Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: The Resonance
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Chapter 62: The Dwarf Tribe (4)
“Go on, take it.”
The chief handed me the sword.
I stared blankly at what was supposed to be Jace’s exclusive weapon.
My feelings at that moment could be summed up precisely as:
*What are you doing here? You scared me!*
“…”
Well, there was no need to be so afraid.
The possibility of me becoming one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings had been completely eliminated.
Still, it left a bad taste in my mouth.
The scene of my final moments, struck down by Ceria’s attack, flashed through my mind.
I wondered what was going through her heart back then.
She must have felt that Jace’s corruption was her fault.
Guilt. And a sense of responsibility.
She must have been driven by the sole conviction that she had to deal with her fallen fiancé with her own hands.
Of course, that would never happen in this world.
And I couldn’t just throw this away because it felt unsettling.
I calmly accepted Jace’s exclusive weapon.
“What do you think?”
“It’s magnificent. Your skill as a master craftsman is truly remarkable.”
One way or another, the sword itself was flawless.
It made the weapon I had been using feel like a piece of junk, but something felt a little off.
If my memory served me right, this sword’s performance was barely S-rank…
Ceria was a major supporting character, and its grade was tailored to her.
And yet, I had a gut feeling it was something more.
It made sense. This was a masterpiece proudly presented by the greatest blacksmith alive.
A plausible hypothesis soon came to mind.
This sword was, in the end, made exclusively for Jace.
In the hands of another, its performance was bound to be diminished.
In other words, I had to be the one to wield it to reveal its true worth.
To confirm this hypothesis, I asked the chief.
“Can anyone else use this sword?”
“Not a chance. To anyone but its rightful owner, it’s nothing more than a sharp blade. Well, there are some exceptions. Those close to you might be able to draw out about half of its true power… As of now, that would only be the head of the Crodain Family.”
The conditions were that we had to share the same bloodline or the same swordsmanship style.
Ceria had been heavily influenced by Jace since she was young.
Still, she must have gone through a lot of trial and error.
She must have spared no effort to become a companion of the Hero.
That was all from the original story, but it was worth a moment’s reflection.
“Hmm, the sword isn’t reacting. It seems it’s too early for you.”
Perhaps because he had been expecting something, he sounded disappointed.
As if to prove him wrong, I immediately retorted.
“I will now show you my resolve and my will.”
“Oh, what spirit. Yes, that’s how a man ought to be.”
In the original story, this sword pierced this body.
But now, it would be a sword that protected Ceria and everyone else.
First, I completely shook off the unsettling feeling.
I kept reminding myself of the fact that it was crafted exclusively for Jace.
My skills activated in succession.
The effects of Insight, Sword Heart Unity, and Flawlessness focused on one point.
It was draining my mana rapidly.
But thanks to Aruru’s trait, Blessing of the Spirits, it wasn’t much of a burden.
I began to feel a response.
The sword suddenly began to vibrate on its own.
“—!”
At the sight, the chief’s eyes went wide.
*Huh? It’s already working? I can’t believe my prediction was wrong…*
He betrayed such thoughts as he unknowingly swallowed hard.
By the time it had absorbed half of my mana, it began to shine with a brilliant radiance, as if that was enough.
[Resonance: Stage 1 Unlocked]
[Equipping the exclusive weapon maximizes the additional effects of Sword Heart Unity.]
[Stage 1 - Attack Power greatly increased & ignores 15% of the opponent's defense.]
[Stage 2 - Locked]
[Stage 3 - Locked]
I knew it.
In the original story, Ceria only ever reached Stage 1.
I, on the other hand, seemed to be able to unlock up to Stage 3.
The Stage 1 effect was a sweet bonus, too.
A defense-ignoring effect. I could now dish out what you might call armor-piercing damage.
It was a rare option.
And one that would become essential as I reached higher levels of mastery.
My current skill level was likely at the very top of A-rank.
If I were to face a Hero candidate, my attacks probably wouldn’t get through at all.
But with my exclusive weapon, the defense-ignoring effect would allow me to at least trade some blows.
