Chapter 57: The Strange Tool Craft

Flames rose from the furnace, spewing hot embers outward.

Broken iron and ores gradually melted and forged; whether the original owner or now Guang Tai, both were utterly unfamiliar with forging, having never touched it before.

Fortunately, gaining the craft also revealed the correct production process, and Guang Tai had previously obtained forging insights from the Rock Mountain Ruins—though he’d acquired them inexplicably, they were incredibly useful!

Combined, even a complete novice with no forging experience could produce works rivaling those of master craftsmen.

Rising flames symbolized power, easily shattering the worldview of weak life. The boiling firelight, the forceful hammer, the solid anvil—each strike carried a primal, overwhelming force!

Soon, Guang Tai forged a pair of iron gloves, which, after being stitched with leather, became his first forged item.

‘Completed a craft production!’

‘Craft item: Destruction Gloves.’

‘Description: A tool forged and processed with special flame using Pokémon materials and broken iron, enhancing Steel-type energy.’

‘Craft effect: Rapid Digging—Digging speed +20%, unique usage “Dig Hole”.’

‘Dig Hole? Is that a move?’

‘Its materials are the spikes and claws of Pangoro, but since it was forged with flame, only Fire, Steel, and Psychic energy are enhanced—it cannot boost Ground-type power.’

‘Phew—’ Guang Tai wiped sweat from his brow, took a brief rest, and stared in surprise at the steel gloves in his hands.

Unbeknownst to him, two Pokémon had slipped in and now circled the special gloves, exchanging sounds as if voicing their own opinions.

But when Guang Tai heard Doujianshao’s words, he shook his head.

This guy’s still pushing that King propaganda!

Better check out the new materials!

【Material: Spark Scale Powder.】

【Obtained from: Hisui Region Ancient City (Volcarona), Paldea Region Great Pit (Volcarona), or evolved from Fletchinder.】

【Corresponding craft: Ancient Firing Craft (can produce Ancient Vessel).】

‘Ancient firing? Great! Can Volcarona’s scale powder be bought online?’

‘Probably not.’

‘Since I’m going to Hisui anyway, I’ll save this craft for a few months from now.’

Doujianshao: Forging? Back in the day, my body (x2) was forged too! Back then, I (x2) wasn’t even a Pokémon! Whatever the New King forged must surely possess incredible, miraculous power!

Lilyroot (poking the glove): Not a Pokémon? Then what were you before, Doujianshao-senpai?

Doujianshao: Have you heard the tale of the Ancient Sword’s Awakening?

Doujianshao (swaying its ribbons): An ancient sword, forged in battle, became a Pokémon after being possessed by a dead soul—that’s me! But that’s not entirely accurate: I’m not a human soul, but a Pokémon born naturally in a spirit-infused environment. Many Ghost-type Pokémon are born this way!

Lilyroot (clenching fist): So you must’ve been a mighty sword back then!

Doujianshao: No, I’m ashamed to say—after becoming a Pokémon, I was captured by a traveling sorcerer, then presented to a king. Later, a knight chose me as his Pokémon and taught me some dishonorable... no, some truly practical battle techniques! Then, for reasons unknown, I was left to gather dust in a warehouse. When I awoke again, the kingdom had fallen.

Lilyroot (astonished): Eeh! That’s so unlucky!

Doujianshao (perking up): Exactly! So now my dream is to serve a powerful person and make him the new king!

Doujianshao: Now is the very beginning of a nation’s rise. If you truly join, you’ll both be founding ministers!

Lilyroot (twitching ears): No, senpai, I don’t understand any of that. What’s the benefit of being a minister? If I follow Guang Tai, aren’t I already with him?

Doujianshao (stunned): Eeh? Benefit—right, what *is* the benefit? It’s commanding other Pokémon!

Lilyroot (confused): But I don’t want to command other Pokémon. I’m just me—why command others?

Doujianshao: Hmm.

Doujianshao: Come to think of it... right, I never planned any post-founding duties!

Doujianshao sank into deep thought.

No Pokémon cared about its nation-building scheme.

Lilyroot only cared about Guang Tai’s gloves—and her own work!

‘If forged items have special abilities, they can be immensely useful in daily life. The original purpose of forging these tools was to make work easier.’

‘And what about crafting armor for Lilyroot?’

After days of training, Lilyroot had grown remarkably strong. Combined with her knowledge and personal experience and growth, she’d no longer lose so badly if she fought again!

Still, I should prepare some defense for her.

Guang Tai searched his mind for special items compatible with Grass-type energy.

Change Dice + Seed Machine Gun?

But the Change Dice seems mechanical—its description says it always rolls high numbers—and I know next to nothing about machinery.

