2 Days while staying in Old Peal's place. Larian helped out with chores around the house. While he initially broke a few things due to his new strength he quickly got used to controlling himself.
He could have just suppressed himself to regain his original human strength but Larian had wanted to spend the time to get used to his powers.
Larian even tried his hand in sculpting. He started by sculpting birds and roundish animals, under Kat's guidance he started to sculpt a figure of a woman figure.
Kait had told Larian that he had great talent in sculpting but Larian wasn't satisfied with the results every time. He wanted to sculpt Shiro in likeness but everytime he would mess up and some features felt different.
By the Fifth day, rows of Sculptures had lined up against the wall of the workshop. Old Neal, still working on Larian's prosthetic, finally got distracted by what Larian was up to.
By now the sculpture in Larians hand finally resembled Shiro. Larian was satisfied with this piece and was about to call it a day but Old Peal took the piece from Larian and examined it.
"This is so crude and full of mistakes. Do you not see the crack along the clothes where creases are supposed to be? And pray tell me you don't expect hair to look like this."
Larian was stunned. He had sculpted with standards of modern figurines in mind. He was quite proud of what he had achieved in 5 days and was sure this piece was the best he could do with all the guidance Kait had provided him.
"Argh… If I had a picture of who you want to sculpt I can show you how it's done. But if I sculpt referencing this piece of trash I would be too ashamed to call that a result my work."
Larian thought for a moment and went to grab a piece of paper to turn into a talisman. WIth the Divine Arms Talisman he formed a figure of Shiro he had wanted to sculpt.
"Wow, what an interesting technique."
Quickly losing interest in the paper, Old Peal examined the Figure of Shiro. It made Larian uncomfortable at the different angles Old Peal was staring at.
"Hmmm this should work."
Old Peal quickly grabbed a piece of wood and started sculpting. His control on the tool was unlike Larians. I was precise and constantly differed in strength, this allowed him to form groves and strokes that gave life to the clothes and features of the sculpture.
Old Peal always swapped between tools for different parts. This made the crease on the clothes look real and the hair of Shiro flew realistically beautiful. In an hour of enchanting display Old Peal was done with the sculpture.
This left Larian speechless. In one hour Old Peal had finished what he took 5 whole days to do in much excellent standard.
'Kait said my talent in wood sculpting was very good. Was she lying to me?'
Almost smug at Larian's dumbfounded face. Old Peal decided to explain.
"You said you started 5 days ago? Well that figure is pretty good for a novice, but there are always more things you never know you could be better at. The more you learn the more you find out what you don't know."
Old Peal extended his hand in invitation for Larian to take the piece. But when Larian held it, Old Peal didn't let go. Confused, Larian looked at Old Peal.
"Are you sure you want this piece from me? I who know nothing about this woman sculpted her in your stead. Do you know no shame? I can tell at a glance who she is to you from the effort you have put in."
Old Peal moved over to one of the floorboards and lifted a secret compartment. From within a hole that stretched forever deep held a stockpile of pieces, all depicting a Lady with long hair with a cheerful smile wearing a blacksmiths apron.
The pieces have rotted due to age in the compartment but Larian could tell from the quality that immense time had been taken on each piece and the quantity that must be in that cave showed the amount of practice Old Peal had taken.
"Now tell me. Do you want to take this sculpture from a stranger or not?"
Larian understood Old Peal's meaning. He meant to say, he could either take the easy path and get someone to sculpt his Master for him. Or Larian could put in time and effort to do it himself.
"I'll take it."
Old Peal had a disappointed expression as he handed the piece over. He had higher expectations from Larian.
But when Larian held the figure. He released his magic and controlled every portion of the figure.
He memorised every crease and angle of the figure to the best of his memory and broke the sculpture into dust with his draconic power.
Old Peal revealed a surprised smile.
"You almost had me there you little brat."
Larian continued working on the pieces for the next few days. Working tirelessly as he sculpted another row of figures. Now they all look alike, but in between the 100ths piece and the 100s before that, there were small improvements.
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But before Larian could come close to the standard he had memorised, Old Neal had finally finished his work.
Placing a metal contraption in front of Larian, this metal arm looked very different from what Larian saw from the store front.
"I've finished your arm lad, come take a look. I've not much to go on from what you've shared besides the paper technique you showed, so I've made this prosthetic arm with as much versatility in mind. Through a compartment on the wrist you can mount hidden weapons or just store some items."
