The Healing Solaris Cleric-Chapter 356: Preparation (2)

"Would the size of this room be enough..."

"This should be good." Kai, who had been pacing the center of the completely empty room, turned around with a satisfied smile. "Now, please step back for a moment." freeweɓnovel-cøm

After asking the branch manager to step back, Kai poured out fifty weapons from his inventory onto the floor. Each and every one of them was flashy and radiant, and they continuously fell onto the floor.

Seeing this, the eyes of the branch manager and the auction house staff all widened. It was only natural, as until now, the weapons Kai had distributed to the dullahan army were level 250 Rare and Unique items. To see dozens of such weapons all in one place was a rare sight even for auction house employees.

But it's time for a change.

Kai’s level was 524, so the dullahan army influenced by him was also at 524.

I need to get them new gear.

Of course, the money it would cost would be massive. Yet, the resulting boost in combat power would be equally absurd.

"K-Kai, sir. Are you really planning to sell all these weapons?" the branch manager asked in a trembling voice.

Kai nodded in response. "Yes. Please register them all for sale, and bring me the item catalog, too."

"Understood."

Leaving behind the staff, who were moving the weapons quickly yet carefully, Kai sat down on a plush sofa. His face, as he slowly flipped through the catalog, looked more serious than ever.

Rare and Unique items above level 500 probably aren’t even on the market yet.

Depending on availability, he might even have to settle for level 400, or maybe even 300 gear.

As he kept flipping through the catalog, he unintentionally reacted, "Hmm?"

There was a set. From head to toe, the pitch-black armor and razor-sharp weapons caught his eye. Even the level requirement was 530, which was just about right.

But the price is unlisted?

Kai raised his hand to call over the branch manager.

The branch manager rushed over with a smile on his face and asked, "Yes, did you call for me?"

"Can you explain this product to me?"

"Let’s see... Hm? This product is..."

When he saw what Kai was pointing at, the branch manager looked at him with a peculiar expression.

"What's wrong?"

"N-no... I was just wondering if you really didn't know... I apologize."

"What do you mean by that?"

When Kai asked, the branch manager swallowed hard and responded, "This item is an adaptive weapon set jointly developed by the dwarf blacksmiths of Libertia and the Ebony Tower. I’ve heard it hasn’t been completed yet, so for now it’s more of a concept item."

"Wait, did you say Libertia?"

"Yes."

Now he understood why he was being looked at that way. It was only natural to find it odd that the lord himself didn’t even know such a set was being developed.

I haven’t really been paying attention to territory affairs lately... Is this what they’ve been up to in the meantime?

Kai looked at the catalog with interest and asked, "Is there a trial product available?"

"Of course. It's not finalized yet, but you can view the prototype. It's only available to view here in the capital of Rashion and in Libertia. All thanks to you, sir."

With his voice filled with pride, he sent one of the staff somewhere. A moment later, the staff member returned, dragging in a mannequin fitted with armor and weapons.

"Wow."

The armor from head to toe was impressive. In particular, the helmet and abdominal plating were shaped like a demon's face, exuding an overwhelming sense of intimidation.

If all fifty of them wore this...

It would be a truly magnificent sight.

However, Kai shook his head with a bitter smile.

Unfortunately, I probably won't be buying this.

Kai usually summoned the dullahan army on large-scale battlefields. The greatest advantage of the dullahan army was that it could be summoned as a powerful army, anytime and anywhere. However, if he purchased this set, that advantage would be lost.

If it’s not just handing them weapons but equipping full armor, then I’d have to summon them first and then equip them.

In other words, he would have to drag them around fully geared. That was also the reason why Kai had never equipped the dullahans with armor until now.

Still, he really liked the design and performance, so he licked his lips and asked, “By the way, what exactly does adaptive gear mean?”

"Ah, that term might definitely sound unfamiliar. This is a new type of equipment, created through the blend of dwarven craftsmanship and the magic of the Ebony Tower. First of all, this gear adapts to its wearer."

“When you say adapt, do you mean it expands and contracts for more comfortable movement, that sort of thing?”

“That kind of function is of course included. But the main strength of this set is that it's smarter than any existing equipment.”

“The equipment is smart?”

“Yes. Let me show you.”

At the branch manager’s gesture, a staff member drew a longsword and struck the armor. For a moment, it sounded like ordinary metal scraping, but then the armor twitched once, and its color subtly changed.

“Huh? Did it just...”

“Yes, it has completed its adaptation.”

When the manager gestured again, the staff swung the sword the same way. This time, even the sound that came from the armor was different. At that, Kai’s gaze, well-versed in swords, suddenly changed.

It developed resistance to slashing attacks.

The branch manager was right. The equipment literally adapted. The armor would surely shine even more in chaotic battlefield environments.

“Amazing. Now I understand what you meant by being the smartest gear in existence.”

“Yes, and in addition to that, the gear has features like auto-equipping, temperature regulation, and—”

“Wait a second,” Kai cut him off. “Did you just say auto-equipping?”

“Pardon? Yes... I did.”

The manager retraced his words, wondering if he had misspoken.

But Kai didn’t mind and asked further, “Could you show me exactly how that mechanism works?”

“Certainly,” the manager nodded without hesitation.

