043. Blood Lake
Gana Continent, eastern edge of the Forest of Death. A bright red pond came into view... People called it the Blood Lake.
Around the Blood Lake stretched a forest and trees glowing with red light. There stood Bin, Ront, and Mia.
With Moden off to report the Grander family's involvement to the Gana Empire—putting the vice-captain appointment on hold for now—Bin had his sights set on finding the alchemist Noni. It was for treating the children and easing Luminare's side effects.
With Luminare as it was, he couldn't guarantee victory in a fight against Silva. No, if Silva unleashed Opening, defeat was certain. But if he minimized Luminare's side effects and mastered an Opening on par with his... the outcome would be different.
First, I need to master the basics of Opening.
Codic, hanging from Bin's belt, sensed his sour expression with ghostly intuition. Gazing at the Blood Lake, he gnashed his teeth.
My lord... is it that creepy lake...?
Not just Codic—everyone around began to feel drawn to the Blood Lake. The blood-red waters mesmerized them. The bizarre sight pulled their gazes inexorably.
As they all stared entranced, Ront approached the lake.
Thud. Tap. Thud. Tap.
Irregular footsteps. Ront dragged his awkward body along, paused briefly while eyeing the vivid red waters, then lifted his Y-shaped staff and dipped it into the shallows to gauge the depth.
Thud. Thud.
"Seems particularly deep today..."
Ront muttered, and Codic spoke up.
"Old man, you aren't just making excuses 'cause you're too short to wade in, are you?"
Ront—especially sensitive about his height—bulged his eyes and bellowed.
"You skull with nothing but a head left! Teaching manners to this body?!"
Codic wasn't one to take that lying down. He bared his teeth and fired back.
"Click! Click! Thinking you'll get special treatment for your ancient bones is a grave miscalculation. I'm older!"
A bizarre contest unfolded over whose bones were older(?).
As the two faced off, Mia piped up.
"Uncle Ront, are you too short to go into the strawberry lake?"
"Ah, no, I'm not!!"
Unlike his usual calm demeanor, Ront got heated.
A moment later, the composed Ront glanced at the Blood Lake, then turned to Bin with a markedly serious expression—quite different from before. He seemed about to broach something important.
"Let me explain why I brought you here..."
Bin cut in midsentence.
"Because of the grades, right?"
His flow interrupted just as he was about to show off his knowledge, Ront looked sheepish. Bin continued, watching him scratch his head awkwardly.
"The Blood Lake that lowers the grade of all weapons..."
Bin gazed at the lake, piecing it together. Why Ront had brought him here.
He was suffering side effects from his superior weapon, Luminare. He was stronger than his peers, but with a weapon of that caliber, it was inevitable. Yet if the weapon's grade dropped and the side effects minimized...
There could be no better place to learn Opening.
Ront frowned at Bin, who always seemed to know everything.
Just what is this kid's deal...? A first-rate dwarf like me, toyed with every time...
His dissatisfied expression shifted as he raised the staff with its strap on top.
Time to show him with actions, not words. This body's greatness.
Ront gritted his teeth and scanned the surroundings, his face deadly serious.
"Watch closely. I'll show you what Opening truly is."
His voice rose in pitch. Bin, Codic, and Mia all watched him intently.
Ront's gaze locked on a target. A large rock sat beside a small one.
His eyes burned with unusual intensity—like those of an artisan fully concentrated.
He grabbed a handful of pellets and pressed them against the strap atop his staff. Every finger moved with practiced skill.
Don't be too shocked by this body's prowess!
Swish.
The strap he'd pulled snapped forward, launching a pellet toward the small rock—like a bird zeroing in on prey.
Tink!
But instead of the expected crack, a faint sound rang out. The noise alone hinted at pitifully weak force.
The rock bore only a pellet-sized dent where it had struck.
Great expectations breed great disappointments, as they say. Codic shot Ront a bewildered look and jeered.
"Old man, looks like you got nothing to teach..."
Ront patted his waist with an embarrassed grimace, muttering to himself.
"This body's gotten old—not as crisp as before. But..."
He paused and readied another pellet. Any thought of no difference vanished as his eyes turned resolute.
"If I unleash Opening here... Hah!"
A low murmur. With it, white mana bloomed around his body.
His eyes filled entirely with whites.
In that instant, the white-glowing staff began to shimmer silver.
