Abyssal Awakening

Chapter 372: Secret Behind The Personal Artifacts

"Do you know how a Personal Artifact binds itself to the user?" Erick asked as Alice shook her head.

Artifacts and Abyssal Engineering are topics outside of her expertise and knowledge. The most she learned from the Zenia family was all information on Abyss Blood.

"You see, the difference between a Personal Artifact and a standard Artifact is that the Personal variant moulds itself to the user. It takes in what they've chosen for Sigils and modifies their abilities to match that. For that to occur, the Artifact must be able to accept a portion of the user's power.

"Their soul in other words. The Artifact must synchronise and become a container for the user's soul in order to become a proper Personal Artifact that enhances their strength. The difficulty in procuring Personal Artifacts is that there are two requirements to fulfil." Erick explained as he stood up and walked to the balcony.

"First, you must find an Artifact with a set of compatible abilities. You see, compatibility is key when it comes to achieving a Personal Artifact. So much so that people are willing to pay hundreds of millions to get even ONE compatible ability on a weapon.

"And when I say compatible, I don't mean if you squint hard enough. No, I mean it has to be 100% compatible. Preferably from the same source as the Sigil. It is only when this step is fulfilled will the equipment even have a slightest chance to succeed.

"Then comes step two. You need to get a piece of equipment strong enough to survive the binding process between the user and the Artifact. When a blacksmith focuses too much on compatibility, durability suffers. And if durability suffers, the Artifact breaks apart during the binding process. With these two requirements, man made Personal Artifacts are very expensive and rare.

"But the same can't be said for naturally occurring Personal Artifacts that are awaiting a new owner. After being submerged in the ambient energy of the Abyss and left to grow, these pieces of equipment have attained a durability that's hard to achieve through human means. Not only that, but there are often times when there are… slots that have been left empty.

"An empty slot that's waiting for an ability. The ability of their owner. This is why naturally occurring Personal Artifacts are practically priceless. Even more than the purest Heart Blood of the strongest beast.

So I ask you this, Kale, what makes it difficult for a Personal Artifact to be made through human means?" Erick turned around, raising a glass of wine that he picked up on the table before taking a sip.

Folding her arms, Alice was silent.

On one side, the man made Artifacts could be tailor made to the individual. Making it so that it's much easier to fulfil the first requirement of finding a compatible ability.

On the other hand, naturally occurring Artifacts are often open to being imprinted by the new owner. A slot left empty on purpose so that the owner could bind itself to it.

[For Allura and Kaden, their Personal Artifacts were crafted by Velouria with the best artisans of Ayr. To ensure that the Artifacts could withstand the power of an Apostle as well as the power of nine Sigils, Velouria used her own flesh and blood as the ingredients.

[It's safe to say that while Nihility's Edge and the Grimoire of Original Sin are man made Artifacts, they are heads and shoulders above the quality of even the best naturally occurring Personal Artifact. A Personal Artifact made for an Apostle using the flesh and blood of a God. O' master mine, do you know why Velouria decided to use her flesh and blood?] Cayla asked.

'Didn't you say it was because she wanted to make sure it could withstand the power of the Apostle?' Alice replied as Cayla nodded her head.

[Indeed. To ensure that the Artifact could be bound successfully, Velouria used her own flesh and blood. But that wasn't the only reason. As Erick mentioned, the Artifact needed two requirements. First, compatibility. Second, durability.

The only thing compatible with the power of an Apostle is the God they received their powers from. The only durable enough to withstand the channelling of divinity is a God's flesh. Velouria HAD to use her flesh and blood if they wanted equipment strong enough for Allura and Kaden.

[That is the same with you o' master mine. When Velouria upgraded Void Fang, she used her own flesh and blood. While incomplete due to the fact that she is a spectre, a memory of the past, it still holds fragments of her power. A faux ritual if you will. It is the only way for her to find something compatible with your strange power that denies the Abyss.

As someone who had implemented rules to go against the natural order, Velouria is the most compatible source to you when it comes to power.]

Furrowing her brows, Alice let out a sigh. She felt as though she was on the precipice of finding out the truth of why Personal Artifacts were hard to make but a thin veil blocked her way.

