999. Shirou's Status / 1000. The Craftswoman's Workshop ...

"I see, as expected of Goddess. In that case, not only skills, but also physical abilities can be measured." Bell said with a smile, suddenly realizing.

"Hmph~! Otherwise, why would Bell be in my kin?" Hestia smiled smugly, but her expression immediately changed. She grabbed Bell's collar and questioned him loudly.

"But can you explain what's going on with Bell's skill? A single-minded longing? The stronger the feeling of yearning, the stronger it gets? Who are you yearning for?"

"Eh?" Bell exclaimed in surprise.

"Ughhhhh!!!"

On the other side, inside an Indian-style building, a girl resembling the elephant-headed god cried and ran through a long corridor, rushing into a palace.

Ganesha's face was actually quite cute, but due to years of staying at home, her belly had become quite chubby. As the elephant-headed god, her weight was undeniable, and with each step she took, the ground trembled.

The maids, who were carrying fruit and wine and dressed in saris, were so frightened that they screamed and backed away.

"Ughhhhh!!!"

Ganesha, the elephant-goddess, was like a runaway tank, rampaging and crashing through everything in her path.

Inside the palace, a young goddess with short, silver-white hair sat by an artificial fountain, swinging her toes and playing with the water sprinkled with pink petals. The ground trembled, causing water droplets to bounce up from time to time, creating ripples.

Chapter 999 Shirou's Ability Values

"Welcome back, Ganesha -chan." The young goddess turned around, looked towards the entrance, and gave a friendly smile.

Her name is Kama, the Hindu god of love and freedom, and she has a deep connection with Shiva and Parvati.

According to legend, the heavenly realm of the Hindu gods once suffered a calamity.

Through his devout ascetic practices, the Asura King Dara moved Brahma and received Brahma's blessing, gaining immense martial prowess. Dara made a vow to Brahma, hoping to be invincible in every battle.

Brahma was moved by Dara's piety and agreed, saying, "You will be invincible except for Shiva's son."

Dara was very pleased because after Shiva's wife Sati suicide, Shiva entered into a period of ascetic retreat, never remarried, and had no sons.

Later, Dara became the Demon King and led his generals to invade the heavens of the Devas. The heavens were in grave danger, and even Vishnu, a great god who was on par with Shiva, could not destroy him. This war lasted for 20,000 years, and the heavens were on the verge of collapse.

The gods prayed to Brahma, but Brahma said, "Dara has completed his ascetic practices and has received my blessing. Defeat him and go find Shiva's son."

Parvati, the Snow Mountain Goddess, is the reincarnation of Sati, the wife of Shiva. The gods hoped that Shiva would marry Snow Mountain Goddess and have a son to save the heavens. However, Shiva was devoted to asceticism and indifferent to all worldly affairs.

So the gods had no choice but to ask Kama, the God of Love Kama, God of Love intervene. Kama shot God of Love's arrow when Snow Mountain Goddess went to the mountains to see Shiva.

Shiva, despite his high level of spiritual attainment, could not escape the influence of the god of God of Love. He fell in love with Snow Mountain Goddess and had intercourse with her. However, he later discovered that Kama was behind it all, so he emitted divine fire from his forehead eye and burned Kama to death.

The Snow Mountain Goddess moved Shiva through her actions, and the two married and had their first son, the God of War Shiva. Shiva obtained the heavenly army and generals, defeated the demon king Dara, restored peace to the heavens, and became the great marshal of the heavens.

Shiva later resurrected Kama, but from then on Kama lost his physical form and was therefore called the "Formless God".

In this world, Kama possesses and merges into the body of a little girl with whom she has a karmic connection. She lives as a goddess in a palace and cannot help but hate being burned to death by Shiva. However, she is now very close to Ganesha, another child of Shiva and Parvati.

"Waaaaah, Kama, I've already given Shirou a lot of Magic Stone as you said. But I've been dumped! I thought I was immune to this kind of feeling, but I never expected to be so heartbroken after being rejected, waaaaah!" Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, pounced on the girl inside.

"It's okay, it's okay, this is how you do it. Ganesha -chan, you did a great job! Knowing the Demon Sword Forger's personality, he'll definitely come looking for you." The little girl said, touching the crying goddess.

