I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake. Chapter 33

I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.

Chapter 33

Caesar seriously considered turning back even now.

There are many other famous blacksmiths besides this guy, like Gix..

“…Are you really the old man Pesson?”

“Yes, I am?”

“Are you really the blacksmith who made Barre’s axe?”

“What? Barre?!”

Pesson, seemingly very upset, threw down his gun.

“Don’t mention that barbarian Barre in front of me! Why do you think I’m living like this? It’s all because of that plunderer!”

…Seems like it’s him.

By the way, I wonder what happened between him and Barre to make him so angry.

Although I’m curious, he hates even mentioning it, so I decided to get to the main point.

“Anyway, I heard that you’re an excellent axe craftsman who could make Barre’s axe.”

“I’m not just good at making axes, I’m also good at making swords, spears, shields, and armor!”

“Then I’d like you to repair this axe.”

Caesar took out an axe with its handle cut off from his bag.

Pesson’s eyes changed, and he spoke.

“Bring it over here.”

Following Pesson’s guidance, he entered the house.

Pesson’s house was no different from a blacksmith’s workshop.

It seemed he took care of all his living needs in the place with the anvil and furnace, with just a bed and a dining table in the corner.

Caesar placed the axe on the table.

Pesson tapped the axe here and there, closely examined the cross-section of the broken handle, and then spoke.

“Is there only one axe? It looks like a weapon used with both hands?”

Is this really the skill of a blacksmith?

He immediately figured out that this axe had a pair.

Caesar took out the axe from his bag.

“Hooh…”

Pesson touched the axe here and there and then spoke.

“Where did you get this?”

“That’s a secret.”

“It’s not stolen goods, is it?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Does it have a name?”

“We just call it an axe?”

“Well, that’s rather uninspired.”

Pesson frowned and then spoke.

“First of all, this weapon is definitely not from the Valent continent. The weapon style is completely different. To begin with, double-handed axes aren’t used on the continent, and they don’t use expensive magic wood for axe handles. Moreover, the fact that the axe handle is slightly curved shows that they were very careful about the weapon’s balance when swung.”

“So?”

“So what! This is a perfect axe made by a once-in-a-century blacksmith! And this axe blade! It’s made of solid terra.”

Caesar was surprised at the mention of terra.

Terra is a metal that becomes the raw material for alloys like the giant tree used in Barre’s axe, the ‘Pluma’ used in Michel’s sword, and finally the ‘For Honor’ used in the hero’s sword.

All these metals are called ‘Terra alloys’, and they are the most expensive, versatile, and magic-responsive metals in the world.

Considering that Wilderness only contains 10% terra alloy, it’s needless to say how amazing this axe is.

“It’s the first time in my life I’ve seen an axe made of solid terra. And it’s not even an alloy. This means it was made even before alloy technology was developed.”

“Is this really terra?”

“A blacksmith who can’t recognize metal should close shop. This is terra without even 0.1% impurity.”

‘Damn, so this was even more expensive than the Wild?’

To think I’ve been throwing around a weapon like this until now?

If I had lost even one, I would have been so devastated I couldn’t sleep.

“So you want me to reattach this cut-off axe handle?”

“Yes. And please don’t touch the other parts.”

“Unfortunately, that’s impossible.”

“Why?”

“Because this axe handle is made of magic wood. It’s impossible to bring the same weight of magic wood and match it to the same angle and balance as the other handle. In other words, if you want to match the balance, you’ll have to remake the other side as well.”

Damn.

I didn’t think of that.

Now that I hear it, it seems impossible even for the most skilled blacksmith.

“Can’t you just attach it?”

“Unfortunately, there’s no technique to attach magic wood. And even if you could attach it, it would be extremely uncomfortable due to the subtle balance difference.”

Where is that bastard Gilbert?

Because of him, I’ve destroyed a once-in-a-century weapon with my own hands.

It’s so frustrating, I feel like I’m getting a stomach ulcer.

“Then what’s the possible method?”

“First, we could remove both axe handles and make new ones. It’s the most straightforward method. However, if we make the handles with magic wood, it will take a very long time. Magic wood itself is very rare and tricky to handle.”

“How long would it take?”

“At least a year. And that’s assuming we have magic wood that’s completely dry.”

“It sounds like you’re telling me not to even think about making it?”

“If we make it with metal, it would be quick. But it’ll be much heavier than now. It might take quite a while to get used to it.”

