Extra's Fate
Chapter 56: Crafting

Chapter 56: Crafting

Huff...

After the Bloody Emblem finished its work, knitting the shallow cut on my arm back together with its steady, warm pulse, I let out a long, weary breath.

The training field was quiet now, the last traces of twilight fading into a deep, inky night.

I sheathed my Odachi, feeling the ache in my muscles settle in.

"It’s finally over..."

With a final glance at the empty field, I turned and trudged back toward the dorms.

The walk was uneventful, the cool night air brushing against my skin, soothing the lingering heat of the fight. My boots scuffed against the cobblestone path, the sound echoing faintly in the stillness.

"..."

My mind churned, replaying every moment of that spar with Aveline. I’d closed the distance, forced her to back off, even if only for a heartbeat. That was progress. A small victory.

But it wasn’t enough, not nearly enough. Her speed, her precision, that unshakable calm...

I was still miles behind her, like a mere shallow shadow in her light.

By the time I reached my dorm, exhaustion had fully settled into my bones. I pushed the door open with my shoulder, not bothering to flip on the lights as I stepped inside.

The familiar scent of worn leather and faint mildew greeted me. I kicked the door shut behind me and made a beeline for the sofa, collapsing onto it with a groan.

The cushions sagged under my weight, creaking faintly as I sprawled out, staring up at the cracked ceiling.

For a moment, I just lay there, letting my mind drift.

My stomach growled faintly, but I ignored it. Food could wait. My shirt was still torn, blood-stained fabric clinging to my skin, but the Bloody Emblem had done its job, there wasn’t a mark left on me.

Still, the memory of that fight clung to me like a second skin. Aveline’s arrows, her aura, the way she’d looked at me when I’d deflected that shot... I’d survived, sure, but survival wasn’t enough anymore. I needed more. More speed, more power, more something to bridge the gap between us.

If, according to the game’s original story, even Aveline with her current strength barely managed to survive in the upcoming trip, then what about me?

I’d just die somewhere in the ditch with my puny power.

My gaze drifted to the small wooden drawer tucked beside the sofa. A flicker of anticipation sparked in my chest.

Swish...

I rolled onto my side, reaching over to yank the drawer open with a creak. Inside, nestled among a tangle of old papers and an old broken wristwatch I hadn’t touched in weeks, was the meteor shard I had bought in the auction.

My fingers brushed against its cool, jagged surface as I pulled it free. It was small, no bigger than my palm, its dark, iridescent surface catching the faint moonlight streaming through the window.

"Four million gold..."

I sat up, leaning back against the sofa as I began to play with the shard, rolling it between my fingers.

It felt dead somehow, releasing no presence at all, as if it wasn’t there. The fight with Aveline had shown me the truth I already knew: my strength alone wasn’t enough. Not my sword, not Shadow Step, not even the Bloody Emblem.

I’d scraped by today, but against someone like her, someone who could end me with a single, well-placed arrow, I needed an edge. This shard, this gamble from the auction, was my ticket.

"Right..."

I muttered to myself, my voice low and rough in the quiet room.

I shifted my position, planting my feet firmly on the floor as I held the shard in both hands.

My fingers curled around it, the jagged edges biting into my skin. I took a deep breath, steeling myself and then I applied full force. I clenched the rock so hard my knuckles whitened, my muscles straining as I poured every ounce of strength into crushing it.

The shard resisted for a moment, its surface unyielding, but then...

Crack...

It broke apart.

A sharp, splintering sound filled the room as it crumbled in my palms, fragments spilling through my fingers like dark sand.

One might think I was destroying it, shattering a treasure I’d spent four million gold to claim. But this wasn’t destruction, it was refinement.

The meteor shard wasn’t like any ordinary material. No blacksmith could forge it, no magical tool could shape it. Its strange, mana-negating properties made it immune to conventional crafting.

This crude, brutal method was the only way to unlock its potential.

Crude, yes, but effective.

I gathered the shattered remains in my hands, clenching them even harder until the fragments ground against each other, turning to a fine, gritty dust.

My palms stung where the edges had cut into them, but the Bloody Emblem hummed faintly, already working to close the tiny wounds.

I closed my eyes, focusing on the sensation of the dust shifting between my fingers. Slowly, deliberately, I began to cover both of my hands with it.

I worked methodically, spreading the dark powder across my skin, making sure there were no gaps, no patches left untouched.

It clung to me like ash.Cool and heavy.

When my hands were fully coated, I stood and crossed the room to the small kitchen nook.

I rummaged through a drawer until I found a match.

Then, I struck it against the counter, the sharp hiss of ignition cutting through the silence as a small flame flickered to life. I stared at it for a moment, the tiny fire dancing in the dim light, then brought it closer to my dust-covered hands.

This was it. No turning back.

I touched the match to the dust and the reaction was instant.

Flames erupted across my hands, searing heat licking up my arms as the meteor dust ignited.

"Aghhh..."

Pain hit me like a tidal wave. I bit down hard on my lip, stifling a scream as the fire consumed the material, its orange glow illuminating the room. It hurt like hell, worse than the mana arrow, worse than anything I’d felt in a long time.

Tears welled in my eyes, spilling down my cheeks as the heat clawed at my flesh, blistering my skin beneath the flames.

But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.

My hands trembled, the pain threatening to overwhelm me, but I held them steady, watching as the fire worked its magic.

The Bloody Emblem pulsed furiously against my chest, its warmth battling the burns as they formed, healing my skin almost as fast as it charred.

Tears streamed freely now, my vision blurring, but I gritted my teeth and endured.

The dust began to shift, melding together under the flames, hardening into something new. The fire flared brighter for a moment, then slowly died down, leaving my hands encased in a thin, shimmering layer.

I sank to my knees, gasping for breath as the last of the flames flickered out.

My arms throbbed, the skin raw and tender despite the Emblem’s efforts, but I forced myself to look.

The dust had transformed, molding itself into sleek, dark gloves that hugged my hands like a second skin. They gleamed faintly, their surface smooth yet textured with faint, swirling patterns, like the night sky trapped in metal.

They looked perfect.

"It’s done..."

I rasped, my voice hoarse as I flexed my fingers.

The gloves moved with me, weightless yet solid, their mana-negating hum a quiet reassurance against my skin. I pushed myself to my feet, steadying myself against the counter as I caught my breath.

Four million gold.

It might sound like a lot and it is, but compared to how much an artifact level equipment is worth in the market, the price is laughable.

Some long-time players would lose their minds if they heard how easily I managed to obtain them.

"Haha..."

Not only that, but if I was correct, then I could now even block Aveline’s arrows or catch them in my bare hands.

Since these gloves offered perfect mana and magic resistance, basically anything that came my way would be useless against them.

Theoretically, I could even defend myself against an adult dragon’s breath using the artifact as a shield. Of course, all the other parts of my body would suffer, but this alone made them incredibly useful.

Imagine someone wielding an aura sword, a weapon that is only accessible to fourth tier knights and that is completely made out of mana, attacking me. I could simply catch the blade with my fingers.

Of course, the momentum will undoubtedly break them, but I’d stop the initial strike, which would already be a massive win since I am barely a second tier knight myself.

"I’ve done well..."

For now, though, I stumbled back to the sofa and collapsed, exhaustion crashing over me like a wave.

The gloves glinted faintly in the moonlight as I closed my eyes, a small, tired smile tugging at my lips.

"I’m catching up..."

⌜Meteoric Gloves⌝

» Item Tier - Artifact

◈ Description - Gloves that are able to completely negate mana and magic.

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