Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 192 Steel and Bone Fragments, the Wonderful Transformation of the Leg Armor

【Bone-Binding Iron Legs】

Type: Leg warmers

Grade: Excellent (Green)
effect:

1. Durability +30%;

2. Challenging hostile beasts with a level no higher than "1" has a chance to inflict a stunned state;
3. Gain a slight balance bonus when you are about to "fall to the ground".

Introduction:

Even though it has been combined with steel, this hard bone still retains some of its owner's essence, like rotten wood deep in the mud.

Remarks:

"True civilization begins the moment you stop gnawing and start forging."

—Zhi Ke, the Crimson Scale Temperor, the Kobold Blacksmith Master

……

This is a complete leg armor set that includes greaves (lower legs), thigh armor (thighs), and knee pads.

Compared to the pale, hard, and cold main material, its appearance still maintains the delicate texture that a skeleton should have, but perhaps because of the metal mixed in, its overall color is dark and light gray.

The bone pieces, cut longitudinally, are connected and reinforced by specially made metal rings and polished to fit the smooth curves of the calf; dark brown cowhide ropes are interspersed between iron rivets that radiate a metallic luster, with double-layered tanned hard leather as the backing.

The edges of the bone pieces were carefully rounded, removing the original sharp corners; the metal fasteners were also treated with anti-rust treatment, and even the color was darkened to match the main tone of the bone armor.

At first glance, you might not notice the defensive capabilities of these leg armors.

However, through those bone fragments, rivets, ropes, and leather linings, one can also feel the harmonious combination of natural materials and man-made components under the superb craftsmanship of intelligent organisms.

There was nothing abrupt or irritating about it.

It's like a piece of tree bark, or a steel ingot.

This is how it should be.

"How is it? Does it look alright?"

Barn placed his hands on his hips, his well-developed muscles, honed from years of wielding a hammer, bulging together, and his smiling face radiated a strong sense of accomplishment.

"It's really good."

Xia Nan stared at the leg armor in front of him, and the semi-transparent text of the attribute panel appeared in the void beside him. He felt satisfied.

Although he was initially surprised—he had thought it was armor—after recognizing its leg armor, he found it completely acceptable.

Prior to this, considering flexibility, Xia Nan did not take any special precautions to protect his legs when going out on missions.

A pair of durable adventure trousers, a pair of thick, resilient boots that won't hurt your feet even if you step in the mud, and maybe a couple of lightweight shin guards.

Although his highly mobile and agile fighting style prevented him from suffering any major injuries.

To be honest, compared to the double-layered armor protecting his upper body, he sometimes felt a little unsure about the protection of his lower limbs.

With this new leg armor, his overall combat margin for error will increase significantly.

Putting aside the leg warmers themselves, their design style is quite in line with Xia Nan's aesthetic, featuring a simple and natural aesthetic.

As a proper enchanted item (green gear), its stats are also very impressive.

The attribute panel alone lists three additional effect attributes!

First and foremost, the most basic yet, in his opinion, most useful feature is the 30% durability bonus.

This attribute represents the leg guards' superior defensive performance and durability compared to other equipment of the same level.

You must understand that the decapitation sword he is carrying on his back has been able to follow him all this way unscathed.

While careful daily maintenance is important, the "durability +50%" attribute bonus is even more crucial.

Presumably, the leg armor, which also has the durability attribute, will not require frequent replacements like his body armor, while providing decent defensive capabilities.

Then there's the deterrent effect on hostile beasts with a challenge level no higher than "1".

That's good too.

Don't underestimate the number "1" just because it may seem insignificant.

In reality, the goblin elite subspecies known as the "adventurer killer," who shattered the dreams of countless low-level adventurers with his hammer, only has a challenge level of 1.

For a green-grade item, the ability to deter beings of this level is already beyond the norm.

Moreover, on the other hand, judging from the literal meaning, this special effect of "deterrence" seems to have no limit on the quantity.

Does that mean that when Xia Nan needs to face a group of beast enemies that rely on numbers, such as the Newm sewer rats, this effect can also be triggered?
If you look at it that way, then it's very useful.

