kscans

Chapter 275 - The Quality of Materials

Hayato learned from the Ten Holy Demonic Swords how to forge the legendary sword, Meitou Yatagarasu. He had not expected them to teach him so suddenly, and it left him a little taken aback.

"Is this your way of making sure I don’t leave the Eastern Country?"

"Once you make the sword, you may go wherever you please."

"And I can make as many as I want?"

"If you can, do as you like. Creating a Yatagarasu requires many materials that can only be found in the Eastern Country. I doubt you could mass produce them in other nations. Besides, if all you can make is a dull blade, it matters little."

"But don’t you need the strongest sword for your rebellion to succeed?"

"Rebellion? How absurd. All we desire is the title of strongest. If we cannot have the strongest sword, we have no lingering attachment to this country. This whole affair was merely a ploy to take the cursed blade fragments from you and have you forge the Yatagarasu. The Princess was a necessary inconvenience to involve you. Once our business is concluded, we will gladly hand over this country."

Hayato could not quite grasp their values, but Diite had told him the Ten Holy Demonic Swords were originally samurai fanatics. He could only imagine they were possessed by the delusion that samurai ought to be the strongest.

"Can I have my knife back?"

"If you can forge a Yatagarasu of the highest quality, I shall return it."

"And I’m supposed to trust you?"

"You have no other choice. Am I wrong?"

"...No, you’re not."

What the Ten Holy Demonic Swords wanted was the strongest sword. If he could not make it, then neither the sword nor the country held any interest for them. His knife was merely leverage to make him obey, an object of no intrinsic interest to them.

If they determined he was incapable of forging the strongest sword, Hayato and his knife would lose all value, and what would happen then was anyone’s guess. It was far too optimistic to think they would simply return it out of indifference.

My only chance to negotiate is to prove my worth by forging the sword. Diite-chan, if a system like this existed, I wish you would have told me...

Diite had not told Hayato the secret of the Yatagarasu. He wished she had informed him of such a critical detail beforehand, but she had said nothing.

He did not know if it was an oversight on Diite’s part or if she was unaware, but he silently vowed to question her about it later.

Hayato let out a long breath and prepared to forge the sword. First, he confirmed the materials.

Besides the cursed blade fragments, there was an item called "Fragments of a Famous Sword" and several other materials he had never heard of, but they were all present in the workshop.

Hayato placed all the Yatagarasu materials into his item bag. Then, instead of his beloved tools, he took out a standard blacksmithing hammer and opened the menu.

The Meitou Yatagarasu was listed, but while the creation probability was 100%, the probability for a one-star quality was also 100%, with all other qualities at 0%.

A 100% chance for the lowest quality with a Blacksmithing Skill of 100? That’s not right. Don’t tell me I have to break the skill cap like Esha? But that’s impossible, and if it were that significant, Diite-chan would have surely mentioned it. There has to be a reason...

Some of Esha’s skills had surpassed their limits. That was a reward from Diite, not something a normal player could achieve. The system might be implemented in the future, but it was not available now.

"Have you figured something out?"

"Don’t rush me."

Hayato replied curtly without looking at the member of the Ten Holy Demonic Swords. The armored warrior who had spoken seemed a little surprised, perhaps because it was unlike the Hayato he had seen so far.

This was not the usual easygoing Hayato. His eyes were serious, and his left hand rested on his chin as his mind raced. With someone he did not care about, his tone naturally grew a little rougher.

It’s not a skill issue, so it must be a problem with the materials. I think something similar happened with certain cooking recipes.

Some dishes required ingredients that could only be made using production skills, and if the quality of those ingredients was poor, it affected the quality of the final dish. However, it usually just lowered the probability, not made it completely impossible to create a high-quality item like with the Yatagarasu.

Hayato carefully examined the materials gathered here, one by one. He confirmed that the quality of most of them was low.

"Let me craft the materials."

"For what reason?"

"The quality of the materials is low. It might not mean anything, but I want to use the highest quality materials."

"Oh? Very well. I will have the materials to make them brought here. But the materials for the Yatagarasu require more than just the Blacksmithing Skill... no, I recall you have all production skills at 100. So you can make anything by yourself, Hayato."

Hayato simply nodded in response.

A few minutes later, the ninjas appeared and brought the raw materials needed to craft the components. Hayato used them to create high-quality materials.

This time, Hayato had not brought his beloved tools. He was using a standard medicinal mortar, blacksmithing hammer, and saw. This was a precaution against having his important items stolen by the ninjas.

The real problem is my knife. If it gets stolen again, there’s no point. I have to equip it the moment I get it back. Also, it would be a problem if a blacksmith other than me could make a high-quality Yatagarasu. Just in case, I should prepare the bare minimum of materials.

