Chapter 173: Finishing the ‘Divine’ Sword
When Aldrian and the others arrived at the royal palace, they were greeted by a large crowd surrounding the vast field beside it. In the center stood a newly established platform, and everyone knew its purpose. This was the execution platform—a place where many fates had already been sealed, and today, it would seal yet another.
As they entered the royal palace, they were greeted immediately by King Douwin himself. He seemed more enthusiastic than usual, but Aldrian could sense what was on the king’s mind. Although angered by the treachery of certain nobles within his kingdom, his optimism about the completed Divine Sword outweighed his frustration. This was a moment of truth for him and many of the Forgeheart Kingdom’s nobles.
Duke Valiard and Mardred were also there, sharing the same enthusiasm, so Aldrian greeted them as well. Even though Mardred had already entrusted the matter of the Divine Sword to him, Mardred wanted to witness this historical moment firsthand. After all, he had overseen the sword’s completion for many years.
As the king received them, he had already prepared a place where the sword could be completed, and he had moved the sword there as well. This location was an artificial secret realm, created by a space-element artifact shaped like a teleportation portal. It was a more complex version of a standard teleportation portal, broadening Aldrian’s understanding of artifacts.
"This is our family’s secret realm, where we forge the Divine Sword," the king explained. "Whenever there is a breakthrough in our research on the sword, we bring it here to continue the forging process, making it a continuous endeavor that has spanned millions of years. Inside this secret realm are all the necessities for forging the Divine Sword. I have already moved the sword inside, so you can begin as soon as we enter."
Aldrian nodded at King Douwin’s explanation. Without further delay, they entered the secret realm. Inside, Aldrian saw a massive chamber filled with all the necessities for artifact forging. Countless tools—many of which he had never seen before—lined the space, and all were of at least low Heaven grade. He could even sense a few divine-grade tools among them. For any blacksmith, this would be a paradise, with nothing lacking.
Aldrian then spotted the Divine Sword, resting in its revered place atop a golden table. He walked closer to examine it, wanting to inspect it one last time before he began. Though he had examined it yesterday, he wanted to be absolutely certain. With the combination of his knowledge of the symbol and his Eyes of the Heaven, he felt confident he could complete the sword. He trusted his Eyes of the Heaven to guide him toward the best results in the forging process.
He took a deep breath and grasped the sword. Even though it lacked a grade due to being incomplete, he could already feel the immense power contained within it. He marveled at the sword’s beauty, crafted in the same form as the Origin Sword. A wave of sadness washed over him as he remembered the Origin Sword, but he quickly shook off the feeling.
The weight felt perfect in his hand, and he sensed an immediate connection with the sword, understanding what it was. The karma he shared with the blueprint and the Origin Sword was also linked to this sword. Once again, he felt as if he were being guided by invisible hands. However, he didn’t mind, he needed this sword, and he was ready to claim it.