Chapter 29

Chapter 29

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HEL SCANS

[Translator – Zain]

[Proofreader – Demon God]

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The group gathered around Dydican at the center. Dydican, who had been feeling along the walls of the furnace, pressed a specific section firmly. The building seemed to vibrate slightly, and the floor on which the four people were standing began to gradually disappear.

“Wh-what is this?!”The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.

Swoosh!

Startled, Marya quickly embraced Aselle. Creaking sounds were heard from all directions.

-Gugugugu...

The descending floor slowly vanished, completely swallowed by the surrounding walls. Dydican, watching their bewildered expressions, chuckled.

“It’s an elevator created using magic stones and a lever. The fastest passage connecting the underground forge.”

“Are there passages to other places too?”

“Yes. The locations are a secret, but there are easily dozens of them. While Gracia is the biggest client, we also receive requests from other customers.”

The elevator descended through a dark vertical shaft. The entrance they looked up at had already become as small as the moon. Only Cita’s pupils were sparkling like red gems.

Clang... Clang... Somewhere, the sound of metal clashing could be heard.

Gradually, their view became clear. A chilly wind rushed in.

“Welcome. To the largest forge on the island.”

The elevator, now out of the rocky passage, was descending along a framework of iron girders. The pupils of all three of them widened in astonishment. A sight they couldn’t have imagined unfolded before their eyes.

“What in the world is this...”

It appeared to be a space created by enlarging a massive cavern. Towering stalactites and stalagmites resembling houses were scattered around. Luminescent moss covering the cavern’s walls acted as a source of light.

Several stone-built buildings, about the size of houses, sprouted like mushrooms throughout the cavern. It looked more like a village than a forge.

Dwarves of all sizes scurried busily between the buildings. These were the underground craftsmen. Dydican spoke with a proud smile.

“Gran Cappadocia. This whole place is the forge. Most of the residents are dwarves, but there are a few of us from other races as well.”

In one corner of the village, bubbling lava gathered like a lake. Dwarves were pouring lava from specially treated buckets.

Thud!

Soon, the elevator came to a stop. Dydican looked at the three of them and spoke.

“Come on. Follow me. I’ll take you to the best blacksmith.”

Dydican pricked up his ears and glanced around. He shouted toward a distant dwarf carrying lava.

“Hey! Is Doron back today?”

“Dydican, you damn fool! Did you steal the Invisibility Enchantment Scroll? Are you behind that nonsense with invisible armor or something?”

The dwarf erupted in anger. All three of them looked at Dydican simultaneously. Dydican leaned forward, placing his index finger in front of his lips, and shouted again.

“There’s no way that’s true! Is Doron here?”

“How would I know? Now that the vacation is over, he’s probably sulking in his usual spot!”

The dwarf grumbled as he walked away. The buckets of lava he carried teetered dangerously. Dydican laughed snickering and turned his head.

“Well, it looks like the vacation is over.”

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HEL SCANS

[Translator – Zain]

[Proofreader – Demon God]

Join our Discord for release /invite/dbdMDhzWa2

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“Do you have different thoughts than other blacksmiths?”

“Well, of course. While it’s undeniable that our ancestors are legendary generals, stagnant water tends to rot. We must do our best to develop better techniques.”

Dydican nodded with a determined expression. Ronan was starting to find this mischievous character likable. The group following Dydican came to a halt in front of a massive cubic building.

“This... looks quite perplexing.”

Ronan scratched his head. The surface of the stone-built cube was so smooth that not even a fly could land on it.

They couldn’t even begin to guess how it was made. On top of the cube, a tall chimney reached all the way to the ceiling. Dydican spoke excitedly.

“Isn’t it ingenious? This is a work that Doron created when he was young. It was made about four hundred years ago.”

Aselle gasped.

“F... Four hundred years?”

“Yes. He’s probably the oldest among the dwarves living on the island.”

Considering that the average lifespan of dwarves was around three hundred years, this was truly astonishing.

The cube had only one wide door, without a single window. The moment Dydican opened the door, a rush of red light poured out like waves.

“Ah! My eyes!”

“It’s-it’s hot!”

“Eek!”

Ronan raised his hand to shield his eyes. The intense beam of light felt like it could burn his face.

In the red light, nothing could be seen. Dydican took a deep breath and shouted toward the source of light.

“Doron!! It’s guests!!”

Then, the light and heat gradually subsided. Ronan lowered his hand that was covering his eyes. A chaotic yet strange landscape appeared before them.

