Chapter 600 Anchor Processing Plan

"Is this the weapon the Shark Beast used?"

Celianne showed great interest in the [Bloodstone Heavy Anchor] Xia Nan had hauled off the cart.

As a veteran artisan active on the front lines who frequently forged enchanted gear for Class Grade adventurers, the half-elf possessed an outstanding eye that allowed him to notice the anchor's unique traits the second he saw it.

"Clink, clink, clink."

He brought his right index and middle fingers together, gently rapping his knuckles against the anchor's metallic surface. It produced a crisp, faintly echoing chime. Celianne leaned forward, practically sprawling over the upright anchor as he carefully examined its metallic grain. Seeing his reaction and figuring there was something to this, Xia Nan offered a brief explanation.

"This Shark Beast most likely came from the divine kingdom of Sekolah, the chief god of the Sahuagin, and I'm guessing the anchor itself was produced there."

To avoid exposing his Attribute Panel Golden Finger as much as possible, he didn't reveal the detailed information about the anchor from the panel's description. Instead, he only shared the intel about the Shark Beast coming from a divine kingdom, basing it on the discussion he had with Orisi while inspecting the corpse earlier.

"No wonder... no wonder..."

Hearing this, the half-elf's deeply furrowed brows relaxed, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. Immediately after, however, Celianne gently shook his head and said, "I don't know the exact origins of this Shark Beast, but if we're just talking about this anchor, it probably wasn't forged by artisans in a divine kingdom. There's a high probability it came from the Material Plane, but for some reason, it was forced to remain in that divine kingdom for a very long time."

He truly deserved his reputation among adventurers as an outstanding artisan in a massive city like Barracuda Bay.

Celianne's eye was truly remarkable.

Even without a Golden Finger like Xia Nan's Attribute Panel, a simple hint was enough for him to deduce a wealth of accurate information about the anchor.

"The metal used to forge this anchor is a special material called Tundra Coldsteel. It's unique to the Material Plane and is only produced in the towering ice peaks of the Northland Frost Plains."

The half-elf pointed at the anchor's surface, gesturing for Xia Nan to look at the soft halo faintly refracting under the sunlight, along with the fine, winding, wave-like grain beneath that glow.

"Moreover, the anchor itself was made using an exceedingly rare forging technique called the Wave-Ridge Forging Method."

"This unique technique was mainly popular around Northland Cold Harbor three hundred years ago. It was quite prevalent because it could massively increase the sturdiness of finished metal products, pairing perfectly with the Tundra Coldsteel produced in nearby areas at the time."

"Later, as forging methods advanced and the local coldsteel was over-mined, this ancient forging technique gradually faded into history."

"Right now, only a few elderly dwarf and elf blacksmiths native to the region should still possess this skill."

He possessed profound knowledge in fields related to his profession.

Based on the information he observed from the anchor before him, Celianne delivered his verdict.

"It was probably a northern fleet from centuries ago that entered this deity's domain for some unknown reason, ultimately sinking and perishing within the divine kingdom."

When compared to the item description Xia Nan saw on his Attribute Panel, the half-elf's guess was actually spot on.

Tundra Coldsteel? Wave-Ridge Forging Method?

Naturally, Xia Nan couldn't have heard of these two things from hundreds of years ago—things that even ordinary practitioners in the forging industry might not know about. But his sharp Perception still allowed him to keenly catch the subtle shifts in the half-elf's tone and demeanor as he spoke.

"So... it's a good material?" Xia Nan asked.

Staring at the anchor on the ground, Celianne hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding.

"To a certain extent, it is indeed quite good."

"But there are a few points I need to explain to you in detail."

The fact that Tundra Coldsteel—this special metal produced in the Northland Frost Plains—was over-mined back then undoubtedly proved its superiority as a forging material.

The unique geographical environment of the freezing highlands gave this dense metal, buried deep beneath the frost, a hardness far exceeding ordinary materials. Finished products forged with it as the primary material boasted outstanding defensive capabilities.

As for the Wave-Ridge Forging Method, the reason this technique became outdated was partly because the few metals most compatible with it gradually disappeared from the market, and partly because the method itself consumed a massive amount of the blacksmith's stamina. It was only then that it was gradually replaced by more efficient techniques.

