Chapter 114: Let's Make New Equipment

The day after it was announced that the Dragon Emperor Rite would be held along with the Dragon Princess Rite, we came to the town’s blacksmith.

Incidentally, this is the workshop where we borrowed space to mass-produce equipment to counter the monster horde attack.

The purpose, of course, is…

 

“Well then, let’s make equipment for everyone.”

Yes, we came to renew everyone’s equipment.

Various things happened, and we ended up participating in the Dragon Princess Rite and Dragon Emperor Rite.

So I decided to take this opportunity to renew everyone’s equipment.

After all, Jairo and the others have barely changed their equipment since becoming adventurers.

Their equipment is tattered from battles with Demons so far and the recent battle with the dragon and monster horde.

If they don’t replace it with proper equipment soon… there’s a limit to magical defense, you know.

 

“Uwooo! Big Bro making equipment for us is super exciting!”

 

“Hey Jairo, don’t make so much noise, it’s embarrassing.”

 

“Saying that, Mina is excited too.”

 

“Ahaha, anyway, getting new equipment is a bit thrilling, isn’t it?”

 

Jairo and the others were frolicking, unable to wait.

 

“I had my equipment made before, so I’ll stay as is this time.”

 

Liliera murmured with a slightly disappointed air.

 

“No, I’ll modify Liliera‘s equipment while repairing it. We have plenty of good materials now.”

 

“Eh!? Really!? You mean it will become even better equipment!?”

 

Liliera, who didn’t expect her equipment to be tinkered with, looked at me with an expression mixed with surprise and excitement.

 

“Yes, until now, it was makeshift equipment because we didn’t have enough materials, but since we have more decent materials now, I think I can make something good.”

 

“…So what I had until now was considered makeshift…”

Huh? Liliera’s eyes suddenly wandered in the air; what’s wrong?

I thought she’d be happy that her makeshift equipment would finally become proper equipment.

“Everyone is so lucky…”

 

Ryune, who had followed me, murmured enviously.

 

“No, I’ll make equipment for Ryune properly too, so you don’t need to worry.”

 

“Ehh!? You’ll make my equipment too!?”

 

Ryune raised a voice of surprise as if to ask why.

 

“But, but, I’m not Master Rex‘s companion, you know? Is it okay to give the secret arts of equipment handled by the Dragon Emperor to an outsider like me who pushed her way into apprenticeship!?”

No, I’m neither a Dragon Knight nor the Dragon Emperor.

Ah, but I might be using a bit of Dwarf technology.

…Well, whatever.

“Don’t worry about it. Ryune is also participating in the Dragon Princess Rite, so if your equipment isn’t solid, you’ll be fighting strong opponents gathered from all over the world.”

Besides, even if it’s for a limited time, Ryune is my apprentice.

Doing something for a disciple is like parental affection as a master.

Well, it’s embarrassing so I won’t say it.

“I’m so happy, Master Rex~!”

 

Ryune, overcome with emotion and jumping up and down expressing joy, is cute like a small animal.

 

Besides, I have to prepare for that too.

 

So, having obtained permission from the blacksmith boss, I decided to borrow a corner of the workshop, but…

 

“Stare…”

Everyone in the workshop is staring intently at my hands.

Well, that’s the condition for letting me work in the workshop, so it can’t be helped.

When I asked to use the workshop, the boss asked me to show him my work as a condition.

I was confused if that was okay, but the boss wouldn’t listen, saying that was more valuable than receiving money.

“Your skill in making weapons and armor from dragon materials the other day was splendid. The situation was what it was back then, so I couldn’t watch carefully, but this time I want to watch with concentration.”

I’m just making it normally, though.

If it were the secret techniques of a top-class craftsman, showing it would be a problem, but what I learned is just passing-grade technology for a blacksmith.

Or maybe what the boss wants to see is the methods of a blacksmith from another country, which could be called a different school?

Different lands often use different materials, so he might want to know those small differences.

If it’s technology understandable just by looking, it probably won’t change much even in a different country, and there’s no problem showing that much.

 

“Then, I’ll start.”

The main material used this time is the dragon scales obtained at Dragon Peak.

