Episode 32 Preparation (7)
Saturday morning dawned bright.
Sleeping in and out is my usual weekend routine, but today my body woke up on its own.
Today was the day to go find Murasame, who had been entrusted to the blacksmith for smelting.
‘at las.’
A whistle filled with excitement came out of my mouth naturally, and my heart swelled with excitement the whole time I was preparing to go out.
I have been using Daiso sashimi as my weapon so far.
It was called a weapon, but in reality it was just a tool made of iron brought to avoid punishment, so receiving the first proper weapon was an emotional experience.
In addition, the only stat that has not increased in the status window so far is ‘Armed Force’. Perhaps we can get a hold of the thread of the questionable ‘Sword God’s Protection’.
Of course, this is just a guess, and right now I don’t want to worry about Gaho.
The gist of my excitement was that there was no gift more valuable to a swordsman than a new sword.
Sigh- A laugh escaped my lips.
At least until we reached the blacksmith shop.
“… Oh, that’s… Oh, right. That’s too bad. I couldn’t help it.”
“… … .”
A blacksmith who scratches the back of his neck and conveys deep comfort.
The heat of the forge added to the redness of his face, making it as red as a ripe tomato.
“I said I worked hard, but this is the first time I’ve ever experienced something like this. I’ve been eating rice balls for nearly 30 years, but this has never happened to me. Some kind of piece of iron split in half with a single blow of a hammer. It was as if the sword itself refused to be refined. For a moment, it seemed like the sword was alive, you know? So I hurriedly made a mold, melted the iron, and refined it, and this is what happened. Even so, if a decent blacksmith had handled it, it wouldn’t have been able to form a weapon and would have just been a lump of iron. Since it’s me, this is what it is. Yeah, that’s what it is, hahaha!”
“… … .”
The blacksmith burst into a cheerful laughter and handed over the ‘murasame’ which had been transformed into a small sashimi knife.
A smooth reddish-brown wooden hilt, a blade wrapped with rope that acts as a scabbard.
The smooth blade with a cool energy flowing through the knot was coated with warm oil and had a glossy sheen.
The craftsmanship itself shows the craftsman’s touch, one by one. Even from the perspective of a knife sharpener who has 20 years of experience in cutting sashimi and has cut many kinds of sashimi, it is clear that this is a knife that shows true skill.
As the blacksmith said, it seems like he did his best… … .
The moment I received the weapon, the image of the spear appearing on my retina was so absurd that it made me burst out laughing.
== ==
[Murasame (Raindrops)]
Type: Sashimi
Description: This sword was called the ‘dew-covered sword’. It has been reborn as a carbon steel sword with the know-how of a craftsman. Although it is small in size, its performance may vary depending on the user?
Specifications: “Blade length – 35 cm”, “Width – 6 cm”
Traits: 「Destruction Power – C」, 「Range – E」, 「Hardness – E」, 「Growth – A」
Grade: (E) ~ (?)
== ==
‘What the fuck.’
What on earth did they do to the alternate weapon that turned a B-class weapon into an E-class weapon, and that too a sword? I’ve never experienced anything like this, not even when I played ‘Miracle Protection M’.
At that time, it was only a step or two down.
It wasn’t even Bitcoin in a bear market, and the grades that slid down were chilling. What’s more, the shape is like sashimi after all. I don’t know if it was a coincidence or fate, but in the end, it’s sashimi again.
‘… … .’
The blacksmith who smelted and forged the Murasame would have naturally noticed something strange.
The reason I was sweating profusely was not because of the heat of the blacksmith’s shop.
As I looked down at Murasame with a blank look, the blacksmith rubbed the bridge of his nose and patted my back.
When I turned my head and glared sharply at him, he flinched back as if he felt a fierce sensation.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would turn out like this. Seriously! I tried my best, but I guess the original form and the current form didn’t go together well.”
Is it okay to just apologize and take a piece of B-class weapon instead of paying the cost? You made weapons worth hundreds of millions into the lowest-grade weapons at a tenth of the price.
‘Should I ring?’
As Murasame’s first attack, he tried to draw blood on the blade, but then lowered his head and sighed deeply.
After shaking his head vigorously to cool down the heat that had risen to the crown of his head, he slowly began to examine Murasame.
The craftsmanship of the hilt is excellent. The specifications also match the specifications of the guardian perfectly, and since it is a B-class weapon, the destructive power of the sword is also decent.
The distance is something that should have been given up on when catching the sashimi. However, it was a shame that the hardness was the lowest grade.
Even though it was an E-rank, it was a weapon in name only, so it could cut down most things, but it wasn’t like I went through all that trouble during the midterm exam just to chop up a piece of wood. Still, I had to go for the normal attack. It was not hard enough to cut down the sturdy demons.
“ha…….”
The only encouraging thing was the growth potential. To be honest, I was curious why the growth potential was so conspicuously high.
