39th Chapter: The Flames of the Forge (4)
The reason why Baek Jung-hyuk decided to forge his own sword stemmed from a single event.
At the age of eighteen, during a time when the succession of the Demon Sect had not yet been determined, he lived through days filled with bloodshed due to fierce conflicts among his brothers.
Unlike his other siblings, he had no foundation to protect him, and he could only spend sleepless nights facing constant assassination attempts.
One night, a visitor arrived.
His eleventh brother, Baek Chang-hyun, attempted to assassinate Baek Jung-hyuk, and under the pale moonlight, a bloody battle erupted between the brothers.
The fight was evenly matched.
Baek Chang-hyun, having passed through trials in the cave, relentlessly targeted Baek Jung-hyuk's vital points, even amidst the chaos of bloodshed.
The physical difference between them was significant.
As the elder, Baek Chang-hyun displayed a clear physical advantage, and in a moment of fierce exchange, the sword that Baek Jung-hyuk had cherished broke.
With a loud crack, during the clash, Baek Jung-hyuk was slashed across the chest by the incoming attack.
Blood splattered.
In that moment, when the fear of death loomed close, Baek Jung-hyuk boldly exposed his chest and thrust the broken sword into his brother's face.
The fleeting joy of victory surged within him as Baek Chang-hyun's face was horrifically crushed, and with his body bleeding profusely, Baek Jung-hyuk ended his brother's life.
That day, Baek Jung-hyuk realized he needed his own sword.
He wanted a sword that would never break in battle and would perfectly complement his current physical abilities.
After dealing with his eleventh brother and making a name for himself as a fierce individual, Baek Jung-hyuk began to seek out blacksmiths and learned the art of sword-making.
He crafted swords that suited him whenever he faced a decisive moment.
By calculating various factors such as his physical characteristics and preferred sword techniques, he created swords that would elevate his condition to its peak.
Thus, decades passed.
Baek Jung-hyuk reached the pinnacle of power and fought in hundreds, if not thousands, of battles while unifying the martial world.
Each year, his sword changed.
Whenever he forged a new sword, he passed down the previous one to his subordinates, and at some point, the thirty-nine swords that had been handed down through generations came to be known as the Swords of the Celestial Demon.
They were treasures beyond valuation.
The moment the Swords of the Celestial Demon were released into the martial world, fierce battles erupted to claim them.
It could be said that Baek Jung-hyuk's sword-making skills had reached the level of a master craftsman, developed through countless battles and the passage of time.
The act of forging swords was familiar to Baek Jung-hyuk.
And now, Roman was preparing for battle against Barco.
Therefore, for his first sword, Roman performed the rituals of Baek Jung-hyuk.
In the forge of introspection, the sound of steel being struck echoed in the long-abandoned space.
Clang! Sparks flew.
Roman, hammering the red-hot steel, repeated the same action with consistent force and rhythm.
To an ordinary person, it would have seemed like a tedious time.
In the space where only the sounds of the roaring flames and the striking of steel were permitted, Roman faced the intense heat head-on, sweating profusely.
Clang! Clang! Clang! In a state of selflessness, Roman found immense joy in being absorbed in a single purpose.
What initially seemed like nothing would transform into a magnificent sword through his repetitive actions.
His past subordinates had not understood Baek Jung-hyuk's actions when he first forged his sword.
They had said that there were plenty of swords lying around in the warehouse, and he could simply pick any of them to use.
They believed that investing time in sword-making was a waste compared to honing martial arts.
While they were not entirely wrong, Baek Jung-hyuk, beyond merely forging swords, reflected on his current self within his own world.
"What am I living for?" The purpose of life.
Even after achieving everything, he had not realized it.
Having the Celestial Demon as his father, he had to survive in a world governed by the law of the jungle from a young age.
As he overcame the challenges before him, people began to call him the strongest under heaven.
He did not think it was a bad thing.
Humans do not live a life planned from beginning to end; rather, they create their own stories based on their instincts.
Even now, Roman's life was filled with an unfamiliar sense of helplessness, but like before, Baek Jung-hyuk remained faithful to reality.
He accepted the broken engagement for a new life, eradicated the threats from Blood Fang, and now prepared to forge a sword for himself to settle his enmity with Antony Barco.
Baek Jung-hyuk.
His life was dedicated to a single purpose of ruling, remaining true to the reality before him even in the vast ocean.
"My current level is not sufficient to counter all variables. With the transformation of my body and entering the realm of humanity, I can now use the initial three forms of the Celestial Demon Sword Technique, but in Roman's world, there will be many variables I do not know. Therefore, I must train myself even harder. In a world unknown to me, against formidable opponents I have yet to encounter. No matter what happens, I must always remain the victor."
The predator.
Defeat was not an option.
