After a week of work, and even hearing the hallucinated voice(?) of Hector, its original owner, near the end, I finally completed Durindana. At that moment, I felt not only Durindana but also the gauntlet we had made alongside it ascend into [Noble Phantasms], together with the [Illusion] dwelling within them.
"Jian."
"Yes, Senior."
"It's finished."
"Y-Yes...?"
"The two of us have completed the first-class armament, [Durindana Pilum]."
"W-Wowww..."
"Congratulations."
"Wooooooooow...!"
For a while after that, we were so happy that we could not even speak, simply holding each other's hands and jumping up and down. Of course, once we came to our senses, our faces turned red, and we each returned to our own beds to sleep.
Then, at noon the next day, I woke Jian, who had been sleeping in just as lazily as I had, and we ate. I carefully wrapped the completed Durindana Pilum in a clean cloth, while placing the gauntlet in a box filled with cushioning material. Normally, etiquette dictated that we show our completed work to our goddess first, but... in the case of this spear, its owner had already been decided. I thought it was right to take it to Finn first.
I asked Jian as well, just in case. After considering it for a moment, she agreed that it seemed right for the spear to go to its owner.
So, after washing up and completely tidying the smithy, it was already nearing evening.
"Let's go, Jian."
"M-Me?"
"Who else named Jian is there here? I don't see another one, let alone another Prum."
"No, um... I-I don't know if someone as insignificant as me should come along..."
"Insignificant or not, I didn't make this spear alone. You made it with me. If its creator puts herself down, then you are putting down the value of the spear you made, too. Do you think this spear that you and I made is the kind of work that deserves words like 'insignificant'?"
"N-No!"
"Then you, who made this spear with me, are not a smith who deserves those words either. Understand?"
"Yes...!"
I gently stroked Jian's head once. Her expression looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment. Then I turned away and spoke.
"Let's go. We need to go show off this spear that you and I made."
With that, Jian and I headed for Twilight Manor as we watched the sun set.
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The young man and the Prum, walking.
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"What... Ah, you're from the Hephaestus Familia, from last time?"
"Yes. I came because I have something to deliver directly to [Braver]. I understand I can enter if I show this token..."
As I spoke, I showed him the token Loki had given me last time.
"Yes, it is indeed a token identifying you as a guest of Twilight Manor. Welcome. Please, come into Twilight Manor."
The veteran gatekeeper I had seen last time welcomed us, unlike before, and opened the gates of Twilight Manor.
"Captain Finn should be in his office around this time. Do you remember where it is?"
"Yes, I remember. I'll make my way there myself."
"Very well. Take care, then."
Leading Jian, who was looking around with an admiring gaze, I entered Twilight Manor once again.
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The young man and the Prum, going upstairs.
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Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
"It has been one week, Finn."
"Oh, you finished it? But who is that beside you...?"
"I-I'm Jian from the Hephaestus Familia!"
"She acted as my assistant while we made this, and she was a tremendous help. I probably would not have finished it in time without her."
"I-It's an honor to meet the hero of the Prums!"
"Haha, that's an embarrassing title to hear."
Listening to the two Prums talk would have been interesting, but showing [Durindana Pilum] came first.
"Ahem. First, how about meeting the new friend you will be getting close to from now on, Finn?"
"Oh, I nearly forgot the most important thing. Is that [Durindana Pilum] wrapped in the cloth? And the gauntlet is in the box beside it?"
"Yes. If you see the spear first, it is obvious you will become too distracted to hear anything, so I will explain it first."
"...Urgh."
"Don't make that face, either. To explain the spear first, it possesses [Indestructibility], an effect greater than [Unbreakable]."
"Greater than [Unbreakable]? What does that mean?"
"Normally, [Unbreakable] grants indestructible durability by forging orichalcum with a special forging method, but in exchange, the weapon's power is lower than that of other first-class armaments. However, the Noble Phantasm imbued in the Durindana Pilum I made possesses the very concept of [Indestructibility]—of never being damaged."
