Chapter 108 : The Warrior Returns Home (3)
Chapter 108: The Warrior Returns Home (3)
After learning where Kirke lived, Phil smiled in satisfaction.
“As expected of the craftsman who forged such an extraordinary sword. She lives in a truly remarkable place. Now it's my turn to keep my promise. What would you like me to make for you?”
“Nothing comes to mind at the moment. I'll tell you when I visit you another time.”
“What a troublesome fellow. Well, that's actually better. I had something I wanted to ask of you first.”
“And what would that be?”
“Spare me a little of your time. It'll be over before evening, so it won't take long.”
Leon turned to Adam.
His gaze seemed to ask, What exactly is this man?
Adam merely shrugged.
“He's not a bad person. At the very least, he never has people work for free. He'll give you compensation worthy of the favor.”
“Really?”
“I promise.”
When Leon stared at him questioningly, Phil pounded his chest confidently.
However, Leon still couldn't trust him.
After all, Phil had behaved bizarrely from the moment they first met.
Warriors generally didn't care about how others viewed them, but Phil's antics went far beyond that.
If Adam hadn't been there, Leon would've already run away from him.
His behavior was that outrageous.
As Leon continued staring at him suspiciously, Phil cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ahem. I apologize for earlier. I got too excited after seeing such an incredible sword. Though... simply saying that won't help you understand. How should I put it... Ah!”
After stroking his chin for a moment, Phil clapped his hands.
“If I were to explain it in terms a warrior would understand... this sword is the ultimate pinnacle of martial arts.”
“The ultimate pinnacle of martial arts?”
Leon widened his eyes.
To a warrior, the ultimate pinnacle of martial arts was no different from the purpose of their entire life.
Tempering the body to its absolute limit...
And ultimately turning that perfected body itself into a weapon.
Even Zeke, who was believed to have reached the Realm of Life and Death, hadn't completely transformed his body into a perfect weapon.
That was the level Phil was referring to.
“I find that hard to believe.”
Leon spoke in a dazed voice.
“Phil, even if you're a blacksmith, you should know exactly what the ultimate pinnacle of martial arts means to a warrior.”
“You think I spoke without knowing? Of course I know. What did you say this sword was called?”
“The Cosmos Sword.”
“Yes. This Cosmos Sword has reached the very pinnacle we craftsmen pursue. Its weight, its balance... and even ‘the special quality that I cannot perceive.’ The moment I held it, I understood. This sword was forged solely for you.”
“…!!!”
So the saying was true.
You could only see as much as you knew.
Phil had seen through the Cosmos Sword's greatest value.
That it had been forged specifically for Leon.
‘The Cosmos Sword was crafted to match my Twelve Celestial Cloud Swords. I never imagined he'd see through that.’
Especially the way he emphasized the special quality he couldn't perceive.
He meant those words literally.
Leon himself often felt an indescribable sense of incongruity whenever he encountered martial artists stronger than himself.
And he knew exactly what that feeling meant.
‘Their true strength... something beyond what my current realm can perceive.’
He could vaguely sense the aura of powerful experts.
But he couldn't completely grasp their true essence.
Because they stood at a realm higher than his own.
One could only see beyond the wall after breaking through it.
There was no way Leon, who had yet to shatter that wall, could understand the world they saw.
Perhaps because of that...
A strange feeling suddenly crossed his mind.
After thinking it over carefully, Leon's eyes gleamed.
“The favor you wanted to ask of me... it's related to the Cosmos Sword, isn't it?”
“…You're sharper than I expected.”
Phil looked at Leon in genuine surprise.
“How did you know?”
“Just as craftsmen have instincts unique to craftsmen, warriors have instincts unique to warriors. Even if you ask how I knew, I don't really have an answer.”
“Hahaha. Adam, is this really your younger brother? From everything I'd heard, I expected someone completely different. Yet he possesses remarkable insight.”
“…Just what exactly have you been hearing about me?”
“……”
Phil immediately shut his mouth.
His eyes shifted around nervously.
Leon asked again,
“What exactly have you heard about me?”
“……”
“Sigh. Never mind. Whatever people say about me is always the same anyway.”
Leon let out a deep sigh.
Just as his family knew, the other warriors of Elphrel were well aware of Leon's talent.
After all, Zeke's children had all displayed extraordinary ability from a very young age.
Each of them had shown dazzling talent by the age of five.
Compared to them...
What had Leon been like?
Until he turned five, he had shown no remarkable talent whatsoever.
It wasn't until after he turned ten that he began displaying anything exceptional.
Naturally, the warriors who knew Zeke's other children had all reached the same conclusion.
That Leon's talent was inferior to that of his siblings.
‘It's not exactly wrong... but hearing it directly from someone else still leaves a bitter taste.’
Leon looked at Phil with displeasure.
Upon seeing that gaze, Phil turned his head—
Only for his face to instantly freeze.
Because behind Leon...
Adam's face had twisted into that of a terrifying demon.
‘Master Phil.’
‘N-No, I... I'm sorry.’
‘Don't apologize to me. Apologize to my little brother. Even if it's you, Master Phil, I can't just let this slide.’
When Adam silently drew a finger across his throat, Phil's complexion immediately turned pale.
Finding his reaction strange, Leon turned around—
“Hm? What's wrong?”
Adam was smiling at him gently.