I also took out the Ancient Plant materials obtained before, the Bahamut scales recovered at the Sky Island, and various chimera materials obtained in the underground ruins.

I also lined up the equipment sets borrowed from everyone for size confirmation and modification.

 

“Then I guess I’ll start making weapons first.”

I put the crushed dragon scales into the furnace and cast protection magic on the furnace.

Then, raising the heat inside the furnace with high-heat magic, I incinerate the impurities in the dragon scales while melting the scales.

And when the melted scales flowed to the bottom of the furnace, I slowly lowered the temperature and formed them into rough shapes with processing magic.

“H-Hey, that’s the furnace we use, right? Why are dragon scales melting so easily!?”

 

“Or rather, why is the material flowing from the furnace already in the shape of a weapon!?”

 

“Moreover, is he proceeding with work on other equipment in parallel!?”

 

“Am I… really watching blacksmithing work?”

The blacksmiths in the back are surprised about something, but I wonder why?

Well, anyway, focus on the task at hand now.

Just repeating the procedure I did in my previous life as usual to make equipment.

◆

And a few days later, when I told everyone their equipment was complete, they hurriedly came to the workshop.

Everyone’s equipment was lined up on the workshop table.

“It’s surprising that equipment for everyone is really complete. Usually, custom-made equipment takes quite a long time to make just one.”

 

“Well, if you special order from a famous workshop, there’s a waiting list of years, but I don’t have that great of a skill.”

 

“Eh?”

 

“Eh?”

 

Why is everyone looking at me with those eyes?

 

“W-Well, fine. It’s the usual thing, right?”

 

“Ah, that.”

 

Why is everyone convinced by being told it’s that?

 

“Then everyone, try on your new equipment. If it’s loose or tight, I’ll adjust it immediately.”

 

“Okay!”

 

“Heheh, new equipment made by Big Bro! Ooh! My equipment is red! Nice, it’s super cool!”

 

“You went out of your way to color it? The surface will get tattered in battle anyway, isn’t it a waste of money?”

 

Seeing Jairo frolicking over his new equipment, Mina asks if it isn’t wasteful.

 

“That paint is also part of the equipment. That red paint is processed from pulverized blood of a Ruby Dragon specialized in fire, gaining resistance to fire attribute magic and heat while also strengthening your own fire attribute attacks. Since Jairo is good at fire attribute strengthening magic, the equipment matches that.”

 

“Ah, so that’s why our equipment is colored too.”

Norb voices his understanding while looking at their equipment.

Yes, the equipment prepared for everyone this time was painted with paint matching the attribute of their respective Body Enhancement Magic.

It’s a small trick, but if it’s custom equipment, you’d want to pay attention to color too.

“I see… or rather, at this point, isn’t it more like a magic item than new equipment…”

 

“UWOOOO! The sword is also super cool! It’s huge, red, and looks strong, isn’t it great!”

 

“That sword can also be used as a magic staff to strengthen the power of fire attribute magic. Also, if you infuse magic power into the sword itself, you can instantly activate simple fire magic with embedded spells.”

 

“SERIOUSLY!?”

 

The blacksmiths who seemed to be eavesdropping in the workshop raised voices of surprise.

 

“When did you embed such things!?”

 

“Your work speed and processing precision were so amazing I didn’t notice at all!?”

Huh? I was just working at normal speed?

Acquaintances in my previous life worked literally faster than the eye could see.

They always said guys who can only work at visible speeds are still half-baked.

While talking like that, everyone finished equipping their new gear.

 

“How is it? Is it tight or loose?”

 

“Totally fine!”

 

“Yes, it’s perfect. Or rather, modification changes the shape quite a bit.”

 

Liliera raised a voice of surprise seeing the modified equipment.

 

“Yes, since I was at it, I significantly modified it while replacing it with new materials. I tuned it to match everyone’s fighting style and attributes, so the usability might have changed a bit.”

 

“I see… but with this much difference, it’s already new.”

Saying so, Liliera looks happy.

After all, new equipment is exciting.

“U-Um, Master Rex, about my equipment…”

 

Ryune, who changed into her new equipment, spoke to me.

 

“I feel like it resembles my previous equipment somehow.”

 

Oh, sharp.

