After that experience, we headed out of the "Noble District," as Aldous called it.
With Aldous guiding me around the "Peasant District" and explaining the commodities as well as introducing me to some people, I soon noticed how different the surroundings were. Some of the buildings and wooden houses had a slight tilt to them showing that the builder messed up in some ways or it was the result of some natural disaster. Almost none of the buildings were built of anything other than wood or stone and it was just the same types of houses and store buildings everywhere. Back in the capital of the Kingdom of Art, the building materials were much more varied and it wasn't uncommon for buildings to be decorated with paint and such.
There was also the usage of magic. Although it wasn't exactly common for the people in the Kingdom of Art to use magic, almost everyone had access to magic tools or devices like light bulbs or stove tops or other similar mechanisms. Here on the other hand, there was nothing evenly remotely related to magic.
The people did not have fancy magic powered stoves, but used ordinary stoves. For the lighting, they used lanterns. There were people who sold miscellaneous items, foods, and a bunch of other things. Those who were well off owned store buildings while the rest occupied their own little stalls or just laid their things out on top of a blanket. It was primitive, just like my village.
It was almost like the people here lived in a different era. Magic did not shape their lives like it did to me and a lot of other people. In a way, it reminded me of Earth; back before...well, everything.
Unlike its two counterpart kingdoms which were much more high tech and magically/scientifically advanced, this kingdom was rather simple.
After returning from some unnamed stall that sold weapons and tools. Aldous said that we had about twenty minutes before the Martial Championship started.
Entering my guest room that had two mini beds, I threw down five long sticks that were wrapped tightly in bandages. They were the weapons I bought from the stall. Since it was a peasant shop, all the items were cheap and the same could be said for the quality of the weapons. Although the quality was bad, that was exactly what I was looking for. Most of the tools were either Common or Rare with only a select few being Epic. All in all, I picked the five cheapest swords that were recognized by my system as Rare and the total cost came down to 5 Silver Coins, one for each.
What I had to figure out now was how to evolve the spear.
'Spear.' With a single thought, the Molten Spear of Mutilation popped out from my inventory and fell in my right hand.
The description said to devour five Rare weapons but how was it supposed to "devour?" The Molten Spear wasn't exactly sentient nor was it living.
'How do I evolve it.'
I asked the system but it did not give a response.
After thinking about it for a while, I removed all the bandage wrappings. Channeling my mana into the Molten Spear, I rubbed it against the swords that were on my bed. After a couple seconds of nothing happening, I realized how stupid it was. If Aldous just walked in right now, it would look like I was intimately rubbing my rod against a long tool...
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*cough*
"It looks like it doesn't activate the same way the ring does." I thought out loud, trying to dispel the awkward air and sound cool at the same time. Well, no one was watching anyway...
'But how was this darned thing supposed to evolve. If only there was an instruction manual...'
Now that I thought of it, why don't I try something cliché.
"Devour." I said, placing the spear on one of the swords.
In mere seconds, the sword turned from a natural grey metallic color into a steaming hot red blade. I say it was hot but the bed wasn't burning or anything; there was just a lot of steam coming off of the blade. It didn't make any sense based on my own scientific knowledge. Me being that kind of cat, I just had to put my hand on the blade even if it could have killed me. If it did hurt, I would just chug down a Healing Potion or two.
It must have been some sort of magic or some universal law but touching the blade felt like touching nothing. It was the same sensation as touching air, there was no change or difference, both in temperature, and in substance. It felt like air, yet I was unable to push, pull or apply any force to it.
I found it hard to figure out if it was an illusion that was tricking my sense of touch, or if it was something else entirely.
After a couple more seconds, the spear started absorbing the heated metal like a vampire that was taking in blood. Even the hilt was absorbed despite it being made of leather and not metal. In the first place, shouldn't the hilt have been melted or burned apart or something similar?
'Ah, I don't know anymore.'
I accepted it for what it was since I was completely clueless. All of my built up scientific knowledge from my past life was rendered useless while my magic knowledge was still lacking in a lot of categories.
What was left was nothing. The sword disappeared from existence while nothing about the spear seemed to have changed. Law of Conservation of Mass? What was that?
'Appraise.'
~~~~~~~~~~
Molten Spear of Mutilation(Common):
The forlorn spear that survived its retribution of flames.
When equipped: Strength—30, Agility+10
1. Molten: Without a high affinity to fire, wielder can be burned. Attacks can create burn.
2. SEALED
3. Evolution Requirements: Devour 1/5 weapons(Rare)
~~~~~~~~~~
Sure enough, it worked.
—3 minutes later—
[Ding!]
[Weapon Evolution Requirements have been met]
[Molten Spear of Mutilation(Common) has evolved into Molten Spear of Mutilation(Rare)]
Similar to the slug, the spear gave out a brief golden shine which almost blinded my eyes.
[Automatically appraising]
~~~~~~~~~~
Molten Spear of Mutilation(Rare):
The forlorn spear that survived its retribution of flames.
When equipped: Strength—15, Agility+10
1. Molten: Without a high affinity to fire, wielder can be burned. Attacks can create burn.
2. SEALED
3. Evolution Requirements: Devour 0/5 weapons(Epic)
~~~~~~~~~~
Was it a waste? That I didn't know. But the strength value was negative fifteen now. It was an improvement... I guess?
How anticlimactic.