Landing with iron grace in the ruined floor of the Sage ancient chamber, Zyro looks forward to the old mage. Like before, his clothes ravaged by time, with disheveled white hairs and tranquil eyes of a wise man who has seen countless things.
Even now, when faced by the Fallen Knight sudden arrival after going missing for a couple of weeks. Depter remains composed, as if expecting his visit. It's reasonable, after all, Depter was a masterful mage that could cast an observation spell that let him see outside. Furthermore, Zyro climbing down here product sound, which probably announce his coming.
Although, the sage greeted him with calmness. There's a deep frown on his face, indicating his wonder and worries. However, what fazed Zyro was the air Depter is exerting at the moment. It gave him the feel of someone who's prepared for combat.
And along with it, the intimidating will of a superior being.
Zyro felt Depter's serious demeanor for the first time, and deemed it the most suffocating presence he had experienced since coming to this world. Meaning, the sealed sage is the most powerful creature he encountered. His exact Mark, unknown. But Zyro guessed it really high.
Taking a deep breath, Zyro composed himself and said. His face was masked by the iron helmet, his voice sounded electronically modified. He never dared face the sage with his true appearance for safety reasons, even now.
"No time no see."
Depter frowned, then questioned with a hint of doubt.
"Your... Still sane?"
The last time they talk, Zyro asked about soul cores. Which unfortunately, the knight accidentally consumed one. Depter had seen many similar cases through his life, and all those who devour soul core willingly or not didn't have a good ending. So, after weeks had past, the dark knight came again. Whether his sanity remains intact after all this time, under the pressure of the monster corrupted core within him, or having already succumbed to defilement, turning his mind feral. Depter guessed the latter. Not many could resist soul core's maddening effect, after all. Hence, Depter prepared himself to kill a mad visitor. That's why he had such an oppressive aura just now.
But to his delight, the mysterious knight seemed fine. Although, he finds it strange for the young man to endure this long. Then again, Zyro could bypass the seal and meet him anytime was strange, too.
Depter simply thought of Zyro as an odd individual.
Zyro replied with a clear head, purposely expressing his mind clarity at the moment. It wouldn't be favorable if the old sage continued misunderstanding his state of mind.
"I guess so, but I've long considered myself a bit mad."
That response, was normal enough to consider Zyro's mental state fine. Depter hoarsely laughed, glad his friend wasn't done yet.
"Haha, extraordinary individuals are all mad, after all. For someone who's always donning a unique black armor. Surely, your not a normal knight. So, what brings you here after so long? Do you have any idea how starved I was?!"
Zyro was relieved, before flatly replying to the old man casual talk.
"No, as for why I came here... I think my sanity is fading."
Depter's joy suddenly disappeared, replaced by gloomy silence for a moment. After a while, he sighed in disappointment.
Not to Zyro, but to the cause of it all.
"That's how it is lad, no one ever survived the curse of soul cores. It's either death or become a beast."
The solemn sadness in the ancient sage voice was sincere.
Acting as if his dealing with his raging emotion inside, Zyro stayed quiet for a while. before saying.
"I have a favor to ask."
Depter smiled.
"I wont take back my words. I don't mind doing you a favor for free no matter how troublesome it might be. However, you're well aware of my pitiful state, so my capabilities are limited. My hands are tied."
Of course, he hadn't forgotten his promise to do Zyro a favor when the time comes. This so called favor was earned by Zyro by taking advantage of the misunderstanding regarding his mind well-being after unintentionally consuming a monster soul core.
The sage had been heartbroken back then, after discovering the knight mistake. Although, in reality, Zyro otherworldly soul remain safe, Depter thought otherwise. For the sealed sage, the dark knight was precious. Because his the only visitor Depter received after all this lonesome years of isolation. But alas, farewell was inevitable.
However, before that. Depter doesn't mind doing him a favor. That's why he agreed to the knight one sided deal, which demanded him to owe Zyro a favor.
Truthfully speaking, back then, Zyro simply do it in a whim. Whether it'll be useful or not in the future, he didn't know. But now, it's time to serve some purpose.
"That's fine, I've told you before about my oath to fulfill an arduous mission. But with my worsening condition, I doubt I'll do much for that promise."
Depter lips twitched a little, as if realizing where this is going.
"Surely, your not expecting me to fulfill that goal on your behalf?"
Zyro quickly cleared the misunderstanding.
"It's nothing like that, I just want you to utilize your magic to create something for me. It's not impossible, right?"
The sage heaved a sigh of relief silently. Them raise an eyebrow.
"Yes, it's doable. But that depends on what type of item you want me to create with what little resources available."
Hearing this, Zyro was secretly delighted. He decisively handed over a bag as he said.
"Don't worry, I've already covered everything needed. The blueprint, materials and some food I cooked earlier to show my gratitude."
The sack contains Zyro's efforts throughout his journey from Log Wall. Along the way, other than cooking for Pert and Scarlet, he had been meticulously drawing a certain blueprint in leafs daily. After many ripped drafts, he finally finished some days ago.
As for what it's for... All of this was done for the sake of reproducing one of humanity's most destructive invention that claim countless lives.
Gun.
Fooling others were second nature to Zyro, he doesn't particularly liked it. It's just that he needed to in order to survive. Eventually, Zyro had done it more than he could count, and grown accustomed to it.
Exploiting the sage misunderstood pity towards him. Zyro keep the act going to imply his request. He didn't actually needed to go as far as to pretend for Depter to aid him. After all, the old man had nothing to do with his life in imprisonment. So, whatever Zyro's request had high chances of receiving positive response. However, by adding dramatic act as support for his request. Depter earnest approval are certain.
