Chapter 18 – Journey (4)

“Aren’t they the equipment you worked so hard to make, old man?”

To break the weapons all of a sudden. Adel’s eyes widened, and Veloc asked with a dumbfounded face.

“It doesn’t matter.”

With an indifferent expression, Luke pulled out one of the displayed swords and handed it to Veloc. A snug grip and proper balance.

The moment he held it, he knew immediately. It was a masterpiece far superior to the weapons brought from Roben. It was indeed worthy of being called a skill to compete with dwarven craftsmen.

Moving swords and several suits of armor out of the warehouse with his thick arms, Luke said,

“I mean to see your swordsmanship. Didn’t you ask me to make equipment to kill demons?”

“That’s right.”

Veloc and Adel, who were watching him, also helped him move the dusty equipment outside.

Luke began to line up the brought equipment on the ground or tie them to trees using ropes.

“After hearing your words, I have something roughly in mind. But it is questionable whether you can handle it. That… even in my opinion, is a truly crazy weapon.”

Having finished speaking, Luke chuckled. His smile was sinister, but his eyes looking at Veloc were full of silent heat and anticipation.

Luke continued speaking again.

“So I need certainty. I must see it with my own eyes. Starting from your strength, your ability to handle weapons, your body movements. Point. Especially strength is the most important.”

What on earth was he planning to make? Veloc hid his rising curiosity and managed to keep his mouth shut.

This was because this game world, which had become reality, did not just consist of a few simple texts and polygon lumps, but operated in a more detailed manner.

The faint anxiety about where the future changed by demons would lead him also played a part.

So, just holding the sword Luke gave him, he began to slice the equipment into pieces as instructed.

Whoosh—

When the sword was swung with a whistling sound, the result was one of two. Either the sword he held broke, or the equipment set aside for the experiment broke.

Whether plate armor, a thick battleaxe, or a mace, it broke into pieces without exception once it passed through Veloc’s hands.

At some point, Luke also told him to bend or strike the iron pieces with his bare hands. Naturally, they broke under Veloc’s monstrous strength.

“Hahaha. Now I see how you caught the troll, it is indeed monstrous strength! Yes, if it’s this much…!”

Even though the weapons he had put his heart and soul into making were being smashed, Luke showed no sign of dislike.

No, rather, he clapped his hands while spraying saliva. His gaze was also gradually heating up.

‘Is he truly crazy?’

Catching his breath at that enthusiastic support, Veloc felt rather disgruntled. He also wondered what if this blacksmith worked them hard later, asking for the price of the equipment.

Finally, when the last weapon produced broke with a clink, Luke shouted loudly,

“Excellent! At least there won’t be any trouble with your back giving out while swinging it! I’m going into work starting now. My blood is boiling for the first time in a while!”

With those words as the end, Luke grabbed a mountain-like pile of iron ore and quickly entered his workshop.

What remained was the knight and squire standing in bewilderment, and a yard messed up with shattered equipment.

Adel looked at Luke’s retreating figure with a fed-up gaze.

“As expected, he is not sane. That old man…”

Veloc also understood her feeling. Would it feel like this to destroy expensive computer parts or cars with one’s own hands?

At this moment, there was one saying that came to mind.

“They say there is a paper-thin difference between a genius and a madman.”

Muttering to himself, Veloc cleaned up the armor pieces and fragments rolling on the ground. Adel also silently lent a hand.

Indeed, his actions were certainly those of a madman, but for some reason, it felt like an enormous result would come out.

The sound of hammering iron never ceased in Luke’s log cabin. The work continued from morning to night, and the old blacksmith’s face grew emaciated day by day.

Yet, contrary to that, his gaze shone brighter and brighter. Later on, he even emitted colorful light from his eyes like magicians practicing strange sorcery.

Perhaps because of Luke’s immense momentum, Veloc and Adel could not bring themselves to ask about the progress of the work. It seemed that urging him would rather ruin the job.

No, a hammer might fly at them instead. So, they waited silently without even entering the workshop.

Wandering around the nameless mountain, they hunted some wild beasts and also hunted monsters like goblins and kobolds.

They also killed a few fearless human bandits who smelled human scent. Later, when their comrades came to take revenge, they killed them even more miserably.

Once they cut off their limbs and displayed their heads impaled on spear shafts, no one approached them anymore.

“It is already the first month. When will it end?”

Adel swept the ladle in the hearth as if bored. Then, she added some sliced beast meat and herbs gathered from the mountain.

