Chapter 458: D168. Beyond the Clouds_4
The boss pulled out a letter from the pile and gently unfolded it toward the two Heroes.
“So, after he dropped out of the academy, when he said he wanted to try forging ‘Clouds,’ I did not stop his Travel.”
Both the Hero and the Fourteenth Princess leaned in curiously to read the fading and blurring script.
‘Dad, I’ve found the ideal place. According to my calculations when the timing is right, it’ll become the perfect place that meets all conditions.’
‘In the Ancient Method of Forging, environmental conditions are one of the biggest factors affecting the forged product. The Moonlight Blade forged under a pure white full moon, the Frostbound Tower Shield crafted at the Top of the Snow Mountain… these renowned Equipments all demonstrated performance that transcended the limits of the materials.’
‘Every Forging Master, even by process of elimination, can understand that such changes are only due to the unique Magic Elements in the surroundings. The effect of the forging materials themselves is secondary; what’s important is whether these materials can maximize the absorption of these unique Magic Elements.’
‘Moonlight, sunlight, cold winds, lava… and hurricanes, thunder, torrential rain, snow and ice…’
‘I cannot touch light, nor can I capture wind—these intangible and insubstantial things are beyond my grasp.’
‘But what about Clouds? What about clouds that encompass wind, thunder, rain, and snow, and contain immense energy?’
‘With the Ritual Effects my friends and I have researched, perhaps we can manage to constrain the Clouds and create a Weapon that has never been seen before.’
‘I’m about to head to [ ], where I’ll conduct the first and possibly last experiment.’
1. Hurricane Peak
2. Abyssal Void
3. Floating Mountain Range
4. 1
5. 2
6. 3
7. Starwind Sea
8. Whistling Valley
9. Immovable Heaven
10. Critical Success/Extreme Failure♛
D10=d10(10)=10
D2=d2(2)=2
“Haha, wish me luck, Dad.”
Seeing the places mentioned in the letter, the Hero blinked in puzzlement.
And the Fourteenth Princess slightly furrowed her brow.
“To be honest, I’m not quite certain what this place is, though I tried searching literature and posting requests at the Adventurer Guild after my son went missing. Despite increasing the reward again and again, there have been no results.”
The boss sighed.
“But actually, both he and I were somewhat mentally prepared. In the history of Ancient Method Forging, Master Level Forging Masters have not been few who have perished by Elemental uproar and other accidents due to their mistakes, causing great destruction to their surroundings.”
Stroking the slightly damaged surface of the envelope, he gently closed his eyelids.
Precisely because of the great risks and uncertainties involved, the Ancient Method of Forging has gradually declined.
“So as time went by, I too gradually lost hope. There’s no doubt my son was a genius, possessing a Talent that could pursue dreams beyond the reach of the average person, but not every genius achieves success—more may fall on the road to chasing their dreams.
“The path untraveled by predecessors is always perilous. In this world, not having Talent and living a simple life is sometimes not such a bad thing…”
The boss fell silent for a moment and let out a bitter smile.
“I apologize, I’ve said too much. These thoughts have been bottled up inside me for so long, I never expected to pour them out like this, I really am sorry.
“As an apology, I have some design diagrams and draft theories of forging left by my son. If the Fourteenth Princess needs them…”
A glimmer of hope appeared in the boss’s eyes.
Although he was proud of his son’s learning, in truth his son was only an ordinary dropout; these unrecognized designs and theories were something this ordinary shopkeeper was neither able to realize nor able to promote.
But now with the living billboard of the Hero and the endorsement of the Fourteenth Princess, perhaps these dusty materials would receive the attention they deserved.
“Don’t worry, I will pass them on to the Count Mansion,” said the Fourteenth Princess, not wanting to reveal the boss’s thoughts. She just smiled and nodded, taking the materials seriously with both hands.
“And about the whereabouts of that Forging Master, I will have someone keep an eye out too.”
The Hero nodded.
However, the boss did not seem overly excited; he simply bowed gratefully to the two of them.
The Enchanted Claw had been in the shop window for a long time, and over this period, be it rationality or emotion, he had come to accept that worst possibility.
It was not until the Hero reclaimed the Finger Claw and he and the Fourteenth Princess left that the father showed a somewhat sad expression, carefully unfolding letter after letter, reading those words he had already looked at countless times.
[Extreme Failure at the location! Proceed to modify the corresponding options]
1. Hurricane Peak
2. Abyssal Void
3. Floating Mountain Range♛
4. 1
5. 2
6. 3
7. Starwind Sea
8. Whistling Valley
9. Immovable Heaven
10. Critical Success/Extreme Failure
D10=d10(6)=6
[Next Stop]
1-3. Church
4-6. Healer Association
7-9. Barracks♛
10. Critical Success/Extreme Failure
D10=d10(8)=8