a simple blacksmith in greece

CHAPTER 5

"Alright, let's leave the depressing stuff behind," Pluie said, her tone lighter now. "I have a request for you."

"A request? Of what kind?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The training kind," she replied with a determined look. "I know I'm not normal. Sometimes I get these sudden bursts of strength I didn't even know I had. Like last night, my mind stayed clear while I was being chased. I thought I'd panic or freeze, but I didn't. I even kicked one of those wolves and sent it flying."

Ah, that would be the ADHD that often comes with being a demigod, I thought. But still... who is her godly parent?

"I see," I said aloud. "So, you want me to train you?"

"Yes," Pluie responded without hesitation. "I want to get stronger, and I think being trained by you might be the best way to achieve that. So, would you please train me?"

I paused to consider her request. Training her meant she'd inevitably learn more about my powers, which I'd been careful to keep hidden. But if I didn't train her, she'd be vulnerable to future monster attacks—especially if I wasn't around or if she strayed too far from the city.

"Alright," I said after a moment. "I'll train you. But there's one condition: you must not tell anyone about what I teach you. If anyone asks, say I'm teaching you how to work with metal. That'll make sense since I'm a blacksmith."

Pluie nodded eagerly, her determination shining through. "I promise. I won't tell anyone. Thank you!"

"Good," I said with a small smile. "We'll start tomorrow. Be ready."

With Pluie gone, I let out a deep sigh, the weight of what I'd agreed to settle in. Training her would be no small task. It would take time away from my work, and it wouldn't be easy. But I owed her. She deserved a chance to learn how to protect herself.

Looking over at the table where we'd eaten, my eyes landed on the pelt of the hellhounds. An idea sparked in my mind. I grabbed the pelt, along with the other two, and focused. Channeling my mana, I let it flow through my body and into my hands, then into the pelts. Slowly, the three pelts began to merge into one.

This process was thanks to one of my abilities, Alteration, a spell I inherited from Emiya. It allows me to manipulate the properties of objects, transforming them into something entirely new. While I wasn't a master of this technique—like someone who could turn fire into ice or metal into rubber—I could still use it to fuse the pelts.

When the process was complete, I cast a Structural Grasp on the newly formed pelt to assess its properties. The information came flooding into my mind: it was resistant to fire and granted its user the ability to move through shadows for up to five minutes, four times a day.

Satisfied, I took the fused pelt to Cloflay, a skilled tailor in town, and requested that it be crafted into a cloak. After they accepted the commission, I returned to my house and headed straight for my forge.

I had another project in mind: a rapier.

One of the most powerful abilities I'd gained from Emiya was Unlimited Blade Works, which allowed me to copy any weapon I had seen, down to its design, history, and craftsmanship. Using Projection, I could manifest these weapons into reality, including their unique powers.

However, Emiya's version of the power had limitations: he couldn't recreate modern or divine weapons. But since divine energy coursed through me, I suspected that the last limitation might not apply anymore.

I also theorized that by combining Unlimited Blade Works with Alteration, I could "imprint" the blueprint of a weapon directly onto the materials I was forging—essentially creating a weapon from scratch using its original design.

It was an ambitious idea, but one I was eager to test.

I selected the best piece of iron I had and heated it in the forge. As it grew hotter, I channeled my mana into the metal, casting Alteration to rewrite its essence, transforming its history from a block of iron into a legendary weapon. I fed it information about Wootz steel, the material used in Damascus blades, and began hammering the iron while pouring mana and intention into it.

For three grueling hours, I repeated this process: heating, hammering, and infusing the iron with knowledge. I was careful and meticulous, but as the blade began to take shape, the iron started to crack.

Then, with a sharp burst, the metal shattered into pieces.

I stared at the broken fragments, unsurprised but still disheartened. It was an experimental process, and I didn't expect it to work perfectly on the first attempt.

Taking a deep breath, I cleaned up the pieces and reached for another block of iron. Failure was part of the journey. If I wanted to perfect this technique, I'd need to try again.

And so, I started over.

-

pluie's POV

After leaving David's house, I headed to the elderly couple's home to let them know I was fine. They had been worried about me, so I told them I got lost in the dark. Thankfully, they accepted my explanation without question.

As I walked back to my place, I couldn't help but think about the training David had agreed to. What would it be like? What kind of challenges would I face?

The next morning, I left early and made my way to David's house. Knocking on the wooden door, I waited for him to answer. A moment later, he opened the door.

"Good morning, sir," I greeted him.

"Good morning, Pluie. How did you sleep last night?" he asked.

"I slept well. How about you, sir?"

"Well, I didn't sleep at all, so I wouldn't know." He gave a tired chuckle, and I noticed the dark bags under his eyes. What had he been doing all night to leave him so exhausted?

"Follow me," he said simply, turning to walk deeper into the house.

I followed him through the kitchen and into a room I hadn't seen before. It was small, with a wooden window and two doors—one leading back to the kitchen and the other to the outside.

Scanning the room, my eyes fell on piles of iron shards scattered across the floor. Iron was notoriously expensive and difficult to work with, so seeing so much of it shattered like this was surprising.

David walked over to a table and picked up something. As he turned around, I saw it was a sword—thin, elegant, and undeniably beautiful.

"This," he said, holding the weapon out, "is Cuore di Leone, your new sword. It's enchanted, and part of your training will be learning how to use it properly."

My heart raced as I stared at the weapon. I couldn't believe it—he was giving me a magic sword! Despite its delicate appearance, it felt powerful and full of purpose.

David handed it to me, and the cool metal felt perfect in my grip.

"Say your full name," he instructed, "and declare yourself as its owner. That will bind the sword to you."

I nodded, taking a deep breath to steady my excitement. Slowly, I spoke:

"My name is βρέχει σπίθα (Pluie Spítha), and I recognize you as my weapon."

As soon as the words left my mouth, the sword glowed faintly red. Its grip shifted, reshaping itself to fit my hand perfectly.

David smiled. "Congratulations. You now have a magic sword."

Holding Cuore di Leone, I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face. This was the start of something incredible.