Chapter 47: The Armor’s Completion and a New Request
"Yeah… this turned out great."
Gantz spoke with satisfaction in his voice, his gaze fixed on Jin, who was now wearing the newly finished Mad Ant Queen light armor.
The armor’s base was made of dark brown leather, layered with matte-black chitin plates of varying sizes and shapes. From the helmet covering his head to the greaves on his legs, every piece shared the same unified design. The overall impression Jin gave was one of pure functional beauty.
Naturally, Jin’s face was all smiles. As he bent and stretched, rolling his shoulders, he savored the joy of testing the fit of his new gear.
"Jin-san, you look so cool!"
"Mm. Indeed, it’s quite a fine piece of work."
Rachel’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Jin, while Erza’s admiration was more directed at the armor itself.
"Haha, thanks. Gantz-san, really, thank you so much! This is incredible."
Normally, Jin would’ve been bashful at the praise, but this time he was far too elated for that. Smiling, he thanked both his companions for their reactions and Gantz for crafting such outstanding armor.
The light armor used Mad Bull leather for its inner lining, overlaid with armor plates made from the Mad Ant Queen’s processed carapace. The plates came in various sizes to balance protection and flexibility. Larger sections, such as the chest, used broad armor plates, while highly mobile areas, such as the abdomen, were fitted with softer leather and smaller plates, allowing for smoother movement. It was designed with agility prioritized over raw defense.
That said, the Mad Ant Queen’s carapace was both lightweight and remarkably durable, making the armor’s defensive capability exceptionally high for a light type. This new set included pieces for the head, torso, waist, arms, and legs — all crafted from the Mad Ant Queen’s materials.
"The left gauntlet’s been reinforced — thicker plating, with padding inside. It should work as a makeshift shield in a pinch."
Gantz explained. That was the modification he had mentioned earlier, the one he wanted extra time for. Originally, Gantz had planned to integrate a small sliding shield mechanism into Jin’s left arm so that he could still use a wooden sword two-handed even while equipped with a shield.
The concept was clever: the shield would slide upward to cover the back of his hand when needed, and slide back down when he needed more wrist freedom for two-handed combat. The switching mechanism could be triggered by a flick of the wrist. It was a perfect design for someone who considered a wooden sword his main weapon.
However, not long after, Jin’s mindset shifted, and he began prioritizing defense over offense. Considering his unique ability to remain uninjured and his role in future party battles, he decided it made more sense to use a full-sized shield for maximum protection. After discussing this change in combat style with Gantz, they agreed to abandon the small shield mechanism.
Though Jin had brought it up early enough not to cause trouble, he still felt guilty about wasting Gantz’s effort. Yet Gantz brushed it off, saying he appreciated Jin’s honesty in coming to talk about it right away. As a contingency, he instead proposed reinforcing the gauntlet itself. Jin had bowed deeply, genuinely grateful for his understanding.
"Ahh, seriously, this is perfect! Thank you again!"
Still in high spirits, Jin examined his left arm closely, rotating and flexing his wrist to test the movement. Both gauntlets extended from his elbows to the backs of his hands, but the left one was slightly bulkier and thicker. It couldn’t replace a full shield, of course, but it could easily deflect the fangs or claws of most beasts. The hand-plate was an independent piece, so his wrist remained fully mobile — he could handle both weapons and shields freely.
Jin was thoroughly satisfied, not just with the gauntlet but with every part of the armor’s craftsmanship.
He’d already visited Gantz several times for fine-tuning, but finally wearing the completed product filled him with a joy unlike any other. His grin was practically glued to his face, and he hadn’t stopped smiling since he’d put it on.
"Wahaha, I’m glad you’re that happy with it. The leftover materials — I can use those for the other two, right?"
"Yes. Make both of them chest guards to protect the heart, but if there’s not enough material, prioritize Erza since she’s the front-liner."
Still grinning, Jin replied while Gantz confirmed the arrangement with a satisfied nod.
Gantz had suggested using the remaining Mad Ant Queen’s shell to craft a large shield, but Jin decided instead to use it to reinforce the leather armor made from the Mad Boar mutant for Erza and Rachel. Since Erza was a frontliner and expected to take the brunt of enemy attacks, Jin figured that even armor made from mutant monster hide could use extra strengthening.
