Chapter 384 – Training Dummy.

“I see that the new training method is leading to some good results.”

“Oh? Did you peek? You should stop doing that… but yes, that was quite the ingenious idea, even Mary can’t complain if I do it like this.”

“GRuhhh…”

“Though, I don’t think that our undead friend here is too happy about his predicament.”

Arthur shifted his rapier towards a particular bony figure. As the blade’s tip drew near to connecting with the creature’s head, it surged forward. However, it didn’t make much progress due to the numerous chains that bound it tightly. This monstrous being had lost half of its body and possessed only a single functioning upper limb, yet it persisted in attempting to lunge and bite the noble to death.

“So terrifying~”

The noble in question simply chuckled, gracefully maneuvering around the constrained monster within the dimly lit room. It was firmly secured by robust, thick chains that even someone as strong as Roland couldn’t hope to break. The creature was an oversized skeleton, and flames flickered ominously from its eye sockets.

“I thought you were joking when you proposed capturing a tier 3 undead from the dungeon, but it actually worked…”

“It did, but try not to inflict too much damage on them. These beings don’t possess much in the way of self-healing unless you have some cursed items around and I’d rather not summon a Lich here…”

Roland was not alone in this eerie chamber; Mary patiently lurked within the shadows. To an unsuspecting observer entering from outside, it might seem as if the three of them were engaged in some dark occult ritual centered around the bound undead figure. Intricate runic symbols adorned the floor, arranged in what appeared to be a mystical circle of magic. If, by some chance, the monstrous being managed to break free from its restraints, a divine trap would spring to life, reducing it to ashes in an instant.

“That’s entirely understandable, given the circumstances, we wouldn’t want to have any of those running around our city again. Though, wouldn’t you be able to handle it, my Knight Commander?”

“Hm…”

Roland chose to remain tight-lipped, unwilling to provide Arthur with any foolish ideas. The captured monster had been transported through his meticulously crafted spatial runes and had miraculously endured the journey intact. Ordinarily, extracting creatures from a dungeon unscathed was deemed impossible. Even if the undead managed to endure the absence of breathable air within the confined spatial container, it typically disintegrated into mere bones the instant it was removed from the dungeon’s depths.

A mysterious and unforeseen force had bound these creatures to the very dungeons where they were born. Their only means of escape rested in a rare occurrence known as a dungeon break phenomenon. However, following the events involving the Lich monster, Roland had uncovered a second method for extracting these beings from dungeons. Somehow, his own mana possessed a unique influence over these monsters, granting them a path to bypass the typical laws that governed their confinement.

Thus, he embarked on an experiment, capturing one of the Infernal Skeleton Berserkers that roamed the dungeon. Following a battle that resulted in the removal of the creature’s lower half and one arm, the testing phase commenced. Roland began by bombarding the monster with his basic mana, yet the initial attempts yielded no discernible outcomes. Faced with inconclusive results in the early stages of testing, he opted to confine the ensnared monster within one of the secure hidden chambers located deep underground.

Fortunately, Roland wasn’t navigating this endeavor blindly. He held a potent trump card in the form of the Lich core he had acquired following its defeat. Leveraging the core’s distinctive resonance with his mana, he finally managed to pinpoint the correct wavelength and power output required for a successful test. After a few attempts and with the assistance of this monster’s core as a sort of medium, he succeeded in extracting the undead creature without it succumbing to the fate of becoming mere bones, as had happened with previous test subjects.

“Just be careful with this thing, It’s still a tier 3 monster.”

“Don’t worry, Mary will take care of it if something happens, plus she is already itching to test those black blades you made for her…”

“Good, I have the one you ordered.”

“Splendid!”

Roland’s didn’t come to this dark training chamber to talk about the weather. He was actually delivering an enchanted runic blade that he had fashioned for Arthur. The two daggers that Mary was holding had also been fashioned by him. Even though they were pitch black like obsidian, they weren’t made from black mithril that was better suited for heavy armor pieces like shields. The woman seemed to like them quite a bit as even now she was making sure that they were out on display.

The blades of the twin daggers gleamed with an otherworldly darkness, appearing as though they were cut from the very heart of obsidian itself. They were immaculately sharp, their edges honed to a keenness that defied the limits of ordinary craftsmanship. Despite their darkness, they seemed to capture and absorb the surrounding light, leaving a trail of shadow in their wake.

They were one of his latest products and a testament to his advancement as a craftsman. The hilt of each dagger was a masterpiece in its own right, forged from the same mithril metal as the blades. The grips were adorned with runes of their own, carefully chosen to complement the enchantments on the blades. These runes provided a secure and comfortable hold for the wielder, ensuring that they could harness the daggers’ power with the utmost precision.

He intentionally imbued these creations with an extraordinary level of flair, a departure from the more subdued designs he had previously overlooked. It was impossible for anyone to label these products as failures. The artistry he had injected into his work was now apparent, a testament to his growing understanding of what it meant to be a true craftsman of his caliber. This transformation was a direct result of the ascension trial that had not only enhanced his knowledge but also elevated his skills in the realm of weapon and armor crafting to new heights.

“Here it is, a heavy rapier like you ordered.”

The blade of this rapier was a masterpiece in itself, a slender and elegant piece of craftsmanship that seemed almost weightless despite its imposing appearance. Runes adorned its surface, etched with utmost precision and care. They were not merely decorative but imbued with powerful enchantments that would enhance the wielder’s combat abilities and grant the rapier an uncanny sharpness.

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Moving down to the hilt, one would find another layer of his new artistic design. Crafted from the same red mithril as the blade, the hilt was fashioned with an intricate side guard. It consisted of several components designed to protect the wielder’s hand and also provide maneuverability while keeping balance in mind. The hilt came with a flame motif in mind and thus the guard mimicked dancing flames.

“The balance is just right.”

“I’ve kept to the specifications so it’s only natural, now about the runic enchantments. There are a few things that you should know.”

The design was intended for a noble, necessitating a regal and costly appearance. This blade was destined to become Arthur’s personal weapon, one that would be wielded in the heat of true battle. A stag with a crown gracing its head was intricately carved onto the pommel of the hilt, proudly declaring its connection with a noble household. However, Arthur remained unaware that this particular piece of the blade held deeper secrets beyond being a mere emblematic token.

“Go ahead then, test it out, it’s going to work similar to any other magical blade you used.”

This wasn’t Arthur’s first experience wielding one of his crafted items, as he had experience with playing around with Mary’s weapon that was of similar quality. After a few practice swings, he triggered the first runic enchantment, transforming the rapier into a searing inferno. Magical flames enveloped the blade’s surface, capable of scorching his adversaries. The intensity of the flames could be finely tuned by manipulating the hilt, and an additional enchantment ensured that the wielder would not feel any heat emanating from the blade.

The primary purpose of this fiery transformation was not solely to amplify damage but rather to induce mental fatigue in Arthur’s opponents. Confronted with a weapon wreathed in flames and the escalating heat, most individuals would begin to falter. Fear would creep in, causing them to make errors and creating openings for the sword-wielder to exploit with well-timed attacks.