In a world governed by the law of the jungle, defeat meant death, and Baek Jung-hyuk always wished to remain a predator.
Clang! A strong impact resonated.
Roman's face was drenched in sweat from the intense flames, and the muscles of his bare torso writhed, turning red from the heat.
It was an unusual sight.
Ordinary blacksmiths would wear protective gear while working.
This was to shield themselves from the heat of the forge, as well as to prevent burns from the hot pieces of steel that might fly up while hammering.
Hendrick was no different.
When they met in the forge, he was fully prepared for work, yet now, Roman hammered the steel in front of the flames wearing nothing but his lower garments.
He knew it was dangerous.
However, forging a sword was not only about creating a weapon that suited his current self; it was also another way for Baek Jung-hyuk to train his martial arts.
Whoosh! Whoosh! The flames roared.
In the suffocating heat, Roman opened his lungs wide and embraced the heat.
The Flame God Technique.
Roman's body was engulfed in flames.
The Flame God Technique was a martial art known as the Fire Demon, which utilized the power of the blazing flames to rapidly accumulate mana in a short time.
According to common sense, two different techniques could not coexist.
It was a given that someone using the Celestial Demon Technique could not use the Flame God Technique.
However, as Baek Jung-hyuk's Celestial Demon Technique evolved, its affinity reached its peak, allowing coexistence with other techniques.
The Celestial Demon Technique firmly established itself in the lower dantian, overseeing everything, and even if other powers flowed in from outside, extreme phenomena like losing control did not occur.
Coexistence.
He absorbed the heat.
The blazing flames became nourishment for the Celestial Demon Technique, gradually turning the heat accumulating in his lower dantian into his own.
"The training method for the Flame God Technique is the best option available to someone as insignificant as me. Frequent use may damage my lungs and internal organs, but having prepared thoroughly with methods like the transformation of my body, I can now withstand the heat of the forge."
Clang! Clang! Clang! He swung the hammer with all his might.
The act of forging a sword.
Facing the flames of the forge head-on, Roman began to calmly examine his physical condition.
The length of his arms.
The strength of his power.
The amount of energy he could use.
As he calmly checked his condition, he envisioned the form of the sword that would suit him.
The sword he was forging while sweating profusely would not be usable in a year or two.
It was precisely the form that suited his current self, and Roman believed that alone was enough for the sword to fulfill its purpose.
At the same time, he accumulated mana in his lower dantian.
Considering the scale of the enemies he had identified—Barco and the mercenaries he had hired—his current level was not a significant problem.
However, variables are often invisible.
The scale of Barco, which he had confirmed by hiring an information guild, was within common sense, but how they prepared during the conquest of Lawrence could not be perfectly understood without being directly involved.
In the martial world, it is said to conceal one's true strength.
In a world governed by the law of the jungle, revealing one's full power is a shortcut to death.
Barco.
They might also be hiding their true strength, and Roman understood that such variables could cost lives.
Therefore, he wished for the power to counter all variables.
During the process of conquering the righteous martial world, the brains of the Jeongal family had cornered Baek Jung-hyuk with numerous variables, but overwhelming strength shattered them all.
When one cannot perfectly grasp the enemy's power, possessing enough strength to render variables ineffective is also a solution.
"I have not yet fully grasped this world. The strongest person I have encountered is Captain Jonathan, who was said to be recognized at the level of a three-star knight in the kingdom. However, there are four-star swordsmen, five-star swordsmen, and even six-star swordsmen in this world. Moreover, there are unknown beings that wield magic, a power I have never experienced. Even if I can overwhelmingly defeat Captain Jonathan, I cannot be certain that I can face these unknown beings."
He took a deep breath.
Absorbing mana, he struck the steel with force.
Clang! He had to train.
Having accepted new people into his life, he had no intention of losing, especially for those like Hans who lived within the boundaries he had established.
Thus, days passed.
Roman's body became like a sword.
Just as he forged his own sword, he embraced the intense flames and trained his body.
And after ten days had passed.
Finally, the sound of hammering in the forge ceased.
The first sword.
The first of anything holds a special significance.
Roman held the sword up to the sunlight, and a smile appeared on his face as he admired the smooth form of the blade reflecting the light.
"This sword is perfectly suited for me now."
The crafting period was short.
Ten days was far too little time, yet with the heat of the Flame God Technique and his past experiences, he succeeded in forging a sword that met his needs.
It was not an ordinary sword sold in the market; it was a sword that could accept his mana better than any chunk of steel and met all the conditions according to his physical specifications.
With this sword, he was ready.
Feeling the heat boiling in his lower dantian, Roman named the sword.
"I shall call you Salamander, after the name of this world."
He sheathed the sword.
Now, it was time for battle.
It was his turn to bare his fangs at Barco.