Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

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The peanut gallery was in awe at the rapier that was spewing cold air by simply existing in the room. But the blacksmith's mind was full of questions.

What did it mean, the power of the demon was refined?! And a special item, not a legendary one? Seth stared at the freezing rapier in his hands incredulously, before hurriedly putting it down, as the ice was starting to build up on his Radiant Forgeright.

<Harbinger of Winter

Special, Growth

Phys. Damage: 2300

Mag. Damage: 1200

Durability: 3000

1. Glacial Growth

2. Freezing Touch

3. +200% Ice Elemental Damage

4. +50% Ice Affinity

5. 55% Chance to Freeze on hit

6. Blessing of Wind

7. +150% Power on Skills and Spells

8. Double Damage to frozen targets

9. Double Damage on stabbing attacks

10. Active Skill: Freezing Winds

A weapon filled with the pure and divine aura of ice belonging to a fallen deity. Created by the skilled hands of Master Smith, the first master blacksmith of Urth, and empowered by Master Smith, the first master enchanter of Urth.

The item is not in optimal condition but has the chance to regain its peak performance and even become a divine weapon in the future.

There is a low chance that this weapon can lead to the rebirth of a deity.>

Dafuq? This was definitely not what Seth had intended to make. It was great that it could grow past the legendary stage, but what was this about the rebirth of a deity?! Trying to make sense of the description, the checked the stats closer.

His eyes immediately fell on the culprit for his frozen glove. Freezing touch was an effect that was gradually stacking frost damage on anything that was in tough with the sword. A negative effect for anyone without a high resistance.

Then they wandered to Glacial Growth.

<Glacial Growth: Harbinger of Winter absorbs and refines any powers that align with Ice or Water to grow.>

This explained the notification that the power of Jekulaz was refined and why the sword still had the associated skill <Freezing Winds>.

<Freezing Winds, Mana Cost: 2000, Cooldown: 30min

Summons a gale of freezing winds that hits a target area in front of the user and deals 400% physical damage as ice elemental damage. <Freezing Winds> has a 75% chance to freeze opponents.>

The other effects were all in line with what ice weapons could usually do, although very strong. The other effect he was interested in was the ones caused by Charon's Obol, which were actually two. The 50% chance to imbue an elemental effect had given the rapier double damage on frozen targets. But even the 20% chance for a strong magical effect had proced, giving it double damage on stabs.

While the latter was probably an effect refined from the powers it absorbed from materials like Tatzel's tooth or the Wyvern fangs, the elemental effect had to be a compound of different effects that had to do with ice and status effects. This was just his conjecture since Seth couldn't pinpoint any one materials that had this kind of effect.

He had distracted himself with the effects because he didn't want to think about the elephant in the room. The rebirth of a deity and the rapier having the chance to grow into a divine weapon. What did that even mean?

Seth only knew one thing about the rebirth of a god and that was Yvette Marlow and the Church of Samhach. From what he heard it wasn't really something great to be involved in the revival of a divine entity.

Although she had gained quite some power by being the Saintess, she was also burdened by the god's presence until it was revived by growing the church and belief in it. Who would want a weapon that forced this kind of quest line on them?! As if a rapier wasn't already unpopular enough!

"Is everything alright, Seth?" Wedan asked perturbed at the blacksmith making weird faces in silence.

He had completely forgotten that people were currently watching his antics. Combing his hand through his hair, he took a deep breath.

"Sure, sure. Everything is JUST fine. I'm going to stop here today, you guys should go back to work, or go eat something."

Using excuses he quickly shooed them out of his workshop, before fixating on the rapier again. It was still innocently lying on the anvil. There was no booming voice or any manipulative feeling that tried to force some kind of crusade on him.

At least he had not suddenly become some dead deities champion by holding the finished blade, nor did it have any usage requirements that could be interpreted in such a way.

