A Weapon Forged from a Soul

Shanette nearly had a heart attack the moment she realized she had slept in the same bed as Kang Yoonsoo.

‘I can’t believe I shared a bed with a man… No matter how exhausted I was, that was just… I must have lost my mind.’

Her face felt like it was about to burst into flames.

After washing up, she absentmindedly stroked her stomach.

‘Did I even keep the blanket on properly while I slept? If I accidentally showed my belly fat…’ Just imagining it made her want to disappear.

Kang Yoonsoo didn’t wake up until the afternoon.

He ate the lunch Shanette had brought him, then spoke.

“We’ll stop by the workshop before leaving Hilledan.”

“The workshop? What are you planning to buy?”

“I’m going to make you a weapon.”

Shanette’s eyes widened into perfect circles.

“My weapon?”

It was true that her scythe had grown dull ever since the battle with Lavian. It was a weapon she had been using since her days in Kellin territory, and she had handled it roughly. It was only natural.

‘We cleared the Chimera Dimension and accepted a legendary quest. So far, so good. First, I’ll craft the weapon, then complete the legendary request.’

Perhaps because he hadn’t fully woken up yet, Kang Yoonsoo’s mind felt hazy.

Shanette wore a slightly worried expression.

She glanced down at her stomach and gently stroked it again.

“You didn’t… touch my belly while I was sleeping, did you?”

That was when it happened.

Kang Yoonsoo’s indifferent eyes trembled faintly.

“Ah.”

It lasted only an instant.

A memory from a past life rose gently to the surface.

The surroundings crumbled away, and the world transformed.

Shanette looked more mature than she did now, and the room had changed into something shabby yet cozy.

Even the clothes they wore were different.

Shanette no longer had her bright appearance. Instead, she bore hideous burn scars that covered her face and body.

Yet to him, she was more beautiful than anyone else in the world.

Kang Yoonsoo looked around.

This was from a time when he had not yet grown tired of the world.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Shanette cradled her swollen belly and smiled.

‘What should we name our baby?’

His past self had smiled with genuine warmth and gently stroked her belly.

‘Our child’s name will be…’

Suddenly, Kang Yoonsoo felt like throwing up.

Don’t.

Stop.

He repeated it to himself.

Don’t make me remember.

I loved you.

I loved that child.

But now, neither of you exists.

The you of this life can never become the you from back then.

…By the way, what was love again?

“Sir Kang Yoonsoo?”

The world returned to normal.

Shanette was staring at his face with her eyes wide open.

She was truly shocked.

For the briefest moment—just the tiniest flicker—something like an expression had crossed Kang Yoonsoo’s usually emotionless face.

But it had been too short and too faint.

Shanette couldn’t quite tell what that expression had been.

“…Sir Kang Yoonsoo? Are you angry?”

“No.”

Kang Yoonsoo shook his head.

Yet the lingering thoughts refused to leave his chest for a long time.

The two of them left the inn and bought food and daily necessities on the street.

Then they headed to the blacksmith’s workshop.

The sound of hammering was loud, and the heated air stung their eyes.

“What brings you here?”

An old man with a long white beard asked.

He was the owner of this workshop—a blacksmith who, despite his age, still possessed a solid, muscular build.

Kang Yoonsoo held out Lavian’s longsword.

“I’d like to buy a scabbard that fits this sword.”

The blacksmith looked down at the pitch-black longsword and raised his eyebrows.

The performance of Lavian’s longsword was excellent.

Not only was the blade razor-sharp, but it was also made from a unique material far lighter than ordinary steel. It was easy to handle, deadly sharp, and grew stronger with every kill.

While it couldn’t compare to a spirit sword that grew alongside its owner, any swordsman who saw it at auction would drool with greed.

“This isn’t an ordinary item. Wait here. I’ll bring you a decent scabbard.”

The old man returned with a black scabbard that matched the color of the blade perfectly. It fit the longsword’s dimensions exactly.

After paying, Kang Yoonsoo hung Lavian’s longsword at his waist.

“I’d like to use the workshop.”

“It’s one silver coin for three hours. Workshop fees in Hilledan are a bit higher than in other cities. But since you showed me such a fine sword, I’ll cut it down to eighty copper coins. You can use the area over there.”

Kang Yoonsoo paid the fee and stepped inside the workshop.

Travelers with the blacksmith class and continental reinforcement specialists were busy crafting or repairing various weapons.

Shanette watched with curious eyes as muscular women wearing only thin tops hammered away at their work.

Unexpectedly, quite a few women worked as blacksmiths in the shop.

“Give me the scythe.”

Shanette handed over her slightly chipped scythe.

Kang Yoonsoo placed it into the furnace and melted it down in a mold.

As the iron turned soft and gooey, he pulled a greenish ingot from his backpack.

In that instant, every blacksmith in the workshop turned their eyes toward him.

“Hey, isn’t that mithril?”

“Idiot! Who would bring mithril to a backwater town like this? It’s probably just painted with similar dye.”

