Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

Just seeing the spear, Seth immediately recognized the technique to use <Soul Infusion>. On the spear, itself and the soul within he could recognize parts of the golem formations he had learned from the <Golem Artisan> skill.

Even the "summon elemental" effect of the spear was similar to Seth's token he had been able to use to summon Al'Zalsar to his aid. The enchantment that granted magic immunity was an eye-opener to Seth as it was completely different from the one for Magic resistance he knew.

The spear used the properties of <Ithildin> to "suck up" and disperse the magic surrounding the wielder. The ordinary Magic resistance did something similar in that it worked like a membrane that made the surrounding of the user either less conductive to magic or redirected it.

Having the item work as a lightning rod would put a great burden on any normal material. This might be one of the reasons why it was limited to only work during the thrust.

Or it was for convenience. If the effect was constantly in effect the weapon would also hinder positive skills like buffs from working on the wielder.

It could be both. Seth didn't have enough experience with <Ithildin> to come to a conclusion, but it was a very creative way to create a full protection against magic.

The etiquette described the abilities and how the spear was found in the possession of a country he never heard of, in a world he never heard of. It was given as a present to the Chrona Empire. According to the keeper, the spear as part of the kingdom's treasury for centuries without anyone capable of wielding it.

It seemed that the Ego, Ceres, was non-responsive to the attempts of the empire and its candidates. Those who didn't fulfill the requirement would constantly suffer lightning damage. Although they were never able to summon the elemental, the damage holding the spear caused was tremendous.

Seth tried to use <Telepathy>, but it was blocked by the showcase. He had to ask the keeper if he could take the spear for a moment.

"Can I try?" Seth asked.

It was his first time he wanted to try an item, so the keeper was a little surprised before nodding with a friendly smile. Since the participants could simply take something a flee anyways, it was no big deal for them to try something out.

The keeper opened the vitrine for Seth which enabled him to try and contact the spear.

~Ceres? ~ he asked unsurely

~Forgebrand?~ it came back in surprise.

~ No, you are not Forgebrand. Who are you? Your aura is similar. ~

~I'm Seth Smith and when my conclusion is right, I am like a successor of Forgebrand. ~

~That means Forgebrand is dead? Hah! Serves him right. So, you, a human, inherited his class of Spirit Blacksmith? ~

~Yep, I did. It doesn't seem like you liked him. ~

~Riddle me this: Would you like the guy who killed you and put you into the weapon that killed you? Didn't think so. ~ it asked sarcastically

He felt reminded of the hardship it took to persuade Python back then.

~I understand. I have a question. Since you accompanied Forgebrand since he was a craftsman, do you know about his skills? ~

~About his skills, yeah? But why would you ask that question? ~

~Well, I am still leveling and was looking for some hints on what skills to improve with my ability points. ~ Seth answered honestly.

~...Why should I tell you? ~ it asked poutily. It seemed that, although he wasn't Forgebrand, it was unwilling to help him.

~ Well, I could put you in a better body or something, but hey... here are other items made by Forgebrand in this treasury, I will look for the others then. ~

~No Wait! ~

~Bye. ~ he said and closed the vitrine's door again without ever having touched the spear.

Ceres the elemental seemed a little moody. Seth rather left it to steam in its own juice and took a look at the other items that were supposedly housed here. After all, he had only two chances in choosing one.

However, the next one had no ego and could not help him with information on his predecessor. Despite not being able to talk to it, it gave him a lot of information about what there might be to come.

<

Wraithguard

Relic

Phys. Damage: 300

Mag. Damage: 300

Phys. Def. :1200

Mag. Def. :1500

Durability:2000

1. Allows touching the incorporeal

2. Active Skill: Wraithcontrol

3. Passive Skill. Wraithguard

4. Improves in Synergy with Charon's Obol

5. Improves in Synergy with Skill: Soul Infusion

6. Improves in Synergy with Skill: Sprit Capture

7. Improves in Synergy with Skill: Sprit Forging

8. +50 Strength

9. +50 Dexterity

A gauntlet created from unconventional materials by the hands of Master Forgebrand. It shows a high affinity with the master's unique class and could be called a Legacy Item.