Despite knowing Yvette's fate, Seth had to admit that this was not the same. There were many interpretations of the sword's flavor text and he had to admit, that he was not knowledgeable enough in the ways of the divine to make the right call here.

Although he liked to make everything himself, he was not narrow-minded enough to not ask for people's help. In this case, he would probably have to consult an old friend. But first, he wanted to finish the sword. It was still one step short of being completed according to his original plan.

He didn't have a soul for it, nor did he plan on loading it with enchantment, there was only one. The Ice of Cocytos, the Olympian enchantment he had freed up again by breaking the more than cursed chainmail made from <Bones of Seth>.

It was also a good opportunity to see, what Glacial Growth could do to another deity's divine power. With that in mind, he brought the sword over to the enchantment table where he engraved the sigil onto the rapier's pommel.

Originating from the sigil, a pattern like a fern frost engraved itself on the whole sword. The frigid air of the weapon became even more biting, but there was no other change or notification. It didn't seem like there were any problems, so Seth checked with <Blacksmith's Eyes>

<Harbinger of Winter Woes

Special, Growth

Phys. Damage: 2400

Mag. Damage: 1400

Durability: 3150

1. Glacial Growth

2. Freezing Touch

3. +210% Ice Elemental Damage

4. +55% Ice Affinity

5. 60% Chance to Freeze on hit

6. Blessing of Wind

7. +150% Power on Skills and Spells

8. Double Damage to frozen targets

9. Double Damage on stabbing attacks

10. Active Skill: Aura of Cocytos (Refining)

11. Active Skill: Freezing Winds

12. Active Skill: Woes of Cocytus (Refining)

A weapon filled with the pure and divine aura of ice belonging to a fallen deity. Created by the skilled hands of Master Smith, the first master blacksmith of Urth, and empowered by Master Smith, the first master enchanter of Urth.

The item is not in optimal condition but has the chance to regain its peak performance and even become a divine weapon in the future.

There is a low chance that this weapon can lead to the rebirth of a deity.>

Some of the effects and the rapier's basic stats had improved. The olympian enchantment had added two skills with the addition of them being in the process of refinement. So it would even refine the blessing power of another deity as long as it was the right element.

Did that mean it would return to being the Harbinger of Winter and change the names of the skill when it was done? Seth pondered about this question as he checked the effect of these skills.

<Active Skill: Cocytos Aura, Mana Cost: 500 mana, Cooldown: 20min

Unleashes a frost nova that freezes hostiles in the surroundings of a 3m radius for up to 15 seconds and deals damage according to the user's magic damage.>

<Active Skill: Woes of Cocytos, Mana Cost: 2000, Cooldown: 24h

Inflicts all hostiles in a range of 30m with the pain of the River of Woes. Targets have 50% chance to be afflicted with the following status effects: Freezing, Fear, Hysteria, Confusion, or Stun.>

Seth gulped. If he were to give this sword a massive soul on top of this it would be seriously frightening. Especially Woes of Cocytos, although 50% sounded low, it was 50% for each of the effects. Not getting affected by any of them was like winning five coin tosses in a row.

He carefully places the rapier into a box and put it into his inventory before leaving Minas Mar. It was already late, but Seth doubted Simon was already sleeping and he was proven right when he arrived at the system church.

He immediately noticed an obvious change, when he arrived at the teleportation hub. There was a new frame installed at the gate to the formation of a light membrane tinged everything beyond it into a slight violet hue.

Wasn't this the soul barrier he had given to the doctors? A quick look at his appraisal skill confirmed his suspicions. They had worked really quickly. When Seth crosses the membrane, he could feel a slight prickling, but his soul armaments blocked the weak influence of the formation.

Once he crossed, he was immediately blasted with healing magic.

"My apologies if this surprised you, Sir. Traversing the cleansing membrane can take a toll on people," a smiling priestess explained.

"Is Simon around?"

"You came from Minas Mar, right? He's in his study."