 

“Yes, Ryune‘s equipment reuses the equipment you were originally using. Because the original materials used were good.”

Yes, Ryune’s equipment was tattered, but the materials used themselves weren’t bad.

So, while matching Ryune’s fighting style, I modified it recalling the Dragon Knight equipment I saw in my previous life.

If I had to name it, maybe Ancient Dragon Knight Equipment Custom?

“Ryune‘s equipment has been passed down for generations, so I thought it would be better to keep using it as is.”

 

“!? You thought that far for me, Master…”

 

Ryune speaks to me with a trembling voice.

 

“Even when Ryune didn’t know how to maintain the inherited spear and couldn’t master it well, you kept using it without easily changing weapons, so I thought you must have sentimental attachment to the armor too.”

 

“Th-Thank you very much, Master Rex~!”

 

Ryune expresses gratitude with teary eyes.

 

“I will definitely win the Dragon Princess Rite!”

 

Yeah, being full of motivation is a good thing.

 

“Uwoo! I want to use the new equipment quickly!”

 

“Right, I want to get used to the equipment before the match.”

 

Ahaha, everyone can’t wait to test the new equipment.

 

“Then, shall we go monster hunting to test the new equipment?”

 

“YEEES!”

 

“Kyu!”

 

Fluffy, we’re going for a test run, not hunting for food, okay?

 

◆

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Flying from our territory, we were heading towards the human settlement.

We are Dark Dragons.

Proud jet-black dragons.

Don’t confuse us with small fry like Black Dragons.

The luster of our scales is different from theirs.

Behold this beautiful gloss as if wet with water.

…I digressed.

We, who have no hobby of flocking, do not get chummy with other dragons.

Therefore, at first, we didn’t know about this commotion.

But hearing the rumors-loving Emerald Dragon chirping noisily, we realized the reason why it had been noisy outside the nest recently.

And for that reason, we decided to head to the human settlement.

The reason is to trample the humans.

This is because we learned that the Golden One, who called himself our leader, was defeated by mere humans.

Moreover, it is unbelievable that he did the shameless act of carrying humans on his back, following some moldy ancient pact.

We dragons are the strongest creatures in the world.

For such a dragon to submit to an extremely fragile existence like a human is unacceptable.

Therefore, we go to correct the humans’ conceit in place of the pathetic Golden Dragon.

Hmph, might as well. Shall we teach the humans that the strongest dragon is not the Golden Dragon, but us Dark Dragons?

We will show the humans the power of the rulers of darkness!

“Chief, humans are approaching us.”

 

A young dragon of the pack noticed humans wandering out of the settlement.

 

“Oh my, oh my, at this rate, when those humans return to the settlement, they will feel lonely with not a single companion left.”

 

“Oh, that is pitiful.”

The young dragons, while raising voices feigning pity for the humans, directed gazes expecting something at me.

Good grief, helpless fellows.

“Alright, alright. Then so that those humans do not feel lonely, you may trample them first.”

 

“Hahaha! As expected of the Chief! You understand!”

The young dragons started diving towards the humans, scrambling to be first.

Moreover, not just the young ones, but even the elders started diving.

Good grief, I’m starting to feel a little sorry for the humans.

While thinking such insincere things and staring at the ground, the lead dragon attacked the humans.

Will it tear the humans apart with its prized claws in passing, or trample them with the speed of the dive?

While watching to see what kind of death the humans would expose, the lead young dragon split in two.

Split, in two.

 

“…Hah?”

 

Eh? What just happened?

◆

 

“Uwooo, that surprised meeeee!! What on earth!?”

 

Jairo, who intercepted the black dragon attacking suddenly from the sky in the nick of time, raised a voice of surprise.

 

“It seems stray dragons attacked.”

 

Following Rex‘s gaze to the sky, several black shadows were flying.

 

“Stray dragons? Like the one that attacked the town the other day?”

Perhaps recalling the Green Dragon that attacked the town before, Liliera asked Rex with her gaze fixed on the sky.

The dragons, perhaps wary that their companion was cut in two by Jairo, are circling in the sky without attacking.

“Yes, but the ones following are kin, not Wyverns. In this case, are they moving as a pack rather than strays?”

