The weapons I forge are absolutely flawless.

Wiener took the ice cubes out of the box and poured boiling water over them, and soon their true appearance was revealed.

A translucent, jelly-like, pale blue living slime, only the size of a fist.

Water slimes are generally considered to have the gentlest temperament, the weakest aggression, and are also the easiest type of slime to catch.

It enters a dormant state at low temperatures and can be used for magical experiments or other special purposes.

It is said that some nobles would keep it as a pet and use it as a condiment in certain unspeakable activities.

"Such a small thing is so expensive; if the experiment fails, we'll lose a lot of money."

Every slime you encounter in the cave is more than twenty times the size of this little slime.

Venerer repeatedly poked the little slime's head with his finger, making it gurgle and gurgle, though he didn't know where the head was either.

Wiener didn't buy it for any special purpose; he mainly hoped to find a way to overcome the first layer of slime groups from it.

He took out an iron sword he had casually crafted earlier and attached the water slime to the sword.

Slimes' ability to corrode and devour is related to their own attributes and is directly proportional to their size.

Water slime is most effective at corroding iron, but it poses little threat to protein-based substances like skin and muscles. Soaking your feet in it for a day and a night will at most remove dead skin.

Therefore, even a water slime the size of a fist, in terms of corrosive power alone, is no less than that of an ordinary slime encountered in a mine.

Defeating the slimes that appear in the mine without relying on combat skills would probably require a Tier 3 warrior like Baal or Felix to do easily.

Wiener can draw a conclusion from his own experience regarding the maximum number of kills achieved by consecutively using combat skills.

While handcrafted weapons are much more durable than regular ones, the extra cost of breaking through limits makes them roughly the same.

The final conclusion was—twenty.

Without changing weapons, a standard steel gun or steel sword can destroy a maximum of twenty slimes, while a steel axe can destroy about half that number, but that's the limit.

This conclusion is, of course, reached under the combined effect of corrosion and wear.

If you just leave it to devour, it won't digest so quickly.

In other words, only when Wiener can see the decrease in durability can he have a clear understanding of the rate at which the slime is corroded.

Venere flicked the blade of the sword, and the little slime was knocked off.

"Try this again."

Wiener sprinkled a handful of slag and rust powder onto the sword.

This is a byproduct of refining ore. What might be worthless junk in the eyes of others is, in Viner's eyes, treasure in the wrong place.

Then I put the little slime back on.

The results are obvious.

Among the three substances—refined iron, slag, and rusted iron—the little slime prioritized consuming the slag, followed by the rusted iron.

It was as if it wanted to save its favorite part for last, the finest part of the blade, so that it was not damaged in the slightest until the slag and rust were completely digested.

Having reached a conclusion, Wiener naturally saw no need to let the little slime continue to feast. He reached out and peeled it off the sword, threw it into the box he had been using, filled the box with water without leaving any gaps, and finally closed the lid.

The box quickly returned to its cool, icy state.

The fact that it can be reused is quite good; it's worth the huge investment Wiener made.

This was discovered by Viner when she was collecting slime drops in the mine.

The ores that were swallowed by the slime, although greatly reduced in size, all became pure.

It's as if impurities are protecting the main body from erosion.

He is familiar with this.

In a previous life, there was a method to prevent metal corrosion called sacrificial anode cathodic protection.

Although there are some differences in the details, the principles are extremely similar.

As long as there is something easier to digest than the weapon itself, the slime can be lured to consume that substance first, thus protecting the weapon's durability from decreasing.

The same principle applies when a slime swallows a person whole; it digests the clothes first and then the flesh.

Knowing this, Wiener didn't hold back.

.......

"finished."

Using the slag and waste materials he had collected, Wiener crafted a piece resembling a sword sheath, which he simply named "Rusty Sheath".

The top of the component has a buckle that ensures the sheath fits snugly against the steel sword during use.

In Wiener's plans, there will also be gun holsters and axe holsters later on.

His idea was simple: to cover the surface of the weapon with a layer of metal of a lower grade than the weapon itself, like a layer of plastic wrap.

This will slightly affect the weapon's sharpness and increase its size and weight, but both are positive benefits when facing slime-type enemies.

Compared to weapons specifically designed to target slimes, this detachable weapon cover is far superior in terms of both applicability and versatility.

Most importantly, it is low-cost.

A weapon with specific special effects would probably cost at least fifty credits just to produce.

The cost of such a rusted sleeve is less than one academic credit.

Low cost allows for high volume sales; even if a single rusted sleeve is priced at five credits, there's still a significant profit.

Wearing this thing is like having an extra resistance bar when attacking slimes, doubling the durability.

The effect might not be so noticeable on lower-tier weapons, but if they break, it's not a big deal and you won't feel too bad.

What about mid-to-high-level weapons that cost hundreds of credits and are practically priceless?

