The First Taste of Isra's Blade
“U-uh, u-uh, u-uh, u-uh, u-uh…”
Followed by another hunter’s dazed voice, cracking with disbelief.
“She sliced right through the armor.”
“Is it magic?”
“No. Just a sword.”
“Not just any sword. Look over there. It’s made of bone!”
“Maybe it’s a special weapon.”
No, not at all.
How impressive could a sword forged from an ogre’s thigh bone possibly be?
“Living Armors are high-tier D-class monsters.”
“The summon might be C-class.”
The team’s gloomy mood shifted ever so slightly.
“Sir Isra.”
【I can fight all day.】
That was music to my ears.
“If you decide to give up the hunt, I’ll handle it alone.”
“We could consult with the others.”
“Feel free to do as you like.”
The team members exchanged glances and whispered among themselves.
It didn’t matter which side won.
Just look at that sturdy back.
With Sir Isra there, wasn’t it possible to conquer the gate on our own?
If we failed, we could always run.
Her steps had seemed a bit slow back then.
After they finished talking, the team leader, Mr. Yangsung, approached.
“We’ll trust the summoner and give it a try.”
Thud. Thud.
We advanced a good distance, but no other passage appeared.
“Fortunately, it doesn’t look like a maze.”
“Instead, we’ve got a Living Armor waiting for us.”
“Summoner. May we lead this time?”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
Perfect timing.
Perhaps because Sir Isra had taken it down with a single slash.
The infamous reputation of the Living Armor still hadn’t sunk in.
I could confirm their combat power objectively.
The four of us spread out and approached in formation.
“Ice Javelin!”
White frost enveloped jagged ice shards that slammed into the armor.
A deep dent formed in the abdomen.
The injured Living Armor trembled for a split second, then moved again.
“Hyaaa!”
【Strike!】
The nearby dealer’s blade glowed yellow.
The sword struck the shoulder armor.
*Clang!*
“Ugh.”
The dealer let out a pained groan.
It was the Living Armor that took the hit, yet the one who struck it seemed more hurt.
“Yangseong!”
Ting!
The arrow bounced off the armor with no force behind it.
Seeing Isra slash through it so casually, I had wondered if it was some rare alloy.
But judging by the hunters’ reactions, it was definitely ordinary steel.
“Summoner!”
【You’re just using brute force.】
Clang.
The bone sword moved once.
*Clang.*
Each Living Armor collapsed one after another.
The one hit by Ice Javelin, the sword, and the arrows was no exception.
【Enemy defeated…】
*Boom!*
【The monsters’ level is as expected.】
“How was it?”
【It’s so boring I feel like dying.】
“Cluck.”
“Knk.”
The hunters let out pained sounds.
【Since I’m already dead, dying again doesn’t hurt as much.】
If you want, I can kill you one more time.
The tip of the bone sword aimed at the hunter team.
They wore tense expressions.
It was Isra.
Why was she posing as if she were being coerced?
【You’re all weak. Stand as my shield.】
“Huh?”
【Gather stones or something.】
The halved corpse of the Living Armor.
Inside, a blue stone was visible.
【Do not make my lord bow his head.】
Isra spun her body with a sharp, cold glint in her eyes.
The stern look she never showed me.
Did I need to apologize to the hunter team?
“Ah, um… since we’re just watching, we should probably do something.”
“Receiving the hunt reward is enough.”
“Summoner. We’ll take care of the core.”
“We’ll hand it all over to you. No need to worry.”
Sweat-soaked, the four of them spoke in turn.
*Umm.*
I didn’t understand a thing.
Everyone, work hard.
* * *
Isra led the way.
The iron-clad Living Armors fell in one blow as before.
“Did we miss some weakness against Living Armors?”
“Maybe they target specific parts.”
“That’s not it.”
“The parts sliced by the sword were identical.”
Surprisingly.
Isra used no skills besides her sword form.
A skill with penetration?
Or perhaps it was just the gear?
Neither.
It meant she was splitting the Living Armor with pure physical power.
The hunters’ curiosity was only natural.
【You’re starting to catch on, my lord.】
Isra spoke casually.
Yeah.
Unlike the hunters who murmured in confusion, I already understood a bit.
By watching the spot where the bone sword struck with my Spirit Eye.
*Heh heh.*
There it was.
The line.
…Not the age for that anymore. Now.
“Sir Isra.”
【What is it, my lord?】
“I think I’ll understand completely if I face it one-on-one.”
【Alright!】
Teacher.
Why are you shouting like that?
【Stay safe, my lord.】
“I’ve learned A-class swordsmanship. Time to try it out.”
【Waaaaah!】
Aah.
My ears hurt.
【If anything happens to my lord, I’ll be finished too!】
“Just dodge.”
【Stop thinking and just watch.】
*Sigh.*
Whether I was commanding a servant or hosting a guest, I didn’t know.
After three hours inside the gate, we finally reached the first door at the end of a long corridor.
“Is that the boss room?”
“Yes. It should be.”
The nearby dealer answered in a shaky voice.
“We could turn back now.”
“Ah, no. We came because we thought we could help.”
【Prepare popcorn.】
“Huh?”
【It just means to watch.】
The dealer’s face turned to shock at the overbearing thought.
“Are you really okay with this?”
【If there’s one variable, it’s this.】
A blade suddenly surged toward the chest.
*Eek.*
This guy was suddenly threatening me.
“Give me all the money you want! Just spare my life!”
【What are you saying?】
“If you point a sword at me, that’s how you threaten someone!”
【Oh. My apologies.】
Isra pointed at the blade with one finger.
