Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

1156  1155. Viper Dart- Award Ceremony

---A few hours earlier---

"I have just the right thing you need!" she exclaimed, before vanishing to the back of the shop. Tano'Mol had still not returned from Thres yet. In actuality, there had been no more contact from Adam for the past weeks. Another point they had not yet the time to worry about, just like the situation in former Gamma...

Luckily, Sandra Irving, Tano'Mol's associate in Urth was still here to run the shop and manage the merchandise. The reason Seth was here, was to get a soul for the rope dart. After the blacksmith described the weapon and the power he was looking for, he vanished in the back of the temporary shop in the embassy.

He could hear her rummage through crates in the back, Although she had done a lot to recreate the original aesthetic of Tano'Mol's Soul Emporium in the rooms given to them, the back was still filled with crates and boxes, as if they just moved in.

At least it seemed like she knew her way around, as it didn't take long for Sandra to return with an orb in her hand. It was the device and vessel that allowed even normal people to see the souls stored inside.

"This is the soul of the illustrious Circle Serpent, a rare snake that has no poison fangs, but attacks with its tail to inject a deadly poison," she explained proudly, as Seth looked at the soul with his <Eyes of the Maestro>.

<Soul of a Circle Snake (Rare, Big), Crafting Material

The soul of a rare Circle Snake, a monster that generates a deadly poison in its tail and uses high acrobatics to travel and attack. High Affinity with Poison. Skills: Poison Dive, Wheel of Death. Trait: Body Control>

"A snake with acrobatics?" the blacksmith exclaimed surprised. Apart from that, it was one of the rare souls with a trait and definite skills. From his experience, Seth had realized that this often didn't depend on the quality of the souls, but how defining these traits and skills were for the existence when it was alive. At least when it came to these naturally harvested ones.

"It's said that it will bite its own tail and bounce like a wheel to pursue a prey or escape from a predator," Sandra explained readily. Since Seth saved them from the minions of Bragmomal, she had been a lot friendlier with him.

"Okay, this will do," the blacksmith decided. Just because he didn't want to leave out a soul, didn't mean that he would go out of his way to find an overwhelming one for Dowloon. After all, this weapon WOULD leave Minas Mar, when the Poison Fairy's contract ran out.

---Present--

Using the soul of the Circle Snake, Seth forged a soul armament replica of the finished rope dart body. The blacksmith didn't have any enchantments that strengthened poison damage itself. The Poison Enchantments he did have would make much difference in the hands of Dowloon.

Instead, Seth decided to stack enchantments for physical attributes on the souls and the body which would add up to over 100 points to Strength, Endurance, and Agility. The last step was to inject the soul into the weapon and rebirth it with a bath in the Waters of Styx.

Although the chain made the last step a little difficult, it was far from the difficulty of injecting a soul into the fabric. Soon the rope dart started floating in the bubble of water and a row of notifications rang in his ear.

<Ding! Effects of the item have changed due to a synergy between Powers.>

<Ding! Effects of the item have changed due to the influence of demonic beings.>

<Ding! You have created a legendary item! +100p PoE>

Seth had expected the synergy of powers, but the influence of a demonic being? Was it Botis? The blacksmith had not paid the demon off beforehand, so Dowloon would have had to pay the price. He cradled his still bare chin, missing the feeling of his beard, as he checked on the item.

<Viper Dart

Legendary

Phys.Damage.: 2300

Mag.Damage.:1700

Durability: 5000(Blade)

Durability: 2400(Rope)

1.+20% To all stats in the Moonlight

2.+60% Power of Spells and energy-based skills

3. Encroachment of Botis

4. Putrid Edge n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

5. +125 Strength

6. +125 Endurance

7. +125 Agility

8. Active Skill: Poison Dive of Botis,

9. Active Skill: Wheel of Death

10. Botis' Serpent Rope

An exotic soft weapon, created by the hands of Master Smith, the first Master Blacksmith, Master Enchanter, and Master Goldsmith on Urth. The intricate power granted to the item through various means makes mastering the art of wielding it worth the effort.