Aside from that, the technique had no other flaws.

If one could find the right materials, and the blacksmith was willing to expend the extra effort, it was still a solid forging method. Taking everything into account, using the [Bloodstone Heavy Anchor] as the primary material to smelt and repair the [Abyssal Current] armor was entirely feasible.

However...

Just because Tundra Coldsteel was excellent didn't mean the special metal Celianne originally prepared to repair the [Abyssal Current] armor was lacking in any way. The quality of the two was neck and neck.

And in terms of forging techniques, the ones the half-elf currently possessed were clearly more advanced.

"Therefore, whether we use your anchor or the leftover special metal I have for the repairs, both are actually fine. Of course, the former is your trophy, while the latter is from my inventory, meaning you'd have to pay extra for it."

Celianne explained this to Xia Nan, though his eyes remained fixed on the anchor in front of him, as if confirming something.

"To be honest, from my own perspective, I naturally hope you choose to use my leftover special metal as the primary material to repair the [Abyssal Current] armor."

"After all, not only would I save the time and energy needed to test the material's compatibility, I'd also earn a large sum of extra money."

"But..."

The half-elf turned his head, his gaze shifting to Xia Nan, the fleshy gills on both sides of his neck fluttering slightly.

"You mentioned earlier that this anchor came from the divine kingdom of the Sahuagin's chief god."

"Having been left in a deity's domain for so many years, the anchor itself seems to have been infected by some of its aura, undergoing a certain transformation that even I don't fully understand."

"If we use it as the primary material to craft equipment, the specific outcome could be good or bad. It's uncontrollable."

Xia Nan completely understood what he meant.

Right now, there were simply two choices placed before him.

First, use the leftover special metal from when the [Abyssal Current] armor was originally forged for the repairs. It would be stable and free of accidents. There wouldn't be any unexpected surprises, but it wouldn't end up worse, either. It was a choice with a high floor but a low ceiling.

Second, use the [Bloodstone Heavy Anchor] as the raw material to repair the armor.

Given that there were no issues with the metal itself or the forging technique, the variable lay in the unknown changes the anchor had undergone within the divine kingdom. Even Celianne couldn't guarantee the effects of the finished product.

It was a choice with a low floor but a high ceiling.

Of course, the former would require spending more gold coins to purchase the raw materials. However, Xia Nan had just returned from a mission with a massive haul, and he had never been one to skimp on crucial equipment anyway, so he didn't need to worry too much about the cost.

"Let's use the anchor for the forging."

After a brief moment of thought, Xia Nan gave his answer.

If it were any ordinary adventurer, hearing the half-elf say this and realizing that even the blacksmith couldn't guarantee the final effects, they would definitely hesitate. What if the repaired armor unexpectedly carried a divine curse? Wearing it would be a disaster.

But Xia Nan was different.

Possessing his Attribute Panel Golden Finger, he could fully view an item's stats. Even if the repaired [Abyssal Current] armor developed negative affixes from the material, it would be clear as day to him.

If there was truly a problem, he simply wouldn't wear it. At most, he'd lose some gold coins, which was acceptable.

And if the aura infected from the divine kingdom really caused the [Abyssal Current] armor to undergo a positive change, that would be a tangible, solid upgrade. The special ability Xia Nan possessed gave him the confidence to pursue the absolute ceiling of his equipment's potential.

"Alright, we'll do as you say."

Celianne didn't have a negative reaction to Xia Nan's choice just because he would earn a bit less money.

As a renowned figure in the high-end custom equipment field of Barracuda Bay, his income was extremely high. A sum of three or four digits in gold coins wasn't enough to make him compromise his professional ethics.

The only reason he had hesitated was out of concern that the final product might end up with poor effects.

Since Xia Nan, the client, had already made the call, he naturally wouldn't fuss over it anymore.

Reaching out, he gently stroked the anchor's cold metallic surface, feeling its details. Suddenly, as if remembering something, the half-elf lightly patted the anchor and asked Xia Nan, "Will you still be operating in the Southern Archipelagos for the next two years?"

Not knowing why he was suddenly asking, but feeling he had nothing to hide, Xia Nan replied, "Probably not."