I was planning to surpass A-rank soon enough.
Then, Stage 2 would probably unlock.
Unlocking Stage 3 would take a while, but I could wait for it with a joyful heart.
For the record, this was only the beginning.
The process of advancing from a Hero candidate to the next stage was the main flow of the original story…
I would need to reach Ex-rank through transcendence or awakening.
Only then would things proceed smoothly.
“You! You’re truly incredible!”
“—?”
“I’ve never in my life seen such a powerful resonance.”
*Huh? Is this really that amazing?*
The stern old man was making a fuss.
“I believe you’re mistaken about something… There are actually further stages. My current abilities are just insufficient, which is why it stopped here. Truly, this is a weapon that I am more than pleased with.”
“—!”
*No, was my craftsmanship really that good? I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it.*
Surprise, denial, confusion, and more.
Toward the astonished chief, I spoke softly.
“Sir, you are the greatest blacksmith of this era, are you not? In other words, this is merely the natural result. I offer my respect to you, who has reached the pinnacle in your field.”
Half of it was sincere, the other half was blatant flattery.
I was half in doubt, but thankfully, he let out a hearty laugh.
“Hahaha! You’re good at flattery for a young man. Well, I suppose only someone of your caliber is worthy of using my creation.”
We were in a current of mutual flattery.
It might be a bit hasty, but I had to take a bold shot.
“Would you be willing to hear me out for a moment?”
“Speak freely.”
“No matter what anyone says, the dwarves’ skill is the best on the continent. I believe it’s necessary to make that fact widely known to the world.”
“Hmm? Aren’t we already acknowledged by everyone?”
I shook my head firmly.
That wasn’t enough. We needed to promote it so much that even a passing dog would know it.
At my insistence that we show the world the greatness of the dwarves, the chief scratched his head as if troubled.
“You’re a human, aren’t you? Why go to such lengths…”
“You welcomed us and accepted us as friends. The fact that we are of different races seems to hold little meaning.”
“If you put it that way, I must also be serious. So, what is it that you want?”
He narrowed his eyes.
He already seemed to have some idea of my intentions.
All the better.
I stopped laying the groundwork and got straight to the point.
“How much do you happen to know about my family?”
“I don’t have much interest in human affairs, but it’s impossible not to know of the Crodain Family. I know that you possess a powerful knight order and have fought well against the Demon King’s Army until now.”
He knew as much as he needed to.
It seemed there was no need for further explanation.
“As the heir of the Crodain Family, I am making a formal request. Please lend us your strength.”
They were already the strongest knight order.
Armed with dwarven weapons and armor, they would become even more formidable.
“That would create an invincible force. State your purpose as well.”
“Naturally, my intention is to annihilate the Demon King’s Army.”
“Hmm…”
“If you entrust this to me, I will do my utmost.”
With nothing to lose, I spoke with fervor.
The Demon King’s Army was the root of all evil, so the dwarves held a lot of resentment toward them as well.
Humans had suffered the most damage, but the lore stated that all the other races—elves, dwarves, beastkin, and so on—had endured their share of hardship.
Considering that, there was a chance he might grant at least part of my request…
“How many are there?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking for the total number of your knights.”
“About two hundred, but…”
“Outfitting all of them will require me to push my kin quite hard.”
“—!”
*Huh? Is this right?*
It was a rather unreasonable request, yet he readily accepted.
At this point, I was the one in a difficult position.
Equipping the entire knight order would incur an astronomical cost.
I wasn’t sure of the exact amount, but…
Even if I scraped together all the family’s wealth, it wouldn’t be enough, would it?
If we were talking about weapons and armor sold on the open market, maybe, but the works of dwarven master craftsmen were far more expensive.
In truth, I had no authority to make such a decision.
As a family that prided itself on military might, they would undoubtedly covet dwarven equipment, but the scale was just too massive.
Still, I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by.
As my thoughts deepened, the angel and demon modeled after Jace popped up in my head again.
—Just accept it, then win big and pay it back!
—There’s also the option of secretly selling off a portion.
This time, they didn’t argue, instead offering their opinions in harmony.
