"But I am happy to see that you are a bit cheerful now," the Ancient One said.
"Uh... I have some amazing friends that have allowed me to take a breather," Liam replied. After he had decided to rely on his friends for the next journey, he had really let himself go a bit.
"I am glad to know that," the Ancient One said. Liam didn't talk anymore as he got up to leave for home. Before he left the chamber, the Ancient One said,
"I am sorry too for stopping you that day, but I couldn't let other parties wage war here."
"I comprehend the reason entirely. If I were not ignorant, I would not have even brought out those Blades," Liam replied. She nodded and waved him goodbye, and Liam did the same.
"He is probably going to come back more powerful than ever," the Ancient One mumbled. She didn't have any clue how Liam was able to gain abilities, and it also stumped her that she couldn't watch his future. But she knew that this person had a good heart, and that was all that mattered to her.
The team had come to the tower. Tony Stark lounged on the couch while the others talked among themselves. The Avengers, as Fury liked to call them, weren't the only members present in the room. Pepper was petting Fenrir. Since Liam wasn't allowed to take items or powers from his game worlds, it included Fenrir too. He actually wanted to give Fenrir to his parents, but Fenrir needed more space, which Pepper would be able to provide as she knew what kind of wolf Fenrir was.
So in the end, Liam had decided to give Fenrir to Pepper. Of course, it didn't mean that for the next three years, he would spend 24/7 in the game world, but Liam would spend most of the time there. And so would his friends. Liam then proceeded to summon several large, cloth-wrapped bundles.
"What's in the bundles, Santa?" Tony quipped. "Don't tell me you've gone into the gift-giving business."
"You could say that. I've been working on something for all of you."
"Something useful, I hope?" Natasha said as she arrived, ready with Antonia, who at the moment was downstairs with Happy eating ice cream.
"Oh, it's useful," Liam replied. "I know you've all got your gear, but I figured you might appreciate something... extra, specifically for the trial."
He pulled the cloth off the first bundle, revealing a gleaming set of armor. It shimmered faintly in the light, appearing both metallic and ethereal. The silver gleam of mithril was unmistakable, but there were darker streaks of other alloys embedded within the design, giving it a unique, layered look. The runes etched into the plates glowed faintly.
"This," Liam began, "is armor I've crafted from mithril and other alloys. Mithril for its lightweight durability, mixed with alloys I forged to enhance its resistance to damage—whether it's swords, arrows, or even magical attacks."
"Are we going to Middle-earth or something?" Clint couldn't help but get excited.
"Much bigger than that," Liam replied.
"And you just whipped this up in your spare time? No big deal?" Natasha said.
"It's been a project of mine. Took some time, but I wanted to make sure it was worth it."
"This is incredible craftsmanship. And the runes?" Steve investigated the armor.
"They imbue the armor with defensive properties. They'll absorb a portion of incoming magical energy, which will give you some protection against spells or enhanced attacks," Liam explained.
"How effective is it?"
"It can take a direct sword strike or an arrow without a scratch, and magical attacks will lose a significant portion of their power on impact. I tested it myself. Believe me, it holds up," Liam said.
"No offense, but can't we just use guns?" Natasha said.
"It will be effective against humans, for sure. But for monsters? Only head severing would guarantee that the monsters had died. But of course, on some monsters, silver bullets would be helpful," Liam said.
"Wait. We're up against humans too? I thought it was just monsters," Tony asked.
"Tony, what did you think the trial was? A game world where you will fight monsters day and night? No. For the next period of time, you will have to blend into a medieval society plagued by wars, monsters, and things one can't even imagine. And as we all know, humans are the worst," Liam said.
"I thought the trial was some kind of Mario hopping over to save the princess," Tony admitted. Liam could only roll his eyes. He actually didn't want to include his friends when the game world was first given to him, but then the mission came to influence the world. Since he wasn't the protagonist anymore, he was given a separate mission.
Influence the world, and the more influence there was, the better the evaluation by the end. It was as if the system was forcing him to ask for help. Though he would carry much less burden, it would open problems that he wasn't ready to handle yet.
It was after much contemplation that he was even allowing his friends to come and help.
Liam moved on to the second bundle, unveiling sleek silver swords. Each blade gleamed in the light, the edges razor-sharp. Intricate runes ran along the flats of the blades, glowing faintly in colors that shifted from icy blue to fiery red. The hilts were simple yet elegant, designed for a perfect grip.
"These," Liam said, lifting one of the swords, "are silver swords infused with magic. The runes enhance their sharpness and durability, and they also give the blades elemental properties. You can channel fire, ice, or lightning through the sword with a little focus."
"I've gotta admit, this is a step up from your average hardware store machete. What's the catch?"
"The catch is to kill the monsters with these before they can kill you. Silver swords are the only thing that could actually wound them. It is also the reason why I told you to coat both of our armors in silver because it disgusts the monsters."
"What kind of hellish trial is this, that we need silver?" Steve murmured.