After adding some spices brought from Roben and adjusting the seasoning, a quite plausible Medieval Land-style stew was completed.

Setting the table on the log table, the two soon ate the stew. Closing his eyes to savor the taste, Veloc said,

“If only a little MSG or Dasida were added, it would be really great.”

“What is that again?”

The consistent squire, Adel, steadily showed interest even when her master said incomprehensible things from time to time.

Veloc pondered how to explain this, then opened his mouth.

“It’s a drug. If you add it, anything becomes delicious.”

“Is it like Demon Grass? But hasn’t the church banned that by law… saying it corrupts and destroys the human mind.”

“Ah. So, it is a drug, but not a real drug. It just means it’s that addictive…”

“Is it like the Gukbap you talked about before? Come to think of it, when are you going to make Gukbap for me?”

As the squire remembered the words he had just thrown out in the past, Veloc scratched his head.

He might have to slaughter a pig sometime soon. While chatting and eating like that, the door of the log cabin slammed open.

Veloc and Adel turned their heads. Luke stood at the entrance, his back slouched deeply.

At his appearance like a dead person brought back to life from the graveyard, Adel stretched out the spoon held in her hand and cried,

“W-What! Are you alive?!”

“It is complete…”

Adel, who did not hear Luke’s muttering, asked again,

“What did you say?”

“The equipment…”

With those words as his last, Luke collapsed onto the wooden floor. Veloc hurriedly stood up and supported him. He was light.

What on earth had he made? Over the past month, the old man had lost his robust muscles and stature, and had shriveled like a balloon.

“Are you all right?”

“Go. Go and… try swinging it.”

Luke chuckled, his beard twitching.

“I have truly… completed a monster. I don’t know if I should call it a sword even though I made it. But one thing is certain. As long as you swing it properly, no demon, monster, or even an ogre would dare to withstand a single blow.”

With those words, Luke shut his eyes tight.

“Hey. Old man. Are you all right?!”

“Did he kick the bucket?”

Veloc lightly tapped Luke’s cheeks. Adel placed her finger near the old man’s nose. Nasal breath was felt.

Soon, a soft snoring sound was heard. Adel said with a dumbfounded face,

“I think he fell asleep.”

“Just what did he make…”

A shape as if he had carved his very soul into it, like Munch’s screaming figure.

After carrying Luke to the bedroom, the two soon headed to his workshop with half anticipation and half fear.

Sizzle, sizzle—

Although the owner had disappeared, the furnace was still emitting its heat. Sparks splattered with a crack, hitting the equipment Luke had made.

Whether they were made for Adel, a curved sabre and an axe were visible. Two suits of plate armor, looking like works of art with black and white exquisitely harmonized, were also visible.

But at this moment, none of that came into view.

The gazes of the two were staring intently at only one spot.

Just what should that be called? A sword? A mace? An axe? Or just a simple chunk of iron plate?

No, can a human even swing such a thing in the first place?

The two stood blankly for a long time, gazing at Luke’s masterpiece.

“What… such a simple thing.”

Adel uttered an honest impression as she looked at the greatsword, which was as tall as her height.

Veloc also stammered. He had asked him to make a weapon to catch demons. Just what did this old man make?

“Butcher.”

At the voice heard from behind, the two flinched and turned around.

Having woken up at some point, Luke was leaning against the doorframe, looking at the greatsword.

With disheveled hair, standing with the sun behind his back and eyes shining, he looked like a ghost.

“When I first heard your ridiculous requirements, I pondered repeatedly. A blade is ultimately a consumable item.

The more it cuts through bone and flesh, the more its sharpness must inevitably dull. How much more so if it belongs to a monster.”

Luke staggered forward and passed the two. Soon, he stroked the giant greatsword as if caressing a treasure.

He even rubbed his face against it.

“So I changed my thinking. If it is thin enough to break, why not make it thicker… larger… heavier?

It is not cutting, but crushing. That is how Butcher was born.”

It was a low tone, but the emotion contained within it was worthy of being called madness.

This old man had entirely poured his life’s dream and single-minded determination to craft a true blade into the greatsword before his eyes.

“Would you like to swing it?”

“Lord Veloc…”

Leaving Luke’s expectant proposal and his squire’s concern behind, Veloc tightly gripped the hilt of the greatsword. Just like when the troll threw the club earlier,

he drew out and concentrated the power inside his body as he had when swinging the longsword.

