Chapter 338: Jola’s Tears (Part 2)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Saleen was calculating furiously in his mind . At this moment, he was not just thinking about the weapons for the magic beast swordsmen, but he was also designing weapons for Sika, Nailisi, and the others .
Aini stared at Jola's sheath for a long time, but did not make any moves .
"This… Sir Aini . " Jola's grade was already akin to a sorcerer in the realm of mages, but he did not dare act rashly in front of a death mage . In the eyes of normal people, a death mage was much more powerful than an elemental mage, and they also had many unimaginable skills . Jola had dared to challenge a mage, but he did not dare provoke a death mage .
At most, one would only die if they were defeated by an elemental mage . But if a death mage was angered, one could be transformed into a spirit . Even though such an action was insignificant to a death mage, it was an eternal torture which no one would want to experience .
"This sheath is not suitable for you . " Aini finally opened his mouth .
"I know, but…"
"The energy within is overwhelmed with negative emotions, and you are a person who is innately positive . That's why you haven't been trying to advance your grade . After advancement, this weapon will be even more unsuitable for you . "
Jola was aghast . He had not expected a mage to be able to deduce so many facts from just a weapon .
"Actually, this situation is not entirely unsalvageable . "
"What is the solution?" Jola was completely entranced by Aini's demeanor . Aini looked at the sheath with a great deal of concentration, engrossed .
Aini lifted his eyelids and glanced at Jola . With his mind still on the sheath, he said, "Do you dare to trust me?"
"What's there to be afraid of?" Jola shrugged his shoulders, looking nonchalant .
"Very well, we shall begin now . " As Aini spoke, he spit out the death flames from his mouth, then added materials which had been provided by Saleen into the death flames . Aini did not split the materials into any specific proportions, and the materials quickly formed the shape of a blade within the death flames . The shape of the blade was transforming continuously, with its final shape fitting Jola's sheath perfectly .
This blade was different from what Saleen was creating for the magic beast swordsmen . The blade which Aini made was entirely metal, and there was not even a spot for the wooden grip . The green death flames gave off a frigid air as they expanded in size, before finally engulfing Jola . Jola's fingers trembled slightly, but he did not put up any resistance .
Jola had chosen to trust Saleen, not Aini . Had Saleen wanted to deal with him, Saleen could have easily trampled him after freezing him, not to mention turning him into a death creature . At that point in time, Jola had no way of resisting .
Furthermore, the temptation from Aini was too overwhelming . Jola did not want to abandon the sheath, but if he used this sheath to make a weapon, his swordsmanship training would be affected .
The death flames fully enveloped Jola . They were cooling, unlike the pain which he expected .
The blade, which was in front of Aini, quivered in midair before sliding into that simple sheath, giving off a crisp sound . Jola's heart was also chilled . Jola placed his hand on the blade and pulled it out from the sheath, then noticed that there were more than forty marks on the blade .
Those marks represented the origin of his swordsmanship and the secrets inside his heart .
The blade remained soft as mud, with its shape fluctuating continuously . Jola held onto the blade in a daze, as he recalled his childhood .
The first half of his childhood had been filled with jubilance . His father had been a powerful grand swordmaster who served a duke . From a tender age, Jola had already lived in a wealthy environment . Also, he had matured at a young age . By the time Jola had learned to walk, he had already learned how to wield a sword .
This continued until one day, the duke's successor was killed after provoking a mage . Jola's father was severely berated because he failed to protect the successor . Thereafter, Jola's father fell into a ploy and was killed .
Jola clearly remembered that his father still had enough power to retaliate after consuming the poisoned wine, but his father simply clutched onto the sword without pulling it out . His father's powers had diffused into the sheath . Those marks, more than forty of them, were the essence of his father's swordsmanship .
The furious duke tore his father's body into pieces and threw the sword into a lake . Young Jola went into hiding and managed to avoid being captured . Later on, he went to the bottom of the lake to retrieve his father's sword, but realized that the sword had disintegrated, leaving behind only a sheath which was brimming with grief and indignation .
