「A suit that won't tear in battle.」
Yuki's hands moved swiftly, her focus sharp as she weaved the strands of spider silk between her fingers. The silk shimmered in the dim light, twenty-five times stronger than steel, and yet, it was deceptively delicate in her grip. The silk from the shelf-spiders was resilient, making the suit almost indestructible—but Yuki knew it also had to meet her Master's ridiculously high standards.
"He's going to make such a big deal out of this," she muttered, shaking her head slightly, her tail swaying behind her.
Meanwhile, deep within the cave, Tatsuya knelt in silence. His forehead pressed against the cold stone, hands spread flat as if trying to feel the pulse of the mountain itself. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple, his concentration razor-sharp. Every beat of his heart synced with the steady ripples of mana pulsing from his hands into the rock beneath him.
"Why am I not finding anything?" he thought, frustration gnawing at the edges of his mind. "I'm in a damn mountain! There has to be metal somewhere."
He grit his teeth, forcing more magic out, pushing it deeper into the earth. His eyes narrowed as he visualized the layers of rock, soil, and stone beneath him, trying to will the hidden veins of metal to reveal themselves. But no matter how hard he focused, the response was faint, almost non-existent.
"Is this it?" he muttered, shifting uncomfortably. His fingers curled against the ground, the cold stone beneath him unyielding. "How am I supposed to forge anything if I can't even find the raw materials?"
Then, a thought struck him—no, poked at the edges of his consciousness, an idea that hovered just out of reach. He had been focusing on brute force, relying entirely on his own power. But what about Yuki? Her mind was practically an extension of his own now, thanks to the blood bond.
Tatsuya paused, the realization sinking in like a slow burn. He wasn't working alone. Why not use Yuki's mind to amplify his own? He had already done it before, during their battle against the King Spider. Why couldn't he do it again?
"I've been thinking too small," he murmured, sitting up straighter. His lips curled into a smirk as the idea took root. "Yuki's subconscious... it's a part of me now."
Without hesitating, Tatsuya closed his eyes and reached through their bond. He visualized Yuki's mind like a second brain, a backup processor waiting for him to tap into. He sensed her presence, distant but connected—her consciousness flickering in her sleep, responding faintly to his mental touch.
Her eyes, though closed, reacted in her sleep, a soft glow illuminating them briefly as Tatsuya's consciousness intertwined with hers.
"Alright, let's try this again," Tatsuya mumbled, focusing his energy once more. This time, it felt different—stronger, more precise. With Yuki's subconscious brainpower boosting his own, he sent another pulse of magic into the stone, this one sharper, more refined.
The ripples of mana spread deeper, fanning out through the layers of rock, like sonar searching for hidden treasures. And then—there. A faint hum, an unmistakable glint of metal buried deep within the mountain's core.
Tatsuya's eyes snapped open, a grin spreading across his face.
"There you are," he whispered triumphantly.
Without wasting another moment, Tatsuya pushed off the ground and extended his hand toward the stone wall. His mana surged, the familiar warmth spreading through his body like an electric current. He could feel the pulse of hidden metal now—copper, iron, and even some rare elements—buried beneath layers of rock and soil.
"I can't just break through like before," he thought, his mind racing. "I need to erode the stone naturally—like water carving through a mountain over centuries, but in seconds."
Closing his eyes, he visualized the process, combining water and earth magic in his mind. He pictured the stone crumbling, the minerals separating, revealing the hidden veins of metal. His fingers twitched as he imagined the weathering of rock, the slow but steady process accelerated to a single moment.
As if in response, the wall in front of him began to disintegrate, the stone breaking down into dust and falling away. A tunnel formed, inching its way toward the buried metal.
12 Hours Later
Tatsuya sat cross-legged in the altar room, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The hours of concentration had drained his mana reserves, but it was worth it. Scattered before him were piles of raw materials: copper, iron, and even a few rare metals.
He picked up a chunk of iron, turning it over in his hands. "Alright, I've got the materials..." he murmured, feeling the weight of the metal. "But how do I smelt all this?"
As he stared down at the raw elements, frustration began to bubble up again. He knew the process of forging, but without fire, without heat—how was he supposed to turn these metals into anything useful?
Just then, a familiar buzz echoed in his mind. Yuki. Tatsuya's thoughts quieted as he opened the blood bond, letting her presence slip into his consciousness.
"Come to the middle floor, Master," Yuki's voice echoed calmly. "Your suit is finished."
A wide grin spread across Tatsuya's face. Without a second thought, he leapt to his feet, the exhaustion from hours of work momentarily forgotten. He sprinted down the hall, his excitement building with every step. If anyone could create something both stylish and practical, it was Yuki.
When he reached the middle floor, Yuki stood by a small fire, her arms outstretched as she held up the suit. The black and gray spider silk shimmered like liquid shadow in the dim light. Tatsuya froze in his tracks, his eyes widening in awe.
"Whoa," he breathed, stepping forward and running his fingers over the fabric. It was soft, but beneath the surface, he could feel the strength woven into each strand.
Yuki tilted her head slightly, watching his reaction. "Well? What do you think?"
Tatsuya blinked, snapping back to reality. "Oh, uh... it's incredible! Thank you!" He reached for the suit, but before his hands could grasp it, Yuki's tail lashed out and smacked him squarely in the leg.
"Ouch!" Tatsuya stumbled back, more startled than hurt. "What was that for?"
Yuki shrugged, though there was a faint glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "I just wanted to see if you were paying attention."
Despite the sting in his leg, Tatsuya couldn't help but grin. He pulled the suit over his arms, letting the fabric settle against his skin. It fit perfectly, moving with him as he flexed his muscles and tested its range.
"This is awesome," Tatsuya said, admiring the suit. "I didn't think you had such great taste."
Yuki raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You underestimate me far too often, Master. And you collect such weird things..." She sniffed the air delicately, her nose twitching as she detected the faint scent of metal. "What exactly do you need all that for?"
Tatsuya scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Weapons. I need to forge weapons, but I haven't figured out how to smelt the metal yet."
Yuki tilted her head, a slow smile forming. "Why not use fire magic? You have an innate connection to it."
Tatsuya froze mid-step, his eyes widening in realization. "Fire magic... of course!"
Without a second thought, he threw his arms around Yuki in a sudden hug. "You're a genius!"
Yuki tensed, clearly uncomfortable with the physical contact. "You're... suffocating me," she muttered, her voice strained as she endured the embrace.
Tatsuya released her, his grin still firmly in place. "This is going to be amazing! I'll try it right now!"
Back in the altar room, Tatsuya wasted no time. He gathered rubble and stone, quickly shaping them into a crude furnace using his earth magic. His hands moved with a new sense of purpose, his thoughts racing with excitement.
As the furnace took shape, he closed his eyes and focused on the fire. He visualized the flames—crackling, dancing, alive. He could feel the heat building in his veins, his mana surging like molten lava. Slowly, he extended his hand toward the furnace, imagining the moment when fire first sparked into existence.
A flicker of flame danced at his fingertips, and within seconds, the furnace roared to life. The fire crackled and hissed, filling the room with a low hum as it consumed the raw materials inside.
Tatsuya stared at the flames, his heart pounding with excitement. "Let the industrial revolution begin!" he shouted, a wild grin spreading across his face.
From the doorway, Yuki watched silently, her expression unreadable. But as she turned away, there was a faint smile tugging at her lips.