During the period before the official commencement of the assault on Man-Made Dungeon Knossos, Riezel had not remained idle.
While coordinating the handover of supplies such as magic swords with the Hephaestus Familia, he also handed over his black sword, Hermit, to the Goddess of Smithing, Hephaestus, requesting that she personally modify the weapon.
Honestly, there had been little choice in the matter.
Any weapons forged by Hephaestus using Caloric Stone as the primary material possessed overwhelming power, making them unsuitable for regular use and viable only as trump cards.
Fool, on the other hand, was far inferior to Hermit in terms of power. Its featherlight weight, which had once enhanced the development ability of Lightweight, had gradually become less significant after the appearance of the Giant's Glove and the Wyvern Amulet.
With the Giant's Glove and Wyvern Amulet in his possession, although Riezel still could not wield the heavy Hermit with the same effortless ease as Fool, the difference had already become extremely minimal.
Since Fool was inferior in power and no longer provided any meaningful enhancement to Lightweight, he naturally phased it out and handed it over to Ais, who could make better use of it.
However, Hermit itself still possessed room for improvement.
It had originally been created by Riezel using his former secondary weapon as the base material, supplemented with the refined essences of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores, before being forged through the Structure System Magic of the Akasha Continent.
In other words, it lacked substantial technical sophistication.
Although it had previously drawn attention and even astonished certain observers, in the eyes of a Goddess of Smithing like Hephaestus, it was undoubtedly nothing more than a crudely assembled semi-finished product.
Hence, when Hephaestus brought up the topic, he immediately seized the opportunity and entrusted Hermit to her, requesting that she reforge the sword.
Perhaps because the assault on Knossos concerned the survival of all Orario and even the entire Lower World, and because Riezel was clearly one of the key combat powers in this battle, Hephaestus ultimately did not refuse and agreed to his request.
"Although this battle concerns the survival of Orario and even the Lower World, I would still rather not see you continue using that dangerous weapon."
Back then, that was Hephaestus's reason, and she instructed Riezel to prepare two types of materials.
She discerned that the Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ores within Hermit had already been refined into pure essence, so accordingly, she instructed him to gather large quantities of orichalcum and mithril and refine them into pure essence as well.
She further guided him to use the Structure System Magic and Decomposition Magic of the Akasha Continent to reshape the essences of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ores within Hermit, condensing them into gemstone-like objects resembling fragments of the sun, each infused with vast quantities of solar energy.
Next, using the sun gemstone, the essence of orichalcum, and the essence of mithril as materials, she spent three full days reforging Hermit.
And so, a completely new Hermit was born.
Now, after the comprehensive evolution of its materials, the new Hermit no longer radiated intense heat at all times. Instead, it fully restrained its power within itself, making that power even more condensed and vastly stronger than before.
If one were to compare it using the units of dimensional energy required for assimilation by a Dimensional Magic Cube, the former Hermit required 6 units of dimensional energy, whereas the current Hermit required no less than 25 units.
What did this signify?
Even Divine Meloe, the item regarded as a World Item by Ainz, required only 10 units of dimensional energy for assimilation.
As for the Caloric Stone itself, it had required 20 units.
Now, however, Hermit demanded no less than 25 units.
Needless to say, this alone was enough to demonstrate that the weapon had undergone a complete transformation, now rivaling World Items, surpassing ordinary ones, even exceeding Caloric Stone itself, and falling short only of the highest-tier World Items known as the 'Twenty.'
In fact, the reason behind this extraordinary enhancement lay in the fact that the current Hermit not only retained the Durandal attribute but had also gained an additional attribute.
Growth.
Yes, the patterns engraved upon the blade were sacred text, which meant that, much like an adventurer whose back bore a Falna, the weapon itself now possessed a status.
In other words, it would use the excelia gained by its wielder as sustenance and continuously evolve—the stronger the user became, the stronger the weapon itself would grow. As long as the user's level and abilities as an adventurer continued to rise, the sword would continue growing alongside them, theoretically without limit.
