Joel left his class, heading for the arcane foundry, where he and Vra planned to meet. He saw Vera standing next to a pole in front of the door.
Sorry, I kept you waiting, Lex said as he got closer to her. Yeah, no worries. What do you plan to craft by the way, Vera asked as they entered the door to the building. A new weapon I have been working on, as for its specifics, that will be a surprise, he said with a sly grin, which made Vera puff up with a childish expression.
I want to book a forge, Lex said directly to the registrar while showing his bracelet. The registrar, seeing the rank one on it, immediately changed his nonchalant behaviour.
Everyone in the school knew of the new student ranked first, Lex Vortan. Forge rental for elite students is free for 3 hours, but after that, you have to pay 100 points for every hour, the registrar said.
Three hours is enough, Lex said as he collected a chip from the registrar.
Lex and Vera began moving in the vast expanse until they reached an unoccupied room, then entered.
System, transmit the blueprint for the aether core rifle, and the cryo edge dagger
[blueprint: Aether coil rifle]
[
Aether Coil Core ×1
Long-Range Barrel Assembly ×1
Mana Infuser Circuitry ×1
Stabilised Frame Plating ×1
]
[blueprint: cryo edge dagger]
[
Cryo Core Shard ×1
Mana-Steel Blade Mould ×1
Cold Insulation Sheath ×1
]
Lex began to modify the blueprint of both of them using the system insight skill. 30 minutes later, he finally heaved as he looked at the new blueprint.
[blueprint:cryo-aether morphblade]
[
Morphlink Core Frame x1
Aether Coil Core ×1
Cryo Core Shard ×1
Modular Blade Alloy x2
Neural Trigger Mode x1
Thermo-Mana Regulator x1
]
What were you doing when you closed your eyes? I didn't want to disturb you because you looked focused, Vera said as she saw Lex open his eyes.
I was modifying the blueprint, I guess I zoned off, Lex said.
System, purchase everything in this blueprint and send it to my core. Buy 2 sets, Lex said mentally.
Will you start now? You have been at this for too long, Vera scolded.
Okay, okay, I will begin, Lex said with sarcasm.
He brought the first set of materials out and started to use mana crafting like an expert who had trained in it for 100 years.
He has improved again, Vera thought while gritting her teeth. Lex had always overshadowed her, even though she worked harder than he. So this is what a true genius is: a little bit of effort amounts to several arduous training sessions for us.
In less than one hour, he made the first one and tossed it at Vera to test it. What do you want me to do with a dagger, Vera asked as she fumbled with it.
It is not an ordinary dagger, it can transform into a mini-gun if you infuse mana in this part, he said while touching a switch on the dagger.
This is one sleek dagger, Vera said while admiring the dagger in her hand. You can keep it, I made it for you anyway, Lex said, startling Vera. All those efforts just to make this for me, Vera said with an emotional expression.
Stop dreaming, I will also make my own. Why will I waste a day of free forging just to make a weapon for you, Lex said, breaking the touching moment. You are the most irresponsible man I have ever seen, Vera said as she turned away in shyness. Lex, seeing this, just smiled it off as he began making his own.
This time around, he was even faster than the previous time as he finished it in 48 minutes. He flexed it around before tossing it back into his core.
I am done, he said to a sleeping Vera. So fast, I barely had enough time to relax, she said in an angry tone.
I can't even understand how you were able to sleep in this hot place, and under the constant hammering.
It is none of your business, she said as she ran out of the room, dragging Lex along. Now we can enjoy the school together, she said as she dragged him towards the game area. They went about playing different games until it was almost time for the curfew.
On the second floor of the ascension tower, the place where all elite students lived, Lex bid goodbye to Vera as she entered her room.