Chapter 314

In its place, a completely different item materialized on the table. It was a long, flowing cloak made of translucent silver material. It looked like moonlight trapped in fabric.

Viper frowned. He hadn't made that.

[You have successfully completed Trial 4.] 

[You have fixed the damaged blueprint and created the designated item.] 

[Reward granted: Kruger's Invisibility Cloak.] 

[Dexterity has permanently increased by +100.]

Viper reached out and touched the cloak. The system window updated to show him the item's details.

[Kruger's Invisibility Cloak] 

[Rating: Legendary (Transcendent)] 

[Durability: Infinite | Defense: 1000]

[- Movement speed will increase by 50%.

- Damage received will be reduced by 20%.

- Inhibits the target's perception.]

[A cloak woven by the legendary tailor Kruger from the underbelly membrane of a Silver Dragon's remains he accidentally discovered. Due to the material, it refracts and scatters light, making it nearly impossible to detect the user.] 

[Conditions of Use: None.]

Viper stared at the floating text.

Legendary (Transcendent).

His eyes went completely wide.There actually was a hidden tier that sat even above standard Legendary gear.

And the name of the item. Kruger’s Invisibility Cloak. Viper remembered reading a dusty lore book during his long hours in the capital's library. This was one of Kruger's Fabled Five—the five legendary cloaks that had cemented the man's status in history. The historical records explicitly claimed that these cloaks were woven from sylphid scales, an incredibly rare but known high-tier monster drop.

Then his eyes caught the actual material description.

Dragon remains.

His jaw dropped. The history books were completely wrong. He stared at the translucent fabric slipping through his fingers. Dragons were largely considered myths by the player base, creatures so terrifyingly strong that encountering one meant instant death. Even finding their remains was considered impossible. No tailor, or for that matter, no production-class player in the game had ever worked with dragon parts.

And the trial had just handed him a cloak made of a Silver Dragon's underbelly membrane.

"A Legendary-rated defensive item," Viper whispered. For a production class player who usually died in a single hit, this was the ultimate survival tool.

The Phantom Cloth drifted to the far end of the room. The magical lights in the hall dimmed slightly, focusing a single, bright spotlight onto the central table.

"You have proven your patience. You have proven your skill under pressure. You have proven your creativity, and you have proven your vision," the Phantom said. The voice seemed to carry the weight of centuries.

"There is only one test remaining," the Phantom continued. "Trial five. Create an item."

[The Quest [Tailor's Trials] has been updated!] 

[Trial 5] 

[Create an item]

[Objective: Create an item]

[Reward: [Kruger's Rare Book], Dexterity + 100]

Viper waited for the rest of the prompt. He waited for the materials to appear, or for a blueprint to drop onto the table.

Nothing happened.

"Create what?" Viper asked.

"Whatever you wish," the Phantom replied. The gray cloth drifted slowly toward one of the beautifully dressed mannequins in the corner, resting a ragged sleeve against a flawless silk dress. "You have demonstrated that you can follow my creator's instructions. But a man who only follows instructions is merely a machine. Show me who you are."

The Phantom paused, its voice dropping into a subtle, leading tone. "Of course, the mannequins in this room hold the absolute pinnacle of tailoring. A wise student might look to them for inspiration if they truly wish to inherit a legend's tools."

Viper looked at the empty table.

He understood exactly what the Phantom was doing. He could try to make something ornate. He could try to replicate the ancient, complex dresses draped over the mannequins. He could try to mimic Kruger's historical style to impress the proctor, taking the safe, guaranteed route.

Viper shook his head.

He wasn't Kruger. He was the 1st-ranked tailor for a guild that has 3 different Legends. He had his own style.

Viper opened his own inventory. He pulled out the dark leather, the reinforced monster-hide trims, and the heavy iron clasps he had brought with him from Stormbreak.

Before he had left for the Ashfall Region, he had been sketching designs in his workshop. He wanted to build an item entirely from scratch, using a blueprint he had drafted himself. Red complained about his gear restricting his shoulder movements. Galahad’s heavy armor always snagged on normal cloaks. Haster needed something that breathed well during long spear thrusts. Viper had wanted to create a unified look for the Genesis Guild, something that matched their Guildmaster's ultimate enhanced coat and the Devil Monarch’s suit—one that was entirely combat-oriented. 

Viper laid his own materials out on the table.

He picked up his shears. He didn't use the magical tools provided by the hall for this one. He used his own iron tools.

He cut the dark leather. He stitched the reinforced hide into the shoulders to absorb heavy impacts. He tailored the waist to sit high, leaving the legs completely free for rapid, unrestricted movement. He didn't add unnecessary frills or gold trim. He built it sleek, aerodynamic, and completely practical. 

A deep, quiet satisfaction settled into his chest as he tied the final knot. Following instructions to perfectly recreate someone else's work was rewarding, but bringing his own original blueprint to life—watching a design he had built from absolutely nothing turn into a physical, perfect piece of gear—was the entire reason he played this game.

He finished the trench coat and laid it flat. It was dark, imposing, and built for war.

[You have successfully created the epic-rated item 'Genesis Coat'!] 

[An epic-rated item was produced, so all stats have permanently risen by +4 and reputation throughout the continent has risen by +80.]

The Phantom floated over the table.

For the first time since Viper had entered the hall, the tattered cloth’s posture seemed to change. The hovering fabric leaned in close, completely still. Its interest was genuinely piqued. It had watched the tailor clear the first four trials with perfect precision, but this was the very first time the Phantom felt the human standing before it could actually pass the final test.

The cloth hovered in silence for a very long time, inspecting the heavy leather and the dark iron clasps.

"This does not look like my creator's work," the Phantom said softly.

"It isn't," Viper said. He kept his posture straight, refusing to apologize for his design. "It's mine."

The Phantom drifted back.

"Good," the Phantom said. "A successor who merely copies the past will never surpass it. That was the true requirement to clear this room. You stayed genuine to your own style. You build clothes for the people who need them, not just for the display stands." 

A bright, golden system window shattered across Viper's vision.

[You have successfully completed Trial 5.] 

[You have completed the Quest [Tailor’s Trials].]

[You have earned the acknowledgment of the Legendary Tailor's echo.] 

[Reward granted: Kruger's Rare Book.] 

[Dexterity has permanently increased by +100.]

A heavy, leather-bound book materialized on the table next to his trench coat. The cover was worn, bearing no title, just the faint outline of a threaded needle stamped into the hide.

Viper looked at the book.

He had passed. He reached out and placed his hand on the heavy leather cover.