DanMachi Universe, Lower World, Orario.
Shortly after the spars ended, Loki, Ais, Tione, and Tina left the Dragon's Nest. Then, after getting cleaned up, James, Elicia, Violet, Aletia, Akatsuki, Sakura, Zelretch, and Momo also left the Dragon's Nest to explore Orario. Because although they spent some time exploring after the breakfast at the Hostess of Fertility, one day was not nearly enough to explore a city of Orario's size.
While leaving, the eight members of the [Dimensional Chat] broke into smaller groups to find things that interested them in particular. The groups were Elicia and Momo, James, Akatsuki, and Zelretch, and Violet, Aletia, and Sakura. Aislynn, deciding she wanted to get out of the Dragon's Nest for a while, even decided to go with Elicia and Momo, as they were planning to check out clothing stores and fabric stores so that Elicia could continue to make clothes for the Familia.
As for the other groups, James, Akatsuki, and Zelretch decided to go to Babel Tower. There, they could look at the weapons on display at the Hephaestus Familia's shops spanning the fourth to the eighth floor. And if they were lucky, they might even see some inspiration for the future weapons Tatsuo and Alfonzo would forge for them later.
As for Violet, Aletia, and Sakura, they all left to find good food other than the Hostess of Fertility. That way, if they found something they liked, they could try to get Tatsuo and Alfonzo to recreate it in the days to come.
And while everyone else was out and about, Tatsuo and Alfonzo were in the forge at the back of the Dragon's Nest inspecting all the materials Aislynn secured before they even arrived in Orario.
"Even though this shit isn't exactly high quality, it couldn't have been cheap." Alfonzo said while looking at all the metal ingots, different kinds of wood, and monster materials that were stacked up in the forge's storage area. "Seriously, what kind of price does she charge for the service she provides?"
"Probably an arm and a leg." Tatsuo replied while also looking over the forging materials. "Hell, you probably have to put an organ or two down for deposit."
Hearing that, Alfonzo shook his head with a wry smile on his face. Then, he picked up an ingot and started mobilizing his Mind.
"[Open your secrets to me. Analysis Materiae]." Alfonzo chanted. "I miss my [Metal magic]. I just hope this is just as good at giving me information."
As he spoke, the ingot in Alfonzo's hand glowed slightly thanks to the magic power pulsing through it. A moment later, a transparent screen that only Alfonzo could see popped up in front of him, showing the statistics for the ingot in his hand.
After reading the ingot's characteristics, Alfonzo moved on to the next one. Unfortunately, none of the materials had any special attributes. As Aislynn told them when they moved in, everything in the forge was just enough for the members of the [Dimensional Chat] to get through Level 1, at most Level 2, after all. Because of that, Alfonzo could not help showing a hint of dejection.
"We already knew this is how it would be." Tatsuo said with a shrug. "No point getting down about it."
"Yeah, I know." Alfonzo replied. "Still, I would have liked to work with some of this world's exclusive metals. Instead, all we have is iron, black iron, steel, and other stuff you can find in any other world."
"It is what it is." Tatsuo replied with another shrug. "At least this stuff is higher quality than what we had in the village. We probably won't have to replace our weapons again until we're down on the 10th Floor. And by then, we can afford to buy better materials."
"I know you're right..." Alfonzo muttered as he put down the last ingot he inspected. "But still..."
With a smile, Tatsuo shook his head at Alfonzo. Then, he picked up three materials, Black Iron, a small amount of carbon, and a metal treated with a small amount of magic power that was comparable to tungsten, and while remembering Alfonzo's descriptions, he put them on a workbench before placing his hands over top of them.
"Fine." Tatsuo said calmly while looking at the pile of ingots with a serious gaze. "I'll see what I can do to make the materials better."
Hearing that, Alfonzo looked at Tatsuo with curiosity. A moment later, however, he realized what Tatsuo was about to do.
"[Mankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is known as the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Transmutation]." Tatsuo chanted solemnly.
*Flash!*
As soon as Tatsuo's chant ended, the magic power wrapping the three ingots glowed brightly for an instant. And when the light dimmed, there were still three ingots sitting on the workbench. However, instead of three different ingots, they all now looked the same.
Wasting no time, Alfonzo reached over to pick up one of the ingots before once again casting Analysis Materiae.
Analysis:
Black Tungsten Steel
-By combining Black Iron, a small amount of carbon, and Tungsten, an alloy combining the traits of the three materials has been created. Added to that, this alloy has been treated with magic, removing the majority of the three materials' weaknesses, creating a superior version of the Black Tungsten Steel alloy.
"Holy shit..." Alfonzo muttered while turning his head to look at Tatsuo. "Even when I alloyed metals with my [Metal Magic], I couldn't completely remove an alloy's weaknesses."
"Technically, all the weaknesses have not been removed." Tatsuo replied with a shrug. "Just most of them."
At that point, Tatsuo pointed toward the workbench. More specifically, the metal shaving beneath the three alloy ingots.
