I lost.
That was the only thing echoing in my head.
Ever since I came to this world, I never thought I’d lose. I almost never pick fights, so I rarely have chances to face real experts. I don’t know how strong they are, but when I face a strong opponent, I make up the gap with what I’m good at. Whether it’s knowledge or wits, I never thought I’d lose there either.
Yet the moment I held this silver-white sword, I realized it.
There’s no way I could forge this sword.
Some people might think all swords come out of the same mold, but that’s not true. If it’s just a weapon for killing, there might not be much difference. But once you factor in carrying magic, the sword needs an inner framework made of other metals. How delicate that framework is directly affects the sword’s mana resistance, the difficulty of enchantment, and how smoothly mana flows through it.
For example, a sword without a framework is just a sharpened lump of iron. The moment it meets magic, it snaps easily. But once it has a framework, it can resist magic, even cleave spells apart. Likewise, you can pour mana into a sword with a framework to make it harder or sharper.
Different Forgemasters build different frameworks, and different weapons all have their own traits.
Just holding this sword, I could tell—its creator is on a whole other level.
This sword was custom-made for Karona. The second I wrapped my hand around it, rejection flared up. I couldn’t inject mana into it at all, and when I tried to force it, I could even feel the sword biting back at me.
In other words, its maker analyzed Karona’s magical framework inside her body and then designed this for her. This sword is literally a part of her, an extension of her arms and legs.
This is what a real weapon is.
But analyzing someone else’s magical framework… can you really do something like that?
I stared at the sword in my hand, until Karona snatched it back.
“This is the sword I received when I graduated Brave High as valedictorian. The one who forged it was our old headmaster. Someone like you can’t compare.”
She jabbed right into my sore spot.
I grabbed Karona’s wrist and yanked her sleeve up to her elbow. She froze at my sudden move, too stunned to resist.
I stared at her forearm, sniffed it, then lightly licked it.
“You rude creep, what do you think you’re doing aaahhhhhhhhh!!”
As expected, no matter what I did, I couldn’t see Karona’s magical framework.
I could only give up.
—Smack!!
It took me a long while to even register that Karona had slapped me. My head was too full of that sword’s intricate structure.
“Closed.”
I tossed a short word to Iran, then slumped in the chair behind the counter, exhausted.
An old headmaster from a magic academy, and instead of going off to destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes, he’s here making swords?
My head started to ache.
I’m the middle-aged man who runs a weapon shop. My mission is to forge the best possible sword for the Brave who’ll one day defeat the Demon King.
Of course nothing sells. With this level of skill, why would anyone come begging for my work?
I headed down to the basement.
The familiar scent of steel hit me. I’d forged every weapon up till now in this place.
“Forging All Things.”
Look. Look more closely.
“Forging All Things.”
No, not enough. This is just making something that looks like a sword.
“Forging All Things.”
I squeezed a huge amount of mana into the blade.
It exploded into pieces.
It can’t withstand that much mana?
No. That means it’s not refined enough.
“Forging All Things.”
Think back. Think about that silver-white sword!
“Forging All Things.”
Still not enough. It’s too weak like this.
“Forging All Things.”
If it’s the Brave, they might hit a crisis in some battle. If my sword isn’t strong enough, if it breaks during the final fight—
“Forging All Things.”
I can’t see it.
“Forging All Things.”
I can’t see the framework! Is it unperceivable? Why?
“Forging All Things Forging All Things Forging All Things Forging All Things—”
That night, Iran woke me in the forge after I’d run my mana dry.
Listless, I looked at the mountain of 128 weapons piled beside me.
All of them, failures.
Iran looked at me, worry written all over her face. I patted her head and told her I was fine.
It’s not a problem you solve in a single day. Frustrated as I was, I still got up to cook for Iran. Furry Ball probably realized its daytime joke went too far, too. While I poured its feed, it kept sneaking glances at me, gauging my mood. I gave its nose a pat.
Around midnight, Iran was already asleep. I sat at the counter, sorting through records of everything I’d made so far. My first piece was a katana, sold for fifteen copper coins, no framework inside. The one who bought it was Brave No. 1. He’s already dead.
I pressed my forehead against the back of my hand and hunched over the desk, thinking.
What am I missing? What am I supposed to do?
Just then, the door opened.
To my surprise, it was Karona in casual clothes. Brown shirt, black capri pants, white sneakers. At her waist was that familiar white sword. She didn’t bring any guards, so it didn’t look like Iran’s situation had been exposed.
Before I could say anything, she locked eyes with me.
Her lips were pressed tight, green eyes filled with stubborn steel.
“I’m number one. This afternoon, I was just held back by that armor. This time, fight me seriously.”
I snorted.
“Sorry. I’m way too tired today.”
She grabbed my wrist.
“I’ll even let you lick me again.”
If I’d had coffee in my mouth, I would’ve sprayed it all over her.
Do you really understand what that line means? Stop toying with a middle-aged man’s pure heart.
I turned my head and looked at her.
“Fine. Show me what a top student can do.”
We stood about fifteen meters apart, like two experts facing off in a wuxia duel.
She stared straight at me, not blinking, probably trying to read my movements and guard against my speed. Textbook fighting style—her real experience was clearly lacking.
There were ways I could rush her, but just seeing that silver sword made me not want to move.
I decided. I’d call that sword “Silver Sword.”
The name sounded a bit pervy, which helped me feel a tiny bit more balanced.
Keeping your focus that high is exhausting. In a tiny opening, I casually tapped her shoulder.
I could feel Karona’s whole body jolt. She immediately backed away to create distance again.
There it was again, textbook combat.
She retreated by jumping backward, so with just a small trip of my foot, she dropped onto her butt.
She sprang up in a diving jump and went for her sword. Too slow. She should’ve done that from the start.
A diving jump is faster, but not as stable as rolling then getting up. Even if she drew now, it was too late. As she sprang up, I patted her back. She lost her balance again and went sprawling face-first.
“Pretty pathetic. This is what passes for a top student?”
I’ll kill you.
That’s what her lips said.
The Silver Sword stabbed into the ground, and multiple huge fireballs, each with a radius of over half a meter, appeared out of thin air around me.
Trying to trap me?
Who gave you that kind of confidence?
If you’ve got a spell like that, use it as your opening defense.
I kicked her sword away from in front of her. The fireballs vanished instantly.
“The air’s dry. Don’t burn my place down.”
