Chapter 146
Chapter 146
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Nine Dragons Armory (2)
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“A snake?”
That’s what it was.
What was dancing and vibrating alone in the corner of the armory was none other than a snake.
To be precise, it was a ball of thread, moving like a cobra responding to a flute's song.
While a ball of thread moving on its own was surprising enough, there was another reason for my genuine shock.
Vmmm.
A vibration emanated from my chest.
“What the?”
The Black Iron Nail was resonating with the ball of thread, emitting a similar frequency.
“What’s wrong with this thing? Is it broken?”
Thwack, thwack.
Thinking it might be broken, I took out the Black Iron Nail and tapped it, but the nail continued to emit vibrations.
And then.
Vmmm. Zzzing.
The resonance between the two artifacts grew stronger.
Thwip.
The Black Iron Nail flew on its own toward the ball of thread.
Fearing something strange might happen, I tried to pull on the Celestial Silkworm Thread tied to the end of the nail.
Fwip. Snap.
But this time, the snake-like ball of thread moved nimbly and severed the strand of Celestial Silkworm Thread.
It was a vicious movement, like the palm of a first wife slapping the cheek of a concubine who had seduced her husband.
It was an astonishing sight.
To think it could cut the Celestial Silkworm Thread, which couldn't be severed by anyone less than a peak master who had reached the realm of using sword ki!
And it was done by a mere ball of thread, untouched by human hands.
The two objects rushed toward each other, and then…
Fwoooosh.
With a massive resonant hum, they merged into one.
“Hah!”
Isn't this a bit much for a martial arts world, not some fantasy realm?
Piiing.
To top it all off, it even started glowing as if it were some grand event.
“What? What just happened?”
I came to my senses and quickly reached out to examine the two objects.
“This is?!”
The result was nothing short of astonishing.
Although I usually called it a nail, the Black Iron Nail was actually closer in shape to a needle with an overly blunt tip.
Now, that Black Iron Nail and the Grade A artifact, the ball of thread, had combined into one, completing a basic sewing kit of needle and thread.
I was staring at it, mesmerized by the strange sight, when a thought jolted me back to reality.
“Ah, right!”
That’s right.
Time was running out.
An hour was almost up, so I didn't have much time left.
“Damn it all!”
I grabbed both ends of the Black Iron Nail and the ball of thread, trying to pull them apart.
After all, I couldn't possibly walk out with a stupid ball of thread after coming to choose a Grade A artifact.
“Nngh!”
But the sewing kit didn't budge.
Fwoooosh. Zzzing.
It even seemed to resist, resonating with its other half and clinging to it even more tightly.
‘Should I just blast it with Explosive Death Force?’
Shake, shake.
I was so irritated I considered just breaking it, but I quickly shook my head.
If I accidentally damaged any of the other items, the Nine Dragons Fortress might demand an astronomical sum in compensation.
‘What should I do?’
After quickly running the CPU in my head, I realized I had two options left.
One was to leave these things here and take the Celestial Spirit Gauntlets.
The other was to just accept this basic sewing kit and use it whenever I needed to sew something.
Obviously, the first option was better, but I soon realized a serious problem.
‘My Black Iron Nail!’
To take the Celestial Spirit Gauntlets, I would have to leave behind my personal possession, the Black Iron Nail.
How many times had I used that nail? How many crises had it helped me overcome?
It had even played a starring role in the war against the Ten Demon Alliance, where I used it to execute the Blood Sect’s leader.
‘What a waste.’
I spent a moment comparing the value of the Celestial Spirit Gauntlets and the Black Iron Nail.
Dong. Dong. Dong.
The moment I heard the bell signaling the end of the hour, I picked up the Black Iron Nail and the ball of thread.
‘Even if I have to melt it down and remake it, I can’t just leave it behind.’
I couldn't accept a zero-sum choice of gaining one thing by leaving another behind.
“Ah, hell!”
I swiftly used Flying Heavenly Wind and flew like a swallow toward the door.
“You’ve timed it perfectly.”
Before long, I met the warrior from the Dark Poison Corps who had given me advice earlier.
“So, did you listen to the resonance and find a proper weapon?”
He asked with a chuckle, seemingly wanting credit for his advice.
