Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

Chapter 48: Skin-Grafted Wraithgrip

"Lupina will be jumping in excitement if she sees this," Lupina put on a bittersweet sigh. "It's not a daily occurrence to see equipment and tools crafted this way."

"Lupina isn't dead yet."

"She is still a head out of ten of what she originally was."

"Is that a serious remark or a sarcasm?"

"Both."

This method of fusing traits and properties of Calamity Objects weren't something new in this world.

Verina told me that there were some citadels who were specialized at using Calamity Object's material to produce an item that was equal if not better than a Theotech.

It wasn't confirmed whether this rumor was true or not however, since Theotech was another can of worms in itself.

But it still suggests that we were not the first duo to find out that you could combine traits of Calamity Object A with Calamity Object B if you did a specific process to them.

After hours of tinkering with the calamity materials and whacky monster alloys in the workshop, we finally started to create a proper defensive apparel to survive the next night.

However, something happened amidst the creation of the apparel design.

"Kuh…"

"Your gauntlet… it's sinking in."

Mending of flesh and bones invaded my pain receptor as my Wraithgrip suddenly sank itself into my flesh.

I checked my Health section of the detail screen but I didn't see anything life-threatening, nor was there any sign of Condition that could bring potential harm to myself.

All I could do was wait, enduring this excruciating torment until there was a sign of ease,

Another hour later, the pain was finally done.

"It meld itself and transforms into your whole hand," Verina commented.

"Ahaha…" I looked at my new right hand where the Wraithgrip was formerly seen. "Looks like the gauntlet decided to permanently become part of my body, even though it already is."

[Skin-Grafted Wraithgrip (Qliphoth 100%) - 2.5 kg: The Wraithgrip is a gauntlet of sinister origin, wrought from the darkest realms of the abyss. Initially, it is an eldritch artifact of inhuman design, its surface an ever-shifting dark mirage that absorbs all light, casting an unsettling shadow that seems to writhe with an unseen force.

Crafted by the damned smiths of the underworld and imbued with the malevolent essence of the Wild Hunt, the gauntlet defies all elemental forces—fire, frost, acid, and lightning—repelling them with an unyielding darkness. Its polished exterior is impervious to physical harm, reflecting attacks as if they were mere whispers of wind.

As the gauntlet fully merges with its new wearer, it begins to integrate with their flesh, replacing the arm with an inky blackness veined with a pulsing, geometrical pattern of eerie purple light. This transformation is not only skin-deep but infuses the arm with otherworldly power.

The material appears to pulse and writhe as though it is a living entity, seamlessly melding with the wearer's own flesh and bone. It grants immense strength, making the wearer capable of crushing bone and steel with ease. The chilling touch of the gauntlet leeches warmth and vitality from those it touches, spreading a cold, malignant influence.

When worn with the full set of armor, the wearer bears the mark of the Wild Hunt, a sigil that ignites with a cold, spectral fire upon the spilling of blood, signaling the presence of one sworn to the cursed hunt]

I had no idea what triggered this transformation, but this new form of the Wraithgrip seemed to be much more flexible than its original.

For one, there was no extra layer of thick metal gauntlet covering my hand anymore.

Unlike its gauntlet form, this blackened arcane hand acted like a normal hand. I could feel the surface of things, and I no longer had a weird gap of metal to mind about when I was crafting and looming the Sorrow Silk.

Yes, that was apparently the actual denomination for the silk that was produced by the Sorrow Weaver.

"Do you feel any changes in strength?" Verina asked.

"It's the same as before, I think. The only thing that changes is that I no longer have a gauntlet, as the gauntlet became a hand."

"The gauntlet became a hand, huh."

"The gauntlet became a hand."

All of the craftings aside, I found it strangely unnerving to not have random threats appearing every ten minutes.

Maybe this body of mine was still in a combat state. Though, it didn't really affect my mental state all that much.

The only thing that was affecting my mental health was my Sanity status.

[Sanity: 80%]

It was originally 100%.

I didn't know why, but it started to drop little by little for no reason, even though I was not in any exposure or contact with anything that could sap my sanity. Unless that the Gloamkeeper's Beacon and the Skin-Grafted Wraithgrip count.

Regardless, if this thing happens to drop into zero again, it might not only be weird visions of Elisi and Yaria that I will get this time around.

Maybe I need to relax a little bit.

Even with my newfound mindset, I still put on 200% the effort to get things done.

If that was the cause of my Sanity decrease, then I really should get this bastion holding, or recruit more than one person to operate the defenses in the time of Ordeals.

Or I could just depart to the east for multiple days of journey to Torie Citadel, the citadel that Verina and Lupina visited before meeting Loki and went to the southwest to find me.

"Do you want me to craft another set for you, Verina?" I asked while both of us were collaborating within the workshop.

"My robe is made to enhance the effect of my ohrtending, so I don't really need a new set of clothing."

"Are you sure? I think we have more than enough material to create two sets of this design. It is a garb made from Calamity Object, which must be really expensive if you want it anywhere other than a specialist."

"... I will order one then."

"You're literally crafting it together with me."