Chapter 210: SFDI: Chapter 210
"Preparations Before Departure" Although Drake was eager to witness firsthand the devastating power of the original hero’s spirit attack, Be
"Preparations Before Departure"
Although Drake was eager to witness firsthand the devastating power of the original hero’s spirit attack, Bell, thankfully, remained level-headed and chose not to heed Drake’s impulsive suggestion.
While the true extent of the spirit’s power remained unknown, the location was Drake’s workshop, and any potential problems would ultimately fall upon Drake himself.
Drake, too, regained his composure and decided to temporarily shelve this tempting idea.
Wait a minute... Has that Sanjouno Haruhime girl somehow rubbed off on me? Why would I even have such a reckless thought?
Drake shivered, immediately engaging in some serious self-reflection.
Welf took the Spirit Banner from Bell, examining it closely. "Drake, you’ve created something incredible again! This isn’t something you intend to sell, is it?"
It was undeniable that Welf had also matured significantly. Initially, he hadn’t given much thought to the concept of cost-effectiveness when crafting equipment, but now he was able to perceive Drake’s intentions.
The sheer extravagance of the materials used in the creation of the Spirit Banner was truly astounding. The flagpole itself was crafted entirely from pure orichalcum, without any other materials added.
The cost of the materials alone was far beyond what the average adventurer could ever afford.
However, Drake had no other choice; the materials he had used were the result of careful consideration and selection.
Compared to other types of rituals, summoning rituals had fewer restrictions. They didn’t require any special materials, nor were there any particularly strict activation limitations.
The most crucial factor was the summoning medium, namely, the user themselves.
However, in order to successfully integrate the ritual into a piece of equipment, the materials used had to possess sufficient strength and durability.
Orichalcum, it should be noted, was not a naturally occurring material; it was the product of human ingenuity and knowledge.
The ingots of this metal contained the unwavering will of mortals, which was the reason for its "unbreakable" properties, and it was also this very quality that gave it the ability to communicate with the spirits of human heroes and serve as the foundation for the summoning ritual.
In addition to the hide of the strong dragon Cadmus, Drake had also incorporated a large quantity of sprite-woven cloth into the banner itself.
The presence of this magical artifact, imbued with the power of a "divine fragment," allowed the Spirit Banner to communicate with souls residing within the divine realm and grant them the magical power to unleash their attacks.
This piece of equipment transcended the usual definition of a top-tier item in Orario; even an exorbitant price would still be considered justifiable.
However, the Spirit Banner was also incredibly selective in its choice of wielder; not just anyone could summon a spirit. Furthermore, the identity of the spirit that responded to the summoning was also uncertain, and this alone was a factor that many adventurers would find unacceptable.
Drake had no intention of selling the Spirit Banner. In addition to serving as a means of honing his own skills, this piece of equipment was also created as preparation for future battles.
The incident with the Ishtar Familia had served as a stark reminder to Drake that some problems were best addressed as early as possible.
Drake had not forgotten that, in addition to the Ishtar Familia, Dionysus was also keeping a close watch on him.
Drake’s ambition was to create magical tools capable of preserving souls and even resurrecting the dead, and to achieve this, he would need to level up his [Mystery] skill once more.
However, leveling up an ability was always an incredibly difficult task, requiring years of painstaking research and development.
Although the adjustment to the flow of time between different worlds had been made possible by the upgrade of the world magic, Drake was unwilling to gamble Igneel’s life on his ability to succeed.
This was not a matter of self-doubt; it was simply that Drake was utterly unwilling to risk any unforeseen complications in this endeavor.
Since he was unwilling to rely on the passage of time, Drake had no choice but to explore alternative methods. The experience required to level up the [Mystery] skill could, in simple terms, be described as knowledge.
[Mystery] was the ability to perform the miracles of the gods, and knowledge was the path by which humanity could approach the divine.
If the knowledge available in this world proved insufficient, then he would simply seek it out in other worlds.
Drake had made his decision: after resolving the matter with Enyo, he would set off for other worlds.
Therefore, Drake needed to make the necessary arrangements for his affairs in this world.
