That night...
Exactly at 11:00 PM, Jester summoned his Soulheart Gear. He could see the Toonworld Watch. And feel its familiar weight and warmth on his palm.
He activated it without hesitation. The air around him shimmered. Colors bled together. And then solidified. In much different environment. Different world.
He was no longer Jester Eventide. He was Nightclown. The anthropomorphic grey hare. Standing in the middle of the road in the now familiar Toon Forest Village.
Cammy, his [Toon Camera Recorder], materialized beside him. The semi-sentient device bobbed gently. Its single lens blinking in acknowledgement.
It was ready. Its internal mechanisms whirred softly. Constantly recording everything visible.
Jester glanced at the Toonworld sky. The large, orange sun was dipping towards the horizon. Painting the stylized clouds in hues of orange and deep red. Sunset in Toon Forest Village. Prime time for an adventure. Or, more importantly, an upgrade.
He had a specific destination in mind. Mr. Gorhammer's Smithy. Nightclown continued on his path.
The village was bustling. Even at this twilight hour. Anthropomorphic animals ambled along wood-chipped paths. A badger merchant haggled loudly with a squirrel. The air smelled of pine and something vaguely sweet. Like spun sugar.
Nightclown kept walking quickly. His mind was already on the smithy.
Cammy zipped ahead. Then circled back. Capturing the dynamic village scene. Its movements were fluid. Like a tiny, enthusiastic drone.
Mr. Gorhammer's Smithy stood near the center of the village. A sturdy building made of dark-brown timber logs and riveted metal iron bands. Smoke curled from its chimney. Smelling faintly of coal and hot iron.
Nightclown pushed open the heavy wooden door. The interior was a symphony of metallic clang and roaring forge. Sparks danced in the air like fireflies.
Anvils of various sizes lined one wall. Tools hung in neat, yet practical, disarray.
Mr. Gorhammer, a massive gorilla with arms like tree trunks, was again engrossed in hammering a glowing ingot. He wore thick, goggled glasses. Perched on his flat nose. Allowing him to peer intently at his work.
When Nightclown entered, the gorilla stopped. Wiped sweat from his brow. And grunted. "Bunny Boy... Back so soon? Got what you need?"
"Got everything ready, Sir." Nightclown responded enthusiastically. A grin splitting his hare face. "Ready for an upgrade. And the Lightning Spear."
He pulled out the assorted materials from his inventory. The [Weapon Upgrade Token]. Four sturdy [Ironwood Branches]. Two gleaming [Mystic Iron Ores]. Two shimmering [Mystic Silver Ores]. And the pulsating [Lightning Crystal].
He also handed over his current weapon, the [Wild Nunchaku]. And a pouch of 100 Toonworld coins.
Mr. Gorhammer took the items with his large, calloused fingers. He examined the [Wild Nunchaku]. Giving it a thoughtful thump.
Then, he tossed the stack of materials into the roaring forge. The flames immediately flared. Shifting from orange to an impossible rainbow of colors.
Mr. Gorhammer grabbed the nunchaku. And, with a grunt... also tossed it into the technicolor inferno.
Nightclown watched, amused and interested, as Cammy recorded the bizarre spectacle. This was Toonworld crafting. Logic was thrown out of the window long ago.
Mr. Gorhammer then pulled a massive hammer. One that looked like it was made of solid cartoon physics. He began to strike the air above the forge. Each strike sent ripples through the flames.
The materials inside, including the nunchaku, began to swirl. Melting and reforming in a chaotic, yet controlled, dance.
A cartoon sound effect. Like a metallic BOING... rang out with each strike. Bits of ore flew out. Not as shrapnel. But as musical notes that dissolved into the air.
The [Ironwood Branches] and metal ores twisted and braided themselves. Glowing with an internal light. Before plunging back into the melting pot.
The [Lightning Crystal] pulsed furiously. Spitting tiny, harmless lightning bolts around the smithy.
After about five minutes of hammering, Mr. Gorhammer plunged his tongs into the multi-hued forge. He pulled out a single, unified mass of glowing metal. He placed it on the anvil.
With a final, resonant CLANG!, the amorphous blob solidified. It wasn't just a refined nunchaku. It was like a new one. Sleeker. More ornate. Yet also dangerous looking. The chains connecting the two staves hummed with a barely perceptible energy.
The gorilla blacksmith threw the newly forged weapon to Nightclown. The hare expertly snatched the new weapon in the air. It felt warm and perfectly balanced in his hands. Slightly heavier than its predecessor. Yet with much greater sense of power.
[ITEM ACQUIRED: Thunder Nunchaku]
[Melee Weapon] updated.
Nightclown quickly navigated his HUD to his status panel. Bringing up the item description.
