Chapter 182: Chapter 170: Weapon Enchantment

"Hooo..."

Roland let out a long sigh of relief as the "whispers" of the materials around him finally quieted.

He rubbed his aching brow and instantly activated his [Concentration] Trait.

Supported by his Spiritual Attribute of eighteen, his thoughts raced at an unprecedented speed.

In just a few moments, he had completely digested and absorbed the vast and complex knowledge granted by his new [Enchanter] Profession.

’Engraving Spell Patterns, imbuing items with Elemental Attributes... So this is the power of an Enchanter...’

Gazing at the highly condensed Spiritual Power at his fingertips—like an invisible chisel and hammer—Roland marveled inwardly.

Without the slightest pause, he immediately grabbed the hammer at his side.

The CLANG of hammering echoed through the workshop.

Soon, with a SIZZLE, a cloud of white steam rose as Roland pulled the newly forged blank from the quenching pool.

Grinding, polishing...

Soon, a brand-new Iron Sword lay silently on the anvil.

Feeling the nearly flawless Iron Sword in his hand, the corners of Roland’s mouth curled up slightly.

The combination of [Elemental Imprint] and [Material Synesthesia] didn’t just affect his [Enchanter] Profession; it had also caused his Forging Skills to improve by leaps and bounds.

’An affinity for the Earth and Fire Elements...’

He whispered softly, caressing the smooth, cool blade.

Then, without a hint of hesitation, Roland’s gaze sharpened.

In that instant, Spiritual Power so dense it felt tangible condensed at his fingertips.

He focused completely, recalling the knowledge he had just acquired as he held his finger steady above the spine of the blade.

SSST!

With a soft hiss, the Spiritual Power from his fingertip cut into the tough metal surface like a hot knife through butter, instantly engraving a fine line.

The line extended as Roland moved his finger, and complex, orderly patterns began to slowly emerge on the body of the blade.

During this process, Roland could clearly sense the elemental particles in the air—once free-floating, like tiny specks of light.

The scorching Fire Element and the heavy Earth Element in particular were being drawn in. They flowed ceaselessly into his body through the Dragonbone Bracelet on his left wrist, finally converging at his right fingertip to be channeled precisely into the newly formed patterns.

These Elements, once as elusive as sprites, were now exceptionally docile. They flowed and leaped smoothly within the engraved channels of Magic Power, even faintly surging in response to the guidance of the patterns.

However, the Magic Conductivity of iron was limited, which still made the flow of the Elements feel somewhat sluggish.

Yet, in stark contrast to the effortless flow of the Elements, the act of engraving the patterns itself was immensely taxing on Roland.

Fatigue crashed against his consciousness in waves, like a surging tide.

His immense Spiritual Power was being continuously drained away. Sweat poured from his brow, and in just a few moments, a puddle had formed at his feet.

But Roland clenched his jaw, his eyes resolute, not slowing his hands in the slightest.

He lost track of time, only stopping abruptly when the fine patterns finally covered the entire spine of the blade, outlining a complete arcane structure.

As if he had just finished a grueling fight, Roland gasped for breath, his chest heaving as he greedily drank in the air.

"It’s done!"

Once he’d caught his breath, Roland shook his dizzy head and raised the Iron Sword high.

Compared to a standard-issue Iron Sword, this one looked no different on the outside.

But with the combined effects of [Elemental Imprint] and [Material Synesthesia], Roland could clearly ’feel’ two distinct Elemental Powers surging within the cold steel.

They had different, incompatible attributes, yet they flowed in alternation like the closest of partners, creating a strange equilibrium.

’This is... absolutely incredible...’

Under the moonlight, the blade gave off a cold glint.

Roland suppressed the urge to test the sword immediately. He set the Iron Sword down for the moment and turned to push open the workshop door.

It was late at night.

The Blacksmith Guild, once filled with the low murmur of voices, was now completely empty and silent. Only a few lonely lamps flickered in the gloom.

Roland did a careful sweep, confirming that no one else was in the guild. Only then did he turn back, pick up the Iron Sword, and head down a shadowy corridor.

A few moments later, he stopped before a massive wooden door.

He pushed open the heavy door and lit the torches on the wall.

The flickering torchlight quickly dispelled the darkness, illuminating the Testing Field, a room adjacent to the forge and sectioned off by thick stone walls.

This was the area specifically designed for testing newly forged equipment.

The floor was covered in years of accumulated oil and grime, and the air was thick with the metallic tang of iron and the smell of damp wood.

In the center of the field stood several scarred sword-testing posts, with buckets full of cooling water beside them.

At the far end was a row of straw targets riddled with arrow holes, the ground before them etched with clear distance markers.

A heavy, curved anvil was fixed in one corner, along with a test dummy clad in dented armor.

A layer of metal dust floated on the surface of the massive quenching trough by the wall, while whetstones, small hammers, and other tools lay scattered on a heavy wooden testing bench.

CLOMP, CLOMP, CLOMP!

The heavy thud of his leather boots on the stone floor sounded exceptionally clear in the dead of night.

The footsteps came to an abrupt stop. Roland stood before a nearly pristine iron post forged from scrap metal, Iron Sword in hand.

HOOO...

He took a long, deep breath, relaxed his body, and deliberately suppressed all his combat instincts.

Then, in one fluid motion, he raised the blade high over his head.

SWISH!

A silver gleam flashed as the blade cut through the air, bringing a chill wind as it swung straight down.

However, the expected dull clang of metal on metal and the powerful shock of the impact never came.

’That feeling...’

It was as if he hadn’t struck a solid iron post, but a soft straw dummy.

The blade passed through it without any resistance.

BANG!

Roland only snapped out of his astonishment when the iron post before him cracked and fell apart in two halves.

He looked down to see that the break was astonishingly smooth and tinged with red.

Parts of it had even melted into molten iron, which was now slowly dripping to the floor.

SSSS...

As a wisp of white smoke rose with a scorched smell, the astonishment in Roland’s eyes was quickly replaced by intense delight.

’An ordinary Iron Sword, made from common materials, can do this just by being imbued with Elemental Attributes? And not only that...’

He recalled the sensation as he swung the sword and subconsciously clenched his left fist.

’The Elements in the sword’s patterns aren’t inert... They seem to respond to my will. They even... guide the free-flowing Elemental Energy from the surroundings, continuously channeling it into the blade...’

Just as Roland was marveling at this, a faint humming sound reached his ears.

Looking toward the source of the sound, he saw the Iron Sword—the one he had just forged and had perceived to be of excellent quality. Now, a dense network of cracks was rapidly spreading across its blade like a spiderweb, following the arcane patterns.

Before he could react, his right hand suddenly felt light.

He looked again to see that the blade had shattered, crumbling into countless metal shards that clattered onto the ground.

’This is...’

Roland quickly reviewed the entire forging process. After confirming he hadn’t made any mistakes, he nodded in sudden realization.

’It seems ordinary materials can’t withstand the Elemental Power surging within them... A single use was its absolute limit...’

Understanding the reason for this, Roland didn’t feel the least bit discouraged.

’If an iron weapon with such poor Magic Conductivity can be this powerful after being imbued with Elemental Attributes, what about a material with better Magic Conductivity?’

’Besides...’

He subconsciously stroked the Secret Silver Longsword at his waist. His gaze drifted to the few arrows stuck in the target off to the side, and a slight smile touched his lips.