Vol. 9 - Chapter 445 - Hannah, a transcendent among the populace!

“Fuu, the job’s complete with this, eh. Look at this sword, Zephyr onii-san, isn’t this treasure a fancy one?”

“Hmm? A ‹Ripple Dagger› huh. oh, the ATK attribute is quite higher compared to the same from drops. It’s honestly amazing.”

“I know right~.”

I looked at the ‹Ripple Dagger›—fashioned after water current style, hence the name—through the ‹Appraisal› item ‹Let Me Know-kun› that Hannah and Alulu showed me with a hint of pride. Its status was quite high compared to its similar counterpart. No short of wonderful work to say the least.

The produced item typically has a higher status than normal products, which fluctuates depending on the producer’s skill. Of course, incompetency might also result in a worse item compared to its drop counterpart. This dagger was a huge success.

Wait, I guess we fast-forwarded a bit too much? Anyway, apparently Hannah and Alulu were working on ‹Ripple Dagger› when we found them in the ‹Arc-Arcadia› guild production room following Maria’s request to get a tab on the production situation.

As we quietly watched them, they hammered the red lump of metal, pushed it into the hearth, used skill and repeated the process. Occasionally, it would ring a ca-ching! kind of sound. I think it lasted for, like, 20 minutes? I could tell they were forging…but only till halfway and afterward their course of action took such a bizarre turn that not even I could tell what they were doing at the end.

I heard about it later, but this was where Alulu usually worked. Originally it was a simple room, but was later remodeled with addition of hearth, anvil and other forging items. Apparently, Hannah also joined once in a while to forge ‹Ripple Dagger›—it was originally a rare drop from ‹Silver Chest› in Int-mid.

Well, ‹Silver Chest› items seemed to be her limit as of now. She was already doing fantastic work already in my opinion.

Anyway, one of Alulu’s job was to produce equipment for ‹Eden› and ‹Arc-Arcadia› or for sell. It makes sense why she would be here…but why the heck even Hannah was ‘forging’? Nope. Not a single clue I could get.

“But that skill. Hot damn, Hannah’s really no different from pros. Felt like changing lines to forging?” (Alulu)

“Huh? No, no. my forte is alchemy, so forging is a bit out of line…”

“Aww, you’re putting your leg on a different shoe! I can bet on my hammer that you have a talent that can surpass me easily—heck, even better than dwarves as whole if you start forging, you know!?”

“I-I’m honestly happy with the praise, but alchemy was something Zephyr-kun taught me with his heart.”

“Uff, the bad luck .......so that’s the case...... It’s a pity then, truly the loss of a rising blacksmith. It’s not harm in trying, so give me a call if you feel like forging.”

“Err, alright. Thank you?”

It seemed like something had led to Alulu’s excitement meter being at its highest limit ever. Oh wait, that’s not it. I mean—what in tarnation, poaching our alchemist right under my nose? Not in my watch!

“That’s enough, Alulu. Hannah is mine. Remember it.”

“M-Mine!?”

“Ugh, of course I know better than to turn back on Zephyr onii-san.”

Hannah froze from astonishment. No, what are you acting surprised for? Isn’t it obvious? I was the one who recognised Hannah’s talent before anyone. Like hell I would pass her to anyone!

Ahem, anyway obvious aside, I was in the dark as to what led to this situation. I mean why would Alulu be trying to bring Hannah on forging?

“Fill me in about the situation. Why is Hannah even forging?”

“Fumu, I was just waiting for you to ask that, Zephyr onii-san! Grab on your seat as you will be startled! Hannah, she’s a one-of-a-kind talent. And I don’t mean Alchemy. It’s hammering! She’s super good at hammering metal. So talented that I don’t think even anyone from dwarves could match her. Surprised, right? Ahahaha!”

“Ohh~.”

I think I got all my answers. Though, it was apparently not the end of her fervent speech.

“You know. I have everything from skill’s blessing to guidance of our folk and even the job itself for forging. But Hannah…her hammering sense is truly exquisite. Incomparable!”

What, Hannah has finally transcended even the skills!? It was news to me that her hammering sense has reached expert level. No, please let me hope it’s just due to the level difference. I mean, Hannah’s DEX has crossed 400 right now, it’s plausible. Yeah, it should be it.

“The scene of that day is still seared into memory. The sublimeness with which Hannah swung her mace was so immaculate! I bet on my hammer, this must be what receiving an inspiration should be like! I had requested Hannah to hammer in turn so that I could see that moment of miracle from up close!”

Ah, yup. I understand now. So everything basically boils down to her arm skills. Truly a wonder, right? I mean, where did her talent come from? Surely, there has to be some deep mystery how hammering skill and Hannah had their fate intersect. Of course, I know better than other to open that Pandora box.

“This ‹Ripple Dagger› is the exact proof of her skill! Try appraising this and this, Zephyr onii-san. This ‹Ripple Dagger› was forged by myself alone.”

“Oh, sure so.”

Alulu pushed two ‹Ripple Dagger› toward me. Alright, ‹Let Me Know-kun›. Your turn.

―――――――――――

‹Ripple Dagger› (Alulu Ver.)

‹ATK 65› ‹Water Attribute Attack UP (10%)›

‹Rippling Mach Slash LV3› ‹Frost Slash LV3›

―――――――――――

―――――――――――

‹Ripple Dagger› (Collaborative Ver.)

‹ATK 70› ‹Water Attribute Attack UP (15%)›

‹Rippling Mach Slash LV3› ‹Frost Slash LV3›

―――――――――――

The attack and element value was clearly higher in the later model. Honestly, it was comparable to ‹Gold Chest› drop from Int-mid already. I honestly don't have words to describe how much I was surprised.

I knew that ‹Blacksmith› jobs have ‹Synchro Turn› skill among their catalogs of skills. As far as I know, the ‹Synchro Turn› was a skill where ‹Blacksmith› job holders, up to four, could work on the same equipment simultaneously, and the final product was typically a power-up version of the original—the resultant attack and skill depending on their status.

It was typically used when creating a very strong or intricate equipment, which not only gave a rise in ability but even up the success rate. This, too, depends on the abilities of ‹Blacksmith› of course. It might fumble something too so it’s not something that could be used at whim.

Anyway, Alulu seemed to have used the same skill here. Well, it was her job so she knows best. But what I wanted to know was how the heck could a non-blacksmith job holder affect forging results.

Just what kind of sorcery was this? Heck, you wouldn’t even be able to participate in forging without ‹Synchro Turn› skill in the game.

I hope I was not putting a flag but this means equipment could be upgraded—regardless of the final outcome— even without skill like ‹Synchro Turn›. If it is true… if it was true…… Hmm, wait, come after that? I mean it was possible to gather four ‹Blacksmith› as well, but……Argh, whatever. It’s for the distant future.

For now, I think this was effectively the brand new possibility about ‹Dungeon Activity›! A door to a never seen or heard path!

As for this dagger, it was going to be Karua’s primary weapon.