"Really?"

"Really, really."

"Hmm! Okay, then I'll go play some games to relax. After that, I have to hold a 'Monster Festival' and invite so many gods to help me. Just thinking about it makes me tired."

"Hehe, Ganesha -chan, go and rest. Leave the rest to me. As long as Shirou agrees, I'll have him take care of you." The silver-haired girl patted Ganesha's head and said gently.

"Thank you, I knew Kama was the best. Goodbye then." Ganesha ran happily towards his palace, calling out to the maids, "Soda! Chips! Get them ready! I'm going back to my room to play games!"

"Hehehe, it's so cute that Ganesha lives such a simple life, but I really hate romance the most." The silver-haired girl revealed a wicked and charming smile.

"Because... back then you'd want to burn everything down, destroy everything, wouldn't you? Hehehe~"

Back in the basement of the ruined church, the residence of the Hestia Familia.

"So~! Miss Ais saved me back then, so I admire Miss Ais a lot. As for that skill, I don't know what it is either." Bell explained with difficulty, he had been forced against the back of the sofa by the god, and had nowhere left to retreat.

"That Ais Warren-kun, is she really that good? You and she aren't even from the same clan, there's no way things will work out, okay? Look more at the people around you who like you!" Hestia pressed Bell with the only impressive part of her body, demanding an explanation.

"Waaah! My Goddess, it's Miss Ais Wallenstein, and I've tried my best to reach a level where I can speak to her as an equal," Bell said, forcing a smile.

"To be honest, even though we were together today, Bell-kun, you didn't dare to go up and talk to her, did you? Someone as simple and indecisive as Bell can't do anything unless the girl takes the initiative."

"Shirou (Big Brother), what do you think?!" x2

"Huh?" Shirou had been watching from the sidelines, was caught off guard by the question and stared at by the two of them. However, this situation felt strangely familiar. As someone who had been through it all, he knew how difficult it was and how many things were beyond his control.

So Shirou could only say, "Indeed, it can get very troublesome when different clans get involved in conflicts of interest, but there are also many wise and magnanimous gods."

As long as Bell strives to become an outstanding man and gains the approval of the other's god, it won't be a problem. As for Miss Ais, I don't think she's the kind of person who would look down on others because of their rank."

"That's right! That's right! My Goddess, you heard me! I will try my best!" Bell said.

"That's enough! I don't care about Bell-kun anymore, you can eat dinner here by yourself!" Hestia stormed out of the basement.

"Wait! My Goddess, really... why are you angry?" Bell scratched his head helplessly as he watched the goddess disappear from sight.

As a result, Shirou's physical abilities were determined. Referring to Bell's ability chart, the two compared strength, endurance, reaction time, and running speed, ultimately arriving at roughly the following ability values:

Level LV.2~ [~ represents the above]

Strength: G300~E500 Durability: D600~ Dexterity: F400~ Agility: f300~ Magic: Unknown

True Magic

<Skills>

Demon Sword Forging:

He possesses the talent to forge magic swords.

Archery expert:

The level of perfect accuracy, where every arrow hits its mark.

Weapon Mastery:

Top-tier blacksmiths possess a thorough understanding of all weapon structures and are naturally adept at using them to their fullest potential. They achieve the most precise effects with weapons of varying properties.

???:

(It appears to possess special skills, allowing it to kill monsters of higher levels through weapon damage bonuses.)

Chapter 1000 The Blacksmith's Workshop

"Amazing! Big Brother Shirou!" Bell exclaimed, looking at the listed data.

Looking at the list, Shirou was once again reminded of his past memories. In fact, even after he made a contract with the Counter Force, in his final days as a human, his physical abilities were barely at the edge of Servant.

Even after becoming Servant, despite his exceptional skill Master, his physical stats only reached B-rank in magical power. He doesn't rely on his own strength in battle; his combat system revolves around Unlimited Blade Works, Projection Noble Phantasm, gaining Noble Phantasm amplification, and utilizing Noble Phantasm properties in combat. Combined with strategy and tactics, he can pose a threat even to top-tier Servant.

Although such tests are ordinary, their effect on the mind and body even surpasses their effect on intelligence. Shirou found the motivation to start over here, and he remembered his confused self before participating in the Holy Grail War.

