Chapter 45: Creating Magic Tools

Riveria raised her hand and brought it down in a clean chop on Loki's head, her expression dark with frustration. "You were completely drunk and passed out until now. That's why you didn't hear a thing. And that evil god the boy encountered... it's likely the same one Ais faced back then." Loki scratched the back of her head with an awkward laugh. "Aha... so that's what happened. My bad." She plopped down onto the sofa, resting her cheek on one hand. Her tone turned serious as her narrowed eyes scanned the room, "So, what kind of kid is he, exactly? Do you have any idea what his real information is like? Finn, this level-up report seems fishy, doesn't it?" Finn nodded, pulling out a few documents from his coat—records of Akira's solo expeditions and a number of whispered rumors gathered from the lower floors. "These are the earliest confirmed sightings of Akira's activities. It's clear he didn't begin his adventuring career in Orario just three months ago." He tapped one record and said, "Here's when he was reportedly seen fighting a Silverback on the 11th floor." Then he pointed to another and continued, "And this is the date he leveled up—after defeating the enhanced monster yesterday." Finn's fingers drummed against the table in thought as he summed up the evidence, "If we assume Akira wasn't an adventurer before arriving in Orario, then the actual time he took to level up... is probably less than a month." Loki whistled, eyebrows raised. "Less than a month? Seriously?" "To take down a monster affected by divine power—or at the very least, a monster of equivalent threat—his stats would have to be on par with Ais back when she was still Level 1." Her red eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Does he have magic, Finn?" Finn nodded and said, "Witnesses from the divine anomaly mentioned someone cloaked in a powerful wind. Given that, it's likely wind-element magic—just like Ais's." Loki groaned and leaned back with an exaggerated sigh. "What is he? A bootleg Ais?" Finn was silent for a moment before muttering with grave certainty, "...He's not just some imitation. Loki, I get the feeling Akira isn't as simple as he looks. When I first met him... my thumb twitched. That instinct of mine—it told me this guy is dangerous." Loki's usual playful demeanor slipped away as she stared wide-eyed at her trusted advisor. "You serious? You're saying this kid might be stronger than Ais was back then? He's got magic, his stats might surpass hers... and even you're getting warning bells?" She rubbed her temples and groaned again, "And now you're telling me Astraea picked him up just like that?! Just how lucky are they?! Finn, if we ever end up in a War Game against them, what are our odds?!" She didn't even get the chance to finish her complaint—Riveria's tightly clenched fist came down hard on Loki's skull. BAM! "You idiot goddess! Stop dragging us into your trouble!" Her voice erupted like a thunderclap. Even Ais, who had been standing silently to the side, flinched at the sudden outburst and instinctively hid behind Gareth. Riveria's stern expression intensified as she said, "Don't you realize how unstable things are in Orario right now?! It's only thanks to the tireless work of the Astraea Familia and the Ganesha Familia that things are barely holding together! And now you want to stir the pot again?!" Her rapid-fire reprimands flew at Loki like arrows, pinning her into the sofa with every word. Finn leaned in and whispered with a small smile, "By the way... Akira's a half-elf. That might explain why Riveria's particularly fond of him." Loki immediately raised both hands in surrender, curling up defensively. "I get it, I get it! I was wrong, okay?! I won't say another word, Mother Riveria!" Meanwhile, far across the city, another faction stirred quietly. In the domain of one of the two ruling familias—Freya Familia—nothing was being said, nothing was being done. Because Ottar, the Familia's captain, remembered Freya's words. Don't bother with Akira. And so, despite the ripples the boy was causing across Orario, the Freya Familia remained silent. — — — Of course, none of this was known to Akira. After assisting Shakti in completing her investigation, he had returned to Astraea's embrace that morning. After a peaceful rest, he decided to dedicate his day to a new pursuit—crafting magic tools. He began by pulling a few texts on enchantment and mystic item theory from the Astraea Familia's library, burying himself in their pages. Then, with several books in hand, he visited a local jewelry store to purchase a collection of basic accessories. Upon returning to his room, he laid out his tools and materials. Using knowledge obtained from [Dimension Walker], he replaced certain outdated techniques with his own insights. Since every member of the familia would need to fight at some point, Akira resolved to make the magic tools compact and practical—easy to wear and easy to use. After thoroughly studying the process, he finally sat down to begin. First, he switched his class to [Dimension Walker]. The shift was immediate. His senses warped, his perception expanding in strange, unsettling ways—like something invisible had started slithering just beyond his sight. "Tch... what a pain of a job." Akira muttered. He quickly equipped a dimensional distortion stabilizer, and the discomfort dulled. He didn't have time to waste. Taking out a thumbnail-sized magic stone, Akira channeled the dimension's power, etching a teleportation formula into the crystal's surface. His palm emitted a mysterious light, covering the stone as he imbued it with the spell. A radiant flash lit up the entire room. The brilliance was so intense that Akira had to raise his hand to shield his eyes. When the light faded, the stone was now shimmered with runes that pulsed faintly within its core. He mounted the finished stone onto a necklace, then activated the binding light once more. Intricate markings appeared along the band, locking the magic stone into place. To complete the teleportation mechanism, Akira needed an anchor. He crafted a second stone to act as the origin point and carefully placed it in the center of his room. After securing the anchor, he stepped outside, distancing himself. Standing in the hallway, Akira activated the necklace. Magic power surged into it. A brilliant circle formed beneath his feet, its light expanding until it engulfed his body. Then— WHOOSH. He vanished. Bang. He reappeared next to the origin stone, stumbling slightly as he caught himself on the wall. A wave of dizziness swept over him. He pressed two fingers to his temple, groaning softly, "Ugh... teleportation side effects..." He looked down at the necklace, only to find the once-glowing stone now dull and lifeless—its magical energy completely spent. "A single-use artifact, huh..." Akira sighed, but there was no disappointment in his voice. This was just the first step. He didn't expect perfection. Not yet. What mattered now was improving the design—refining it until he could hand it off to Alise and the others. Until it could protect them in battle.