This world was unfair . As the duke did not dare to trifle with the mage, he had vented his fury on Jola's father .
Jola thus began his life on the run, and his days were extremely tough . Back then, he was but eight years old . Jola worked as a mercenary, a bandit, a bodyguard, and a hitman . He had also made a living in a casino before, until he met his swordsmanship teacher .
Jola had not intended to recall all these memories from his past . But at this moment, as he was engulfed within Aini's death flames, all these memories came flooding back in a clear and picturesque manner .
"I just want to… live happily, Father…"
Jola held onto the blade as tears ran down his cheeks uncontrollably, hitting the blade . The pure tears were vaporized and permeated the blade .
"Then, go ahead and live happily . " Aini took the blade from Jola's hand . Those marks had faded away, forming strange magic patterns which spread throughout the blade .
A few drops of tears were already enough to make the blade solidify .
This longsword was white like snow, with hints of crystal . Between those mesmerizing magic patterns, there were lines which resembled streaks of tears . These streaks followed the ridge of the sword, flowing all the way to the tip of the sword .
"Done . " Aini's voice caused Jola to snap out of his trance, then Jola wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes .
"That's it?"
"There are still some more things which need to be completed by Saleen, I am not suited to do it . " Aini placed the longsword on the ground . On the handguard of this longsword were unique death patterns .
"Jola, quickly thank Mage Aini . " Saleen stopped his own refinement process and spoke .
Jola was doubtful and fuming . He did not know what the death mage had done to evoke those memories which he did not want to recall . Jola felt very embarrassed that he had cried in front of two other men .
"This is heart alchemy, which is very taxing . The blade symbolizes the past while the hilt symbolizes the present . You have to grip the present so that you won't be haunted by your past, and use the sword to seize the future . "
Saleen recited these words from a magic book, but they were very representative of Jola at this moment .
Jola was astonished . On the surface, he might have been happy-go-lucky, but he had actually not forgotten his past . Even if he went to assassinate that duke right now, he would still be unable to shake off that childhood trauma .
What's the point of being loyal? In the end, what did Father get in return? He never understood why his father had not bothered retaliating . Father should have tried to perish together with other people since he knew that he was going to die anyway .
Later on, Jola understood why . After his father's death, the duke had not tried to locate him . Had his father killed the duke, the duke's family would have used all their means to search for him, in order to exterminate his bloodline .
Perhaps the duke was regretful . He regretted killing a loyal subordinate, but he would never get back his son .
"Sir Aini, thank you so much . " Jola stood upright . Even in front of Emperor Jupiter, he had never been so well-behaved before .
"You don't have to thank me, Saleen asked me to do it . I just tried to make it perfect for you," Aini answered weakly . Earlier on, he had used the shortest amount of time to refine the weapon which he was proudest of, and that process had exhausted nearly all of his strength .
"I need to rest . You need to protect these two . Take this sword . " Aini handed the sword over the Jola .
"Sir Aini, please bestow a name on this sword . "
"Is that the practice in Cloudflow?" Aini's voice was cold, the corner of his mouth twitching . After pondering for a moment, he said, "Let's call it Tears then . It doesn't mean that a man is strong if he never cries . "
"Of course, as you wish . "
Aini waved his hand and walked to the corner of the tent . Then, he opened a sleeping bag and snuggled in .
"Jola, the hilt still needs more refinement . I will need more time for this and will do it after we return . " After Saleen finished talking, he turned away and continued refining the weapons for the four magic beast swordsmen .
Jola placed Tears back into the sheath and embraced it . Tears was like his blood . Jola was even aware of those magic patterns inside it .
Most importantly, the magic patterns and the marks left behind by his father were congruent . From this moment on, whenever he employed his family's swordsmanship, he would no longer be affected by the grief and despair found within the sheath . All these emotions would be carried by Tears . This was a genuine magic weapon which could accompany Jola for the rest of his life .
