Chapter 66

Chapter 16: The Tower (8)

The sudden and unexpected intrusion of Pant.

Fortunately, the broken wall could be restored to its original state by the automatic repair magic array installed by the Night Watch.

However, the turmoil in Henoba's heart, who had been struck by a bolt from the blue, was not so easily mended.

Following the Night Watch's rampage, Pant's intrusion.

Why has my luck been so bad these past few days?

Huff, huff—

Huff, huff—

Henoba, instead of his hammer, kept the pipe in his mouth, silently puffing away.

Wrinkles creased his forehead.

Ding, ding—

Whether he knew it or not.

Yeonwoo continued hammering away in his spot.

He was having fun because the sword he was making for the first time was turning out quite well.

There was also the purpose of increasing his proficiency in Dragon Eye.

But to Henoba, whose mood was already twisted, even the hammering that usually sounded familiar now grated on his ears.

"Are you going to let that guy keep doing that?"

Yeonwoo briefly turned his head back.

In one corner of the forge.

Pant, with his bulky frame crouched, was glaring at him, rubbing his bruised eye with an egg.

Their eyes met.

"……"

"……"

Ding, ding—

Yeonwoo ignored him and resumed hammering.

"Hey!"

Pant, who had been suddenly ignored, jumped up and shouted.

Regardless of that.

Yeonwoo continued hammering.

Ding, ding—

"It was only because I let my guard down that I got hit just now. I won't admit it!"

Ding, ding—

"Let's have another round. This time, I'll crush you!"

Ding, ding—

"Come outside. Man to man! Warrior to warrior! Let's settle this once and for all."

Ding, ding—

"Damn it! When someone talks to you, at least listen!"

Pant, who kept being ignored by Yeonwoo, fumed but Yeonwoo continued to ignore him.

For a moment, he deeply considered whether to punch Yeonwoo in the face.

But challenging someone who didn't want to fight was a dishonorable act for a proud unicorn warrior.

He had to avoid that.

"I see. I didn't know that. Challenging a quiet person is dishonorable, but breaking a quiet forge isn't. Hmm. I'll have to ask the King of Warriors about that later."

Henoba muttered under his breath.

Pant involuntarily flinched.

He had entered the forge without a second thought, thinking it was just a shabby place.

Little did he know it belonged to a blacksmith who had supplied weapons to their tribe several times.

Moreover, someone who knew his father.

So the method Pant chose was.

"Hey! Let's have a round!"

He ignored Henoba and glared at Yeonwoo.

The deeper the wrinkles on Henoba's forehead became.

He considered countless times whether to take out the halberd he had stored in the warehouse ten years ago.

The only reason he didn't was because of the child, Edo.

"Have a cup of this to calm down."

Edo handed him a warm quince tea with a slight smile.

Henoba's gaze lingered on the sword Edo held in her arms as he took the cup.

"What's that?"

Edo smiled.

"Do you remember? When you were young, Henoba-sama made this sword for you."

"Ah, I remember now. You were a stubborn little girl back then. You've grown so much."

Henoba chuckled, recalling the little girl who had tugged at his pants and begged for a sword.

Come to think of it, there was a boy next to her who caused so much trouble that he gave the King of Warriors a headache.

That must be him.

He was the same back then and now.

"But are you going to let that guy keep doing that?"

Henoba nodded toward Pant.

The boy was still pestering Yeonwoo for a fight.

"He's always like that."

A tone of familiarity and nonchalance.

"Hmm."

Henoba's irritation deepened.

* * *

From that day on.

Two more people, besides Yeonwoo, frequently crossed the threshold of the forge.

"Hey! Let's have a round! Be a man!"

Ding, ding—

Of course, Yeonwoo ignored him.

But Pant kept pestering him.

"If you're a warrior, you won't refuse a challenge!"

Even while hammering.

"Come on, let's fight!"

Even during meals.

"Hey! Do it!"

Even when going to the bathroom.

"Heyyyyy!"

But Yeonwoo still didn't acknowledge him, and Pant kept shouting.

Then.

"Since you're saying this, shouldn't you at least pretend to listen? I'll smash your face!"

Before long, the challenge turned into a threat.

"Please, let's fight. Hey? I'm asking you."

The threat turned into a plea.

"Please……"

The plea turned into a near-begging, almost as if he was about to grab Yeonwoo's pants.

Even with such desperate pleading, Yeonwoo still didn't give in.

Ding, ding—

"Damn……"

Finally, Henoba couldn't take it anymore and exploded.

"Hey! If you're going to keep saying that, at least do it!"

