Swathes of information entered Nobu's mind. He could not process it for a while.
The two distinct and fragrant scents present in this room overloaded his mind. Upon the completion of his transformation due to [Mana Furnace], a switch was flipped.
"Kya..?!"
He suddenly jumped into Artemis.
Thud-!
Artemis' body fell on the floor. Meanwhile, Nobu was on top of her.
Their gazes met.
'You…'
She saw the constellations hidden within his eyes. The 48 constellations shifted continuously. Each of them showed a different "emotion".
Suddenly, he brought his face closer to hers. Then, he started sniffing her. He indulged himself in her scent by digging his face into her neck.
"W-what… Stop!"
Hephaestus was quick to react. Artemis is currently downed—speechless, even. She is the only one who could do something right now.
However—
"Um."
Nobu jumped into her embrace. He buried his face into her chest.
"What's happening..?!"
Artemis snapped into her daydreams upon seeing this. Her embarrassed looks could be seen clearly.
"It should have something to do with this."
She pointed out his animal ears and tail.
His fluffy tail swayed in satisfaction. He 'recorded' the two scents as something 'important'.
"It reminds me of spirits." Artemis spoke. "Wait… He mentioned this before. The unsealing of limits… he called it [Mana Furnace]."
Mana Furnace.
It is the transformation of a magician into a higher-order being. They alter their ethereal body (soul) to create something called 'dream organs'. These organs will increase their mana capacity, computation speed, extend their lifespan, and so on. Once made, they will be in a 'dormant' state until released by the magician, hence the pressure whenever it is activated.
(A/N: It is another method of materializing souls just like in Nasuverse. Though, it is a gradual process unlike Heaven's Feel which is an instant.)
Nobu couldn't complete this spell until now. However, those who had done so became stronger.
"His world really is terrifying."
Hephaestus subconsciously patted his head. She is somewhat enjoying this despite her desperate attempts to hide her fluster.
"We should stop him." Artemis' voice turned into a straight tone.
Her eyes dulled slightly. An emotion surged from the depths of her heart. It is part of the unknown she hadn't personally experienced yet.
As if answering her call, Nobu fell unconscious. His animalistic features disappeared into specks of starlight.
"Will you bring him—"
"Yes."
Hephaestus conceded him to Artemis. The latter carried his body with ease in a prince(ss) carry.
"Even Artemis changed." Hephaestus muttered under her breath. "Oh, Hestia. You will be surprised if you descend."
She is unaware that she's changing, too.
*****
"Mn…"
I woke up from a deep sleep. I did not have any dreams today.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
My mind halted.
"Who..?"
My vision cleared. I saw Lady Artemis beside me… in a bed.
What..?
What did..?!
I am sent into a frenzy. Dozens of possibilities popped up. She is still wearing her clothes, so I canceled the most surprising one. Again, I did not drink alcohol or the likes..! What did just...
"Why are you..?"
"I saw it in your eyes." She said. "Your sorrow."
I remember.
When I became a creature and forgot everything, Lady Artemis sought to bring me back. No matter how sinful I was at that point, she still accepted me. However, I did not have a good end.
A question brewed in my mind, but she answered it immediately.
"Gods could see through everything. Our powers are simply sealed in the mortal realm."
She answered my query in advance.
"I would not ask much. Only… let me do something my other self couldn't."
Somehow, Lady Artemis guessed the 'gist' of what happened despite not knowing anything. She held my hand and placed it on her chest. Her blushing look was overwhelmed by her determination—a goddess' indomitable will.
"A-anyways You should get up. Hephaestus is already waiting in her office."
After gently releasing my hand, she swiftly left the room.
"Lady Artemis…"
Complicated emotions brewing in my chest. The memories from the last cheat usage remained in my mind. It will take days before everything returns to normal.
The bitter taste of my ending remained in my mouth. I never expected to be killed despite my vigilance. Not only that, I was also manipulated to do evil things!
There are a few things to consider. For once, that was the most detailed future life I got. I felt every moment of that three years. It is the first time I experienced something like that. It's different from the other iterations. There is something different in this iteration.