And indeed, Depter immediately agreed to aid Zyro's strange task for him after all that shenanigans.
Depter received the bag gladly, then searched its contents.
There are some random iron pieces, which Zyro got from the hunters possessions.
Depter inquired.
"What is these for?"
He simply replied.
"Materials"
The old mage shrugged and resumed his search. Thinking nothing much of it, he simply assume the dark knight request regarded something made of iron. His interest was mostly directed at the grilled meats inside the bag, but he later started having second thoughts the moment he saw the so-called blueprint. The sealed sage found himself studying an intricate art drawn leafs by thin lines of black charcoal with a blank expression. The blueprint composed of second and third dimensional arts, with numerical labes everywhere, representing the structures exact measurements. And there are numerous individual parts drawn on each leaf with varying shapes and sizes.
After a while, Depter touched his forehead in dismay. His clearly troubled.
He thought he would be creating a simple iron item, such as dagger, sword, necklace, charm and so on. But this! Although the instructions are understandable, to clear and specific infact. Depter wished he couldn't comprehend it.
He could already imagine how troublesome the task is. Still, he won't back down.
Zyro's demand was simple, at the same time, complicated. He wanted Depter to use magic to create numerous metal parts with the sufficient supplies he brought and well drawn structure of his desired products.
Nothing more.
Complicated...
As his old eyes analyze the leafs content, Depter frown constantly deepened.
"Hmmm... This is. Hard, even for me. Although, I could use heat and force based spells that's greatly required to accomplishing this task. However, the shape and sizes of what you want me to create are too complex." Said Depter while looking at the professionally drawn blueprint, there's nothing wrong with it, in fact, the information it imply was clear. The intersecting lines were straight and detailed, with numbers of the specific width, hight and quantity.
Hearing the Mage honest opinion, Zyro's mood fallen.
"So, you can't do it? I guess I..."
Depter abruptly stop him before he could deliver a crestfallen speech aimed at the Sage guilt.
"I didn't say that, I can. But it will take me some time. Besides, this is a perfect chance to hone my rusted skills in controlling."
Depter then throw a questioning look on the dark knight before him.
"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is the use of this small random scraps to your goal. I mean..." Depter gaze return to the architectural drawings. "This things are just fancy metal parts, in my judgement. I can't see it's value, even as a tool."
It's understandable, what Zyro want are too bizarre on Depter view. However, if he had known what guns is, he'll have the idea. But he don't, so as the entirety of this magical world.
Earth had no language of Gods, therefore, no sorcery to bend nature to their will. So, they had no choice but to create their needs by utilizing what's available. Eventually inventing myriads of items using Earth resources. This world society, however, was not that advance. The presence of magic misdirect their progress, added, they're still at the early stage of development. Hence, weapons such as guns were not yet known.
Until a particular lost space wanderer arrives in this world, and manipulates an old man into making one...
'What? Can you blame me?'
Well, no. The ancient sage in Zyro's story was a disappointment. Because Depter won't and can't generously bestow miraculous power to ease his adventures. Aside from the Broken Sword, which Depter gave to Zyro, thinking it had no worth. But actually possess hidden quality of invisibility. The sealed sage had no more to offer, except healing services and important knowledge.
And Zyro is grateful for Depter's help, but also greedy. What's the point of having exclusive entrance to meet the ancient sage, if he won't make full use of it?
So, Zyro decided to literally make the old mage this world first ever gun factory. Of course, firearms are hard to manufacture without machines. Specially if all you have is a bored magical old man.
Fortunately, it's still possible. By searching through Aizra's database with the idea of creating one, he found ancient gun blueprints. Although, old versions were lesser quality and inefficient unlike the latest improved models. Still, what's good about ancient guns is that, they're simple enough to be made by Depter.
On their idle chatters, Zyro often ask about magic. Which the mage are more than happy to tell how wonderful his sorcery are. That's when Zyro came to known that Depter capability on molding metals by using heat and force spells. Depter ability in that aspect are limited, but enough to shape small metals.
Armed with all that knowledge, Zyro planned to bring his idea into existence. Aided by Aizra, he meticulously penned the revolver blueprint in his free time to serve as Depter guide in order to properly create the revolver parts.
Just the thought of owning one in his ventures excite him.
Zyro grinned behind the helmet before replying on the factory, I mean, Depter question.
He sigh through the metal visor, his voice cold and determined. Covering his lie with deceitful disguise.
"My apologize, I can't tell you, even if I wanted to. Because doing so will break my oath."
Depter gently shook his head in understanding. His tone earnest.
"No, I understand. Forget I asked."
After spouting more false honorary words about his final conquest to fulfill his grand oath. Zyro chat with the old mage a little longer, before bidding farewell.
Maybe the last, in Depter's mind.
"I knew this day will come when I had to say goodbye to another person. But I never expected it to came so soon for you. Perhaps this is our last meeting, however, I believe you'll last long before the monster soul fully corrupted your mind. That's why you better come back to retrieve this items. I'll finish it as soon as possible."
'I'm really getting tired of this. Maybe I should be honest to him, I feel bad seeing the poor guy muon for the healthy me.'
Although, his starting to taste the bitter flavor of guilt. His rationality quickly win over, making him spout another pretentious words.
Turning back, Zyro put on a gloomy act of a tragic warrior who'll sooner or later meet his inevitable end. But refuse to yield under pressure.
His voice defiant as he said this words, coldly expressing utter firmness and unwavering will.
"No, I won't let some wild beast drove me mad or soiled my soul... Because until the end, I shall persist. You have my word."