“Then what’s the second option?”

“We leave the intact axe as is and deliberately make the damaged axe overly unbalanced for use. That way, we can add variation to your axe technique, which can only do simple chopping attacks.”

“You’re saying my axe technique is simple?”

Pesson nodded as if it were obvious.

“Looking at the handle part, the wear patterns are very consistent. You enjoy throwing it, but there’s no sign of any special technique when swinging it. You must be either a tank knight or a classic knight. But…”

Pesson spoke while looking at the axe blade.

“Something’s odd. These shallow but fine wear marks suggest you’re using the wind like the Redfield family’s ‘Red Wind’. Are you perhaps a technique knight?”

“I’m a hybrid type knight.”

“What? Hybrid? What’s that?”

“It’s a combination of tank knight and technique knight.”

“In all my life, I’ve never seen someone destroy their body in such a bizarre way. Do you have a separate master?”

“No, I’m pioneering it myself.”

“Hehehe. You’re quite an interesting fellow. You’ll die soon.”

He sure has a… Pretty way of speaking.

Does he want to die before me?

I’ll let it slide since he’s an old man who’ll probably die of natural causes like Smir anyway.

“There were quite a few knights who took such radical approaches until about 100 years ago. It was a time when demons had just appeared on the continent, so various attempts had to be made.”

“You’re saying there were others who attempted the hybrid type besides me?”

“I don’t know if it’s hybrid or highlight, but there were knights who tried such things. It was a time when research was being done in various fields on how to properly kill demons. That’s the spirit of challenge. These days, young people lack that, so it’s quite boring.”

Hooh…

So such techniques were created but then lost, is that it?

Even though Caesar aims for the hybrid type, he’s been struggling to develop an appropriate axe technique.

At best, he developed ‘Noisy Silence’, a renewal of the Redfield family’s ‘Red Wing’, but it’s certainly different from the original.

While the Redfield family’s sword technique starts from Red Wing and has 20 different derivative techniques, Caesar’s Noisy Silence is a single technique without such variations.

“Are there any documents recording these lost techniques?”

“There aren’t any. Either they all died without organizing their techniques into books, keeping the knowledge to themselves, or those who survived received titles and passed down their techniques only to their descendants.”

Damn.

That’s too bad.

If I could just copy those techniques, I wouldn’t need to worry about creating new ones.

“I think I know what you’re pondering. Would you like to see their records?”

“Is there a place where I can see them?”

“There are exactly two places.”

“Oh, where are they?”

“One is the Shalibi Library in central Shalibi, and the other is…”

Pesson pointed to a small hill outside the window.

“The Heroes’ Cemetery. The weapons once used by the heroes are stuck there instead of tombstones.”

Pesson spoke while placing his hand on the axe.

“Come back in a month to pick it up.”

Thump!

Caesar grabbed Pesson’s wrist.

“Wait, I’ve heard a strange rumor about you.”

“A rumor?”

“I heard that when you’re asked to craft or repair weapons, you don’t follow the user’s requests and make them as you please.”

At those words, Pesson seemed taken aback and cleared his throat.

“Ahem! Well… I’m not sure where such baseless rumors came from.”

Caesar used psychometry.

-Damn! I won’t get a chance to see such a weapon anywhere else!

-Why is he making a fuss when I’m going to make it well?

-Who the hell spread such rumors?

Caesar gripped Pesson’s wrist tightly.

“I can’t entrust it to a blacksmith who won’t make the weapon according to my desired design.”

“Using the weapon may be your expertise. But making that weapon is my expertise. So it’s right to leave the design and crafting of the weapon entirely to me.”

This old man is completely hopeless.

Judging by his tone, it doesn’t seem like this axe will transform into a spear or sword, but it’s clear that the axe blade will either become tripled or the terra will suddenly be made into some bizarre alloy.

“It seems the rumors weren’t wrong after all. I can’t entrust it to you, old man.”

Caesar pulled the axe towards himself.

“Wait! Wait! What’s your desired axe design? Shouldn’t I at least hear that?”

“I don’t know either.”

“…What?”

“The reason I came to Shalibi was because I thought there might be a blacksmith who could restore my axe to its original state. But since you say it’s impossible, I can’t fix it yet.”

Pesson’s lips curl up and down.

“I see! Then leave it to me. Judging by your axe technique style, a heavy axe would suit you very well. You’re definitely not a technique type.”

