Kaelus quickly disembarked from the carriage, leaving his still-recovering guild members behind. He needed his custom-made weapon and armor for the deep dive into the Eastern Territory. He made his way directly to Grolnuk's Armory.
He found Grolnuk at his forge, the massive dwarf sweating but focused.
"Well, look what the wind blew in," Grolnuk grumbled, setting his hammer down. "I figured you'd show up before you vanished into the wilderness again. I haven't slept in three days finishing these."
"I apologize for the short notice, Mr. Grolnuk," Kaelus said, skipping the small talk. "The mission is earlier than expected. Are my orders ready?"
Grolnuk nodded proudly and led Kaelus over to a covered workbench.
Grolnuk yanked away the canvas cover, revealing three finished artifacts that radiated potent, complex energies.
The first item was a sleek, dark suit of full-plate armor, designed for flexibility and defense. The plating was forged primarily from the metallic-green and razor-sharp S+ Armored Scorpion shell fragments, giving it a naturally defensive, interlocking shell appearance.
"This is the Void Scales," Grolnuk announced. "It uses the shell fragments for a naturally high defense against blunt and cutting force. I incorporated the S+ Two-Headed Crystal Wyvern's mana nullification crystal into the breastplate."
He tapped the armor. "The armor is a 6 Star Low Rank Defensive Artifact. It doesn't use the crystal for offense, but for protection. Any spell that hits the front plating must first fight the localized mana nullification field surrounding the crystal before it can even touch the armor."
Next was a simple, yet elegant accessory. It was a long, deep crimson scarf, woven partly with salvaged threads from the destroyed Knight's Cape.
"I couldn't repair the old cape," Grolnuk sighed. "But I saved the silk and stabilized the last bit of the enchantment. This is the Knight's Legacy scarf, a 5 Star High Rank Defensive Artifact. I used the cape's silk and a mana nullification stone to create an Emergency Phasing Field that protects you from a single lethal blow every three days."
Finally, Grolnuk revealed the ultimate weapon: the Viridian Sword, now a massive, crystalline sword.
"The Viridian Sword is no longer a 6-Star Mid Rank blade," Grolnuk stated with satisfaction. "It is now a 7 Star Low Rank Offensive Artifact."
The blade now featured a shifting, crystalline quality along its edge, powered by the core element of its origin. "The Plant element of the Verdant Dragon reverse scale fought the nullification property of the crystal every step of the way," Grolnuk confessed, wiping a bead of sweat. "But I finally forced them to coexist."
He explained the new power: "When you channel mana, the blade delivers raw, amplified elemental damage. But when you channel highly concentrated mana to the crystalline edge, it activates the nullification property, allowing the blade to cut through any elemental enhancement, shield, or barrier below 7-Star Low Rank."
Kaelus picked up the massive sword. "Mr. Grolnuk, you upgraded my sword to a 7 Star Low Rank Artifact, so it means you successfully became a 7 Star Artificer?"
"Yes," Grolnuk confirmed, beaming with pride. "Thanks to your continuous supply of materials, Kaelus."
"If you want materials, our guild can provide you endless supplies to practice your skills."
Grolnuk's expression softened, losing some of its dwarven intensity. "I don't mind joining another guild now, because I already fulfilled my ancestor's long-time wish of crafting an artifact using the reverse scale of the Verdant Dragon. Actually, after I fulfilled that wish, I didn't know my purpose anymore, until three days ago when you visited me again."
The dwarf looked Kaelus squarely in the eye. "I need to help you with anything you need, Kaelus. And I don't mind joining your guild. I just need to help you with my ancestor's revenge on the Atlas Players."
"Do not worry, Mr. Grolnuk. I will fulfill your ancestor's wish," Kaelus promised, securing the three magnificent artifacts into his inventory space. "Anyways, just go to our guild master Aethon and just give him your name. I'm sure he will be delighted to see you."
"Okay, Kaelus, just take care of yourself on your mission."
"I will, thank you Mr. Grolnuk."
Fully armed and armored, Kaelus turned and headed for the Eastern border.
Kaelus made swift work of the journey back. He reached the designated rendezvous point at the edge of the Neutral Empire just as the first hints of dawn painted the sky.
He was no longer dressed in his simple training gear. Fully equipped, Kaelus presented an imposing figure. He wore the Void Scales armor—the interlocking, dark-green plates shimmering faintly. The crimson Knight's Legacy scarf was wrapped once around his neck, and strapped to his waist was the crystalline sword, the upgraded Viridian Sword.
The rest of the Obsidian Phalanx—Sylva, Zane, Zathis, Vara, Jian, Kaelan, and Grund—were waiting with Aethon next to the transport carriage.
Zathis noticed the change immediately. His eyes, usually half-closed, widened as he took in Kaelus's form.
"Wait, that's not an ordinary armor, Kaelus!" Zathis exclaimed, pointing a thick finger. "The mana signature is too strong! That's an artifact!"
Sylva quickly scanned the gear with her Wind mana sense. "Wait, so does it mean that Grolnuk is not just a blacksmith, but an Artificer?"
Kaelus grinned, feeling the familiar, exciting hum of quality gear. "Yes, he is. And he's officially part of our guild as of today. He will be meeting later with you, Master Aethon."
Aethon looked momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered, a delighted look replacing his surprise. "An Artificer who can forge 6-Star and 7-Star items? I will gladly accept a high-rank Artificer in our guild! This is excellent news. Now, before we cross the barrier, I will give you the full details of the mission."
Aethon gathered the group close, lowering his voice to ensure confidentiality as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon.
"The Emperor has given us the primary objective: Infiltrate the Eastern Domain, reach the Dragon's Cave, and confirm the status of the continental barrier and the fate of the Mythos Dragon. However, given the extreme dangers, we have strict parameters for this mission."
Aethon unrolled a small, enchanted scroll detailing the logistical and operational points:
"The Elven transport will take us rapidly to the edge of the Eastern border. From there, we are on foot. We will maintain constant camouflage and silence until we are deep inside the monster territory. Our priority is stealth; avoid all major skirmishes unless absolutely necessary."
"The Twin Communication Artifact holds only a thirty-second voice message and is for reporting only. We will use it once every eight hours to report on our progress and the status of the barrier. Do not use it for requesting help or reporting non-critical intelligence."
"As the Emperor ordered, we are not to engage any developing monster wave. The allied domains will handle border defense. Our focus is speed and information retrieval. You have high-rank supplies, custom armor, and Kaelus's newly proven ability. Use them wisely. Vara, you are in charge of maintaining health and mana stability, especially Kaelus's."
Aethon's eyes fixed on Kaelus. "The Dragon's Cave is protected by a layer of ancient, natural mana suppression. The barrier—if it exists—is almost certainly sealed by a high-rank magical lock. We believe Kaelus's immense, pure mana capacity is the only thing that can bypass or overload this suppression. He is the key to entering and exiting the nexus point."
"Finally, as you heard, the Emperor's unreasonable command stands. Your lives are secondary to Kaelus's survival. Your greatest mission is to ensure Kaelus lives to report back. This is not negotiable. Should we fail to return, Kaelus alone must transmit the status of the barrier."
Aethon looked at the resolute faces of the Phalanx. "This is the most dangerous mission the Dragon Fury Guild has ever undertaken. Are we ready?"
"Ready!" the Obsidian Phalanx responded in unison.
With a final nod, they entered the magically cloaked carriage. The vehicle instantly accelerated, crossing the official boundary and heading toward the dark, volatile frontier of the Eastern Territory.