"This was an idea I gained while forging a weapon for an old acquaintance. I originally had no intention of ever crafting such a weapon again for anyone else, but your growth speed is exceptional. If I forged a weapon with fixed performance, it would likely fail to keep up with you before long."
"Considering that, I made an exception this time."
"Remember this—this blade, just like you, bears a Falna formed from sacred text. I have infused it with the blood of Loki that you brought. Only those who possess a blessing personally inscribed by Loki can awaken its true power and wield it properly in battle."
"In the hands of someone without Loki's blessing, it is merely a somewhat sharper and more durable blunt weapon, incapable of displaying its true might."
"I hope it will witness your path and accompany you… until the very end."
Recalling the words of Hephaestus, Riezel tightened his grip around the hilt of Hermit as he dashed forward.
In an instant, the sacred text engraved upon the blade shimmered once more like flowing light.
*Pu-chi!*
As Riezel, reduced to a blur, swept past a group of Violas, a supremely sharp arc of light flashed across their bodies, causing them to freeze in place.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
In the next moment, the Violas struck by that razor-sharp slash exploded without warning, turning into clouds of dust as their colorful magic stones dropped onto the ground.
'So easy...'
Riezel couldn't help but think in genuine surprise.
He had used neither technique nor much force in that strike, yet it had sliced through the Violas' famously tough hides as though cutting paper, severing them all in a single stroke from head to tail.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
Moving at high speed, Riezel swung several more times before the Violas could even react. Every strike was impossibly sharp, every slash executed with absurd ease, effortlessly cleaving through their massive bodies and reducing them into fragments of flesh.
*SCREEEECH—!!!*
From behind, the Virgas let out enraged, broken screeches and unleashed corrosive fluid toward Riezel's direction—the liquid transformed into countless spear-like projectiles that rained down upon him.
*Swish!*
Facing an incoming spear of corrosive fluid, Riezel simply swung his blade, and a flash of light sliced through it at astonishing speed, dispersing it instantly.
*Pu!* *Pu!* *Pu!* *Pu!*
Amid successive bursts, Riezel continued slicing apart the incoming projectiles with remarkable ease—his swings were unbelievably fast, yet the blade produced no roaring wind as it cut through the air, demonstrating a level of sharpness that bordered on the unbelievable.
Just like that, the corrosive fluid—capable of melting even first-class equipment—could not adhere to Hermit's blade in the slightest after being struck.
It was said that when a blade was sharp enough, those cut by it would feel nothing at all, continuing to move as if unharmed until their bodies were already split apart.
Evidently, the current Hermit seemed to have reached precisely that state.
In terms of sharpness, durability, performance, and power, it had already been elevated to an astonishing level.
Only now did Hermit truly qualify to call itself a divine sword.
With a sacred text engraved upon it, equivalent in meaning to a Falna, the blade now possessed the potential to ascend into a true divine weapon.
It was only natural.
Each level-up of a person bearing a Falna brought them closer to the gods, so by the same logic, a blade bearing a Falna would, with each level-up, move closer and closer toward becoming a legendary artifact.
If one day its wielder were to become a god, then the blade itself would likewise ascend into a true divine sword.
'In a sense, that goddess has essentially forged a mystical artifact for me.'
Riezel reflected inwardly as he swept forward like a gust of wind, passing through countless caterpillar-like monsters.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
In an instant, the group of caterpillar monsters, Virgas, immediately met the same fate as the Violas before them. One after another, they burst apart on the spot as though struck by countless slashes, instantly turning into heaps of shredded flesh.
With a divine sword in hand, dealing with these vividly colored monsters was no more difficult for Riezel than slicing vegetables.
"A-Amazing…"
At the same time, the adventurers charging up from behind, only to witness Riezel—reduced to a blur—instantly unleash countless razor-sharp slashes and dismember the colorful monsters on the spot, were all but stunned.
"Is this Level 7…?"
