“Hm?”
Hulim froze, then felt a strong sense of danger coming from her right.
“D...e...tect... E...lim...inate......”
A Golem with only half its tattered body lay among the ruins. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Hulim, and a white light flickered in the palm of its remaining right hand, aiming straight at her.
Boom!
In the next instant, a beam of light shot from the Golem’s hand, hurtling directly toward Hulim.
Clang!
Just as the beam was about to hit her, it was blocked by a suddenly appearing black sword.
Against the powerful attack, the black sword remained unscathed. It even emanated a faint white glow, shielding Hulim completely from the aftershocks.
Boom——!
A figure plummeted from the sky, landing squarely on the tattered Golem. Under the terrifying force, the already broken Golem was reduced to dust......
After dealing with the straggler, Charkin looked up at Hulim—or more precisely, at the sword in her hand.
“This sword......”
A thoughtful look crossed his face.
......
Crackle~! Pop~!
At night, under the vast starry sky of Myrnabyss, a bonfire crackled, occasionally sending sparks flying.
Hulim and Charkin sat around the fire, roasting their dinner.
The two Shieldhorn Beasts, loaded with luggage, lay nearby, resting quietly.
“......That sword—it’s a Demon Sword, isn’t it?”
Charkin voiced his curiosity.
“Yes. Its name is Helkem.”
Hulim didn’t hide anything and replied directly.
“Helkem?! ” Charkin’s eyes lit up with excitement the moment he heard the name. “Really?! It’s the legendary Demon Sword!”
“Can I see it? Please! It’s my lifelong request!”
“Uh...... Of course. But Charkin, your request is pretty cheap......”
Hulim handed Helkem to Charkin.
Ignoring her teasing, Charkin hugged the sword to his chest and examined it carefully. Even in the dark, his eyes seemed to shine with excitement.
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“Oh~~, so this is~~ the legendary Demon Sword~, Helkem~!”
“This curve~, this design~, this material~—perfection~!”
“I can barely hold back......”
Charkin stroked Helkem, letting out excited murmurs.
Hulim silently sighed to herself.
Lucky we’re in the wilderness—otherwise, your reputation would be ruined......
After a long while, Charkin reluctantly returned Helkem to Hulim.
“Truly worthy of a legendary sword—absolutely perfect......”
“Hulim, thank you. For a blacksmith, there’s no greater joy than seeing the supreme goal of a lifetime right in front of you. If there is one, it’s forging such a treasure with your own hands.”
As Hulim put Helkem away, she replied:
“You’re welcome, Charkin. But......”
“Charkin, do you want to forge a Demon Sword?”
“I do.”
Charkin nodded.
“I don’t think there’s a blacksmith in the world who wouldn’t......”
“Hulim, I know I just hammer iron in a small blacksmith shop, but to toot my own horn—I’m probably the best blacksmith in the Parasara Empire.”
“Really?! Charkin, you’re that amazing?!”
Hulim was shocked. Suddenly, she remembered what Alicia had said before leaving Langard.
So that’s what she meant by “Master Charkin”......
“Amazing? I wouldn’t go that far......”
Charkin shook his head.
“Huh? But if you’re the strongest blacksmith in the empire, isn’t that amazing?”
“Hulim, don’t limit your horizons. You need to look further. While I’m somewhat skilled in this era, I’m still far behind the true masters of the past!”
“An outstanding blacksmith who can be remembered through the ages can forge the world’s most top-tier treasures—namely, Demon Swords.”
Charkin glanced at Helkem, which Hulim had put away.
“The Demon Sword Helkem you wield is said to have been personally forged by Soto, the God of War and Forging, the strongest blacksmith in the world, in ancient times. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the most powerful Demon Swords in the world!”
“Huh?! ”
Hulim stared at Helkem in surprise.
“Helkem was forged by a god......”
“Forging a Demon Sword like Helkem and becoming the world’s most outstanding blacksmith—that’s my dream.”
Charkin continued,
“However, I’m still a long way from forging a Demon Sword......”
“But! I know I will succeed!”
Charkin’s gaze hardened, filled with fighting spirit.
“I’ve decided—I’ll collect as much Fire Dragon Stone as possible!”
“？”
Hulim asked in confusion:
“What does that have to do with Fire Dragon Stone?”
“Hm? Right...... I never told you. I’m here to collect Fire Dragon Stone specifically to try forging a Demon Sword.”
“You’re already trying? But isn’t this too troublesome? You had to travel so far just for materials.”
“Huh?” Charkin froze, then laughed. “Haha, Hulim, you misunderstood.”
“How could that little blacksmith shop in Langard be used to forge a Demon Sword? That place is just where I think about forging ideas. When I’m serious about forging something, I find another location.”
“Fire Dragon Stone is found near the underground hot rivers of Myrnabyss. There are many natural forges there—perfect for forging a Demon Sword.”
“See—”
Charkin held up his warhammer and waved it.
“I even brought my tools, ready to start forging right there.”
“......”
So this hammer wasn’t just for self-defense......
......
After some more days,
Hulim and Charkin began to venture deeper into the Mountains of Myrnabyss.
The path grew increasingly rugged—or rather......
There was no path at all!
Almost no one set foot here, so naturally, there were no roads.
Fortunately, the Shieldhorn Beasts could adapt to all terrains, and climbing mountains was no trouble for them.
Moreover, compared to the difficult terrain, the main reason for the slow progress was the increasingly powerful and frequent enemies they encountered......
Boom——!!!
A huge explosion echoed through the mountains.
Thick smoke rose from an ancient city ruin built into the mountain.
“These iron lumps are relentless!!! ”
From time to time, Charkin’s complaints rang out from the ruin, followed by......
“Warning! Intruder det...ected......”
“Detect this, scrap metal!”
Boom!
After a while,
the continuous explosions stopped.
At last, the ancient city ruin fell silent......
