"You want to craft magic equipment?"
After hearing Noah's request, Tsubaki pinched her chin and pondered for a moment.
She looked Noah over, front and back.
Then she asked, "Noah-boy."
Noah: ???
'What kind of address is that.'
'A Dialect?'
Come to think of it, this Familia captain hails from the Far East of this world.
"Noah-boy, you're currently Level 1, right? So you probably haven't acquired the Development Ability - Blacksmith yet, correct?"
Noah admitted: "That's right."
Tsubaki didn't hesitate and said bluntly: "In that case, it's impossible. Without the Blacksmith Development Ability, you can't even grasp the characteristics of materials. If you rely solely on learning, it wouldn't be strange if it took five or even ten years."
"Therefore, I recommend you focus on leveling up first, and consider these things after you've acquired the Development Ability."
It wasn't meant to belittle or mock.
Tsubaki gave the best answer based on her own experience.
Even such guidance is something weak Familias desperately desire but often can't obtain.
Techniques that would take ordinary people ten years to master can be grasped all at once just by awakening the Blacksmith Development Ability - this is the potential unleashed by the Falna.
No wonder they say the Blacksmith ability can determine a smith's entire career.
However, if it's just about improving material comprehension, it's not completely irreplaceable with other abilities!
"Miss Tsubaki, please listen to me."
Noah glanced at Hephaestus beside him, met her gaze, and received permission from her eyes.
"About my skill, actually..."
With his patron deity's help, Noah explained the Truth Seeker ability to Tsubaki.
After hearing it, Tsubaki seriously reconsidered the possibility.
"A skill like this... I've never heard of it before. Wow, the world is truly vast, with monsters like you existing."
"M-monster? Me?"
This was the first time Noah had been called that.
But he supposed it was a form of recognition.
"Of course, who else? In my view, both Spell-Weaver and Truth Seeker are incredibly powerful skills. Based on my experience, the simpler a skill's description, the broader its practical application range - possessing limitless possibilities. That Denier ability is like a dream come true for those exploring the Dungeon too."
Her perspective was actually the same as his!
Noah looked at the Familia captain with shining eyes.
'To be able to deduce so much just from hearing the description... As expected of the strongest member of the Hephaestus Familia.'
Tsubaki Collbrande, Level 5, Orario's finest blacksmith!
"Alright, I'll personally instruct you then!"
Hearing these words, Noah instantly became excited.
The Cyclops herself would teach him?
"Thank you so much, Captain!"
"Just call me Tsubaki. Don't be so formal, kouhai-kun... Hmm, that doesn't roll off the tongue well. I'll just call you Noah-boy."
"..."
'I guess... whatever you prefer.'
What Noah didn't expect was that the so-called instruction began almost immediately.
At the same time, in front of a certain blacksmith shop in an alley on Adventurer Street, a golden-haired girl who had been waiting for half a day was emanating astonishing resentment.
Those black vapors seemed like the physical manifestation of her negative emotions, clawing menacingly!
'He's not coming...'
'After waiting this long, he's still not coming!'
'That liar Noah!'
...
Seven days later.
Noah emerged sweating profusely from Tsubaki's Third Workshop.
In his hand was an elegant staff made entirely of white gold, adorned with polished beautiful agate stones.
"You succeeded."
Tsubaki also came out of the workshop, similarly drenched in sweat from head to toe.
"Yeah, I'm really excited. It's all thanks to your help, Tsubaki. Thank you."
Noah raised the staff-sword in his hand toward the sun, its surface glittering brilliantly under the sunlight.
He looked around and selected some trees piled together that hadn't been split into lumber yet.
Ironbark trees? Perfect as test subjects.
Spell-weaver effect activate!
Gather the wind, compress it, focus it.
Then release it all at once!
Whoosh!
The compressed and released wind formed swirling currents dancing wildly, like spiraling whips.
When the air currents hit the ironbark trees, the hard bark seemed to be shaved away by space itself, leaving only terrifying gaps.
"The mithril worked! Excellent magic conduction improved magic efficiency by twenty percent!"
"Next, the sword!"
Noah held the white gold staff level and activated the internal magic switch.
The top of the staff bloomed like a flower opening, while the gem-embedded section extended outward, forming a hilt.
The staff body similarly elongated into an elegant, slender blade.
Perfect... though he'd like to say that, given the actual circumstances, this staff-sword's completion only reached seventy percent of his envisioned final product.
Even so, this sense of accomplishment was truly unparalleled.
He wanted to test it right now.
He wanted to cut something to verify this weapon's performance!
Such thoughts completely filled Noah's mind, making his body tremble unconsciously.
Seeing this, Tsubaki smiled mysteriously, walked over to him, and pulled him into a hug.
The surprising sensation startled Noah.
"Wait! Tsubaki?"
The One-Eyed Master Smith wore an expression like she'd found a kindred spirit, her inner excitement seemingly no less than Noah's.
That expression...
"Hey, Noah-boy, I knew I wasn't wrong about you!"
"I understand this feeling."
"Can't wait to test what level your creation has reached, right?"
"A weapon's true value can only be verified when tearing through monster flesh! Chopping a few logs can't give you the right conclusion - real weapons need blood consecration!" Tsubaki's tone was full of seduction.
Though he recognized it, Noah didn't want to resist going along with it, as just hearing Tsubaki's description made him too excited to control himself.
His expression clearly showed what he was thinking.
Tsubaki directly slapped his back, the terrifying force of a Level 5 nearly send him flying!
"Seems we're on the same wavelength."
Noah tried to calm his excitement, grinning widely.
"Yeah! I can't wait to get into the Dungeon and chop some monsters to pieces!"