Advised Usage Requirements: 300 Willpower>

Seth's eyes rose when he read through the description and realized the changes it went through. This was more than just an enchantment through a forging ballad, it was almost like Botis had slightly blessed the item himself.

What was the first and biggest surprise was that Encroachment of Lunacy had changed. Similar to when he used the feasting ballad to strengthen it and create <Mad Ithildin>, Botis's influence changed it and its effects.

<Encroachment of Botis:

+70% Poison Damage

Poison Damage increases with the number of Poisoned targets.

Improves the power of the wearer based on the Indifference or Coldness in their actions.

Lessens emotions in their action based on Willpower>

The effect had not just absorbed the poison affinity of the Circle Serpent, but it had completely changed the basis of the Lunacy effect. To slowly lose your emotions in battle... This was more terrifying to Seth than becoming a hard-headed mule. He could only hope Dowloon had a strong willpower.

Apart from this, there were two more things affected by the influence of Botis. The smaller change was the snake's original skill, the <Poison Dive>. Here the effect was strengthened and the poison was switched.

The Dart launches forward with double the user's attack speed, like the head of a viper, resembling the swift sword of Botis.

Targets are afflicted by the Deadly Poison of Botis on hit. >

The bigger change was the new effect, which had seemingly absorbed the Trait: Body Control that was supposed to be granted to the carrier.

<Passive Skill:

The Viper Dart bears the temperament of Botis.

In case of the target Dodging, or the user lacking in skill, the Dart will correct its course to a certain extent to aim for the opponent's vitals.>

Similar to the original malicious will of Seth's Bow, the Viper Dart had a minor targeting option Overall, it was ambitious whether the influence of Botis was something good, but Seth thought that it definitely was an overall improvement. Maybe not losing the trait for the targeting, but Dowloon would never know about it, anyway.

Lastly, the <Wheel of Death> was a weird charge skill, that was about cartwheeling with an aura of poison, away from the opponent in the best case. Now that the rope dart was finished, they could finally, officially, bring the Pythian Games to a grandiose close.

...

The award ceremony was the final stone to end the Pythian Games, broadcast to almost all corners of the system worlds. In front of the world, Seth handed over the Viper Dart to Dowloon, for everyone to see. The final proof to the world, that Seth was able to create legendary custom equipment.

Or did it? People couldn't just use appraisal through the screens, which was why they even had three independent appraisers certify the weapon to the audience. After reaching a certain level professional appraisers gained the power to display the effects of the items they appraised.

Displaying the stats on screen could be forged, but the status windows they display couldn't be faked. Of course, they hid all the info apart from the legendary rating and the flavor text. This was Dowloon's private information, after all.

But to eradicate even the last doubts, Dowloon had agreed to show some moves. Of course, the Poison Fairy was the first to see her new weapon, to make sure she was satisfied. One didn't need an appraisal skill, to see the air about her change the moment she grasped her new weapon.

She stood at the center of the arena and started going through a move set, getting used to her new weapon. The bright silver chain with the dark gray blade at the end started moving faster and faster as the Poison Fairy moved into the arena.

Slowly, poison aura started building up around her and enveloped the weapon and it became obvious that she started precisely controlling its movements. The poisonous winds created as a side effect of her show carved trenches into the <Mithril> flooring of the arena, shocking the audience.

<Ding! Your reputation in other worlds has increased tremendously. +125 000p Power of Existence.>

Seth heard the notification after the performance ended. But the immediate amount of points pouring in and the prospect of increased yields in the future, currently couldn't distract him from the pain he felt when Dowloon fucked up the whole arena floor. Did she have any idea how long the apprentices had to polish those?

With some laughs and some tears, the Pythian Games had finally come to an end three days after the final of the Grand Tournament. The tourists would leave in a few days, Minas Mar would clean up the Pythian Village and maybe things would finally calm down a little.