“…”

It was perfectly fine. This fellow was different from the blades he had held so far. It did not scream or vibrate when he exerted a little force.

It merely supported him like a solid block of wood.

At that moment, Veloc felt it. With this greatsword… with this blade, it is possible.

He would be able to easily smash the heads of all demons and monsters existing in the world.

It was a premonition like some destiny.

“Stand back.”

Taking a sharp breath, Veloc inhaled deeply and lifted the greatsword like lightning. Along with a heavy metallic sound, the giant iron plate wound into his hand.

“It’s heavy.”

It was a short impression. A word perfectly fitting for the current situation. Nonetheless, it did not seem like he could not swing it.

“I knew you would make it happen!”

Adel gaped, and Luke admired. Leaving the reactions of the two behind, Veloc rested the greatsword on his shoulder. At the heavy weight pressing on his shoulder, his hands naturally felt itchy. He wanted to swing it right away.

Having made up his mind, Veloc went outside and stood in front of a tree near the clearing.

Spreading his feet, he raised the greatsword over his shoulder. Even though he was simply holding it, his arms trembled. His lungs, inhaling breath, also quickly grew short of air.

But at this moment, Veloc endured everything.

He intended to use it properly. How long had he focused?

Suddenly, with his eyes wide open, Veloc swung the greatsword in his hand.

Instantly, a storm raged.

Boom! Along with a roaring sound, a thick tree that looked like three people combined flew away like a rotten bundle of straw.

Due to the aftermath, Veloc, who swung the sword, lurched and lost his footing. The greatsword also stumbled and slammed into the ground.

But leaning his chin on the greatsword’s pommel, he laughed. Extremely cheerfully! It was admiration for the crude destructive power and peerless durability.

Luke also laughed along. At the fact that he had finally crafted the true blade he had dreamed of, and that someone who could swing it existed!

A result created by two geniuses gathering. This was literally a monster.

“Are all the preparations finished?”

“Thanks for the equipment.”

“I will use it well, old man.”

Perhaps because she received full plate armor and weapons, Adel also greeted Luke with a much gentler tone.

Luke was sitting in a chair, and gave precautions to the knight and squire embarking on their adventure. It was the meddling of a strict old man, and the heart of a parent sending their child far away.

“Do not think of cutting. Think of crushing. Since it is a greatsword, swinging it might be slow. There will probably be fellows targeting that to approach quickly,

but at that time, trust my armor. Unless it’s something like a mace, it won’t even scratch under normal circumstances.”

“What about demons or monsters?”

“I cannot guarantee that much. But it will definitely be sturdier than what you used before. Oh, and.”

“Is there something else to say?”

The old man has too many worries. Veloc wore a slightly fed-up expression. However, the subsequent words were enough to pique his interest.

“By any chance, there is a territory that comes up if you follow the highway, but you had better avoid that place.”

“Why?”

“The Serpent Lord… I mentioned him before, didn’t I? I was originally a blacksmith serving him. I ran away because things didn’t go well, but recently, I heard strange rumors.”

“What rumors?”

Luke’s voice lowered even further.

“They say he eats people.”

“Does he devour women?”

Adel asked, grimacing. Luke looked at her with an expression saying, ‘Here this girl goes again.’

Turning his head to look at Veloc with pity for a moment, Luke continued speaking.

“I mean he practices cannibalism. Over the past few months, the peddlers trading with me have all said so.”

“A human eating another human…”

Veloc fell into thought with his arms crossed. Deserter bandits and a lord with a bizarre appetite. He smelled something fishy this time too.

“I heard that they even take children from nearby villages under the pretext of tribute. Surely they won’t touch you knights, but there’s no harm in being careful.

Otherwise… it is also important to know about your prey in advance.”

Luke grinned. Having caught the meaning, Veloc smiled in return. Adel silently nodded.

A human who wants living sacrifices and covets human flesh. If this is not the work of a demon, what is?

Veloc lightly tapped Butcher hanging on his back.

“I think I will have a chance to use this sword soon.”

Luke chuckled and waved his hand. At the clear dismissal of guests, the two turned their backs and left the smithy of the nameless mountain.

From behind, the old man’s gruff voice resounded.

“I will look forward to the achievements you will accomplish with that sword in the future. It feels as if truly amazing news will reach even this countryside.”

Veloc silently waved his hand toward the eccentric blacksmith.

The Serpent Lord… what kind of demon would he be, and how much experience points would he give? He was already looking forward to it.