While I was lost in thought, the blacksmith approached me, stroking his blackened beard, and said:
“To tell you the truth, I feel uneasy about handing over this weapon after 30 years of blacksmithing. However, the weapon itself has great potential, so it will definitely be useful if you reinforce it. It may be a bit pretentious to say that it is an apology, but if you just bring the reinforcement materials, I will not charge you my reinforcement fee.”
I looked at the blacksmith. His eyes were not lying. Looking at those eyes, the anger that had been rising in my chest calmed down a little.
If the growth potential is as high as A, then the potential of the weapon is at least A-class, and if you’re lucky, it’ll be S-class. Isn’t that a really mouth-watering offer that’s hard to refuse?
However, I was concerned about the supply of reinforcement materials. The main source of reinforcement materials was the demons.
Even if you defeat a group of lower-level demons like the Merman, you will get materials, but when you strengthen once, you will have to defeat hundreds of lower-level demons.
In contrast, the higher the grade of the high-level demon derivative material, the more likely it is that there will be around seven or eight of them.
If you look at efficiency, it ultimately comes down to subduing higher-level demons to reduce wasted time.
Moreover, as is always the case with mass-produced domestic mobile games, there is a natural possibility of failure, so in reality, only one choice is forced.
There is a special strengthening material that makes it absolutely fail-proof… … but since the material comes from a demon, I’ve completely ruled out that possibility.
It’s not something I can risk my life for just strengthening one weapon. I’m just trying to survive, so I can’t put my life on the line.
After thinking about it, I reluctantly nodded.
“…I promise.”
“Yes, I promise on my blacksmith’s honor.”
The blacksmith burst into hearty laughter and pounded his chest with his gloved hands. I stared at him blankly for a moment before spreading out my palms.
“That’s that. Please give me back about half of the remaining price of the iron scrap after refining.”
“…what?”
The blacksmith’s eyes were gently curved. I tilted my head to the side and asked again.
“Did you really intend to make weapons like this and charge a fair price for them?”
“No, I made it just as you ordered, and I said I wouldn’t charge you for the reinforcement fee!”
“If I sell the remaining scrap metal, I’ll get a few thousand. How about exactly 10 million won, no more, no less? I’m not very well off, so I’m a bit short on money. This much would be a lot.”
“What kind of kid is this! Look at this guy, he’s going to try and slap an adult?!”
A blacksmith who shouts. He was born a businessman, so he can’t just let things go if the calculations don’t add up. I let out a dry laugh and locked the latch of the blacksmith’s shop door tightly.
Sling!
Then, he began to gently untie the rope while caressing the paulownia tree that was wrapped tightly around his palm.
Thanks to the protection of the swordsman, his personality changed and his sense of reason became calm and tranquil.
“You, you punk! What are you doing?!”
The blacksmith’s eyes shook violently.
“I had to check the performance anyway. This is a good thing.”
He approached slowly, a sneer on his lips. Perhaps because this was only the second time since the Knox incident, he had become quite adept at intimidation.
“Then how about half of that, 500? Even the scrap metal of a B-class weapon has a different market price, so it’ll be hard to even recover the principal, really!”
As if he sensed something was wrong, the blacksmith stuttered and bent his back, which had been standing upright. I took another step forward, gently untying Murasame’s rope.
“Wow, eight hundred! No more!”
The blacksmith suggested a price by extending his fingers one by one, but I approached him in silence.
As I stood at the foot of the sword, the rope that had been wrapped around the blade came off with a swoosh. The white blade showed its teeth, and a familiar phrase rang in my ears.
[The level of the weapon slightly increases.]
[Use force to start syncing to suit the user.]
Jiiing―
[The protection of the Sword God is manifested.]
A bitter silence flowed through the blacksmith shop.
“… … .”
“… … .”
Gulp – Gulp
A loud gurgling sound was heard.
“cloth.”
“Oh, I see… yes.”
* * *
A panoramic view of the conference room, which is surprisingly spacious but luxurious.
Five men sat around a round table with numbers on them and began to question Elder Claude, who had been given a polite slap in the face.
“…Elder Claude, you acted without consulting our elders at all. This time, you went too far.”
“I agree with that statement. This is clearly an act of disrespect, Elder Claude.”
His speech was polite, but his eyes were cold.
It was because during the midterm exam, Claude unilaterally attacked Leon’s group.
But the reason they were complaining like this was not because they were worried about the safety of the cadets.
“Isn’t this something you all actually agreed on?”
“Does that mean we’re sending mines? Even though we signed a ceasefire agreement, they are clearly our enemies.”
“Is this the time to be picky about what’s hot and what’s cold? We need to deal with these troublemakers as soon as possible, that’s what I’m saying, damn it!”
Cladi slammed his fist on the table and became angry.
“Your voice is too loud, Claude.”
