Chapter 6. The Great Hero Emiya, Also Known as Senji Muramasa!
The morning sun was thin and pale.
In the subterranean levels of Twilight Manor, there was a workshop dedicated specifically to the maintenance of equipment. The air was thick with the scent of machine oil and rust—aromas that were more familiar to Shirou Emiya than anything else.
"Structural Grasp... Start."
In his hand, Shirou held a fragment that emitted a faint, ghostly blue light. It was a teaching material lent to him by Riveria—a high-purity shard of Mithril.
He didn't use a hammer to strike it, nor did he place it in a furnace. Shirou simply closed his eyes, his fingertips flickering with faint emerald-green Magic Circuits.
[Structural Grasp].
In his mind, the physical properties of this metal were infinitely magnified. Molecular arrangement, hardness, toughness, magical conductivity... all the information unfolded like a blueprint.
"Incredible..."
Shirou opened his eyes and muttered to himself, "The ores of this world are practically like living biological tissue. Especially these drop items from the Dungeon—they actually have natural 'magical blood vessels' inside them."
Unlike the lifeless steel of his original world, the metals of Orario felt as if they possessed life. This explained why the Magic Swords of this world were so expensive and powerful—because they were essentially semi-living entities.
"My original 'Projection Magecraft' merely simulated the shape and concept using magical energy. But if I can integrate the characteristics of this 'living metal' into the armory of Unlimited Blade Works..."
A flash of fervor ignited in Shirou's eyes.
It was the obsession of a master craftsman.
While Kanshou and Bakuya were comfortable to use, their hardness was beginning to reach its limit when facing monsters on the level of the Black Goliath. If he could reshape them using the top-tier ores of this world—like Adamantite or Orichalcum...
"Not enough materials."
Looking at the pile of discarded scrap on the table, Shirou sighed. Even the most skilled chef couldn't prepare a state banquet without top-tier ingredients.
"I'll go buy some."
Feeling the pouch of Valis in his pocket that he had received from the Guild yesterday (though most had been handed over to the Familia as a lodging fee, Finn had insisted he keep a portion as spending money), Shirou decided to try his luck at Orario's largest weapons market.
-
-
-
Babel, the center of Orario.
The lower floors of this sky-piercing tower served as a bustling commercial district. Among the most prestigious shops was the direct-sale outlet of the Hephaestus Familia, overseen by the Goddess of Forging herself, which occupied two entire floors.
The moment he stepped into the shop, a wave of heat mixed with the cold, sharp scent characteristic of metal hit him. In the display cases, rows of exquisite weapons glittered under the glow of magic lamps.
"Forty million Valis?! Is this greatsword made of gold?"
"Idiot, that's a masterpiece infused with Orichalcum! Even if it wasn't forged by Lady Hephaestus herself, it's a work by Lady Tsubaki!"
The exclamations of surrounding adventurers were constant.
Shirou didn't bother looking at the finished weapons. For someone with "Unlimited Blade Works," he could replicate about seventy or eighty percent of a weapon's quality just by looking at it (though it would be ranked down). His gaze was locked onto the "Raw Ore Trading Area" in the corner of the shop.
Various unpolished ores were piled there.
"Hmm?"
Shirou's steps stopped in front of an inconspicuous, deep-red ore. It was only the size of a fist, its surface covered in a layer of dusty grey stone. It looked like a piece of discarded cinder, tossed carelessly into a discount bin.
But in the eyes of Shirou's [Structural Grasp], a violent flame was burning deep within this stone.
"An associated mineral of Hihiirokane... although it has many impurities, the purity of this fire-attribute magical energy is practically top-tier."
Shirou instinctively reached out to touch the ore.
"You've got a good eye, kid."
A magnetic, slightly husky female voice rang out behind him.
Shirou turned around. Standing behind him was a woman dressed in a crisp white shirt and black trousers. She had short hair as bright as a flame, a black eyepatch over her left eye, and a right eye as deep as a ruby.
Though she was intentionally suppressing her aura, the volcanic, majestic pressure radiating from her very core still caused the Magic Circuits in Shirou's body to signal an instinctive warning.
Hephaestus. The Goddess of Forging and Fire.
"You are... Lady Hephaestus?" Shirou bowed slightly, greeting her politely.
"Shh—"
Hephaestus raised her index finger to her lips in a "be quiet" gesture.
"It's just a routine shop inspection today. I don't want to cause a scene."
She walked over to Shirou, picked up the dusty stone from the bin, and tossed it in the air.
"This 'Red Lotus Ore' has been sitting here for three months. Even the high-level blacksmiths in my Familia think it has too many impurities and its structure is too brittle—one hammer blow and it would shatter into powder. Why did it catch your eye?"
The Goddess's single eye stared intently at Shirou, as if trying to see through the red-haired youth's heart.
"Because it's 'breathing'."
Shirou gave an answer that caught Hephaestus by surprise. He pointed at several fine cracks on the surface of the ore.
"These cracks aren't flaws; they are the 'pores' for the energy flowing inside. Although the impurities are indeed numerous—probably around 30%—if one follows these pores and extracts the impurities like a surgical procedure..."
"Extract?"
Hephaestus raised an eyebrow, a playful smile appearing on her face.
"Easier said than done. This ore has an extremely high melting point.