“You son of a bitch!”
And I grabbed him by the collar.
* * *
“Grandmaster.”
Yeongmyeong, the Sword Immortal of Mount Hua and Lord of the Righteous Path Alliance, who had been deep in meditation, snapped his eyes open at the voice calling him.
“*Snore...* Hmm? Is that you, Jin Gung?”
The one who had called him was Jin Gung, the Plum Blossom Sword Master, his grand-disciple and the lead disciple of Mount Hua.
“May I come in?”
“Enter.”
Creeak.
As he opened the door and entered, Yeongmyeong greeted him in perfect attire, as if he had never been meditating at all.
‘As always, not a single flaw in his posture.’
It was only natural that Jin Gung’s respect for him grew by another point.
“What is it?”
“I have come to seek your guidance, Grandmaster.”
A small smile touched Yeongmyeong’s lips at his words.
Jin Gung was usually devoid of any endearing qualities, always handling everything on his own.
However, the times he sought out his master, calling him Grandmaster instead of Alliance Lord, were only when he was truly stuck.
Which meant…
‘Looks like I’ll get to play the role of a grandmaster for the first time in a while.’
In truth, Yeongmyeong held a lot of pent-up feelings toward Jin Gung as an elder of the sect.
Whenever he tried to teach him something…
‘I can do it myself.’
Whenever he got frustrated and offered advice…
‘A true warrior must overcome such obstacles on his own.’
He would spout such nonsense and refuse his teachings.
Instances like this, where Jin Gung sought guidance, were as rare as beans sprouting in a drought.
Yeongmyeong decided that now was the time to show Jin Gung his greatness. With a solemn expression, he opened his mouth.
“You seem to be having trouble with the Purple Mist Divine Art. So, have you reached the third stage? Or the fourth?”
“I have reached the fifth stage.”
“What?! Already? ‘The new waves of the Yangtze River push the old.’ The old saying is true! So, what guidance can this grandmaster offer you?”
“It is not about martial arts…”
“Not about martial arts?”
“I came to ask about the Black Iron Needle you gave to the Fighting Dragon of the Nine Dragons Fortress some time ago.”
“Tsk… Why bring up something that happened so long ago? If you hadn't gone easy on him that day, the Lightning Arrow would have been yours.”
“It is embarrassing, but I did not go easy on him. I was genuinely defeated. By the way, was that needle really the Lightning Arrow?”
“It was. But why do you ask?”
“Ah, I was reading a book that described a similar object, so I came to ask. I was concerned that a treasure of the Righteous Path Alliance might have been leaked.”
“It is a treasure, indeed.”
“Then isn't that a problem? We should offer a suitable price and retrieve it…”
“But it’s only half of the whole.”
“Half? What do you mean?!”
“How did the book you were reading describe the Lightning Arrow?”
“It said it kills the enemy with the speed and destructive power of a thunderbolt, following the will of its owner.”
“A proper description. So, how do you think that’s possible?”
“Hmm…”
Faced with a difficult question, Jin Gung fell silent.
He had simply assumed it was possible because it was a divine weapon made from Ten-Thousand-Year Black Iron, a rare form of black iron, but he had never considered the principle behind it.
“There is a thread.”
“A thread? Do you mean a thread as in a needle and thread?”
“Yes, that’s right. A thread made of the same Ten-Thousand-Year Black Iron as the Lightning Arrow. Only with that can it move freely according to the user's will.”
“Then?”
“Yes, without the thread, you can think of it as just an incredibly sturdy nail. At best, it's useful as a hidden weapon.”
“Still, it seems to be an undeniable treasure.”
“What good is a treasure if it’s useless? If you had won, I was planning to melt it down and forge a sword for you.”
“I have not yet properly tamed the sword you gave me, Grandmaster. But shouldn't we still retrieve it…?”
“I told you, it’s fine. One piece of black iron, more or less, makes no difference. By the way, you said you are taming your sword?”
“It is embarrassing, but I have only recently come to understand the meaning of taming it.”
“Good, that’s how it should be. That’s what makes you Yeongmyeong’s grand-disciple. Well, since you’re here, shall we cross swords?”
