Chapter 384 - Battle of Swords, the Secret of the City Lord

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Hey! Where did Hell’s Rose find such a stubborn tempered craftsman? Just now, he asked you to forge a knife, but you said that you couldn’t forge it without seeing a sample. Now that the sample is in front of you, why can’t you do it?”

After seeing that the craftsman was being uncooperative, Dave immediately became furious. He argued with him at the top of his voice.

At that moment, other than Vincent, no one could understand Dave’s desire for a knife. What was even worse was that the craftsman that they found was unwilling to forge a knife for him. This made Dave feel an unprecedented impatience.

The craftsman looked at the irritable Dave and said unhurriedly, “I am a dedicated craftsman. A weapon forged by me must be very powerful. I am unable to see the power of this weapon, nor can I estimate it. Therefore, I cannot blindly forge a weapon!”

Vincent smiled and said, “How difficult is that? You are a craftsman, so you must have some forged weapons on you, right? Let’s try them out!”

The craftsman could not help but turn to look at Vincent, “I am Rooney, the best craftsman on the eighth floor of Hell’s Rose. At the same time, I am the best craftsman in Devil Flame City! If you want to compare the weapons I forge with your knife, I advise you to give up. As long as it is in the vicinity of Devil Flame City, there is no better weapon than the one I forged with my own hands!”

The smile on Vincent’s face could not help but become even brighter. He said with great anticipation, “That’s great. Hurry up and let me see your masterpiece! It’s best to take out at least two! Let me try them out!”

Rooney felt extremely humiliated. He said with a slightly angry expression, “Are you saying that you won’t like the weapons that I forge? If you can’t prove that your weapon is better than the ones I forged, then you will have to apologize to my weapon!”

Vincent nodded and said, “No problem! Then if I can prove the superiority of the knife, what price should you pay?”

Rooney was startled and said in a huff, “If you can beat the weapon that I’ve forged, then I’ll do whatever you want me to do. No complaints!”

Vincent clapped his hands and said, “Well, if I win, you’ll leave Hell’s Rose and become the personal craftsman of His Highness, Dave. Are you willing to do that?”

Rooney did not expect Vincent to offer such a condition. He turned to look at Dave behind him with his eyes wide open.

Dave looked as if he had eaten a fly. He waved his hands at Vincent. He wanted to know why Vincent would arrange such an annoying craftsman for him.

It was still unknown if he could even make a weapon that suited his heart. Plus, Dave believed that he would get angry with him every day!

Rooney hesitated for a moment before saying, “Alright, we’ll do as you say!”

Vincent nodded happily and said, “Come! Show me all of the weapons that you’re most proud of!”

Rooney raised the storage ring in his right hand. With a flash of light, seven or eight cold and shiny weapons instantly appeared under Vincent’s feet.

Vincent looked down and saw that there were five long swords, two staffs, and a shield in front of him.

Each weapon was shining with a bright light, proving that they were all high-quality weapons.

This was because whether it was the quality of the materials or the craftsmanship of the craftsmen, they had to be the best of the best in order to create the light that only a treasure could have!

Vincent smiled and sighed, “Not bad! Then choose the weapon that you are most confident in!”

Rooney bent down and picked up a long sword. He raised his hand and pulled the sword out of its sheath. He held it high in the air and looked at it with a smug expression.

When Dave saw the appearance of the sword, he could not help but sigh.

“It is the Seven Stars Flying Thunder Sword!”

Rooney turned to look at Dave. With a smug expression, he said, “That’s right! I personally forged the Seven Stars Flying Thunder Sword, but that is not my proudest creation. This Nine Stars Exploding Flame Sword is my proudest creation! Its materials are even more precious than that of the Seven Stars Flying Thunder Sword. At the same time, I have spent a lot of effort on it. And it’s also the number one divine weapon in Devil Flame City!”

After hearing this, Dave could not help but look at the treasured sword in Rooney’s hand with even more curiosity. His eyes were full of admiration for the sword.

Vincent, on the other hand, only smiled and sighed, “Don’t be so boastful. Raise the sword properly. Do you dare to let me slash it first?”