"In other words, despite having power that does not fall behind other first-class armaments without [Unbreakable], it also has absolute, immutable durability. To put it extremely, this spear is an ultimate spear of [Indestructibility] that would remain unchanged even if struck by a god's blow."
"Also, originally, it had the ability to adjust the length of its shaft according to its owner's wishes. But because I placed greater emphasis on its function as a thrown spear, I gave it a different effect instead."
"If you focused on its throwing function, then either guidance or retrieval?"
"Yes, I gave it the effect of retrieval. It would be rather ridiculous if the owner used this Noble Phantasm's true purpose, throwing it as a spear, and could not retrieve the weapon afterward. Once it recognizes its owner, you should be able to retrieve it whenever you wish."
"And... I was not the one who gave it this effect, but..."
"If it was not you, Smith, then was it this young Prum lady?"
"No... Um... How should I put it...? The original owner of this Noble Phantasm...?"
"...?"
"The hero who was this Noble Phantasm's original owner added one final effect."
"...Is there something strange about it?"
"Well... not exactly, but it is difficult to activate, I suppose..."
"What is it?"
"There are two conditions. First, you must regard the enemy as an opponent you cannot resist. Second, you must be outnumbered. If those two conditions are met..."
"...If they are met?"
"Then, according to my estimate, regardless of who the owner is, their level will temporarily rise by one while they fight."
"It certainly will be difficult to use... but the reward is correspondingly great."
"And this is the gauntlet. Once you undergo owner recognition for the spear and gauntlet, and recite a specific chant, boosters will erupt near your elbow and provide powerful propulsion for throwing the spear."
"I see... It is solely for spear throwing... Then I can finally inspect the spear properly now, right?"
"First, put on this gauntlet..."
With Jian's and my help, he had the gauntlet equipped in no time, and he kept urging me on with his eyes.
Finn's face, staring intently at me, was calm, but his eyes were full of curiosity, giving him an air perfectly suited to his appearance.
"The owner wants to see it, so we should show him. Remember this well: this is [Durindana Pilum (Indestructible Ultimate Spear)], the joint work of Jian and me!"
At last, freed from the pure-white canvas cloth, the spear scattered its brilliant radiance in every direction, enticing the one destined to become its owner.
A bright golden spearhead and rear spike, contrasting with the matte shaft.
A spearhead with a crossguard like that of a sword, proudly displaying a cutting edge that would never change for eternity.
And the air of countless hard-fought battles emanating from the spear itself.
Though it was undoubtedly a newly made weapon, the fighting spirit it gave off was as if it had fought through hundreds, thousands of battlefields, luring Finn onward.
Finn, who had reached out as if bewitched to grasp the spear, hesitated for a moment.
Was it truly all right for me to become the owner of this Noble Phantasm? Wasn't it a weapon that someone far worthier than me should wield?
These were thoughts he would ordinarily never entertain. But before a result that had surpassed even his high expectations, his mind spoke weakly, if only for an instant.
Then he remembered something Smith had once said.
["As the only person in this Orario who remembers [Illusion], I dare state this with certainty. There is no one more suited to this [Durindana Pilum (Indestructible Ultimate Spear)] than [Braver]."]
Strengthened by those words, he grasped the matte spear shaft before him.
At the same time, the spear of Troy's defender rang deeply, as though welcoming its new owner.
Hummmmmm.
"...Congratulations, Finn. You are the first adventurer in Orario to be recognized by a Noble Phantasm. You alone are the owner of that Noble Phantasm, and you alone can wield it."
"H-Hahaha, ahahahaha! This is incredible, Smith! I have never felt a weapon like this before! I've used sharper weapons, tougher weapons, and more expensive weapons, but this... this feeling is new to me!"
"Of course. It is a reproduction of the first Noble Phantasm to be born in this world. It will feel different from any armament—even a divine weapon forged personally by Lady Hephaestus."
"Welcome. Welcome to walking alongside me on the journey of my [Phantasm Myth: Illusory Myth]."