"Besides, [Transmutation] is the same as the [Alchemy] from FMA." Tatsuo added. "So, it's a process of equivalent exchange. Meaning, there was some material loss when I removed the weaknesses."
"Like such a small amount of loss even matters." Alfonzo replied while rolling his eyes. "Stop with all the damn humble bragging."
Tatsuo's only response was to smile. He then unfastened his tunic before slipping it off his shoulders and hanging it on a hook near the forge's door.
"Anyway, we're burning daylight." Tatsuo said while stretching his arms. He then continued while activating the magic items responsible for operating the furnace. "Let's start working. We probably don't have enough time to make weapons for everyone today. But we can at least get the weapons for the melee fighters taken care of."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Alfonzo said while waving off Tatsuo's words. Then, like Tatsuo, he stripped off his upper garments before helping Tatsuo get everything ready for work as he continued. "*Sigh* Making needles for Lici is gonna be a pain in the ass. She runs through so damn many of them every time she fights."
Tatsuo only shrugged his shoulders in response. Then, he picked up a few more sets of the materials needed to create Black Tungsten Steel and repeatedly used [Transmutation] until his Mind started to run low.
Meanwhile, Alfonzo had already started heating an ingot of Black Tungsten Steel in the furnace. And thanks to the top of the line magical furnace Aislynn bought before the [Mission] started, it did not take long for the ingot to begin to melt. And finally, once the ingot had melted enough…
*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*
… Alfonzo started forging the first weapon, a new katana for James.
And just as Alfonzo started forging, Tatsuo finished using his Magic. He then pulled out a bottle of Mind Potion and drank it, before choosing his own ingot of Black Tungsten Steel, and beginning the forging process on a new Shield for Violet.
{Pic}
Like that, the time passed with the sound of forging hammers striking metal echoing from the forge until the sun started to set. And as the shadows lengthened and covered the backyard of the Dragon's Nest, those who went out earlier in the day started to return in their groups.
"Damn… Have you guys been back here all day?" James asked, his voice carrying into the forge before he arrived. However, when he finally stepped inside, he stopped in his tracks and started fanning himself quickly. "What the hell? It's hot as a grizzly bear's pussy in here!"
"Pervert." Akatsuki snorted with disdain.
"And how exactly do you know how hot a "grizzly bear's genitalia is?" Zelretch asked with a feigned tone of interest while hiding a mischievous smile.
"You don't need to know that." James said while turning his head away with a faraway look in his eyes.
"Super pervert." Akatsuki said, the disdain in her tone even greater than before.
Hearing the disgust in Akatsuki's tone, James could not hold it together any longer, breaking into laughter so uproarious that he almost fell to one knee while cradling his belly. Tatsuo, Alfonzo, and Zelretch also started laughing. The only one who did not find the joke funny was Akatsuki, as it only caused her to glare at James with even more disgust.
*Sizzle!*
"Anyway, where did you guys go today?" Tatsuo asked while dipping the sword he was forging into a vat of quenching oil.
"We checked out the weapons in the Hephaestus shops." Akatsuki replied.
"Yeah, and they had some pretty good stuff there, too." James added with a grin. "A little pricey, though. At least pricey for us right now, anyway."
"Unfortunately, they did not have any weapons for true magic swordsman." Zelretch said while shaking his head with mild disappointment. "*sigh* I can't wait until I can recreate my Jeweled Sword in this world. Just fighting from the backlines with [Jewel Magecraft] is a bit dull."
"If you really feel that way, then T's got a surprise for you." Alfonzo said while sharpening the edge of a spearhead.
"Hmm?" Zelretch hummed in interest as he turned his attention to Tatsuo, who laid the sword he had quenched on the anvil. "What kind of surprise might this be, Young Tatsuo?"
"If you can give me a few minutes, I'll let you see it." Tatsuo said as he turned away from the anvil and went to pick up a few more materials.
Hearing that, Zelretch nodded his head. Then, he, along with James and Akatsuki looked down at the sword on the anvil. When they did, they noticed there was something strange about the sword.
"What's up with the open space running along the center of the blade?" James asked curiously while pointing down at the blade. "Won't that lower the sword's durability?"
{Pic}
As James said, the sword on the anvil, a western broadsword with a black blade and silver edges had a hollow section running up the blade from the guard to just below the tip, making the sword look a bit strange.
"Maybe it's a blood groove?" Akatsuki asked unsurely.
"No, that's definitely not a blood groove." Zelretch said while leaning forward to inspect the weapon a little closer. "Rather, it looks like something is supposed to be inserted there. The question is… what?"
"Zelretch's experience is showing." Alfonzo said with a grin. "Tatsuo actually put a lot of thought into your new weapon. And without his [Transmutation] Magic, making a sword like this with this world's technology would be pretty hard."
Hearing that, James, Akatsuki, and Zelretch all raised their heads, waiting for Alfonzo to continue his explanation. However, Alfonzo had no intention of doing so. Instead, he would leave it to the weapon's creator.
"Alright, I got everything I need." Tatsuo said as he returned with a few dark purple magic stones.