【Because it slices metal, the edge is quite sharp.】
“Apparently there is such a thing as human kindness.”
【What human kindness are you looking for from the dead?】
Not that kind of human kindness.
Got it.
Deciding explanation was useless, I flattened my equipment bag.
*Ziiip*—the zipper slid down.
The expanded bag was empty.
More precisely, it only looked empty.
I reached into the spatial pocket inside and pulled out the items I had bought at the Hunter Market.
“A hammer?”
“Are you going to fight with that?”
These guys.
I’d even pulled out an anvil, but why only the hammer?
A forging hammer, anvil, [Fire Scroll], and finally a portable forge.
“Let’s get to work.”
“Yes. Take your time.”
Curiosity dripped from the team members’ faces.
Three question marks floating above my head wouldn’t have looked out of place.
*My my.*
I’d prepared a repair kit just in case, and now I was going to use it immediately.
I opened the portable forge’s lid and stuffed in the torn Fire Scroll.
*Whoosh!*
Flames roared inside the closed chamber.
After the temperature rose to the right level, I inserted the bone sword.
“You even smith?”
【Shh.】
“Uuuugh.”
Not even Isra’s icy glare reached my ears.
I focused all my attention on the warming bone sword.
That was enough.
I pulled out the bone sword, now perfectly heated.
*Clang!*
*Clang!*
I hammered the edge even.
【Bone Blacksmithing Skill has risen by 1.2%.】
【The item has been perfectly repaired.】
【For 60 minutes, Cut and Thrust levels increase by 3.】
“Wow.”
The item effect was increasing?
Instant repair.
It was more useful than I thought!
“U-um, Summoner.”
“Yes?”
“Are you really the summoner?”
After the dealer blurted out an “Ah,” he added in a dazed voice.
“A-ah. I’m sorry for the rude question.”
Summoning undead.
And instant repair.
My job had become intriguing.
“Necrosmith isn’t really a great job.”
Should I expose my personal info?
Hunter Academy had known my job for five years, and it wasn’t a good one.
“Amazing.”
“You’re strong as a summoner and you smith too.”
“Today’s our lucky day.”
After revealing my job, there had never been a disappointed look on my face before.
What could I say?
It felt strangely good.
“Here.”
【Hahaha. The sword I forged myself! Use it well!】
The hearty laugh echoed through the corridor.
* * *
Before opening the door, I listened to the boss briefing.
“This type is Twin Living Armors.”
A core in each armor.
The right hand used swordsmanship.
The left hand, magic.
“To kill it, we need to destroy both cores.”
“Yes. Even one destroyed, it regenerates in one minute.”
The Challenging Realm was a gate that had been conquered countless times.
Information on the type that earned the “miss” among the five courses was quite detailed.
The nearby dealer also explained the attack patterns.
“The most threatening one is the charge.”
Because their entire body was made of iron, the Living Armors moved slowly.
Twin Living Armors could close the distance in an instant using dash and wind release.
A D-class max-level team would struggle to react.
Therefore, defense magic was essential against Twin Living Armors.
“Even veteran D-class teams have a hard time against Twin Living Armors.”
Really?
I glanced at Isra.
【Leave it to me.】
“Do you need support?”
【Don’t make me say it multiple times.】
The dealer’s mouth shut tight at Isra’s blunt reply.
*Gugugugu*—
The heavy door opened.
A beam of light pierced the dark room.
*Creak*—
The owner of the room, waiting for visitors, rose.
【I thought there would be two heads.】
“Are there monsters like that?”
【There are Twin-Headed Ogre and Troll.】
*Umm.*
Even without that, a strong Ogre or Troll with two heads was terrifying.
If possible, I hoped we wouldn’t meet them.
【Intruder. Excluded.】
【Intruder. Excluded.】
One helmet, but two different tones of thought echoed at the same time.
The Twin Living Armor bent its knees slightly.
【Dash】
【Wind Release】
At the same time the ground was kicked, wind exploded behind it.
Speed that far exceeded the slow-moving Living Armor!
The sword I thrust out closed in on the opponent in less than one second.
Indeed.
A pattern worth warning about.
Without Heavenly Martial Body and Spirit Eye, I might not have even noticed the attack.
【Trickster.】
The blade was tilted.
The edge of the freshly forged sword clashed with the Twin Living Armor’s blade.
*Clang!*
Sparks flew everywhere.
The center of the rushing armor faltered.
“How did they react?”
“H-had to dodge at the last second.”
Gasps of admiration spilled from the hunters.
They didn’t know this friend.
It wasn’t just reaction speed.
Their power was inferior to the Twin Living Armor’s, yet they didn’t just block the accelerated sword.
They countered by using the opponent’s own strength.
Thanks to Spirit Eye and Heavenly Martial Body, I finally understood the exquisite technique.
*Clang!*
The bone sword dug deep into the armor.
【This one has good taste.】
It didn’t slice cleanly like a Living Armor.
The surface was ragged, as if forcibly torn away.
The sword was damaged quite a bit.
【Intruder. Strong.】
The voice reduced to one.
One core had been destroyed.
【I must apologize to my lord.】
“What?”
【The weapon you personally forged. For victory, sacrifice is necessary…】
I knew it.
What important story was that?
“I’ll make more. Just finish it.”
【Imperial Sword Style - Modified Isra Form】
【12 Styles — Heaven Slash】
*Ching!*
The bone sword that swept once more through the armor split in two.
【Massive experience points acquired.】
【Level up!】
*Ha.*
*Heh heh heh.*
Conquering a D-class gate.
It was really easy, wasn’t it?