Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

Mina and Fin followed, and they entered the workshop area. There was not much in the sense of crafting stations except some abandoned sewing machines.

Except for the place where Neeco seemed to usually work, everything was either filled with shelves of fabric or all kinds of dress forms and mannequins with finished or half-finished pieces of clothing.

Mina and Fin immediately started exploring the place and inspecting the yet-to-be-released clothes. The tailor sat down on a comfy-looking chair and slumped like a puppet with its strings detached.

"How did you know?" he asked Seth who had followed him instead of checking the workshop.

"Know what?" he asked perplexed.

"That I finished the armor just this morning. I haven't slept for more than a few hours in the last two days because I was working on your armor." the tailor complained.

"I mean, that's great but you really should look after yourself a little more. I only came by because I had the chance. I didn't expect anything this soon."

Seth patted the hardworking tailor should and brought out a potion.

"Here try drinking this. It's a potion made by our little witch. It helps the body to slowly recover from fatigue and overwork. It's no instant cure, but also puts a lot less stress on your body."

Neeco looked at the potion with a little suspicion but ended up drinking it anyway. It had a refreshing taste like citrus, and he could feel the tension and fatigue in his body be alleviated. It didn't substitute for a good night's sleep, but he felt a lot better.

"Thanks. Shall we get to business then?" the tailor asked and lined up the almost finished armor pieces on the table before Seth.

A formfitting top covered with a few hardened reinforced leather plates to protect vital areas, similar leather pants, a pair of gloves, a pair of hardened leather bracers, and a pair of soft, slender boots.

What they all had in common was that they looked almost featureless. The snake leather they were made of now actively absorbed light, making them look like shapes cut from the night. They even had a halo of shadow around them.

"All that's left is for you to finish the leatherworking."

Before the two crafters had realized it there were already two pairs of marveling eyes caught by the unfinished items.

"It's like a hole in the table." Fin mumbled and kept touching the bracers to make sure there was something there.

Mina similarly had to pick up the gloves to make sure it was real. The two crafters could only watch them and smile wryly at their innocence.

"Finish them!" Mina suddenly said with a sparkle in her eyes. Her big eyes felt like floodlights as she looked at him with expectation.

"N-Now?"

""Yesh!"" both Fin and Mina suddenly answered.

"You guys..." Seth stopped speaking when he saw that Neeco had the same expectant look on his face. Why were they in such a hurry?

He nodded and got to work. He used Neecos stuff to finish the leatherwork.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Neeco started jumping up and down like a maniac every time Seth finished one of the pieces. Like a gambler who kept getting the right numbers in the lottery.

After Seth finished the gloves, boot and bracers the tailor suddenly fell into a triumphant cheer.

"I'm finally a Journeyman Tailor!" he shouted with tears of joy.

"Errm, congrats, I guess?" Seth said a little baffled. Mina and Fin had a hard time following the conversation.

"Oh, erm, thanks! I hope you don't mind if I leave you alone for a moment?" he said and rushed out of the workshop. The moment the door closed behind him they could hear his muffled cries of joy.

"Since he's gone, I will really finish these."

Once he was done with the pants and the top Seth summoned his spirit smithy inside the tailor's workshop. Since the items were already ready, it would not take too long to forge the soul armaments.

The soul for Mina's armor had been prepared a long time ago. It was one of the few big hauls Seth had managed to make when they hunted for souls to harvest. One day, when checked a portal that had been detected by Minas Mar, they came across a big group of dark elves.

Now, these were not the nice kind of busty dark-skinned beauties one knew from some novels. These were elves corrupted by dark magic, maybe even under the influence of an evil god? Who knew? However, they attacked them on sight, and they were forced to kill them off. During and after this fight Seth had managed to harvest several souls.

Two of these were of assassin classes, one being a rogue and the other also being a shadow assassin. These souls were originally rare-rated and medium-sized, but Seth managed to increase them to big with only a few more medium-sized souls.

Seth divided the assassin's soul into four parts for the top, the pants, and the boots. The rogue's soul was also divided into four pieces for the pair of bracers and gloves. The idea behind it was simple. Shadow assassins are known for their agility and speed to kill in an instant.

Using this soul on the body armor and boots could optimize the options the soul was expected to bring. Same with the other soul.

Rogues were a class that was more apt in setting traps and directly fighting with short and hidden weapons. Using it for the gloves and armguards could increase Mina's fighting power.

As for the enchantments Seth chose some more special ones. The pants were engraved with the complex circuits for Leap and Strength. On the boots, he used Featherfall and Agility. He fortified the top with a circuit of Shield and one for Reflect.

He put Dexterity and Intelligence into the gloves, while the bracers were enchanted with Endurance and Strength. The reason Seth often chose these flat attribute increases was that they had no influence on other effects or enchantments. They were neutral.

All that was left now, was infusing the soul armaments.