“… Ah, I’m sorry, Elder. I made you look bad.”
An old man with a thick scar engraved on his face. When the elder frowned, Claudy sat back down, feeling embarrassed.
“Well, then I’ll say it again.”
Claudia gulped down the premium mineral water in a glass, cleared her throat, and continued speaking.
“Dear Senators, this is not something to be taken lightly. Think about it. Didn’t that Median expell all of our people from the Academy just ten years ago? But she herself thought it was time to bring the Inquisitor into the Academy.”
“But what does that have to do with what you said earlier, that we need to investigate the cadet Ganggeommaran?”
“The principal is blocking information from us under the pretext of protecting that special student. It’s as if he’s trying to hide something.”
“Tell me in detail what you are hiding.”
The elder who had been listening silently asked in a sharp tone. Claude opened her mouth again, clenching her slightly trembling hands.
“You also saw the video of the class placement test, didn’t you? Do you think it’s possible that that swordsmanship is the work of a mere cadet? I’m a veteran of the academy, but I’ve never seen such swordsmanship in my life. I think that this is clearly an unconventional cadet.”
“… Ahem.”
Five people recalled the test in their heads.
In just a few seconds, the movement of the body that was severing the throats of the genius twins was just like that of a ghost holding a sword.
Although the academy is filled with many geniuses, this was something that was on a different track and could not possibly be considered the work of a minor.
The cross-eyed elder wearing an eye patch asked Claude.
“So what areas should I investigate?”
“He is an unidentified special student. It is only natural that his origins are mysterious. Who knows, maybe the candidate for the warrior is that special student?”
“…Isn’t the candidate for the warrior Leon van Reinhardt?”
“Isn’t that guy still a half-penny who hasn’t even properly displayed his protection? Respected Elder, the warrior’s disposition is unavoidable anyway. The Seven Star Heroes are already causing headaches, and now the warrior! We should prevent and track him down in advance.”
“… … .”
The elder is quietly closing his eyes while his hands are clasped on the round table. In the end, the judgment of the elders is his. After all, the other elders did not offer any objections to the elder’s words.
Claude took on the role of the dean of the academy, the most sensitive corner of the elders’ group.
After Media took office, the influence of the Elders decreased somewhat.
No matter how much they are the five elders of the Joaquin Academy, in this world, they need to have a justification and force to speak out.
Even though they have gone beyond the academy and are now in the political and financial worlds, they also lose their appeal in the face of the prestigious name of ‘Chilseong’. Since Media took office as the academy director, the current status of the elder group has been to only occasionally apply the brakes.
But while they were already feeling intimidated by the Chilseong Hero, a hero candidate suddenly appeared.
The Elders needed a public enemy, the Demon King, to maintain their power.
Because the Demon King existed, the public was obedient to the words of the heroes, or more precisely, the nobles, who were the forces that kept the Demons in check.
If one public enemy disappears, not only will the elders face a backlash, but the very foundation of the ‘nobility’ will collapse.
The elders, who were skilled in agitation and fabrication, knew better than anyone that an army without its enemies was worthless.
Therefore, the warrior was someone who had to be expelled from the elders.
Claude opened her mouth again.
“The ones most needed by humanity are our elders, who lead the dull masses and strive to maintain balance. Look at us after the 6th Corps Commander Basmon was defeated. The world only looks up to the Seven Star Heroes, and we are treated as old men in the back room!”
“… … .”
No one opened their mouths, but everyone present agreed with those words in silence.
“Even now, what if we are warriors? Our very existence as leaders of the people will be in danger. Elder, I dare ask you to entrust us to Auditore.”
The blindfolded elder wrinkled his brow as the word ‘Auditore’ came out.
“I don’t think those guys who like to argue about justifications would accept a request without any justification, Elder Claudy.”
“If the elder himself speaks, it will be difficult to ignore them, no matter what the justification. To be frank, they may be called the family of order and all, but in the end, they are just Baekjeong bastards.”
“Ahem, I agree with that. As nobles, we are a race without elegance or grace.”
“If they refuse, isn’t there a way to do it? Elder, please use your wisdom.”
After finishing her long speech, Claudia stroked her chest and tried to calm her pounding heart as much as possible.
I know it’s just speculation and nonsense, but what can I say when my life is at stake?
It wasn’t that I was afraid of becoming a fuse in the hands of that sinister schoolmistress.
Claude was also one of the senior members of the Academy. It wasn’t because of one woman that he was trying so hard to persuade the senior members.
There was someone else he truly feared. A devil too terrifying to even mention.
‘Commander of the Demon King’s 5th Army, Agor.’
If I don’t do something here… I’d be better off begging for death.
Thinking about it like that, the blood flowing through his veins felt cold. Claudie shivered and focused his gaze back on the elder.
Soon, the elder opened his eyes halfway and opened his mouth softly.
“Contact the Auditore family.”
