Chapter 279: Congratulatory Delegation, Unexpected Encounter (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 279: Congratulatory Delegation, Unexpected Encounter (5)
The First Patriarch of Runcandel. The tragic founder who never found his final rest within the Great Mausoleum.
He was a man whose mere presence, lingering as a mirage, had effortlessly overwhelmed the entirety of the Mitra Great Desert.
‘The land where Temar… was first buried?’
That short phrase contained at least two crucial pieces of information.
First, it was certain that Temar’s grave existed somewhere. Second, his remains had been moved at least once.
Jin had sought out Vinn Branche first, based solely on his memories from before his regression, but it seemed he was about to stumble upon an unexpected secret history.
Since his regression, there were only two men Jin felt a sense of “rivalry” toward.
His father, Cyron Runcandel, and the First Patriarch, Temar Runcandel.
Ever since his days at Storm Castle, Jin had vaguely harbored the thought of surpassing those two. As he grew, that vague thought had solidified into a clear, defining goal.
There had been countless moments when he found himself curious about their pasts.
Unlike him, a regressor, they were superhumans who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts in a single lifetime.
“Did Solderet truly give you such an order?”
Suppressing his excitement, Jin decided to listen calmly to Picon’s explanation.
[An order! Solderet may have appointed me as a god, but we were equals and friends back when I was human. I even chose this tedious eternal life for his sake.]
Mingling freely with mortals was a trait unique to Solderet.
Most other gods maintained strictly vertical relationships—excluding those of ambiguous status, like Olmango, the God of Shellfish.
That was why Murakan, despite being a creation, could call Solderet “this guy” or “that guy” (though Misha showed him proper reverence). Jin, too, had spoken comfortably with him during the time they communicated in his previous life.
[I admit I made a mistake when we first met, and I apologize for that once more. However, I would appreciate it if you at least recognized me as a friend of your god.]
Though his words were polite, Picon seemed quite displeased by Jin’s overbearing tone.
“I understand. I also apologize for using violence against you, Lord Picon.”
A legendary blacksmith turned god, and a being who could provide him with vital information.
Humoring Picon’s ego a little wasn’t a difficult task.
[Hmph! Fine, I accept. But how did you know I was here?]
“I didn’t. I only intended to meet Vinn Branche. Meeting you was a complete coincidence.”
[Ho, so it was simply fate? How mysterious. Solderet, that fellow… he truly was looking a thousand years into the future.]
Jin didn’t necessarily agree with that sentiment, but he nodded anyway.
If Solderet were an omnipotent being capable of seeing a thousand years into the future, Jin felt he wouldn’t have had to die so miserably before regressing.
Of course, just because he didn’t view Solderet as perfectly omnipotent didn’t mean he took the god lightly.
Though nearly twenty years had passed since he last heard Solderet's voice as a contractor, Jin still felt an inexpressible depth of gratitude toward him.
“To be honest, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that Groller died and you became the new God of Blacksmiths.”
[From your perspective, that’s understandable.]
“Furthermore, Vinn Branche was just kidnapped and on the verge of death. Seeing as you manifested through his body, you could have easily suppressed those men yourself. Why did you just stand by?”
[There are not many in this world who know the God of Blacksmiths is dead. I judged that if I revealed my power recklessly before meeting you, I might become a target for Solderet’s enemies.]
“So you intended to stay hidden until I appeared.”
[Exactly. Considering what those lunatics in Zipple did to Temar’s grave, I had to keep myself hidden at all costs.]
“What if the bandits had actually harmed Vinn Branche?”
[I would have remained still. Even if Vinn had died.]
‘Then in my previous life, was he discovered when I was around twenty-four? Back then, the enemies would have had the compass.’
Or perhaps, for some reason, Picon had broken his promise to Solderet in that timeline.
Jin swallowed those thoughts and nodded.
[It didn’t feel good watching my descendants live such meager lives. Since becoming a god, I have only contracted with my direct bloodline. But to keep my promise to Solderet, I had no choice.]
“…Wait. Does that mean your descendants haven't received any benefits as contractors until now? Because of me?”
[That is the case.]
The moment he heard those words, Jin felt as if a heavy boulder had been slammed into his chest.
Even without talent, Picon’s direct descendants could have lived affluent lives with the support of the Minche Blacksmith Association.
But Picon had personally hidden his first direct descendants—his own son and daughter—just before becoming a god.
Since then, his descendants, whom Jin had never even met, lived lives stripped of the benefits they should have enjoyed.
While some had become merchant leaders and lived comfortably, most had endured a pathetic reality like the current Vinn Branche.
Not a single one of them had been able to let their talent for blacksmithing bloom.
This was because Picon had intentionally suppressed his descendants' potential, fearing they would become targets.
‘They were all sacrificed just for me? Because of a unilateral decision made by Solderet and Picon?’
Suddenly, the events at Colon flashed through his mind.
