Transcendent Armors
"Confirmed. You may pass."
After passing the knights' strict inspection, massive, crude iron doors stamped with the emperor's and the imperial magic tower master's seals swung open. As the first door parted, the second followed, and brilliant light leaked through the gap. When the doors finally opened fully...
"There, this is the imperial treasury."
Tiness spread his arms playfully, a proud grin on his face. But Tiny barely noticed, his gaze stolen by the mountain of treasures beyond, radiating dazzling splendor. Even the most common-looking gold coins here weren't ordinary—they were platinum. Each bore engravings from a lost era, patterns long faded into mystery.
"Whoa..."
Even Tiny, who cared little for wealth, couldn't hold back a gasp of awe. The double iron doors and the knights' vigilant guard no longer seemed excessive. And in that instant, one nagging question from his past life clicked into place.
So that's how it was possible.
When the Demon King Army descended, humanity's grand premise—all nations, all races uniting against them—had unanimous support. Yet perfectly pooling their strength faced massive hurdles. Even mobilizing every fighting force for total war left supplies woefully short.
- Wars mobilizing a nation's entire army are rare. Production limits make full supply impossible. A full humanity-scale war? The elites would self-destruct before assembling, as one sage warned.
Spoken amid end-times fears: ruthless requisitions could collapse society from within before gathering resources. But the Sword Emperor solved it in one stroke.
- Open the imperial treasury if needed.
Skeptics dismissed it at first—one nation's vault couldn't sustain all humanity's forces. Yet in the end...
It succeeded.
Voluntary, compensated requisitions let commoners maintain minimal production even in apocalypse. Humanity assembled forces far faster than expected, clashing with the beast legions. Staring at the endless piles—so vast their height defied measure—Tiny felt utter conviction it was feasible.
"Incredible."
Tiness couldn't guess the complex emotions in those words, but Tiny's raw reaction was enough to draw a smile from the Bingyeom Archmage.
"Come, follow me. Oh, and don't touch anything. Trigger a ward, and you'll take that instead of a Transcendent Weapon."
"Why say something so horrifying?"
The knight, devoid of greed for riches but overflowing for armors, hurried after the old mage.
Ten minutes weaving through treasure mountains brought them to a corner. Tiness beckoned Tiny.
"Over here. Transcendent Weapons with unusual conditions—not superhuman strength, but others. Not many, sadly, but I hope one suits you."
Five artifacts gleamed there, each pulsing faint blue mana, exuding fierce presence: sword, spear, boots, bracelet. And a bizarre upper armor—shoulder pauldrons?
Tiness called it "few," but it far exceeded Tiny's expectations.
If unusual-condition ones number this many, standard ones must top ten at least?
As Tiny pondered, Tiness chimed in slyly.
"Sword or spear won't do, right?"
"Yes."
"Then armor, bracelet, or boots... Conditions are on the pedestals. Check them. One should fit."
Though newly met, Tiness fretted like it was personal—his nature, once attached, boundless affection.
Just like always.
Tiny smiled faintly, scrutinizing the artifacts anew. First caught his eye: boots shimmering crystalline blue.
Condition: One who can shape mana before adulthood.
Arrogant name aside, ankle wings stood out, but...
A Transcendent Weapon's looks hardly matter.
Condition? Ideal. No, perfect.
Blader before adulthood? Who else but me? Statistically, easier to become an Aura User.
"Seems so. Hm, ancients counted adulthood at eighteen-ish, but still absurd. Blader that young...? Let's check others."
Tiness shook his head regretfully, tugging Tiny's arm. As a mage, he gauged Tiny's Blader realm—but mistook his age.
"I'm fourteen."
Tiness squinted skeptically—Don't lie.
Still so transparent, even aged.
Tiny stifled a chuckle as Tiness voiced it verbatim.
"What nonsense... For real?"
Tiny's steady gaze convinced him; Tiness's jaw dropped.
Grinning, Tiny eyed the boots' stats.
Agility boost. Mana recovery boost. Mana amplification. Permanent 3rd-circle spell Wind Sprint. Weekly 7th-circle spell Blade Storm.
Overwhelming. Non-weapon boots rivaling top Transcendent Weapons. But for Tiny, with Wolrang, Wind Sprint lost appeal. Plus...
"...No boost magnitudes listed?"
Tiness stammered, recovering.
"That... Happens if never properly used. Who meets that condition? ...Besides you."
Awkward shift; Tiny smiled warmly.
"Speak casually. I'd like to get close."
"R-Really?"
"Yes."
He'd been easing into casual already... Tiny chuckled inwardly as Tiness beamed, slapping his back.
"Right! You're a good kid now!"
"Haha, but 'never used'?"
"Literal. Who else fulfills that insanity? Likely the smith's words verbatim."
"Hm."
"Still, Transcendent for a reason. Even 10% boosts, attribute infusion, 7th-circle spell—worth it. Like it?"
Obvious; Tiny nodded.
"Of course. But others first."
"Smart. At least one secured. Bracelet?"
Turning, Tiny saw a rainbow-metal bracelet in a transparent case, floating blue.
Condition: A girl not yet flowered, wielding unique magic.
Barrier? Bracelet? All here quirky-named, quirky-shaped.
Versatile defense, handy regardless.
Tiny checked condition—and frowned.
3rd-circle implied, but "not flowered"...
"Ha... Ancients called pre-menarche girls that."
Weirder than boots. Younger age, 3rd-circle mage—plus that.
"What? The pervert who made this...?"
"Others."
Tiness shuddered too. Still, Tiny glanced at stats.
Body recovery boost. Durability boost. Daily 6th-circle Mana Barrier. Weekly 7th-circle Absolute Barrier. Monthly 8th-circle Space Severance.
"8—8th circle?!"
"Such a thing here?!"
Both gawked. Elite among rarities. Tiness grabbed Tiny's collar.
"You bastard! Should've been born a girl!!"
"What bullshit?!"
Overkill reaction, but stats made condition irrelevant—regrettably unmet.
8th-circle defense could've blocked Glutterni's strike.
Explained pedestal note:
Presumed made by nameless ancient transcendent to protect his daughter. Found beside a child's mummy in ancient royal tomb.
"...Sorry for calling it perverted."
"Ahem."
Solemn; they clasped hands respectfully.
"Boots suffice—no disappointment. Last one."
Tiny approached the armor: floating pauldrons linked by short red cape. Layered mystery metal for defense; high-rising tops, beast-head clasp (panther? Fox?) gripping cape ties.
"Not meant for use?"
Decorative, per Tiness. Condition baffling too.
Condition: Bearer of soul stronger than flesh. Paired with another's soul. Wielder of soul power.
"Cloud nonsense... Absurd."
Unfamiliar even for a mage. But Tiny's eyes shook violently.
"This..."
Tiness dismissed it; to Tiny, it read perfectly.
Regressed Aura User, spiritist, soul power?
Coincidence? Made for me.
As he stared entranced, Tiness fidgeted.
"Stats vague too. Real Transcendent? Nah, take Wind Lord. At least one good."
"No!"
"...Why? It?"
"Fits. Wait."
Tiny scanned stats. Pupils quaked harder.
Owner's body reinforcement. Spirit reinforcement. Boost scales with spirit arts realm. Permanent soul power gain. Auto-repair on destruction.
Ancient tomb inscription verbatim. "Soul power" interpretable; unconfirmable sans user.
"You use spirits, but no mana/magic? Pass. Wind Lord."
Tiness might be right. Soul power? Mystery in this era.
But.
"I'll take this."
"What!?"
Tiny gazed unwavering. The armor, seemingly forged for him, fiercely stirred his soul.