462. Heroic Behavior
After getting distracted three more times, Clayton Skyshredder finally got me into the room he wanted to bring me into. It was an ordinary room. There was nothing too special about it— other than the fact that it was one of the few rooms without a window up here. Well, there was also that weird armorstand draped in a white cloth waiting at the center of the room, but other than that, there wasn’t really anything of note.
“Huh. So what did you want to show me, Clayton?”
“Please address me appropriately, Salvos.”
The Headmaster of Mavos Academy spoke in a reprimanding tone. I rolled my eyes as I turned to the elderly man, before speaking in an overexaggerated manner.
undefined“What did you want to show me, Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder of Mavos Academy and Mr highest-leveled [Mage] in the Human lands?”
Clayton narrowed his eyes, but otherwise didn’t press the issue any further. He turned expectantly to Centina, who nodded in response.
“Yes, Headmaster.”
She stepped up to the armorstand and peeled off the cloth covering it. There was a glimmer. A flash of iridescent light. I blinked, eyes growing wide.
“That’s—”
“The Breastplate of Alexander.”
Clayton spoke over me, walking over to the Mythical Grade artifact. He tapped the metal three times. Clink! Clink! Clink! It was almost as good as new. The Breastplate of Alexander was nothing like it had been when I left it with him. It shimmered with the colors of the rainbow— its polished surface as reflective as a mirror.
“Woah.”
I gaped at it for a moment. Clayton stepped back, standing in parade rest as he let me inspect the repaired artifact.
“Did you really fix all this up? It was broken when I gave it to you— it was in multiple pieces! That’s amazing!”
I was genuinely impressed. I had thought the Breastplate of Alexander was left beyond fixing after my battle with the [Ancient Centinel]. When I gave it to Clayton Skyshredder, I did it on a whim, not really expecting anything from it. This exceeded everything I thought was even possible.
Centina beamed in agreement. As if she was the one responsible for putting the Mythical Grade artifact back together.
“It is very impressive, indeed. Headmaster Skyshredder has spent most of his free time in his already-busy schedule researching for a way to repair the Breastplate of Alexander which you gave him. He even consulted some of the greatest Dwarf [Smiths] from the east—”
“Centina…”
Clayton stared at the [Evolved Centinel]-turned-Human. But Centina didn’t listen.
“And through his hard work, he managed to put it all back together, albeit with some flaws…”
“Centina.”
“But it is truly quite the feat, considering he even leveled—”
“Centina!”
Clayton cut her off, raising his voice. His stare turned into a glare, and Centina finally noticed it. She shrank back as she scratched the back of her head.
“Oh, oops.”
I cocked my head at them.
“Huh? What was that?”
The Headmaster sighed.
“It is nothing.”
He reached for the Breastplate of Alexander and removed it from the armorstand. I watched as the man held the glimmering chest piece up in the air, before shaking his head.
“But as Centina said, it is not fully repaired yet, Salvos. While it may look like there are no chinks in the armor, there are still some flaws to it.”
“What do you mean?”
I lifted a curious brow. He handed me the Mythical Grade artifact, gesturing me to try it on.
“Wear it.”
I hesitated.
“Are you, um, sure you want me to do that? The last time I used it, I broke it in a few months, remember?”
“I highly doubt you will be using it anytime soon, Salvos. Nor will anyone be using it anytime soon.”
Clayton Skyshredder replied simply. I didn’t understand what he was saying, so I decided to just do as I was told and put on the Breastplate of Alexander to see what he was talking about.
“Here goes…”
I hefted the armor over my blue jacket, waiting for something to happen. I wasn’t sure if it was going to break or shatter or immediately fall apart. I looked down at myself, ready for the worst. The Breastplate of Alexander shimmered as it usually did. It fitted right over my body as it was designed. And then— nothing.
Nothing happened.
I twirled around, puzzled. When nothing continued to happen, I turned to Clayton accusingly.
“Was something supposed to happen?”
“Yes.”
The Headmaster of Mavos Academy nodded. He ran a hand over his flowing beard as he met my gaze.
“Something was supposed to happen. And that is the problem.”
“What? I don’t get it— oh…”
It finally clicked in my head. I looked back down at myself— at the Breastplate of Alexander. It was a Mythical Grade Armor. One of the strongest defensive artifacts that supposedly existed. Its protective enchantments were supposed to be nigh impenetrable.
And it did nothing. It didn’t offer me any inkling of an Aura of Protection. It didn’t give me a boost to my [Vitality]. There was no additional resistance against anything.
I had used the Breastplate of Alexander before. I was the reason why it was broken, after all. And I knew what it was capable of. I knew that it granted me three Temporary Skills, just like all the other Treasures of Alexander. However, for whatever reason, the repaired Breastplate of Alexander gave me nothing.
I looked back up towards Clayton who just crossed his arms at me.
“It seems you’ve finally realized the problem.”
“I do.”
I nodded in agreement.
“It’s still broken.”
“Please don’t do this, Valda.”
“I told you it’s the only way, Jonas.”
“But it’s embarrassing. You can’t just ask students to—”
Valda ignored her friend’s protests, strutting up to the group of students waiting right outside of the Tower of Truth. They had been there when Salvos challenged Clayton Skyshredder to a duel. Four boys and two girls. They were older than the young prodigy, of course— about five or six years older, by the looks of it. And they were still gushing over the fight.
“And did you see the way Salvos—”
“Yeah, but Headmaster Skyshredder didn’t even—”
“Excuse me!”
The group of students paused. They turned to see Valda standing there, hands behind her back, facing them with a smile. One of the boys scratched his cheeks.
“Uh, do we know you—”
“Did you guys see the duel between Headmaster Skyshredder and Salvos the Sentinel of Secely?”
Valda asked, practically speaking over the boy. He turned to his friends with a grin before nodding.
“We did— it was so cool! I was personally rooting for—”
“That means you know the reason why Salvos was fighting, right?”
The group of students blinked as Valda interrupted them again. They exchanged a hesitant glance with each other, and the first boy shrugged.
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