Bin's eyes sharpened.
Silver...
The superior form of white light.
Ront furrowed his brow, focusing his spirit on the weapon.
Concentrate more...
The moment silver mana thickened from his hand...
The Y-shaped staff became fully enveloped in silver and began to transform.
Onlookers' pupils quivered.
"...!"
It had clearly been a staff just moments ago.
Now it was a cannon reaching knee height—like a thick stone pillar laid horizontal. Its size dwarfed the dwarf Ront several times over.
Ront swiveled the massive cannon and boomed.
"Fire!"
A head-sized red orb of a shot. Incomparable to the pea-sized pellets before.
Screeech.
The red projectile tore through the air toward the large rock.
It struck—and a deafening roar shook the surroundings.
Boooom!!
The sound alone screamed raw menace.
Crack! Crackle!
The massive rock spiderwebbed like shattered glass before exploding into fragments.
Bin and Codic's eyes flashed.
On a whole other level.
"...!"
It had barely scratched the small rock before.
After Opening, the power was staggering. One had to question if it was the same weapon.
Codic gawked at Ront, seeing him anew with wide eyes.
To think that ancient runt had this in him...!
Sensing the shift in gazes, Ront puffed up his shoulders.
But the swagger lasted only a moment before he clutched his waist in agony.
"Ugh... Haven't pushed like that in ages. Back's killing me."
He swung his clenched fist behind him and thumped his back.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
His posture screamed exhaustion. Leaning on the staff, he couldn't budge.
Opening guzzled mana, draining his stamina dry. Now it was clear why he hadn't used it against Gangble.
Watching Ront's display, Bin recalled someone.
Super Nova Hobas...
According to Ront, Noni was suppressed by the Grander family's Super Nova, Hobas.
Bin knew Hobas's prowess from memories of his past life. A pinnacle 3rd class knight Super Nova wielding a superior weapon. No pushover.
I can't promise victory now... but if I master Opening, it'll be different.
In his past life, Bin had poured everything into crafting. He knew of Opening but lacked the skill for perfection like Ront's.
But now that I've regressed...
With clear eyes, Bin asked Ront, who was slumped fully against his staff.
"Where do we start?"
Ront stared into the void, pondering.
"Still... I wonder if you can even pull it off..."
Bin replied confidently to his tilted-head doubt.
"Too soon to say."
Seeing Bin's assurance, Ront continued measuredly.
"Acquiring Opening in a short time is flat-out impossible. Even this body took ages..."
His expression was gravely serious.
Opening. The fastest anyone had ever mastered it was a month. That man was Helden of the famed Grander house—sword-obsessed beyond all others.
Even that generational prodigy had needed a full month. Ront's doubts were natural.
No matter the talent, it'll take at least a month... What now...?
But Bin held firm.
"We don't have time."
The girl beside him, Mia, chimed in.
"Uncle Ront, no time."
Poke.
While Ront wavered, Bin dipped Luminare into the Blood Lake.
Seeing his haste, Ront relented at last.
No helping it.
Ront eyed Bin's stance—feet in the lake—and began instructing.
"First, channel the mana flowing from your whole body into the weapon. Think of the weapon as an extension of your own flesh."
Bin gripped Luminare tight.
The greatsword touched the blood waters, and its weight lightened magically.
He exhaled and summoned his mana.
"Huu..."
As he breathed out, white mana swirled around Luminare.
Bin focused harder on the blade.
Like threading the sword with fine silk...
Enveloping the greatsword in smoke-like mana was no easy feat.
Ront watched Bin's concentration closely.
Crisp posture. Remarkably stable, even gripping a superior weapon.
He recalled his own past—wobbly stance while practicing Opening.
To hold such stability at that age... Reaching Opening may be tough, but that's peerless talent...
Ront was certain. No one had ever shown such promise.
It might even rival Helden, the Grander prodigy.
Meanwhile, despite the dizzying mana drain, Bin pushed his focus deeper.
I can do this... I can do this...
Recalling his mother soaked in blood, he gripped Luminare tighter.
Sweat beaded on his brow as he struggled. Ront spoke up.
"See here—Opening isn't easy. Forget doing it in one go; advance step by step..."
As Ront laced his words with sarcasm...
The white mana surging into the greatsword clashed—and shifted to silver.
In that instant, Ront's eyes flew wide, as if beholding a ghost.
...Silver?!