Chapter 6: The Uncle and the Mysterious Stranger (part 2)
It was dark in the forging room.
Because I was very poor when I first opened the shop, I couldn’t afford a big room, so the forging chamber was built underground.
The vent that leads to the roof is the chimney, which is also connected to the kitchen.
I later found that working underground was actually very convenient. The forging and firing won’t disturb the nearby residents, and events like tonight can be kept under wraps.
Baluo stared intently into the flames beneath the stove. I took his materials, and laid them out, perusing each of them.
When faced with new materials, you have to first learn its characteristics. Like with people, you must get to know the longs and shorts of it.
Some materials are particularly hard, some are strong, and some have good adhesion. All these things must be carefully noted.
One you know the characteristics of the material, the method is most generic. To give a simple example, steel and iron have the same processing method. It’s nothing more than just melting them down and reforming them into skeletons of the weapon. Smelting uses the same method as well.
Therefore, even if I have full confidence in my skills, I still have to take time to understand an advanced material I’ve never seen before.
The most unique among the materials was a smooth round bone.
On the sides you could see the pieces of bone marrow. but there was no smell of any kind.
That should most likely be a human skull, or a forest species’.
“Baluo, do you understand what you are trying to do?”
I let out a small sigh.
“I understand.”
Baluo, resolutely, with no hint of hesitation, said.
“A magic bow.”
Similar to the magic sword, it is a cursed weapon.
In addition, to complete that kind of curse, the weapon must contained an unwilling and tortured soul.
I put that piece of bone solemnly back into its place.
In regards to the creation of magic weapons, I only know the theory. I need time to process and arrange my thoughts. In this time, can you even talk about what happened in the forest?
I was telling the truth. A magic weapon’s creation is not as simple as an ordinary weapon’s. It is a fairly complicated process. For something like a soul curse, even I have only seen them in ancient records. Without a doubt I can make the weapon, I just need a little time.
Baluo hugged his knees, and turned his body in my direction.
“We forest people are the equivalent of the forest’s guardians. The power we use is also from the forest. We implement the forest’s will. In the struggle between the demon clan and humans, we acted as neutral existences. The Magic King commanded that us, that we were not allowed to attack humans. Therefore, the forest has always been very peaceful. From my birth till now, I have only witnessed one war.
The one after that bastard Luo Pana appeared. The captain of the 6th Expeditionary Force…what a despicable man. Uncle, are only shameless people like him capable of becoming an Captain? Are all humans like this?”
I used one eye to watch the glowing magic weapon material.
“Not necessarily. You continue to talk.”
Baluo’s tone began to significantly fluctuate. His words also became more intense. Sure enough, when talking about one’s enemy, even the most calm-blooded (?) person would be affected. For his age, Baluo’s self-control was already very good.
“Luo Pana shot and killed many many of the animals in the forest. They had lived in the forest for a long time, yet were always respectful to the us, forest species. We could not go to war, but the forest cannot forgive them. The animals that live in the forest belong to the forest. The forest is after all, the forest. A forest without animals would have no life.”
“So you went to war?”
I use my hands to gently twist the yellow tendon. It doesn’t seem like deer tendons. Perhaps it’s monster tendons. In any case, both its flexibility and strength are great.
“Our pride did not allow us to take it in silence. A doe, about to feed its child, was the fuse. When a member of the expedition intended to shoot that doe, one of the great warriors of the forest shot and killed him. We went to war, and we lost.”
“Even though you guys had the power of the forest?”
The preparation was almost done. Next, I had to think about the production method of the magic weapon.
For the first time, Baluo revealed a smile in front of me.
“Yes, we lost, even with our prideful power. Because we defied the Magic King’s commands, we did not receive any reinforcements. The soldiers of the expedition far outnumbered us. A part of them engaged us, and the other part set fire to the forest. Our power gone because of the forest, we were massacred. Out of that forest, I am probably the only forest species to survive.”
“There is still one final problem.”
I lifted the skull.
“Who does this belong to?”
He bit his lower lip, hesitated for a moment, then said:
“The warrior who protected the doe. His final remorse, was that he believed that he had brought disaster on the whole forest. At the very least, I wanted to kill Luo Pana along with him.”
I stood up and patted the dust off of me.
Because I had sat on the floor too long, my muscles were slightly sore and my legs were numb.
“I am the weapons shop uncle. As long as my customers want it, I can make anything.”
I had him retreat to a corner.
Ten thousand casting. (TL: Ok, I didn’t really understand this part.)
Powerful pressure built in my right arm. There was a crashing sound and a blinding light, then it immediately returned to darkness.
After a moment, florescent green lights slowly rose up from the ground.
A red alchemy array quietly appeared. On each corner of the pentagram was an ancient furnace.
Right now, even with closed eyes I could tell what the role of each material was. I put approximately half of the materials in an orderly manner into the furnace, and the skull into the middle of all of it.
At this step, I suddenly had a strange feeling. The spirit calling ceremony cannot be called a failure, but also cannot be considered a success.
The bellows were whistling and blowing with hot air.
In the other furnace, mysterious iron and a scale of an evil tyrant fish were tempering.
I repeatedly stretched the monster tendons. At the same time, I rubbed in luminous grass pulp and rock dragon’s blood.
The covering would be made with a copper molding ring, the core with dark spider silk.
The bow would be made with my own materials. Although I felt slightly apologetic to the flower, I plucked four or five petals off, ground them into paste, and twisted and stretched the paste into a crescent moon shape.
My only regret is that on the spirit bow, there already exists natural lines. Too bad I didn’t have an opportunity to show off my superb artistic skills.
The body was white, with a slight yellow tone. Because it used magic arrows, I did not make any physical arrows.
“Amazing…”
A completely dazed Baluo said.
I wiped the sweat on my forehead, and set the bow into his hands.
For the first time, Baluo’s eyes shone. Not the kind of shiny that Elan eye’s got when she received her favorite things, that kind of satisfied and pleasant feeling. It was closer to the flame of vengeance. Victory was close at hand, he must have thought.
I took him to the surface.
He pulled the string, and created a black arrow made of magic. He aimed at the dark sky.
Completely pulling back the string like the heaven’s blade of vengeance.
-crackle, crackle-
The bow began to shows signs of cracks.
Baluo froze, hands desperately clutching the bow. Body and bow both quivering.
But it was useless.
-Rattle-
Including the bowstring, the white bow broke into pieces right in front of us.
Baluo’s face, dazed with hate, collapsed. He gritted his teeth with tears and turned towards me. I only looked at the bright round white moon above his head.
Not even understanding this and still crying; at the end, he is still only a child.