"Hahaha.
Things are not as straightforward as they might seem to you, Ravid."
Baelin chuckled in response to Ravid's comment, before offering the clarification needed to understand the true nature of the battlefield.
"In an ideal scenario, you would be correct, Ravid," Baelin replied, his voice trailing off as he finished the final touches on the weapon. In that instant, a surge of potent mana emanated from the weapon, signaling the successful completion of the crafting process.
Baelin raised his hand, and the weapon floated towards him, its weight felt in his grasp. He continued, "But something has shifted in the dynamics of war, compelling Edinburgh to create an abundance of spiritual weapons."
Baelin paused for a moment before delivering his explanation. "You see, Ravid, the half-blood forces are employing Hex artifacts in their fight against Edinburgh. Conventional weapons are inadequate against such a threat.
After all, the key to countering intent-based magic is with intent-based magic.
That's why we find ourselves mass-producing spiritual artifacts, to meet the escalating threat posed by the half-blood forces," Baelin revealed, swinging the war axe down.
In an instant, a resounding draconic roar echoed from the weapon, breaking through the safety barriers of the array with a single swing. Its fiery blade ignited the air upon contact, showcasing the power of fire-element magic. Ravid and Leo were forcefully propelled in opposite directions as the dwarf tested his creation.
Ironhand seemed satisfied with the result of his new masterpiece.
"Haah! You should have given us a warning, Teacher Baelin," Ravid complained, rubbing his sore posterior as he got up. He had been thrown much farther than Leo, who had managed to adjust his trajectory mid-flight.
Sprouting a pair of black wings, Leo skillfully nullified the force acting on his body and landed gracefully not far from his original position.
Leo paid little attention to the banter between Baelin and Ravid. Instead, his focus was on Baelin's newly crafted spiritual artifact. He couldn't help but acknowledge Baelin as a true master of his craft.
'The half-blood forces are in for a lot of trouble,' Leo thought to himself with a sigh. 'Compared to Baelin's artifacts, my Hex artifacts are nothing but half-baked attempts.'
Unbeknownst to Baelin and Ravid, the source of their increased workload was right among them. The individual supplying Hex artifacts to the half-blood forces had managed to infiltrate the City of Lancelot and get close to Grandmaster Baelin as well. He eventually ended up making spiritual artifacts for Edinburgh's forces as well.
If anyone discovered his activities, both the kingdom and the half-blood forces would be in an uproar, hunting him down for playing both sides.
Unfortunately for both of them, Leo didn't care about any side. In his mind, Leo compared the Hex artifacts he had created to Baelin's spiritual artifacts and found Baelin's creations to be far superior. It wasn't just because Leo lacked Baelin's tools and facilities; the true disparity lay in Leo's limited experience in crafting spiritual artifacts.
Leo couldn't employ the same techniques as Baelin when creating Hex artifacts. He didn't use Shallot's Mirror or Soul Seed Insertion Array. He didn't need to.
This was because unlike spiritual artifacts, Hex artifacts didn't rely on external souls to imbue them with spiritual properties. Instead, Hex artifacts were meant to develop consciousness on their own, growing alongside their consciousness– also known as true weapon spirits.
Leo had dabbled in the cultist method of splitting fragments of the owner's soul to create Hex gear. However, he soon realized that he lacked the necessary expertise in soul-related techniques and spells to ensure the owner's soul remained largely unharmed. As a result, the owners couldn't use their weapons due to soul-based injuries caused by Leo's incomplete process.
After numerous experiments, both traditional and heretical, and delving into various artifact forging methods and soul-based arrays, Leo had developed his own unique approach to crafting Hex artifacts.
This method combined his expertise as an array master and potion maker. It was a highly personalized method that only Leo could perform due to its intricate complexities. After all, no other Ranker had pursued such a diverse ranking path as Leo, encompassing a wide range of skills.
These nine years had taught Leo invaluable lessons, not just as an artifact maker, array master, or potionist, but as a well-rounded Ranker. This period of growth had allowed him to excel in various fields, becoming exceptionally proficient in diverse areas.
Leo acknowledged that despite his progress in crafting Hex artifacts, there was still a significant gap between his skills and Baelin's expertise in artifact forging.
Leo realized that he needed a few more years to refine his craft. With Baelin's guidance and access to resources, he believed he could eventually create exceptional spiritual artifacts and Hex gear. However, there was something else of great importance to Leo, the chameleon-like individual. He desired access to the treasures hidden within Baelin's weaponsmithy.
"Teacher, I want to be the one to operate Shallot's Mirror and the Soul Seed Insertion Array," Leo interjected, interrupting Baelin and Ravid's discussion. Both of them turned their heads simultaneously, their expressions blank, before bursting into laughter.
"Hahaha! Young man, do you even know what you're saying?" Baelin asked Leo, amusement evident in his voice. He continued, "Those things can only be handled by me. Even Ravid isn't qualified enough to use them. You'd need at least a hundred years of experience before we allow you anywhere near those tools." Baelin laughed heartily.
Baelin wasn't mocking Leo; he recognized that, at best, it would take Leo a century to become capable of working with soul-related elements. The arrays and artifacts associated with the soul weren't skills that could be acquired solely through knowledge. They demanded the potential user to possess a sufficient Spirit Force, which usually grew with time and age.
Unfortunately, Leo didn't have a hundred years to develop the necessary Spirit Force. He had barely a year. So of course he wasn't pleased by Baelin's denial and made an ugly face, letting his dissatisfaction known to his new teacher.
Baelin expressed his satisfaction with his new apprentice, approaching Leo and giving him an encouraging pat on the back. "Well done on your first week, young man. Take some time to rest and enjoy life outside the weaponsmithy. Remember to report back to me in a week."
With those words, Baelin disappeared from sight, leaving Leo to his own devices. Ravid followed suit, accompanying Baelin and already delving into plans for their next project on the raised platform.
The experienced weaponsmiths didn't need an entire week to recharge their mental batteries. Simply discussing the concept of a new weapon at a leisurely pace served as a much-needed respite for them.
'Time is running out. That old hag is about to come out. I... I must act swiftly,' Leo thought to himself as he exited Baelin's weaponsmithy.
