Chapter 51: Sharp Sword
As a smith, what interested Tsubaki were special weapons. That cheap short sword Liam had bought from a shop. A weapon on the verge of shattering, yet it remained sharp thanks to that sword intent.
In the process of repairing the weapon, she had tried to analyze this short sword, but the final result…
Was that it couldn't be replicated in conventional weapon forging.
To be more precise, what was special wasn't the weapon, but the weapon's user, Liam Moon from the Hestia Familia!
"It seems you've had great gains from your Dungeon exploration during this time."
Tsubaki, now standing, her gaze swept over the young man at the shop's entrance. His attire was still that same adventurer style.
It gave off a very capable and crisp feeling. What truly surprised her.
Was the sword momentum naturally flowing from Liam's body. It was no longer as sharp-edged as before; now it appeared more restrained.
The improvement in his ability scores was a matter of his privacy.
As a smith and also an adventurer of passable strength, she could clearly feel his advancement in swordsmanship.
"I have Senior Tsubaki to thank for this."
"For temporarily lending me these two Second-Grade armaments." Liam, of course, didn't just casually place the short swords on a shelf.
Instead, he placed them on the counter beside Tsubaki.
He had carefully inspected them before setting out. The high-intensity Dungeon exploration during this period hadn't caused any damage to them.
"Mm."
Tsubaki nodded with a blank expression, finally reaching out to pick up a short sword and unsheathe it, holding it above her head to let the light shine on the blade's edge.
There were no nicks; instead, it felt even sharper than before he borrowed it!
The moment she gripped the hilt with one hand, she could faintly feel the pure sword momentum contained within, which delayed the weapon's durability decline.
And it seemed to be nurturing and improving the short sword's sharpness?
Sheathing the weapon, after getting a definite answer, Tsubaki looked at the young man standing beside her, already having a basic judgment.
"The swordsmanship you've mastered is truly special."
She had a straightforward personality to begin with, and now that her thoughts were verified, she grew even more curious about Liam, who had mastered a unique sword style.
"A visible improvement in weapon durability, and it seems it can also nurture the weapon. It's a sword style I've never seen before."
"."
As for the improvement in weapon durability, it was most likely the effect of the "Weapon Tempering Mastery" skill from the "Sword Soul Template." The so-called nurturing…
Was probably enhancing the weapon's cutting ability through long-term use of Secret Sword Art?
To receive such high praise from Tsubaki, Liam, of course, wasn't thick-skinned enough to say it was all because his swordsmanship was special.
"Come with me."
To avoid letting Liam think she was using the weapon repair as an excuse to pry into his special swordsmanship, Tsubaki quickly changed the subject.
She led Liam and Eina to the weapon forging room.
She had been repairing the weapon during this period. To be precise, it was no longer a simple repair, but more like a reforging.
The sword momentum contained within the old short sword gave the weapon unimaginable ductility.
It was upon discovering this special characteristic that Tsubaki's idea shifted from repairing the weapon to improving its quality.
The effect was, of course, good.
"Here."
That short sword was casually placed on the table by Tsubaki. If she hadn't picked it up and handed it to him, and he had to find it himself.
He really wouldn't have recognized it in a short time.
The overall length hadn't changed; the most obvious change was the material. From a weapon forged entirely of refined iron.
The material had been upgraded and iterated to grayish-black Mithril, with regular, smooth forging patterns clearly visible.
The blade's edge glinted under the light. He could imagine its sharpness was in no way inferior to the short swords he had borrowed.
After withdrawing his gaze, Liam looked at Tsubaki, who stood with her arms crossed, a deep surprise in his tone, "A Second-Grade armament?"
"You have a good eye."
No smith disliked their work being recognized by its user. Tsubaki was no exception. She nodded lightly. Anticipating Liam would express his thanks, she casually waved her hand to change the subject, "Try out this weapon after its repair and upgrade."
"Alright."
The hilt had been reinforced. The moment Liam gripped it tightly in his right hand, he felt a sense of a long-lost reunion. He swung it lightly.
The sword intent contained within gradually resonated with Secret Sword Art. The sword intent flowing along the blade emitted a faint sound!
Let alone a Minotaur, even the 17th-floor's floor lord, Goliath.
Holding this weapon, Liam was confident that, paired with the sword aura slashes of Secret Sword Art, he could break its defense.
The development of events had already exceeded his expectations.
He originally thought Tsubaki was helping him repair the weapon. The result was not only a repair but also a staged improvement in the weapon's quality!
"Very sharp..."
"How much Valis for the weapon quality upgrade?" The other party had repaired his weapon for free, which was already a huge favor to Senior Tsubaki.
Liam had no intention of freeloading on the additional service of a weapon quality upgrade. Only in this way could this relationship be continued.
"Purely my interest."
Having learned from Lady Goddess that Liam had paid off Hestia's debt to the weapon shop yesterday.
She already had a basic understanding of his character.
If she really stated a price for the weapon quality upgrade, Liam would definitely pay it. Looking at the young man's extremely serious expression.
Tsubaki didn't refuse directly.
She just converted the remuneration into another form of payment. Her attitude gradually became serious, "If you really want to pay a reward."
"Tell me, what is the swordsmanship you use?"
"Secret Sword Art."
Even Orario's strongest smith couldn't trace the origin of a sword style that simply didn't exist in the current world. Liam answered decisively.
Noticing Tsubaki's gradually tightening brow.
He thought for a moment and still felt that his answer had to be worthy of the weapon upgrade's price, "It's a sword style I created myself!"
"Secret Sword Art..."
"Created yourself..."
The answer was concise, but the vast amount of information it contained made even Tsubaki's heart stir slightly. She looked at the young man before her.
If the "Hephaestus Familia" weren't a production Familia, she really wanted to bring Liam into her Familia, no matter the cost.
She didn't doubt whether his words were false. The flowing sword momentum already said it all!
Now, the Labyrinth City Orario had the "Sword Princess" Ais Wallenstein. Perhaps it wouldn't even take a particularly long time.
Liam Moon, and his self-created Secret Sword Art, would definitely shine brilliantly on the stage of Orario!
"Good luck."
Consider it encouragement for Liam. Tsubaki said this with a blank expression, her peripheral vision glancing at Eina, who had been standing quietly beside the young man.
She waved her hand. Being old meant she couldn't stand seeing these lovey-dovey things.
"If there's nothing else, I won't keep you. This weapon upgrade is free only this once. If you want to continue upgrading."
"Prepare three million Valis first!"
"Thank you, Senior Tsubaki."
Sheathing the short sword, watching Tsubaki's back as she turned and walked towards the forging station, Liam smiled and once again expressed his utmost gratitude.
"Scored a free meal, bros!"
Freeloading a Second-Grade armament, its quality personally upgraded by Orario's strongest smith, Tsubaki!
(End of this chapter)
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