Chapter 249: Memories of Forgefire Castle, S-Class Divine Weapon

Chapter 249: Memories of Forgefire Castle, S-Class Divine Weapon

Forgefire Castle, the Forging Chamber.

Guru Master completed today's forging work and sat on the large iron anvil to rest.

He liked this spot; he had been sitting here since he was very young.

Back then, a strong-armed Blackforge Dwarf forged weapons in front of him, and the rhythmic hammering became the safest sound in his memory.

He was an orphan, and during the Blackforge Dwarves' migrations, there were many like him.

Most orphans who lost their parents were destined to die along the way, either killed by demons or eaten by lava lizards.

He was fortunate because he met a strong-armed Blackforge Dwarf uncle who brought him back to Forgefire Castle.

From then on, he would sit on the large iron anvil every day, watching the dwarf uncle forge iron.

From the time he had no memory, until he started learning forging, the roles switched, and the dwarf uncle would sit on the large iron anvil to watch him forge.

He could no longer remember the days of homelessness as a child; his memories began on the large iron anvil, and everything before that was told to him by the strong-armed Blackforge Dwarf uncle.

That was his Master, and the previous owner of Forgefire Castle.

Because when he was picked up, he could only make a "guru guru" sound, he was named Guru, and he still goes by that name today.

Even after growing up, he didn't want to take a formal Blackforge Dwarf name.

He felt that "Guru" was his name, starting from the large iron anvil and continuing to sit on it now.

But the strong-armed dwarf uncle is no longer around.

In truth, Guru Master didn't have much sense of belonging to the Blackforge Dwarves.

He hadn't seen many Blackforge Dwarves, and most of his memories were on this large iron anvil.

He knew a lot about the Blackforge Dwarves because his Master would tell him many stories about their past, their once glorious history, their tragic past, and their uncertain future.

He wanted to find the Black Iron Clan because it was his Master's hope.

He wanted the Blackforge Dwarves to be revived because it was also his Master's hope.

All his recognition and ties to the Black Iron Clan came from his Master, the Blackforge Dwarf uncle who found him during the migration.

He watched his Master, once a towering giant like an iron tower, grow old bit by bit, become hunched, and finally sit on the large iron anvil, teaching him forging.

He loved the large iron anvil, the forging chamber, and Forgefire Castle.

He even felt that he could spend his whole life here, as long as his Master could sit with him on the large iron anvil, watching the red-hot furnace fire and telling him about the Blackforge Dwarves' past.

After his Master left, he wandered aimlessly with Forgefire Castle in the Abyss.

Until one person awakened his desire to belong to a clan.

He found that his connection to the old man was becoming less and less, and his memories were becoming more and more vague.

He was afraid that one day he would really forget him, so he wanted to fulfill his last wish, find the Black Iron Clan, and seek the hope of revival.

This wasn't his wish, but it was his Master's wish, so he wanted to complete it.

"Meow..."

A Flame Tail Lynx jumped into the forging chamber, circling its owner for food.

Guru Master picked it up and held it in his large palm, continuing to sit and daydream.

His Master had also raised a Flame Tail Lynx, and this one was its child.

He felt that the Flame Tail Lynx should be like him, almost forgetting the back of the Blackforge Dwarf uncle.

...

When Lu Heng entered the forging chamber, he saw Guru Master holding the Flame Tail Lynx, sitting on the large iron anvil, daydreaming.

Lu Heng didn't see Guru Master in this state often.

If Lu Heng knew his past, he might understand why he liked to stay in Forgefire Castle and why his behavior was always peculiar with outsiders.

Lu Heng took out the Infernal Wyvern's horn and other forging materials, placing them on the workbench, and said:

"Master, I've brought back the Infernal Wyvern's horn, and some other forging materials. Could you check if they are enough for the third tempering of the Aurora Blade?"

No response.

"Master?" Lu Heng turned and called out louder.

