Chapter 46

Chapter 20: Reforging?

"Hahaha..." The blacksmith laughed and looked at the demon hunter. "What an interesting kid! What's your name?"

"Yeqi, sir!" The demon hunter answered truthfully. "It's an honor to meet you!"

"Hmm, do you want me to repair your weapon, kid?" Upon hearing Yeqi's name, the blacksmith's eyes subtly brightened, but he continued as before, "With such an attitude, aren't you worried I might refuse your request?"

"Sir, weapons are important! But that doesn't mean I can watch my friend be extorted by you!" The demon hunter shrugged and continued, "Besides, Shaker isn't the only blacksmith in town!"

"Hmm, Shaker isn't the only blacksmith, that's true!" The blacksmith nodded in approval, but his expression was unusually confident. "But I'm definitely the best! Alright, kid, I'm not saying I won't repair your weapon. Just prove that you have the strength to use my weapons!"

"No problem!" Yeqi gave a reassuring look to the big man who had been tugging at his coat and turned back to the blacksmith, saying word by word, "How do I prove it?"

The blacksmith didn't answer directly but raised the longsword in his hand and thrust it quickly towards Yeqi's chest, showing with action what he meant by proof—when the big man tugged at his coat, Yeqi had already been on guard. So before the sword reached his chest, Yeqi had already stepped back a long way and raised a Burning Hand.

The scorching conical flame immediately engulfed the blacksmith, but the blacksmith, enveloped in the flames, showed no reaction and continued to thrust the longsword at Yeqi's chest.

After experiencing the giant's flesh resisting the Burning Hand, Yeqi wasn't surprised by the blacksmith's disregard for the Burning Hand's power. Instead, he quickly attacked again—given the blacksmith's even more developed muscles, there was no reason he couldn't do what the giant could.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Without his short knife, Yeqi couldn't engage in close combat and could only rely on the M500 to block the blacksmith's attacks. This time, it was much more effective than the Burning Hand—the blacksmith withdrew his sword and dodged to the side, clearly showing that despite his powerful body, he couldn't ignore the .50 Magnum bullets. Seizing this opportunity, a Fireball spell gradually formed in Yeqi's hand, ready to unleash its scorching and violent energy!

"Stop!" The blacksmith shouted, "If you dare to throw that fireball, I guarantee you'll never get a weapon from me!"

"As you wish!" Yeqi dispersed the Fireball spell in his hand, blinked, and asked the blacksmith, "Do you think I've proven myself?"

"Cunning kid!" The blacksmith muttered and extended his hand, "Give it here!"

Yeqi didn't hesitate and immediately drew the short knife and placed it in the blacksmith's hand.

"Good knife! What a pity!" The blacksmith carefully examined Yeqi's short knife and muttered, "Rust? What a damned ability! The apostle with such an ability should be humanely destroyed!"

The blacksmith stood up, took some tools from the cabinet behind him, and began to carefully grind the short knife—during this time, Yeqi watched the blacksmith nervously, fearing he would say it couldn't be repaired. The big man, however, had full confidence in the blacksmith, holding a barrel of wine and watching excitedly as the blacksmith worked.

After a quarter of an hour, the blacksmith lifted his head and sighed. Instantly, Yeqi's heart clenched—John's gift, a memento of his first hunt, was of great significance, no less important than the two holy relics he carried! At this moment, Yeqi had already decided to go back and eliminate the apostle with the rust ability!

"Don't be hasty, kid!" The blacksmith glanced at Yeqi, who was emitting a faint aura of killing intent, grabbed the barrel from the big man, and took a swig. "I didn't say it couldn't be repaired! But it's impossible to restore it to its original state. You have two choices now!"

"What are they?"

"First, I can grind off the rust and forge a new dagger for you; second, I can melt down your short knife and recast it. Which one do you choose?"

Which one?

The demon hunter's short knife held extraordinary significance for Yeqi. If he really had to choose, he wouldn't want to choose either! But the rusted short knife clearly couldn't accompany him on his future journey...

Yeqi silently picked up the short knife and gently caressed the rust spots—from the handle to the blade, he stroked each inch. He recalled the excitement of receiving the short knife, the fearless battles against countless monsters while holding it... All these memories flooded his heart.

"Buzz... buzz..."

Suddenly, a sound like the chirping of insects and the singing of birds emerged from the short knife, and the rust spots fell off. The short knife, which had seemed lifeless, seemed to come alive again! A sharp, pale white light emerged from the blade, enveloping the entire short knife!

The blacksmith and the big man stared with wide eyes, and the blacksmith looked at Yeqi's short knife in disbelief: "This is a holy soul awakening... How is that possible? It's just a regular short knife enhanced by alchemy! Why can it awaken a holy soul?"

The blacksmith and the big man were surprised, but Yeqi, as the one experiencing it, was even more surprised. However, as the pale white light grew stronger, Yeqi noticed that the newly restored blade was developing a web-like crack!

What's happening?

Yeqi felt that if the blade cracked again, he would lose the short knife forever. He anxiously looked at the professional beside him—the blacksmith.

Living up to expectations—The blacksmith snatched the short knife, pulled open the furnace, and threw the short knife into it. He shouted at the demon hunter and the big man, "Stoke the fire! Add more coal! Don't stop!" and rushed into the side door of the back room, returning shortly with a football-sized pale blue metal.

He threw the pale blue metal into the furnace and shouted at the demon hunter and the big man, "You two, step back!"

The demon hunter and the big man immediately retreated to the corner of the back room.

"Fire, rise!"

With the blacksmith's loud shout, bright white flames burst from his body. Instantly, a wave of heat swept through the entire back room, and even the demon hunter and the big man, who had retreated to the corner, felt the intense heat and found it hard to breathe.

The white flames grew brighter, enveloping the blacksmith and the furnace. The demon hunter felt as if he were in a desert, his entire body drying out.

What a powerful flame!

The demon hunter tried to see the blacksmith's movements through the white flames but failed—everything was obscured by the bright white light.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of metal striking, powerful and rhythmic, echoed throughout the back room. The white flames, in this rhythmic striking, danced like spirits.

The striking continued...

By evening, the moon was high in the sky, and the striking finally stopped, replaced by the blacksmith's joyful laughter.

"Hahaha, I did it! I finally did it!"