He created the necessary items one after another, all at the highest five-star quality. He placed them in his item bag. Then, he checked the information for the Yatagarasu again through his blacksmithing hammer.

There it is. A 10% chance for the highest five-star quality. And 15% for a four-star.

"How is it?"

Hayato let out a small breath. He had not made it yet, but he could see a glimmer of hope.

"I see a possibility. But I’d say the chance for the highest quality is about 10%."

Hayato’s words drew gasps of admiration from those around him.

"Good, forge it. If you create a highest-quality Yatagarasu, I will return your knife in exchange."

"There’s also a chance it will be one-star, so don’t get your hopes up."

Hayato began the process of creating the Yatagarasu.

It was not a rainbow light, but a reasonably bright one shone before Hayato’s eyes. And a four-star quality Yatagarasu was created. Seeing it, Hayato’s thoughts momentarily stopped.

What is this base damage? Is it on par with the real Excalibur, not a replica? And it has a Blood Weapon effect and boosts all stats? If a four-star is like this, what kind of effects would a five-star have?

As Hayato marveled at the sword, the leader of the Ten Holy Demonic Swords, who was looking at it as well, let out a cry of surprise.

"Magnificent. This is truly the legendary sword. Hayato, make as many as the materials allow."

"First, give me back my knife."

"A four-star is not good enough. As I said before, first make a highest-quality Yatagarasu. We will talk after that."

Realizing further negotiation was pointless, Hayato started over, once again crafting the materials.

As he forged the eighth Yatagarasu, a rainbow-colored light shone before Hayato’s eyes. The effect made everyone present watch with expectant eyes.

The light subsided, and a single sword appeared in Hayato’s hand.

So this is the highest quality Meitou Yatagarasu.

When he checked the item information, its performance was superior to the four-star version. The base damage was even higher, and it had the same Blood Weapon effect. The stat boosts were also improved, and it had another ability.

The ability was "Soul Eater." With every monster defeated, the base damage would permanently increase by 1. There seemed to be a cap, but if one continued to defeat monsters, it would undoubtedly become the strongest weapon.

"Magnificent, Hayato. Now, hand that sword over to me."

"In exchange for my knife."

"...We have ninjas here skilled in the Stealing Skill. I could have them steal it from you right now, you know?"

"Is there any reason for those ninjas to hand over the sword they stole to you? The equipment requirements are quite low. I don’t know what kind of relationship you have, but they could just run off with it."

Hayato sowed discord among them. He did not know the relationship between the Ten Holy Demonic Swords and the ninjas present, so he said it to see what would happen.

"And what will you do if I say I won’t make any more? Will you fight over the single sword? I don’t know how you’d go about it, but either way, the ninjas with the Stealing Skill would have the upper hand."

"If you refuse to make more, you won’t get your knife back, you know?"

"If I’m not getting it back at this point, it’s the same no matter how many I make, right? I’m not foolish enough to believe that. In that case, I’ll just gracefully give up."

"I can’t believe you’d continue to make them after I give you the knife."

"But you have no choice but to trust me. Isn’t that right?"

It was unclear if the tables had turned, but Hayato said it as if returning the favor. Then he drove the point home.

"Or will you ask another blacksmith now that you know the method? Some materials require Alchemy, Crafting, and even Woodworking skills. I don’t know if anyone else can make them at the highest quality, but finding someone and asking would probably take time."

In the first place, the fact that they had prepared low-quality materials suggested they did not have a capable craftsman among them.

One of the Ten Holy Demonic Swords glared at Hayato for a long time, but then let out a sigh as if to say he had no choice.

"Very well. But if you don’t make the swords, don’t think you can live a normal life from now on."

"That’s scary."

It was not a threat that would work on a player who could log out, but it was something the NPCs, who believed this was reality, would not understand.

Hayato exchanged the "Meitou Yatagarasu" for the "Adamantite Knife - Extreme." They checked each other’s items to ensure there was no fraud in the exchange before completing the trade.

And the knife returned to Hayato’s item bag. In that instant, Hayato equipped the knife. Now it could not be stolen by the Stealing Skill.

He let out a sigh of relief that he finally had it back.

From now on, I should either keep it equipped or not take it out of the base...

His relief was short-lived. The Ten Holy Demonic Swords surrounded Hayato.

"A promise is a promise. We’ll have you make the remaining eight. Highest-quality Yatagarasu."

After all this, he calls it a promise? I want to say, ‘give me a break,’ but I’ll make them as planned. They’re quite powerful, but Esha and the others won’t lose.

Hayato put the necessary materials in his item bag to start making the highest-quality items again.