“That? Fungus Blade, Uruza. It’s a masterpiece that fits within ten fingers of my life’s work.”

Doron explained the story of creating Navarose’s Fungus Blade. He mentioned how he thoroughly studied all of Navarose’s swordsmanship, including Aura, before accepting the commission to craft her weapon.

“It’s not just Uruza. I’ve also crafted the Grand Duke of Grancia’s sword, Pale Road, and the lance of the former Imperial Knight Commander Aston, Eskamon. Ahh, my mind is finally starting to work again.”

“Does that mean you make weapons tailored for each individual?”

“That’s right. Every warrior has a different fighting style, and naturally, the way they handle weapons is different too. Hey, how about you give it a swing?”

“Me? You mean me?”

Marya pointed to herself with her finger. She shrugged her shoulders once, then picked up two short swords similar to the one she used.

“...Sure, I’ll give it a try?”

Doron nodded silently.

Swish!

Her unique and sharp sword cut through the air with a sound reminiscent of the wind whistling through rocks. After swinging it about twenty times, Marya’s eyes widened.

“Wow... What’s this sword? Seriously, it’s so good!”

Her reaction was like watching Ronan earlier. It was the first time she had encountered a weapon so light yet perfectly balanced. Doron looked at Marya’s arm with an interested expression.

“The force is much stronger than it looks.”

“Th-thank you... By any chance, do you have any plans to sell the weapons displayed here? If you negotiate with your higher-ups...”

“Hey, the right weapon for you isn’t a short sword.”

“What?”

Doron tilted his head. As he rummaged through the pile of weapons, he pulled out a greatsword. It was smaller than the one used by the second-year senior, Braum, but it still looked substantial.

“You want me to use this?”

“That’s right. Give it a swing.”

Marya held the hilt of the greatsword with a somewhat startled expression. It was her first time wielding such a large sword, so she didn’t feel comfortable with it.

“Huuh...!”

Marya managed to assume a stance and swung the greatsword.

Whooong!

The brisk strike tore through the air. Ronan rounded his lips and exclaimed in admiration.

“Oh. Definitely.”

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Ronan nodded. Although her stance was a bit awkward due to not properly learning how to handle a greatsword, the speed and stability with which she swung the sword were on a different level compared to wielding dual swords.

Marya was equally surprised. She felt that if she got a little more used to it, she could handle it like an extension of her own limbs. Ronan asked.

“Then, what should I swing?”

“It’s not about the type of weapon for you.”

“Then?”

“It’s about the material. I wonder how many types of materials in the world can withstand your dual sword.”

Doron let out a sigh. Ronan’s strikes were faster than any he had seen before. He began to dig through the accumulated experience.

“Could it be Mithril after all...? No, maybe Orichalcum would be better. I wonder if there’s any Alloy-Forging Iron left...”

“I don’t care about the price. After all, I’m not the one paying.”

“I never cared about the price to begin with. If you had been concerned about that kind of thing, you would have gone to those shabby workshops up in the upper district. Hm, what would be the best? How about making it out of a monster’s exoskeleton or scales...”

“Scales?”

The moment Ronan heard the word “scales,” a flash of insight illuminated his mind. He suddenly started stripping off his coat and began shaking it to dislodge its contents.

“Ro-Ronan... What are you doing?”

“Just wait. I’m sure I kept it somewhere...”

From the coat, which had more than eight pockets, all sorts of objects were bouncing out. Half-eaten biscuits, crumpled socks, jingling coins, and so on... Finally, Ronan found what he was looking for and burst into a triumphant laugh.

“I found it.”

Ronan approached Doron, clutching what he had found. Doron was still muttering to himself, lost in thought about the material.

“No, no. Blue Wyvern scales are too bouncy. Then, what about...?”

“Doron, how about this?”

“Hmm?”

Ronan extended his hand. Doron grinned.

Thin pieces resembling fragments of something were placed on Ronan’s palm. Their appearance was as beautiful as black pearls, dark and elegant.

“What is this...?”

Despite working as a blacksmith for over four hundred years, Doron had never seen such a material. Ronan petted Cita while smiling.

“This is from the shell that Cita hatched.”

“Hatched?”

Cita nuzzled Ronan’s hand. Doron’s eyes widened.

“From a shell? Are you serious?”

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HEL SCANS

[Translator – Zain]

[Proofreader – Demon God]

Join our Discord for release /invite/dbdMDhzWa2

Read ahead on our /helscans

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