Saleen did not suffer as much as Aini during the refining process . For every machete he refined, Saleen would meditate once, regaining his magic chords and mental strength . Before daybreak, the four machetes had been completed . Saleen took out the bloodcherry wood and smelted it into the hilt, fusing them into one .
In Saleen's eyes, these four machetes were still very crude, inferior compared to the club which Faerun had refined for Sika . Based on the materials used, the two weapons were already incomparable . However, Saleen had spent too little time on them and had not set more magic arrays inside the machetes . He had simply used premium materials to make the machetes razor-sharp .
There was still much room for improvement in these four machetes . Once Saleen understood the ins and outs of the magic beast swordsmen, he would alter the weapons once more to fit them perfectly .
Aini was snuggled in the sleeping bag, but he was not sleeping . Even though he had consumed a huge amount of his mental strength this time around, he had also gained a lot . This round of utilizing heart alchemy might have caused Aini's mental strength to be greatly depleted, but it had actually become purer .
At the same time, Aini's heart had been cleansed in the process . Within that sheath, Aini felt a father's love, causing him to miss his parents dearly . Aini might have been callous, but he was not cold-blooded . However, he had never appreciated the things his parents had done for him in the past .
This time around, Aini finally understood . He decided that the moment he returned to the city base, he would bring his parents over . If the family did not accede, Aini would turn hostile . With Saleen around, Aini would be able to accomplish many things which had seemed insurmountable in the past .
The chatter outside the tent grew increasingly louder . Under the coercion by Saleen, the pirates woke up early and washed up, now mindful of their personal hygiene . The four magic beast swordsmen had come over early in the morning and waited outside of the tent .
Saleen retracted his water flames and sighed secretly as he reviewed the machetes repeatedly . He had spent too little time learning alchemy . The materials of these four weapons were adequate for producing divine weapons . Yet, in his hands, he had only managed to produce four high-grade magic weapons .
Even with such an achievement, Saleen felt embarrassed signing his name on the weapons!
Chapter 338 Jola s Tears Part 2 Translator Nyoi Bo Studio Editor Nyoi Bo StudioSaleen was calculating furiously in his mind . At this moment, he was not just thinking about the weapons for the magic beast swordsmen, but he was also designing weapons for Sika, Nailisi, and the others . Aini stared at Jola s sheath for a long time, but did not make any moves . This Sir Aini . Jola s grade was already akin to a sorcerer in the realm of mages, but he did not dare act rashly in front of a death mage . In the eyes of normal people, a death mage was much more powerful than an elemental mage, and they also had many unimaginable skills . Jola had dared to challenge a mage, but he did not dare provoke a death mage . At most, one would only die if they were defeated by an elemental mage . But if a death mage was angered, one could be transformed into a spirit . Even though such an action was insignificant to a death mage, it was an eternal torture which no one would want to experience . This sheath is not suitable for you . Aini finally opened his mouth . I know, but The energy within is overwhelmed with negative emotions, and you are a person who is innately positive . That s why you haven t been trying to advance your grade . After advancement, this weapon will be even more unsuitable for you . Jola was aghast . He had not expected a mage to be able to deduce so many facts from just a weapon . Actually, this situation is not entirely unsalvageable . What is the solution Jola was completely entranced by Aini s demeanor . Aini looked at the sheath with a great deal of concentration, engrossed . Aini lifted his eyelids and glanced at Jola . With his mind still on the sheath, he said, Do you dare to trust me What s there to be afraid of Jola shrugged his shoulders, looking nonchalant . Very well, we shall begin now . As Aini spoke, he spit out the death flames from his mouth, then added materials which had been provided by Saleen into the death flames . Aini did not split the materials into any specific proportions, and the materials quickly formed the shape of a blade within the death flames . The shape of the blade was transforming continuously, with its final shape fitting Jola s sheath perfectly . This blade was different from what Saleen was creating for the magic beast swordsmen . The blade which Aini made was entirely metal, and