Either way, just being dragons feels dangerous.

I glance at the dragon Jairo split in two.

That black scale color is the same as the Black Dragon Rex defeated before.

“Or rather, Jairo just split a dragon in two. Even though he hasn’t had strengthening magic cast by Rex.”

 

“N-Now that you mention it…”

Hearing Meguri’s voice, I realized it was Jairo, not Rex, who defeated the Black Dragon.

Moreover, not only that, but he didn’t receive Rex’s support either.

“It’s a weapon made by refining dragon materials. It’s natural that it can easily cut through dragon scales.”

 

Rex asserts casually, but that logic feels very strange.

 

“Umm… is that so? If you hit dragon scales with a weapon made of dragon materials, it feels like both would break.”

Liliera also asked Rex back with a blank face, not understanding.

That’s right, both are originally the same material.

“It’s the same as iron. A weapon forged from iron with impurities removed is stronger than iron ore shaped into a weapon as is, right? Dragon materials are the same.”

 

“I-I see. When you say it like that, I feel like that’s true.”

 

Explained with a material familiar to warriors, Liliera voiced her understanding.

 

“Well, I don’t really get it, but it means the weapon Big Bro made is amazing!”

Kuh, idiots are simple and enviable.

Or rather, that means Rex has the technology to freely process dragon materials.

When the massive horde of monsters attacked the other day, he surprised everyone by easily making holes in hard dragon materials and processing them into simple equipment, but this time it’s not such amateur work, but means he can handle materials freely as an engineer.

The meaning of “processing” is completely different.

Not only is he absurdly strong as a warrior, but he’s also outside the norm as a mage.

Moreover, he can make magic items as a matter of course, and has top-class skills as a blacksmith; who exactly is this person!?

“Anyway, this proves that the equipment Rex made is amazing. Well, I knew it, but rather than expected, or how should I put it…”

Norb has a distant look while staring at the red sword in Jairo’s hand.

I understand the feeling very well.

It’s too amazing in various ways, and I don’t know what to say anymore.

“Alriiiiight, decided! Since this sword defeated a black dragon, it’s the Black Dragon Slayer!”

 

“No, that sword is red; you’ll definitely get retorted asking where the black is.”

 

Oops, I unintentionally retorted to the idiot’s remark.

 

“Then Red Dragon Slayer?”

 

“Get away from Dragon Slayer, you idiot!”

 

Ah jeez, this isn’t the situation for such stupid talk, idiot!

 

“…”

 

While I was making trivial retorts to the idiot, Rex was staring at the corpse of the black dragon split in two, pondering something.

 

“Kyuu kyuu!”

 

Also, Fluffy is gnawing on the wing, is that okay?

 

“What’s wrong, Rex?”

 

“No, I was just curious about the luster of the scales.”

 

Luster of the scales? What’s that? Does value increase if the luster is good?

 

“Kyu? Gnaw gnaw.”

Ah, drawn by Rex, it started gnawing on the scales.

Well fine. It’s not the prey I hunted.

“…Ah, this isn’t a Black Dragon.”

 

“Eh?”

 

Rex, who was observing the black dragon corpse intently, suddenly said such a thing.

 

“But it’s black, so isn’t it a Black Dragon?”

 

“No, this luster of the scales… this is a high-ranking attribute dragon, a Dark Dragon.”

 

“DARK DRAGON!?”

 

Wait, seriously!? It’s really a Dark Dragon!?

 

“By Dark Dragon, do you mean that legendary evil dragon said to have destroyed several countries with evil curses!?”

Wait, what is that!? You mean such a dangerous guy is circling in the sky!?

Despite that, Rex looks at me with a blank face as if to say, “Eh? What’s that?”

“No, no, Dark Dragons are simply dragons with the power of the dark attribute; they can manipulate darkness and use attacks that damage the mind, but they can’t use curses, you know?”

 

“I-Is that so?”

If they can’t use legendary curses, are they not opponents to be that afraid of?

No, well, they’re dragons so they’re scary enough opponents.

“Well, if a weak-hearted person takes mental damage, they might faint or at worst become invalid, though.”

 

“THAT’S SCARY!!”

 

Wait, that’s plenty scary!

