Chapter 92: A Quiet Return
The carriage rolled steadily over the dirt path, the rhythmic clatter of hooves against the ground blending with the distant hum of the wind. Unlike their previous journey, where they had taken a direct route through the mountainous terrain, this time, Nico had opted for an alternate path. It wasn’t hard to guess why. The aftermath of Velren’s battle against the wyvern had left that area in ruins—landslides had scarred the mountainside, massive chunks of rock had fallen, and the once-clear road had been rendered nearly impassable. Retracing their steps would have been nothing short of a headache.
Velren sat beside Nico at the front of the carriage, with the newly acquired wakizashi resting across his lap. His fingers traced the intricate details of the scabbard, and his mind was clearly lost in thought. He had been doing this for far too long—he knew it, but he couldn’t help himself.
From the corner of his eye, Nico glanced at him before exhaling in exasperation.
"You’ve been staring at that thing for like an hour."
Velren blinked, as if only now noticing that he had an audience.
"Huh? Oh... yeah, yeah." He barely even looked up as he spoke.
How could he not be fixated on it? The thoughts that were racing through his mind were impossible to ignore. This wasn’t just any weapon—it could be a part of his Ka now, an extension of himself in battle. How would it integrate into his Vital Crest? Would it function just like his katana, seamlessly responding to his will? Or would it be different?
His katana was an extension of his Ka, the medium through which he had shaped and wielded some of his Vital Echoes. But this wakizashi... it was born from something else. Crafted from a portion of a wyvern’s heart, infused with the essence of a legendary creature. That had to mean something, right? He wasn’t sure what, exactly, but just knowing that fact already sounded awesome enough.
A weapon forged from a slain monster—a beast that had once towered over him, had nearly crushed him under its claws—and now, it sat quietly at his hip, waiting.
Velren smirked to himself.
He was definitely looking forward to testing it.