"No… this is because he's Liberator…"
Those who did not belong to the Loki Familia and had been assigned to the sixth party trembled visibly.
Only Lefiya and the others from the Loki Familia reacted promptly.
"Frozen skies, heavenly rain. White ice that colors the forest, shoot the shameful barbarians. Freeze, binding chains of winter—"
"Hail Dust!"
Lefiya was the first to cast magic.
A sphere of light rose above her head and released a barrage of hailstones, crashing down upon the water strider-type monsters crawling along both sides of the walls.
*Ka-cha!* *Ka-cha!* *Ka-cha!*
Amid a series of grating freezing sounds, the densely packed Valgs—and even the walls themselves—were entirely encased in ice.
"Move!"
"Smash those ice blocks!"
"Kill anything that slips through!"
"Follow Liberator and push forward!"
Finally, the rest snapped out of their shock.
One after another, they shouted commands, raised their weapons, and sprang into action. Some wielded heavy hammers to shatter the frozen sculptures of the water strider monsters, while others used greatswords, machetes, and spears to pierce through any stragglers that managed to escape.
Meanwhile, the mages also began chanting magic alongside Lefiya.
Fortunately, the dwarf vanguards held the line firmly—otherwise the vividly colored monsters—highly reactive to magical energy—would have bypassed everyone and charged directly toward the mages first.
At the same time, the other five major parties were also dealing with the colorful monsters with remarkable efficiency.
In particular, the first, second, and third parties—where the Loki Familia's main forces operated—had already fought these monsters numerous times before, so they had long since grasped their traits and weaknesses and were no longer easily hindered by such fodder.
Consequently, with Principality Observations positioned at the very front to absorb all magic attacks, and with the executives of the Loki Familia decisively carving open a path forward, slaughtering the colorful monsters as easily as cutting down fish, all units advanced through one passage after another without any major incidents, heading straight toward their destination.
Among them, the sixth party led by Riezel and the second party led by Ais progressed the fastest.
On Riezel's side, with his new weapon in hand and his power fully released at Level 7, once he charged forward, no type of colorful monster could impede him in the slightest. They were instantly reduced into scattered flesh and shattered remains, and with Lefiya's magic—possessing attack power comparable to Level 6—their advancing speed far exceeded that of the other parties.
Ais's side was much the same.
With the addition of Fool, the featherlight weapon gifted to her by Riezel, her offensive power had clearly surpassed that of Desperate. Under her relentless assault, which swept forward like a raging storm, any colorful monster that appeared before her was instantly slain.
Combined with the support of Riveria, a mage possessing tremendously destructive firepower, their advance speed was nearly indistinguishable from that of Riezel's party.
However, 'nearly' did not mean 'identical,' so the first party to reach the destination—the altar of the Demi Spirit—was still Riezel's sixth party.
"Look, the altar is just ahead!"
Lefiya had already stopped casting magic, seemingly conserving her Mind, as she ran at full speed, doing her utmost to keep up with Riezel, who was dashing ahead while continuously cutting down monsters, all while shouting out loudly.
Everyone quickly raised their heads to look.
At the very end of the corridor stood an exit.
Passing through it, the group rushed into an extremely vast and open space with a height approaching nearly one hundred meters, while its width was several times greater still—larger even than some of the caverns inhabited by Monster Rexes.
As expected, the entire area was covered in a thin layer of green flesh, polished to an unnaturally smooth finish.
And that existence stood at the deepest part of this enormous space.
Her massive body resembled a colossal pillar stretching toward the heavens, and as always, she parasitized a gigantic monster.
Her upper body, that of a beautiful woman, continuously sang while unceasingly chanting magic, and beneath her spread a purplish-indigo magic circle, as though laced with deadly poison. Numerous patterns extended outward from the circle, covering the ground and stretching even farther beyond, forming an enormous ritual-like formation.
"Is that... a Demi Spirit?"
Gazing at the enormous being that smiled while chanting, exuding a filthy and ominous aura, the adventurers once again trembled.
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[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
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