Attribute-less Ice Magic Greatsword

Carefully placing the diamond into the slot, the next step was the most crucial: spiritual power guidance.

Abel's Horadric Cube now held two Explosive Greatswords and a Town Portal Tome. He had used one Explosive Greatsword during his fight with Simon the Wolf Rider in the forest and hadn't replaced it, leaving one slot open for a greatsword. If this attempt failed, Abel could simply discard the greatsword into the Horadric Cube.

With his many previous experiences, Abel guided the power within the diamond to slowly move towards the center of the Rune. After guiding about half of it, he noticed the Rune he had just inscribed seemed unable to withstand the power. The points where the Rune lines intersected began to glow red, and then the intersecting lines slowly melted and broke. The power Abel was guiding vanished as the Rune fractured.

This failure was different from his previous ones. Based on the Rune's reaction, Abel deduced that the Rune Ink was the problem.

Abel didn't believe the Rune Ink he had just prepared was faulty, as it had flashed with white light upon creation, indicating successful preparation.

Could the Rune Ink's level be too low, or is the diamond's energy too strong? Abel pondered. The materials for the Rune Ink were already the best he could obtain, and he had no idea where to find better ones.

Abel then wondered why the dwarves' Magic Weapon Forging Book contained forging Rune diagrams and Rune Ink configurations for magic weapons of various attributes, yet lacked diagrams and configurations for the supposedly simpler attribute-less magic weapons.

In reality, the dwarves couldn't include the forging methods for attribute-less magic weapons in the Magic Weapon Forging Book because the materials required for attribute-less magic weapon Rune Ink were too difficult to acquire. Most of these materials were only produced by wizards, which limited the creation of attribute-less Rune Ink.

Attribute Rune Ink only needed energy of one specific attribute to pass through. Attribute-less Rune Ink, while called attribute-less, was actually a neutral attribute that contained all attributes. Although it appeared more peaceful, its power was far greater. Ordinary Rune Ink materials struggled to channel such immense energy, leading to the Rune melting phenomenon Abel experienced.

Abel took out a Rune Card from his pocket. This Rune Card could unleash attribute-less attacks, proving that the Rune itself was usable. He just didn't know what Rune Ink was used to write it. Once inscribed, this Rune automatically transformed into an existence of energy. The Rune Card could even display the Rune, suggesting the presence of a special energy unknown to Abel was supporting it.

Suddenly, Abel had an idea. If potions could be synthesized into higher-level potions, could Rune Ink be synthesized as well?

Abel's heart burned with renewed fervor. He could find a place to discard the two Explosive Greatswords in his Horadric Cube; he didn't care about such a minor loss. His sole focus now was to forge a new magic greatsword.

Abel's method for dealing with the two Explosive Greatswords was simple. He found a spot outside the castle, dug a deep hole, threw both greatswords in, and finished it with a "boom."

Returning to the workshop, Abel took the Town Portal Tome out of the Horadric Cube and carefully placed it in an iron chest. The Horadric Cube and the Town Portal Tome were the most important items he possessed. Unless he was synthesizing items, Abel normally kept the Town Portal Tome inside the Horadric Cube, as it was the safest place.

He took out more materials and, following the new recipe, created three portions of attribute-less Rune Ink. He placed these three portions into the Horadric Cube and pressed the synthesis button. Amidst a flash of white light, the three portions of attribute-less Rune Ink disappeared, and in the top-left slot, one portion of Rune Ink appeared.

Success! This success broadened the potential uses of the Horadric Cube. Abel was unaware that this Rune Ink was worth far more than he imagined. The dwarves would have paid large amounts of precious ore to wizards in exchange for such Rune Ink.

Picking up the newly appeared Rune Ink, he saw it was placed in a dark-style crystal bottle, with blue arcs of light occasionally flashing across its surface. Based on his past experience synthesizing potions, Abel knew this was an intermediate-grade Rune Ink. The Rune Ink he had previously prepared must have been low-grade.

He took out another semi-finished product: a rough, un-runed magic greatsword blank. With his newfound experience, Abel inscribed it much faster this time. Writing with intermediate-grade Rune Ink consumed more spiritual power than low-grade Rune Ink. After finishing, Abel felt the same debilitating weakness he had experienced after inscribing his first Rune, to the point where he could barely stand.

After resting for a while to recover his spirit, he placed the diamond into the slot. Then came the final spiritual power guidance.

During this spiritual power guidance, Abel clearly felt a difference. He hadn't expected the guidance speed to be so fast initially. The energy surging from the diamond seemed to have found a highway, rushing directly towards Abel's spiritual power. Fortunately, Abel reacted quickly, accelerating his spiritual power's movement. The guidance process concluded in less than a quarter of the time it took previously.

Abel intently watched the magic greatsword before him. Wisps of blue light flickered. This blue was slightly different from the blue of the Ice Magic Sword. If compared closely, it was the same blue that flashed from the bottle of intermediate-grade Rune Ink.

The blue light flowed over all the Rune lines before slowly disappearing. Abel looked at the magic greatsword in his hand. Had it succeeded?

This blue light... was this sword a higher grade than the magic swords he had made before?

No one could answer Abel. He was the only one researching and experimenting now.

Abel held the attribute-less greatsword and swung it. He didn't feel any different from the previous greatsword, nor did its use seem any different.

He swung it at some wood he was using as fuel. Strangely, only the inherent sharpness of the greatsword cut the wood in half; no other effects were triggered.

Abel placed the Town Portal Tome back into the Horadric Cube and, carrying the newly crafted magic greatsword, walked out of the workshop.

"Where is Uncle Marshall?" Abel asked the busy steward, Linsey, in the castle's main hall.

"Young Master, your master is in the training room."

After thanking the steward, Abel headed straight for the training room.

Steward Linsey smiled as he watched Abel's departing figure. Regarding this young master, Linsey was deeply impressed. The young master, only thirteen years old, lacked the arrogance of ordinary noble youths. Everyone knew of the young master's genius, but how many knew of the effort behind his genius?

Linsey had seen many noble youths, and none possessed the young master's diligence. Even after becoming a master blacksmith, the young master would toil and forge in the blacksmith shop whenever he had free time. Linsey also knew many things unknown to outsiders, such as the fact that Knight Marshall's favorite Ice Magic Greatsword, and the terrifying Hari Bow that saved the castle, were both crafted by Young Master Abel. Furthermore, the large beast traps now set in the forest had already captured several large beasts that attempted to enter the territory.

Perhaps after Young Master Abel came of age, Hari Knight's Territory would become Hari Baron's Territory or even a higher-ranking territory. With such a super-genius young master, perhaps anything could become a reality.

Abel was unaware of Steward Linsey's thoughts. He was currently focused on finding Knight Marshall to test the new magic greatsword's capabilities together.

As he entered the training room, he heard the sound of a greatsword slicing through the air. He saw Knight Marshall practicing basic swordsmanship, performing downward chops.

Abel did not disturb Knight Marshall, quietly observing the knight's training from the side.

With each simple chopping motion, Knight Marshall's every swing felt like it was executed with full force. This was completely different from the "hold back some strength" theory Abel had encountered on Earth. When the knight's greatsword chopped downwards through the air, there was no reserve of power.

Abel shifted his perspective, wondering what it would be like if he were facing Knight Marshall.

His powerful spiritual power allowed Abel to simulate himself standing opposite Knight Marshall in his mind, contemplating how to counter the knight's chopping attacks.