This time, it was Darius’ turn to fall silent, his mind absorbed as he played internally with his Mana.

  From the sidelines, Hector and Adira listened closely — this was something that could help them understanding how to wield elemental Mana.

  Ten minutes passed in focused silence. Darius experimented, attempting to suppress the fire element within him and return to his neutral Mana. But it proved impossible. Each time he tried to expel the fire-infused Mana, his base Mana surged out with it. The two had become inseparably bound.

  He exhaled slowly, brows furrowed.

  “I think it’s possible,” he finally said.

  Then, he shared what he had uncovered with Nova — who, after only a moment’s thought, arrived at the answer.

  “You need to purge every last drop of Mana from your system and start from scratch if you want to get rid of that fire element,” Nova said, his voice laced with hesitation.

  He knew what he was asking. His general was about to endure something brutal—an internal inferno that could leave more than just physical scars.

  Darius’s hands twitched, a subtle tremor betraying his nerves at the thought of being roasted alive from within. But his face remained composed.

  “Why would I get rid of it?” he asked, voice steady. “Isn’t it… good?”

  Nova let out a weary sigh before explaining his recent discoveries to the three of them. He spoke of the two known methods of using Mana—one of them flawed, perhaps even dangerous, but both vastly superior to the crude technique Darius had been relying on.

  As Nova continued, Darius's expression shifted with every revelation. Curiosity gave way to doubt, then to realization. Panic flickered across his face—fear of wasted time, of the risks he hadn’t known he was taking. But finally, relief washed over him. Relief that it wasn’t too late to turn back and choose a better method.

  Darius closed his eyes for a moment, gathering himself. When they opened again, they burned—not with fire, but with unwavering resolve.

  If I keep using this method… I’ll never be truly strong. In a few years, I’ll be average at best… forgotten.

  The thought flickered across his mind before he cast it aside like ash in the wind.

  “I’ll do it,” he said, voice firm and clear.

  Adira and Hector watched Darius with conflicted expressions. He was one of only two generals capable of wielding elemental-based Mana—a figure they had long admired. They had dreamed of one day being able to be like him, to wield elemental Mana. But now…

  Now, he would endure agony beyond imagination, just to return to neutral Mana—the same raw state most, if not everyone, who chose the class ‘None’ started with.

  Adira suppressed a sigh, and Hector gave a subtle shake of his head, conflicted.

  Nova watched Darius carefully, then gave a slow nod.

  “If the pain becomes too much,” he said quietly, “then pace yourself. Do it slowly. And whatever you do—stop absorbing Mana. Otherwise, all of this will be for nothing.”

  Darius drew in a deep breath and gave a resolute nod. “I’ll do my best.”

  “Good,” Nova replied. Then, turning to the others, he added, “That’s all for today. As soon as Shira and Nox arrive, head to Malachi and begin clearing a Blue portal.”

  He paused, about to wave them off, when a sudden thought struck him. His tone shifted—sharper now, more commanding.

  “One more thing,” he said, eyes narrowing slightly. “While you’re inside the portals, gather everything you can—materials for weapons, armor, accessories. I don’t care what it is. If it can be crafted, bring it back. This is important.”

  Adira tilted her head, brow furrowed. “Boss… what do you need all that for?”

  Darius and Hector leaned in slightly, their curiosity piqued.

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  Nova only smiled, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

  “Secret,” he said.

  With a quiet sigh, Adira muttered, “You’ll just tell us later anyway.”

  Nova chuckled softly at that, and Darius and Hector exchanged a glance, sharing the same wry smile.

  “Before you go,” Nova added, rising to his feet with deliberate ease, “have each of your squads leave a commander behind. I want someone nearby in case I need anything.”

  “Got it,” Darius replied.

  “Will do,” said Hector.

  “Fine,” Adira added with a smirk.

  Just as the three turned to leave, a quiet voice trailed after them.

  “Good luck.”

  They paused, turning back toward him. With a silent nod, each gave their thanks before stepping out of the room.

  Nova remained where he was, standing in the now-empty space. Ten long minutes passed as he stared up at the ceiling, thoughts clearly far away.

  “I need to get some work done,” he muttered to himself.

  Snapping out of it, he turned on his heel and made his way toward the smithy, now fully operational—and waiting.

  “Feels like it’s been an eternity since I last crafted,” Nova muttered, stepping toward the forge. “But it’s only been a few days.”

  He extended a hand and channeled a small stream of Mana into the base of the forge. Instantly, it flared to life—no kindling, no bellows, just raw energy flowing into alien technology.