[I have been waiting for the one to receive this. The contractor of a thousand years Solderet spoke of—that boy.]
Those were the words spoken by Klam, who had manifested through Laosa.
At the time, Jin thought he had simply brought an end to the tragedy the people of Colon were suffering.
But he was wrong. Just like Picon Minche’s descendants, they too had been sacrificed for his sake without even knowing it.
The injustice felt deeply, cruelly familiar. Jin knew that pain well, having spent his own dark years struggling without even knowing he was cursed.
Reading Jin’s emotions, Picon spoke in a low voice.
[I know what you are thinking. But please understand that for us, this was the best we could do.]
‘Why did you sacrifice your own descendants for me? I never asked for such a thing.’
Jin knew that shouting such things now would be meaningless—not just for himself, but for Picon’s descendants who had already lived and died.
It would be nothing more than a tantrum.
He couldn't undo what had already passed. Jin simply…
He had to bear a deep sense of responsibility. Toward the countless people who had been sacrificed for him without his knowledge.
And he had to deliver results.
Regardless of what Solderet intended, Jin had to realize what he himself believed to be right.
That process naturally included the destruction of Zipple, and now, another goal was added.
To ensure that no one else would ever have to be sacrificed for his sake again.
Of course, he couldn't carry the entire weight of the world alone forever, but he wanted to ensure that such blatant injustices never happened again.
To achieve that, he needed countless things.
The first was overwhelming power. He needed to be so strong that no one would ever dare suggest sacrificing themselves for him.
The second was an absolute force to back him up.
Both could be achieved by reaching the pinnacle of Runcandel. The fire in his heart to claim the throne blazed even brighter.
“Do not stop me from supporting Vinn Branche. This applies to any descendants he may have in the future as well.”
[…Understood.]
“And… you’ve been through a lot.”
It wasn't just Picon’s descendants who had sacrificed.
Picon Minche himself must have been plagued by guilt every time he was unable to help his own kin.
‘Though, seeing how he was screaming at Vinn to take Bradamante earlier… maybe not? He did say something about raising him properly and whatnot.’
Regardless, Picon seemed deeply moved by Jin’s words.
Moisture began to gather in his pale, clouded eyes.
[Solderet, your final contractor has a decent character after all. I suppose I can put my heart and soul into forging your sword.]
“I’ve been curious—what do you mean by forging Bradamante? And please tell me the significance of the place where my ancestor, Temar, was first buried.”
[First, as you know, Bradamante was a prototype created during the process of making Barisada. Even so, to your Runcandel family and the rest of the world, it is recognized as a legendary blade that is only slightly inferior to Barisada.]
Bradamante and Barisada.
It was Solderet who had requested Picon to craft those two sibling swords.
As the God of Swords and Shadows, he felt his contractor, Temar Runcandel, required a special weapon.
However, while Barisada was a “perfected masterpiece,” Bradamante was a sword with many flaws.
At least, by Picon Minche’s standards.
[It is true that it’s a magnificent sword, as I poured all my capabilities at the time into that prototype. At the very least, in terms of attacks using spirit energy, it can produce about sixty percent of Barisada’s power. Moreover, it was cast from ancient Ten Thousand-Year Steel, so it will never break…]
For a while, Picon praised Bradamante like a doting parent bragging about his child.
Even as a human, Picon had been a blacksmith to his very core—obsessive, even. He felt a deeper affection for the peerless weapons he forged, especially his masterpieces, than for his own flesh and blood.
Since Bradamante was his third greatest creation, he naturally went on and on about it.
[…However, Bradamante’s one and only flaw is that it cannot protect its user.]
“Protect? It’s not a suit of armor.”
[I have made countless suits of armor in my life, but I have never seen anything better than armor formed from spirit energy. That is why when I made Barisada, I installed a mechanism so that armor would form when spirit energy was injected.]
Picon had wanted to add that function to Bradamante as well.
One of the biggest reasons he had chosen to become a god at Solderet’s will was his blacksmith’s desire to transform an unfinished masterpiece into a perfected one.
[So, hand over Bradamante. I shall forge it properly and return it to you.]
As Jin obediently handed over Bradamante, Picon trembled as if overcome with emotion.
[Finally, I can make my child whole…!]
“How long will it take?”
Jin didn't particularly enjoy seeing Picon love an object more than his own kin.
However, geniuses among geniuses who had reached the absolute pinnacle were often far removed from the norm and severely warped in some way, so it wasn't an unfamiliar sight.
[The work will require at least half a year. There are also quite a few materials you need to obtain.]
“I understand.”
[And one of them is at the place where Temar was first buried.]
“The fact that Temar was first buried there implies he was later moved. A reburial wouldn't have been necessary unless there was an attack or grave robbing. You also mentioned that Zipple did something to Temar’s grave. Is there really something still left there?”
Picon gave a wide smirk.
[There is. The will of great knights. You will have to face those who were once Temar’s will in that place.]