1217 12-Dimensional Metal Part 1 (2/2)

Sika always was in need of a totem pole, but she lacked the necessary materials, as not even the bones of ancient dragons would be resilient enough to craft such an item.

The mix of 12-dimensional metal, Genesis Stock Solution, and level 16 elementite in Saleen's hands would be enough to craft something that Sika could use.

Crafting a dagger for Agares was simply a way of practicing his skills, as it was, after all, the first time that Saleen crafted something of such a high level. His success was not guaranteed even with the use of the Genesis Stock Solution.

Saleen chose to use molds—a method that he rarely used—to craft the dagger.

The elemental nature of 12-dimensional metals was very delicate. Saleen first used a piece of clean crystal to repeatedly chip out the shape of the dagger, before melting the elementite and wrapping it around the blade. At that moment, the crystal melted and the elementite congealed, yielding a precise mold.

Saleen used the Six Element's Heavy Water to blend a tiny bit of the Genesis Stock Solution before cutting down a bit of the 12-dimensional metal and mixing it with all manner of precious metallic materials. He then threw the mixture into the Water Flame.

Saleen's Water Flame alchemy melted and blended the materials evenly. 12-dimensional metals had the strongest attributes; the Genesis Stock Solution blended it in and added said attributes to the other metals in the mix.

In the language of the mages, the Genesis Stock Solution went by another name: Aqua Regula.

The Genesis Stock Solution was most precious to the gods; yet, to the mages, Aqua Regula was but a level-16 skill.

While it was impossible for a mage to craft so much Aqua Regula alone, they were capable of creating it by working with one another. If enough mages went at it for several hundred years, they would be able to create Aqua Regula as well.

After the liquid mix was successfully concocted, Saleen pour it into the mold, solidifying it into the shape of a dagger.

The Water Flame powered alchemy at low temperatures. By the time the metal solidified, it would have burst the level 16 elementite. Saleen would then have acquired a dagger. The strength of the metal was indicated by the fact that it was able to expand and crack level 16 elementite.

Saleen took a look and saw that he had only used one-eighth of the 12-dimensional metal piece that Agares had given him. He had never expected to be able to conserve so much. According to the ratio he had used, the weapons for both Jola and Sul still would not use up that half piece of 12-dimensional metal.

The reason why Saleen had used a mold for crafting was because the materials used to craft the item could not then be altered. If Agares wanted to re-craft the dagger, the weapon would lose its attributes, and the metals would be degraded.

As long as he did not re-craft that dagger, the magic patterns that Saleen had infused at the core of the weapon, which had a frequency that Saleen was capable of sensing, would make it impossible for Agares to use the dagger against him in the dark.

The dagger was too lethal for Saleen to not put some kind of safeguard on it.

Agares acquired the equipment he expected within six days—a dagger than was less than a foot long.

It was a dark blue blade in a wavy kris shape, with magic patterns covering every single part of it like the scales of snakes. On either side of its tip, there were eye-like magic patterns. The handle looked the way a snake did as it slithered forward. Agares held it in his hand and felt that it fit perfectly in his grip.

He felt, for the first time, that a weapon resonated with him, becoming a part of his body.

That alone was a testament that Saleen's understanding of combat techniques had reached at least that of the Silver Grand Swordmasters.

”Do you like it, Agares?” Saleen asked, rather smugly.

While the dagger had only been the product of an experiment, it was nonetheless a very successful one. Agares nodded, and Saleen said, ”There is a space crafted specifically for you on the handle—enough for an assassin like you. I've divided it into 12 parts. Your mental ability should be sufficient to take any item from any of the slots.”

Agares was elated. As an assassin, the only thing that truly troubled him was the problems of using space equipment. Any professional became able to use space equipment when they reached level ten, but the sizes that assassins were able to open proved problematic to them.

He would not have to target only what he found to be the most precious and give up anything else of less relative importance when he was raiding a dragon's lair, with Saleen or otherwise.

”Saleen, I believe this is yours,” Agares said, and threw the remaining half-piece of the 12-dimensional metal to Saleen.

Saleen took it honestly and put it away in his Starline Ring before continuing, ”The 12-dimensional metals cannot be imbued with poison, so I crafted magic patterns on the dagger's blade. You'll only need to stow poison at the hole at the tail end which you can then activate using your skills or mental powers, sending it to the blade.”

”Thank you, Saleen.” Agares had thanked him—a rare thing for the assassin to do. The damage dealt by the 12-dimensional metal would trump any kind of poison, but such attributes needed to be activated using skills nonetheless.

Things were different in the case of poisons, as he was capable of concocting brews capable of killing a dragon. He would only have had to cut an enemy's skin to kill them.

”I saw that you dropped your dagger when you were killing the dragon. Such attacks were not ideal for assassins. Once you have gotten familiar with that dagger, you'll realize that you've come to possess a weapon capable of attack at mid-range. The eyes on the snaky blade are capable of locking down on enemies.”