipped it, the leg armor changes first, followed by the chest and shoulder armor, and finally finishing with the forearm armor.
The sword’s form reverts back to its original greatsword shape.
The main thing that’s changed is that a black diamond is now embedded in the center of the greatsword’s blade.
Overall, the greatsword, a mixture of silver with gold and very light gold accents, looks more impressive than I expected.
But with the black diamond embedded, it kinda has this demonic sword vibe. Hmm…
Well, whatever!
Next up… The hero, right?
I might not be able to create someone with the qualifications of a hero, but I can check if the person wielding the sword has those qualities.
Like, they must be a good person.
They should have outstanding talent.
They cannot overlook injustice.
They should have no hesitation when it comes to saving others.
They must be willing to sacrifice something precious for a greater cause… maybe that one’s pushing it a bit.
And, of course, I should include the person I’ve designated as the hero.
For your information, my designation holds the highest authority; I can pick the hero while ignoring other conditions—basically, it’s a sort of backdoor.
Just to be safe! Surely, there won’t be a shortage of hero candidates, right? I prepared for it just in case, but fingers crossed I won’t need to use it!!
Anyway, if I set conditions like this and allow only those who pass to wield the hero’s sword… Hmm, feels like I’ve been inspired by King Arthur’s legend or something.
But hey, so what? The Arthurian legend doesn’t even exist here. No Merlin either.
If the situation calls for a hero, I’ll grab someone qualified and have them take this sealed sword. If they meet the conditions, they can wield it; if not, then tough luck, hero fail.
And if someone who initially passed the hero conditions changes over time… Yeah, they won’t be able to wield the sword anymore.
Might sound a bit harsh, but people change, right?
Alright, the hero’s sword seems mostly finished…
Ah, I still haven’t decided on the most important part: What should I name this sword?
Probably the most iconic name would be Excalibur? Nah, it’s been overused in too many stories to be special.
Gram? Balmung? Durandal? Ah, those names feel a bit too close to demonic swords.
Since it’s the hero’s sword, I want it to have a bright vibe. A name with an image of light… Hmm…
Oh, wait! I’ve got the perfect name in mind.
The sword from Celtic mythology: Chloive Solais.
Was the correct pronunciation actually cloidheamh solais? Whatever, Chloive Solais sounds way more familiar, so let’s roll with that.
And the armor that morphs from the greatsword will be called Agathlam, named after its owner’s name. Perfect, since the armor is a shining silver!
—
The boy and girl stood facing each other, each brandishing a sword.
The boy’s weapon was an enormous greatsword with a black diamond embedded. It radiated a powerful aura.
In contrast, the girl, sporting a hood, held a plain iron sword. Nothing special about its thickness or length—a rather ordinary one-handed sword.
When observing their weapons, it looked like the boy would easily claimed victory with his overwhelming strength. But reality had other plans.
“Haaah!”
The boy swung his greatsword down at the girl. A swift strike that belied its size, it threatened to slice through anything, even solid steel.
That strike, more reminiscent of a life-or-death struggle rather than just practice fussing, looked perilously dangerous, with the girl beneath the greatsword seemingly about to be split in two.
However, the girl remained calm and composed, extending her iron sword to meet the greatsword head-on.
Her weak iron sword was like a candle flickering against the powerful blow of the greatsword, ready to break at any second. But the girl’s skill denied that outcome.
Just before their blades connected, she cleverly lowered her iron sword slightly to create a gap, causing the greatsword to slide to the side with just a gentle push from her iron sword.
Kwang!!
The greatsword struck the ground without so much as brushing against the girl’s clothing.
“That’s enough.”
With her iron sword now pointed at the boy’s neck, she declared, “I’ve won.”
“I guess… I lost.”
“Good job.”
The girl returned her iron sword to its sheath, and the boy secured his greatsword on his back, beginning to stretch his muscles lightly.
His muscles were a bit surprised by the sudden movement, looking rather stiff.
“When will I become strong?”
“You’re already strong.”
The boy didn’t feel elated by the girl’s words.
Even though she labeled him strong, he had never managed to defeat her even once.
Holding onto a legendary weapon doesn’t mean much when you still can’t best that ordinary iron sword.
He only felt pathetic.
He wished to showcase a strong and gallant image to her.
Yet, he seemed to conveniently forget that the impressive strike he just swung was aimed at the girl he wanted to impress.
“I’m just a bit stronger.”
Unaware of the boy’s feelings, the girl began bragging a little.
“But… at this rate, I might not be able to perform as a hero.”
“It’s alright. You can do it.”
Despite the boy lacking self-confidence, the girl replied with complete assurance.
“There’s no deception in my judgment or in the sword’s choice. So you’re good.”
“But…”
“If you can’t trust yourself, then trust me. Believe in me, who believes in you.”
“What sort of nonsense is that?”
The boy could only chuckle awkwardly at her words.
A gentle breeze swept across the open field, cooling the sweat on the boy’s forehead.
Enjoying the refreshing feeling, he fixed his gaze on the hooded girl.
“But isn’t that hood stifling?”
“It’s not exactly stuffy.”
“It looks stuffy. What? Can’t you take it off?”
The girl shook her head in response.
“Not yet. It’s not time to reveal my horns. Once it’s known that I’ve appeared… the Church of Life might not care, but outsiders would be shocked. Until then, it has to stay a secret.”
The appearance of the girl, the dragon priestess, signaled a crisis was approaching for the life of this world.
– From the adventure records of a certain hero’s party.