"You’ve arrived at just the right time," Drake announced, "I’ll be leaving Orario for a while soon. I’m leaving my workshop in your care, Welf.
Of course, I wouldn’t expect you to work for free. I’ve prepared some gifts for all of you."
With that, Drake pulled a large crate from beneath the workbench and opened it before the three of them.
The crate was quite large, but it only contained three items.
Drake took one of the items, a pair of armguards, and handed it to Welf. "Welf, you’re a blacksmith yourself, so I won’t give you anything ordinary. These are special pieces of equipment I’ve created.
These armguards are called the ’Protective Bracers.’ Simply by opening your palm, you can create a magical barrier. Your fighting style is rather reckless, so I hope this will help protect you."
Welf accepted the armguards without speaking.
Drake then took another peculiar item from the crate and placed it in Lili’s hands.
"This is for you, Lili. You’re the support member of your team, so I’ve crafted this piece of equipment for you. It’s called... the ’Reasoner.’"
What Drake placed in Lili’s hands was, surprisingly, a rifle.
Drake explained, "This is a special piece of equipment that uses an internal magic circle to fire projectiles. Even ordinary metal bullets will possess considerable power upon being fired.
If you use specially crafted bullets, they will have power comparable to magic swords. Of course, the cost is far more reasonable than magic swords.
I’ll give you the instructions later. The appendix contains blueprints for the special bullets. I’ve included a small supply of bullets, but once you run out, you can easily have more made by any adventurer with [Goldsmithing] skills."
Lili lovingly caressed the equipment, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Such a precious piece of equipment... Lili doesn’t know how to accept something so valuable!"
Welf scoffed. "If you’re so embarrassed, then give it back to Drake!"
Lili stepped on Welf’s foot. "Mind your own business!"
Then, turning to Drake, Lili asked, "By the way, Drake-sama, what does the name ’Reasoner’ mean?"
Drake stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The meaning... is that with the barrel pressed against someone’s head, they’ll listen to your reasoning."
Lili’s eyes widened, and a strange smile spread across her face as she looked at Welf.
"Hey! Lili, what are you thinking? That’s dangerous, don’t be silly!"
As the two of them began to playfully bicker once more, Drake turned his attention to Bell.
"And this is for you, Bell."
Drake handed Bell a white cloak. "Bell, you’re the most troublesome of the bunch. The path you’ve chosen is fraught with danger, and you’re destined to accumulate countless scars along the way.
Therefore, I’ve prepared this ’Healing Robe’ for you. Simply by wrapping yourself in this cloak, it will heal your wounds, remove curses, and neutralize poisons. I hope it will be of assistance to you."
The Healing Robe was based on the magic of the 〈Battlefield Saint〉. One of Orario’s Three Cheats, alongside Sanjouno Haruhime, Amide possessed similarly overpowered abilities.
The spell "Dia Fratell" was Orario’s most powerful healing magic, capable of healing wounds, restoring stamina, removing poisons, and dispelling curses.
Furthermore, Amide could separate the healing, detoxification, and curse-dispelling effects and apply them to multiple people simultaneously, with lasting effects.
In other words, as long as Amide was present on the battlefield, it would be virtually impossible for her allies to die. This was the reason why the gods had bestowed upon her the title of 〈Battlefield Saint〉.
To recreate this magic as an item, Drake had made a special visit to Amide, obtaining the incantation for "Dia Fratell."
This had cost Drake half his savings.
Even so, recreating the Battlefield Saint’s magic as an item was no easy feat.
For the Healing Robe, Drake had used all his remaining stock of unicorn horns, mermaid blood, and Cadmus spring water from the deepest levels of the dungeon—incredibly rare and valuable materials.
Even if Bell didn’t know the effort Drake had put into these three pieces of equipment, he could sense their value.
"Drake-san, these pieces of equipment are far too valuable. We can’t possibly accept them!"
Drake shook his head. "Bell, you are among the few true friends I have made in this world. These items are merely the fruits of my research; they serve no further purpose to me.
Rather than letting them gather dust in my warehouse, I would prefer that they accompany you on your adventures."
With Drake having spoken so plainly, Bell could no longer refuse. "Drake-san," he declared, "We will not disappoint your expectations!"
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