"I plan to head back inland once I finish processing all these trophies I have on me."

Hearing this, Celianne nodded in understanding.

His reason for asking this was actually very simple.

Aside from a few basic effects used to increase durability and resistance, the [Abyssal Current] armor itself also possessed special abilities beneficial for underwater combat, such as [Marine Creature] and [Bloodthirsty Instinct].

Now that it was undergoing a major overhaul, he naturally needed to confirm its user's future area of operations to flexibly adjust its effects.

Otherwise, those two affixes for underwater activity would be almost useless inland, which would be far too wasteful.

"Additionally, besides repairing the [Abyssal Current] armor, you should also need to order custom new greaves, right?"

Glancing at the twisted, warped, and completely ruined [Bone-Bound Iron Greaves] sitting on the counter behind them, the half-elf asked Xia Nan.

"Of course." Xia Nan nodded in confirmation.

Currently, taking his overall attributes and combat techniques into account, he fell into the high-attack, high-speed, and low-defense archetype.

Without activating his trump cards, his margin for error in everyday battles was entirely propped up by his equipment.

If he weren't worried about it affecting his flexibility, he would have loved to wrap his entire body in iron plating.

And as the crucial area for maintaining mobility and agility, his leg defense required his utmost attention.

"If that's the case, we can actually use this anchor to forge them as well. After all, just repairing the armor won't use that much material. Even adding a pair of greaves would leave a lot left over."

"But..."

Having heard Xia Nan say he planned to leave Barracuda Bay as soon as possible, the half-elf paused slightly, seemingly organizing his words, before slowly continuing.

"I have quite a few orders lined up here, and my capacity is limited. If I have to make a separate pair of greaves on top of the armor, you might need to wait quite a long time."

"Furthermore, compared to this kind of armor that combines an inner lining with outer plating, greaves forged from pure metal aren't my area of expertise. So, if you want to shorten your stay as much as possible and hope for the best final results, I suggest you find another blacksmith who specializes in that."

Given that the shop's name was [Pearl Spun Yarn], Celianne's primary profession was a tailor. He might have excellent skills in his related fields and could even incorporate metal materials into his work.

But asking him to forge solid metal greaves, sword blades, shields, or anything like that was pushing it.

He wouldn't earn dirty money that might taint his shop's reputation. The half-elf was being extremely upfront about it.

Fortunately, Xia Nan actually did have a few connections.

Not long ago, Orisi, the young official who had brought him back from Stodd Island, had offered to introduce him to some highly skilled blacksmiths. The timing was perfect.

"Orisi?"

"Oh, that boy from the Quint Family. I even held him when his father brought him into the shop as a kid."

Having operated in Barracuda Bay for many years and delved deep into the high-end custom field, Celianne had excellent relationships with several of the city's major families and knew many important figures.

"That kid was raised well, and he's quite reliable when getting things done. He takes after his father."

"Since he promised you, he shouldn't half-ass it."

"If you're really worried, once the artisan on his end provides a crafting plan, you can bring it over and let me take a look."

He might not be an expert in pure forging, but when it came to his eye for quality, Celianne was definitely second to none—ranking among the top artisans in all of Barracuda Bay.

And as an investment in a promising talent, he completely didn't mind doing this small favor for Xia Nan.

Xia Nan nodded in thanks. They exchanged a few final words regarding the armor repairs and set a time for their next meeting to run some tests. Leaving the anchor, the Shark Beast corpse materials, and the two pieces of equipment in the shop, Xia Nan turned and walked out of "Pearl Spun Yarn".

With that, matters concerning his equipment forging were considered handled.

Next, he just needed to follow the process step by step.

However, the wrap-up plan he had formulated earlier at the docks was far from over.

After all, he still hadn't found buyers for the Wind-Seed Octopus Horn, the Fishman Priest Leader's Bone-White Staff, or "Algae Scale" Dodd's longsword. Standing on the street outside the tailor shop, Xia Nan looked up at the sky, got his bearings, and beckoned to the several Governor's Mansion guards waiting outside. Towing the wooden cart loaded with the rest of his trophies, he headed in the direction of the Adventurers' Association.