The next thing is that I strongly believed in Cassandra-san's prophecy. However, I still went into the dungeon after three weeks. I am not that impatient. Something must've gone wrong with me.
The other thing is my enemies. The ones I killed from Evilus got resurrected by the Demi-Spirits. Valletta Grede and Dix Perdix, a level six and five respectively, led the ambush and killed me. Their preparations and overall strength overwhelmed my own. In the end, I was killed. A spirit core was then implanted into me before I woke up three years later. During that time, the Demi-spirit might have 'erased' my memories and taken deep root in my body.
Enyo…
"Dionysus…"
My fingers dug deep into my palm. My anger towards that dastardly god soared to the heavens. My subconscious reminded me of him due to his "crazy" personality. Yet, I still fell to his schemes.
He is the root of everything. He supported Valletta's plan and instigated her to take action. He is vigilant due to my potential danger, though he wanted to convert me to their side—by transforming me into a creature, that is. It didn't matter if he could control me or not; being an enemy of Orario is the one that matters the most.
His greatest goal of enacting a world-scale orgia—the suffering of the masses—composed of a plan since twelve years ago. Filvis-san, in particular, helped him greatly in that regard.
I recalled my conversations with her.
"I tried to end everything for a week. I failed. He was the one who accepted me. If I met you back then… Never mind."
One week after saving her, Dionysus comforted Filvis who turned into a creature. That was how he got her as his assistant in his crimes. They killed their fellow familia members for the sake of that damnable plan.
"That's why he never let me in… Fucking bastard..!"
I tried to visit her several times this week. But, it ended with someone from Dionysus Familia claiming "Filvis is locked up in her room."
Everything was Dionysus' plan. He waited until she broke enough before offering his salvation. He didn't allow me to meet her since she could regain her will.
During that future, she had been the closest to me since I woke up as a creature. I could remember how she protected me every time I was in danger. I am simply 'childish' to notice that back then.
"It changes this time…"
For now, I need to plan a daytime rendezvous.
*****
"What's this..?!"
"What is it?"
"...It's better to see it yourself."
Hephaestus-sama handed out a paper containing my status.
[Level 2]
Strength: D532 → SS1156
Defense: E420 → SS1028
Dexterity: E474 → S979
Agility: E498 → SS1130
Magic: D570 → S999
Hacker: G
<
[Orionids]
[Memoir Manifest]
<
[Miracle Maker]
[Child of Constellations]
[Proof of Combat (F)] (39% to be upgraded)
"It's a huge shift."
"Hah… Just like your first level up."
That time, I faced a Goliath alone. The high-level excelia gained from it was enough to skyrocket my status.
As for now, it should be due to the two-fold reward from my cheat—the tangible benefits it brought and the histories included in my memories. I did crazy things in the future.
Defeating The Warlord, Ottar.
Continuously fighting Loki Familia.
Diving in the lower floors of the dungeon.
Even if not in full, these achievements is enough to push my status to the sky.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you leveled up next week."
"We shall see."
We then talked about the future I had seen. Now that my potential enemies are far greater, I need reliable allies. I could trust Hephaestus-sama in this regard.
After the small talk, Hephaestus-sama brought up an unexpected topic. Perhaps it is an answer to my plight.
"About Welf… You met him once?"
"That's right."
Welf Crozzo.
He is the sole successor of the Crozzo Bloodline—a lineage famous for making godlike magic swords.
Then again, their magic swords are those with limited uses. The sword will break after two or three uses. Orario views it as something absurd and powerful.
I didn't place much focus on it. It's more of hand grenades than actual magic swords at this rate. Unless they fix that flaw, the devleopment of magic swords will always be for short-term use.
"You might be able to convince him."
"To forge magic swords?"
"Yes." She further added, "Tsubaki tried to persuade him many times, but she failed. Welf… He didn't want to forge magic swords due to his previous affiliation, Rakia."
That kingdom, huh…
I heard Crozzo's magic swords used to be wielded by their soldiers. For the record, they continued waging war against Orario way back in the past. Their god, Ares, is so persistent to conquer this dungeon city.
"I guess he had to deal with some spies now and then."
"You're right."
If I was in Ares' position, I will do everything to retrieve such a valuable asset.