Rooney held the hilt of his sword with both hands and said to Vincent, “Why not?”

Vincent instantly withdrew his right hand that was holding the sword. After drawing a half-circle in front of him, he suddenly raised it into the air and slashed it down heavily.

“Clang!”

A half-moon-shaped black light instantly fell, and a clear sound of metal colliding could be heard. The Nine Stars Exploding Flame Sword in Rooney’s hand instantly broke into half, while the Return Journey of the Dead in Vincent’s hand did not even have the slightest dent.

“Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!”

Rooney stood on the spot, his face full of shock. He looked at the flawless blade in Vincent’s hand. He felt like the entire world had collapsed.

Vincent smiled and said, “How is it? Are you still going to compete?”

Rooney took a deep breath. He looked at Vincent and said solemnly, “Earlier, I did not move, but you brandished your weapon. Of course, my sword will break from the impact. It is not because the weapon in your hand is good. Instead, it is because you have great strength. This time, you hold your weapon and don’t move. Let me hit you with my sword. Do you dare to face me?”

Vincent nodded and pushed Monica aside. He held the hilt with both hands. The blade was directly in front of him. He replied, “Why wouldn’t I dare to face you? No matter how many weapons you want to use to fight me, just say the word!”

Rooney nodded fiercely and said, “Then don’t regret it!”

With that, Rooney reached out to grab an even thicker and heavier great sword.

The moment Rooney grabbed the hilt, the sheath of the great sword instantly exploded into pieces. It revealed a snow-white blade that was as cold as ice.

A chilling sword aura instantly filled the entire forging room, causing Dave and the others to feel a chill down their spines. There was actually a substantial killing intent attached to the blade. It could be seen that the sharpness of this great sword was definitely above that of the Nine Stars Exploding Flame Sword!

After Dave felt the chill down his spine, he could not help but look at Rooney and say, “I didn’t know that you were so good at hiding things. Just now, you boasted that the Nine Stars Exploding Flame Sword was the number one divine weapon in Devil Flame City. However, you’ve just brought out an even better weapon!”

Rooney’s originally honest face suddenly revealed a shrewd smile as he said, “Your Highness, you have good eyesight! The sword in my hand does indeed surpass the Nine Stars Exploding Flame Sword in terms of attack. However, the murderous aura on the sword is a bit too strong. It will easily affect the wielder of the sword to fall down the path of murder. Thus, I never dared to show this sword to the world. I don’t even have a name for it. Today is probably the only time that this sword will ever be used to fight!”

Dave could not help but exhort, “If this sword is so powerful, then you must be careful when you test it out. You must not hurt Vincent!”

Rooney raised his sword with both hands and said in a deep voice, “Rest assured, Your Highness. I know what I’m doing!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Rooney brandished the great sword in his hand. The snow-white blade instantly struck the pitch-black blade in Vincent’s hand.

“Clang!”

The sound of metal colliding rang out almost instantly. At the same time, the nameless great sword in Rooney’s hand broke into two once again.

Vincent’s Return Journey of the Dead was still as good as before. There was not the slightest bit of damage on it!

“This…”

Rooney felt as if his soul had left his body. He could not believe that there was actually such a sharp divine weapon in the world. The forging talent that he had always been conceited about was completely not worth mentioning in comparison!

When Vincent saw this, he could not help but smile and said, “Are we going to continue competing?”

Rooney suddenly raised his head and looked directly into Vincent’s eyes. He said with a determined expression, “Compete! I still have so many weapons, why shouldn’t we compete?”

Vincent nodded. He held the Return Journey of the Dead and flip it downwards. The pitch-black blade instantly swept across the ground.

The remaining three longswords, two staffs, and shield on the ground were all broken into two. They did not hinder the Return Journey of the Dead at all.

Rooney fell to the ground with a plop. He sighed in surprise, “How is this possible? Such powerful weapons actually exist but we elves have never heard about them. ”

Vincent put away the Return Journey of the Dead and said to Rooney in a reprimanding tone, “There are so many things that you don’t know! So, when His Highness Dave and I help you to broaden your horizons, you must accept it with an open mind. Don’t always think about refuting!”

