Chapter 40: The Dark Dragon

“I want it! How much?” Though he was still shaken by the aura he had felt earlier, and though the dark-colored long sword appeared ancient and dull, since the Soul of the Xuanyuan Sword had said he needed it, Rod naturally wouldn’t object. The Soul of the Sword’s judgment could surely not be wrong—at least that’s what Rod thought.
“It? I’m sorry, could you take a look at something else? This sword was crafted by one of our ancestors and has been passed down to this day. As you must have felt earlier, it has a strong killing aura and isn’t suitable for you to use. How about this one? Look, this is the best weapon in our store. It’s made from the finest steel and black iron, along with the essence core of a king-class magical beast and a bit of silver. It allows the user’s combat energy to be fully unleashed. With its sturdy blade and the technique of forging swords from bones, it can be considered one of the best weapons in the entire empire, even on the entire continent. It’s no exaggeration to say it’s not inferior to weapons made of silver!”
Hearing Rod’s words, the middle-aged man’s expression changed. After pondering for a moment, he entered the back room with a troubled look and brought out a pure white long sword, introducing it to Rod.
Rod was slightly surprised. It was the first time he had encountered such a seller. Since the item was on display, it should be for sale. His immediate refusal was completely unexpected.
However, Rod’s attention quickly shifted to the long sword in his hands. It was pure white, with an exquisite hilt. The blade was not only thin but also seemed extremely strong. Its design and structure appeared to be the most refined among all the swords he had seen.
Steel, black iron, and silver? Plus the essence core of a king-class magical beast? Seeing this sword, Rod’s eyes lit up slightly, showing a hint of excitement and envy. The weapons he had seen before were mostly made of black iron or refined iron. At most, he had seen weapons made by that scoundrel Roger, using refined iron combined with a bit of steel and black iron. How could he not be excited to see such a sword now?
From the memories left by Knight Rod, these materials seemed to be the best for forging weapons on this continent. Any one of these materials could be used to create a fine weapon, especially black iron and silver. These were essential materials for crafting divine weapons.

Mithril is an even rarer ore, with an annual output of not more than one ton across the entire continent. How much can be refined from it remains unknown—truly an extremely rare material! Combined with the core of a king-class magical beast, even a magician would fall in love with such a longsword. It’s truly a precious item. Such a longsword could arguably be considered one of the rarest in the empire. If it weren’t for the sword spirit’s instructions, Rod would have long abandoned the dark, simple longsword he had earlier and focused on this one. However, after his excitement subsided, Rod quickly realized why such a precious sword would be in a small shop in such a tiny town, why they could forge such a longsword, where the materials came from, and why it had been hidden in a back room until his arrival. There seemed to be too many unexplained aspects. Such a longsword would surely rank among the best even in the most prosperous arms shops in the empire or across the continent—why would it be hidden here? More importantly, why did they bring out this precious sword to show him after he took an interest in the one on the wall? “Cough, cough, cough… I can’t afford it!” Realizing this, Rod found the shop and those two people even more strange. “Then you can look at something else!” The middle-aged man seemed to be trying hard to dissuade him. “Kid, don’t listen to him. Take that one. Although the longsword he has is indeed a treasure, you can’t afford it nor should you. If others find out, it will only bring you trouble. You know the saying, ‘An innocent man bears the blame for possessing treasure’?” At that moment, the sword spirit inside Rod continued to persuade him. “I want this one. Tell me, what’s the price?” Hearing the sword spirit’s words, Rod promptly interrupted them and asked. “I already said, this one isn’t for sale. Choose anything else!” Rod’s stubbornness made the middle-aged man turn cold again and reject him indifferently. “How… how dare you? Isn’t it for sale just by being hung here? Besides, when you brought me here earlier, you didn’t say it wasn’t for sale. Now that you like it, you refuse to sell it?” Rod became anxious and asked hurriedly. “Why do you want to buy it? Why did you choose it? What do you plan to do with it?” The old man, who had remained silent until then, slowly stepped forward, gazed deeply at the longsword, and asked in a solemn voice. Shouting at the middle-aged man to stop speaking, the old man focused his entire attention on Rod, observing him carefully.

