Chapter 41: Life and Aspirations

“A Dark Dragon? Heh, not bad of a name. Then let’s strive together!”
Gently stroking the long sword in his hand, feeling its icy aura, Rod murmured to himself.
Turning and leaving the blacksmith’s shop, he glanced back once more. Though those two people were strange, Rod didn’t mind. After all, he had already obtained this precious sword—the sword spirit’s judgment was surely accurate. He believed he hadn’t made a wrong choice.
“Don’t get too excited just yet. I don’t really know what’s going on with this sword. To be honest, it just seems strange. I still can’t tell if it’s good or bad!”
Just as Rod was feeling excited, the words from the Xuan Yuan Sword Spirit were like a bucket of cold water, plunging him back to rock bottom.
“Boss, are you trying to trick me? Damn it!” With a grim expression, Rod asked anxiously.
He had originally thought the Xuan Yuan Sword Spirit favored it because of its excellence. Who would have expected such an outcome? All his efforts to gain the two people’s permission to take the sword had been in vain. If he had known this, he definitely wouldn’t have chosen this sword. At least he would have picked one that looked a bit more impressive. Besides, the sword that middle-aged man took out later was definitely a precious sword. It would have been great if he had chosen that one.
At that moment, Rod began to feel a hint of regret and doubt.
“Hey, master, you’re regretting it again, aren’t you? Don’t even think about it. Do you think that sword that appeared later was cheap? I guess someone like you couldn’t afford it even in ten lifetimes! Alright, enough chatting. I’ll study this sword carefully. Don’t be too sad. I can assure you—even if it’s not as good as I expected, it won’t be that bad. Do you know what material it’s made of? Do you know its forging technique? Compared to the other swords in that shop, it’s definitely top-notch! Just be happy about it!”
Feeling Rod’s thoughts, the sword spirit complained.
“I hope so!” His mood hadn’t improved. With some doubt and hope, he gently stroked the sword once more before slowly heading toward the restaurant where Kiro and the others were. It was getting late; he should go back. Otherwise, he didn’t know what those people might think.

Although my mood is a bit lower now compared to before, overall it’s still quite pleasant. After all, I didn’t come here for nothing. Moreover, for some reason, as soon as Rod came into contact with this Dark Dragon, he could sense its uniqueness and gradually felt joy. He believed the Dark Dragon was definitely not ordinary or inferior—it was his first weapon, so naturally, he felt affection for it.

……

Walking toward the hotel, Qingfeng City truly was a bustling town. Even though it was nearly midnight, the streets were still lively, with pedestrians and merchants seemingly unaware of the passage of time.

Inside the hotel, it was even noisier, with the entire hall packed to capacity, presenting a vibrant scene.

After scanning the room, Rod didn’t spot Kiro or the others. As he wondered where they had gone, he forgot that he had already spent most of the evening outside—could those people possibly keep eating all night?

“Rod, this way!” A voice suddenly called out beside him. Following the sound, Rod smiled slightly. It was Kiro, waving at him from the hallway on the second floor.

Nodding, he quickly ran upstairs and soon reached the second floor, where the hotel’s accommodations were located. It seemed he would have to spend the night here.

Led by Kiro, the two quickly entered a room on the left.

As expected of a rich kid, the room was quite nice. Staying in such a room for one night must cost a fortune, Rod thought at first glance.

“Hmph, you still remembered to come back? You do look presentable in that outfit!”

A moment later, a cold snort and icy voice came from beside him.

Without looking, Rod knew it must be that damned magician, Alice. Aside from her, there was no other woman here, nor anyone else who would have such strong opinions about him.

Frowning, he turned around and sighed helplessly. After all, he had kidnapped her that day—she probably wouldn’t forget that grudge.

“Have you bought everything?” Kiro asked with a smile, his eyes lighting up at the long sword in Rod’s hand.

