One Year Ago

I began to summon my Element, but this time, it felt incredibly painful. Despite the agony, I forced myself to continue.

My hand was now enveloped in a dark purplish aura, surprising the blacksmith. Slowly, I started lifting the sword, and to my astonishment, I managed to raise it perfectly.

The blacksmith seemed shocked by what he was witnessing. A faint smile appeared on his face as I effortlessly swung the sword. "Try not to be too surprised, old man," I said. He just smiled at my words.

"Style No. 1 from Teyang Village,"

\[Swift Blade\]

With one swift motion to my right, a powerful shockwave erupted. The glass doors of the shop shattered, unable to withstand the force of my swing. Passersby outside the weapon shop were startled by the sudden glass explosion.

The blacksmith stood still. Sophia and Elisia were unfazed, knowing this wasn't unusual for me. The blacksmith stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Impressive, kid. You know how to use the Element with the sword, but it seems your Element has limited usage time." As he finished speaking, the sword fell heavily to the ground; I couldn't summon my Element any longer.

"Yeah... I still can't use it properly. So, what do you think? Are we worthy enough to buy your goods?" I resumed negotiating.

"Sorry... but I still can't sell them to you." The blacksmith crossed his arms and closed his eyes. Once again, he was being difficult. "Why not? We agreed that if I could swing your sword, we could buy your items." Silence was his only response.

"A year ago... I had a buyer like you. He came to my shop alone, full of arrogance. His name was Ikarius, a noble from Silva." I was shocked to hear Ikarius had shopped here, as this place didn't seem like a producer of the best weapons.

"He ordered two daggers to channel his Element. Initially, I didn't want to make them, but seeing his immense potential, I crafted two rare S-rank daggers. These daggers could cut through anything, even an entire tower. News spread across the kingdom of his success with the daggers I made, but it turned into a nightmare for me." The blacksmith looked pained as he recounted this bitter memory.

"My son, Mason Bourne, was a Level 3 student at Axeris Academy. He was a kind, talented boy who could manipulate Mana into any magic he wished. He was even offered a promotion to Knight by Director Emilia at the age of 18. However, it all changed. Axeris Academy held a tournament for the most gifted students, and Mason made it to the finals with his friend Bairon. I thought he could never lose, but then he faced Ikarius in the final. Ikarius, still in his first year, defeated Mason by severing his right hand. This humiliating defeat changed everyone's view of Mason. Once the best at Axeris, he was now seen as a loser. I tried to support him, but I wasn't good enough. Eventually, Mason took his own life due to his depression."

I didn't know how to respond to the blacksmith's heartbreaking story. It was devastating for a father to lose his son so tragically. If I were in his position, I might have done the same.

Sophia and Elisia stood frozen like statues, speechless. "Trust me, sir," I tried to break the tension.

"What do you mean?" He seemed puzzled by my words.

"Trust me to avenge your son's death by defeating Ikarius one day." I extended my hand to him. He looked at it, unsure whether to believe me.

"Watch your words, kid. He's not someone you can defeat right now. Your ambition is great, but it's best to avoid trouble with him. He shows no mercy." The blacksmith warned me against crossing paths with Ikarius. I had already felt the urge to kill him two years ago, so I wasn't surprised by his words.

"Are you still traumatized by your son's death?" I asked, trying to reassure him.

"What?!" He stared at me seriously.

"Try to let go of the past and start anew. Accept that your son won't come back. Hoping for the impossible is truly painful." I met his serious gaze with my own.

We stared at each other in silence. "What's your name, kid?" he asked quietly.

"My name is Eizan! I'm from a small village called Taeyang."

It seemed the old man finally believed in me. Maybe I was good at convincing people. I grinned slightly, feeling pleased.

"My name is Carter Slade. You can call me Black Beard."

POV CARTER SLADE

Is this boy really just 15 years old? A chill ran down my spine at the sound of his voice. Why do I feel so nervous when he mentions 'trust'?

It's not hard to figure out why he wants these items. As the owner of a workshop that attracts even the highest nobles and the Royal Family, negotiating with them shouldn't be too difficult. But this boy is different from the two kids standing behind him. He exudes an unusual aura.

Yet... why does this room feel so heavy?

I can't put my finger on it...

That's it!

Why does this fifteen-year-old exert the same pressure as when I'm next to King Eldoria himself?

No, the atmosphere now is even heavier than when I was with the king.

He clearly wants to buy weapons from me. But it feels like he's sizing me up, almost as if he's evaluating whether I belong on his list of 'people who should stay alive.'

I've never felt this from him before, but that might be because I've only ever seen him with his family.

I quickly responded and then picked up a sword wrapped in purple cloth. "Indeed, I should be giving you this." This sword might take a while for you to master, but I'm confident that I'm not wrong in trusting you with it.

His small nod was a relief. I have nobles waiting in line to request weapons from me, but this boy...

"Is there anything you need in return? I'd feel bad just taking this without any compensation," he replied.

I felt a bit of sweat forming on my brow. "Ahh, I also need a very good bow for my friend here and a rapier with a very sharp point for another friend." I carefully handed him my best bow and the thin sword.

"These are my masterpieces. Use these weapons well, and you will surely advance to the next level once you have bonded with them." The two girls took the items I handed over. I then gave an arrow, which I had kept for a long time, to one of the girls who chose the bow as her weapon.

"This is your arrow, dear. Trust in your arrows, and believe that they will never miss if you trust them." The girl took the arrow I gave her.

"And what about the sword wrapped in cloth, sir?" the boy asked, posing a question I couldn't answer with certainty.

"That sword is not my creation. I found it in a place I don't even know the name of, but it's clear that the sword couldn't have been made by any creature on this continent. Know that, boy, and I hope you use it for good. It will undoubtedly be a deadly weapon for you."