Better stick to forging armor.

Soon, Guang Tai forged several pieces of armor—and unexpectedly, the thoughts gathering in his mind yielded a strange result:

‘Completed a craft production!’

‘Craft item: Small Body Armor (Steel).’

‘Description: Prevents effects normally triggered by contact attacks. Enhances Steel-type energy and move power.’

‘Prevents: HP loss from Spiky Shield; Poison from Fortify; HP loss from Spiky Defense; HP loss from Rough Skin, Iron Barbs, and Self-Destruct; effects of Flame Body, Static, Cute Charm, and Doom Desire.’

‘Craft effect: Rebound—Defense +15%, reflects opponent’s impact back at them.’

‘Warning: Excessive damage may cause the armor to instantly break.’

‘Oh?’

Guang Tai’s eyes lit up, and he handed the full set of small body armor to Lilyroot.

‘Try it on!’

Lilyroot curiously took the armor, but since her tiny hands were too short, Guang Tai helped her put it on.

Once dressed, Lilyroot’s skirt now had iron plates front and back, a small helmet sat atop her head, and three leaves extended from holes in the helmet’s crown.

‘Waa!’

It’s a bit heavy! Lilyroot wobbled side to side, gradually adjusting to the new armor.

At the same time, Lilyroot felt she could now use a new ability—this feeling was different from learning a move!

‘Bai?’ Lilyroot frowned, then looked at Doujianshao.

‘Bai!’

Senpai Doujianshao, can you fight me?

‘Oww—’

Doujianshao snapped out of its deep thought (x2), shifted its hilt, pointed at Lilyroot, and glanced at Guang Tai.

‘It’s fine—this is the perfect time to test the armor’s effectiveness. Doujianshao, use Sucker Punch!’

Guang Tai gave the order. Doujianshao grumbled, then its blades glowed with purple-white light! Both blades shot out and struck Lilyroot directly.

At that moment, Lilyroot activated the strange sensation within her. Her armor emitted Steel-type energy, seemingly drawing in ambient natural energy!

Rebound!

Doujianshao was instantly thrown back by the rebounded force—the very power it had unleashed!

‘Bai! Waa~()~!’

Lilyroot bounced and jumped, overjoyed to see Doujianshao flung away by her own power!

In ecstatic delight, she leapt onto Guang Tai’s shoulder and rubbed her face against his cheek!

‘Waa!’

Thank you, Guang Tai!

‘Oww?~!’

‘Oop?~!’

Doujianshao was stunned—it never imagined Lilyroot’s armor had such power!

Instantly, it turned its blades toward Guang Tai, both eyes filled with longing!

Shouldn’t you make one for me too?!

‘But you already have blade sheaths—they’re part of your body.’

Guang Tai muttered, stroking Lilyroot, but seeing Doujianshao’s dejected state, he soothed it:

‘Alright, alright—I’ll figure out something similar for you later. Hmm... since I can’t modify the sheaths, I’ll just add decorations to the guard and hilt.’

‘That’s fine too—it’ll distinguish you from other Pokémon of your type. Though honestly, we don’t even have any Pokémon like you in this region anyway.’

‘It seems tools can have varied uses—some tied to Pokémon moves, others not. Probably depends on whether the tool’s function matches a specific move.’

‘Oww~!’ Doujianshao nodded its hilt, signaling—it wanted the coolest guard design ever!

As for effects—if we’re lucky enough to forge tools that carry Pokémon move effects—if we can!

I once heard of a move called ‘Giant Slash,’ executed with a blade—let’s try forging a tool for that!

‘Puh—’ Guang Tai nearly spat out his drink!

‘You, you know Giant Slash? Were you brought from Galar?’ Guang Tai remembered: though Doujianshao was an ancient relic brought long ago, it had never said where it came from—seemingly unaware itself.

Meaning, during the kingdom era, there was no concept of regions.

‘Oop?’

Indeed, Doujianshao was utterly confused, saying only that Giant Slash was a legendary move it had heard from the sorcerer who captured it as a treasure.

‘That move can’t be put on a weapon... wait, maybe it really can.’

Guang Tai was about to refuse, but then remembered—if he obtained hair from Cetitan, plus ‘rust iron’ from a decayed blade, perhaps he could truly forge a tool with the Giant Slash move!

Cetitan (Battle Hero) + Decayed Blade + Iron Head = King of Swords + Giant Slash!

The formula’s already laid out!

So, if you really found these materials and forged a blade guard with Beast Slasher, or attached it to a logging axe—would you use Beast Slasher to chop trees!

"Oh, that sounds pretty interesting!"

(End of Chapter)