In fact, from the moment he brought up the competition, Vincent had already expected the outcome. This was because the Return Journey of the Dead in his hands was the result of the fusion of his Purgatory Blade and the black knife given by the Ultimate Evil Lord. Its core power represented a whole world!

No matter how outstanding Rooney’s forging talent was, his forging materials were all obtained from the Elf Race. His craftmanship was limited to that of the Elf World. It was absolutely impossible for him to defeat the treasures from the Ultimate Evil Lord’s collection!

Rooney had completely lost the capital to be stubborn. He nodded obediently and bowed respectfully to Dave. He said, “Your Highness! Previously, I was short-sighted and have offended you. Please do not mind me. From now on, I will be your personal subordinate. If you need anything, just let me know!”

Dave waved his hand and replied, “You just need to calm down and help me forge a treasured knife!”

Rooney nodded and looked at Vincent. He asked sincerely, “Sir, can you lend me the knife?”

Vincent nodded and handed the knife over to Rooney.

Rooney carefully observed the Return Journey of the Dead. He reached out two fingers and gently touched the blade. After feeling the curvature of the blade, he repeatedly sighed, “Good weapon! Good weapon! How could I have never thought of such a weapon? With its thin blade and thick back, it would indeed be the most suitable weapon for chopping. It would naturally be better than a sword! It’s a killing artifact!”

As he lamented, Rooney reached out his hands to lift the blade from Vincent’s hands. However, he did not expect the weight of the blade to be far beyond his imagination. No matter how hard he tried, he could not lift the blade in the slightest. He could not help but look at Vincent in shock.

Rooney said in admiration, “Your Excellency is born with divine power! To be able to wield such a heavy divine weapon, it seems that my carefully forged weapons will no doubt break. It is not an injustice at all!”

Vincent smiled slightly and said, “This blade will recognize its master. In the hands of others, it is as heavy as Mount Tai. But in my hands, it is only slightly heavier than ordinary weapons. You do not need to be too sentimental. You just need to help His Highness Dave to forge a divine weapon!”

Rooney nodded and turned to look at the meteorite chain that was piled in the corner of the forging room. He sighed and said, “I will use these top-grade materials to forge a treasured blade that is most suitable for His Highness Dave. It is a pity that there are no better materials at the moment. Otherwise, if added to the meteorite, it will definitely give the weapon an even more outstanding ability!”

His Highness Dave could not help but become more attentive. He quickly asked, “Then what kind of materials do you need to increase the power of the weapon?”

Rooney immediately replied, “Any kind of material is fine, but it has to be the best forging material! The meteorite has a very strong tolerance. When it is fused with any material, it would obtain the corresponding ability. But where can Your Highness find another top-grade material at this instant?”

Dave quickly replied, “Don’t worry about it! When you need to fuse using new materials, just inform me. I have a way to get the best materials!”

Rooney nodded and said, “Since Your Highness has the right materials, then there’s no time for me to lose. I’ll start the fire forging now!”

Dave nodded his head repeatedly.

Rooney began to get busy.

Vincent and Dave soon left the forging room and no longer disturbed Rooney’s work.

Monica and Catherine naturally followed the two of them out. The four of them strolled around in the mansion together. They were like good friends going for an outing.

Vincent turned to look at Catherine and asked curiously, “Right now, everyone has their eyes on His Highness, Dave. Are you not afraid of arousing suspicion by coming out to meet him?”

Catherine shook her head and said, “I was invited by Monica to come with her to have fun. What does it have to do with His Highness?”

Vincent still said with some worry, “But I heard that Lady Catherine almost never leaves Hell’s Rose. If you suddenly make an unusual move now, it will make others think further about your relationship with Dave. This is equivalent to exposing Dave’s weakness!”

Catherine smiled and said, “Sir Vincent, you’re worrying too much. Although I don’t usually leave Hell’s Rose, there are exceptions. For example, if Hell’s Rose is no longer open. If I stay inside, won’t that be more suspicious?”

