Chapter 246: The Birth of the First Magus Set (Part 4)

"It looks completely different now."

Renna was still trying to understand how a metal helmet had become a cloth hat. Seeing him change it even further made her question everything she knew about artifact crafting and spellcasting.

This time, it wasn’t only the artifact’s shape that had changed. The feeling it gave off was different too.

The former magma lines now gave off a cooling effect, while the dark red fabric, which had become even darker, still radiated warmth.

"Want to try it?" Magna asked with a smile, deciding to let her be the first to try his new creation.

"Is it safe?" Renna couldn’t help asking.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but she had watched him make it from start to finish in just half an hour. Crafting an artifact should take days, if not months. Seeing him finish one so quickly made it difficult to feel completely confident about wearing it.

Magna raised an eyebrow. Based on what he had imagined and planned, it should be perfectly safe. Still, this was his first attempt. He couldn’t be sure he hadn’t overlooked something.

Now that she had brought it up, he didn’t want to make Renna his guinea pig. He took the hat and put it on himself.

The moment it settled on his head, a cooling sensation spread down through his body. It felt as though a cool breeze had swept away the Underworld’s stifling heat.

"This feels good," he murmured in satisfaction.

He was only wearing the hat, yet his whole body already felt more comfortable.

As he paid closer attention on his body, he noticed the strength and speed boosts too.

He had sacrificed the strength-enhancing effect of the magma lines to improve its protection against heat, but some of the other components still provided extra strength.

His muscles felt more relaxed and full of energy. The difference was clear, even if wearing only the hat couldn’t provide as much of a boost as the complete set.

So far, everything seemed to be working as intended.

Next, he reached beneath the brim and lowered the mask over his face like a visor.

The tempered glass lenses didn’t obstruct his vision at all, meeting his first requirement. He could also breathe freely despite the fabric covering his entire face without leaving any skin exposed.

In fact, breathing felt easier than before. Every breath was cool, almost as though he had eaten a menthol candy.

"Yep, it’s perfectly safe and comfortable," he said, looking at Renna.

"Let me try."

She seemed to have gotten over her shock and doubts now. Watching his reaction had left her visibly eager to experience it herself.

She took off her Witch Hat, set it on the table, and accepted the Magus Hat from him.

As soon as she put it on, her expression visibly relaxed. "This is even better than the blue hats."

Unlike red hats, blue hats provided a cooling effect that could even feel cold. Magna’s hat felt more balanced. Rather than simply making everything cold, it kept the heat away and maintained a comfortable temperature.

While Renna tried his hat, Magna looked at the one she had left on the table. Curious about how its effects would compare, he picked it up and put it on.

The difference was immediately noticeable.

The mana inside his abdomen felt different, while his mana channels seemed to widen. It was an extremely pleasant sensation, almost as though his body had suddenly begun to breathe.

His mana hadn’t increased or started moving. It simply felt denser, more noticeable, and stronger.

’That must be the spellcasting boost.’

Now he could feel for himself how a Witch Hat differed from a Shadow’s helmet.

It still made his body feel slightly stronger, much like his own hat, but there was a lightness to it too.

As he continued paying attention, he noticed several smaller effects. His usually chaotic thoughts seemed more organized, making it easier to think clearly. Even his surroundings looked more vivid.

It wasn’t that he could see farther or more sharply. He simply seemed to notice more details in everything he looked at.

"If you like it, I wouldn’t mind trading," Renna said with a smile when she saw his expression. She seemed quite pleased with the Magus Hat herself.

As much as Magna liked the feeling her Witch Hat gave him, he shook his head.

"Its defenses aren’t strong enough."

He could appreciate its spellcasting and mana manipulation boosts, but protection was what he needed most right now. In that respect, a Witch Hat couldn’t offer as much as Shadow helmet.

"So, what now? Are you going to modify the rest too?" Renna eagerly asked as she removed the hat and placed it on the table.

After trying the finished hat herself, she wanted to see what the entire set would be like.

"Yeah. I just need to replenish my mana first."

He had intended to modify all of it from the beginning. The hat might protect his head and help him breathe, but it wouldn’t be enough on its own.

Taking the remaining 10 mana-replenishing pills Melisandre had given him from his pocket, he swallowed them all at once.

The feeling of mana filling his abdomen was pleasant. He checked the number on his panel.

92%.

He had spent around 30% on the hat. The robe would require more, but he was sure this much mana would be enough to modify it along with the boots and arm guards.

"If you run short, just tell me. I can spare some pills for you," Renna offered.

Magna smiled at her support. He knew how important those resources were to her. They were what kept her alive in this realm, yet she was willing to share them so he could finish his work.

That showed how much she trusted him, and he wasn’t going to let her down.

With that thought, he pointed his finger at the remaining pieces and began editing them.