Then the staff member set the longsword down and looked at the armor. Like a liquid, the armor flowed and instantly wrapped itself around the staff member’s body.

“As you can see, once a person repeatedly equips and removes the armor, it recognizes them as a temporary owner.”

"And it can be equipped anytime at will... is that correct?"

“That’s right.”

Kai found himself clapping in admiration.

Perfect.

He looked at the staff member now clad in the imposing gear with sparkling eyes. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this set was made specifically for his dullahan army.

“Do the weapons also adapt?”

“Yes. The prototypes include both a sword and a spear, and they adapt as well. Both change slightly based on the armor the opponent is wearing, becoming sharper, duller, or even lighter, depending on the situation."

Having received a satisfying answer, Kai immediately asked, “How much is it? The catalog just says TBD.”

“Oh... we’ve only received prototypes so far, so we’re not sure about the pricing. You’d probably get an answer faster if you visited the Ebony Tower directly.”

“The Ebony Tower, huh...”

In a way, Kai thought, this was fate too. The Knight of Nightmare, or, the ring that served as the core of the dullahan army, had been made by none other than Korona, the master of the Ebony Tower.

I should pay her a visit. What does she like again?

After considering her tastes for a moment, Kai smiled and requested, “I’d like to purchase a few old books. Could you recommend some?”

***

He hadn't visited in a while, but the Ebony Tower still exuded an eerie atmosphere. As he approached the front desk on the first floor, he spotted a familiar female wizard.

“Welcome. What brings you t—oh!” The wizard’s eyes widened as she recognized Kai. “You’re Kai, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Long time no see.”

“Are you here to see Korona again today?”

“Yes. Is she still under a lot of stress these days? Should I wear some magic resistance gear?”

As he asked teasingly, recalling past experiences, the wizard covered her mouth and laughed, “Oh my, no! She’s actually been in a great mood lately, as her research has been going well.”

“That’s good to hear. May I go up?”

“Of course.”

Passing smoothly through the entrance, Kai boarded the magical lift and headed to the top floor.

From inside, a series of noisy sounds suggested that some kind of research was underway.

Knock knock knock.

“Who is it?”

The familiar monotone voice flowed through the door.

Kai responded in the brightest tone he could muster, “Hello, Korona! It’s me, Kai. You remember me, right?”

But there was no response. Even the noise from earlier had stopped completely.

Kai waited a moment, but not even the sound of breathing could be heard from Korona’s side.

“Um, Korona? It’s too late to pretend you’re not here, you know.”

What was the point of pretending now after answering already?

As Kai persistently knocked on the door, Korona asked in an irritated voice, “Ugh, why are you here again? We promised never to meet again, remember?

“I don’t recall making such a promise.”

“Did I forget to say that part?”

She continued grumbling, and soon there was a click as the door unlocked.

Kai quickly stepped into the room, worried she might change her mind. “It’s been a while.”

She looked noticeably healthier compared to when he had come to receive the Knight of Nightmare.

Seeing her in better health, Kai continued, “You look well. I’m glad.”

Korona slightly flinched at those words. “Does that mean... you plan to use me again now that I’m healthy?”

"Of course not. Besides, unlike last time, I don’t even have a reason this time."

A reason. Back then, he had the justification of fulfilling Parsanax’s wish. Without that, he could never have bossed around someone like the Master of the Ebony Tower.

“Right... This time is different...” Murmuring with visible relief, Korona gathered herself and asked, “So? Why are you here then?”

“Just because. I thought I’d check in and say hello and—”

“I’ve been doing fine, I’m still doing fine, and I plan to keep doing fine. Okay, bye now.”

She began trying to shove Kai out of the room with her tiny body. Of course, Kai wasn’t about to be moved that easily.

I used to get pushed around because my stats were too low in the past.

Kai chuckled to himself as the memory surfaced.

“D-did you just laugh at me?”

“No, I was just reminiscing about our memories together.”

“Ugh... that doesn’t count as a good memory...”

“Come on now, don’t be like that. I brought you a gift. At least take a look first.”

“A gift...?”

It was the first positive response Korona had shown since he entered the room.

“Yes. I found a few old books—I think you’ll enjoy them.”

“Let me see.”

Korona’s ears slightly twitched as she casually accepted the old books. That was a clear sign she was in a good mood.

Kai decided to ride the momentum while she was still feeling pleasant. “So, what are you working on these days?”

“Nothing really. There is something I want to research, but I don’t have the sample.”

“Want me to get it for you?”

Korona looked up at him with an expression asking what was up with him. “No. I don’t care how impressive you’ve become lately, there’s no way you could get it.”

“What is it?”

“Blood shed by a pureblood vampire, no more than an hour old."

Just as Korona was about to scoff with the intention, ‘there, how about that? Bet even you can’t get your hands on this one,’—

“Oh, that’s way too easy. Summon Desmond,” Kai said, smiling brightly.

—What is it this time...

Desmond had been summoned twice before, once as a stepping stool, and once to have his noble attire taken from him. Perhaps because of those traumatic memories, his eyes darted around nervously the moment he was summoned, watching Kai with intense suspicion.

In response, Kai gave him an apologetic look as he slowly drew his sword. “Sorry to call you out like this, but can I have some of your blood?”

Desmond’s already pale face turned ghostly white.

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