And when he finally finished them-

<Ding! Your Skill Blacksmith (Journeyman) lv.7 has become Blacksmith (Journeyman) lv.8!>

<Ding! Your Skill Enchantment (Journeyman) lv.7 has become Enchantment (Journeyman) lv.8!>

These two had finally leveled up! And the resulting armor was great, too.

<Midnight Jacket

Epic Midnight Set 1/8

Epic

Phys. Defense:1200

Mag. Defense: 860

Durability: 2480

1. +50% Affinity with Darkness

2. +15% Overall power in Darkness

3. +30% protection from leather armor

4. +40% Evasion

5. Shadow related skills are strengthened by 20%

6. Reflect up to 25% of incoming Damage

7. Shield blocks up to 500 Damage. 150s to regenerate if broken.

A body armor that was made in collaboration between Journeyman Boos and Journeyman Smith. Made from the leather of a special snake it looks like a piece cut from the darkness. Mystic techniques have imbued it with effects any professional killer would envy.

Set Effect:

4/8 (Glove + Bracers)

Weapon masteries are increased by 1 level

Cutthroat

Melee Damage is increased by 75%

4/8 (Boots + Trousers+ Top)

Shadow related skills are strengthened by 2 levels

Shadow

Any damage is increased by 200% as long as the target is not aware of your presence

8/8

Shadow

Cutthroat

I shall wear Midnight!

Turn everything in a radius of 15meters into a field of total darkness. The user's existence is completely hidden.>

<Midnight Trousers

Epic Midnight Set 1/8

Epic

Phys. Defense:800

Mag. Defense: 660

Durability: 2150

1. +50% Affinity with Darkness

2. +15% Overall power in Darkness

3. +30% protection from leather armor

4. +30% Evasion

5. Shadow related skills are strengthened by 20%

6. + 40 Strength

7. Active Skill: Leap

A pair of trousers that was made in collaboration between Journeyman Boos and Journeyman Smith. Made from the leather of a special snake it looks like a piece cut from the darkness. Mystic techniques have imbued it with effects any professional killer would envy.

Set Effect: Collapsed >

<Active Skill/Toggle: Leap, No Cost /100 Mana per minute, Cooldown: 120s /None

This skill can either be used for no cost with a duration of 30 seconds or can be toggle by consuming the user's mana.

When active the user can jump up to 4 times higher. >

<Midnight Paw (Right)

Epic Midnight Set 1/8

Epic

Phys. Defense:600

Mag. Defense: 460

Durability: 2000

1. +50% Affinity with Darkness

2. +15% Overall power in Darkness

3. +30% protection from leather armor

4. +50% Sneaking

5. Shadow related skills are strengthened by 20%

6. + 40 Agility

7. Passive Skill: Featherfall

8. +15% Movement speed

One of a pair of soft boots that were made in collaboration between Journeyman Boos and Journeyman Smith. Made from the leather of a special snake it looks like a piece cut from the darkness. Mystic techniques have imbued it with effects any professional killer would envy.

Set Effect: Collapsed >

< Passive Skill: Featherfall, 15 mana per second

Turns the user's fall into a gentle floating like the fall of a feather.>

<Midnight Claw (Right)

Epic Midnight Set 1/8

Epic

Phys. Defense:600

Mag. Defense: 460

Durability: 2000

1. +50% Affinity with Darkness

2. +15% Overall power in Darkness

3. +30% Damage with short, bladed weapons

4. +20% Damage in melee combat

5. Combat-related skills are strengthened by 30%

6. +40 Dexterity

7. +40 Intelligence

One of a pair of gloves that was made in collaboration between Journeyman Boos and Journeyman Smith. Made from the leather of a special snake it looks like a piece cut from the darkness. Mystic techniques have imbued it with effects any professional killer would envy.

Set Effect: Collapsed >

<Midnight Bracer (Right)

Epic Midnight Set 1/8

Epic

Phys. Defense:600

Mag. Defense: 460

Durability: 2000

1. +50% Affinity with Darkness

2. +15% Overall power in Darkness

3. +30% Damage with short, bladed weapons

4. +20% Damage in melee combat

5. Combat-related skills are strengthened by 30%

6. +40 Endurance

7. +40 Strength

One of a pair of bracers that was made in collaboration between Journeyman Boos and Journeyman Smith. Made from the leather of a special snake it looks like a piece cut from the darkness. Mystic techniques have imbued it with effects any professional killer would envy.

Set Effect: Collapsed >

Mina stared at the finished armor pieces with the intensity of the sun. Especially after she heard what they were able to do. There was no way Seth could pack them up here and give them to her later.

"You know, originally I wanted to surprise you guys with your stuff all at the same time..."

The cat girl's eyes didn't move even an inch away from the gear and they glared when he tried to take them away. He had to be strong.

"I love you, but you will get your full set at the same time as everyone else."

He fought of Mina's puppy eyes and packed away the armor.