Once put in a furnace, the impurities will melt before the ore does, eventually mixing together and ruining it completely. Unless you have the fire-control ability to vaporize the impurities in an instant."
"I don't have that kind of fire control," Shirou shook his head. "But I have another way. I don't need fire."
"You don't need fire?"
Hephaestus froze for a moment, then reacted as if she had heard a joke. "Kid, are you provoking a God of Forging? How could forging possibly not require fire?"
Several shop assistants and customers gathered around, whispering and pointing at Shirou.
"Who is that kid? How dare he talk so big in front of Lady Hephaestus?"
"Forging without fire? Does he plan to rub it together with his hands? Hahaha!"
Facing the surrounding mockery and the Goddess's questioning gaze, Shirou remained unperturbed.
"If you don't mind, could I buy this ore? I'd like to try it on the spot."
"No need to buy it."
Hephaestus tossed the ore back into Shirou's arms, crossing her arms as her regal aura flared.
"You can borrow the forge over there. If you can truly process it in public without using a furnace, this ore is yours for free. But if you're just a charlatan..."
A cold light flashed in the Goddess's red eye.
"My shop won't welcome liars in the future."
"Deal."
Shirou took the ore and walked toward the public display forge in the center of the shop. He took a deep breath and placed the ore on the anvil.
No hammer. No bellows.
Shirou Emiya slowly closed both eyes, his hands hovering above the ore.
"Trace—On."
In an instant, twenty-seven major Magic Circuits roared to life within him. The emerald-green magical radiance extended along his arms like a circuit board, finally enveloping the deep-red ore.
[Structure—Complete Analysis]. [Material—Reinforcement]. [Form—Remolding].
"This is..." Hephaestus's originally nonchalant expression froze.
Through her Divine Sight, she witnessed an incredible scene. The boy's magical energy didn't just stay on the surface; it penetrated directly into the molecular structure of the ore! He was like a precision surgeon, manipulating his magical energy into countless microscopic scalpels, frantically cutting away the impurities inside the ore.
Sizzzz—!
Black smoke rose from the surface of the ore—those were the impurity powders being forcibly squeezed out by the magical energy. The once-dusty ore began to emit a dazzling red glow from within.
"It... It's deforming?!" a nearby clerk cried out.
Without any external striking force, the hard Red Lotus Ore began to stretch and extend like modeling clay. Fine beads of sweat broke out on Shirou's forehead. This kind of magecraft, which directly interfered with the form of matter, placed an enormous drain on mental strength.
'Imagine... its shape. Not a sword, but a 'Wing.' A blade that requires no hesitation, a blade that will surely return to one's hand.'
With a low shout from Shirou, he slammed his palms together and then pulled them apart with force.
Clang—!
Despite there being no metal-on-metal impact, a crisp sword chime rang out in the air. The red light dissipated.
A shortsword, entirely crimson with a beautifully curved edge and a blade covered in tortoiseshell-patterned magical lines, floated quietly between Shirou's palms.
It was Shirou Emiya's soulful armament—Kanshou.
But this version of Kanshou was a "physical entity" remolded from the top-tier ores of the DanMachi world. A wave of scorching heat rippled outward from the shortsword, forcing the surrounding onlookers to stumble back.
"Phew..."
Shirou dissipated his magical energy and caught the falling sword. Though the blade still held residual heat, it was no longer scalding. He turned around and held the hilt out toward the completely stunned Goddess.
"It's processed. Although I changed the shape slightly, the impurities have been entirely removed."
Dead silence.
Hephaestus's hand trembled as she took the shortsword. As a Goddess, she understood the "gold standard" of this blade better than anyone.
'Perfect.'
It was so perfect it was almost infuriating. The internal structure was so dense there wasn't a single air bubble, and the magical conductivity reached a staggering 100%.
More frighteningly, the sword felt as if it had a soul, vibrating slightly in her hand.
"Remolding at the microscopic level..." Hephaestus muttered to herself. She looked up, staring at Shirou as if he were a monster. "To achieve the effect of being 'tempered a thousand times' without a single strike... just what kind of person are you?"
"Shirou Emiya." Shirou gave that signature, honest smile.
"A newcomer of the Loki Familia. Just a... half-baked craftsman, I suppose."
"Half-baked?" Hephaestus gave a bitter laugh. If this kind of technique was considered "half-baked," then the children in her Familia would probably jump off a building out of shame.
"You win."
The Goddess took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She pulled a black-and-gold card inlaid with a ruby from her coat and handed it solemnly to Shirou.
"This ore, and this sword, are yours now. Furthermore..." she pointed at the card, "This is the 'Divine Smith Card' of the Hephaestus Familia. With this card, you can freely use the top-tier forging rooms in any of my shops, and all materials are 50% off."
"This is too valuable..."
"Take it!" Hephaestus interrupted Shirou's polite refusal, her single eye burning with a fervent flame. "But I have one condition."
"What condition?"
"Next time..." The Goddess stepped closer, a pleasant scent of sulfur mixed with perfume wafting from her.
"Next time you forge something like this, let me watch from the side. I want to know where your limit lies."
The eyes of the surrounding adventurers were nearly popping out of their heads. That was the proud Goddess of Forging! She was actually proactively asking to observe the forging of a human newcomer?
Shirou froze for a moment, then gripped the shortsword and the card, nodding seriously.
"It would be my honor."