Old Peal demonstrated by making a piece of paper shoot out into his palm. Next a hand crossbow and a dagger shot out one after another. He looked like a magician in a show that was pulling weapons out of thin air.
"There's been talk of a new weapon in Mount Orkan that's said to roar like thunder as it shoots something like a small metal arrow that travels so fast that the eye won't see, Maybe if that weapon is small enough you could slot the weapon in."
During his stay, Larian had learnt of the geography of the Orkan Valley. The biggest mountain known as Mount Orkan. It is the religious hub of the Gyths as it is where Orkan, the smartest Gyth was laid to rest.
Larian was currently in Orsen Mountain that was the closest Mountain City to the central continent of Trier.
"A gun? That explodes and creates a propulsion that shoots a bullet at intense speed?"
Old Peal leaned his arm that rested on the workshop table. He looked tired after the week of constant work.
"You know about it? Not bad, at least you are keeping up with the times. I heard this revolutionary technology is going to pioneer the military forefront. With it the Gyths could theoretically engage in a conquest across the 5 Nations."
Peal seems to give the impression that he doesn't care but secretly he peeked at Larian's expression to get a read on his reaction.
He might have sympathised with Larian because of their time together but he was still unsure where Larian's ambition would reach.
Larian senses seem to catch Peal's intentions.
"My end goal lies in the Forgotten Isle and in Selarian Academy. I promise I won't use your tools to harm the innocent."
Satisfied with Larian's answer Old Peal passed the arm to Larian for him to attach it himself.
"The arm isn't just a bag of holding for paper and small weapons. I've integrated a few tools that I have made into it, It's all within the prosthetic and could be replaced or changed. "
As Larian's arm attached to the prosthetic, his nervous system extended to the arm. He felt the touch and warmth of the air on his fingertips of the prosthetic.
'Amazing… I can clench and feel the tension of everything. It's like I never lost an arm in the first place.'
From the compartment Larian opened up to realise that the area inside was much larger than he realised, it didn't make sense physically. There was almost a room sized space within the arm.
"It's my Gyth's Spacial Tech, you like it? With it I integrated prosthetic tools into your kit. Try them out."
From within the arm Larian felt 3 tools. First there was a rope that was attached to a grappling hook.
Larian thought back to the Divine Arm Talisman that he had tried before where he incorporated a throwing blade attached to a magic string he made.
'I could integrate it to make my swings propel me much faster. Maybe that is why it is called Divine Arms, not because it can manifest weapons from Magic and Paper, but because it can be added and amplify pre existing weapons to enhance them.'
The second tool was a whole round shield that spread out like a blooming flower. It looked like a flat piece of plate that would not do much in deflecting hits. But the shield had a surface of paper.
'This… tool is a shield as a secondary function. Its main use is for the Divine Arm's Talisman. But I have never inscribed it onto something this large. But with this I could defend and counteract at the same time.'
The third tool was an injector that would pump any form of liquid into his main body.
"This is great. I could directly inject potions into my blood streams and then there's a retractable shield that comes out in command. This adds perfectly well into my arsenal without hindering my Sword Arts."
Larian looked up at Old Peal and realised that the old man was sound asleep, his head was tilted and leaning onto his upright arm.
"Making an arm of this calibre for me must have been tiring… For what it's worth, thank you Old Peal."
Kait had entered the workshop from the store front.
"Pa is finally done?"
She prepared a blanket and laid it over Old Peal's shoulders. Larian wanted to discuss something with her and she was quick to notice.
"Thank you for letting me stay. There is alot I have to pay you back for."
Kat sighed and her hands laid on her shoulders with her head tilted as if she was looking at an idiot.
"It's fine. We didn't help you expecting a reward. I mean look at you, you travelled from a faraway place wearing bandages and a pair of swords. Unless you are a peerless master there's not much you can help us with."
Larian didn't feel insulted since he had always been looked down on. But he sensed something under Kait's tone
"Is there a problem you need help with?"
Kat started tidying up the shavings from the workshop, obviously she didn't think much of Larian.
"Nah, it's nothing. I have a younger brother. Pa wanted him to inherit the prosthetic business. But he left to join the Orkan Festival that happens every 25 years. It's basically a turf war in the Red Mountain where representatives of different mountains are gathered to fight. It's how the Gyth's decide a president for our people it's a place of honour and fame""
'A festival? The one Old Peal participated in from his stories?'
