Victor of Tucson

Book 10: Chapter 10: Let Doubt Enter Their Hearts

Strength:

680 (780)

“Shit,” he muttered. “It's giving me a hundred strength!”

“Truly? That’s a significant boon for anyone, Victor! It’s quite fetching, too. You look regal but not in a foppish princeling sort of way. It will serve as excellent armor, too. I imagine it will be difficult to pry from your head if you don’t want it off.”

She reached down to pick up the impossibly heavy gauntlets, smiling as she weighed them in her hands. “Another strength boon, though not a direct boost; you won’t see this reflected on your System’s status sheet. These gauntlets will make it easier for you to lift, strike, and deflect. They’ll boost you beyond your natural means and would do so for anyone, though a person without a suitably robust skeletal structure would likely find themselves crippled by their power.”

“But I’m good? I already put them on once, and it seemed fine, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to wear them instead of my Sojourn gauntlet.”

“Oh yes. An epic-tier titan bloodline? You’ll be fine. As to your other concern, yes, these are far more potent than that lava whip of yours.” She handed the gauntlets to him, and Victor shrugged, stuffing his hands into them. As with the crown, he felt Energy infuse the bones of his hands and arms, flowing warmly through his shoulders and down his spine. The gauntlets hummed with power, the dark metal plates practically begging to be smashed into something.

Grinning, flexing his hands into fists and relaxing them, he nodded. “The leather under the plates is damn comfortable.”

“See how difficult it is to lift that aegis now!” Tes gestured to the heavy armor, and Victor obliged, reaching down to almost effortlessly hoist it up.

“It has a seam in the back; it’s designed to be easy to equip. Put your arms through here.” She showed him how the armor could be pulled apart on invisible hinges, and when he slid his arms through and pushed it closed around his torso, the seams magically disappeared, and the armor made itself snug to him; it felt amazing.

“I feel like a walking tank.”

“A tank?” She narrowed her eyes.

Victor tried to shrug, but the armor wouldn’t convey the gesture. “A heavy, armored piece of war equipment.”

“And the boots?” Tes asked, reaching down to pick up the black-scaled footwear. “Oh!” she gasped softly. “That dungeon Core was trying to make a friend of you! These boots are designed for Spirit or Death Casters. You should have an easier time Spirit Walking with them. Victor, you may be able to travel between worlds like your mentor!”

“Well, I’ll definitely give ’em a try, but I don’t think I want to risk getting lost right before my duel.” Victor was half-joking, but he had some serious concerns about trying to find his way between worlds, especially for the first time. He thought it might be wise to have Dar along until he properly understood how to find those pathways.

“Even so, you should wear them. They’re excellent armor, and your Sojourn set is a bust now that you have these other pieces. Perhaps you could gift it to one of your comrades.”

Victor nodded, taking the boots and walking through his chambers to his bedroom, where he could look into a full-length mirror. “You think I should wear this armor in my upcoming duel?” Staring at himself, he had to admit the set was badass. Everything was primarily black with different sorts of highlights, and the crown and aegis made him look more formidable, and…solid was maybe the right word. He looked like he could shrug off an avalanche.

The various enchantments did more than make him look tough, too. He felt the potential and strength buzzing through his bones and muscles. If he were a heavyweight before, he’d suddenly become a juggernaut. Tes hadn’t answered him right away, but she nodded as she came to stand beside him, looking into the mirror with him. “I would wear this armor in your future duels. It’s time to stop hiding what you are. It's time to give the champions of the great houses something to think about. Let doubt enter their hearts and fester there.”