  He let out a quiet sigh, half in admiration.

  “These things are ridiculously convenient,” he murmured.

  Reaching into his Inventory, he retrieved a sky serpent’s scale—massive, nearly as tall as he was. Its surface shimmered faintly in the forge’s growing light as he held it up for inspection.

  It felt nearly indestructible—tougher than any metal he’d worked with—but carried a strange flexibility, a resilience that reminded him more of tempered leather than rigid steel. His mind began to race.

  ‘Should I make new armor? Or maybe a spear? I’d need wood for the shaft... or maybe a different material entirely? I’ve got enough supplies to experiment for months. Maybe I’ll use the scale for the shaft... and find a proper metal for the spear head in the Store.’

  Even as his thoughts wandered, his hands worked. He grabbed a pair of tongs, lifted the scale, and carefully placed it into the heart of the forge. Nothing happened at first.

  Only after thirty long minutes, when the forge’s heat increased, did the scale begin to show signs of yielding.

  Satisfied with the scale’s remarkable durability, Nova initiated the heating process. To his surprise, it didn’t take long—barely five minutes passed before the scale began to glow a deep, molten red, signaling it was ready to be shaped.

  ‘Perfect’, he thought, a flicker of excitement in his eyes.

  He set the scale onto the anvil with care, then placed the tongs aside. From the side, he picked up the newly purchased hammer. To an outsider, it looked like an ordinary black hammer—but to any craftsman from Earth, it would’ve been a dream come true.

  Lifting it high, he brought it down hard.

  Clang

  The ringing impact echoed through the smithy, sharp and clean.

  ‘This hammer’s good stuff,’ Nova thought, immediately noticing the difference. Compared to the rugged tools back at Grimthar’s smithy, this one felt... effortless. Efficient. Powerful.

  Blow after blow rained down, the rhythm steady and focused. With each strike, his mind rang full of system notifications echoing at the edge of his awareness.

  [Blacksmithing proficiency increased]

  [Blacksmithing proficiency increased]

  [Blacksmithing proficiency increased]

  It wasn’t until six hours later that the spear shaft was finally complete.

  Wiping the sweat from his brow, Nova lifted it from the anvil and murmured, “Hope this holds up.”

  He gave it a sharp shake—and to his surprise, the shaft flexed with a smooth, natural bend. It was hard to believe this had been a sky serpent’s scale. It moved with the same elasticity as his old wooden spear, yet it radiated far more strength.

  A grin tugged at his lips.

  ‘Now for the spearhead.’

  Setting the shaft down gently, he opened the Store and began browsing through the available ores. Page after page scrolled past—nothing felt right. Most of the metals were either far beyond his current capabilities or completely ill-suited for a spearhead. Too brittle, too soft, or too unstable.

  He was beginning to lose patience when something near the middle of the list caught his eye. He paused.

  Focusing on the ore, the details appeared in his mind.

  [Ebonfang]

  (Ebonfang is a jet-black metal known for its exceptional piercing power and edge retention. Despite its heaviness, Ebonfang metal is perfectly balanced, allowing for precise, controlled strikes. It resists heat, corrosion, and even Mana degradation, making it a favorite of many.)

  ‘Sounds perfect to me’, he thought—until his eyes landed on the price tag. He nearly choked.

  Price: 10,000 Gold Coins/kg

  Gritting his teeth, he muttered, “This better be worth it... Maybe I can get two spearheads out of a single kilo.”

  With a reluctant sigh, he confirmed the purchase.

  But the moment he retrieved the ore from his Inventory, all hope vanished.

  “This... is a scam,” he deadpanned, lips twitching in disbelief.

  The newly acquired Ebonfang sat in his palm—sleek, dense, and unnervingly heavy—but barely enough to forge a single spearhead.

  Resigned, he let out a breath. ‘Forget it. I want this spear finished. I’ll complain later.’

  He got to work immediately. The forging took just over an hour—his mind worn thin by the constant focus, but he didn’t care. The fatigue was worth it.

  A faint smile curved his lips as he held the finished spearhead in one hand and the shaft in the other. With practiced ease, he began assembling the two.

  Fifteen minutes later, it was done.

  The shaft shimmered with hues of blue and silver with faint traces of lavender. The spearhead, in stark contrast, was a deep, obsidian black—like a void carved into steel.

  It looked like something conjured from a dream… only to spiral into a nightmare.

  Then, as he gripped the weapon for the first time, a soft chime echoed in his mind.

  [Name your work]

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