“But why would anyone bother painting an ingot? What’s the point of showing off?”

The two middle-aged men muttered to each other while staring at Kang Yoonsoo.

What he had taken out was genuine mithril ingot.

It was mithril ore that had been refined in the Kellin territory workshop.

Mithril was praised as a blessed metal.

Even a small sword made from it possessed tremendous destructive power and aesthetic beauty.

Armor crafted from it would have defense and durability that ordinary iron spears could never pierce.

It was even sometimes used to create holy swords and armor for the church by channeling divine power.

Kang Yoonsoo took one of the two mithril ingots he possessed and placed it into the mold containing the melted scythe.

As the mithril mixed with the semi-solid iron, a mesmerizing green glow spread throughout the workshop.

Only then did the blacksmiths realize what it was. They shouted in excitement.

“Mithril! It’s real mithril!”

“Can you even handle that properly? Do you know how precious that metal is?!”

Some even abandoned their own work and rushed over in a hurry.

One female blacksmith approached Shanette and said,

“Excuse me, miss. Can that young man actually handle mithril? Even masters are careful with it. Why don’t you let me make the weapon instead? Even the slightest mistake will ruin the mithril’s superior qualities. There’s nothing uglier to a blacksmith than that.”

“I’m not sure. I doubt that will happen?”

Shanette answered with a bright smile.

Kang Yoonsoo poured the melted alloy into the mold.

Once the alloy took shape, he picked up a hammer.

Every time Kang Yoonsoo struck the anvil, the blacksmiths held their breath, terrified he might ruin the mithril.

“Isn’t he hitting it too recklessly? If the iron and mithril don’t mix evenly, the weapon will be ruined.”

“Tsk tsk. Look at that. A young fool who doesn’t know the value of his materials is going to regret this.”

Despite the worried murmurs around him, Kang Yoonsoo’s hands moved without hesitation.

His hammering rang out in perfect rhythm. There wasn’t a single mistake.

Even the veteran blacksmiths couldn’t help but admire him.

“So young, yet his hands don’t shake at all. He’s better than he looks.”

“Handling that kind of metal should make anyone nervous… but his skill is incredible.”

The heated alloy gradually hardened, transforming into a high-quality weapon.

Kang Yoonsoo’s skill was flawless, and the weapon was nearing completion.

Then, suddenly, he stopped hammering.

The alloy that had been hardening began cooling rapidly.

The blacksmiths panicked as if it were their own work.

“What are you doing? You were doing so well!”

“Keep hammering! It’s ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not finished yet!”

Some even rushed over with hammers, ready to finish it for him.

Kang Yoonsoo lightly stroked the hammer’s handle with his right hand, which wore the Ring of Life Oppression.

“Soul Liberation.”

The soul of Lee Minchan, sealed inside the Ring of Life Oppression.

Kang Yoonsoo had just released it.

The hazy soul screamed in agony as it floated through the air.

Not only the blacksmiths but even Shanette was stunned.

“W-what is that?”

“A corrupted soul.”

“Pardon?”

Shanette looked at him in disbelief.

“Why did you suddenly bring something like that out?”

“To use as material.”

Kang Yoonsoo raised the hammer high.

The soul coiled around the iron hammer.

He swung the soul-infused hammer down with tremendous force.

Bang—!

The soul wrapped around the hammer was absorbed into the alloy.

After quenching it in cold water, the weapon was complete.

It was a large scythe radiating an eerie blue-white glow.

As soon as he gained the Equipment Crafting skill, Kang Yoonsoo reached level 7 in it.

It was an achievement that normally required a blacksmith to work day and night for at least three to four months.

The blacksmiths could only stare in utter shock.

“What the hell was that?”

“I’ve never seen anyone use a soul as crafting material before!”

Kang Yoonsoo handed the Death Scythe to Shanette.

She accepted it in a daze and hung it at her waist.

The blade was razor sharp, and the weight was far lighter than before.

Shanette’s cheeks flushed pink.

Although it was a weapon for battle and not a flower or a doll, she was grateful that he had put such sincere effort into making something just for her.

It felt so like Kang Yoonsoo to give her a weapon instead of something romantic. A small laugh escaped her.

Kang Yoonsoo looked at her strangely.

“What are you laughing about?”

“It’s nothing.”

Shanette smiled with a light heart.

Kang Yoonsoo said,

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

The blacksmiths didn’t even have time to ask for their identities.

The two left the workshop.

Shanette smiled brightly.

“You really are amazing, Sir Kang Yoonsoo. You can make something this incredible so easily.”

Kang Yoonsoo slowly turned his head.

He looked at Shanette, who was following behind him.

In his thousandth life, he would travel with her once again.

But they would not always be together.

In the end, she always faded away like a candle in the wind.

Because he had failed to protect her.

A faint emotion flickered in his eyes.

Kang Yoonsoo repeated the wish he had always held.

‘Please, let me protect you in this life.’