The moment Captain Thorne and Caedus stepped outside the doors, the cool morning breeze hit them both in the face. The relaxing breeze almost immediately put Caedus in a better mood. Almost.
Caedus took in a large breath through his nostrils, filling his lungs and letting his body relax a degree.
"So, could Cadet Pailin have been talking about you flirting with Duke Steelheart's daughter?"
Caedus coughed heavily since he was caught off guard by Captain Thorne's question. He saw her smile slightly again at his reaction.
"Ma'am, please." Caedus had a pitiful look on his face.
Captain Thorne said nothing and just kept leading Caedus to the blacksmith.
Eventually, she spoke again, as if she didn't like the silence.
"Cadet Violetshade. How are you feeling? You had quite the awakening." This time, there was no smile on her face; if anything, she looked slightly concerned.
"I feel great, honestly, a bit tired, but I can't imagine I slept great last night, and I have been awake for a few hours by now. May I ask, Captain Thorne, was my awakening that bad?" This was something bugging Caedus.
People who were recommended to the Slayer Corps were a special type of people. Some had powers that were extremely unique; others had powers that were fantastic for killing; and the last type of people usually seen had powers that were extremely volatile and destructive in nature.
And if the lightning coming off Caedus, at his First Stage of the Condensation Realm, was any indication, he was guessing it might be the third category.
"I will be honest with you, Violetshade. It was probably the scariest awakening I have ever seen. And I have been evaluating awakening for about 20 years." She turned her head to see his reaction, but Caedus didn't have one. He wasn't exactly sure how to feel.
"That's... reassuring," he muttered dryly. "Do you think joining the Slayer Corps would be best for me then? Instead of joining a different battalion if given the choice?"
"Yes. I do between you and me, Violetshade. Despite the pressures of the Divine General, the Corvane family, and Duke Steelheart, the fact that General Voss is still giving you an option to join the Slayer Corps means he agrees that you shouldn't join a different branch. He won't stop you if you choose to go somewhere else, but he won't exactly agree with your decision." Caedus appreciated her honesty. He didn't reply. Honestly, he still had a few more months of training before he had to make his choice.
"Speaking of decisions. Have you thought about what kind of weapon you want?" Captain Thorne asked curiously.
"No, I have not. I grew up in a remote area, and never had any formal combat training. I am most comfortable using a knife, but that's not great for combat, and I don't feel like it would pair well with my powers." Caedus had been thinking hard about what weapon he wanted to use. He wanted to use something good in combat and something that wouldn't get him killed easily, as well as something that paired well with his powers.
While Caedus was responding, they finally reached a large, warehouse-like building with plumes of black smoke rising from the chimneys.
"We will take a look inside. Everyone else got several hours to choose their weapons, so take your time. No rush. I will excuse you from training till you find something. Speaking of which, once I get you introduced to the blacksmith, I will have to head back and get ready for formation. Come find me at the training grounds when you finish."
Caedus nodded in understanding, then followed Captain Thorne inside the warehouse.
As soon as he stepped through the front door, a wave of heat and hammering noises overwhelmed him.
*clang*
Sparks erupted somewhere deeper inside the warehouse.
Rows upon rows of weapon racks stretched across the massive building.
Swords. Spears. Axes. Hammers.
Weapons of every shape and size lined the walls. For a moment, Caedus stood there, taking it all in.
"Oi! What are ya doin' here?" A loud voice yelled out across the forge. A short, bulky man stood next to an anvil, a hammer in one hand and a red-hot piece of metal in the other.
He had a singed beard and a crazy look in his eyes.
Then he looked Captain Thorne and Caedus up and down. "Ah, you're that flashy kid who didn't choose a weapon."
"Flashy?" Caedus spoke out subconsciously.
"This is Cadet Violetshade. Please help him with weapon selection. I need to head back now. I will see you later, Violetshade." Captain Thorne nodded at the blacksmith before leaving without another word.
"Well, I don't have all day, kid. What kind of weapon do you want?" The blacksmith asked impatiently.
"I am not sure." Caedus began examining the weapons around him. Nothing spoke to him immediately.
"Not sure?" The blacksmith stared at him as he'd just confessed to eating rocks. "You nobles typically know exactly what you want."
"Oh, I am not a noble, I'm not even a highborn."
The blacksmith blinked.
"Well, damn. Thank hell." The blacksmith seemed to be relieved.
'Thank hell?'
"Well, you must be the only commoner on this site right now! From one commoner to another, let me help you out!" The blacksmith flashed a toothy grin, waving him over and walking deeper into the forge. His whole attitude did a 180.
"Please." Caedus smiled as well.
"So, what are your powers?"
"Hmm, destructive lightning so far, but I only just awoke yesterday."
"Fair point. How do you want to fight?"
"I wouldn't want the battle to take too long, so aggressively." Caedus was thinking about how hard it was to rein in the lightning. If he had to compare it to something, it was like trying to flex all of his muscles while trying to get a record time on an obstacle course. It was hard to do. In time, he might be able to control it naturally, but that wasn't the case right now.
"Would you be comfortable using a bow?"
"No," Caedus responded firmly and quickly, causing the blacksmith to chuckle.