*Hmm, is this my true nature? Why do they only seem to suggest bad ideas?*
The more the knight order distinguished itself, the more sources of income would appear one way or another.
As the angel said, the idea of winning and paying it back wasn’t bad.
The problem was that I would need to negotiate a generous payment deadline…
“I’ll only charge for the materials and labor.”
“—?”
“You can pay the sum slowly. The great Crodain Family isn’t going to run off without paying. I can make that concession for you.”
As if to prove he wasn’t speaking empty words, the chief’s expression was stern, serious, and solemn.
*Why? How?*
This was an unprecedented departure from custom.
Dwarves weren’t greedy for money, but they were famous for precisely valuing their labor.
They were a race with whom negotiation was impossible.
Their pride as craftsmen must be immense, yet it seemed he wasn’t concerned with it this time.
“You plan to stand against the Demon King’s Army, do you not?”
“That is correct, but…”
“Then it’s no different from you fighting and risking your life on our behalf. Providing you with equipment is the least we should do.”
“…”
“However, I must ask a favor of you.”
The chief’s gaze turned sharp.
As if he were recalling an object of his hatred.
“The Demon King’s Army captures useful individuals and forces them into slavery. Among them are our own kin. Find them and…”
“Yes. I will rescue them without fail.”
“Hmm, I’ve spoken needlessly. You would have done so regardless.”
It was an easy picture to imagine.
They must have imprisoned the dwarves and forced them to forge weapons.
Not only from a humanitarian standpoint, but also from a strategic one, it was imperative to cut off the Demon King’s Army’s weapon supply.
In any case, I had now secured the support of the Dwarf Tribe.
Thanks to elevating both this body’s dignity and our rapport, the outcome was better than I could have hoped for.
The cost was reduced by more than half.
That amount seemed like something the family could readily accept.
Who else could achieve such a result?
Even the family head would be proud of me and acknowledge my accomplishment.
“This conversation has gone on too long. Come see me again tomorrow.”
He slowly reined in his excitement.
It seemed he needed time to organize his thoughts.
*Well, I did come at him rather suddenly.*
I bowed my head respectfully and quietly took my leave.
* * *
Watching Jace’s retreating back, Duralr grew more certain of his thoughts.
*That young man is destined for great things.*
He was in the prime of his youth.
By dwarven standards, he was just a greenhorn, but he was a being who couldn’t be judged by such a metric.
It felt like no matter what you expected of him, he would show you something more.
This wasn’t entirely without basis. Duralr had met the Heroes of previous generations.
Jace resembled them.
His will to accomplish something was strikingly similar.
*To think he could already resonate with the sword…*
And what’s more, he said that wasn’t the end of it.
As if to say it was only the beginning, he had declared that he would grow even stronger.
A man who boldly carves his own path.
Duralr could see in him the qualities of one who would stand above all others.
The answer was clear just from the audacious proposal he had made.
To arm his knight order with dwarven weapons and armor.
In truth, it was an impossible request.
On what grounds should he go to such lengths?
A cultured dwarf strictly considered one’s qualifications.
Even if offered a fortune, he must not break that ironclad rule.
Normally, he would have refused flatly, but this time was different.
*This will likely be the last chance…*
Duralr was an old dwarf.
While he wasn’t on death’s door, his time as a blacksmith was running out.
Perhaps that was why.
He wanted to bet the rest of his life on Jace.
Perhaps, just as the young man aspired, he might actually annihilate the Demon King’s Army…
Once, Duralr had wielded an axe instead of a hammer.
He had fought against the Demon King’s Army, been captured, and then escaped on his own.
How could he ever forget the humiliation of that time?
It was only right that he repay it, even if through someone else.
The Heroes until now had fought reasonably well, but in the end, they had failed to defeat the Demon King.
He wondered how it would be this time.
Anticipating the miracle a certain young man might bring about, Duralr gripped his hammer.
There was no time to rest.
He would entrust the equipment for the knight order to his tribesmen.
But as for the share for Jace and his companions, he wanted to forge it with his own hands.