Zalario's body glowed faintly as he hovered over the battlefield, the starlight around him bending to his presence. The last remnants of the cosmic guardian—splintered wings and fragments of radiant armor—disintegrated into shimmering particles, swallowed by the void of space. His breaths came sharp, but his eyes never wavered.
Before him, embedded within a jagged spire of frozen starlight, pulsed the Aurora Crystal. It was massive, almost the size of a cathedral, and its surface shimmered like a prism—colors bending and shifting endlessly as if the universe itself were trapped inside. Every pulse of its light sent ripples of pure magicules across the void, resonating with Zalario's own essence.
He slowly descended, his wings folding halfway, and extended his hand. The crystal resisted at first, its power raw and untamed, like it was testing him. Light beams lashed out, scorching the frozen ground, carving holes into the void. But Zalario didn't falter.
"Calm yourself…" he whispered, voice steady, as threads of light magic wrapped around his hand. "This is just."
The crystal thrummed louder, its resistance fading as Zalario poured his magic into it, weaving control through sheer will. Finally, with a final flare of brilliance, the Aurora Crystal detached from the frozen spire and floated into his grasp.
The instant his fingers wrapped around its core, a surge of cosmic energy coursed through his veins, enough to make even Zalario stagger. For a moment, his vision blurred with colors—like glimpsing the beginning and end of stars all at once. But he gritted his teeth, suppressing the storm inside him, his will unshaken.
Holding it close, he smiled faintly. "Got it, Velsun."
With that, Zalario spread his wings wide, cutting through the void of space in a streak of pure radiance, crystal in hand, ready to return to his friend.
Back to the Underground forge.
The underground forge glowed with heat, flames dancing across the walls. Velsun stood with his arms crossed, face calm and stoic as always, but there was something different this time.
Karlos glanced at him. Even though he still felt down about not being able to help in the earlier fight, he couldn't help but notice it. He had seen Lord Velsun calm many times before… but this stoic calm felt heavier.
"Lord Velsun, is something the matter?" he asked, unsure.
"It's nothing, Karlos." Velsun shook his head.
Karlos lowered his gaze, though the unease stayed.
Meanwhile, Velsun's thoughts wandered.
"Hm… man, it's been so many years since I came to this world. I've changed so many things just by existing. Veldora doesn't have trauma from his sisters anymore, since he lives with me. He's happy and less violent than in canon. I'm married to Ramiris—who would have thought? And now I'm about to forge a Genesis-grade weapon."
A smirk tugged at his lips.
"Why am I even doing all of this? I'm already an apex in the food chain… Well, since I have the opportunity to be the strongest, why not be then…?"
The forge crackled louder, as if answering his thought.
"Lad, three individuals are coming to our location at high speed. It seems all of our allies have gathered the materials required to forge your weapon."
I nodded to myself.
And so, I waited.
The forge hummed in silence, flames flickering steadily as if holding their breath. Karlos shifted from foot to foot, stealing glances at me but saying nothing. His sadness lingered, but curiosity began to outweigh it.
Then, the air outside shifted. Tremors rolled through the underground chamber, not from the forge but from the overwhelming auras drawing near.
Winds howled through the tunnels as the first figure landed—Reinhart, his silver cloak swaying behind him, his sword faintly glowing at his side. His face carried no exhaustion, only quiet confidence.
A heartbeat later, Zalario descended, wings folding as he touched the ground gracefully. His hand still clutched the Aurora Crystal, its frozen light refracting like thousands of stars in the dim forge. He glanced at me, expression stoic, but his eyes carried familiarity.
And finally, the earth rumbled as Helios Gold was brought forth, gleaming like molten sunlight, its raw energy vibrating through the stone floor.
The three stood before me, each carrying what I required.
The pieces had all come together.
The underground forge suddenly felt heavier, as if the entire world itself was watching what would happen next.
First came Veldora with his wide grin.
"Aniki! I have brought what you asked for, and I had to face the molten lava monster itself!" he said, striking some ridiculous bodybuilding pose mid-laugh. "If it was anyone else, they wouldn't have stood a chance—but I, Storm Dragon Veldora, have nothing out of my grasp!"
I chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Thanks, little brother."
I turned to Reinhart and Zalario. "So… did you both succeed as well?"
Both nodded.
"Yes, Velsun-sama. We have got what you wanted," said Reinhart, his expression stoic but filled with duty.
Both held out their materials proudly, each glowing faintly with their inherent magical essence—Helios Gold in Reinhart's hands, Aurora Crystals with Zalario, and Sunfire Mithril now with Veldora.
I took each piece carefully, placing them on the table in the center of the forge.
"Thanks, all of you. I really appreciate your help," I said, hand on my chest, eyes closed, feeling a surge of gratitude. Truly grateful for having allies like them.
Then I opened my eyes and looked at each of them—Karlos, Reinhart, Veldora, and Zalario.
"You all made this possible," I said softly but with authority. "And together… we're about to create something that will change everything."
Karlos, still holding back a little sadness, gave a determined nod. Reinhart's calm eyes sharpened with focus, Veldora's grin widened like a storm about to break, and Zalario's stoic gaze remained steady, unwavering.
The air in the forge thickened as magical energy began to hum around the materials, reacting to the presence of all four of us.
"This is it," I muttered. "Time to start forging the Genesis-grade weapon."
Velsun closed his eyes and focused, feeling the hum of the materials before him. In his mind, he spoke to Mimir.
"Alright, Mimir… How do we begin?"
Mimir's voice echoed clearly, calm and precise. "Lad, first you need to attune yourself to each material. Let your sun's essence flow through you, but don't disperse it all at once. Treat each one as if it were alive. The Sunfire Mithril, Helios Gold, and Aurora Crystals—they all resonate differently with your energy. You must harmonize with them individually before combining them."
Velsun opened one eye, observing the faint glow of each item. "So I handle them separately first, then merge them?"
"Exactly," Mimir replied. "Start with the Sunfire Mithril. Channel your heat and solar magic into it. Let the molten essence respond to your presence. Once it acknowledges your control, move to Helios Gold. It's dense, almost stubborn—it will test your focus. Finally, the Aurora Crystals. They're fragile but amplifying. Treat them carefully, or their energy will scatter."
Velsun nodded subtly. "Understood. Let's begin."
He stretched his hands over the Sunfire Mithril. The molten rock shimmered, reacting to the warmth of his sun essence. Slowly, methodically, he let the energy flow from him, feeling the metal pulse in response. The forge hummed louder as the materials recognized their new master.
Karlos, Reinhart, Veldora, and Zalario watched silently, each understanding the magnitude of what was about to happen.
"Careful, lad," Mimir reminded him. "The first connection sets the tone for everything else. One wrong move, and the creation could destabilize."
Velsun smirked lightly, his golden eyes glowing faintly. "Don't worry, Mimir. I've got this."
The forge's light intensified as his essence poured into the Sunfire Mithril, marking the first step in the creation of a Genesis-grade weapon.
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