[50] Tsubaki Collbrande!

[50] Tsubaki Collbrande!

There was a women standing on the street, with black hair and red eyes, a female with an eye patch over her left eye. Her skin was dark, but there were some differences from the Amazon race.

The first impression she gave to August was not dangerous.

"Do we know each other?" August asked, puzzled.

"We do, but I know you. You don't know me."

"Hmm."

This was an odd response. Most people might not think much of it, but August had just arrived in Orario. How did she know him?

Thinking about it, August felt a sense of caution rising within him.

As soon as there was any movement, he could immediately use his Blink skill to teleport away. With his current magical power, the Blink teleportation distance was over a thousand meters. Doing it a few times would easily create enough distance.

Observing August, who seemed wary, the women suddenly burst into laughter.

"Just as Finn said, even though you're a newcomer, you're unusually sensitive."

"Huh?"

This surprised August. Knowing Finn and even knowing about him was going too far.

"My name is Tsubaki Collbrande, Hephaestus Familia member. We're old friends with Loki Familia. Finn visited me not long ago, specifically to talk about you."

"Oh."

August suddenly recognized her. Tsubaki Collbrande, the Captain of Hephaestus Familia. Like Ais, she was also a level 5 adventurer, a blacksmith, and bore the title of 'Cyclops.'

The equipment she forged was unquestionably top-tier weaponry in Orario.

In original series the equipment used to challenge the foul spirits, was forged by her. Each piece had the 'Indestructible' attribute added.

Especially during the final battle, wielding Tiona's large dual swords in one hand and holding Gareth's axe in the other, she fought with two heavy weapons, displaying mighty prowess.

"Miss Tsubaki, what brings you here?"

"Haha, it seems you do know me, August."

"As the Captain of Hephaestus Familia, I've heard a few things about you, even though I just arrived in Orario."

"That's good. According to what Finn told me, you have spatial abilities. Can you help me take these things back?"

Following Tsubaki's indication, August subconsciously looked over.

There was a warehouse-like building filled with a large amount of ore and various materials.

She reached out, took the sword, and carefully examined it from front to back.

"This is a forging technique I've never seen before, and these unclear patterns on it seem to be some kind of inscription, but also not."

Watching Tsubaki suddenly embody the spirit of a craftsman, August didn't know what to say.

A few minutes later, Tsubaki put down Elucidator, but flames of excitement were ignited in her eyes.

"Hey, what's the name of this sword?"

"Elucidator."

"Elucidator? A good name. Where did you get this sword?"

"Found it."

"Can you sell it to me? I can offer you one hundred million valis."

One hundred million valis was an astronomical figure, especially for August, a poor man who had never seen a million.

However, August ultimately suppressed his greed.

"I won't sell this sword."

"Is it not enough? I can offer you one hundred and twenty million valis."

"It's not about money. This sword is my partner. How could I sell my partner?"

In an instant, Tsubaki was stunned.

In Orario, weapons were just tools, consumables. Every adventurer scrapped a large number of weapons each year. Not everyone would go through the trouble of maintaining them. Most would simply buy new ones.

However, for a blacksmith, each weapon was equivalent to their child.

The reason August said this wasn't that he really didn't want to sell Elucidator. He was deliberately boosting Tsubaki's favorability. If he built a good relationship with her, wouldn't he have access to top-notch weapons in the future?

"You really are an odd one, treating a weapon as a partner."

Although she said it casually, August could see that Tsubaki's attitude toward him had quietly changed.

Because of August's demeanor, she saw a resemblance between him and a younger member of her Familia.

A person who possessed the skill of forging magical swords but was unwilling to use it. August and the young member of her Familia overlapped in her eyes.

In the end, the person she had to protect was a little unwilling to use his own abilities.

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