"You sure? If you use metal arrows, you could use them as lightning rods." The blacksmith pointed out.
"As cool as that sounds, I really don't want to use a bow."
"Alright, alright. Well, keeping with the idea of using your powers, what are your thoughts on a chain?"
Caedus raised his eyebrows slightly. "A chain?"
"Yup, assuming you emit lightning from your body, you could channel your lightning through it easily." The blacksmith folded his arms and had a proud look on his face.
"It's not the worst idea…" Caedus muttered, trying to imagine it.
It would be possible to use. If he channeled his lightning through the chain, it could be very useful. And he didn't even always need to swing it. He could wrap his arms in the chains and use them to help keep his lightning reined in. Honestly, the more Caedus thought about it, the more the utility sounded great.
But there was one glaring issue.
"Yes, I know what you're thinking, and it is a huge problem." The blacksmith spoke.
Using the chains was way too reliant on whether Caedus had mana or not to be able to summon his lightning. There was almost zero lethality as soon as Caedus wasn't able to use mana; even if he used them as makeshift gauntlets, he would still have to beat on a person for a while to subdue them. Every stage, your body increases in strength, speed, and longevity. So in later realms, he could just be beating on someone for hours without doing any real damage; it would come down to whether his body was inherently stronger than the other person's.
The blacksmith let the silence hang for a moment, watching Caedus's expression carefully.
Caedus exhaled slowly. "So even if I use it as gauntlets…"
He flexed his fingers slightly, imagining the chains wrapped around his forearms.
"…it still falls off in lethality."
"True," the blacksmith said. "At best, a restraint for your enemy. At worst, it's just weight you're carrying into a fight that's already gone wrong."
Caedus clicked his tongue lightly.
"But it's still useful," he added after a moment.
The blacksmith gave a small nod. "Very. Just not as your primary kill condition."
Caedus scratched the back of his head.
"Then what should I do? I like the concept of the chains. But I would be an idiot just to use them."
"Why not choose a second weapon then? There aren't any rules about how many weapons you can choose." The blacksmith pointed out.
"I can do that?" Caedus asked.
"Yes, remember, the Kingdom isn't sparing any expense for you guys." The blacksmith nodded before walking to a shelf full of weapons, digging out a sword, and handing it to Caedus.
It was a straightforward one-handed sword with a plain steel blade, matte rather than polished, built for durability over decoration. The crossguard was simple and functional, and the grip was wrapped in dark leather that fit comfortably in the hand. It had a balanced weight that was light enough for quick movement but solid enough to feel reliable.
"How's it feeling?" The blacksmith asked, trying to read Caedus's expression.
"It feels great, honestly. I think it could pair well. Can I see what chains you have?"
The blacksmith gave a short nod, already turning back toward the racks.
"Aye," he said. "That's what I was hoping you'd say."
He walked along the wall of weapons, past coils of metal links, half-assembled pieces, and reinforced bindings used for training restraints. His hand brushed over a few sets before he stopped at a heavier-looking coil hanging from a reinforced hook.
With a firm pull, he freed it and carried it back.
The chains clinked softly as he handed them to Caedus.
"All weapons here use Ironwood metal as a base, whether it's an alloy of pure," he explained. "Since this chain is made from pure Ironwood, it is a great conductor for electricity and mana alike. The only downside is that it is a bit on the heavier side, but with you being awakened, it should feel fine." The blacksmith explained.
Each segment was small and uniform, more refined than typical restraint chains, with faint dark metallic tones that caught the forge light in subtle, muted reflections. It wasn't shiny, but it had a dense, almost "compressed" look.
Caedus let the chain fall to the ground with a loud clang, unraveling to reveal its length. It was about 5 meters in length, great for midrange fights. Paired with his sword, he wouldn't lack lethality either.
"I am going to test it real quick."
The blacksmith nodded and took several steps back.
Caedus waited until he was clear, then channeled his mana lightly, since he didn't need a full show.
A soft purple glow ran along its length like a pulse waking up inside metal, each segment briefly lighting in sequence before the current stabilized and settled into a steady hum of contained energy.
It didn't snap. Granted he wasn't putting his full mana into but it seemed to contain his lightning for now.
A grin broke across his face before he could stop it.
"Thank you," Caedus said sincerely.
"Don't mention it." The blacksmith smiled back. "Now you should get going. There's nothing left here for you to do." While speaking, the blacksmith had dug up a scabbard for Caedus's sword that could attach to his belt.
Caedus slowly wrapped the chain around his right arm while admiring it.
"I know it might be late to ask. But what is your name?" Caedus asked the blacksmith while tucking the ends of the chains under the wrapped sections.
"It's Arnold. And you, lad?"
"Caedus Violetshade." Caedus shook Arnold's hand.
Arnold gave a short nod before releasing his grip and stepping towards a workbench without looking back, shifting his attention back to his work.
Caedus let out a small breath of amusement, then adjusted the sword at his left hip. The weight settled naturally against him as he clipped the scabbard into place. His right arm felt heavier but grounded; the chain coiled comfortably around it.
"Thanks again," Caedus said, before heading out of the forge and towards the training grounds.