"Magic stones?" James asked curiously. "What do you plan to do with those?"
Tatsuo did not respond. Instead, he placed the magic stones on the anvil before picking up the broadsword and arranging the magic stones in a straight line. Then, he put the broadsword down so that the groove in the blade was resting over the magic stones.
"I see." Zelretch said while stroking his beard. "It looks like I really should thank you until I'm able to make my own Jeweled Sword, Young Tatsuo."
"If you'd come back a little later, it would have been a real surprise." Tatsuo said with a grin. "But you three had to come back a few minutes too early. *Sigh* it's so hard to surprise people nowadays."
"Yeah, surprises are great." James said while rolling his eyes. "But what the hell are you two talking about?"
Though she did not say anything, Akatsuki was also curious about what Tatsuo was planning to do with the magic stones and the sword. So, she turned to look at Tatsuo, as well.
"You'll see in a second." Tatsuo said as he raised his hands and let them hover over the sword and the magic stones. "When I'm done, I'll let Zelretch show you. I'm sure he'll understand how to use it as soon as he holds it in his hands."
"Always trying to be mysterious." James muttered while watching Tatsuo work.
Ignoring James, Tatsuo started to mobilize his magic power and expend his Mind.
"[Mankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is known as the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Transmutation].
*Zap!*
While Tatsuo chanted, his magic power slowly etched a [Transmutation Circle] on the anvil. Then, once the magic circle was completed, arcs of purple electricity began jumping between the magic circle, the broadsword, and the magic stones, slowly breaking down the magic stones and fusing them to the broadsword, filling the empty spot on the blade.
*Clink!*
The end of the spell was marked by the sound of the sword gently falling onto the anvil now that the magic stones were no longer supporting it. Then, the arcs of electricity faded, leaving a magic circle under the sword that was slowly fading.
{Pic}
"Oh, shit…" James said while looking at Tatsuo with awe. "That chant gave me the chills. It was just like watching the beginning of an episode of Fullmetal Alchemist."
Tatsuo only smiled at that. Then, he picked up the sword and held it out to Zelretch.
"There's your new weapon." Tatsuo said. "Why don't you take it outside and give it a try."
"I'd be delighted to." Zelretch said as he wrapped his right hand around the hilt.
As soon as the broadsword was in his hand, Zelretch raised it and looked at it closely. Then, as though he understood something, he nodded his head before turning around and walking out of the forge.
Seeing this, James and Akatsuki exchanged glances. Then, they followed Zelretch out, as well.
"So, you gonna go take a look, too?" Alfonzo asked while examining the edge of the spear he was sharpening.
"Of course, I am." Tatsuo replied as he walked towards the exit and took his tunic off the hook it was hanging on.
"Good, it would have been weird to go without you." Alfonzo said as he put the spearhead on the anvil he had been working in front of. "Let's go."
Shortly afterwards, Tatsuo and Alfonzo both left the forge as well. When they did, they saw Zelretch standing about fifteen feet away from a training dummy while holding his new sword in his right hand, letting it hang loosely at his side.
"Alright, here we go." Zelretch said in a somewhat excited tone.
As he spoke, the magic stones fused into the center of the broadsword in Zelretch's hand started to glow slightly. Then, that glow expanded to cover the entire blade. And as soon as the blade was covered completely, Zelretch swiftly swung the sword up.
*Swish!*
{Pic}
With the upward slash, a crescent of magic power was sent flying towards the training dummy. And when it reached the dummy, it passed through it without resistance before dispersing another five feet later.
"Hmm… so, about twenty feet." James said while stroking his chin. "Not bad, I guess."
"It's a melee weapon." Akatsuki said while rolling her eyes. "The fact that the range is longer than the edge of the blade is more than just 'not bad'."
"She got you there, James." Alfonzo added with a grin.
"Yeah, I guess she did." James replied while rubbing the back of his head.
"So, how did it feel?" Tatsuo asked while stepping forward and ignoring the bickering from the other three. "How was the Mind cost? Did it put any strain on your Magic Circuits?"
"No strain." Zelretch said while looking down at the blade in his hand. "Mind cost is pretty steep, though. About the same as using five or six jewels at the same time."
"Does that mean you'll have to use it as a trump card?" Akatsuki asked as she, James, and Alfonzo followed Tatsuo.
"Of course not." Zelretch replied with a smile. "I'm almost three thousand years old. My mind is much stronger than you could ever imagine. If I wanted, I could spam that attack for days on end."
"Not with those low-grade magic stones." Alfonzo pointed out. "I mean, even though the stones Tatsuo and Momo got after those stalkers died in the Irregular were better quality than the ones we usually get, they're still magic stones from the Upper Floors. So, they'd never hold out that long."
"Yeah, you'd have to replace them way before that." Tatsuo added with a shrug. "Unfortunately, until we have someone that knows the Mystery Development Ability, we won't be able to make weapons that draw on the wielder's own magic power."
"I guess that means I should start studying harder." Zelretch said with a smile. "And we'll have to start working harder in the Dungeon."