Very soon, Louis heard the sound of hammering coming from the volcano forge.

It was the trolls aiding the skilled craftsmen of the Ense Empire in their attempts to further enhance and upgrade Alice's exclusive combat technique.

While Limuru's mastery could easily forge all kinds of divine weapons, creating groundbreaking equipment ultimately relied on human exploration.

"Your Highness, the plan's targets have been mostly achieved. Would you like to go see the site?"

Louis nodded and stepped forward for a look.

Oh!

Good heavens, this weapon might not rival the Ten Thousand Transformations Sword Pill, but it's fitting as an exclusive weapon specially prepared by the Ashford Family for Alice.

After integrating the exclusive equipment blueprints of the Red Jade Guard, the improved scimitar continuously emitted destructive power under the blazing flames.

Being a companion, Louis was willing to use some fine materials to help upgrade her equipment.

Biological metal?

Add it!

Desolate Bone Great Demon's remnants?

Add it!

Some rare scraps left over from the divine weapon manufacturing?

Add it!

Gather a group of skilled craftsmen adept at forging, and provide them with various completed equipment blueprints as references.

Louis originally intended to explore a new system towards divine crafted equipment.

Once Alice's exclusive equipment blueprints emerged, naturally, they became his focus.

And now, it was the day the equipment would take shape.

Rumbling sounds ensued as the forged weapon was tempered in water, vast water vapor spread, and as it was pulled out again, a blade blank emitting an icy cold gleam had already taken shape.

The remaining process of attaching the hilt was completed by Louis himself using his mastery.

Holding the weapon, a hint of surprise flashed in Louis's eyes.

"Good stuff."

Even Louis, who possessed the Ten Thousand Transformations Sword Pill, referred to it as good stuff, causing the craftsmen nearby to exhibit joyful expressions.

"Your Highness, the Red Jade Guard's exclusive equipment can enhance divine art abilities. You might want to try the power of the Goddess's gift, which can be considered a variant of divine arts."

Advised one craftsman.

Louis nodded.

The Goddess of Fortune's gifts are threefold.

The one Louis used most often was 'Fortune Scent.'

This effect could accurately perceive the intrinsic value of an item.

But this ability couldn't be enhanced by exclusive equipment.

At the moment Alice's equipment was forged, he felt the value far surpassing ordinary equipment.

Even before usage, it already confirmed the success of this equipment forging.

Both 'Money's Power' and 'Golden Throw' are equivalent to using divine arts.

He hesitated not to abandon 'Golden Throw.'

An attack with a full burst infused with 'Golden Throw' would permanently consume 1000 gold coins!

He couldn't possibly attempt this just for testing.

Unless someone covered the costs for him.

But 'Money's Power' was fine.

The 200% critical strike effect was already stacked fully; using this gift further consumed only the free divine power granted by the Goddess of Fortune.

He thus wielded it without hesitation.

This strike, Louis's eyes brightened.

The critical hit damage increased to 280%!

This enhancement was indeed significant.

The 200% critical effect was equivalent to a 40% divine art effect increase (80%/200% = 40%).

Such percentage-level enhancement was already extremely extravagant.

Louis activated his mastery without speaking further.

The newly forged weapon instantly melted into a puddle of liquid.

The craftsmen present displayed expressions of heartache.

The recently constructed peerless divine weapon melted just like that.

Some even began to stand unsteadily.

But they knew why Louis did this.

Nowadays, the precision of human weapon forging couldn't remotely compare with Limuru's mastery.

Although Limuru was sent back to the Fallen Star Sea to assist Olivia with overseas military bases—no, overseas trade regions, he himself possessed mastery too.

Though his magic power was insufficient for constant manipulation like Limuru, forging solo equipment was still feasible.

During the remelting process, he gradually grasped the mechanism of divine crafted equipment effects.

The next moment, the liquidified equipment reformed.

This was the equipment Louis recreated based on his understanding.

Though aesthetically similar to the prior version, he knew the optimization yielded further amplification benefits.

He held the new equipment again, employing 'Money's Power.'

The scimitar emitted a sonic boom on him.

"310%? The divine art enhancement reaching 55%, that's indeed the current limit?"

Nearby, hearing Louis sigh, the skilled craftsmen's faces turned dark.

Someone said dryly, "Your Highness is formidable, improving the performance by 15% instantly, much more than us old folks."

"Suddenly, my craftsmanship feels so ridiculous," sighed another craftsman, evidently struck hard.

In the domain of equipment enhancements, even 15% was a major breakthrough. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Even within legendary equipment, if wielded by two equally skilled individuals, a 15% enhanced equipment user facing a 20% enhanced equipment user may turn from evenly matched to suffering defeat in mere minutes.

From a 40% boost to a 55% boost, it already equated to skipping three major phases.

And how much time did His Highness Louis spend?

Less than ten breaths.

Such is the suffocating gap.