[Melee Weapon: Thunder Nunchaku]
[Tier Quality: ✪✪]
[Characteristic: Shapeshifting (2/9)]
[Description: A sturdy pair of mystical nunchaku. Capable of creating sonic thunder sound. Fused with Lightning Spear. Capable to be fused with seven different types of weapons. Each fusion will increase the tier quality.]
[Damage Type: Blunt, Sonic Wave]
[Special Ability: Toon Momentum, Thunder Blast]
[Shapeshift: Lightning Spear]
"Alright!" Nightclown muttered. A wide grin kept spreading across his face. "This is good. Really good."
Tier Quality... two stars. Nice! The Shapeshifting characteristic was the real game-changer. And he could use it now. He could transform the weapon into a lightning spear.
And the damage types? Blunt and Sonic Wave. Sonic Wave! A new type of damage. Great! That promised more crowd control and raw impact.
And then... the new [Thunder Blast] sounded like an active ability he couldn't wait to try.
He twirled the nunchaku once. The air around it crackling faintly. Then, he focused on the [Shapeshift: Lightning Spear] command.
A subtle shimmer enveloped the weapon. It stretched. The two staves lengthened. The chain retracted and fused into a central shaft. The blunt ends sharpened into a vicious metal blade point.
The entire process took less than a second. In his hand, the nunchaku was gone. Replaced by a sleek, menacing spear.
The transition was seamless. Almost magical. Definitely cartoon-level cool. He checked the new form's description...
[Melee Weapon: Lightning Spear]
[Tier Quality: ✪✪]
[Characteristic: Shapeshifting (2/9)]
[Description: A long and slender mystical spear. Capable of producing electric shock. Fused with Thunder Nunchaku. Capable to be fused with seven different types of weapons. Each fusion will increase the tier quality.]
[Damage Type: Piercing, Lightning]
[Special Ability: Toon Penetration, Electric Shock]
[Shapeshift: Thunder Nunchaku]
"Two weapons in one. Nice! Very nice!" Nightclown hefted the spear.
It felt just as balanced as the nunchaku. But entirely different in its potential application.
Piercing damage and lightning damage. Nice ones! [Toon Penetration] and [Electric Shock] special abilities. He couldn't wait to try it. This was versatility. This was power. This was exactly what he needed. For showcasing serious action in his eventual Toonworld show.
Cammy zipped around the spear. Its lens was focusing. No doubt capturing every detail of the transformation. And Nightclown's satisfied smirk.
"Thanks, Mr. Gorhammer!" Nightclown called out. Already half out the door. "Best smithy in all of Toonworld!"
The gorilla grunted noncommittally. Already back to hammering another ingot. "Next time, bring more challenge, Bunny Boy!"
Nightclown was practically vibrating with anticipation. He needed to get to the North Dungeon. Quickly.
There were so many things to test. His new energy source, Glitch. The two forms of his weapon. Their special abilities. He imagined a monster. Zapped by lightning. Then pummeled by a thunderous nunchaku. The footage would be epic.
He took three steps outside the smithy. Then skidded to a halt. A thought struck him. A minor but crucial detail. The [Hearthstone].
He had set its [HOME] in Sherra. But he hadn't set it here in the Toonworld yet. Having a fast travel point to his home base would be invaluable for saving precious Toonworld time.
With a sigh, Nightclown turned back. Towards his tree-stump house.
The sunset was deepening. Casting long, exaggerated shadows across the village.
The toon hare jogged briskly. Cammy hovering patiently behind him.
The tree-stump house welcomed him with its cozy, earthy scent. Inside, it was simple. Curved walls. A small hammock bed. A wooden table. A big mirror. And a few empty shelves.
He accessed his inventory and pulled out the [Hearthstone]. With a focused thought, he willed the [Hearthstone] to register the place as its 'home' point.
An explosive sound and sparkling firework emanated from the orb. And a bright white light enveloped the whole room for a moment before fading. It was much more... festive, compared to when he used it in Sherra.
He looked at his System Panel. The appraisal of the [Hearthstone] showed one more entry...
[Home location (Sherra): Jester Eventide's Bedroom.]
[Home location (Toonworld): Nightclown's House.]
"Perfect!"
One less thing to worry about. Nightclown slotted the [Hearthstone] back into his inventory. Now, nothing stood between him and the North Dungeon. It was time to go there and experiment with his new 'things'.
He burst out of his house again. A renewed spring in his step. He didn't want to waste a single precious second of his limited Toonworld time.
"Let's sprint!" Nightclown commanded himself. Focusing on the new energy source within him.
A shimmer of dark-red energy. Jagged and somewhat erratic. It appeared as crackling lightning charge around his form. It felt... different.
It was not the deep, consistent reservoir of his stamina. But a vibrant, unpredictable surge. It felt like reality was momentarily bending to his will. A subtle glitch in the matrix of his own existence.
He sprinted... to the North Dungeon.