The cost of even a simple maintenance operation far exceeds the cost of using a rusted bushing.

Wiener sees this innovation as having enormous market potential.

However, to ensure the stability of the rusted sleeve, Wiener contacted his most loyal friend.

"Hey, are you there?"

Chapter 79 The Sheath That Holds the Sword

"Receiving a package or bringing your own lunch?"

Felix replied to messages very quickly, and you could tell from the content that he was already used to it.

The hardships I endured after Wiener asked for my contact information are beyond what outsiders can understand.

"Neither. I made something new and I need you to come and pick it up, and then help me test its performance in the dungeon."

For once, Wiener brought up something beyond running errands.

"That's no problem. What do you need me to do?"

Even if Vena hadn't mentioned it, Felix was planning to kill some time in the dungeon.

I've recently become increasingly fond of the knife and planer.

Anyway, there's no need to worry about wear and tear. Going to the dungeon to chop things up is a great way to relieve stress.

"Go chop down the slimes."

The information sent back was concise and to the point.

"Forgive me for refusing."

Felix unusually refused, as he really didn't want to face those sticky, slippery slimes anymore.

Not only does it feel terrible to chop, but it also wears out your clothes a lot.

Yesterday, I had two pieces of clothing that were ruined and unwearable.

"Rejection invalid."

Wiener rejected Felix's opinion.

Just as Felix was pondering how to use stronger language to express his unwillingness to face the slimes, Venere sent another message.

He offered Felix a deal he couldn't refuse.

"After that, I'll lend you the dull cleaver to play with for two days."

"I'm coming right now!"

.....

Wiener Workshop.

"Give it back to me, give it back to me now. Didn't you say you'd lend it to me for two days?"

Felix looked at Vina with a resentful expression, as if his beloved toy had been snatched away.

As soon as he arrived at the workshop, he went straight for the blunt blade, which showed that he really liked the sword.

It was only played with for a short while before Vina took it back.

"Your saliva is practically dripping onto the sword. If I don't pull you away soon, I'm afraid the sword will rust."

Wiener's statement is not an exaggeration at all.

If he hadn't stopped him in time, Felix probably would have actually licked it.

"Where did I come from, as a slime?"

The straight-laced, tough guy, Venus, doesn't fall for any coquettishness.

Even a white-haired beauty like Lisette, who, apart from some congenital defects, is exactly what he wants, is mercilessly roasted by Venus.

Not to mention someone like Felix, whose true identity is unknown.

"...It's not impossible."

Wiener recalled Felix's various actions.

Felix is ​​a pure mononuclear being; I remember every time I saw him, he was either eating or beating someone up.

This simple lifestyle is really hard to say how different it is from slime.

His only advantages are probably his fighting skills, good looks, and decent fashion sense.

I really don't know what those die-hard fans like about him.

"Hey, you're not serious, are you?" Felix stared wide-eyed at Vina with an incredulous expression.

It was clear that Wiener's serious comparison of Felix and the slime had taken a toll on him.

Yes, unless you kill a thousand or eight hundred slimes as a pledge of allegiance, that way you can be cleared of suspicion. Remember to use this.

Wiener took out a brand-new steel sword, fitted it with a rusty sheath, and handed it to Felix.

"Ugh, how ugly." Felix looked at the scrap metal in his hand and made a disgusted sound.

Felix, whose tastes have recently been spoiled by the Absolute Blade and who now possesses normal aesthetic sense, clearly no longer finds this weapon appealing.

Even if its quality surpasses that of the standard steel sword, the unnecessary addition of a rusted sheath is simply unacceptable.

The experimental rusted sleeve, hastily made from slag and rusty iron, could be described as colorful to put it nicely, but it was not much different from cauliflower to put it bluntly. Even Viner himself found it distasteful.

“It will be dyed before it goes into full production, so for now, we'll just have to make do with this,” Wiener explained.

The impact of quality on sales volume is even greater than that on sales performance, and a shrewd businessman will not stumble on this issue.

"Bring the Absolute Blade with you. This trial sword is only allowed to be used when encountering slimes. Only operate in the outer layer of the mine, and keep track of the number of slimes you destroy. If you sense danger or if the rusted sheath is worn down to almost nothing, retreat immediately."

“I have other things to do, so you’re the only one going into the dungeon this time. Be careful. You don’t need to collect the loot, and there are no other requirements. Just bring yourself and these two swords back safely,” Vena carefully instructed.

"Don't worry, don't worry, I'll take good care of myself," Felix nodded repeatedly.

Although Wiener's words were a bit long-winded, Felix could clearly feel the care in them.

To be honest, it felt pretty good; it gave him a long-lost feeling of being valued.

"If we hurry, we should be back before noon. This time, don't eat whatever you find on the ground like before," Viner gave as a final instruction.

To retract my earlier statement, Wiener can be quite annoying at times.

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