Vincent could not help but turn to look at Dave. After seeing Dave nodding repeatedly and confirming that what Catherine said was true, he then asked curiously, “Why would Hell’s Rose close down? And didn’t Monica just meet Myron last night? He doesn’t care?”

Catherine sighed softly and said, “Although Myron is the boss of Hell’s Rose, he can’t show his face in public after all. The current Devil Flame City is no longer in the same era. Didn’t Monica mention to you previously that Hell’s Rose will close down for a day every once in a while?”

Vincent blinked his eyes and suddenly recalled the conversation he had with Monica. The day Hell’s Rose closed down was the day City Lord Andre would collect the Origin Divine Earth through the underground tunnel!

Vincent looked at Catherine in shock and mumbled, “You mean…”

Without waiting for Vincent to finish speaking, Catherine nodded and said, “That’s right! Today is the day City Lord Andre will pay a visit to Hell’s Rose. According to the previous rules, Hell’s Rose would no longer receive any guests from morning. In the afternoon, all the employees will have to leave Hell’s Rose, and before the sky turned dark, us supervisors will need to leave Hell’s Rose. Hell’s Rose must be completely empty by then. After that, Andre will enter Hell’s Rose alone at night. He will only leave before daybreak on the second day!”

Vincent frowned. If he could sneak into Hell’s Rose at night and secretly observe Andre’s actions, he might be able to figure out what was going on in Elf World.

Dave saw through Vincent’s thoughts and could not help but ask, “Then, the two of us will go back tonight?”

Catherine took the lead and said, “It’s useless even if we go back! Tonight, the entrance of the Hell’s Rose will be heavily guarded. No one would be able to enter the Hell’s Rose from there. Therefore, even if the two of you rush back now, you would not be able to find out what the City Lord has done in Hell’s Rose!”

Vincent shook his head and said, “Regardless of whether the entrance of Hell’s Rose is heavily guarded or not, as long as we want to enter, there is always a way! Moreover, Andre’s actions must be closely related to the Elf World, so tonight’s opportunity must be seized. We must find out what Andre is doing…”

“Even if what he is doing is not important, it is still a mission for the City Lord. When Dave wants to take over the City Lord’s position in the future, he must be familiar with the job. It’s better to take a look in advance and remember it!”

Dave nodded and said, “It seems that no matter what, the two of us will go to Hell’s Rose tonight to take a look. I will go and prepare my men. After that, we can rush back to Devil Flame City immediately!”

Vincent suddenly said, “No! If we bring with us a large force, tonight’s matter will definitely be fraught with danger. Once Andre finds out that someone has invaded Hell’s Rose, he will definitely search the entire city. A large number of soldiers stationed in the mansion is the best cover for us!”

Dave frowned slightly and asked, “Are you trying to sneak back into Devil Flame City? But the four city gates of Devil Flame City are heavily guarded. If we don’t reveal our identities, how are we going to enter the city?”

Vincent said with a crazed expression, “By forcefully breaking into the city gates! We will disguise ourselves as elves entering the city to seek revenge! Not only will that reduce Andre’s suspicion of us, but it will also make him question the abilities of the four city guards. This will make it more convenient for us to take over the North City Gate!”

Dave was shocked by Vincent’s boldness. He quickly nodded and said, “What a crazy idea. But since you want to take a risk, I’ll accompany you to go crazy!”

Vincent smiled slightly and said with satisfaction, “Good! We’ll wait for the craftsman to finish forging and then test the blade. We’ll rush to Hell’s Rose before dark!”

Dave nodded solemnly. Catherine, who was standing at the side, said, “We still need a set of top-tier materials to forge the treasured blade. You haven’t even found the materials, so how can you expect the craftsman to finish forging the blade in such a short period of time?”

Vincent immediately turned to look at Dave. He had long guessed in his heart that Dave must have made a suitable choice.

Dave smiled and took out a pitch-black bone from his storage ring. It looked rather dim.. He said, “The Elf King’s remains are the best forging materials in the Elf Race even without energy. What could be more suitable for forging knives than this?”