The deeper into Kaede's smithy they walked, the more the world seemed to melt into heat and sound.
The air hummed with the roar of the furnace. Sparks snapped like tiny fireworks. The smell of iron, coal, and hot stone clung to everything, the walls, the tools and their clothes.
Kaede inhaled, as if she were smelling perfume.
"Smells like home."
She flung open a heavy crate, revealing a mixture of tools and chunks of ore alongside bars of bright metal. She sifted through them until her eyes lit up.
"There!"
She lifted a piece of shimmering silver-blue metal that almost glowed under the forge light.
"Mythril."
Yukio blinked.
"Mythril…?"
Kaede held it up proudly.
"This is what I'm forging your new armor out of."
Before she was even finished, Yukio's eyes lit up in blue.
Appraise Activated
A crisp system window hovered in Yukio's vision:
---
Metal-Type: Mythril — (Rare)
Description:
Forged in the heart of ancient starlight.
Lighter than leather.
Tougher than tempered steel.
Answers to mana as if it were alive.
Only true blacksmiths can shape it without ruining its spirit.
---
Yukio swallowed hard.
Mythril… this has to cost a fortune. She doesn't have to do this.
As guilt started to tighten his chest,
Kaede suddenly grabbed the front of his hoodie and yanked him forward.
"HEY."
He almost head butted her.
"If you're thinking you're not worth Mythril,
She growled,
"You're an idiot. A complete idiot."
Their faces were inches apart. Her eyes were sharp… but warm.
"I like you guys. You're fun. You're reliable. You've already saved my butt. If we're gonna be a party, then I'm giving you real armor."
Yukio laid his hands gently over hers.
"…then I'll pay you back. Somehow. Because I'm not comfortable being in your debt."
He puffed out his chest in a grand, melodramatic fashion.
"Deal with it."
Kaede's composure shattered; her face burst into bright red.
"I... I... JUST... SHUT UP AND LET ME WORK!"
In an instant, she released him, turning away so he wouldn't see how flustered she was.
---
Kaede marched to the stone furnace - the large brick construct with a bellows, vents, and runes across the sides. She pumped the bellows a few times, sending sparks flying.
Michibiki came forward.
"Want a boost?
Kaede looks at her suspiciously.
"What kind of boost? Because last time you helped, a literal crater happened."
Michibiki just smirked.
"I promise this one won't explode the building."
She raised her palm.
A strange flame flickered to life, so black at the base and gold at the tips. It moved like liquid, like ink suspended in sunlight.
Yukio blinked.
Kaede stared.
"…that's not normal fire."
Without a word, Michibiki reached out towards the furnace.
FWOOOM
The black-gold flame leapt forward, devouring coals and swallowing the entire fire pit. The normal orange furnace flame twisted into a roaring inferno of swirling black and gold.
Heat washed over them, fierce but strangely controlled.
Michibiki wiped her hands, an expression of self-satisfaction etched on her face.
"That's a mythical-tier flame; very stable, extremely hot, perfect for rare metals."
Kaede was practically vibrating with excitement.
"…I am not asking where you learned that. I don't want to know. THANK YOU."
Energized, she picked up her tongs and tools.
"This fire is hot enough to make Mythril soften evenly. Perfect. Let's get started."
---
Before Kaede set the Mythril atop the flame, Yukio's hand instinctively reached out toward the metal.
Then,
A soft, familiar voice whispered in his mind:
"Use the threads, Yuki."
Trust me.
His breath caught.
The Wheel.
The same girl from the void.
Her voice conveyed warmth that he wasn't used to hearing.
"Trust me this time."
Yukio felt something shift inside him, like gears aligning.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Alright,"
He softly said to nobody in particular.
"I trust you.
Kaede paused, blinking at his sudden confidence.
"…you alright there, Yuki-boy?"
Yukio nodded.
"More than alright."
He stepped back and let Kaede work.
---
Kaede placed the Mythril bar into the black-gold furnace. The metal went white-hot almost immediately, glowing as though it held its own moon inside.
Kaede was grinning like a mad scientist.
"Ohhh, yeah. This is gonna be GOOD."
She grasped the hot Mythril, transferred it to the anvil.
CLANG
The whole smithy rang with the first strike.
Then another.
And another.
Kaede worked as if she was born with a hammer in her hand: every movement deliberate, turning the metal, folding its edge, reheating it, shaping the chestplate one strike at a time.
Yukio watched in awe.
"She's… amazing."
Even Michibiki looked impressed.
"This is a high-level crafting technique,"
She spoke softly.
"She's not exactly an everyday blacksmith."
Kaede smirked, still not looking up.
"Of course I'm not. I'm Kaede Ebonforge. Daughter of a Master blacksmith."
CLANG—CLANG—CLANG
Sparks danced across the room in golden arcs.
The Mythril began to take shape.
A smooth, curved chestplate.
Mana channels running along the edges.
Reinforced plates for mobility and spell conduction.
Kaede's face was flushed, with the sweat trickling down her cheeks, but her grin never went away.
She plunged the glowing armor into a basin of enchanted oil, after an hour of shaping, folding, and refining.
HISSSSSS
Steam exploded.
Yukio stepped back, blinking.
The armor… glowed.
Beautiful. Sleek. Light. Powerful.
Kaede lifted it with a proud smile.
"Yuki-boy… your new armor is gonna be a masterpiece."
Yukio was staring at it like it was holy.
And then at Kaede.
Then, at Michibiki.
For the first time…
He felt that the three of them were really becoming something.