I can test it out when I have the chance.

Next, the last item is about improving balance when about to fall.

The effects seem to overlap somewhat with his professional expertise in "tidal shaping," and it's unclear whether they can be combined.

Hmm... compared to the previous two items, it's slightly weaker.

But it's just a green-tier item, and Xia Nan is already quite satisfied with it.

Having something is better than not having one, and there's nothing to complain about.

Overall, although I provided the main ingredients.

but……

These 500 gold coins are excellent value for money!
Finally, all that remains to consider is whether the weight of the equipment is within one's tolerance range, how it feels to wear, and whether it will affect one's combat and daily activities.

Barn, however, appeared very confident about this.

He helped Xia Nan take the leg guards off the equipment rack and tied them on his legs.

"Try them on quickly, see if there are any problems."

The process of putting it on is not very complicated.

Secure the metal buckle, tighten the leather cord, and align the hook at the connection point with the metal ring at the bottom...

Once you get the hang of it, you can put on and take off the entire leg armor in less than a minute.

The leather shoes landed, and the light gray bone greaves moved with each step, reflecting a lustrous and sturdy color in the sunlight outside the door.

My fingers gently brushed across the surface of the bone nail on my thigh, and I felt a cool, refreshing sensation on my fingertips.

At first, I wasn't used to it.

But after Xia Nan, wearing leg armor, walked around the blacksmith shop twice...

He then felt the lightness and close fit of the equipment itself.

"When I was making these leg guards, I took the weight into special consideration. While ensuring their defensive performance, I chose lightweight auxiliary materials."

"When we were working on the nesting process, we made adjustments based on your body measurements taken before you left home."

"Your physique hasn't changed much in the past two months, has it? If you feel anything is not right, tell me and I'll help you adjust it." Before leaving River Valley Town for Newm, when paying the production fee, Barn had taken detailed measurements of Xia Nan's body, and he carefully referred to them when crafting the equipment.

In some ways, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it customized.

As a result, Xia Nan gradually adapted to the new leg guards on his legs in just a few minutes.

"It fits perfectly, and there's nothing that needs to be changed."

"That's good."

With his long braid swaying gently in front of his chest, Barn's eyes were fixed on the bone armor on Xia Nan's leg, and he took the initiative to explain the effects of this enchanted equipment to him.

Unaware that Xia Nan possessed an attribute panel, as the equipment's forger, he naturally had to explain its specific effects to the customer.

"As for its defensive capabilities, there's no need to elaborate. The main material you provided is of very high quality, and the equipment made from it has much stronger defensive capabilities than armor of the same quality."

"The leg armor itself has a certain deterrent effect on beasts. Due to time constraints, I haven't had time to conduct a detailed test on the specific strength of the effect, but it should be fine against ordinary wild animals."

"If you need it, you can leave the leg armor at the shop for now. I'll have someone determine the range of its power before using it in actual combat."

Barn acted very responsibly, planning to hand it over to Xia Nan after a detailed calculation of the deterrent effect.

Xia Nan, who had already checked the complete attributes of the equipment through the attribute panel, naturally did not need this process.

But it's impossible to just say it directly.

His expression remained unchanged, and he adopted a nonchalant, indifferent demeanor, waving his hand and saying:
"It's alright, whether it works or not, it just saves some effort."

"We will fight every tough battle we are meant to fight, and we will not be able to avoid any of them."

"No need for that trouble, I can test it myself in actual combat."

After hearing what he said, Barn stopped insisting.

He nodded somewhat hesitantly.

"That's okay."

Xia Nan walked slowly through the shop, waiting for the other party to continue the introduction, without saying anything more.

Unexpectedly, the air suddenly became quiet.

He subconsciously turned his head to look at the other person, only to see that Barn was watching him test his leg armor.

Seeing Xia Nan turn her gaze to him, he couldn't help but ask:
"What's wrong? Is there anything you're not used to?"

A hint of hesitation flashed across Xia Nan's face as he recalled the three attributes on the leg guards' panel.