"Still, I can’t wait to see how our armor turns out," Erza said with a smile.
Rachel nodded with a matching grin.
The day they defeated the mutant, Jin and the others earned about two large gold coins each in reward. That very same day, they went to visit Gantz. After handing over the hide from the mutant, Jin asked him to craft armor for the two women. It was Rachel’s first time ordering custom gear—and Erza’s too. Seeing the quality of Jin’s light armor only raised their expectations even higher.
"Kukuku, this is what makes being a craftsman worth it. Well, leave it to me."
Gantz said, clearly pleased to be trusted with the task.
Once the armor orders were settled and Jin felt reassured about their equipment, he brought up another topic.
"Gantz-san, the other day I saw a shop selling weapons made from black iron and mithril. Do you ever work with those materials?"
Jin had been thinking about his weapon ever since their battle with the mutant—his steel spear hadn’t been able to pierce its hide. He knew it was time to upgrade.
"My shop mostly carries stuff for beginner adventurers. If someone brings in ore or materials, I can do a custom job like this time, but otherwise I rarely handle high-grade metals."
After retiring from adventuring, Gantz had opened a weapon and armor shop that mainly served F- to D-rank adventurers. Iron and steel were easier to get, but importing them from trade routes always raised costs because of transportation fees, making the gear too expensive for novices. By crafting and selling his own weapons, Gantz could offer high-quality gear at affordable prices. Having struggled himself as a beginner, he deliberately focused on helping newcomers.
"I see. I was hoping to get everything from you, but that’s a shame."
Even if he wanted to bring in the materials himself, he couldn't exactly go digging in a mine. Jin's face was a little downcast.
"Well… It’s not like I can’t do it."
"Huh?!"
Jin blinked in surprise at Gantz's reply.
"I’ve got a few connections. If it’s black iron, I can probably get my hands on some. So yeah, I could make it."
Jin’s face brightened immediately. He’d always preferred the sturdiness of black iron weapons over mithril ones anyway.
"But," Gantz added, "you’ll need to give me at least two or three weeks, and it’ll likely cost more than what that store charges. It’ll be top-quality since it’s custom-made, but time and money are the trade-offs. Still, a black iron spear shouldn’t cost more than two large gold coins."
"Please, do it!"
Jin said without hesitation. With the reward money in hand, cost wasn’t an issue. His eagerness this time even caught Gantz off guard.
"I’d also like the spearhead shaped more like a sword."
He was picturing a double-edged glaive. His current spear was designed for thrusting, not slashing—a flaw that had always bothered him. A custom order meant he could finally have a weapon that suited his fighting style perfectly.
Weapons that combined multiple functions, like a spear and sword in one, similar to a Western glaive or Japanese naginata, weren’t common in this world. They required mastery of several distinct combat skills, which few people possessed. Naturally, weapons like the one Jin envisioned weren’t something you’d ever find on a store shelf—they had to be custom-made.
"That’s interesting. So, something like this…?"
"Yeah, exactly—and then this part here…"
Fired up by the unusual design, Gantz’s blacksmith spirit blazed to life, while Jin’s eyes sparkled as he talked passionately about his favorite subject—weapons. The two became completely absorbed in their discussion, oblivious to Erza and Rachel watching them with amused smiles from the side.
"Seeing him like this is kind of… comforting, in a way," Erza murmured.
Normally, in this kind of situation, Erza might have been annoyed or even upset. But seeing Jin acting a little childish and different from his usual calm self somehow put her at ease.
"Hehe, he’s kind of cute like this."
Rachel said, chuckling softly. It was her first time seeing Jin like this, and it felt refreshing. Even though she no longer viewed him with the almost worshipful awe she once did, the sight made him feel much more human—closer, somehow. For the first time, she truly felt that they were the same age.
Of course, the reason both women could see him so fondly was that they already had warm feelings for him deep down.
"…Alright then, if Jin’s going to be stuck like that for a while, why don’t we go shopping instead?"
"Good idea! And after that, how about we stop by that sweets shop I heard about? Someone who came to the clinic the other day recommended it."
"Hehe, that actually sounds nice for a change. Let’s go."
"Yes!"
The two laughed, then headed off together to enjoy some girl time—just ordinary, age-appropriate fun.
Needless to say, Jin later realized he’d completely forgotten about them that day—and apologized to the two women over and over.
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