Chapter 140 What If
Alex stood before the enchanting table, his posture straight yet relaxed, as he carefully arranged the materials one by one. His fingers moved with practiced precision, brushing lightly over each item as if confirming their presence.
"Alright…" he murmured under his breath, his voice calm but laced with quiet excitement. "First, we'll use a petty soul gem… and then a pair of gloves…"
His gaze shifted toward the gloves. He picked them up slowly, turning them over in his hands, feeling the texture of the fabric between his fingers. For a brief moment, he hesitated then his expression sharpened with resolve.
"…Now, the gloves…"
With a controlled motion, he gripped the material firmly and tore them cleanly into two halves. The soft but distinct rrrip of fabric echoed faintly in the room. The torn edges fluttered slightly as he held them up, examining the split with a thoughtful look.
"Let's divide them… and now…" he exhaled slowly, placing one half down, "it's time to try enchanting one of these."
He set the first half of the glove onto the enchanting table with deliberate care, adjusting its position so it lay perfectly flat. His fingers lingered for a moment before pulling away.
Alex straightened slightly, his shoulders tightening as his focus deepened. His eyes narrowed, and his breathing slowed into a steady rhythm. Reaching for the petty soul gem, he held it above the glove, his fingers curling slightly as if gripping an invisible force.
A faint glow began to emanate from the gem soft at first, then gradually intensifying. Threads of light seeped outward, wrapping around the glove like gentle strands of energy. The air around the table shimmered subtly.
Alex's jaw tensed as he concentrated, his gaze unwavering. The glow reflected in his eyes, giving them a sharp, almost luminous edge.
Then
The light faded.
"…Nice."
He let out a quiet breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His shoulders relaxed slightly as he reached down and picked up the enchanted half, turning it over slowly in his hands. His thumb brushed across the surface as if trying to feel the magic within it.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Fortify Destruction… and Alteration."
There was a note of satisfaction in his voice subtle, but unmistakable.
Without pausing for long, he set the first piece aside and reached for the remaining half. His movements were quicker now, more confident.
"Alright… now for the other one."
He placed the second half onto the table, adjusting it with a small, precise nudge. Once again, he lifted the petty soul gem, his fingers tightening slightly as he focused.
The glow returned, this time steadier more controlled. It bathed his face in soft light, casting faint shadows along his features. His brows furrowed just a little as he guided the energy into the glove, his breathing calm and measured.
The enchantment took hold smoothly.
After a brief moment, the light dimmed and disappeared.
"…Perfect."
A small, satisfied smile spread across his face as he picked up the second piece. He examined it carefully, tilting it slightly to catch the light, his eyes scanning it with quiet pride.
"Fortify Restoration… and Health."
He let out a soft exhale, his expression easing clearly pleased with the result.
A curious smile slowly spread across Alex's face, the corners of his lips curling upward as a spark of anticipation lit his eyes. His gaze lingered on the two enchanted halves resting before him, as if he were staring at the final pieces of a long-awaited experiment.
"Alright…" he murmured softly, almost to himself, his voice carrying a quiet thrill. "…this is the moment I've been waiting for."
He reached forward, his fingers steady but deliberate, gathering both halves of the glove. His movements were careful, almost reverent.
"Let's combine them."
Sitting down slightly closer to the table, Alex pulled out a thin needle and thread. His posture leaned forward, shoulders slightly hunched in concentration. With slow, precise motions, he began stitching the two halves together. Each pass of the needle was clean and controlled, his fingers working with practiced finesse.
The faint tsk… tsk… of thread pulling through fabric echoed softly in the still air.
His eyes remained locked on his work, unblinking, as if afraid that even the slightest distraction might ruin the process. Occasionally, his lips pressed into a thin line of focus, and his breathing became shallow and measured.
Stitch by stitch… the two halves became one again.
Then
As the final thread pulled tight
The glove trembled.
Alex froze.
"…Huh…?"
His hand stopped mid-motion, the needle still between his fingers. His eyes narrowed slightly, confusion flickering across his face.
A low, almost inaudible hum began to fill the air.
The glove twitched again then slowly lifted off the surface of the table, hovering just a few inches above it, as if caught in the grip of an invisible force.
Alex's expression shifted instantly.
"What's happening…?"
He straightened slightly, his brows furrowing as his curiosity sharpened into alertness. His eyes tracked every movement of the glove, not daring to look away.
A strange light began to form around it.
At first, it was faint barely noticeable. But then it grew stronger, revealing two distinct energies swirling within the glove. One shimmered with a cool, steady glow… while the other pulsed with a warmer, more volatile intensity.
They circled each other.
Clashed.
Pushed.
The air around the glove began to distort, as if heat waves were rippling through space itself. A subtle pressure filled the room, pressing lightly against Alex's skin.
"…They're… opposing each other…" he muttered, his voice low, almost breathless.
Yet, despite the conflict, there was something else.
The two energies weren't just fighting they were trying to align. To synchronize. To merge into something greater.
The hum grew louder.
The light intensified.
Alex's eyes widened slightly, a mixture of awe and unease creeping into his expression. His fingers twitched at his side, as if debating whether to intervene but he didn't.
