Princess Alora emerged from another room, adorned in the magnificent set of armor, The Invincible Paragon, crafted and presented to her by Broken. The armor’s original black had largely given way to a striking red, accented with intricate red and black designs that highlighted her elegant figure. She moved through the hall with a fluid grace that caught Broken’s gaze.
“I absolutely love this armor! I can hardly believe how it changes color when I put it on,” Princess Alora exclaimed, walking closer to him.
The armor, crafted from one master design, subtly transformed when worn by a woman, becoming sleeker while still retaining its strong, formidable look. Even though hers was a different color compared to Broken’s, the likeness was undeniable, making them appear as if they were part of a coordinated set.
Alora said with a satisfied smile. “My expectations weren’t that high, but you’ve certainly surpassed them. A set with 1 Unique-grade, 4 Epic-grade, and 1 Elite-grade piece-this is extraordinary.”
“It is an honor to receive such kind words from you, Princess,” Broken replied humbly. “But if you want a full set of Epic-grade armor, I can spend some more time crafting the shoes until we achieve another Epic-grade piece.”
Broken had kept the higher-grade pieces he had crafted for himself, his desire for the best not allowing him to pass those pieces to Princess Alora. Thus, he had Unique-grade chest and pants armor, with the rest being Epic-grade. Although it helped him complete a quest, it wasn’t purely out of selfishness that he kept them. He still remained willing to provide Princess Alora with higher grades if she wished, at least the Epic-grade pieces.
“No, that would be a waste of your time. I know you need to head to Slumdon Town soon, right?” she said calmly.
“Yes,” Broken nodded slowly.
“No worries, I’ll come up with more amazing blueprints next time,” Alora said with a confident smile. “Maybe an armor with more offensive capabilities, while this one focuses on defense.”
“I’d be happy to craft more equipment for you, Princess.”
Broken nodded as he read through the details of the armor. “This armor will be extremely useful on the battlefield, especially against tough opponents,” he thought. “It will help you endure longer in fights. However, it should be paired with skills that deal more damage for the best results.”
After considering it, he realized this armor was exactly what he needed. Given his extensive array of offensive skills, he required protection that could keep him alive even in the most intense situations.
Princess Alora’s enthusiasm was palpable as she spoke about the armor set.
“I agree with you. This armor has an impressive Defense stat for each piece, and the Invincible Shields skill is even more extraordinary. I didn’t expect the end result to be this good.”
“Berserker Rage,” she continued. “If we equip the Invincible Paragon set, we’ll have access to a new skill that could be a game-changer in the right conditions.”
“Berserker Rage?” Broken inquired, intrigued. He had forgotten that wearing a complete armor set could unlock additional skills. Curious, he decided to don his armor once more. The black armor with blue patterns quickly enveloped his body. He switched the helmet’s appearance to leave his face exposed.
He surveyed the list of available skills and found one that was only accessible when equipping the full armor set.
[Berserker Rage (Active Skill)]
[Unleash your inner beast and temporarily transfer 80% of your Constitution Stat into your Strength Stat! No need to worry about the consequences of your actions-you’ll be too busy ripping your enemies to pieces with your newfound powers!
Duration: 5 seconds
Cooldown: 10 minutes]
A surge of excitement washed over Broken as he read the skill description. The potential of this armor set was immense. Five seconds of unmatched strength could change the course of any battle, especially with the short cooldown time. Transferring 80% of the Constitution stat to Strength for five seconds would result in a tremendous boost in physical damage.
“Even though it means the wearer could be more vulnerable, the power it grants in those crucial moments is extraordinary,” he thought.
“The skill is so incredible,” he said, turning to Princess Alora. “This skill could indeed be a game-changer, Princess. I just read the details about it.”
“It certainly is a high-risk, high-reward type of skill,” Alora said thoughtfully. “I think this skill will be most effective with precise timing, activating all protective skills at the same moment. Those five seconds could be a game-changer if used wisely. However,” she added with a hint of concern, “like all berserker skills, the increase in strength comes with significant risk. This will definitely test my patience in battle.”
Broken bowed solemnly and replied, “Yes, Princess. I understand the gravity of this move; please be extremely careful when using it.”
Alora smiled at him and said confidently, “Don’t worry. I will take into account all the different possibilities and worst-case scenarios in the battle before activating this skill.” Broken merely smiled and nodded. “I trust you can make the best use of this skill, Princess.” “So,” Alora continued, her voice inquiring, “do you have a price reference for the services you provided in crafting this set?”
Broken was silent for a moment; he had no idea how to price equipment of such a high grade and level. He slowly shook his head.
“I received the materials and the blueprint from you,” he began, “and I also got a new set of equipment with an average grade higher than the set I gave you.” He paused before continuing. “I’ll leave the payment up to you. I could even accept leaving with no payment at all; I’m quite satisfied with the armor set I received.”
Alora couldn’t help but chuckle. “You are so honest, aren’t you?” she said with a smile. “What if I demanded that you give the higher-grade items to me?”
Broken shook his head regretfully. “No matter how much I would like to give them to you, these are my first set of equipment with level 200. I don’t think I can part with them. So I’ll do my best to keep them.”
“See,” Alora said, “you are always honest and speak your mind without worrying about the consequences, even when talking to the crowned princess of Dissidia Kingdom.”
“I usually think twice before I say something,” he replied, “but when I do, I always mean
what I say.”
Alora smiled and said, “Alright,” she then suggested, “Since we don’t have a price reference for this set, perhaps I should call someone to help us out.”
After a few minutes, Lionell returned with someone. From the direction of the door, a person with black hair and a thin yet tall build walked over, wearing a forced smile. It was Garran, the financier of the Dissidia kingdom.
Garran nodded at them and said, “Good morning, Your Highness,” before giving a faint smile
to Broken.
“You look incredible in that new armor,” he said. “I’ll help assess the value of the items and services for your new armor set.” He then glanced at Broken with a thin smile.
“Yes, please, Garran,” Alora said.