Smiths, in Cain's world, could use these recipes to accurately create items with reasonable success if their skill was high enough, not as a System Function that consumed them to grant knowledge, so Cain had high hopes that this would work.
The copies were from the Smiths asking the Inscriptionists to practice creating recipes for them, and Cain had a load of them in his inventory that he never got around to dropping off at the farm. He had given them some copies, but he hadn't left the rest behind because, until the last few days of his time in the other world, he had assumed that he would be returning soon and didn't need to fill warehouses with random items he had packed into his inventory for the Guild.
"Is this what it looks like?" The old dwarf asked with great reverence.
"It's the recipe that we will be creating today so that I can teach the others the essentials of Mythic Weapon creation. It might not be the most powerful combat item, but I'm told that the Stout Folk of the Mountains get a real hard-on over Stonebreaker since it will split any rock with ease." Cain agreed.
"So, we need black gold, granite, a bit of Mythril, and enough silver for a handle," Cain explained to the Smith, who seemed to be in charge of the building.
"That's it?"
"I picked the easiest recipe possible to show off the technique, not the depth of your pockets. I can pick out something made of pure Mythril and Divine Steel if you like." Cain joked while the room shuddered at the astronomical cost of such an item.
It only took a few seconds for the Elders to produce the required materials from their storage items, and the forges were brought up to temperature.
"For this item, the stone needs to be carefully carved into the correct shapes, then inserted into the black gold that makes up the remainder of the head of the Maul. That is what they are starting with now." Cain explained as the smiths started carving while the materials heated.
Premade Molds for the handles were brought over, making it easier to form the base shape of the silver handles, while the black gold would need time to heat, thanks to the high density of energy stored in the materials.
"Now that they have the stones carved and set into position, the black gold will need to be worked into a lattice to create the desired head shape, as well as the first few characters of the inscription. You can see the smiths binding the stones into a brick shape now, with a hollow for the handle.
Then they will check their work and shape the outer shell of the Maul, setting the lattice and stones inside, then closing it from the bottom, careful not to damage their hard work."
The smiths sat patiently, asking Cain a few random questions about the process as the three Elders worked for the next two hours, sweating in the heat of the forge but fully concentrated on their work.
"Every step of the way requires constant energy infusion. If there are any interruptions, they will have to start over, and now that the heads are created, they can start with the inscriptions. Notice how the order and exact positioning matters as much as the change in the nature of the energy that they are introducing. That is the difference between a Legendary Item and a Mythic one."
Mostly the smiths simply watched the incredible show as the three Immortal Rank Dwarves pounded, bent, carved, and lovingly caressed the weapons into shape.
The head was placed on the mold for the handles, and the silver was poured into the void of the internals, filling the Maul and creating the handle as an integral part of the weapon. Then, while the metal was still nearly molten, it was held in place with their energy, and the mold was removed to let them create the inscriptions on the handle and continue refining the energy in the weapons.
As the final runes were placed on the base of the handle and a large amount of energy poured from the Smiths into the newly formed Stonebreakers, a light blue light began to shine from the weapons. A single drop of blood was pulled from the hands of each smith by their creation, and the light turned to a rusted red, then settled in, turning the inscriptions on the Maul to an earthy brown on the black and silver of the metal.
"Three for three. Excellent work, gentlemen. Anyone who inspects this weapon and knows you personally will be able to identify you as the creator. Your aura will forever be a part of any Mythic Weapons that you create. It is essential to the process."
The room considered Cain's words for a while as they absorbed the techniques that they had seen displayed by the master craftsmen at his direction.
"Like that, it seems like anyone could create a Mythic weapon." One of the smiths in the audience mumbled.
"Don't scold him. He is right. With enough energy and enough control, any smith can learn to create a Mythic weapon. You might cry if you asked these mighty elders how long it took to earn that level of mastery over their craft, though." Cain chuckled.
"Bah, most of them will be Immortals sooner or later. They have all the centuries that they need. But you know the secret to Spirit Weapons as well, don't you? I could almost feel it as we finished making Stonebreaker." The Elder Dwarf mumbled, annoyed at his lack of breakthrough.
"I will tell you later, in private. I have never managed it myself, but I have at least read the theory." Cain agreed.
What it needed was Spirit Grade Materials compatible with holding a soul. Either a small bit of yours that would heal in a few weeks or the soul of another, to shift a Mythic Weapon into the Spirit Realm. That was why Rune Crafting was far superior at the higher levels. It didn't have the insane requirements.
Spirit Grade weapons also had a habit of taking on a personality of their own if given enough time. Like Oath Breaker merged with Cain, they would whisper in their wielder's mind, giving them suggestions suitable to the personality of the weapon.
The books in the Library said that many were driven insane by wielding weapons too powerful for their minds and taken over by the soul inside them, but Cain didn't see the big deal. There were voices in his head constantly, and he was still perfectly sane.
Oath Breaker laughed a little at that thought, but Cain shushed him, not willing to take criticism from the Demon at the moment.
"How can we tell that those are actually Mythic Weapons?" Someone in the crowd asked.
"You might have to ask really nicely to get the smiths to let go of them, but the moment that you hold them and activate them with a bit of energy, you will know instantly that they are indeed Mythic Grade weapons.
No, wait. I have a better idea."
Cain summoned a single Mythic Grade Granite Golem outside the forge building.
"I think we can all agree that is a Mythic Granite Golem. I have ordered it to stand still. Go ahead and take a whack with Stonebreaker." Cain instructed.
That somehow seemed like the best bad idea that anyone could have come up with, but if the weapon actually activated its effect against the Golem, there was no doubt that they were on the same level, even though the weapon didn't give off an aura like a living being when it wasn't being wielded.
The oldest Dwarf gave the leader of the Smithy his hammer and pointed to the Golem. "Well, what are you waiting for, boy? They don't trust my word, so you go smash that thing and tell me if the weapon is Mythic."
Cain smirked at the caution since the old Dwarf was assuming his disciple was about to get punched in the face by an angry golem, but the smith stepped forward steadily, taking a shield in his offhand and pouring in energy to activate Stonebreaker.
With the enchantments active, anyone nearby could feel the power of the weapon, and the smith's blow landed true, shattering the lower leg of the Granite Golem and toppling it over, taking out the end wall of the smithy.
From the smirk on the Dwarf's face, he knew that was going to happen and wasn't afraid of being hit. He simply didn't want to be responsible for the property damage.
The commotion had brought dozens of armed guards to the site, thinking that someone was under attack and ready to do their duty and break up the battle before anyone was seriously injured. Cain dismissed the granite golem, leaving the smith standing in a pile of stone rubble with the newly created Mythic hammer in his hand.
"I, um, it's not what it looks like. We were just testing Stonebreaker on a summoned Golem, and it worked, and the Golem lost a leg, which dropped it on the building." The smith tried to explain as the guards looked around for his opponent.
"It looks more to me like you tested your new weapon on the building. But I can't deny that it worked. Good job. Now, please come with me. There is a lot of paperwork for you to fill out now that you've collapsed half a building into the street." The leader of the guard team chastised him while the old Dwarf sneakily took his Stonebreaker back.
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