Kait seems to mistake Larians questioning look. She took the Stone tablet she carries and presented it to Larian.
"Well, I'm here to help out the store, but I've my own job as an Armor Specialist. "
On the tablet Larian saw complicated circuitry over a layer of Heavy Armour, this looked like a blueprint.
'Another amazing tech that I don't know of. Would there be more I can see in this Orkan Festival? Kait doesn't believe in me to go. But I might be able to get more information about this Festival from Old Peal. The Old Man understands some level of my true strength.'
"What armour do you specialise in?"
Kait pinched the tablet and it zoomed in on the back of the armour. Along the spring of the armour, there was circuitry which pinched into the spinal area of its user.
"With the connection that prosthetic gives its wearer, I enabled the user to control armour that's too heavy for a normal person to move in. I call it the exoskeleton".
Next Kait swiped the screen and the Armour alternated between a four Armed armour and an armour with a ballista attached to its arm.
"This allows its user to exceed Physical Limitations. Any design is possible, with four arms or eight legs, the only limitation is the output of Magic and the designer's creativity."
Intrigued, Larian swiped the tablet and looked closely at its circuitry. The complexity was too much to understand and Larian had to put it down.
"This is really advanced stuff. Did you come up with this?"
Kait's face became smug as she took Larian's question as a compliment.
"Yea I designed the prototype myself, however I haven't been able to get a sponsor yet. Apparently armour of such size needs a lot of magic input which everyone says is impossible to supply."
'A Lot of input that a normal person would be impossible to supply, would a battery or engine be able to do it? How about Monster Cores? No, Kait would be able to think of that. The problem with cores is that they aren't rechargeable.'
Larian understood the dilemma.
"You need a steady supply of Magic but there are currently no alternatives that are cost efficient for sponsors to be willing to invest in your idea."
'But with my unique Magic from the Dragon it would be a shame if Kait stopped her development here. I have to make her continue her pursuit in this direction.'
"Have you tried scaling down the armour into something slimmer? Like clothes. You could cut the requirement of magic supply and still achieve the minimal benefits of Physical Enchantment. And you can wear a layer of armour above that."
Kait looked down from Larian's reply.
"I'm a blacksmith not a tailor. How would I weave a magic circuit into a piece of cloth?"
"But I see what you're trying to get at. I'll try toning down the weight of the armour and optimise the circuitry. Hopefully then will someone see the true worth of my work."
Kait went back to her work and Larian continued on his sculpting.
The next day Old Peal was finally awake.
"Yawn…. Huh? Have you been sitting here all night?"
Larian was sitting by his side the whole time since he required less sleep than the average person.
"Yea you old turtle. You've been sleeping for 20 hours."
Peal finally sat up right and noticed the peculiar atmosphere.
"Only 20 hours? Damn that's a record low. I'd usually sleep for over 2 days after such intensive work. Must be because someone unsensible is waiting by my side for so long that my sleep is interrupted."
"Tell me, what do you want to wait this long by an old tortoise side?"
Larian had packed up his weapons and gear and he looked ready to set off.
"Your son. Tell me his features. I can find him."
Old Peal Sighed aloud. "Kait musta spilled the beans to ya, Right? That's a surprise. She wouldn't have asked you to help him since she still thinks you're an disabled swordsman with that trait we have."
Old Peal ruffled his hair as he deemed Larian should be safe even if he went.
"Ahh whatever. He took off with our Family Heavy Armour which, you won't miss the cursive engravings on the pauldrons. His name is Kranon. He likes his hair short and tidy and he takes after me, you'll know him when you see him."
"He should be under the command of Orsen Mountain. That stinking brat wouldn't listen to us and stay here. His hotheadedness would spell his doom, even Kait wanted to make an armour for him but he took off saying he could handle himself. He's made us all worry."
'Hmm… Kait didn't mention this when she talked about her designs. She really doesn't trust me.'
"Old Peal, I'll go find him and make sure he's safe."
Peal waved Larian off.
"It doesn't matter, the festival has already started. Even if you take the newest locomotive there you won't make it to Redhill Mountain on time. Just stay-"
While Old Peal was unaware, Larian had already left.
"These brats don't listen… Haishh… Stay safe Larian. The festival is a dangerous place, I'd already expected the worst of my son. But with you, I think you'll make it"