“If even you say so, Little Crescent, then this Dark Tribe is indeed suspicious! Why don't we pack up and head out as soon as possible? You’ve mostly finished your business here, haven't you?” Po Kong-Mars suggested, stroking his chin.
“Pretty much. But Grandmaster asked me to see him one last time before I leave. We should be able to set off tomorrow after I visit him. By the way, are your weapons fixed yet?” Starlight nodded, glancing at Po Kong-Mars’s wrists, though he didn't see the silver bracelets.
“Master Todd sent word yesterday that they're ready, but I haven't had a chance to pick them up yet. How about you come with me?” Po Kong-Mars replied.
“Sure. Here, grab my hand. I'll use instant movement to take you there directly.” Starlight reached out his right hand without hesitation, then looked toward Moen and Xia Duo. “Moen, you two start packing. We’ll be right back.”
“No problem. We'll head back and get ready. We can leave tomorrow!” the two sisters answered in unison.
“Alright. Hold on tight, Po Kong-Mars. Here we go!” Starlight nodded slightly. Spatial power surged from his palm, instantly enveloping the two of them before they vanished from the room.
A second later, they appeared at the entrance of the blacksmith shop, startling Todd, who was just stepping out for a breath of fresh air.
“Good heavens! You two boys are trying to give me a heart attack!” the dwarf Todd shouted, clutching his chest and panting.
“Sorry about that, Master Todd. We’re in a bit of a hurry. I’m here for my weapons,” Po Kong-Mars said with a grin and a casual apology.
Todd gave him an annoyed look, pulled the pair of bracelets from his pocket, and tossed them over. “These things were a real pain. My big brother and the others designed them way too complexly... But let me warn you, even though they're fixed, repaired weapons are never as good as new ones. Take it easy when you use them!”
Po Kong-Mars caught the bracelets and quickly slid them onto his wrists, nodding repeatedly at Todd’s advice. “Got it, got it! Thank you so much!”
“Alright, alright. Repairing our own products is just what a blacksmith does.” Todd waved him off dismissively before turning to Starlight. “Arthur’s boy, what brings you here with him today? What, do you want a weapon made too?”
Starlight blinked at the question. He actually had been thinking about it lately. After all, almost every student in the academy had their own staff.
Take Ivan, for example. He had mentioned in passing that his staff, a high-quality piece custom-made for the royal family, could increase fire element damage by nearly twenty percent and slightly speed up mana condensation.
A twenty percent boost was a massive advantage in battle, potentially enough to decide the outcome. Starlight naturally thought it sounded great, but the moment he heard the cost, he immediately reconsidered.
According to Ivan, crafting a staff like his would cost tens of thousands of gold coins in materials alone, not even counting the labor fees for the masters or potential losses during production. All in all, it probably wouldn't cost less than a hundred thousand gold coins.
To wealthy merchants and nobles, that might be a minor expense, but to a newcomer like Starlight, he couldn't produce that kind of money even if he sold himself.
“I’d like to... but I don't seem to have that much money right now...” Starlight answered honestly.
“True. Making a good staff is no less work than that boy's spirit armament, and the expenses are indeed high. But, for the sake of the Principal and your father, I can give you a discount—cost price. Or, if you provide the materials, I’ll only charge a small labor fee, and I guarantee the quality! You won't find a deal like this anywhere else!” Todd said confidently, thumping his chest.
Po Kong-Mars hurriedly slapped Starlight’s shoulder and whispered, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! The Iron-Heart family’s work is famous across the continent. Don’t miss out! If you’re short on money or materials, just borrow some from the Principal. Don’t let this opportunity slip by!”
Starlight rolled his eyes at Po Kong-Mars, ignored his suggestion, and turned back to Todd. “Uh... Master Todd, can I ask first, roughly how much does it cost to forge a weapon?”
“That depends on your specific needs. Different processes have different costs...” Todd stroked his beard, looking up at Starlight. “Why don't you start by telling me what you have in mind?”
“Needs... let me think. I don’t have much of a preference for weight, but Ivan’s is too light; it feels weird in my hand... Also, it should be hard and durable enough to handle melee combat. As for materials, I’m not sure what to choose... Do you have any suggestions?” Starlight listed his requirements as he thought of them.
Hearing this, Todd’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Aren’t staves supposed to be as light as possible? What mage runs around with a stick weighing dozens of pounds! And what are you thinking, kid? Shouldn't you be considering elemental resonance? Why are you worried about hardness and durability!? You’re a mage—you aren't actually planning on getting into close-quarters brawls, are you?”
Starlight scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed, but he didn't see anything wrong with his logic. In all his previous battles, hadn't things ended up at close range? It seemed reasonable to him. Besides, a few dozen pounds wasn't as exaggerated as Todd made it sound.
Seeing that Starlight was unmoved, Todd had no choice but to set aside those ridiculous requests for a moment. “Putting functionality aside for now, tell me which elements you need materials for. Prices vary depending on the element.”
Starlight nodded thoughtfully. “Oh, I see! In that case, I might need quite a few types. I probably need materials related to all six basic elements...”
“??? Are you messing with me again? You want all the basic elements? Such a weapon is impossible to make!” Todd shouted, half-amused and half-exasperated.
“Why?” Starlight asked, puzzled.
“You’re actually asking why? Isn't that common sense? Usually, one material can only resonate with one element! Setting aside the fact that mixing multiple materials is nearly impossible, even if it could be done, the size of such a staff would be a huge problem. Do you want to carry around a pillar as thick as a roof beam into battle?” Todd seemed on the verge of a breakdown, at a loss for words.
Seeing Todd getting more and more worked up, Po Kong-Mars quickly scanned the surroundings. Once he was sure no one was around, he leaned down and whispered into Todd’s ear about Starlight’s Radiant Elemental Body.
Rate on N.U.