“I’ve bought it. Hehe, it cost you thirty gold coins!” Rod said with a slight smile as he handed the money bag to Kiro.
“Keep it for yourself. I’m sure you’ll need it!”
“Then I won’t be polite!” Hearing Kiro’s words, Rod took the remaining gold coins without hesitation. He wasn’t stupid enough to act pretentiously—he really needed them. Since the other party had offered them, why be polite? Such behavior naturally drew Alice’s rolled eyes and disdain once again, but Rod, who was already used to it, simply ignored it.
At that moment, he couldn’t help but think again of the two girls he met at the clothing store. Why was there such a big difference between people? Those two were definitely beautiful women, rare beauties. Look at their grace and generosity—if it were Alice back then, who knows how long she would have pestered him.
Look at their gentle tone of voice—how kind. Really, nothing like this guy’s coldness! The more he compared, the less fond Rod became of Alice, especially since he didn’t know what kind of face hid beneath that veil.
“Is this the sword you bought?” Kiro asked doubtfully, looking at the long sword in Rod’s hand.
“Mm, it’s called Dark Dragon. Hehe, not bad, right?”
With a clear sound, Dark Dragon was drawn from its sheath. Its black blade stood before everyone, appearing even darker under the bright light, adding to its aged appearance. Seeing it, Rod proudly swung it a few times to show off.
“Hmph, as expected, it’s not anything good. You can’t get quality for a low price!”
Alice’s cold voice came again, making Rod frown involuntarily.
“Hehe, Alice, keep quiet. It’s only thirty gold coins. Use it for now, and we can exchange it for a better one later!” Sure enough, no one showed admiration when they first saw Dark Dragon; they all considered it a poor-quality sword.
Hearing their words, Rod’s frown deepened. He couldn’t stand others speaking ill of Dark Dragon. Since he had chosen it, it was his best comrade and brother, and he wouldn’t allow others to speak that way about it.
“Hmph, you don’t know what good stuff is. I’ll prove it to you! I’ll take it to the pinnacle of the world!” With a cold snort, Rod glared at Alice and said firmly before sheathing Dark Dragon and heading outside.

“Rod… don’t get angry. Hehe, Alice was just joking. Your room is next door; I’ll take you there!” Seeing that Rod was truly upset, Kiro hurried after him, realizing unbeknownst to him that he had already regarded Rod as a good friend.
“What’s so special about it? To be honest, it’s not even that great.”
After Kiro and Rod left, Alice complained unhappily by herself.
“Don’t you understand the role and significance of a sword for a warrior? When a warrior chooses a sword, they pour all their hopes and expectations into it, treating it as their best friend. What you said is a bit wrong!”
Sighing at Alice, Anderson, rarely taking Rod’s side, spoke up for him. “It’s just like the wands of you mages; I’m sure you understand!” Seeing Alice’s expression change, Anderson added further.
At that, Alice, who had wanted to speak, fell silent, closing her mouth and stopping further discussion. Upon reflection, it seemed true indeed.
…
After returning to his room and tidying up a bit, Rod stepped out. It wasn’t too late yet. After sleeping for two days, he definitely wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. Going downstairs, he saw the still-noisy hall and the occasional conversations among the patrons. He found a seat to sit down.
Among the people here were not only locals but also many foreign mercenaries or adventurers. Most of them were members of mercenary teams tasked with protecting caravans as they traveled to trading sites. Indeed, the burly men sitting next to Rod were members of such a mercenary team.
Listening attentively to their conversations, Rod found himself captivated. What they were discussing piqued his great interest.
“Mercenaries? Finally, today has come—the King of Mercenaries. Hehe, wait for me!!” Rod muttered to himself after that group left. Having been suppressed by an old man since childhood, Rod longed for the freedom and boldness he had seen in mercenaries. More importantly, becoming a mercenary would allow him to earn a lot of money and improve his skills! And the King of Mercenaries was nothing short of a legend—only one had ever existed in history. His supreme status and fame also attracted Rod’s heart. As a mercenary, he could obtain more information, learn more things, and gain broader insights! This might help him unravel many mysteries!

For example, who exactly is that old man, and who are those people with the Golden Eagle symbol that he told him to stay away from… Answers to these questions might be found there. It was at this moment that Rod began to pursue his long-held dream.