The dim forging room.

Because we were poor when we first started the business, we couldn't afford a big house, so the forging room was built underground.

There is a ventilation duct connected to the roof of the house, sharing the same chimney with the kitchen.

Later, we discovered that working underground was actually quite convenient, forging and firing would not affect the surrounding residents, and things like what happened tonight could be done without anyone knowing.

Baro stared intently at the flames under the furnace, while I scattered the materials he provided in front of me and carefully examined them one by one.

When facing unfamiliar materials, it's important to understand their characteristics, just like dealing with people, we need to see their strengths and weaknesses.

Some materials have high hardness, some have high strength, and some have good adhesion, and it takes time to analyze all these aspects.

Once the characteristics of the materials are understood, the techniques become universal. A simple example is that the treatment methods of dragon scales and refined steel sheets are similar, both are melted and forged into the 'skeleton' of weapons. The way they are processed is the same, but dragon scales have higher requirements for the flame temperature needed for melting. Refined steel sheets can easily be melted in our furnace; dragon scales might not even melt when placed in lava.

Therefore, even if I have full confidence in my skills, I have to spend time analyzing high-level materials that I encounter for the first time.

Among these materials, the most peculiar one is a round, smooth bone.

It is a white, round bone with a web-like marrow visible from the side and no discernable smell.

It is a human skull, or rather, the skull of a forest race.

"Baro, do you understand what you are trying to do?"

I sighed, which was rare for me.

"I know."

Baro said without turning his head.

"Magic bow."

Similar to a magic sword, it is a cursed weapon.

To complete such a curse, the weapon must imprison souls mixed with unwillingness and pain.

I solemnly put the skull back in its original place.

"My knowledge of making magic bows is limited to theory, and I need time to explore. In the meantime, can you tell me what happened in the forest?"

I was telling the truth. The creation of a magic prop does not simply involve melting, forging, and molding like ordinary weapons, but rather involves quite complicated steps like summoning spirits and imprisoning souls. Although I have only seen it in some ancient records, there is no doubt that I can make it, but it will take time.

Baro embraced his knees with his arms and turned his body towards me.

"We, the forest race, are the masters of the forest, and we use the power of the forest to carry out the will of the forest. In the struggle between the devil and humanity, we were originally playing a defensive role. The Demon Lord ordered us not to actively attack humans, so the forest has always been peaceful, and I have only experienced one war since I was born.

"Later, that scumbag Ropana appeared. He was the commander of the Sixth Expeditionary Army, tsk. Despicable and shameless man! Uncle, can only people like him become the leader of an army? Are all human beings like this?"

I carefully observed a glowing plant from the demon world with my single eye.

"Not really. You continue."

Baro's tone showed obvious ups and downs, and his words became more intense. When it comes to their enemies, even the calmest person will get emotional. It could be said that Baro has exceptional self-control for his age.

"Ropana killed a large number of animals in the forest and stayed close to the forest for a long time, but he was always courteous to our forest race. We couldn't start a war. However, the forest couldn't forgive them. The animals living here are also part of the forest. The forest itself is life, and without animals, it would lose its vitality."

"So you started a war?"

I gently pinched the yellow tendon, which didn't seem to be a deer tendon, perhaps it was a demon tendon. Both the elasticity and strength were excellent.

"Our pride did not allow us to remain silent. A mother deer feeding her children became the last straw. When a member of the expeditionary army tried to ambush the mother deer, he was shot and killed by one of our great forest race warriors. We started the war, and then we lost."

"You, with the power of the forest, also lost?"

I had almost finished analyzing the materials, and now I needed to think about the methods of making the magic props.

For the first time, Baro showed a bitter smile in front of me.

"Yes. We, who possessed such a proud power, still lost. We disobeyed the command of the Demon Lord and received no reinforcements. The numbers of the expeditionary army were far greater than ours, part of them fought against us, while others started fires throughout the forest. We were outnumbered, and those who remained to resist were slaughtered because they lost the power of the forest. I am probably the only forest race survivor left from that forest."

"There's one last question."

I picked up the skull.

"Whose bone is this?"

He bit his lower lip, hesitated for a moment, and then said:

"It belonged to the warrior who initially protected the doe. Until the very last moment, he was filled with deep remorse, believing that he brought disaster upon the entire forest. I wanted to at least kill Ropana with him."

I stood up and dusted myself off.

My muscles felt sore and my legs were numb because I had been sitting on the floor for so long.

"I am an uncle who runs a weapon shop, and I can make any kind of weapon as long as the customer needs it."

I ordered him to step back into the corner.

"Forge of All Things."

A powerful wind pressure wrapped around my right arm, bursting with dazzling light like day, and then immediately plunged back into darkness.

In a moment, countless green glimmers slowly rose from the floor.

The red alchemy circle quietly emerged, with an ancient furnace at each corner of the pentagram.

Now even with my eyes closed, I know what the purpose of each material is. I placed about half of the materials in a scattered but orderly manner into the furnaces and then placed the skull in the center of the ritual circle.

At this step, I suddenly felt a strange feeling. The soul-summoning ceremony cannot be called a failure, but it is not a success either.

There's no turning back once you've started, no matter which world it is.

The bellows were chugging along, stirring up heat.

Melt dark iron and tyrant fish scales in another furnace, and then draw the liquid into the air to shape it with magic.

Repeatedly stretching the tendons of the monster, while mixing in the glowing juice of an unknown grass and the blood of rock dragons.

A copper ring is molded into shape for the loop, while the center guard is made from the silk of a black night spider.

I took care of the arrow nest with my own materials, though I felt a bit sorry for Yazi. I picked four or five petals from the purple jade flower she entrusted to me, crushed them, and they instantly turned into a paste. I then spun them into a proper crescent shape.

The only regret is that the soul-summoning attached to the bow appeared naturally in an instant, depriving me of the chance to showcase my superb artistic talent.

The bow is pure white, with the bowstring glowing slightly yellow. Since I used magic for the arrows, I did not make physical ones.

"So powerful..."

Barro, who was completely stunned.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and handed the bow to him.

For the first time, Barro's eyes shone brightly, a look not of the happiness Ilan showed when she got something she liked, but closer to the flame of revenge. The victory was within his grasp, that must be what he thought.

I took him to the ground.

He pulled the string and then made a black arrow with magic. Aiming at the dark sky.

He drew the bow to its full extent, shooting the blade of vengeance into the sky.

——Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.

Cracks began to appear on the bow.

Barro stiffened, desperately gripping the bow in his hand, his body and pupils trembling together.

But it was all in vain.

——Crack.

The pure white bow, including the bowstring, shattered into pieces before our eyes.

Barro's face, muddled with hatred, seemed to collapse as well. He bit his teeth, tears streaming down his face as he lunged towards me, while I looked at the bright white moon above his head.

Crying because he couldn't even understand such a thing, in the end, he was just a child after all.