Edge stepped into the lodge for a quick snack before heading out again.

  He was planning to visit Sakura but changed his destination when one of Ander’s apprentices knocked on the door to let him know his order was ready to be picked up. If Edge came by the Forge now, the senior crafter would have time to discuss the details and show him how everything worked.

  The moment he found out Ander had finished upgrading his gear, he waved goodbye to Violet and took off at a dead sprint.

  He broke into a broad grin as the rush that always came with obtaining a major upgrade ran through him like sunshine in his veins. After his stint in the Savage Garden and trek through Sweltering Green, his weapons and armor felt like old friends. Each item in his kit has saved his life on numerous occasions over the course of his ordeal, and he couldn’t wait to find out how the craftmaster had enhanced them.

  When he came to a skidding stop in front of the Forge and walked through the front door, one of the apprentices led Edge into the courtyard, handing him a cup of tea while she went to find the smith. He passed the time stretching out while fantasizing about his new gear, and before long, Ander walked through the door with a bundle in his arms.

  He chuckled when he realized the crafter was just as excited as he was. “Edge, my boy. Always a pleasure. You always provide the best materials to work with and give me the most interesting jobs. You’re going to love what we’ve whipped up for you this time. I’ll unveil your order one piece at a time and explain as we go.”

  He finished his last sip of tea, set the mug down on a table, and walked over to Ander’s side as the men got into the spirit of the moment. “This is so much fun,” Edge said. “I love the dramatic tension right before the reveal, followed by savoring the sensation of trying out a new piece of equipment for the first time. It’s one of life’s true pleasures.”

  “Well said, lad. I knew I liked you.” Ander laughed. “Now, quit yapping and let’s get to it. Why don’t we start with your primary weapon and take it from there?”

  “Sounds good, my friend. Let’s do this.” Without further ado, Ander reached down and pulled the cloth wrapping free from Edge’s naginata, leaving the weapon gleaming in the sunlight—polished so smoothly he could see his reflection in the wood.

  At first, he didn’t notice anything different, but then he realized the tip of the reaver’s claw that formed the blade was bordered by the red crystals he’d harvested in the Deep-Gill Grottos. “Flame Rubies absorb magicytes and release fire-aspected mana when exposed to air,” the crafter explained.

  “Normally, it’s just a modest flare, but if you create an airtight compartment that compresses the mana and then expel it all at once, you can make something that mimics a magitech flamethrower but doesn’t require aether to function.

  “The downside is that it takes a day to recharge, although it will be faster in high-threat biomes. You can use the flame to drive creatures back, but it’s far more effective if you activate the burst from inside their body. Just poke, press the button I installed on the shaft, and viola—fireball on a stick.”

  While the smith spoke, Edge took a closer look at his polearm. The modification was smaller than he expected—just a triangular wedge of ruby embedded into the back of the blade, about an inch below the tip.

  “It’s not as potent as a fire-aspected weapon, but being able to wield multiple elements can come in handy, and using this modification is faster than applying weapon oil. Sadly, I’ll have to ask you to wait to try it out. If I test another flaming modification in the courtyard, I’ll be sleeping in my workshop instead of Bella’s arms for the foreseeable future.”

  Edge chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m sure I’m going to love it. Thanks again, Ander. I know I’ve said it before, but you really are the best.”

  “That reminds me, I used some of the resources you gave me to reinforce the shaft and temper the blade. That polearm should be able to hold up against anything early stage-three or below. However, we’ve reached the limit of what the base materials can do. If you want a higher-grade weapon, we’ll have to craft something from scratch, but let’s save that conversation until after the kaiju is dead. I can’t wait to see what mats we harvest from the big bastard.”

  Ander paused when an apprentice walked through the door. He answered a few questions and then turned to face Edge once more. “Now, let me show you what I made to replace that shield you lost in the dungeon. I’m ashamed that something I made failed you.”

  “That wasn’t your fault. I used an inexpensive item against a peak stage-two monster, and it still saved my life.”

  “That’s kind of you to say, but I wanted to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Given your tendency to pick fights with critters above your stage, I forged a new shield for you that should be near indestructible when fighting creatures stage three and below.”

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  The smith pulled back a cloth to reveal the armor in question. “The core is made of truesteel alloy mixed with some odds and ends that make the metal almost as resistant to elemental magic as it is to physical damage. Go on now, give it a try.”

  Under Ander’s supervision, Edge strapped the shield to his left arm. It was surprisingly heavy. I should put a cycle into Power soon, since it will come in handy anyway.

  In its default mode, the dark silver disc stuck out about six inches from both sides of his forearm. It wasn’t a lot of surface area, but the shield didn’t need to be big for someone with his Control to block with it, and it could be angled to deflect attacks instead.

  “I can’t think of anything that can punch a hole in that metal,” the smith narrated as Edge inspected the armor. “If you manage to destroy it this time, I’ll replace it for free. Go ahead and conjure your Elemental Blade to test its resistance.”