The atmosphere in the room seemed to have frozen. Rod even felt as though his throat was being constricted, making it difficult to breathe. Especially those eyes of the white-haired old man—like the vast starry sky, impossible to fathom. “A weapon is a warrior’s closest friend. For us who wield swords, undoubtedly, the sword is our best friend. A sword of one’s own is like a brother—one who can stand by one through life and death, the most worthy brother to have by one’s side. That’s why I need a brother, a true brother! Choosing a sword requires not only considering one’s own characteristics but also putting heart into it, feeling out which sword is the most suitable.” Hearing the old man’s words, Rod lowered his head in thought. In a moment of urgency, he organized and connected the knowledge the sword spirit had given him earlier and presented it to the old man. After a pause, he continued, “I felt it with my heart just now. I can sense that this sword is calling to me. I’ve formed a special bond with it—it seems as though it’s been waiting for me for many years. This might be fate, or perhaps destiny. Anyway, I want to take it with me. Although I don’t have much money, I believe I can be its best master, best friend, and closest comrade, staying by its side through life and death.” With a slightly hoarse voice, Rod spoke slowly, recalling that feeling. By now, he no longer felt fear or hesitation. Taking a deep breath, he continued before the other two could speak, “I want to become strong. I want to stand at the pinnacle of the world. This is a long journey, and I need a friend to accompany me. He is the best choice!” Pointing at the black sword on the wall, Rod spoke firmly. At that moment, his eyes seemed to blaze with fire, and his entire presence exuded determination, making him appear even more heroic. This change also caught the attention of the middle-aged man and the old man. They exchanged glances, their faces showing surprise and shock. Both thought of the same word in their minds: “Kingship!” There was a silence after Rod finished speaking. No one spoke; they just stared at each other. “You can’t take it! A thousand years ago, it helped a demon plague the continent. Our ancestors went to great lengths to bring it back. It cannot appear again after a thousand years!” After hesitating for a moment, the middle-aged man gritted his teeth and said firmly, “Kor! Let him take it. I trust him!”

Grabbing the middle-aged man’s shoulder to stop him from moving forward, the old man took a deep breath and spoke in a deep voice. He looked at Rod seriously, his gaze so intense that it made one want to avoid eye contact unconsciously. Hearing the old man’s words, both Rod and the middle-aged man were stunned for a moment, especially the latter, whose expression changed drastically as he hurriedly turned to look at the old man and said anxiously, “But…” “Enough, Cole, stop talking. Young man, take it with you. I hope you can fulfill your dreams and not go astray. Since you can sense its presence, it means you’re destined for it. Take it and cherish it. To have such insight at such a young age, I believe there must be someone guiding you. I won’t say more; I’m sure they’ll explain everything to you!” Waving his hand to signal Rod to take the sword, the old man’s voice revealed a hint of fatigue. “I, Knight Rod, swear here that I will never disappoint the expectations of this elder!” Turning around, with a mix of joy and solemnity, Rod carefully took down the hanging long sword, a faint smile appearing on his face. It seemed heavier than he had imagined—its weight was likely no less than five pounds, Rod thought to himself. As he grasped the hilt, a cool aura flowed from it into his body, and his internal fighting energy seemed to ignite as if drawn by it, enveloping and merging with that cool aura. The dark sword suddenly emitted a faint glow, standing out sharply in the dark night. After the glow, a beam of light shot from the sword and disappeared into Rod’s body. “Perhaps it’s fate!” The old man, who had witnessed everything, sighed upon seeing this. He knew exactly what had happened. As for the middle-aged man, he was speechless at this moment, his expression filled with complexity and surprise. “Go now. You’re lucky—the Dark Dragon has recognized you. Use it well! But I warn you—if you do anything unjust, I won’t spare you. No matter what the cost, I’ll pursue you across thousands of miles, just like our ancestors did, to retrieve the sword!” The old man said in a weary voice. “How much?” Rod asked, still puzzled by the changes between the two and confused about what had just happened. “No need. With a destined person appearing, it’s all fate. Go now!” Waving his hand, the old man said indifferently before turning and walking back into the house.

“Take this sword scabbard; you’ll need it!”
As for the middle-aged man, he too had undergone great changes. He took a newly forged black sword scabbard from beside the furnace and handed it to Rod, saying indifferently before turning and following the old man inside.
“Damn it, strange things happen every year, but there are especially many this year!” Rod muttered to himself as he looked at the long sword in his hand. He examined the sword scabbard in the room, which was covered with intricate and beautiful patterns—very delicate. With a slight smile, he sheathed the sword, hearing a clear sound as it fit perfectly.
“Thank you!” Looking at the empty room, he muttered to himself once more before heading outside, filled with excitement and slight confusion.
……
“Father, you… are we really giving him that sword?”
Meanwhile, in the innermost room of the small shop, the middle-aged man asked the old man, who was busy packing his things.
“Give it to him! It’s all fate! Hey, I hope my decision isn’t wrong!”
With a sigh, the old man said thoughtfully.