"Right. Do it!"

Pant chimed in.

Henoba glared at him.

"You, shut up!"

Pant closed his mouth and looked at Yeonwoo.

Henoba glared at Yeonwoo, and Edo, who had been quietly reading a book in a corner, also looked up at Yeonwoo.

Three pairs of eyes focused on him.

"……"

Finally, Yeonwoo, unable to ignore them any longer, put down his hammer and looked at Pant with an irritated expression.

"Why should I?"

"I want to test your skills as a warrior!"

"It's a hassle. Just say you won. I remember you surrendered last time, right?"

"There's no such thing!"

"If we fight, what do I gain?"

"Are you a warrior who calculates gains?"

"Exactly."

The straightforward answer made Pant close his mouth like he had swallowed honey.

Indeed, as someone who had lived as a warrior since birth, he couldn't understand anything about Yeonwoo.

"Or, let's bet something."

Yeonwoo, looking at Pant, smirked and turned his head back to the anvil.

"Fine, if you don't want to."

Pant, realizing it wasn't working, desperately shouted.

"Let's make a deal. The loser will call the winner 'brother'!"

Yeonwoo turned his head again.

A calm gaze.

"Will you listen to your brother?"

"Of course!"

Pant pounded his chest and declared confidently.

Yeonwoo also put down his hammer.

"Alright. Let's do it."

* * *

A short while later.

Thud!

A dull impact shook the forge.

Squeak.

Yeonwoo, shaking his hand lightly, returned to the forge.

"……"

Pant followed, his shoulders slumped, with two black eyes.

Henoba could tell from the sight alone who had won.

There would be no more trouble now.

Thinking he could finally work in peace, he picked up his hammer but then paused, tilting his head.

'Hmm? Wait. So the King of Warriors' son?'

Henoba looked at Yeonwoo with a slightly surprised expression.

The fight hadn't lasted more than a few seconds?

Edo also looked at Yeonwoo with sparkling eyes.

When they clashed in the tutorial, it was a close match.

But now, it was over in no time.

'So he's gotten even stronger!'

An unbelievable growth rate.

But Yeonwoo, ignoring the looks around him, sat back down and picked up his hammer.

"Now I can hammer in peace."

Pant quietly sat next to Yeonwoo, no longer pestering him, and watched him hammer.

He looked like a drenched dog, pitifully.

It was understandable.

After a lifetime of martial arts, to end up with two black eyes in one go.

Pant, after a while, cautiously observed Yeonwoo and then spoke.

"But, uh… why didn't you go straight to the tower and instead went to the side?"

Pant slightly mumbled the word 'brother,' his face full of questions.

With such skill, he didn't fit in the beginner area at all.

Yet, he had paused his progress and gone to the side, which was puzzling.

Yeonwoo, hammering again, turned to Pant with a disinterested gaze.

"Hey?"

Pant flinched.

"…What?"

Yeonwoo turned his gaze back to the anvil.

Ding, ding—

Pant hurriedly explained.

"How long did I wait in the tower…?"

While in the tower, Pant was so frustrated he thought he would go mad.

He wanted to settle things with Yeonwoo again.

He waited for days, assuming a skilled person like Yeonwoo would naturally climb the tower.

Other clans trying to recruit Yeonwoo probably thought the same.

He heard they had been struggling to find Yeonwoo's whereabouts.

Pant was in the same boat.

But after nearly a month of waiting, he was on edge.

That's when Edo suggested an idea.

What if Yeonwoo wasn't climbing the tower but was in a different area?

Pant laughed it off, but Edo's persuasion to check made him agree.

Then he heard about the incident between Yeonwoo and the Night Watch.

Of course, it ended in this mess.

Pant had a strong sense of pride in his skills.

He believed he had no equal among his peers and would have no rivals in the lower levels of the tower.

Kan of the Blood Sword? Fox Tail Doyle? Marcus's swordsman, Baram?

While often mentioned as his equals, Pant never considered them on the same level.

Yet, Yeonwoo had defeated him in one go.

He couldn't understand why such a person would be in a different area.

But.

"Pant."

"Y-Yes?"

Yeonwoo said with an irritated voice.

"Be quiet. I can't concentrate on the metal with all this noise."

"……"

Yeonwoo, using his 'brother' authority, firmly silenced Pant and focused back on the metal.

Ding—

Ding—

* * *

Yeonwoo knew Pant was still looking at him with a dazed expression but ignored him.

Then, he smiled slightly, hidden under his mask.

'The remaining reason.'

His smile carried a mysterious meaning.

'There are many reasons.'