Reborn as an Extra Chapter 535: The Cube of Possibilities. Part-1.

Rio found himself intrigued by this specific weapon, as he recalled no mention of it within the pages of the original novel.

"The name suggests it has the power to interfere with fate or something similar... What kind of weapon is it exactly?"

In response to Rio’s inquiry, Kehrid shook his head and began to explain.

"I have never laid eyes upon it myself, but rumors say that the ’Origin’ bestows this weapon only upon those it deems truly worthy... Its appearance and the full extent of its powers remain a complete mystery to me..."

"Do not let the name fool you; many artifacts and weapons in this world are given deceptive titles on purpose. Furthermore, ’The Sword of Promised Destinies’ is merely a ’title,’ not its actual ’true name’..."

This was similar to how ’The Sword of Absolute Destruction’ possesses the ’true name’ of ’Vinash,’ which signifies ’destruction,’ yet ’Astra’ translates to ’weapon’ despite being a sword meant to ’save’ lives.

While ’Raksha’ means ’protection,’ the sword carries the title ’Cosmic Order,’ implying its purpose is not the protection of individuals but the safeguarding of the ’cosmic order’ itself.

Just as a person might hold various titles while possessing a vastly different name and personality, legendary weapons follow the same logic.

They are entities of immense power and overwhelming strength.

Their strength is so absolute that they are, in reality, ’unbreakable’ and ’indestructible.’

This durability was not crafted by Kehrid; rather, the manifestation of the ’laws’ of the ’world’ renders them ’indestructible.’ To shatter such legendary weapons, one would have to annihilate the specific ’law’ of the ’world’ that governs them!

"I wonder if it was the acquisition of the Sword of Promised Destinies that caused the bond between King Allen and ’Raksha’ to shatter..."

Rio voiced this speculation to Kehrid, who simply shrugged in response.

"Who can say for sure... It isn't as if I can perceive the thoughts of a ’sword,’ can I?"

"Regardless, you mentioned you were traveling to find a friend... Does that imply you entered the dwarf kingdom specifically seeking an artifact that functions as a ’compass’?"

Kehrid steered the conversation back to the primary topic, downing the remainder of his beer in a single gulp.

"Yes, I received information that I should seek out a blacksmith named Fabian near the ’Tower of Sea Gazers,’ who was supposed to provide the ’artifact’ for me..."

"Though I honestly have no idea what the artifact actually is..."

Since Rio had entered the dwarf nation through illegal means, he lacked the standing to request the artifact from the country's authorities.

Contacting any person of influence was also out of the question, as he risked severe consequences if his illegal entry was discovered.

’It’s a shame Lia took the little golem with her on her training mission, otherwise I could have entrusted him to Kehrid right now...’

Rio had intended to bring the sentient golem from the dragon valley to the dwarf kingdom, believing Kehrid would be an ideal guardian.

As an SS-ranker and a master smith, Kehrid was more than capable of looking after it. The only obstacle was that Lia had taken the golem with her.

’Sigh... I wonder when my adorable Lia will return~~~’

While Rio was lost in thoughts of his beautiful girlfriend, Kehrid retrieved a peculiar, square-shaped object from his space ring.

"The artifact you seek is this, the ’Cube of Possibilities’!"

"That fool Fabian was once my apprentice; he unfortunately perished during a perilous experiment a few years back. This artifact has remained in my possession ever since..."

A heavy sadness settled into Kehrid’s voice as he spoke of the past.

"He was a gifted student with a bright future; sadly, he lacked the necessary talent as an awakener..."

The journey to becoming a ’master smith’ in this world is incredibly grueling; it requires not only the mastery of complex technologies and skills but also exceptional talent as an awakener.

The title of ’Master Smith’ is reserved solely for those who reach rank SS within their lifetime and successfully forge artifacts of SS-level or higher.

Many individuals perish while attempting to walk this thorny path of suffering and hardship.

Some fall short due to a lack of talent, others due to a lack of effort, and some simply buckle under the intense pressure.

While every blacksmith dreams of forging legendary weapons, the road to such an achievement is fraught with difficulty.

’It’s no wonder ’Vinash’ guided me here and my instincts led me to Kifrid; without meeting this kid, I never would have located the artifact I needed...’

’The mission would have been a failure by now...’

Rio had no room for error or second chances; time was slipping away, and every delay made the prospect of saving Liam’s life more unlikely.

Nearly half a year had passed since the ’Chronos Incident,’ and the probability of rescuing Liam had already plummeted to less than one percent.

The information Ashtel had gathered was decades old; much can change over such a long duration.

"Uh, I am truly sorry for your loss... However, I desperately need that artifact to save my friend. Tell me your price; if you wish, I can help you establish contact with the human nation, and anything you require will be provided..."

Rio wouldn't dream of trying to steal from an SS-ranker, nor did he wish to offend Kehrid, who had already been helpful by explaining his sword’s history. He was fully prepared to offer fair compensation for the item.

Upon hearing Rio’s offer, Kehrid exhaled a weary sigh and used telekinesis to place the ’Cube’ on the table before Rio.

"It is not that I am unwilling to part with it... but this artifact is exceptionally dangerous..."

"This is ’The Cube of Possibilities.’ Its main purpose is to guide you toward ’possibilities’ that can grant your ’wishes’..."

Kehrid’s gaze sharpened as he continued his explanation.

"But do not mistake this for a benevolent tool; it was once used by the ’Previous Demon King’! King Allen claimed it after slaying the ’Demon King’ and gave it to me as payment for the powerful swords I forged for him..."

With another heavy sigh, Kehrid added,

"This artifact is highly unusual; I suspect it has been corrupted by some form of miasma. Anyone who keeps it near for too long eventually loses their mind..."

"I have lent this artifact to many who sought my help; most met their end after being led toward horrific ’possibilities’..."

"This led me to the conclusion that the artifact’s true power is directing a person toward their most deep-seated ’wish’..."

Rio’s eyes narrowed as he processed Kehrid’s warning.

He grasped the blacksmith's point: every person harbors numerous desires, but deep within everyone lies a hidden wish that might be selfish or entirely detached from reality.

If those hidden desires find a medium like this cube to manifest as a ’possibility,’ the consequences for the user could be catastrophic.