A flash of realization passed through Angel's eyes.
So the so-called "phantom metal," Orichalcum, was actually a material Algalong produced and sold itself.
No wonder it was available nowhere else.
No wonder Pear, despite being a master smelter, had no way to reforge it.
This reminded Angel of Fingernail Granny. Her fingernails could also be used as alchemical materials. Ground into powder and added to certain potions, they could enhance the potion's effects.
By classification, Fingernail Granny's nails also counted as self-produced magical materials.
However, Potion Nails and phantom metal still differed in some respects.
Potion Nails could be used in medicine because Fingernail Granny had spent years in contact with all manner of magical plants and potions, including many legendary rare magical plants. Through the gradual saturation of potion influence and Granny's deliberate modifications, her nails had slowly developed medicinal properties.
That was how "Potion Nails" came into being.
In other words, Potion Nails were materials altered after the fact.
Phantom metal, meanwhile, came from Algalong's innate talent. It was a gift bestowed from birth.
Angel found it difficult to judge which was superior, but judging from their current properties, phantom metal's upper limit should be extremely high... After all, Angel had witnessed Napoli's hammering technique just now.
That terrifying method of forging was far more powerful than his own smelting method.
Yet under such pounding, phantom metal had remained remarkably stable, which was enough to show just how formidable its essence was.
It had to be said that Angel was rather tempted now.
Even if phantom metal was a material Algalong produced and sold itself, where the material came from was not important. What mattered was the extent of its potential.
Angel truly wanted to experience what it felt like to use phantom metal for alchemy...
Angel did