Chapter 1716 Sense of Defeat <TOC> Chapter 1718 Disseminated
Translator: SumTLMan
Wizard Woodrow gave a faint smile. He knew that this matter couldn’t be blamed on Angel, so he shifted the topic: “Speaking of which, the weapon you custom-made for Hilary indeed has a formidable effect, but…”
Angel waited quietly for Wizard Woodrow’s elaboration. After a while, he continued, “Though it is powerful, is it truly suitable for Hilary?”
“Do you have any opinions on this, Wizard Woodrow?” Instead of refuting, Angel inquired, going along with his train of thought.
“I am not an alchemist and don’t have any specific insights. It just feels to me that the natural talents of Hilary paired with this whip might not be the perfect match,” Wizard Woodrow shared his thoughts candidly.
The power of this whip is undeniably dominant, but is it genuinely fitting for Hilary? Having known Hilary for a long time during her stay in the Bliss Pavilion, Wizard Woodrow had some understanding of her innate abilities. Would her water changing ability complement the whip, resulting in a synergistic effect?
Such doubts weren’t unique to Wizard Woodrow. Coral, who was very familiar with Hilary, was also pondering, “The Frost Whip is indeed powerful, but something feels slightly off…”
“Do you mean the Frost Whip isn’t good?” Shalem, standing next to Coral, asked in confusion.
“It’s not about its quality. But don’t you think that this whip doesn’t necessarily have to be given to Hilary? Whether it’s handed to you, me, or anyone present, this whip could demonstrate a consistent level of prowess,” said Coral. “I’m not questioning Angel’s craftsmanship. It just seems a bit mismatched with Hilary.”
Shalem then grasped Coral’s point. In terms of alchemical creations, this weapon was undeniably top-tier. If placed in an auction, it could be one of the final spotlight items. However, the whip didn’t seem like it was tailor-made for Hilary; it appeared as a standalone masterpiece. It didn’t seem to resonate perfectly with Hilary’s unique abilities.
At most, the external frost effect might allow Hilary’s “water quality transformation” ability to extend further, but its actual impact could be seen as negligible.
“In that case, it seems to be true,” Shalem voiced with suspicion, “However, Angel should be very familiar with Hilary. It’s implausible he wouldn’t be aware of this.”
Coral interjected, “That’s precisely my point of confusion.”
As they conversed, Hilary was nearby. Not only did Hilary overhear their conversation, but others were also somewhat informed of the matter at hand.
They couldn’t help but ponder: they had all previously been astounded by the power of the Frost Whip, but was this customized weapon genuinely suitable for Hilary?
Seeing the uncertainty on everyone’s faces, Hilary suddenly chuckled, “Actually, you might have misunderstood.”
“Misunderstood?”
“Yes, although it’s my first time seeing this Frost Whip, it’s indeed the most fitting for me.” Noticing the lingering confusion, Hilary continued, “Because the criteria for forging this weapon were proposed by me.”
The crafting was Hilary’s suggestion?
This revelation left everyone, including Wizard Woodrow in the skies, momentarily stunned.
“So this is why you had this whip crafted?” Wizard Woodrow queried.
Angel responded, “Yes, it was Hilary’s request, and naturally, I forged it accordingly.”
A frown marred Wizard Woodrow’s forehead, “I’m somewhat perplexed. Why would she make such a request when there are better options available?”
Coral echoed the same sentiment.
Hilary swiftly offered an explanation, “What I need is not to enhance my innate abilities, but to have the opportunity to fully utilize them.”
At first, Coral didn’t grasp the implication behind Hilary’s statement. However, Carvelyn, having personally felt the power of the whip, had a flash of understanding in his eyes, saying, “Ah, I see now.”
Hilary’s most powerful ability lies in the transformation of water. This unique talent, known as the Quality Transformation of Water, doesn’t necessarily require the presence of water to manifest its power. This is because its true strength lies in the ability to control any liquid.
For instance, bodily fluids.
Even if someone were standing before Hilary in a parched desert, she could manipulate their bodily fluids, turning them into spears to attack.
However, a fundamental premise to all of this is breaking through the opponent’s defense.
Anyone who puts themselves in Hilary’s shoes would understand this. When Hilary faces a formidable foe, it isn’t that she can’t defeat them. It’s that their defenses are so watertight, leaving her no opportunity to manipulate their bodily fluids. But once she penetrates these defenses, Hilary finds herself on invincible ground.
Previously, her methods of breaching defenses were too straightforward and exceedingly slow. Many times, before she could focus on breaking through, she’d get interrupted by other matters, leading to quick defeats.
However, once she obtained this Frost Whip, this situation was bound to change.
After hearing Carvelyn’s explanation, everyone present had a moment of enlightenment. Recalling the immense power of that single whip strike, even Carvelyn, in his most robust defensive stance, was almost wholly compromised by Hilary’s lash, leaving just one layer of armor before reaching the flesh.
If this were to happen in actual combat, it would be utterly terrifying.
All those present speculated that they wouldn’t be able to withstand even a few lashes from Hilary. If any single strike managed to breach the defenses, the battle would be declared over.
“It turns out this is the reason you wanted to craft this whip,” Coral mused. Everyone assesses matters from their vantage point. Yet, from Hilary’s perspective, this is just perfect for her!
Hilary replied, “I merely voiced a desire for a weapon capable of swiftly breaking through an opponent’s defenses. The whip I received not only exceeded my expectations, but it’s also water-affiliated. This allows me to wield even greater power in battle. Hence, it truly is the Most Suitable for me.”
Hilary paused for a moment and added, “However… there’s still a hint of regret.”
Coral looked at Hilary with a puzzled expression, “What’s there to regret? Or is it that you don’t like whip-type weapons? Indeed, handing such a weapon to Nausicaa might seem more fitting.”
Hilary shook her head, “It’s not about the weapon. I’m quite pleased with it. My slight regret stems from my customization request. Besides the weapon, it also pertained to my excessive sleepiness. Yet, it appears no one has a solution to that issue.”
Hilary sighed inwardly. Even Angel, in the end, chose to focus on the “weapon” customization aspect, leaving her slightly disappointed.
While enhancing one’s combat abilities is commendable, she would be even happier if there was a way to address or, at the very least, make a positive improvement to her sleepiness.
Coral understood Hilary’s sentiments. Taking a deep breath, she put her arm around Hilary’s shoulder, offering silent consolation.
High above, the wizard from Grud Town, witnessing the scene at Bliss Pavilion, couldn’t help but comment, “If Hilary’s sleep issue could be resolved, she might very well become another dazzling star shining bright over the Southern Region.”
“Why is there another one?”
“Because before her, there was you.” Wizard Woodrow paused, “By the way, can’t Hilary’s chronic drowsiness really be cured?”
Angel responded, “As of now, it indeed seems challenging to resolve.”
However, if one were to follow Hilary’s second alchemical intention — creating an item that turns her constant drowsiness into an advantage — Angel actually possesses the ability to craft it. Yet, it seems redundant. In the not-so-distant future, when the Wilderness of Dreams is opened to a limited extent, Hilary can also participate. The very nature of the Wilderness of Dreams will turn her sleepiness into an advantage. Instead of wasting time in slumber, she can, during her sleep, conduct her scholarly research within the expanse of the Wilderness of Dreams.
Thus, Angel didn’t even consider the second alchemical intention and instead chose to craft a weapon for Hilary.
Chapter 1716 Sense of Defeat <TOC> Chapter 1718 Disseminated