He seemed slightly calmer than usual.
Leon found it a little odd, but not enough to dwell on.
‘Must've been my imagination?’
He could've sworn he'd felt a chilling presence behind him.
Leon had never once doubted his body's instincts.
But whenever family was involved, he tended to become less cautious.
Because of that...
He failed to see Adam's face transform back into a demon the moment he looked away again.
The only thing Leon saw was Phil, standing there with a deathly pale face, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
Anyone could tell something was wrong.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah... yes. Yes, I'm fine. More importantly... I'm sorry. It must've been something that bothered you ever since you were young.”
“It's alright. I accepted it long ago.”
“……”
Phil's face turned even paler.
At the same time, the icy pressure behind Leon intensified.
Of course, even if Leon turned around again, all he would see was Adam's gentle smile.
His eyes seemed strangely sharp for a moment.
But Leon dismissed it as his imagination.
Leaving behind the peculiar atmosphere, Leon followed Phil.
The place Phil brought Leon to was his workshop.
“I thought I told you I wasn't accepting any equipment.”
“You think I brought you here without knowing that?”
Phil clicked his tongue.
“What I wanted to ask of you is here. Stop talking and follow me.”
“Hmm...”
Leon swept his sharp gaze across the workshop.
Then he spoke with interest.
“This workshop is unusual. There's something gathering here... something different from mana.”
“Oh?”
A smile of interest spread across Phil's face.
“You can sense it?”
“I just can. My senses happen to be unusually sharp.”
“Even someone with the instincts of a beast would struggle to perceive this... Have you crossed the wall?”
“The wall?”
“What, didn't the Empire divide people by ranks? Knights, wasn't it? You'd normally have to be at least that level to perceive this aura.”
“A Knight... Unfortunately, I'm not at that level.”
“How peculiar. Your senses truly are exceptional.”
As he spoke, Phil rummaged through one of his drawers.
Soon he pulled out a single box.
“This is it.”
“And this is?”
“A specially crafted box. A rather unusual one that only reacts to Atilans' Tear.”
“That alone isn't enough reason to bring me here. I would've thought someone like you already possessed Atilans' Tear.”
Phil shook his head.
“That's not what I meant by 'reacts.' This box isn't meant to be opened.
It must be broken.
And it can only be broken by a weapon forged from Atilans' Tear.”
Phil handed the box to Leon.
Then he pointed toward Leon's sword.
“Your sword was forged from pure Atilans' Tear without a single impurity mixed into it. That's an extremely rare case.”
“Rare?”
“Of course it is. Countless years have passed since Atilans died. During all that time, how many impurities do you think mixed into the remaining Atilans' Tear? Everything deteriorates the longer it's used. And if it's a material that can no longer be obtained, that's even more true.”
“I see. In other words, my sword satisfies both conditions.”
“Exactly. First, it must be a weapon made entirely from pure Atilans' Tear.
Second, its wielder must possess enough skill to break the box without damaging what lies inside.
You fulfill both requirements.”
“Now I understand. By the way, may I ask what's inside the box?”
“There's no reason to hide it, so I can tell you.”
“Please do.”
“My master's keepsake.”
Phil answered calmly.
Yet deep sorrow lingered within his eyes.
“My master entrusted it to me before he passed away. He said he was never able to find someone capable of opening it.”
“I suppose that's only natural. How many people in the world possess pure Atilans' Tear? Even I only obtained mine through a fortunate chance.”
“A fortunate chance? You think the fortune you've received amounts to something so trivial?”
Phil laughed in disbelief at Leon's casual shrug.
“You brat. I thought I'd spend my entire life unable to open this box. I believed even my descendants would never be able to open it. Atilans has been dead for thousands of years. So how could perfectly pure tears without even a single impurity still exist in this world? That's why I became so excited when I saw your sword.”
“Hmm...”
Leon looked at Phil with a mischievous expression.
Then he nodded.
“You did offer to forge equipment for me free of charge.
I'll help you this once.”
“Thanks a whole damn lot, you brat.”
“Originally, I was planning to earn something like a wish coupon in exchange for granting your request.
But your situation is rather pitiful, so I'll let it slide this time.”
“…So that's what you meant by helping me?”
Phil replied with an awkward expression.
Leon merely chuckled.
“I didn't use the phrase 'help you out' without reason.”
“Fine. You win. Now hurry up and open the box.”
“Very well.”
At that moment, Leon drew the Cosmos Sword.
The instant the blue blade emerged from its scabbard, Phil unconsciously held his breath.
‘No matter how many times I see it... it's astonishing.’
How could it not be?
It was pure Atilans' Tear.
Such a dazzling radiance.
Just what kind of person was the craftsman who had managed to obtain such a legendary material?
As if that weren't enough...
That craftsman had given the sword to Leon for free.
‘Completely insane.’
The Cosmos Sword possessed a value so great that even an entire nation wouldn't be enough to exchange for it.
Yet it had been gifted away freely.
‘At the very least, they're undoubtedly an extraordinary eccentric. I know where Leon said they live now.
I'll have to visit them someday and ask for their guidance.’
At first, he hadn't liked the fact that Zeke had asked him to forge a weapon for his son.
But now...
He couldn't help thinking there was no greater blessing than this boy.
Imagining how much stronger he would become in the future, Phil let out a rather unsettling grin.