“…!!”
The forge’s heat intensified as it took in the air from the bellows.
Rodon’s mouth hung open involuntarily.
He had held a hammer for many years and eventually earned the title of Master Blacksmith.
Thanks to that, he had become a member of the city council and was one of the people representing the blacksmiths, but he knew the truth better than anyone.
‘I thought the mediocrity of my recent works was due to my age…’
As he grew older, that flash of inspiration from his youth had vanished.
Consequently, the quality of the pieces he produced began to fall short.
They were still items that would receive praise if put on the market, but they did not meet Rodon’s own standards.
How could a master sell items that were below his own level?
Rodon had continued to hone his skills instead, believing that he could make a comeback despite his age.
‘I will make just one final masterpiece worthy of retirement.’
He had made many preparations for this.
He had posted a “no entry” sign to avoid taking any customers, and using his authority as a city councilor, he had even separately purchased high-quality, special charcoal.
It was a type of charcoal so popular that orders were backlogged for several years, but the other blacksmiths understood and conceded because they knew of Rodon’s passion.
He had finished all his preparations and was about to start working when he ran into some petty thief, but…
“Haha… To think that wasn’t the problem…”
He never imagined there would be an issue with the forge’s equipment.
It was his home, built sturdily enough to protect him without causing a single problem for decades.
Naturally, he had conducted regular inspections, but it was impossible to notice a microscopic crack that couldn’t even be seen with the naked eye.
“Bwahahaha! Yes. That was it. I haven’t rusted yet.”
He had thought the slight lack of intensity in the flames was due to his declining smithing skills.
It was a misunderstanding. Rodon looked at Lee Tae-sung.
“Hey there, young man. Where are you from?”
“I am Lee Tae-sung, a first-class member of the Ellyn Biryong Chamber.”
“The Biryong Chamber… I think I’ve heard of it. I owe you a great debt. Thank you…”
Rodon suddenly grabbed both of Tae-sung’s hands.
Tae-sung felt a powerful grip, but he didn’t show any sign of discomfort.
“I owe you a debt so great that I cannot put it into words. If things had gone wrong, my final years would have been miserable.”
“What I did wasn’t that significant…”
“It was a very significant thing. It’s enough to say you saved a man’s life. On the name and honor of Rodon, I will surely repay this kindness.”
Tae-sung clenched his fist at Rodon’s words.
He had cleared his name of “extinguishing the flames” and even got a bonus!
‘As I thought, one should live a good life.’
Tae-sung grinned.
However, there was someone who watched this with disbelief.
No, it wasn’t a person, but a specter.
<…What on earth is happening?>
Having watched Tae-sung from inside the Spirit Ring, he had been sharpening his blade of revenge.
To think a mere descendant of the Flame Emperor dared to obtain his Spirit Ring!
As if that wasn’t enough, he even had to provide a reward!
He was so frustrated he couldn’t sleep!
Of course, as a specter, he didn’t sleep anyway…
Because of this, Avicenne was fuming at Tae-sung from within the ring.
Naturally, there was nothing he could do.
He was a specter bound to the Spirit Ring.
He had no physical power, and since Tae-sung was the one who discovered it, he was currently bound to him.
He couldn’t harm him, regardless of how he felt.
However, he had laughed his head off seeing Tae-sung “steal” the flame from Rodon’s forge.
Like ancestor, like descendant.
He had known since the arsonist started setting fires all over the mountains.
It was absurd that he had been defeated by such a man… but even the heavens made mistakes sometimes.
So, he had expected Tae-sung to be severely punished by the forge’s owner.
Judging by the size of the forge, the owner was clearly a famous master in the city.
But what was this?
Come to think of it, that bastard Flame Emperor also had an unnerving amount of luck.
That was how he survived with such an arrogant personality and shamelessly became the strongest on the Western Continent.
How such a person could have a descendant exactly like him… it was a complete mystery.
***
“Now, take your pick.”
Rodon led Tae-sung to his warehouse.
It was extremely rare for a master of Rodon’s caliber to open his warehouse to a stranger.
However, he did so willingly for Tae-sung.
—What is that at your waist?
—This? It’s a sword.
—A sword? Not a piece of scrap metal you stopped hammering?
Rodon had snorted.
He then told Tae-sung to follow him, saying he couldn’t stand to see his benefactor carrying such a sword.
Tae-sung slowly looked around the interior of the warehouse.
It wasn’t very large, but it was filled mostly with swords and sabers, along with spears, axes, bows, and other weapons on display.
“Um. They look very expensive.”
Every single one of them seemed like an incredible item, emitting a faint, auspicious glow.
Rodon spoke nonchalantly.
“For you, they are free, of course.”
“…Ahem. If you’re giving it to me, I will gladly accept.”
They say you’ll go bald if you like free things too much, but he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
Even to Tae-sung’s untrained eyes, the equipment here was of extraordinary quality.
‘I wouldn’t even be able to buy a fragment of a blade with one or two gold coins.’
Usually, when the performance of equipment improves even slightly, the price skyrockets.
Tae-sung still didn’t know Rodon’s true identity, but he realized the man was extraordinary just by the size of the forge and his appearance.
“Then… may I take this one?”
Tae-sung chose a longsword.
It was a sword very similar in shape to the Magma’s Fang he had taken back to reality.
Most commonly used longswords were like that.
However, the sharpness he felt when he drew the sword from its scabbard was on another level.
Magma’s Fang was good because it was enchanted at the Red Magic Tower with various additional effects, but this was a weapon that was simply high-quality in its own right.
Both had their pros and cons.