"That Ares… I will beat him up if he ever shows up in my sight."
Rakia's spies brought Hephaestus-sama nothing but trouble. They had to deal with constant kidnapping attempts since Welf arrived in Orario.
"Actually, I already began looking at it."
"What—?"
"I sent him one of my works."
From my understanding, Welf is a kid—childish yet stubborn. He only sees his beliefs as right and disregards the rest. Tsubaki-nee mentioned him several times during our talks.
"No matter what, he views magic swords as somethin' that would be inappropriately used. That, or breaking amid a decisive battle."
Rakia used to be a strong kingdom. However, they lost their battles once the faeries removed the blessings from their swords. The Crozzo Bloodline was cursed, which led to their downfall.
In short, the swords stopped working and they lost their prestige.
"I see."
A goddess' eyes could truly see through mortals.
"I hope he finds his way."
"I will help him do so."
*****
"...Huh."
Welf blankly stared at the ceiling. He dreamed of the fateful night again—the time his former goddess was sent back to heaven while helping him escape.
That was the fuse of his hatred towards Rakia. They wanted nothing but his abilities as a Crozzo.
"We shouldn't have presented it to him."
Regret filled his heart. If not for his childishness—him wanting to be acknowledged by his family—he wouldn't have made his first magic sword and presented it to Ares. He would've been living a normal life with Phobos. He wouldn't have been forced to bear the lineage of Crozzos.
He looked at the sheathed longsword on the table.
Partially removing its sheath, he closely examined its edges.
"That guy's the real deal."
One day, this sword arrived on his doorstep. He doesn't know who sent it nor why it's here. Only, the markings "Sirius" showed the blade's maker.
Sirius is way above his level. The metallurgy, forging, quenching… Everything is top-notch. On the other hand, his sole talent lies in making magic swords—from the falna etched on his back. It is the talent he kept rejecting. The rest of his basic smithing skills are worse than an actual smith in his familia. At best, he could be compared to an apprentice.
Welf placed the sword back in its place.
"My savings are running low… A jagamarukun for breakfast should..."
As he opened the door, a surprise visitor greeted him.
"Who are—?"
"Greetings."
His golden pupils glinted. His black overcoat fluttered while he met gazes with Welf.
"Would you mind breakfast? It's my treat."
"Sirius..?"
The visitor's features were long known to the entirety of Orario. His looks stood out from the rest, after all. His feats were all unforgettable, to boot.
"Why are you here?" Welf asked dubiously. 'He has no reason to be here…'
"I just want to have a small talk with you."
"With me?"
"Yes, Welf Crozzo."
Welf couldn't process this event for a moment. In the end, he did agree with his proposition. Sirius is a rising star in their familia. There's no reason to reject him.
Soon, they arrived at the Benevolent Mistress.
"If it isn't Sirius, nya!"
One of the waitresses recognized Nobu as a frequent patron.
"Good morning, Anya-san." He greeted. "It's the usual breakfast."
"Then—?"
The catgirl waitress looked at Welf.
"Feel free to pick from their menu. My treat."
He flashed a smile towards the confused Welf. The latter was able to choose his order due to this reassurance.
Silence remained between them for some time.
"Why are you… Why do you want to talk with me?"
"It's not a big deal. I want to talk to you in person. Hephaestus-sama mentioned you a lot in our talks."
"She did..?"
"Well, it went something along the lines of 'There's another troublesome child beside you'." Nobu continued, "I'm something of a troublemaker too."
Nobu initiated a light talk as they ate breakfast. From the beginning until the end, everything was a casual topic.
Welf came to realize something as they conversed.
"Are you sent by her… to convince me?"
"Partially, yes. Tsubaki-nee told me how stubborn you are. The same went for Hephaestus-sama."
"If so… My decision wouldn't change."
He loathed magic swords. His ancestors already inappropriately used them once. He wouldn't allow history to repeat itself.
"During dungeon prowling, what do you think is an important aspect of survival?"
Nobu asked a seemingly irrelevant question.
"That is… experience and weapons."
With the former, they will know when to retreat or advance. As for the latter, it could turn the tides of a battle.
