A week after placing the order for our new weapons, word arrived from the Zardan Workshop that they were finished. Despite the backlog of requests they surely had, the turnaround was much faster than I’d expected. Apparently, my "fuel"—the teriyaki burgers—had been more than effective.
Lowell and I headed to the workshop the following day. Mark was manning the reception, and the moment he spotted us, he rushed off to call the master.
"Ah, you're here. They turned out beautifully, thanks to those new burgers," Master Zardan said with a smirk.
Regardless of how much the food actually helped, he certainly seemed confident in his handiwork. For the record, the "new burger" he was referring to was the same one I’d served to Ressel’s group during the evil dragon hunt. I intended to keep the actual new recipe I was developing for the contest a secret, after all.
"It’s a bit cramped in here. Let’s head to the back."
The master led us to a fairly spacious yard behind the workshop. There weren’t any plants to speak of; it was likely just a designated area for testing out weapons.
"First up is Lowell’s weapon."
The master unwrapped a bundle of cloth to reveal a slender longsword. As Lowell took it and gently drew it from its scabbard, the blade caught the light and shimmered brilliantly.
"Oh...!"
An exclamation of awe escaped Lowell’s lips. Judging by the way he narrowed his eyes while staring at the steel, he was more than satisfied. The silhouette was so elegant it could have passed for a ceremonial piece. Seeing work this fine made it easy to understand why weapon collectors existed.
"I’ve named it the 'Mana-Guiding Sword.' Just as you ordered, its design prioritizes mana conductivity. Go ahead, try channeling a bit into it."
At the master’s urging, Lowell sent a pulse of mana into the blade. It was just a small amount to test the flow, but the reaction was immediate.
"This is incredible...! Wait, what’s this?"
While the initial results were clearly impressive, Lowell’s voice quickly turned puzzled. The master was grinning, so whatever was happening was likely by design.
"Notice it? That Mana-Guiding Sword has a much higher concentration of mithril than your average mithril blade. That’s why its hardness and sharpness increase the more mana you channel through it."
"Is that right? But wouldn't that make the blade too soft when mana isn't being used?"
"Naturally, I’ve accounted for that."
The master explained that the Mana-Guiding Sword had a specialized mechanism for mana accumulation. It was designed to absorb and store the user’s surplus mana while sheathed. Then, when drawn, it would slowly consume that reservoir. This allowed it to maintain the durability of a standard mithril sword even when the wielder wasn't actively powering it.
Incredible technology! I’ve never heard of anything being able to store mana like that.
I glanced at Lowell; he looked just as stunned as I was. It clearly wasn't a technique used in everyday smithing.
"Mana accumulation? If that were possible, surely it would be used in all sorts of magic tools, yet I’ve never once heard of it," Lowell remarked.
"Well, that’s because it’s a brand-new technique developed right here in our workshop. I can’t give you the specifics, though—Luranna would never stop nagging me if I did!"
The master let out a boisterous laugh. He’d actually gone as far as using cutting-edge technology to boost the sword's performance. I was truly grateful.
I was curious about the specifics of the mana accumulation, but it seemed his lips were sealed by Luranna. He’d probably been scolded for talking too much before a contract was signed, just like I had. I felt a strange sense of kinship with him.
"Next is Tort’s weapon—the 'Light-Blade Dagger.'"
Finally, it was my turn. I took the dagger the master held out. As we’d planned, it was a size larger than my Dagger of Piercing. When I wrapped my fingers around the hilt, it felt surprisingly natural. It was a bit heavier than my old weapon, but not so much that it would hinder my movements.
I drew the blade from its sheath. Whether it was the quality of the mithril or the master’s sheer talent, the simple, unadorned blade was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Yours uses a standard mithril alloy ratio. I’ve imbued it with a Piercing Power Enhancement formula, so even in its base state, it won't be any weaker than your previous dagger."
I gave the dagger a few test swings while listening to the explanation. The added weight changed the feel of it slightly, but it wasn't enough to throw off my muscle memory. I’d be used to it in no time.
"Now, for the main event: the magic blade. It’s not particularly difficult to use. Just flow your mana and visualize the blade extending. The reach depends on how much mana you put in, so be cautious at first."
Right. This dagger’s best feature is its variable reach.
I had to try it out immediately. Following the master’s instructions, I channeled my mana... and visualized.
My enthusiasm got the better of me, and I accidentally channeled way more mana than I’d intended. A blade of pure light surged forth from the dagger, extending so far it was actually longer than Lowell’s longsword.
"Whoa, watch it! I told you to be careful, didn't I?" the master barked.
"Ahaha... sorry."
He was right; if I’d been leaning in to inspect it when it extended, it could have been a disaster. I needed to be more careful.
"I’m sorry! It’s just that the mana consumption was lower than I expected. I’d heard it would be heavy, so I didn't think it would grow quite that much..."
"...Hmm. I see. It seems your magic power and mana capacity are quite high, Tort. High enough that I’d never guess you were an explorer by trade. With that much to work with, you might be able to use the blade without much strain at all."
That makes sense. I did have a lot of magic power. Sally had told me before that I could hold my own even against an average mage. The master probably hadn't realized just how much I was packing.
I tried swinging the dagger while maintaining a longsword-sized light blade. Since the physical weight remained the same, it felt incredibly light. Moreover, even with the light blade active, the weapon still seemed to count as a dagger, as I could feel my Dagger Skill guiding my movements. As long as I didn’t have to worry about running out of mana, I could fight perfectly fine in "Light Blade Mode."
"The maximum reach depends on your magic power, though the consumption increases the longer you make it, so there’s a practical limit. If you need to hit something at a distance, you’re better off projecting the light blade instead."
To my surprise, the dagger could actually shoot the light blade as a projectile. Its power apparently didn't quite match up to dedicated projectile magic, but it had the massive advantage of being fired by thought alone—no incantations required.
It felt like I’d just been handed a truly incredible piece of equipment. I couldn't wait to try it out in the field!