"A dwarf?" Atlas murmured, still processing the towering figure before him.
Baldric let out a hearty laugh, clearly understanding the unspoken question.
"Ha ha ha! My Lord, is this your first time meeting a dwarf?"
"Actually, yes," Atlas admitted.
"Well, I'm guessing it's also the first time anyone's seen a dwarf as large as me, eh? Ha ha!"
"You've definitely claimed the title of 'largest'—at least until Milo transforms into his rage form," Atlas said with a smirk.
"Oh, a giant here? Sounds like I've got myself an arm-wrestling partner already. Ha ha ha!"
"Not a giant, just a wandering magician," Atlas corrected with a smirk.
The dwarf turned to address the crowd, giving a slight bow as he scanned the group.
"Hello, everyone!" he called out before his gaze shifted to the Elite Subordinates. "Ah, I see a lot of capable individuals here. Hahaha, very good!"
He strode toward the troops, his eyes landing on Garen, who sat near the front. Baldric's expression grew serious as he examined the soldiers' equipment.
"Well now," he said. "I see they're still wearing armor in… less-than-ideal condition. I'll start working to upgrade everyone's defense and attack capabilities."
He turned back to Atlas with a grin. "That is, of course, if the materials are ready, My Lord."
"We have some materials," Atlas replied, "but I'm not sure if it'll be enough for you. We'll have to either buy more or mine for them."
"If we can locate a volcanic island, I think most of what we need can be sourced from there."
Atlas nodded. "We've got a favorite island we visit often for hunting and training. Hopefully, that'll cover it."
"Ha ha ha! Perfect. I love it!" Baldric exclaimed, clapping his massive hands together. "I'll work my ass off to upgrade everyone! I'll forge the sturdiest armor and the most devastating weapons you've ever seen!"
Baldric's booming laughter filled the air as he mingled effortlessly with the others, his hearty energy making him seem like he'd been part of the group for years.
"Oh, this armor is impressive! Did you slaughter a dragon to get this scale material?" Baldric asked, gesturing toward Karian's armor set.
"Yes," Karian replied. "I decapitated a fire dragon and ate its eye. But the best part of the dragon isn't its eyes—it's… well… you know, that part from the reproductive area."
"Whoa! Ha ha ha! You've got some refined taste, my friend!" Baldric roared, clearly amused.
Atlas sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose at the unexpected turn in conversation.
Still, he couldn't deny this pull was an absolute jackpot. While he'd been hoping for a mage, getting a capable blacksmith—one as energetic and skilled as Baldric—was a rare stroke of luck.
Curious about his full potential, Atlas brought up Baldric's status screen to inspect his abilities.
[Name: Baldric Moltenbeard]
[Level: 52]
[Strength: 290 | Agility: 67 | Intelligence: 49 | Constitution: 99 | Stamina: 121]
[Job: Craftsman]
Atlas' eyes immediately caught at his massive Strength stat—perfectly fitting for a blacksmith. The talents listed alongside it were equally impressive, all tailored to enhance his craftsmanship and combat utility.
[Runeforge Mastery (A) - Eternal Flame Bond (SS) - Molten Resilience (A) - Overheat Surge (B) - Inspirational Craftsman (B) - Braided Flame Glow (B) - Living Anvil (A)]
[Runeforge Mastery: Grants the ability to inscribe powerful runes onto equipment, imbuing them with elemental properties.]
[Eternal Flame Bond: The flames of the forge never extinguish and can be summoned as a fragment to aid in battle or crafting.]
His gaze lingered on one talent in particular: Eternal Flame Bond.
"Interesting… Could this be tied to some kind of unique power source? Is that why his form is so massive?"
[Molten Resilience: Naturally absorbs heat, providing immunity to fire damage and allowing the body to temporarily harden like molten rock.]
[Overheat Surge: Enhances speed and strength temporarily when in close proximity to intense heat sources.]
[Inspirational Craftsman: Stories of legendary craftsmanship boost morale and inspire allies to greater effort and determination.]
[Braided Flame Glow: The braided beard glows brighter as anger intensifies, reflecting heightened emotional states.]
[Living Anvil : Exceptional resistance to blunt force makes it incredibly difficult to be knocked down or staggered.]
Then came the others: Molten Resilience, Overheat Surge, Living Anvil. Each sounded more incredible than the last.
"Molten Resilience probably makes him insanely tough," he mused.
Not only could Baldric excel as a master blacksmith, but his talents also made him an excellent candidate for the frontlines. Overheat Surge especially caught his attention, it suggested that Baldric could hold his own in battle, delivering devastating power boosts when needed.
Incredible. Absolutely incredible!
Atlas decided to wrap up the Gacha Pull session for the night, feeling satisfied with the exceptional results. While he still had 50 Standard Tickets left, the excitement of opening them could wait.
[Standard Banner Summary:
Total tickets used: 150
Total Rank-A pulls: 45
Total Rank-S pulls: 2
Next guaranteed Rank-A in 10 pulls
Next guaranteed Rank-S in 50 pulls]
For now, his attention shifted to a more pressing matter… There was something important he needed to discuss with Baldric.
Atlas led Baldric and Edrik to the blacksmith workshop. The air inside was still hot, carrying the lingering scent of smelted metal and burned coal from the day's forging.
He pulled out the Soulbinding Armor Set and placed it on the sturdy work table in front of Baldric.
"Oh, ho ho ho… interesting… very interesting," Baldric said, his enthusiasm palpable as he leaned in for a closer look.
"To have something like this at such an early phase… Atlas, this is an extraordinary find!"
Atlas had already asked Baldric to address him by name, and the dwarf complied without hesitation.
Atlas stepped back slightly and activated his Nightfall Sentinel Armor Set. The sleek, pitch-black armor materialized wrapping him, glowing faintly with streams of vibrant blue energy coursing through its design, illuminating the dim workshop.
Baldric's grin widened. "Oh, nice. Very nice! This armor adjusts its form and abilities based on the user. A brilliant piece of craftsmanship!"
"There are three sets," Atlas explained. "Two are already in use."
"Ah, I see, I see. And the grade… It's not bad either. Epic, huh? A solid foundation to build upon!"
Edrik chimed in then. "Baldric, if we were to find or craft higher-grade armor sets in the future, would it be possible to exchange these for them? Or adapt them somehow?"
Baldric rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'll look into it," he said with a firm nod. "It might take some experimenting, but nothing's impossible when it comes to forging and upgrading. Leave that to me."
Atlas nodded, pleased with the exchange.
He took out the Codex of Ancient Remedies and carefully brought it close to the Soulbinding Armor Set.
A system prompt appeared immediately:
[Activating the Codex of Ancient Remedies.]
[Decoding in progress…]
[0%]
[…]
[53%]
The progress bar moved slower than he had hoped, testing his patience.
Atlas felt his heartbeat quicken, nervous that some unforeseen error might disrupt the process. Losing the chance to decode this rare item would be devastating—it wasn't every day you pulled something like this from the Gacha.
[98%]
He held his breath, tension coiling in his chest as the final moments stretched out.
[100%]
[Decoding complete.]
[Printing material and crafting method onto the scroll…]
Atlas watched as text and diagrams etched themselves smoothly onto the scroll's surface, line by line. The intricate details of the blueprint for the Soulbinding Armor Set came into view, every piece of information presented with precise clarity.
When the process was complete, he held up the scroll, his face breaking into a wide smile.
***
(Author's Note:)
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