Chapter 151 - 118 The Monstrous Combat Armor_1

Chapter 151: Chapter 118 The Monstrous Combat Armor_1As for his exceptional memory, Gaven had already displayed it in the Gnoll Tribe. With further exploration, that ability had now become even more astounding. It was an invisible benefit brought about by a high IQ and the Psychic Sorcerer’s autohypnosis. "Do you humans always compliment others so overtly?" Pikespirit was visibly a bit shy, somewhat pleased, and also quite curious. "It depends on the situation," Gaven said with a smile. "This isn’t flattery; it’s just honesty, simply telling it as it is." Unable to handle Gaven’s thick skin, Pikespirit quickly changed the subject, "When do we set out?" "Anytime is fine." "Hold on a moment," Virginia called out to Gaven, "I see that our Lord only has a fine weapon but lacks proper armor. I have already sent someone to prepare a set. Please change into it before we leave, my Lord. You must ensure your own safety." "This doesn’t seem quite appropriate. We haven’t even begun our mission, and I would already be accepting gifts from you," Gaven replied, with a hundred parts eagerness in his heart but still showing courtesy in his words. He had been eying Yaling Armor for a long time but hadn’t yet figured out how to broach the subject. Now, he had only accepted a mission, and they were offering him a piece proactively. "Armor is meant to be worn, to protect people. If it doesn’t serve this purpose, it is meaningless," the Yaling Lord stood up and said, "Please follow me, Lord. The armor is somewhat heavy; you’ll need to retrieve it yourself." "Then consider it borrowed. I will return it upon completing the mission," Gaven responded politely, yet his legs eagerly followed Virginia out the door. Hearing that the armor was to be seen, the Young Red Copper Dragon perked up its ears. Was this not an invitation for Gaven to visit the Yaling treasury? Last time, they casually presented two magic items as gifts—he couldn’t fathom how many treasures resided within their vault. Even if he couldn’t take any, it was good just to have a look. Aivensa licked her lips and followed along excitedly. However, Gaven and Aivensa, with their ulterior motives, were destined for disappointment. Virginia led the two through the meeting hall and stopped in the corridor, where stood a mannequin statue donning a breastplate. This breastplate looked plain and unadorned, hardly different from the common knight’s breastplate found on the main road. It was clearly of human crafting style, bearing no connection to the Yaling whatsoever. What Gaven wanted was Yaling Armor, with its blend of splendor, luxury, lightweight design, and defensive power—not the knight’s breastplate of humans. Wait. The presence of a human knight’s breastplate in Yaling Castle was a problem in itself. What’s more problematic, according to Yaling taste, they wouldn’t display common goods in the hallway as if they were exhibition pieces. Could there be some mystery to this breastplate? Gaven focused his attention and closely examined it, quickly noticing something amiss. Too ordinary, too common; often, that was the biggest red flag. Even the most common items would have some residues of elemental traces left from the forging process. When not a single trace was visible, the item was likely magically disguised. Lord Virginia’s insightful observational skills were as strong as ever. Gaven’s subtle changes in expression didn’t escape her notice. She explained with a smile: "You must have noticed something unusual. This is not a common breastplate but a piece of Combat Armor with two forms. It belonged to a human warrior who passed away in Spring Bud Fortress and didn’t wish for it to enter the grave with him. He asked me to find a suitable new owner." Combat Armor. The name was unfamiliar to Gaven; he had never heard of it before, but it wasn’t hard to guess that this was gear specially made for warriors. After a brief moment of hesitation, Gaven candidly said, "Actually, I am not a warrior; I am a Psychic Sorcerer. Using such warrior’s armor feels like a waste of a treasure." "The profession is not important. Your current combat style is still warrior-like, isn’t it?" Virginia showed no surprise. "Just borrow it for now. When you no longer need it or find a more suitable heir, pass this armor to them. As long as it is in the hands of someone good, it won’t be wasted." The Yaling Lord extended her fair and delicate hand, her slender fingers lightly touched the armor, which immediately radiated a dazzling magical glow. She explained: "This armor is made from an alloy of Fine Gold and Mithril, possessing extraordinary quality and protective power. It has two forms. In breastplate mode, it offers a defense enhancement of +4 with a 20% arcane failure chance. But upon speaking the correct command, it will transform into full body armor with a defense enhancement of +3 and a damage reduction ability of 15/+1." After hearing the attributes. Gaven’s eyes nearly popped out. This was nothing short of a warrior’s divine artifact. Only magic weapons of +1 or higher could inflict regular damage upon it. Magic weapons below +1 and non-magic weapons, if they couldn’t deal 15 points of damage, would not breach its defense. Wearing this Armor into battle, one would certainly walk sideways as the main, with common soldiers, at least the Jackalwere archers with their great bows, unable to penetrate its defense. The chance of arcane failure wasn’t even a concern, as he was currently a Psychic Sorcerer using Psychic Ability, not arcane magic. If this armor were to be placed in an auction, even with a price of one hundred thousand, people would still fight over it. All the equipment they had looted from the young Red Dragon’s nest combined couldn’t compare in value to this single piece of armor. Gaven swallowed hard, pressing down his greedy heart and shaking his head, "This piece of equipment is simply too precious. Why not let the Yaling Warriors wear it? I believe General Stelina would bring out the full combat potential of this armor." "It’s not that we don’t want to, but that we can’t. Fairy Step is an important part of our combat, and once this armor is worn, it can’t be