Now that I've lost my powers and can't use Unlimited Blade Works or Projection Noble Phantasm, I'm exactly the same as I was back then. What I could do then, I can do now.

Yearning for the life of adventurers, with the initial aspiration to become Hero of Justice.

Perhaps what I gained from the passionate young boy Bell was more than I imagined.

"Yeah, thank you, Bell." Shirou emerged from his memories, a certain emotion deep within his heart swirling in his chest, then flowing into his blood, giving him the energy and warmth to keep going.

"No, no, I wasn't much of a help either. It was Big Brother Shirou was really strong." Bell waved his hand. He had actually been a runner-up and got beaten the whole way, so he was fully aware of his own weakness.

He admired Shirou even more; this was probably what a legendary figure, like an ancient hero, should be like! No wonder he was the eldest brother!

"If it weren't for you and the goddess Hestia, I wouldn't have thought of this method either. Thank you so much this time, Bell." Shirou said to the simple and kind-hearted white-haired boy. At first, he didn't have much hope, but he didn't expect to have such an unexpected gain.

"Hehehe, right, the Goddess said to protect personal information, so it's best not to let others know about this ability chart... Ah! Will it be a problem if I see something so important? Sorry! I'll definitely try my best to forget it all!" Bell smiled sheepishly, but as he spoke, he started to panic.

"It's alright, Bell, you already told me your stats," Shirou said with a chuckle.

"Haha, you're right," Bell said with a laugh.

"Furthermore, I think that ability values can only be used as a reference. If a person neglects training, their body will become sluggish, and their original strength will definitely be affected. Even if these values remain unchanged due to a favor, they certainly won't be able to exert their original strength."

If you can train yourself to your best condition and face battle with a calm and strong attitude at any time, like a sword honed to perfection, then you will not be thrown off balance even if you encounter any unexpected events.

"As long as you can hold out until the very last moment, even an enemy several times stronger than yourself might reveal a slight weakness. If you can find that opportunity and launch an effective attack, you might be able to overcome a challenge of a higher level and turn the tide of battle." Shirou analyzed based on his own experience.

"I see." Bell suddenly understood. He realized that his older brother really knew a lot. After hesitating for a moment, he mustered his courage, walked up to Shirou, bowed, and shouted loudly, "Brother! Please guide my training! I beg you!"

"Sure," Shirou readily agreed. He got along well with the hot-blooded boy, and he believed that as long as he was willing to work hard, he would become stronger and stronger in the future.

"Really? That's amazing!" Bell jumped up excitedly.

"Don't be too happy yet. My training is very Sparta. If you're not prepared to die, I advise you to give up early." Shirou said to the boy. The Britain training method is inherited from the British style. Even when facing ordinary people who can't even kill a chicken, you have to fight with all your might.

"I know! I'm willing to do anything to become stronger!" Bell clenched his fist, stood up straight, and loudly agreed.

"Is that so? Alright! But before that, let's go to the blacksmith's shop first. I'll forge the weapon I promised you tonight. My training is a little different from other adventurers, so being fully armed is necessary," Shirou said.

"Yes! But... Brother, I don't have much money," Bell said with some concern.

"Idiot, since I've agreed to train you, you don't need to worry about the equipment. But be prepared for the training that follows!" Shirou scolded.

"Yes!" Bell gratefully touched his eyes and answered loudly.

The two walked outside.

"Yes, that way you can meet Miss Ais Wallenstein too. It would be great if we could strike up a conversation and become friends," Shirou joked.

"Really! Big brother! Please stop teasing me." Bell blushed with embarrassment.

So much happened that day, it all stimulated his mind. He met the woman he admired and saw a true role model of manhood. He felt an unprecedented urge to become stronger and prove himself!

Shirou led Bell to the forge. Since he had already made arrangements with the goddess Hephaestus, he was able to proceed without hindrance to a large forge with state-of-the-art furnaces that could accommodate ten blacksmiths working at the same time, and which were currently burning with intense heat.