"Hmm? Oh..." Guru Master finally stood up, walked to the workbench, and examined the materials.

As he looked, he exclaimed, "You really found a dragon horn. This is a rare divine material, and you have so many forging materials. That's fantastic. Where did you get them?"

"From Blackstone City in the Lava Plain." Lu Heng answered his question, then watched his reaction.

But Guru Master's face showed no change, as he had never heard of Blackstone City.

"

Guru Master's hands paused when he heard "Black Iron Clan." After a long while, he continued to examine the materials:

"Did you really find the Black Iron Clan?"

"

"That's good." Guru Master's response was rather calm, without much excitement.

"

"Very good."

Guru Master nodded, focusing on the dragon horn in his hand, and said, "This material is crucial, and the forging materials are sufficient, but I can't guarantee success."

He had been taking on merchant orders to train his forging skills, but forging an S-Class Divine Weapon was extremely difficult.

He thought for a moment and asked, "If you want a higher success rate, we could wait a year for me to improve my skills, and then the success rate would be higher."

In this era, Guru was one of the few remaining Forging Masters.

There was no one else capable of such a task except him.

Waiting a year for someone else to forge a weapon was unrealistic.

By then, two years would have passed since the Abyss's descent, and even if an S-class weapon were forged, it wouldn't have the impact of shaking the world.

Lu Heng pondered briefly before making a decision: "I trust the Master's forging skills. Let's start the forging process now. The Master doesn't need to bear the burden; forging always comes with the possibility of failure. I can accept any outcome. Let's give it our best shot and see if we can forge a divine weapon."

Forging a high-tier divine weapon had also been the dream of that old man.

However, with the decline of the Black Iron Clan, no one had the time and foundation to fulfill this dream.

Guru recalled these thoughts, and a sense of obsession rose within him. He hoped to fulfill the dream of his master.

Clenching his fists, he took a deep breath to encourage himself: "Alright, let's start now."

He hunched over the workbench, beginning to process the forging materials, striving for perfection in every step.

He wasn't fully confident, as forging an S-class divine weapon was a dream that even his master couldn't achieve. He didn't know if he could succeed.

The materials included the dragon horn and bone of an infernal wyvern, along with the previously acquired A-class Aegis Shield and A-class Thunder Hammer.

After processing these materials, they needed to be melted down for the forging of the Celestial Phoenix Blade.

Forging an S-class weapon was a time-consuming process. Lu Heng assisted in the forging chamber for most of the day, and when he felt a bit tired, he voluntarily suggested taking a break and continuing after some rest.

Guru waved Lu Heng away and continued working.

The next afternoon,

After a good night's sleep, Lu Heng returned and found Guru asleep on the workbench.

The workbench was filled with various materials, tools, and forging blueprints.

Lu Heng walked over and picked up the forging blueprints to examine them.

The forging blueprints were not yet complete, only about half-finished, and it was estimated to take another day or two.

Lu Heng didn't wake Guru, letting him continue sleeping. Instead, he notified the Flame Seal Club to send over some mushroom soup and toasted bread, the Black Iron Dwarf's favorite meal.

This kept them busy for three days.

Finally, Guru finished the preparations, completed the forging blueprints, and officially notified Lu Heng to begin the forging process.

The forging procedure was complex, keeping them busy from morning until evening, with the final step of tempering in the furnace.

This process also required some time.

Guru rubbed his hands anxiously in front of the forging furnace, waiting with anticipation and nerves. This was his first attempt, following the memory of his master and the records in the forging books.

He had no confidence, as even his master had attempted it once but failed due to a lack of materials.

Guru remembered those days when he was still an apprentice, sitting on the large iron anvil, watching his master forge.

He clearly recalled the look of disappointment on his master's face when a forging attempt failed.

That expression stayed with him for a lifetime.

This was why he felt apprehensive about this forging attempt.

He feared encountering the same situation as his master.

