The Overlord of Blood and Iron

[Your commander-in-chief is speaking!]

Kwak Jung urgently shouted amidst the heat of the military.

[We just received news that the enemy's fleet is attacking our allies' ports and…]

He was only able to shout up to there.

"He says the enemies are attacking Ventetz!"

"Those sons of bitches!"

"They're attacking where? Lemme head over there right away!"

"Walk faster, huh?!"

"Let's march forward faster!"

"Faster! Tomorrow morning my ass, we're getting there by tonight!"

The soldiers began to quicken their pace without anyone telling them to, all the while spewing different curses and shouts.

"..."

Kwak Jung was flabbergasted.

"Look at these guys..."

He was proud of them. Their pace right now was probably the fastest of any army in the continent, and even so, they were trying to move faster. Without anyone's orders at that. Thanks to them, Kwak Jung didn't have to tell them to move faster and ended his speech telling them to conserve energy. He didn't understand how this military's leader, Kang Chul-In, and even the lowest foot soldiers were all passionate to the extreme.

[Don't run, and move at an appropriate pace. We're marching, not participating in a marathon. So what if we arrive early? Does it matter if we can't fight properly because we're exhausted?]

"Yes, sir!"

The soldiers of the Valhalla Kingdom all bellowed in response.

"Messenger soldier."

Kwak Jung immediately sought a messenger soldier after he was done giving his commands.

"Yes, sir."

"We'll dispatch Temeraire, Full Metal Dragon, and the Zeppelin to Temeraire. However, I won't accept any of them being damaged. Tell our forces to avoid a direct fight and only attack when they're in a safe position to do so."

"Yes, sir!"

"What about Bat?"

The "Bat" he was talking about was a code name for Kwak Jun.

"No news from them, sir."

"Really? That bastard really..."

"According to our spy, Bat is leading the Gullveig Alliance as their commander-in-chief..."

"Wow."

"It seems like the Bat has crossed over..."

"No."

Kwak Jung shook his head.

"Not yet."

"I-Is that so?"

"I don't know what he's thinking, but not yet. If he crosses over now, the deals he made with us will all be revealed, and he's not crazy enough to do that."

"Oho?"

"There's something up his sleeve, but he's not someone to move easily. He'll reveal his true self at a decisive moment. Until then, leaving him alone is better for us."

"But isn't it too dangerous?"

"If we can catch that bat, this war will be a slice of cake for us. No, we'll be able to swallow the entire continent."

With Kwak Jun as the commander-in-chief of the Gullveig Alliance, the amount of insider information he would have could be destructive.

"It's a double-edged sword… but let's leave him alone for now."

If Kwak Jun betrayed them, the damage they received would be enough to topple their kingdom, but Kwak Jung was confident that he wouldn't be betrayed by Kwak Jun.

"Yes, sir."

"Instead, have the Fox Valley assassination squad on standby to bat-hunt. Bat has to be taken care of within 12 hours in case of emergency."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and also."

"Yes?"

"What about Trinidad? They're not late, right?"

"No, sir."

"Really?"

"Yes, they're en route to arrive at Ventetz by tomorrow morning by the latest."

"Mm… then I suppose tonight is the most important."

"Wouldn't that be the case, sir?"

"Tell them to endure using any means possible. When Trinidad arrives, the situation will reverse."

"Yes, understood, sir."

That was the end of their conversation.

"Whew… things are going wrong from the beginning..."

Kwak Jung wrapped his hands around his head after the messenger soldier left when they were finished with their duties.

Throb! Another headache was coming on because he used his head a bit.

***

Tang, tang! At the peak of Mt. Hephai, the sound of hammering didn't stop in the smithy.

"Wukiiiii!"

Vulkan focused on his work, screaming as monkeys did. He was hammering his Immortal-rank item "Odmalica" down onto the weapons of Kang Chul-In's party.

"I guess he's actually doing something, huh?"

Dorian muttered to himself in amazement while looking over at the smithy.

"A monkey blacksmith… will he really make us Immortal-rank items?"

"The system said so, so there's nothing we can do but wait. I'm also a bit suspicious since it's a monkey but..."

Kang Chul-In's sentence was cut off abruptly.

Flash! The hammering stopped, and a brilliant light began to emanate from the smithy.

"...!"

Each member of the party looked shocked.

What is that?

Kang Chul-In's body shook from the energy that was coming from Vulkan's smithy.

Boom! The door to the smithy opened, and...

"They're… finished..."

Vulkan came out.

"W-What?"

Dorian was taken aback.

"Why did you get old so suddenly?"

"Yeah."

Hecate seemed to be wondering too.

"You've aged a bunch."

It was a sudden change. His previously shining copper-bronze fur was now white and his face was filled with crinkly wrinkles. The muscles that even Kang Chul-In had been amazed by were all gone. Vulkan looked irrefutably older.

"Here… they are."

Vulkan plodded over where Kang Chul-In was with heavy footsteps and handed him the two swords, Kaiforce and Mitra.

"Kaiforce and Mitra are some of the best swords I've ever seen. There was nothing to change about their functions, but… it was difficult to grow the demonic and holy powers..."

"...!"

"Do you… like them?"

It was quite a stupid question.

"Of course."

Kang Chul-In nodded with a stiff face.

"I've… never these kinds of swords in my life."

It was the truth. Kang Chul-In was genuinely shocked.

[Invincible] Soft Sword Kaiforce

The famous sword of the Emperor of Blood and Iron of the Ancient Kingdom.