there was not even a spot for the wooden grip . The green death flames gave off a frigid air as they expanded in size, before finally engulfing Jola . Jola s fingers trembled slightly, but he did not put up any resistance . Jola had chosen to trust Saleen, not Aini . Had Saleen wanted to deal with him, Saleen could have easily trampled him after freezing him, not to mention turning him into a death creature . At that point in time, Jola had no way of resisting . Furthermore, the temptation from Aini was too overwhelming . Jola did not want to abandon the sheath, but if he used this sheath to make a weapon, his swordsmanship training would be affected . The death flames fully enveloped Jola . They were cooling, unlike the pain which he expected . The blade, which was in front of Aini, quivered in midair before sliding into that simple sheath, giving off a crisp sound . Jola s heart was also chilled . Jola placed his hand on the blade and pulled it out from the sheath, then noticed that there were more than forty marks on the blade . Those marks represented the origin of his swordsmanship and the secrets inside his heart . The blade remained soft as mud, with its shape fluctuating continuously . Jola held onto the blade in a daze, as he recalled his childhood . The first half of his childhood had been filled with jubilance . His father had been a powerful grand swordmaster who served a duke . From a tender age, Jola had already lived in a wealthy environment . Also, he had matured at a young age . By the time Jola had learned to walk, he had already learned how to wield a sword . This continued until one day, the duke s successor was killed after provoking a mage . Jola s father was severely berated because he failed to protect the successor . Thereafter, Jola s father fell into a ploy and was killed . Jola clearly remembered that his father still had enough power to retaliate after consuming the poisoned wine, but his father simply clutched onto the sword without pulling it out . His father s powers had diffused into the sheath . Those marks, more than forty of them, were the essence of his father s swordsmanship . The furious duke tore his father s body into pieces and threw the sword into a lake . Young Jola went into hiding and managed to avoid being captured . Later on, he went to the bottom of the lake to retrieve his father s sword, but realized that the sword had disintegrated, leaving behind only a sheath which was brimming with grief and indignation . This world was unfair . As the duke did not dare to trifle with the mage, he had vented his fury on Jola s father . Jola thus began his life on the run, and his days were extremely tough . Back then, he was but eight years old . Jola worked as a mercenary, a bandit, a bodyguard, and a hitman . He had also made a living in a casino before, until he met his swordsmanship teacher . Jola had not intended to recall all these memories from his past . But at this moment, as he was engulfed within Aini s death flames, all these memories came flooding back in a clear and picturesque manner . I just want to live happily, Father Jola held onto the blade as tears ran down his cheeks uncontrollably, hitting the blade . The pure tears were vaporized and permeated the blade . Then, go ahead and live happily . Aini took the blade from Jola s hand . Those marks had faded away, forming strange magic patterns which spread throughout the blade . A few drops of tears were already enough to make the blade solidify . This longsword was white like snow, with hints of crystal . Between those mesmerizing magic patterns, there were lines which resembled streaks of tears . These streaks followed the ridge of the sword, flowing all the way to the tip of the sword . Done . Aini s voice caused Jola to snap out of his trance, then Jola wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes . That s it There are still some more things which need to be completed by Saleen, I am not suited to do it . Aini placed the longsword on the ground . On the handguard of this longsword were unique death patterns . Jola, quickly thank Mage Aini . Saleen stopped his own refinement process and spoke . Jola was doubtful and fuming . He did not know what the death mage had done to evoke those memories which he did not want to recall . Jola felt very embarrassed that he had cried in front of two other men . This is heart alchemy, which is very taxing . The blade symbolizes the past while the hilt symbolizes the present . You have to grip the present so that you won t be haunted by your past, and use the sword to seize the future . Saleen recited these words from a magic book, but they were very representative of Jola at this moment . Jola was astonished . On the surface, he might have been happy go lucky, but he had actually not forgotten his past . Even if he went to assassinate that duke right now, he would still be unable to shake off that childhood trauma . What s the point of being loyal In the end, what did Father get in return He never understood why his father had not bothered retaliating . Father should have tried to perish together with other people since he knew that he was going to die anyway . Later on, Jola understood why . After his father s death, the duke had not tried to locate him . Had his father killed the duke, the duke s family would have used all their means to search for him, in order to exterminate his bloodline . Perhaps the duke was regretful . He regretted killing a loyal subordinate, but he would never get back his son . Sir Aini, thank you so much . Jola stood upright . Even in front of Emperor Jupiter, he had never been so well behaved before . You don t have to thank me, Saleen asked me to do it . I just tried to make it perfect for you, Aini answered weakly . Earlier on, he had used the shortest amount of time to refine the weapon which he was proudest of, and that process had exhausted nearly all of his strength . I need to rest . You need to protect these two . Take this sword . Aini handed the sword over the Jola . Sir Aini, please bestow a name on this sword . Is that the practice in Cloudflow Aini s voice was cold, the corner of his mouth twitching . After pondering for a moment, he said, Let s call it Tears then . It doesn t mean that a man is strong if he never cries . Of course, as you wish . Aini waved his hand and walked to the corner of the tent . Then, he opened a sleeping bag and snuggled in . Jola, the hilt still needs more refinement . I will need more time for this and will do it after we return . After Saleen finished talking, he turned away and continued refining the weapons for the four magic beast swordsmen . Jola placed Tears back into the sheath and embraced it . Tears was like his blood . Jola was even aware of those magic patterns inside it . Most importantly, the magic patterns and the marks left behind by his father were congruent . From this moment on, whenever he employed his family s swordsmanship, he would no longer be affected by the grief and despair found within the sheath . All these emotions would be carried by Tears . This was a genuine magic weapon which could accompany Jola for the rest of his life . Saleen did not suffer as much as Aini during the refining process . For every machete he refined, Saleen would meditate once, regaining his magic chords and mental strength . Before daybreak, the four machetes had been completed . Saleen took out the bloodcherry wood and smelted it into the hilt, fusing them into one . In Saleen s eyes, these four machetes were still very crude, inferior compared to the club which Faerun had refined for Sika . Based on the materials used, the two weapons were already incomparable . However, Saleen had spent too little time on them and had not set more magic arrays inside the machetes . He had simply used premium materials to make the machetes razor sharp . There was still much room for improvement in these four machetes . Once Saleen understood the ins and outs of the magic beast swordsmen, he would alter the weapons once more to fit them perfectly . Aini was snuggled in the sleeping bag, but he was not sleeping . Even though he had consumed a huge amount of his mental strength this time around, he had also gained a lot . This round of utilizing heart alchemy might have caused Aini s mental strength to be greatly depleted, but it had actually become purer . At the same time, Aini s heart had been cleansed in the process . Within that sheath, Aini felt a father s love, causing him to miss his parents dearly . Aini might have been callous, but he was not cold blooded . However, he had never appreciated the things his parents had done for him in the past . This time around, Aini finally understood . He decided that the moment he returned to the city base, he would bring his parents over . If the family did not accede, Aini would turn hostile . With Saleen around, Aini would be able to accomplish many things which had seemed insurmountable in the past . The chatter outside the tent grew increasingly louder . Under the coercion by Saleen, the pirates woke up early and washed up, now mindful of their personal hygiene . The four magic beast swordsmen had come over early in the morning and waited outside of the tent . Saleen retracted his water flames and sighed secretly as he reviewed the machetes repeatedly . He had spent too little time learning alchemy . The materials of these four weapons were adequate for producing divine weapons . Yet, in his hands, he had only managed to produce four high grade magic weapons . Even with such an achievement, Saleen felt embarrassed signing his name on the weapons