“Go ahead. I wanted to make the best sword for you in that forge you fixed, but that will take some time.”
Since he could now create the ultimate flame, he needed to prepare his body and mind again.
Just like entering a duel, he had to sharpen himself before starting work to create a perfect masterpiece.
Since the opportunity had come, he was willing to invest several years into preparation.
Tae-sung, however, didn’t particularly hope for that much.
“I am satisfied with this.”
“It’s not enough. Come visit me again later. By the way, you look like a traveler. What brings you to this city?”
“How did you know I’m an outsider?”
“Because you didn’t recognize me.”
‘He must be someone famous.’
Tae-sung shrugged his shoulders.
“I came here to visit Mount Chimgeom. I entered the city because I took an escort request for a delivery.”
“Mount Chimgeom? For sightseeing?”
“Yes, well…”
It felt awkward to tell the person who was praising him as a benefactor that he had come for treasure hunting.
“It’s a good mountain. To others, it might be just another mountain, but to the blacksmiths of Morusted, it’s a sacred mountain.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s not just because it’s a mountain in our backyard and we receive its energy. According to a Master Blacksmith from centuries ago, fire essence flows through the ground. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but weapons made with the flames of Morusted are known to be of better quality than those from other cities.”
That was why Morusted was both a city of blacksmiths and a city of weapons.
However, listening to this story, a thought occurred to Tae-sung.
A land where fire essence flows?
Could this be…
‘Is it related to the Flame Emperor?’
It was said that Morusted began to prosper as a city of blacksmiths centuries ago.
That was around the time the Flame Emperor appeared.
Since the Flame Emperor’s hideout was supposed to be here, was there some connection?
“Elder. Then, I will see you again next time.”
“Yes. Be sure to drop by.”
After parting ways with Rodon, Tae-sung crossed the city while resisting temptation.
Every time he saw a forge billowing flames, he wanted to go near it and practice his mana cultivation.
He had managed to get away with it with Rodon, but in reality, he would be lucky if he didn’t get slapped for doing that.
Tae-sung left the city with a heavy heart.
He set out for Mount Chimgeom immediately.
Since it was the mountain right behind the city, he arrived quickly.
He took out Baek Un-ho’s letter and activated
**[Hidden Detect]**.
If he compared the traces left on the letter with the traces in the mountain, he would be able to find him.
‘Hmm?’
Just as he was about to start his hike, a signal came from the outside world.
A signal to log out.
‘Ah. It must be time.’
Tae-sung realized what it was.
It was almost time for the plane to land.
***
The private jet landed in the United States.
To Tae-sung, it felt like no time had passed because he had been gaming.
‘I heard long-haul flights to the US are exhausting, but I don’t feel that at all.’
Having a Dream World connection device in a private jet was practically a cheat.
For Tae-sung, it wasn’t just a way to kill time or enjoy a game; it meant he could improve his specs even while in the sky!
“I’ve heard a lot about you, but it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Yu Jae-mok.”
Association President Yu Jae-mok came to the airport to meet him personally.
Yu Jae-mok was truly looking forward to Tae-sung’s trip to the US.
‘I hope that elixir is effective…’
High-ranking US officials were buzzing with the hope that Ryan Anderson might be cured.
Naturally, the Korean side was also looking forward to a highly profitable negotiation.
He hoped those expectations wouldn’t be crushed.
“Let’s go. The Astral Guild has prepared a vehicle.”
“Yes.”
Tae-sung departed in the vehicle provided by the Astral Guild.
They passed through a private estate blocked by iron fences and didn’t stop until they were deep in the mountains.
A classic, elegant villa stood there.
“Welcome. I am Hans Xavier, the Leader of the Astral Guild.”
“I’m Elvia.”
Guild Leader Hans and Ryan’s partner, Elvia, were waiting in front of the villa.
“I’m Lee Tae-sung.”
The Korean side consisted only of President Yu Jae-mok, Lee Tae-sung, and Song Sang-yeop, and there were only two from the Astral Guild.
There were only five people, but every one of them was an influential figure.
“Please, come inside. Since the situation is urgent, I’d like you to see the patient first, before we have any welcome parties.”
Tae-sung had the Red Heart Nectar.
The members of the Astral Guild led the way to the villa’s basement.
The area, built like a bunker, was made of thick concrete walls and steel doors.
Curious, Tae-sung asked, “Is this some kind of shelter?”
“No. The flames are so intense that we built this to keep them isolated.”
‘Flames.’
Tae-sung had heard very little news on the way here.
Ryan Anderson was a top ranker in the US, and the news of such a person collapsing could cause a major shock to the public.
Therefore, it was kept top secret, and they were still being stingy with specific details to maintain security.
“I apologize. Now that you are here, I will tell you everything properly.”
The Guild Leader apologized for maintaining security even though Tae-sung was an invited guest.
Tae-sung didn’t mind. He hadn’t been paying attention anyway since he was playing Dream World on the way.
“Our Hunter Ryan was afflicted with a nasty curse during a mission.”
It was a curse that caused him to be periodically engulfed in flames.
Furthermore, it even weakened his heart. Elvia, a recovery-type hunter, had been helping him endure by creating hunter-specific medicine and life-support devices, but what they really needed was a cure.
“I see. Let’s take a look first.”
Having heard this much, Tae-sung understood the situation and went inside to meet Ryan Anderson.
*Whoosh*
“……”
Ryan was lying on a steel bed, with dark red flames surging from his body.
As soon as Tae-sung saw those flames, he felt the Solar Holy Power inside his body twitch.
It felt like a very sweet prey.
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