He also remembered his master's words after the failure: "If only we had a little more material..."

Guru paced back and forth in front of the forging furnace, rubbing his hands nervously, appearing more anxious than Lu Heng.

In truth, Lu Heng wasn't overly nervous. While he hoped for the success of the Celestial Phoenix Blade, if it failed, he could find a way to remedy it; it wasn't an unbearable situation.

Moreover, in Lu Heng's memory, Guru was indeed a Forging Master, a renowned one in the future.

According to Lu Heng's memory, Guru had the ability to forge an S-class divine weapon, but it was uncertain if he could succeed this time.

Time passed, minute by minute.

Finally, it was time to open the forging furnace.

Guru's hands trembled with tension, for in his heart, even his master, that strong-armed Black Iron Dwarf, had failed. This was an impossible, daunting task.

On one hand, he hoped to fulfill his master's dream, but on the other, he felt no one in this world could surpass his master's skills, and thus, no one could complete such a forging.

In this conflicted mental state, he opened the forging furnace, picked up the fire tongs, and pulled out the half-formed Celestial Phoenix Blade from the furnace.

As he pulled it out, his movements suddenly froze.

"What's wrong?" Lu Heng noticed his stiffened movements and asked the reason.

"Oh... As expected..."

At this moment, Guru felt a sense of relief.

The forging had failed, and he encountered the same situation as his master. The weapon, due to insufficient materials during the final shaping, didn't meet the standards of the forging blueprints in terms of weight and thickness.

The design of the forging blueprints was based on the desired final shape, requiring precise adherence to the blueprint standards to truly forge an S-class divine weapon.

Even a slight deviation could lead to significant discrepancies.

He had failed, and while he felt a sense of disappointment, he also felt relief.

After all, if even his master couldn't accomplish it, how could he?

On the other hand, he couldn't hope to succeed in this forging attempt.

In his mind, he seemed to hear his master's words echoing: "If only we had a little more material..."

He repeated his master's words, as if they had become his own.

At this moment, he truly understood the regret in his master's words.

It was a regret so profound that one might even consider sacrificing oneself for the sake of the weapon.

Lu Heng leaned in, pressing his ear to Guru's mouth, listening to his muttering.

He vaguely heard the words 'not enough material.'

The most crucial material for forging an S-class divine weapon was divine material.

The reason S-class weapons were called divine weapons was due to the use of divine materials in their forging, which granted a chance for the weapon to gain divinity.

The most crucial material was the horn of the Infernal Wyvern.

Lu Heng took out the second Infernal Wyvern horn and handed it over, asking, "Is this enough?"

Guru Master was jolted awake by these words, his thoughts pulled back from his memories. He stared at the second horn, frozen for a full three seconds, before his eyes welled up as he said, "If only I had a second one back then..."

He took a deep breath, placed the Aurora Blade back into the forging furnace, and continued the tempering process.

Then, he took the horn and rushed to the workbench to begin processing it.

After processing, he combined it with the smelting materials and placed them into the forging furnace for tempering.

Once this process was complete, he proceeded with the forging and shaping.

This time, he forged non-stop until the next morning.

Lu Heng was exhausted, but the thought of the upcoming second tempering kept him wide awake.

After the second tempering was finished, Guru Master opened the furnace and used the fire tongs to remove the Aurora Blade, his movements once again becoming rigid.

Lu Heng furrowed his brows and asked, "Still no good?"

After a long while, Guru Master finally held up the completed Aurora Blade, tears welling up in his eyes as he choked out, "It's finally successful."

With that, he rushed out of the forging room with the Aurora Blade, heading for the second floor of the Forge Castle.

Lu Heng, not knowing what he was up to, followed with a puzzled expression and entered the inheritance room on the second floor.

The room was filled with portraits of past masters of the Forge Castle, covering three walls.

Guru Master stood before the last portrait, holding the Aurora Blade, and stood silently.

