"Ahaha... Sorry to keep you waiting! Well, let's get right to it and look at some weapons!"
"O-oh! Right! I'm looking forward to seeing what you’ve got!"
Amid the lingering awkwardness—or perhaps a better word was 'delicate'—Elena spoke with a forced cheerfulness. Yugo followed her lead, trying to shake off the heavy atmosphere.
Regardless, he was eager to see the gear her father had crafted. Guided by Elena, the group moved into a spacious area within the workshop.
This must be the testing range, Yugo thought, nodding as he recalled a similar setup back at the Luminous Academy Workshop. Meanwhile, Elena pulled open a nearby equipment rack.
"Tada! Here they are! This is everything my papa made!"
"Oh, wow... this is incredible!"
"There's even more than I expected! Look at all these different types!"
Anhel and Fee were the first to pounce. As engineers, their hearts were clearly racing at the sight of such a vast and varied collection.
Standing a step behind them, Yugo and the others voiced their own impressions with sighs of admiration.
"Impressive. The build quality is incredibly solid. Every single piece looks like it packs a punch."
"You're not kidding. This work wouldn't look out of place next to Magic Items from a top-tier workshop."
"Right?! Papa is the best!"
"Kani-kani!"
Elena and Poruru both puffed out their chests with pride.
As much as the two boasted, the equipment her father had made truly did boast a remarkable level of craftsmanship. When one thought of tribal armaments, images of stone-tipped spears and wooden clubs usually came to mind, but the gear before them was light-years ahead of anything primitive. While monster materials were clearly the foundation, they were masterfully integrated with metal and wood to maximize their properties.
Elena pulled a massive, gleaming golden shield from the rack and turned to Marcos.
"Hey, how about this? A shield made from Poruru's carapace! It's super tough!"
"It is indeed a fine piece," Marcos replied. "However, I have my Giga Scissors. I can't exactly fight with a shield on each arm."
"You couldn't... exchange the Magic Item you're using now for this one?"
"Impossible. These Giga Scissors are a Borg family heirloom. They carry not just my pride, but the honor of my ancestors."
"I see... sorry! I shouldn't have asked!"
"I do not mind. More importantly, show me the other weapons."
"Okay! Okay! Just wait a second!"
At Marcos's request, Elena began scouring the racks for items she could recommend with confidence. In the meantime, Yugo turned to Anhel and Fee, who were still absorbed in the display, to hear their technical take.
"So, what do you two think? Anything meet your high standards?"
"Everything here is amazing! And it's not just about using monster materials. Some of these weapons possess power on par with high-end Magic Items!"
"Fee is right. For example, look what happens when I channel Magic Power into this sword—"
Anhel infused energy into a short, thick-bladed curved knife. As Yugo and the others watched, their eyes widened in surprise as a dark green, viscous liquid began to ooze onto the edge of the blade.
"Whoa! That's awesome!"
"Oh, that! That’s a Poison Bird weapon!" Elena chirped. "Papa says he tucked the poison-generating organ inside, so when you stimulate it with Magic Power, the venom coats the blade!"
"Even the decorative feathers are functional," Anhel added. "They're placed to keep the poison from running down onto the handle. It’s a brilliant blend of form and function."
"If Ann and Fee are this impressed, then he really is the real deal," Yugo said with a deep nod. "Elena's old man must be one hell of a craftsman."
Just then, Elena finished selecting her top recommendations. She called out to the entire group, wanting to show her best picks to everyone, not just Marcos.
"Alright! I’ve picked out the best ones for Marcos! Everyone else, come take a look too!"
Yugo and the others lined up beside Marcos. Standing next to Poruru—who was doing a little victory dance with its pincers—Elena looked like she was about to start a high-energy sales pitch.
She looks like she’s hosting a home shopping network, Yugo thought, amused by her nervous yet playful enthusiasm as she began her presentation. With Poruru acting as her assistant, Elena started introducing the weapons she had chosen.