Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

"I'm really sorry," Leana repeated herself.

The two went through Seth's list of options, but the princess was only able to confirm his suspicion that he did not meet all requirements for them. Leana only knew the more common paths from memory. One was Legendary Enchanter, for which one not only needed to master <Enchantment> but also needed to create a legendary enchantment before reaching lv.100.

Seth was predominantly a user of enchantments, not a developer. Creating a legendary enchantment was several times harder than the requirement for a goldsmith or blacksmith to create a legendary item since using a legendary material could be seen as a shortcut. Of course, one had to get their hand on a legendary material first.

Maybe it was debatable what was harder to accomplish. Getting a legendary material or making a product that gains so much traction that it turns legendary. For the bard who grew up in the information age, the latter didn't seem too far off.

From their conversation, he gained a much better understanding, although the whole nature of the subject was nebulous at best. However, in the end, the main issue was still present. The blacksmith's skill set was varied and the paths he had unlocked didn't quite fit what he wished to pursue.

Since the Path also restricted the means of how Seth gathered this Power of Existence, he wanted to cast a wide net, that would work with all his creations.

"Could I choose more than one path?" Seth asked interested. Maybe if he took both, the legendary Goldsmith and the legendary Blacksmith Path, he may have felt better about it.

"Yes, but I would advise against it. The more aspects you start with, the harder it will be to advance. You won't just need more energy to level them, the efficiency would also lower. Two paths would need four times the energy, three would need nine times, and so on and so forth. It would be easier to choose one at first and maybe try for another later on," the princess gladly explained, after being unable to help with his paths.

"This sound weird. Are there people that can become a legend and then simply take up another one?" he asked suspiciously. It sounded like just becoming a legend was already a lot of work. Were there really people who did that multiple times?

"Yes, as well as there are people who chose several paths from the start, there are also people who became a legend by adding more paths later on. You have to keep in mind, that you stop being an ordinary mortal once you are a legend. They have a lot of time to do stuff and develop further," Leana mentioned.

Seth stared at her, having another realization. The blacksmith had only thought of it as a way to keep becoming stronger. He had not really thought what becoming a legend would even entail.

"What other benefits are there to becoming a legend, Leana?" he asked her carefully.

"Oh? Errm, as your level of existence rises your aging will be slowed and you will have a longer live span. You might also heal quicker and it will also be harder to kill you in general. Depending on your path there would be different passive changes like higher attribute increases or stat corrections," she counted the benefits on her fingers.

"Doesn't that mean I would be technically immortal?" Seth asked with an awkward feeling in his stomach. Obviously, Seth was not keen on dying, but eternal life? It sounded fun on paper, but he knew enough fiction to know that it could be a terrible curse.

"Well, your lifespan would depend on your legend. If you are worried about living for eternity, you can just retire. Even if you become a legend, when people start forgetting you over generations, you will also lose your power," she reminded him.

It was weird. Seeing the princess smile, as she assured him that he could always choose a natural death was macabre, but it also calmed his worries.

"However, few legends choose that. If a legend dies it is usually a violent death," she added.

"Really, what about losing their family and watching everyone they know slowly age and die away until they are all alone? Don't they get depressed?"

"Woah, those are some dark thoughts. Why not look at it the other way around? They get to see and protect their descendants and those of their friends. Watch them grow up, and help along the way. Protect the nation or the people they love. They might find love with another immortal existence, then there wouldn't be any worry of them aging away either. Life has a lot to live for."

Leana actually quoted her uncle. Actually, he was her uncle separated by several generations, as he had become a legend over 100 years ago. When she was young, Leana had asked him a similar question. Ever since then, she had kept his words in mind. Eternal life didn't need to mean solitude. It always depended on the person in question.

"Right, I could simply make sure Mina, Fin, and the Others also become legends!" the blacksmith exclaimed.

"What? Wait! How did you come to that conclusion? Do you have any idea what you are saying?" Leana asked exasperated.

Becoming a legend was not easy, most people died long before they reached the zenith, however, Seth just claimed who would create a whole team of legends as if it was a batch of swords he makes on an afternoon. Seth just shrugged his shoulders.

"Just because it's hard, doesn't mean I shouldn't try, right?"

Leana stared at him incredulously before breaking out in a smile.

"Fine, it's good to have a goal. It's getting late, I think we should end it here. You can always ask me if there is something you don't know. If you will excuse me, I will go and send a letter to my Brother to ask for a copy of the paths we know," somehow motivated, the princess left the office.

Now alone, Seth leaned back in his chair and sorted his thoughts. Even with all the new things he came to know today, he found that nothing he had to do had changed. Strengthen himself, strengthen his friends, and prepare for war with the scene.

When it came to their new district, it would be others to carry the load. Although he sometimes fell for the illusion, Seth knew that one man alone could change the world, but he knew that he could trust his friends with the rest.

Seeing that Leana was right and it was getting late, Seth hurried to finally meet Mina and Fin. He didn't look for long, since the two already pounced as he left the office. They guided him to the cafeteria, where they met the rest of the party.

Squeezed between Friend, food, and drink, Seth was forced by the crowd to recount what he experience in the Abyss. Afterward, it was his turn to hear about what the others went through. The mushroom dungeon sounded fascinating, but their stories were downright horrifying.

"Can we meet this Angelique?" the crowd called Seth to bring out their new comrade.

The blacksmith's subordinates varied a lot. One was a massive Wasp, the other a powerful Oni, the third was some old adventurer. Hearing Seth describe her as a marble angel, everyone was curious about the new addition. Especially the rowdy crowd made up of Oathguards was curious to see a beautiful angel.

"What can I do for you, Master?" "Everyone wanted to meet you and welcome you to Minas Mar."

"I see... What should I do then?" "Sit down and enjoy yourself. Eat something, drink something"

She nodded.

This was how Angelique left Legion and joined the sudden celebration, to the surprise and awe of those present. However, the refined image she gave off as a first impression quickly crumbled when she simply sat down on the bench beside Seth and started to dig in.

Her full focus was on the food, as she started eating with her hand, ripping meat from the roasts and shoving food in her mouth with her bare hand, before gulping everything down with the alcohol provided.

She ignored any attempt to strike up a conversation, but soon there was a weird tension growing between her and Fin, of all people. He imagined a spark flying as a new rivalry was born and the two fought for supremacy on the dinner table. Even if Seth tried to contend, he stood no chance against these two supernatural gluttony kings.

Overall, it still turned out to be a lovely evening, which helped him relax a little after this stressful day. And in the night, he, Fin, and Mina helped each other to relieve some stress.