performed. Only the Yaling Armor, which enhances the teleportation ability of Fairy Step, is the most suitable equipment." On Virginia’s stunning face, an undeniable hint of regret lingered, "Please, my lord, do not refuse any longer. The mission is the utmost priority. Wear this armor for now, and we can discuss further after the mission is complete." With the conversation having reached this point, Gaven naturally couldn’t refuse any longer, "Alright, let me try it on." "Please!" The Yaling Lord waved her hand, and two vines moved as deftly as arms, plucking the breastplate off the dummy and handing it to Gaven. Gaven hurriedly removed the Howard Convenient Bag and his leather armor. This breastplate, lacking shoulders and arm guards, covering only the chest and back, was exceptionally simple to don, without hindering the wearing of the Dragon’s Tooth Gloves. However, as the tuning progressed, it became clear that it was more remarkable than it seemed. "Armor up!" At Gaven’s command, the breastplate began to emit a dazzling light. It came to life like water, spreading across his body. When the light receded, Gaven was completely encapsulated from head to toe in a steel can. The boots and Dragon’s Tooth Gloves, along with the other magic equipment, were enveloped and integrated into the Combat Armor. The Combat Armor wasn’t plate mail but scale armor. However, the scales had three layers both inside and out, each layer evenly distributed. This provided it with outstanding impact resistance, reaching an impressive 15 points of damage reduction, stemming not only from its magical effects but also from its rational architectural layout and robust materials. Sёarch* The ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The helmet was carved with the symbol of a sun, and the entire armor glittered brightly, as if polished by the True Gods. In the dark of night, it served as a human torch. On the battlefield, it was the most conspicuous target. Given its powerful defense, this was, naturally, justified. Not using it to attract the enemy’s attention, particularly concentrated volleys of arrows, would be a waste. Gaven moved his body slightly. The Combat Armor not only had formidable defense but had also been designed with mobility in mind, barely affecting the execution of most movements. With this armor, he had nothing to fear below the Transcendent level (tenth level). "There is also this necklace, called the Enlarge Saddle. After using it, it allows the wearer’s body to grow as if under the effects of Enlarge, expanding to a larger size and generating a corresponding ride saddle. This equipment is also very suitable for you, helping you complete this mission." At some point, the Yaling Lord had had a shining silver necklace delivered. Suspended from the silver chain was a miniature saddle, exquisitely crafted, and very beautiful. Clearly, this equipment was prepared for the Young Red Copper Dragon. Virginia truly understood their needs, seemingly noticing that the young dragon found carrying Gaven slightly cumbersome. Once Aivensa grew a size larger, naturally, the problem would be solved. Such a good deal, Gaven certainly wouldn’t reject. Such curious equipment was only available from the Yalings — forest races varied greatly in size, from tiny to large, and this was likely prepared to break through size differences. The value of this equipment was relatively lower, as Enlarge was only a first-circle spell, costing around ten thousand Gold Coins. However, its practical value was high. The Young Red Copper Dragon looked a little conflicted. While she liked the Enlarge Necklace, she did not like its purpose. As a proud Giant Dragon, how could she allow a saddle to be fitted on her for someone to ride? Yet, this necklace was really pretty. It was shiny silver, matching well with her shining gold ring. "If you dislike being ridden, we can stick to our old ways. When you grow larger, carrying me will impact your speed far less," Gaven said, knowing that this was a gradual process. It was best to let the little creature get used to the saddle first. Born from the essence of heaven and earth. That described the creatures known as dragons. But this essence of heaven and earth had become Elemental Magic. Many traits were innate to them, such as their hatred for Colored Dragons, a greed that went deep into their bones, their obsession and love for riches, and most notably, their pride. Even the young Red Copper Dragon Aivensa, who had never seen her parents from the moment she opened her eyes, did not lack any of these racial traits. The only difference was that this wild little creature was somewhat more mellow than those with the protection of family, not so utterly extreme. Sometimes, for survival, one could let go of certain traits, with pride being the last on the list. Clearly, Gaven’s suggestion pointed Aivensa toward a new path. Illuminated by this insight, she thought, right! She could accept the gift and simply not use it, adding it to her treasure hoard as a collectible. The Young Red Copper Dragon gratefully accepted the Enlarge Necklace, "Thank you, Sister Virginia. From now on, you are Aivensa’s second favorite person." "Second favorite person?" The Yaling Lord couldn’t help but tease gently, "Why not the first? Who is the person you like the most?" "Of course, it’s Gaven," Aivensa declared, as if it were the most obvious thing. "He’s my first servant. Not only does he help me manage the Gnoll Tribe and build my Dragon’s Nest, but he also pays me a salary each month, lots and lots of shiny gold. If Sister Virginia were to give me as many Gold Coins every month, I might consider making you my favorite person." This reversal of the master-servant dynamic resulted partly from dragon nature: they preferred not to be subjugated. It also arose from the deliberate influence of Gaven. Masters betraying their servants was unheard of, but the betrayal of a servant to their master was commonplace. Aivensa served as a shield Gaven had raised deliberately, though not against ordinary attacks, but rather against the strife from other Giant Dragons. Changing the Gnolls’ habit of surrendering at the sight of dragons was improbable in the short term.