A real party.
A real team.
Something that could change the world.
He smiled.
"Yeah… Let's make it legendary."
Yukio inhaled deeply, letting Kaede's excitement and the roaring heat of the forge wash over him. Then,
He smiled.
Not a smug smile, not a joking smile,
but the calm, confident smile of someone finally ready to take a risk.
"I guess it's my turn,"
He murmured.
He closed his eyes…
and mentally reached for the ability he had only just begun to understand.
The Threads of Fate.
A soft thrum echoed through the room.
Then,
Golden threads burst into existence.
They danced weightlessly through the forge, swirling overhead like living strands of light. They reflected in the glowing Mythril, coiling beautifully around Kaede's tools, her hands, the furnace… everywhere.
A familiar voice rang through his head, bright and eager:
"THAT'S what I'm talking about! Now focus, Yuki!"
Yukio breathed out slowly, cracking his neck.
"Okay… whoever you are."
His eyes snapped open,
flaring into molten gold.
Even Yukio jerked in surprise.
"Whoa, okay, didn't know I could do that."
The world shifted.
Threads connected everything like a web.
Destiny, chance, possibility all seen, all living.
"Check the probability of a successful forge,"
The girl commanded.
"Search for the brightest thread."
"Brightest thread. brightest thread."
He tried concentrating.
Immediately,
A wave of pressure hit him.
A sharp ache behind his eyes.
"Ugh, seriously? I thought this would be easy…"
He winced.
"How did I even manage this last time…?"
Then he saw it.
Among dozens of shimmering lines, one thread pulsed differently,
a glowing ribbon of white-gold, thicker, alive, almost singing.
"That's new…"
He focused his mind and reached out with it.
"That thread looks. different. Let's pull it."
"Good choice, Yuki."
The voice sounded proud.
Warm.
Happy.
The golden thread snapped tight.
Kaede's hammer rose,
and the course of events suddenly changed.
She struck the Mythril.
GONG
A blinding flash erupted from the anvil.
"WHAT THE?!"
Yukio shielded his eyes.
Kaede laughed breathlessly, her face lit by the intense glow.
"WHOA!!"
The light swirled, rippled, then slowly faded away like falling stardust.
When it dimmed,
Kaede stared at the armor resting on her anvil.
Her jaw dropped.
"It's… done."
Yukio and Michibiki started running forward.
And froze.
The armor wasn't simple Mythril,
It was alive with color, energy, and mythical craftsmanship.
White and silver plates interwoven with luminous gold-green rune patterns. There were gentle arcs of starlight pulsating along the edges of every piece, each looking as if it had come from the body of some legendary hero.
Kaede wiped the sweat from her forehead and gave a shaky laugh.
"…That's just insane. This was my FIRST EVER use of Mythril."
She touched the shining chestplate very tenderly.
"And it comes out like this?!"
She swallowed hard.
"What a masterpiece… I almost don't wanna give it to you now."
That last part was only half a joke.
Both Yukio and Michibiki used Appraise at the same time.
---
[Equipment]
Emerald Aegis of the Swift Star
Type: Mythic Armor — (Light Plate / Mana-Reactive Alloy)
[Attributes]
• STR +25%, Enhances physical power without slowing the user.
• AGI +40%, Increases sprint speed, reflexes, and jump height.
• LCK +30%, Influences crit rate, rare drops, and evasion chance.
• Mana Absorption: A-Rank, Converts incoming mana into the wearer's energy.
Active Abilities
1. Aegis Reversal
Type: Reflective Barrier
Effect: Forms a shimmering white-green shield that reflects incoming attacks (physical or magical) with 120% force.
Duration: 10 min
Cooldown: 30 min
2. Swift Star Ascent
Type: Burst Movement
Effect: A star-bright trail ignites behind you as you accelerate forward at extreme speed.
Can be used to dodge, reposition, or strike.
Duration: 10 min
Cooldown: 15 min
3. Verdant Pulse Overcharge
Type: Mana Burst
Effect: Releases absorbed mana in a controlled shockwave, knocking back enemies and temporarily boosting Strength by +20%.
Cooldown: 1 hour
---
A long whistle escaped Yukio's mouth.
"…Nah, I'll take it."
He glanced at Kaede, smirking.
"And honestly? At this point, you're too good. Can I kiss you?"
"W... WHAT?!"
Kaede jumped back, face exploding red.
"Why would I want to kiss YOU?! Just-just put the armor on, idiot!"
Yukio laughed and equipped it piece by piece.
Silver chestplate.
Vine like runes of gold.
Lightweight, yet incredibly resilient greaves.
When he finally stood upright,
He looked like a completely different person.
A hero.
A chosen one.
That someone belonged on an adventure poster.
Michibiki smiled warmly and clasped her hands together.
"You actually look like an adventurer now,"
She said.
Yukio struck a dramatic pose.
"More like an anime protagonist."
Michibiki's smile sharpened into a teasing smirk.
"Nope. More like a child playing dress-up."
Yukio choked. Kaede burst out laughing, nearly dropping her hammer.
And for the first time since arriving in this world, the room was filled not with danger, or fear, or uncertainty… but with warmth. With the feeling of a party beginning to form.
And deep within Yukio's mind, the girl whispered:
"We make a good team, Yuki."
The forge crackled behind them, the golden threads faded into glittering dust, and Yukio fitted the straps of his new armor as the world seemed to shine just a little brighter-
Because, for the first time, He wasn't fighting fate.
He was shaping it.