That’s obvious, of course.

I still haven’t broken the habit of swinging the axe like Barre.

I still tend to solve problems with strength rather than technique.

“Didn’t you hear what I’ve been saying? I told you I’m a hybrid type.”

“Stop that nonsense and just leave the axe to me! I’ll make you an axe, and you develop an axe technique to match it! That’s the right way!”

“No.”

“Just leave the axe to me!”

“I said no!”

“Arghhhh!”

Pesson, seemingly very upset, clutched his head and said:

“Damn it! Try to make me understand what this hybrid thing is! Then I’ll be convinced!”

“Well… The technique isn’t complete yet.”

“Then leave it to me!”

Caesar pondered.

Is it right to entrust the axe to this guy?

Pesson is certainly an extraordinary blacksmith.

He always makes weapons that surpass end-game specs.

But the axe he wants to make is a traditional classic-type large axe.

That’s definitely not the axe Caesar wants.

Caesar looked out the window.

The sun has set, but the moonlight is good.

“Then come outside. I’ll show you roughly what direction I’m aiming for.”

“Alright! Let’s see! I’ll watch closely how amazing a technique you’re developing.”

Caesar left the damaged axe behind and came out.

He took a stance in front of the open space.

“The name of the technique I created is called ‘Noisy Silence’. Your ears might hurt a bit, so cover them if it’s too much.”

“Just get on with it.”

Pesson, being a professional, brought a pencil and notebook and began observing Caesar.

Caesar took a long breath in and out, then swung the axe.

Whoosh!

As Caesar swung the axe once, a fierce gust of wind swirled and blew away Pesson’s notebook.

When the axe swung again, a strong gust flowing along the axe blade scattered all the leaves.

This isn’t a simple gust caused by raw strength.

It’s the clear and distinct will of the aura flowing through the axe that vibrates, pushes, and scatters the surrounding air.

Pesson couldn’t close his mouth.

“…You made this yourself?”

“That’s right.”

Caesar shouldered the axe.

“How about it? Do you still say this isn’t hybrid?”

“This isn’t hybrid, it’s just technique!”

“That’s why I told you. The technique isn’t complete yet. There are no derivative techniques from this state.”

This is the crucial difference between Red Wing and ‘Noisy Silence’.

Mitchell’s Red Wing has as many as 20 derivative techniques, but Noisy Silence has none.

No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure out how to modify it from here.

“Then wouldn’t it be better to wield a sword instead? An axe is too crude for such delicate techniques.”

“I know that too. But challenging the impossible is the role of the young and knights. That’s the romance.”

“I’m so dumbfounded, I’m speechless.”

Pesson frowned and scratched his forehead.

“But I roughly understand the direction you’re aiming for. This is complicated.”

“Can you make a weapon that suits me?”

“Hmm… If I hadn’t seen your technique, maybe… But now that I’ve seen it, my head is all jumbled. But isn’t it a bit strange to ask for a weapon to be made without even completing the technique?”

Hmm, now that I hear it, that’s true.

But I originally came looking for someone who could restore my axe to its original state.

At best, I thought it would be upgraded to improve the handle part for easier swinging.

If I had known it would be a complete renewal of the axe, I wouldn’t have worried about this.

“But I remember there was a knight who used an axe technique similar to yours… I just can’t quite recall.”

“You’re saying there was someone who used a technique similar to mine?”

“As I said earlier, the level you’re trying to reach is something someone has thought about at least once. Some failed, some succeeded.”

Pesson pointed towards the Heroes’ Cemetery.

“Given that it’s vaguely in my memory, they might be resting over there. Go check it out as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow.”

Pesson pointed at the damaged axe on the table and said:

“For now, leave that damaged axe with me. I think I’ll be able to get some inspiration that way.”

“Don’t even think about touching my axe without my permission.”

Pesson snorted.

“Don’t worry, I’ll never make an axe again for someone who doesn’t intend to pay.”

“Who ever defaulted on payment? Was it Barre?”

Pesson frowned and said:

“Ah! Stop prying and go complete your technique! Only then will I decide whether to make the axe or not!”

Pesson slammed the forge door shut and left.

“Well, he’s quite an eccentric fellow.”

But it’s usually these eccentric people who are masters.

It seems I’ve found a good blacksmith, at least.

TL NOTE:

Schedule: Every {Wed-Sat}

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