Requirements: Spirit Blacksmith >

It was a copper and brass-colored gauntlet with an aura that gave it a green hue. What the abilities told Seth was, that his predecessor also did some more than just forging dead souls or soul remnants.

Wraithcontrol was a skill to enable the wearer to force their will onto a resisting soul, or as the name suggested a ghost-type undead. Wraithguard was similarly a passive skill that protected against the mental skills of such undead and possible repercussions to the wearers soul when they enter a confrontation with such souls.

Yeah, this was definitely one of his choices. There was no way he would pass up on a forging gauntlet that improved this many of his skills in one go.

"Could you please mark this one for me?" he spoke to the Keeper beside him.

This was how they were going about it. The recipients would mark the items they wanted down and if two wanted the same item they could talk it out while the one with the higher contribution had priority if they insisted.

This meant in the end he planned to follow the emperor's advice, though unintentionally. Up to now, the Wraithguard was the most interesting item he came across aside from the Spear of bitter Mercy.

It was sad to say, but most of the epic and even legendary items were not able to impress Seth. Some of them had unique properties or abilities, what they were owed to being legendary, not the craftsmanship.

Also, for the most part, they were not balance-breakingly strong. Just like the keeper said, the truly impressive stuff, at least in the blacksmith's eyes was kept somewhere else.

There were some materials that pulled his interest, but he could probably also get those from the auction house if he kept his peepers peeled. The blacksmith and the keeper kept sifting through the pile of treasures to see if there was more that picked the bard's fancy.

They came across a few more items that had the mark of Forgebrand on them. Two of these items, a pair of boots and a ring, were broken without any effects left. There was still a weak aura of a soul in them but nothing that made it worth leaving the spear or the Wraithguard.

Among the rest of the items, he came across, only one other stuck out in a similar way as the Spear of bitter Mercy. It was called Blade of the Monarch. A massive claymore made of clear material with a blue hue, looking like it was carved from ice.

< Blade of the Monarch

Relic, Ego

Phys. Damage:1900

Mag. Damage:800

Durability: 1500

1. Active Skill: Ice Age

2. Active Skill: Ice Prison

3.+50% Ice Attribute Damage

4.+40% Magic Damage

5. 30% Casting Speed Reduction

A magic sword forged from an ice elemental by Master Forgebrand that freezes anyone that it hits into an ice sculpture. The consciousness of an evil magician dwells in the blade.

Requirement: Approval of Almion>

Seeing the previous items and now this sword, it almost seemed like Forgebrand had some grievances with elementals. It was the only other item that held an intact ego, but Seth didn't get his hopes up reading of the consciousness of an evil magician.

Still, he tried and once again got permission to open the vitrine.

~ Hoh? Did you inherit the class of Spirit Blacksmith? So that damn dwarf is dead for good. ~ a grime voice spoke to him first before he could ask about anything.

~Almion, I presume? ~

~ Correct, little blacksmith. Did you come searching for your predecessor's inheritance? If you get me out of this stuffy prison, I could definitely help you retrace his steps and inherit his accomplishments- ~

~Not interested. I was just looking for someone who could describe the skills Forgebrand developed. ~

~... Of course, I know all his skills! He was a mighty warrior with terrifying, and mysterious skills. He even bound my souls into the sword he slew me with and... ~

Seth closed the door before the sword could finish. He didn't like it. Starting with the weapon itself being ice attributed. As Kin of Fire, he felt an aversion to this sword itself. On top of that came that slimy wizard soul.

It was obviously trying to appeal to him and manipulate him. There was no way he was easily going to get the information he wanted out of it. This sword was too smart for its own good. Seth disliked this type of people.

This made his decision easy to choose the spear and the gauntlet.