For a brief moment
Everything seemed to stabilize.
The swirling energies slowed… their movements becoming more harmonious, more controlled. The glow steadied, and for an instant, it looked as though the two forces had finally reached equilibrium.
"…Wait… is it actually "
Then
CRACK!
The sound shattered the moment like breaking glass.
The glove violently tore itself apart.
Threads snapped in every direction, and the fabric ripped into countless shredded pieces as if something inside had burst outward with overwhelming force. The hovering fragments were flung away, scattering across the room like debris caught in an explosion.
Alex instinctively stepped back, one arm raising slightly as if to shield himself. His eyes shot open wide, shock written plainly across his face.
"…!"
The hum vanished instantly.
The light disappeared.
All that remained were lifeless scraps of fabric drifting down to the ground.
Silence followed.
Alex lowered his arm slowly, his gaze fixed on the remnants scattered across the floor. His chest rose and fell once, a quiet breath escaping him as the realization settled in.
"…It couldn't handle it…"
His voice was low, almost a whisper.
He stared at the torn pieces for a moment longer, his expression turning thoughtful, tinged with a faint trace of disappointment.
"…The material just… couldn't contain that level of power."
Alex stood still for a moment, his gaze fixed on the scattered fragments across the floor. Then slowly, a faint grin began to form at the corner of his lips subtle, but filled with intrigue.
"…Heh."
His eyes gleamed, not with disappointment, but with growing curiosity.
"Alright… not bad."
He exhaled lightly through his nose, the tension in his shoulders easing as he straightened his posture.
"At least it didn't explode… or worse."
He crossed his arms loosely over his chest, one hand coming up to rest against his chin as his fingers tapped lightly in thought. His gaze sharpened, analyzing the scene in front of him as if replaying every detail in his mind.
"From that phenomenon…" he muttered slowly, his tone thoughtful, "…it seems fabric simply can't handle that level of power."
His eyes narrowed slightly, the gears in his mind turning rapidly.
"But what if…" he shifted his weight slightly, his expression growing more focused, "…instead of cloth… I used a weapon?"
He uncrossed his arms, gesturing faintly in the air as if visualizing the idea.
"A sword… the hilt, the blade… each part customized… enchanted separately… then combined…"
For a brief moment, his eyes lit up with possibility.
Then
That light dimmed just as quickly.
His shoulders sagged a little, and he let out a quiet sigh.
"…But I'm not really a warrior."
The idea seemed to lose its appeal entirely. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers dragging slowly as his expression turned more serious.
Silence fell again.
"…Hmm…"
This time, he thought deeper his brows knitting together, his gaze drifting aimlessly as he searched for something more fitting.
"What could stay with you at all times…" he murmured under his breath, pacing a step to the side, "…something that won't harm your body… something that can't be taken… or stolen…"
His voice grew quieter with each word, as if he were speaking more to his thoughts than to the world.
Then
His gaze dropped.
To his hands.
He stared at them.
His fingers flexed slowly, almost unconsciously, as if seeing them from a different perspective for the first time. His expression froze.
"…What if…?"
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
His eyes widened.
His breath hitched.
A sudden, unsettling realization took hold of him, his heartbeat beginning to quicken. His fingers tensed slightly, curling inward as if reacting to the very idea forming in his mind.
"This might sound extreme…" he whispered, his voice quieter now, almost cautious. "…but what if I enchant…"
He hesitated.
"…my own body?"
The moment the thought fully formed, his eyes shot open wider, shock flashing across his face. His breathing became uneven, his chest rising and falling a little faster.
"…!"
A flicker of fear crossed his expression.
Without thinking, he lifted his hand and lightly slapped his own cheek pat! a sharp but controlled motion meant to snap himself back to reality.
He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief second, then opened them again, his expression steadier… more grounded.
"…No."
He exhaled slowly, shaking his head.
"…No, Alex. That's a last resort."
His voice was firm this time resolute, as if drawing a clear line he refused to cross… at least, not yet.
His breathing gradually steadied, returning to normal as he forced himself to think rationally.
"Besides… if I enchant my own body, I have no idea what would happen to my body… or my soul. Enchanting is essentially binding a soul from filled soul gems… so if I were to use that on myself, there's a high chance my brain wouldn't be able to handle it…"
He paused.
"…But then again…"
Alex raised his hand slightly, and with a subtle motion, he opened his status window. A faint glow flickered before his eyes as the information appeared.
Sovereign Mind:
The brain has reached absolute sovereignty. The user's mind cannot be interfered with, controlled, or influenced by any external entity. The user's will can manipulate physical reality through telekinesis without subtle limitations.
"I do have power… power taken from a part of Mora," Alex muttered, his mind racing as he weighed the possibilities.
"But there's no guarantee I'd still remain myself… and the risk is far too high. So… I'll hold off on that idea. If the world is truly in danger… then I'll consider it."
He let out a long breath.
"…Huff… alright. So the problem lies in the item's capacity to handle the power, huh? Then what if I use metal instead? Iron… or something better. And if that still isn't enough… then ebony ingots?"
A faint, determined look settled on his face.
"Yeah… I'll test everything from the weakest iron… all the way up to dragon bone."