[Item: Zahir’s Light Armor.

When a light, strong, quality armor was requested from Zahir, he didn’t even doubt that he was capable of creating something that ordinary blacksmiths believe to be impossible.

p The wearer of this set can feel Zahir’s determination when donning the armor.

*There is a chance to unlock the bonus called ‘Light as a feather’ (Speed +15).

*Thanks to the cape, there is a chance to unlock the bonus called ‘Sensory Concealment’ (Stealth +5).

Classification: Primal

Durability: 120/120; Defense: 50; Movement Speed: 100%.

Requirements: Level 7 or higher, more than 20 Strength (Attack).

Weight: 75]

When Kaizen looked at himself in the mirror wearing this plate armor, he did not contain the urge to praise the blacksmith.

“Ow… Zahir, you’ve done something impressive!”

“Even you can tell just by looking, right? I know I’m pretty good.”

As stunning as the armor’s status, only its appearance. The breastplate, the most important part that makes up the protection of the armor, is usually also the main piece of its aesthetics, and in this set made by Zahir, it worked no differently. Precisely in the center of the main breastplate was a raised symbol resembling a crystal with four wings, which blended magnificently with the other ornamental lines drawn on the steel.

On his left arm, Kaizen wore a bracelet with a symbol similar to the breastplate. This bracelet had the outer part made of steel and the inner part of the arm made of leather to balance the weight and with the vision of being more comfortable.

The left shoulder pad was large, aiming to protect this shoulder completely and also the biceps. It was tied by two leather belts that rested on different regions. One large belt went over the back, while the other went around the left bicep.

On the right side of his body, Kaizen was wearing the cape that gave him the chance to get the stealth bonus, a term he had not yet heard of in Rise Online. This cape had a dark green color and reached his knees, it also had a cap that covered his entire right arm, protecting him slightly from the cold.

“Are you a tailor too, Zahir? That turned out really nice here.” Kaizen complimented the cape while moving his right arm. “When did you take my measurements?”

“Take measurements? Using a tape measure, you say? Boy, a good blacksmith, like me, only needs a good eye to know how to measure the size of anything.”

Kaizen continued to appreciate the armor in the mirror.

The absence of a belt was not so bad for Kaizen, but if there had been one, he would not have complained either. A belt, like a purse, could increase the space in his limited inventory. However, on the waist part of this armor, there was still an empty small knife sheath, so he was happy with it.

Finally, the boots, shin, and knee pads were all made of the purest steel, and this was also the heaviest part of the armor.

Usually, the lower parts of the armor set are neglected by blacksmiths and warriors. All because this is not the focus region of most attacks, but Kaizen revealed to Zahir that he was currently using a spear, so the dwarf made armor that would protect a spear fighter at his weakest point: his legs.

When Zahir sniffed near Kaizen, he did not smell someone weak.

Just the fact that Kaizen was stinking revealed to the blacksmith that he was not just another garden-variety nobleman or a poor man with cheap alcohol-based perfume, which was the smell that all human novices exuded.

Kaizen smelled like a brave and committed warrior who doesn’t even give himself the privilege of taking a bath or who is so focused on his goal that he doesn’t care. For Zahir, this was enough to respect Kaizen now. Unlike the first time that Kaizen visited his store, now the dwarf saw him as a worthy customer for his items.

“The weight is fine on the legs too. Since there isn’t much weight to support on the shoulders and arm, I won’t get tired or slowed down by having more protection on the legs…”

With his arms crossed, Zahir frequently nodded as he listened to Kaizen’s wave of praise.

“Yes, I know. Since you said that you are currently using a spear and that you are going to fight the Mantis of the Steel Claws, I thought it would be good not to limit the movements of your arms or your joints. I also thought that it would be best to put on some gloves or gauntlets, but you didn’t ask for these in particular, so I concluded that you don’t usually use them. If you are going to fight the creatures you said you are, you will need to be aware and there should be nothing that makes you strange about your own movements. For that reason, I didn’t put gloves or gauntlets on the set.”

“Did you think of all that? I was wrong. You definitely know how to win a customer. However, I still have a question about the armor.”

Zahir was happy with the praise, so instead of getting angry at a questioning all of a sudden, he spoke up:

“All right, ask your question. I know all about that armor.”

“What method did you use to forge steel plates that are so light and strong at the same time? I know this can’t be an easy or conventional process. Did you use tempering?”

When Zahir heard the question, he was surprised by Kaizen’s knowledge.

“So you know what tempering is? Wait a minute… You weren’t making a joke when you said you were studying blacksmithing, were you?”

The broad-shouldered man denied it with his head without saying anything else.

At that moment, the dwarf’s mouth turned into a letter O shape, surprised, and after he regained his sassy posture, he massaged his temples with his small right hand, stressed.

“You asked that question just to try to learn a little from me, right? Well, there’s nothing to it. Any beginner blacksmith would be amazed and interested in my knowledge… All right, I’ll tell you something: blacksmithing is an art, kid, meaning there are several elements that make up the process for a good item to be made. Ideas, composition, diagram, material, method, execution, and tools. This good armor is a mixture of all these methods. So using pure iron and tempering was only one of the processes. I thought of all the others to achieve that result.”

“Tools? Is that true?”

“Absolutely. Using quality hammers, clamps that don’t mark the iron, and a good furnace will result in a better weapon than using a worse version of each of these essential blacksmithing tools, and also…”

As Kaizen listened to the lessons of the dwarf Zahir, only one kind of thought came into his mind:𝑶𝐕𝓁xt.𝒸𝒐𝑚

‘So, if I use better tools than the one I used in the Medullar Forge, I may be able to create even better items than the Dagger of Obsession. I’ll be able to create Epic Rank items perhaps?’

If Kaizen looked in the mirror at that moment, instead of seeing black pupils in his eye sockets, he would see golden coins.

…

Edited by: DrHitsuji

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