He paused, then tentatively began to speak:

"So the special effect of this leg armor is to intimidate wild beasts, right?"

Mistakenly believing that Xia Nan was dissatisfied with the equipment's effectiveness, Barn patiently explained:

"That's right."

"I am, after all, just a blacksmith, not a magician. I can't conjure up things that don't exist."

"The specific effect of a piece of equipment after it is completed depends largely on the properties of its materials. For example, a weapon made from the body material of a fish monster can never have fire damage. We can only extract what is inside the material, not create it out of thin air."

"The main material of the leg guards, that bone, must have come from some kind of powerful beast-like monster in the forest, which is why it can intimidate wild animals."

"It may certainly possess other abilities, but my abilities are ultimately limited..."

"If you are not satisfied, you can ask me for a refund of the production fee, and I can also compensate you for the main materials used in the production with gold coins or other means."

"Our 'Rock Hammer' blacksmith shop still has that much of a reputation."

"Of course, I don't think this will affect our relationship; it's just something that might happen during normal work."

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant." Seeing that the other person was going off on a tangent, Xia Nan quickly interrupted.

It was already clear in his mind that Barn was unaware of the third effect of the leg armor on the attribute panel.

There was no intention to hide anything.

I carefully chose my words, concealed the existence of the attribute panel, and explained it to the other party in my own words:

"Although it hasn't been long since I experienced it, besides the two effects you just mentioned, I've also sensed something else."

As soon as he finished speaking, a glint of light flashed in Barn's eyes, which had been filled with doubt.

Like an archaeologist who has discovered lost ruins, it is a passion and excitement that comes from a professional level.

"Oh? What exactly is that feeling like?"

he asked.

"It's a very slight feeling, when I take a step and my body's center of gravity is slightly unbalanced during movement, that makes me feel more grounded."

"Is it an agility enhancement, or just a balance boost, or perhaps a special effect specific to the ground?" Xia Nan's words quickly plunged Barn into deep thought, muttering to himself, "Is it because of those two drops of crystal rock solution? Or is it that the light steel and hazelnut extract produced some kind of special reaction?"

After a moment, he suddenly came to his senses, realized what had happened, and apologized to Xia Nan:
"Sorry, I got a little lost in thought."

Unlike ordinary equipment, which uses relatively simple and fixed materials, this allows for complete control over the entire crafting process.

The crafting of magical items is not only complicated and time-consuming, but also requires many times more materials than ordinary equipment.

Furthermore, the materials need to be adjusted accordingly for each different type and grade.

In this situation, it's perfectly normal for some unexpected results to occur.

These effects are usually difficult to detect unless they are particularly noticeable.

It is common for users who wear the equipment for a long time to not notice anything unusual until retirement.

For example, a one-handed sword that will become much sharper if you stab yourself first and smear the blade with the blood from the wound.
Or perhaps a pair of ankle boots that grant an endurance boost when walking underwater...

In other words, Xia Nan has an attribute panel, which allows him to see the specific information about the equipment at a glance.

Otherwise, it would probably take another ten days or half a month before the leg armor's effect would become apparent in a situation where someone is about to fall.

For a blacksmith, the unique changes in the forging process, especially when the equipment is not a standardized product with fixed procedures and sold in large quantities, are undoubtedly wonderful and memorable.

Xia Nan could almost see the excited gleam in the eyes of the burly man before him.

He couldn't wait to return to the inner room of the shop and try out all the possibilities again.

If we can find the source of this change, it would mean that Barn's secret forging recipes have been expanded to include another one.

At this point, Barn's expression suddenly turned serious.

He clenched his right fist, used his chest as an anvil, and slammed it down twice like a forging hammer, making a dull "bang" sound.

This is a gesture used by the "Steelbeard" clan to express gratitude.

"My friend, thank you for your feedback."

"I won't say much more. If you have any questions in the future, feel free to come to me anytime. The doors of 'Rockhammer' are always open for you!"

"Today, I'll give you a 30% discount on anything you buy at the blacksmith's shop."

(End of this chapter)