Attack Power: 2000

Durability: Infinite (Indestructible)

Property: Dark

Application limits: At least level 95

Option 1: All stats + 30%

Option 2: Can change forms

(Penalty options deleted)

Special skill 1: Blackout

Special skill 2: Hell Road

Before awakening, Kaiforce's original attack power was 500, but now? It had increased by a whole 4 times, reaching 2000. Moreover, the annoying penalty options were gone, and two special skills had been opened.

"I adjusted some things."

Vulkan explained.

"Kaiforce and Mitra are polar opposites of each other, so Mitra's owner wasn't able to use the hidden functions of darkness within Kaiforce."

"Did you unlock it?"

"As aforementioned... Kaiforce is my creation."

"I see."

"Please take a look at Mitra too."

"Hm?"

"I don't know if you'll like it. Mitra is an item that was made 500 years before I made Kaiforce... It's not polite to touch creations of other blacksmiths… anyhow, please take a look."

"I will."

Kang Chul-In checked Mitra's details at Vulkan's words.

[Invincible] Holy Light Sword Mitra

Oh pure light, shining light!

Attack power: 1999

Durability: Infinite (Indestructible)

Property: Light

Application limits: At least level 95

Option 1: All stats +30%

Option 2: Can shift forms

Penalty Option 1

-Cannot Kill: The user cannot kill other humans.

Special skill 1: Sharp Winds of Light

Special skill 2: Blessing of the Sun God

It was strange that its attack power was one less than Kaiforce at 1999, but he had no complaints about it.

"I could get rid of the Refusal of Malice, but there was nothing I could do about the Cannot Kill."

"I see..."

"Mitra was created with a special material called the ectoplasm of holy fire in the first place… there was nothing I could do about it. The soul of the saintess inside it doesn't budge..."

It seemed like the Ego inside of Mitra had fought to keep its spot, but Kang Chul-In didn't care. It wasn't like it was the first time that Mitra was picky. When he had to kill people, he could just use Kaiforce anyway.

"So… is there anything you don't like...?"

Vulkan asked Kang Chul-In in a careful voice. He seemed to be worrying about what to do if Kang Chul-In didn't like the gift.

"No."

Kang Chul-In shook his head.

"I like it."

"R-Really?"

"These… aren't they the most powerful weapons in existence?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Are you unconfident?

"No!"

"Then why are you acting so careful around me?"

"...!"

"Have some pride."

"Heok…!"

"You're the greatest blacksmith I have even seen."

Brrr! Vulkan trembled at Kang Chul-In's compliment.

"K-keuk!"

Then, he began to cry.

"Heuk… heuk heuk..."

"...?"

"I thought… I-I couldn't do it anymore… keuk… a thousand years… pent up in here… keuk..."

"Ah."

Kang Chul-In realized why Vulkan was so unconfident.

"Don't worry."

"Heuk heuk..."

"They say that fame is temporary but class is forever."

"T-That's a saying?"

"Of course."

Vulkan didn't have any way of knowing a famous saying back from Earth, and Kang Chul-In nodded to comfort the monkey that was stuck for a thousand years.

"Still, it's a relief..."

"Hm?"

"Kaiforce and Mitra are like… my last works. I won't regret anything… even if I die right now… keuk..."

Vulkan thumped his chest and plopped down to the ground.

"Did you overwork yourself?"

"It's the effect of making Immortal-rank weapons… I expected my lifespan to be cut short, haha… Still, it feels nice..."

"...?"

"I was… exiled here because of an unforgivable sin from the past. I've lived a thousand more years than I was supposed to, so why would I be regretful about dying now?"

"Hmm..."

"I still have about 1 to 2 years left to live, so I'm planning on returning to my homeland and spending my last days there… ah, also..."

Vulkan turned to Dorian and Hecate.

"The gauntlet made of Adamantium… I think it's a weapon that prioritizes the efficiency of mana..."

"Huh? Yeah, that's right!"

Dorian nodded.

"I've raised the efficiency of mana from the original 65% to 97.7%... I've named it… 'God Hand.'"

"Wow!"

"It might be hard to use because the efficiency of the magic was raised to the extreme… but it's much better than what you used before..."

"Of course! Thanks! Wow, the options are incredible!"

Dorian couldn't contain his pleasure and thanked Vulkan over and over again.

"Miss..."

"Yes, monkey?"

"I got rid of the revolver you used to use."

"G-Got rid of it?!"

"Instead..."

Hecate looked like she was going to explode. Vulkan pulled out a musket and a pouch that looked like it was made from the skin of a reptile.

"It's a demonic gun called Monster Double. I can guarantee ten times the firepower of what you used to use."

"R-Really?"

"The accuracy of the aim decreased, but it'll be able to destroy 50 meters within its target."

"O-Oh? Dang, then two bullets can..."

"The pouch I gave you is the magazine."

"What?"

"It's a special leather pouch with a magic cast on it. As long as there's ammunition inside of it, it'll automatically reload. I included how to make the ammunition inside, so you can make more when you need it."

"Oho?"

Hecate didn't express her feelings explicitly, but she looked extremely satisfied. For Hecate, a musket that could automatically reload was perfect for her destructive tendencies.

"Oh, also..."

Vulkan looked back at Kang Chul-In.

"The weapons are Kaiforce and Mitra, and your accessories are the Overpower Bracelet and the Amplifier Talisman of the Trinity Impact, am I right?"

"...!"

"I thought so."

His accuracy was fitting of the title of "greatest blacksmith."

"And your protection sucks."

"T-That's because...!"

Kang Chul-In had an awkward face. He had been planning on looking for the Ishtar Set because his defensive ability was a shame, but he had been so busy that he wasn't able to.

"So I made one."

Vulkan held out a black belt.

"What's this?"

"On the house."

"A freebie?"

Kang Chul-In tilted his head.