  He nodded, manifested his iceblade, and touched the tip to the shield. Even with the crafter singing its praises, he was surprised by how long it took the cold to start conducting through the metal.

  “Extremely low thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity is close to zero. Truesteel won’t dissolve in acid or be eaten away by corrosive magic, and it’s heavy enough to use as a bludgeon in a pinch. Since the base material is so durable, I was able to craft an extra modification into the shield that I think you’re going to enjoy. Did you notice the blue crystal embedded into the interior?”

  “Yes, I see it.”

  “Good. Always be mindful of your clearance when you use this, or you might foul the extension mechanism.” When Edge moved into the middle of the courtyard, Ander flashed a thumbs-up and pressed the button.

  To his astonishment, the rim of the shield unfurled until the metal extended another two feet in every direction, making it almost as tall as himself. The oval was flat on the bottom to lie flush against the ground, and the rim was flared to angle attacks away from his body.

  “The drawback is you can’t see what’s in front of you while the shield is in maximum-coverage mode, but it’s better than taking a flamethrower to the face. In addition to blocking bolts and arrows, it’s ideal for protecting you and anyone standing behind you from wide-area, directional attacks, which are a constant hazard in high-threat biomes—fire, acid, poison sprays, and lightning bolts being some of the most common.”

  Edge took a few minutes to get used to the weight, then pressed the button and watched as the outer layer of the shield curled in and then tucked itself behind the rim. “Thanks, Ander. This is great.”

  “Good lad. Now let me show you how we improved your chakram. These modifications are top-notch, and anything you fling it at is in for one hell of a surprise.”

  With that, the smith opened a box resting beside the pile, revealing Edge’s chakram inside. He could tell at a glance the weapon had received some serious upgrades, and looking at the bone-and-brass ring made his fingertips tingle with excitement.

  When he picked it up, the weapon was over twice as heavy as before, which would help it do more damage all by itself, and the extra weight wasn’t an issue with his present attributes. And that was only the beginning.

  Mirroring his train of thought, Ander described the weapon’s new features.

  “I’m sure you noticed that the modifications increased the chakram’s mass, which is important if you want to deal direct damage to stronger opponents, in addition to using it as a vehicle for Elemental Blade. Before I walk you through the changes to the cutting surface, take a look at the interior of the ring.”

  When Edge held the weapon in front of his eyes, he noticed a thin band of blue crystal now coated the backside of the bone-and-brass blade. It had an intricate pattern that was suggestive of waves flowing across the surface of a storm-racked sea.

  “I crushed some of those Freshwater Sapphires, then sealed them so they won’t react to the air. The gemstones will respond to Repel Water more intensely than water or blood, letting you shove the weapon with even a tiny pulse. Combined with the glove it came with, you have all the tools you need to use the chakram to its full potential—freely guiding its trajectory from the moment it leaves your hand.”

  Edge pulled the glove on, aimed for one of the target dummies lined up against the wall, and gave it a try. After he flicked his wrist, he sent out a pulse from Repel, multiplying the force of his throw. The bladed ring sank into the wooden post before he tapped his fingers together and the weapon flew into his outstretched hand.

  “The other modifications let you adjust the shape of the blade, and they’re regulated by the glove too. Just like how you tap your thumb and index fingers together to turn the attraction mod on and off, your middle and ring fingers control the new modes.”

  While the smith spoke, Edge inspected the chakram’s cutting surface. The living iron now coating the circular blade added a silver band to the layers of brass and bone, creating a pattern like the hamon of a katana.

  Following the crafter’s instructions, he tapped his middle finger and thumb together, watching in fascination as the malleable metal flowed out in three places, changing the ring into a triangle tipped by inch-long spikes.

  “This mode enhances the weapon’s penetrative power, making it easier to punch through armor and crack magic barriers. It won’t be as effective until you get used to lining up the spikes to transfer the force directly, but with enough Control, it’s fairly easy to manage. Use your index finger and try out the third configuration.”

  When Edge tapped his fingers, the triangular blade became a circle once more. The living iron flowed along the cutting surface to form a series of barbed hooks that were wickedly sharp.

  “Sometimes, you run into an enemy that is either resistant to cuts and slashes or heals them fast enough they don’t deal serious damage. This mode is designed to rend and tear instead, creating wounds that bleed profusely and require a lot more mana to patch up.

  “Once the hooks bite into your opponent, use the glove’s pull to rip a strip of flesh free on the way out. Just tap the same finger again to switch to the chakram’s default configuration and flick your wrist to clean the blade.”

  Edge shuddered when he imagined what that would feel like, then set the weapon down. “This is amazing, Ander. I never expected to get so much flexibility out of this chakram when you suggested it. It suits me way better than a bow or crossbow.”

  The smith reached over and clasped Edge on the shoulder before moving on with his presentation. I hope he brings out the scythe next. I can’t wait to give it a try.