There were no limits on the number or type of artifacts one could use in the duels, so long as they were wielded solely by the combatant. It was a rule that remained uncontested, not out of neglect, but because nearly all high-grade artifacts demanded immense power, focus, and synchronization. To use one was already a feat. Two? A challenge. More than that? Nearly impossible for all but the most gifted or monstrous magus.
And yet, Hephaestus—God of Smithing, master of celestial forges—stood as an exception.
A reinforced inner suit, monstrous gauntlets thick with glyphs, rune-etched greaves, a titanic cuirass that pulsed with molten energy, and the helmet. Together, they became something else entirely: a full-body exosuit, a war engine. A walking fortress.