Lu Heng looked at the portrait and noticed that it was rather poorly drawn, even bordering on terrible.

The messy brushstrokes indicated that the artist clearly had no formal training in painting.

Connecting this to the fact that Guru Master was the only one left in the Forge Castle, and that the portrait was obviously of the previous master, it seemed likely that Guru Master had painted it himself.

Although not very well done, some parts of the portrait were quite lifelike.

It was a feeling that was hard to describe, as if the portrait was a reflection of the person's inner self.

Lu Heng stood at the doorway, quietly observing without disturbing him.

Guru Master stared at the portrait, holding the Aurora Blade with both hands above his head, even standing on his tiptoes as if presenting it to a tall person.

But it was impossible for a Black Iron Dwarf to be that tall.

And the person in the portrait was clearly a Black Iron Dwarf.

"I've found enough materials," Guru Master said, releasing the deep-seated regret buried in his heart.

Although Lu Heng had never asked about his past, he could sense the purity of his emotions.

For Guru Master, perhaps the master of the Forge Castle was his only family.

After a long time, Guru Master finally emerged from his memories, turning around with an excited smile. "Lu Heng, we did it! An S-Class Divine Weapon, take it!"

Lu Heng finally received the weapon and eagerly examined it.

【Dragon Breath Blade +9 (Abyss Assimilation)】

【Item Grade: S-Class】

【Specifications: Length 132 cm, Blade Width 3.6 cm, Weight 2.5 kg】

【Attribute: Attack Power 550 (Special Effect Bonus)】

【Special Effects: Spirit Slash LV3, Sharp Blade LV3】

【Divine Skill: Dragon Breath Slash】

【Spirit Slash LV3: Attacks deal 16 points of spirit damage and apply a spirit slash effect, reducing the target's spirit attribute by 16 points.】

【Sharp Blade LV3: A special effect exclusive to bladed weapons, increasing sharpness and attack power by 100 points, with a 50% increase in destructive power against hard materials.】

【Dragon Breath Slash: Swing the sword to unleash an infernal breath sword aura, covering a 20-meter range, igniting all flammable objects, causing 10x Essence Level Dragon Flame damage, and difficult to extinguish.】

After reading the attribute data, Lu Heng's eyes lit up.

With the special effects, the attack power increased from 345 points to 550 points.

Moreover, it gained a divine trait.

This was a divine trait that only S-Class weapons could possess.

The Infernal Wyvern's horn, a divine material, had indeed infused the Aurora Blade with a divine trait.

In fact, not all S-Class weapons have divine traits; it depends on the quality of the divine materials, the forger's skill, and a bit of luck.

Among metahumans, S-Class weapons without divine traits are often referred to as Pseudo Divine Blades.

Pseudo Divine Blades are still S-Class weapons, with similar attributes except for the absence of a divine trait.

Now, the Aurora Blade possesses the divine trait Dragon Breath Slash.

This divine trait was obviously derived from the Infernal Wyvern, and this ability was directly forged into the Aurora Blade.

Lu Heng was eager to test its effect, but as they were in the inheritance room of the Forge Castle, one swing of the sword would burn all the portraits in the room.

So he had to suppress his curiosity and wait until they were outside to test it.

...

After leaving the inheritance room, Lu Heng headed to the gem workshop of the Forge Castle.

Su Muyu was practicing inscriptions there. During this period, aside from eating and sleeping, she spent all her time in the gem workshop.

In fact, inscription practice could be done anywhere, as the required tools were not large and could fit into a backpack.

However, Lu Heng suggested that she practice inscriptions at the Forge Castle.

The Forge Castle had a special effect that provided bonuses to forging, tempering, inscriptions, and other sub-profession skills.

Su Muyu also felt the difference; the speed at which her proficiency increased was faster at the Forge Castle than at home.

So, every day, she would come to the Forge Castle early in the morning and immerse herself in the gem workshop, focusing on inscription practice for the entire day.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end