Beside the flames stood a slender, tanned beauty dressed in revealing clothing. Her upper body was covered only by a bodice, and she wore a black eye patch on one side. Her hair, which fell to her shoulders, was tied up with a white cloth strip. Overall, she exuded the aura of a Japanese beauty. In modern terms, she would be described as a healthy and cheerful tanned shrine Miko in the style of Okinawa.

"Hey, Miss Tsubaki, are you still here alone tonight? Did you eat properly?" Shirou greeted her.

"Oh my, isn't this Shirou- kun? Are you here to do 'that' tonight?" The woman named Tsubaki turned around, completely unconcerned about the stares of the opposite sex, and greeted him cheerfully. With her movement, her chest bounced twice like waves.

"Ehhh!!" Bell blushed just looking at it and quickly turned her head away.

"Alright, hurry up and take it off! Let's get to the main event! I can't hold back any longer!" the tanned, mature woman urged seductively.

"..." Shirou had no choice but to take off his cloak and unbutton the black off-shoulder combat suit underneath.

"Eh?! Eh?! Eh?!" Startled, Bell covered her face with her hands and stared wide-eyed through the gap in the fabric.

Chapter 1001 The New Weapon Forged

Shirou took two steps back, avoiding Tsubaki, and took off his black tactical vest, revealing his strong muscles and muscular physique.

The forging process requires being close to the furnace, and forging iron blocks also requires the use of all one's strength, so it gets very hot. Moreover, the forged weapons also require concentration. If sweat makes the clothes stick to the body, it will be very uncomfortable. Therefore, blacksmiths usually choose to remove their upper garments.

"What kind of treasure are you planning to make this time? What materials will you use? Tell your older sister." Tsubaki didn't care at all about her and Shirou's current casual attire, and rubbed her shoulder against Shirou's chest.

Although Bell blushed, this wasn't the first time Shirou had encountered this situation, and there was no point in saying anything, so he could only ignore it.

Chun is a half-dwarf born from a human from the Far East and a continental dwarf. She is actually a weapon fanatic. She is happier than talking about polite words when researching weapons. In her eyes, there are only adventurers who can use weapons correctly. Although she has a rather proud figure, she is actually a tomboy who is hard to see as a woman.

"Alright, Tsubaki, this is Bell, a member of Hestia's Familia and also my friend. He's here to forge his weapon," Shirou introduced the two.

"Bell, this is Miss Tsubaki. She is the strongest blacksmith in the Hephaestus Familia, nicknamed 'The One-Eyed Master,' and her level is lv.5."

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Tsubaki!" Bell immediately bowed.

"Hey kid! Alright! Stop dawdling and tell me quickly, what kind of weapon do you want to make?" Tsubaki grabbed Shirou's wrist and urged him on.

Shirou nodded and looked at the white-haired boy, saying, "Bell, take out the weapon you're using now and let me see it."

"Ah, yes!" Bell Krune pulled out the dagger with a blade of twenty sel feet that was hanging on his body. It was his only weapon, and it had cost him more than 3,000 falies, which was about the price of 60 lunches.

"It's a beginner's standard dagger, isn't it? I miss it so much," Chun said with a sigh.

"Then let's see what kind of dagger would suit you best." Shirou pondered, picking up the hammer from the workbench.

In this world, blacksmiths are beings bestowed with divine favor. Outstanding blacksmiths can ensure the attack and defense capabilities of weapons while also imbuing them with special attribute effects.

For example, if you acquire the Fortification skill, the armor you forge will have increased defense and durability. Blacksmiths with the Sharpening skill will forge weapons that are sharper. And those who have gained the approval of the immortals can forge magic swords that can unleash True Magic.

Shirou possesses the characteristics of both sword and steel, a mark that cannot be washed away by time or any hardship, even after traversing countless worlds.

This talent imbued Shirou with spiritual power in sword forging, allowing him to reach the level of a master forger in less than a week. He then applied this knowledge to other areas, learning to forge other equipment in an equally extraordinary way.

After all, the forging process of swords is actually a culmination of various crafts. Forging a sword requires consideration of not only sharpness and sturdiness, but also flexibility, impact resistance, and other aspects.

Besides the blade, the hilt, guard, and even the sheath are all indispensable. The scabbard, which protects the blade, is designed with knowledge of animal hides. If a blacksmith can forge a near-perfect sword, he can forge any weapon.