 

“It’s okay. Just in case, I added resistance to magic attacks to some extent to everyone’s equipment as a countermeasure against undead, so you’ll hardly take damage from a Dark Dragon‘s mental attack.”

 

“Eh? Is that so?”

 

“Yes, when I was thinking about Norb‘s equipment as a priest, I thought the main opponents a priest fights are undead after all, so I added countermeasures against mental attacks and paralysis attacks so everyone would be fine fighting undead.”

 

“Wow, he casually added outrageous functions.”

 

What is this anti-undead measure that works even against dragons…

 

“This equipment is my confident creation considering the materials on hand. After all, the gem I received from the Megalo Whale parent before was excellent as a catalyst for magic item spells.”

 

Rex confidently talks about the materials used for our equipment.

 

“The Megalo Whale parent, the one we met at sea?”

 

“Yes, that Megalo Whale we met during the Kraken incident. When making new equipment, I wondered if I could use that giant rough gemstone I received from the Megalo Whale parent before. Gems are often excellent catalysts for magic items and rituals.”

 

“Do you have any leftover rough stones!?”

Hearing the word “gem,” Meguri changes her eye color and joins the conversation.

Truly, this girl is weak to valuable things.

Well, in her case, there are family circumstances, so it can’t be helped.

“So, when I tried using it, it was unexpectedly compatible with magic item spells, and thanks to that, I could embed various functions into the equipment.”

 

Although not the best materials, Rex says with satisfaction that he did the best job using the materials available at present.

 

“Haa, by the looks of it, we don’t know what outrageous functions are attached to this equipment.”

 

Really, not knowing what’s embedded is a bit… no, quite scary.

 

“Or rather, a sword that splits the opponent in two just by receiving a dragon’s attack… isn’t that too dangerous to use in a match?”

 

“……!?”

 

At Norb‘s casual mutter, we gasped and looked at each other.

 

“……?”

 

The idiot and Ryune, who doesn’t correctly understand Rex‘s terrifying nature yet, are tilting their heads.

 

“Bad… that’s certainly true! We were about to mass-produce dead people at the town festival!”

 

“Far from festival entertainment, it would be agonizing screams!”

 

“…As expected, that would be bad.”

 

Liliera raised a panicked voice, and Meguri muttered with a pale face.

 

“Eh? Eh? Then what should I do? Should I fight bare-handed?”

 

Ryune, who still doesn’t understand the situation well, asks with a confused look if she should not use a weapon, but things aren’t that simple.

 

“No good, we don’t know what terrifying functions are attached not only to the weapons but also to the armor. If we’re not careful, it wouldn’t be strange if functions to turn the attacking opponent into charcoal are attached!”

 

“S-Surely not…”

 

Beside Ryune who smiles wryly saying that’s impossible no matter what, Rex‘s face lights up.

 

“Ah, you figured it out well. Just in case you face a higher-ranked opponent, I embedded a Shock Reversal Mechanism that reflects accumulated damage back to the opponent when receiving damage above a certain level.”

 

“SEE, IT WAS THEREEEEEEEEE!!”

 

Don’t rejoice innocently like someone noticed the secret ingredient in a dish!

 

“Wait Rex! What other functions did you attach!? Tell us everything!”

 

I demand Rex tell us what functions he embedded in everyone’s equipment.

 

“In that case, the Dark Dragons attacking might be perfect timing. Perfect opponents to test the functions embedded in the equipment.”

I see, hearing about it in words doesn’t convey how dangerous the functions are.

Having sturdy test subjects is a good thing.

“I don’t really get it, but we fight them, right! Understood!”

 

“Y-Yes! I don’t really understand, but we just have to fight!”

The two who still don’t understand the situation are excited to fight Dark Dragons.

Well fine. Once the battle actually starts, they’ll understand what it meant with their bodies.

“Alright! Everyone, we’ll test the new equipment’s functions one by one on the Dark Dragons!”

 

“YEAAAAAH!!”

 

“Ehh? Why is everyone so wary? I only embedded normal functions in the equipment, you know?”

 

“WHO CAN TRUST THAAAAAAAAT!!”

 

There’s no way things made by Rex are normal!