"Your demands... and you call these ’not high’???"
At that very mont, if it had been physically possible, Master Ironhand could have sworn he would have smashed the young scoundrel before him with a single hamr blow.
The sheer audacity of Caelan’s request pushed the limits of his patience to the brink.
To understand the magnitude of the difficulty here, one must first appreciate the complexity of weapon enhancent.
For any piece of equipnt, adding a special property was a task fraught with danger.
A single misstep could irreparably damage the weapon, rendering months or even years of painstaking work worthless.
And yet, Ironhand had been asked to add not just one, but multiple properties to a single longsword.
At present, in this entire world, no blacksmith, aside from himself, could successfully imbue a weapon with more than one special property.
Even for soone as skilled and experienced as Ironhand, adding two properties was considered an extraordinary feat.
But Caelan... this reckless, ambitious, impossibly confident boy... dared to request not two, but at least three distinct properties be added to the longsword!
And that wasn’t all. Ironhand’s pupils narrowed with a flicker of dangerous intensity as he recalled the second part of the request: the longsword must also be transford into a weapon capable of changing into any conceivable form. Just one of these requirents alone could push even the most accomplished master blacksmith to their breaking point. Now, combined, the difficulty multiplied exponentially.
This was not rely a matter of 1 1 equaling 2.
No, this was more akin to 100 × 100 equaling 10,000—the kind of difficulty that defied conventional logic.
It was as if Caelan were deliberately setting a trap, a challenge of epic proportions, ant to test the very limits of Ironhand’s skill and patience.
A dangerous light glimred in Ironhand’s eyes.
Yet, despite the near-impossible nature of the task, there was one reason he could not refuse the request: Caelan held the [Dwarven Blacksmith’s Token (legendary-grade)].
A token of such power and rarity demanded respect and compliance.
Without it, Ironhand would have turned away long ago, leaving the boy to his own devices.
anwhile, Caelan, wearing an expression of innocent naivety, softly asked, "Master Ironhand, surely my requests are not too difficult?" His tone was ek, almost vulnerable. "With your skill as a master blacksmith, surely this is within your capabilities, right?"
Ironhand fell into a profound silence, wrestling with his own doubts and the enormity of the task.
Half an hour passed in a tense, wordless standoff, during which the young man’s audacity and the dwarf’s inner turmoil battled for dominance.
Finally, with a asured exhale, Ironhand spoke:
"Your requests... I can indeed fulfill them," he admitted slowly. "However, there is one condition I must make clear. This longsword... its quality will need to be adjusted to a growth-type weapon."
"If you insist on having it as a mythic-grade weapon right from the factory, that is beyond my ability. In fact, aside from the God of Blacksmithing himself, there is no one in this world capable of achieving such a feat."
Thus, Ironhand revealed the limits of his capabilities, laying bare the ultimate bounds of the project he was about to undertake.
Caelan’s eyes lit up with delight upon hearing this.
His original plan had been to ask for the moon and the stars, fully expecting that Ironhand would reject most, if not all, of his demands.
To think that the dwarf had agreed to nearly everything—well, this was truly unexpected.
The quality adjustnt was of little consequence.
A growth-type weapon, capable of developing over ti, was perfectly acceptable to Caelan.
What truly mattered to him were the transformative properties and the addition of multiple special traits to the longsword.
"Very well, then," he said, nodding decisively. "I leave it in your capable hands, Master Ironhand."
Ironhand returned the nod, feeling a deep sense of relief. This forging task would push him to his absolute limit.
In fact, he secretly relished the opportunity, eager to challenge himself.
He had long since forgotten the last ti he had truly tested the upper boundaries of his skills.
Perhaps, through this endeavor, he might take one step closer to godhood in his craft.
This was one reason why he had agreed to Caelan’s demanding conditions—he saw in this challenge a path to transcendence.
Once the paraters of the enhancent had been established, Caelan imdiately began preparations for the next phase of action.
"Master Ironhand, what materials do you require? I will prepare them imdiately," he asked eagerly, his energy and initiative unmistakable.
Ironhand studied him with a penetrating gaze, a mix of caution and exasperation in his expression. "Boy, don’t get too excited just yet. We have finalized the enhancent plan, yes—but do you realize the sheer volu of rare materials this will consu?"
"So of these materials," he continued with a wry glance, "I have never even seen in my life. Are you certain you can procure them all?"
Caelan, confident and unwavering, placed a hand over his chest.
He was no longer the pampered young heir residing in Mylanne City.
Now, behind him, stood the might of the entire Ironclad Legion, a force that lent him both power and resources.
"Master Ironhand, please, first provide with the list of materials you require," Caelan said firmly. "I will see what I can do to find them."
Satisfied with the boy’s confidence, Ironhand relented, listing the materials he would need:
"First, we require [Celestial Realm’s Liquid Gold]. If you wish to grant your longsword the ability to change forms at will, this material is indispensable."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "Even in the Celestial Realm, this substance is considered extrely rare. The likelihood of obtaining it depends entirely on luck. To be frank, the Liquid Gold veins in the Celestial Realm have already been largely depleted. Your chances of finding this material are infinitesimal, approaching zero."
Ironhand’s gaze lingered on Caelan, curiosity flickering across his features.
He wondered, with genuine interest, how this young human could possibly obtain such a rare treasure.
To Ironhand’s astonishnt, Caelan reached into his storage space and produced a [Wax Effigy Core], an item he had previously acquired from the [Killing Ground]—a highly valuable tool in its own right.
[Wax Effigy Core][Description: A special Wax Effigy Core. When used, it can transform into any material or item you require.]
At this point, it seed that only the [Wax Effigy Core] could provide the elusive [Celestial Realm’s Liquid Gold].
Ironhand’s expression shifted instantly to one of shock upon seeing the item in Caelan’s hand.
"This... this is a [Wax Effigy Core] from the Killing Ground!" he exclaid. "Boy, where on earth did you acquire such a thing? You actually possess this?!"
A mixture of astonishnt and awe filled his eyes.
He could hardly believe that the young human before him had such power and resources.
In his youth, Ironhand himself had attempted the Killing Ground but had failed to even surpass its first layer.
As he surveyed Caelan with a critical, analytical gaze, the boy calmly activated the [Wax Effigy Core].
Imdiately, the milky white wax of the core began to lt and flow, slowly reshaping itself. Caelan watched intently, anticipating the mont when he would finally obtain the [Celestial Realm’s Liquid Gold].
And then, in an instant, the impossible occurred: a shimring doorway began to open before him, a portal leading directly to the Celestial Realm itself.
The path to the [Celestial Realm]—a gateway to one of the most mystical, resource-rich dinsions in existence—was now unfolding before his eyes, made possible by the unique power of the [Wax Effigy Core].
Caelan’s lips curled into a confident smile.
With this, the acquisition of materials, no matter how rare, was now within reach.
The enhancent of the longsword was no longer a dream—it was an imminent reality.
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