'Think Alice think…'

Personal Artifacts are equipment that's meant to stay with the Hunter while they grow.

Durability is a key factor to the Artifact's success.

Kaden and Allura needed their Artifacts to be made by Velouria herself using her flesh and blood.

Only Velouria's flesh and blood can act as the base for an Apostle's power because she is the source.

Adapt to the user's power… Preferably the source of that power… Why?

Apostle… Goddess… Only equipment that can handle their power…

Compatibility… Durability…?

Source of power…

Source is a beast…

Durability of the equipment…

Power, durability, source…

'There's no way…' Alice blinked her eyes as she swallowed her saliva. If… If the Zenia's did what she thinks they're doing then…

Biting her lip, Alice took a deep breath.

"Because the Hunters outgrow their equipment, right? The durability and compatibility are directly tied to the source of the power. A beast. If the beast is a weak beast, it's only natural it can't withstand the power of a let's say five Sigil Hunter, no matter how compatible they are." Alice replied as Erick clapped his hands.

"Amazing. You're both smart and cute." He chuckled, placing his glass of wine down.

"You're exactly right. Even with the best blacksmiths, they struggle with the fundamental issue of Hunter's outgrowing their equipment. No matter the compatibility, it'll fall short of a high level Hunter's full strength and break apart."

It's the exact reason why Velouria needed to use her flesh.

When Allura and Kaden became Apostles, they weren't yet Abyss Lords.

But with their identity as Apostles, it was only an issue of time before they reached the pinnacle of human power thus Velouria needed equipment that could last until that moment. That being equipment made from the strongest beings, Gods. With the flesh of a God, the issues of Compatibility, Durability and even growth are resolved.

"That's why Personal Artifacts can't be made easily. It's simply not worth it. Not only does it cost a fortune but if it breaks the next time you get a Sigil, you might as well not buy it in the first place." Erick shrugged before walking up to Alice.

"So how do you think the Zenia's resolve this issue? What is the most compatible source, the most durable and a source that can grow alongside the Hunter?"

Clenching her fist inside her sleeve, Alice closed her eyes.

Revealing her true feelings would betray her act thus she must recall the sight of those loathsome Scholars who tore away at her.

Curling her lips into a maniacal laugh, Alice tilted her head back and covered her eyes.

"Pft ahaha! I didn't think the Zenia's would go this far. You're being serious right? For real?" Alice asked, 'excitement' glistening in her eyes as Michael and Melissa paused in surprise at her outburst.

A sight they were familiar with seeing within the labs as the two of them looked at one another, wondering if they found another kin.

"I was wondering how I was going to hide this but if the Zenia's are truly like this then aren't I in heaven?" Alice wiped away her tears before glancing up at Erick.

"It's humans right~?" She asked, slowly as Erick's pupils shrank in a mixture of shock and surprise.

"Humans! The most adaptable beings within the Abyss. A being that can hold the effects of multiple Abyss Bloods and STILL FUNCTION! They can accept the blessings and engrave Sigils upon their body, drink blood till they are full and no beast can contest.

"Should you use a beast as the source for the Personal Equipment, they'll expire quickly. But a human? No~ humans will keep growing and adapt to their surroundings. But therein lies the issue of using Humans as the resource for these Artifacts.

"Their souls have already been modified right?" Alice asked, circling the room while glancing towards Michael and Melissa who were nodding their heads in agreement.

It was clear they anticipated her answer.

"So how do you resolve the issue of the human being tampered with already? You can't use such a resource as a weapon now can you? You run into the issue of compatibility. So what do you do?" Alice faked being clueless as she tapped her chin with her finger.

"You simply return to zero." She laughed.

"You find humans without any Sigils to act as the base and reforge them into the material that acts as the foundation for the equipment. But even Children would've been tampered with to some extent which is why you need to go even further than that~ Ah~ I can see the answer as clear as day now.

"The secret behind the Zenia's mass production of Personal Artifacts are human babies that haven't been born yet, right? A catalyst to be used as the material, a resource that can grow and mature alongside the Hunter. We simply need to change their shape into an Artifact and instead of Sigils of their own choosing, they receive whatever the Hunter's get.

"What better Artifact could you ask for than one that adapts to your every move?"