Today, I rode Jiro, the Hind Bear, to the cave where the kobolds used to live. Accompanying me were Dhami, Redhead Shorty, and Asue on their respective familiars, along with seventeen combat-ready kobolds, including a foot soldier kobold, who followed us on foot.
The purpose of our expedition was to seal the hole in the cave that connected to Velvet’s dungeon and to secure the kobolds’ few belongings and supplies.
The kobold cave was about a forty-minute walk from our base. After quickly moving their belongings, Asue, the most skilled in handling terrain, collapsed the cave completely with a strike from her war pick. This would ensure that no skeletons would emerge from the cave again: one of our main goals for the day.
Next, I sent the kobolds out to hunt.
They hunted Armored Raccoon Dogs and brought back food, but the primary target was the Dark Wolves. It was all part of my plan to increase our number of familiars while also gaining experience in teamwork by clashing with the Dark Wolves as a group.
After all, training bouts were important, but real combat experience was invaluable. I had taught the kobolds the basics over the past two days, and now it was time to see if they could apply their knowledge in real-life situations. Although it was a risky endeavor, nothing could ever come of it without action. The ear cuffs would provide support, ensuring the kobolds wouldn’t die easily… And even if they did, replacements were readily available.
My expectations weren’t particularly high, but the kobolds exceeded them. Following my instructions, they managed to drive a pack of twelve Dark Wolves into an area laden with traps. They sustained various injuries due to my condition, which aimed to prevent them from killing the wolves, but the Sustainable Regeneration I had added to their ear cuffs helped heal them easily.
The kobolds turned out to be a valuable find, loyal and competent within their pack. I quickly turned the captured Dark Wolves into familiars by using one of my abilities to manipulate their minds.
We successfully cornered another pack of Dark Wolves the same way. By the end of the day, I had gained twenty new Dark Wolf familiars, which would significantly boost our combat strength sooner than expected. The only letdown was that neither of the captured packs came with an Alpha Dark Wolf. Nonetheless, securing such a substantial number was an achievement, so I considered it a good outcome for the day.
On our way back, we encountered a Stamp Boar, known for its stiff fur and enormous snout shaped like an iron, which it used to crush its enemies before consuming their carcasses. It was the perfect test of strength. Asue dismounted from her Triple-Horned Horse and charged at the Stamp Boar head-on. It didn’t back down and charged right for Asue.
They were headed for a collision, with both sides knocking away obstacles in their path as they rushed toward each other.
As soon as Asue’s War Pick of the Earth Mother Goddess made contact with the Stamp Boar, it absolutely obliterated the creature. The front half of the Stamp Boar’s body, which was said to be as hard as a rock, couldn’t withstand Asue’s attack and was blown apart. The air filled with the thick scent of blood, and scattered innards and chunks of flesh hung from branches. It was a gruesome scene.
Asue had apparently held back, but the outcome was still as expected. The Stamp Boar’s body may have been hard as a rock, but that only made it an easy target for Asue, who could smash actual rocks with her bare hands. Without commenting, I helped her wash the blood off her face with a Water Sphere.
We stored the Stamp Boar’s valuable meat in the item box and cooked it into a stew back at the base.
That night, while I was working in my workshop, the blacksmith approached me and asked me to come to the forge. Curious, I followed her and found a newly refurbished halberd waiting for me.
It was the halberd I had used in my deadly battle against the Red Bear, the one that had become unusable due to heavy wear and tear. I had asked the blacksmith to repair it, and now it was finally back in working order. And not only that, but the blacksmith had also made some enhancements. Proudly, she explained the modifications.
First came the halberd’s axe head, one of its defining features, which was now made from an alloy of aquasteel, wrought iron, and mithril. The inclusion of aquasteel meant that, like the Spirit Stone knife, it could produce a dramatic water display when swung, and swinging it with sufficient speed turned the water into sharp blades.
This feature extended the halberd’s attack range, which was already three meters. I tested it out and easily sliced through a large boulder from a distance with the water blade.
The cutting power of the axe head had also been improved significantly, transforming it from a blunt instrument into a sharp blade.
The spear tip of the halberd was newly made from another alloy of Spirit Stone, wrought iron, and mithril, but the Spirit Stone used in this alloy was a Thunder Spirit Stone, capable of discharging electricity. When the weapon was thrust at high speed, lightning would shoot from the spear tip, allowing me to strike distant enemies at impossibly high speeds. These lightning spears also had a piercing effect, enabling them to attack enemies even behind obstacles.
While testing this, I activated Triple Thrust on a whim. Lightning bolts erupted from the two invisible spear tips, too, producing three lightning spears with a single thrust and obliterating my target.
How convenient!
The pick on the opposite side of the axe head was also made from an alloy, this one with the inclusion of Fire Spirit Stone. I tested it by striking a log retrieved from the Item Box, and it roared to life with flames—a fantastic feature.
Finally, the opposite end of the spear, the butt spike, was fitted with an alloy using Earth Spirit Stone sharpened into a triangular pyramid. This would both allow for stabbing enemies and serve as a tool for terrain manipulation.
The most impressive feature overall was that all the Spirit Stone effects were significantly more powerful than before, rivaling or exceeding those of the knives I had previously improved with enchantments.
When I asked why, the blacksmith explained to me that she had acquired a new job class: Elemental Smith. She had kept it a secret until the halberd was complete to surprise me. Apparently, now I was the only one who knew. Sharing the secret felt special.
The Elemental Smith job class is a rare occupation obtained by meeting several challenging conditions, such as handling various Spirit Stones for an extended period and mastering their use. Overjoyed, I gave the blacksmith a hug, having recently become adept at unconsciously controlling my strength. Her smiling face in my arms was incredibly adorable.