“If it does not inconvenience you, Grandmaster… I would be honored.”
“Hahahaha. I am truly looking forward to this.”
With that, Yeongmyeong, the Lord of the Righteous Path Alliance, and his grand-disciple Jin Gung headed outside.
All thoughts of the Lightning Arrow had long since vanished from their minds.
* * *
Returning home, I took out the sewing kit.
Unlike before, when it had been stuck together like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, vibrating, it was now completely still.
“Hmm…”
Where could I even use this?
No matter how I looked at it, the tip was too blunt to ever be used for sewing.
‘I’d just ruin the fabric if I tried to sew with it.’
But I couldn't just let it sit here and rot.
I flicked my finger, sending the nail flying.
It was the same method I used to shoot it at enemies.
Thud.
The nail flew at the same angle and with the same force as usual, embedding itself in the wall.
‘Doesn’t seem like anything’s changed…’
After lodging the nail in the wall, I examined the thread that was now serving the role of the Celestial Silkworm Thread.
After a moment.
‘Wait, this isn't even made of fiber, is it?’
The Celestial Silkworm Thread, produced by silkworms living on the distant peaks of the Celestial Mountains, was tough, but it was ultimately just fiber—silk thread.
But the thread I brought from the Nine Dragons Armory didn't feel like that at all.
Piiing.
If I had to compare it to something, it felt like a thinly stretched piano wire.
Which meant…
‘Metal wire?’
To think that metal had been refined and drawn out as thin as thread.
Considering the blacksmithing technology of this world, which was similar to medieval China, this was… not entirely impossible, but it could be considered a wondrous object.
‘Well, this is a martial arts world, so I guess it’s not that strange to have something like this.’
In a world where people shoot energy blasts from their hands, anything is possible.
In any case, it seemed to be a treasure worthy of being in a Grade A armory.
I spent half an hour examining the thread with a sliver of hope, but I could only confirm that it was made of a strange material.
“Ah, hell! Just my luck.”
Disappointed at gaining nothing, I yanked the thread to retrieve the nail.
“Huh?”
I felt a slight sense of unfamiliarity.
The nail had been retrieved even though I had barely applied any force.
“...Is it very elastic?”
Perhaps there was something more to it, befitting the name of a Grade A artifact. I decided to send the nail flying again.
Thud.
And retrieved.
Thud.
Retrieved.
Thud.
Retrieved.
After three experiments, I was certain.
“This is…?”
There was something more to this.
I immediately went outside and infused my ki into the end of the thread.
And then.
Zzzing.
The length of the thread rapidly increased.
The thread, which had been slightly over twenty meters long, more than doubled in length.
Moreover.
“Is this… Sword Control?”
The Black Iron Nail, attached to the thread, was floating in mid-air.
My eyes widened at the unprecedented sight.
Just in case, I infused my ki while imagining the nail embedding itself in the gate.
And then.
Thwack.
The nail flew like a beam of light and struck the main gate.
“This is… insane.”
To have such speed with so little ki consumed.
It was like watching the Sunlight Sword of the White Dragon Hall.
My jaw dropped.
As soon as I regained my senses, another question popped into my head.
“What happens if I infuse a lot of ki?”
If it showed this much speed with just a little ki, what would happen if I poured a ton into it?
‘I might be able to kill an enemy at a speed faster than sound!’
That meant I could kill anyone I wanted, just by willing it.
All I had to do was launch it from a distance when they were off guard.
Growing impatient, I infused my will into the connected ki and retrieved the nail.
As expected, it flew back at incredible speed and landed in my hand.
“Hup.”
I infused a significant amount of ki while picturing the nail's destination.
And then.
Crackle. KABOOOM!
“…”
With a flash of brilliant yellow lightning and a sound like an 81mm mortar shell exploding, the wooden gate, a handspan thick, vanished without a trace.
The enormous explosion caused people nearby to scream and run out.
“What was that!”
“An enemy!”
“It’s an attack!”
Naturally, the commotion reached the inner fortress.
DANG DANG DANG-! DANG DANG DANG-!
The bell signaling an external attack rang out, and…
Fweee! Popopop.
Red signal flares lit up the sky.
“Wow…”
What am I supposed to do about this.