"Suppose one of them is lacking. They will die, no?"
"That's right…"
Nobu sipped the rest of the juice in his glass.
"Magic swords are certainly useful in that regard."
"What do you—?"
"It could serve as a trump card when times are dire. It saves lives."
"But it could also ruin lives..!"
Welf's emotions began overflowing. Nevertheless, he kept his voice to a minimum.
"Many people could grab hold of a magic sword and decide to kill and plunder. Their greed will know no bounds!"
Magic swords are extremely powerful. It allows a helpless level one to wield strong power. It could be used to plunder, kill, and do many more atrocious acts. That was how Rakia ended up using them in the first place.
Their atrociousness angered the spirits and took away their blessings. Crozzo's magic swords claimed many lives and ruined nature itself.
"What about the heroes?"
"What..?"
"What would happen to the heroes? To the adventurers who held a righteous disposition? To the heroes who saved many lives? Without a sufficient weapon, they will die."
"...In the end, magic swords would only betray them."
Welf is aware that magic swords are limited in durability. It could suddenly break during the fight, unlike traditional swords. That is another reason why he didn't want to forge magic swords—
They betray the trust of their wielder.
"I see." Nobu nodded. "You have your reasons."
He noticed how Welf had a reason for both sides. If it is used by evil, it would last long enough to commit atrocious crimes. If used by good, it would suddenly break down and cause their deaths.
However…
"That's extremely narrow of you, Welf-san."
"Huh..?!"
"You simply didn't want to forge magic swords. You make up reasons for many possibilities. Then, what if a magic sword is used by a hero? What if it never broke down and fulfilled the trust of its wielder?"
Everything makes a full circle. The moral dilemma Welf found himself in could easily be solved from an objective perspective. Once they open up new possibilities, it is easily solved.
"Have you ever thought that the current magic swords are faulty?"
"..?!"
"You must've had a look at my creation."
Welf recalled the testing he completed on the longsword. Unlike other magic swords, it never broke. It didn't utilize Orario's system of using the sword as the core of magic. That system relies on the inlaid mind of the smith.
That's why magic swords easily broke after several usages.
On the other hand, Nobu's magic swords use the wielder's mind as the magic's core. The magic sword merely serves as a medium—a pseudo wand—that enables magic-less people to use magic.
"If the sword grew along its user… That solves your question, no?"
"...That's right."
The issue of magic swords betraying the user's trust was cast aside.
"Even so… If it lands into the wrong hands…"
"That could be solved by different methods. For once, you can require a copy of their adventurer registry to buy. You can put a distinct mark on your products to track them and prevent reselling."
Nobu began introducing a solution to his other dilemma. Upon hearing them, Welf's mind began to clear up.
"Lastly… Do not forget that good people will use your crafts. That balances everything out."
"..!"
Welf is simply trapped in his misconceptions. He never considered others' perspectives regarding his talents. He kept dismissing Tsubaki while thinking something alone the lines of ' You never know anything about me.'
How unsettling would it be to see a talented person wasting his god-given gifts? That's what Tsubaki felt when she saw Welf letting his talent rot; and also why she is happy to assist someone like Nobu who actively developed it.
Welf never thought of the good people who will use his crafts. Just as there are evil people who could use it, there are also people who will be willing to help others in dire need.
"...Thank you, Sirius."
A huge boulder was lifted from Welf. He felt lighter than ever—his passion to forge was set ablaze once more. The dilemma he thought was nothing in the face of the 200-year-old boy.
This might only be the start, but a small spark is enough to set a large flame.
"If it was you… what would you do against the evil person who uses your sword?"
Welf posited his last doubts. He is now more curious than anything about the person who resolved his inner dilemma.
"I will personally deal with them."
Sensing Nobu's 'bloodlust' hidden in his eyes, Welf knew there will be a cruel fate to those who ever does exactly that.
*****
A/N: If anyone's curious, Cassandra's fate was to be 'never believed'. Everyone would dismiss her prophetic dreams as merely dreams. Bell Cranell wsa the only one who believed in her. It is perhaps due to his [Liaris Freese] that shielded him from external influences (Freya's charm for example).