Chapter 125

The news that I made a fortune in stocks spread quickly.

Just investing in Tartar, which has a significantly declining stability, was enough to attract attention, and the skyrocketing rates were something else.

If this were on Earth, Kara and I might have been investigated by the financial authorities side by side. Especially since Kara was the princess of Tartar, it would raise even more suspicions.

“I found out through the newspaper, and what investigation? If I had known earlier, I would have returned to my homeland.”

Of course, Tartar was in a completely unexpected situation, so any suspicions were quickly dismissed.

Kara also decided to stay at the Academy after hearing Hector’s message about returning to Tartar.

After all, it wasn’t just any discovery; the Magic Stone Mine was found, and the reserves were abundant. If she left, she might have to be away for a long time.

“So, how does it feel to make a fortune?”

There was a chaotic stock craze, but time moves on.

Kara, who I met separately over the weekend, asked me this question. She was dressed casually in her usual sleeveless attire.

As I ate the ice cream she bought me, I pondered. Sure, I made a lot of money, but I felt strangely calm about it.

“I’m rich.”

So I simply answered casually. I had nothing else to say besides that.

Kara chuckled at my response. It was the response of someone who expected nothing less.

“Yeah, like you said, the more money, the better. By the way, aren’t you sad? It’s still going up little by little.”

As she mentioned, I had already sold the stocks.

Stocks related to Tartar were steadily increasing, but I just sold them. I needed cash right away.

Moreover, it wouldn’t be long before it peaked and started to decline slowly. Tartar was an emerging nation, after all; the hype was inevitable.

“Not sad. I have plenty of money.”

“Hmm… Well, ten million silver coins isn’t exactly pocket change.”

I made about ten million silver coins from stocks. That’s like earning a billion won.

If an ordinary person had this amount, they would have lived comfortably for a lifetime. But I had other plans for the investment.

And stocks were included in that. Thanks to the Demon’s magic circle, I planned to visit the exchange frequently.

If I keep investing and making money, I might be treated like a VIP. It’s best to aim for that.

If that happens, strange rumors will circulate again, but I don’t care. As long as it doesn’t result in a loss for me, whether people follow my stock moves or not.

“I should invest one million silver coins each in Eli and Jane.”

Eli is already receiving full support from the professor, and Jane has the ability to turn trash into gold.

If both had a massive amount of capital, they could achieve incredible growth.

Eli would buy expensive herbs without hesitation, and Jane would be able to work in a high-end workshop.

“I’m curious how a weapon made from Usuk’s fang would turn out. Even with just the broken bits, there was quite a lot.”

“Should be good.”

Anyway, the reason I met Kara today was simple.

The weapon made from Usuk’s fang is completed today.

Even unprocessed, it was sharp enough to tear my skin. If it was made from that material, it must be something amazing.

Though it’s a rare material, the blacksmith at the Academy is exceptionally skilled. Talented people gather from all over the world, so it’s no surprise.

“Though engraving might be hard.”

To engrave like Ragnarok, a small amount of Magic Stone powder is needed.

Moreover, even if the powder is available, the artisan has to carve the name themselves for it to work.

The blacksmith at the Academy is great at everything but lacks the ability to engrave. So, I need to find another blacksmith.

“I’ll take it slow. No need to rush.”

Since I already have Ragnarok, there’s no need to be greedy.

Above all, once I have the new weapon in hand, I plan to come up with a new fighting style.

I already had a training session scheduled with Rize, so I could ask for a duel then.

*Kkaang! Kkaang! Kkaang!*

Before long, I reached the smithy where I had placed the order.

Due to its characteristic noise, the smithy was located somewhat in a secluded area, but I roughly knew where it was.

There was a workshop of Jane’s nearby. You could consider it similar to a factory zone.

“Hmm? Oh! A student has arrived. Came to pick up your weapon?”

The blacksmith, hammering iron, recognized Kara and spoke to her.

His muscular arms were impressive, but his face reflected years of experience.

His pure white hair indicated a level of professionalism. He had the face of a seasoned expert, looking like he’s been doing this for 30 years.

“Yes. I heard it would be completed today.”

“Just wait a moment. Hey! Bring out the things made from Usuk’s fang!”

“Yes!”

When the blacksmith gave the order, the apprentices inside responded energetically. They were probably students as well.

In the United Academy, the herbalism department is one of the top two in terms of importance.

Jane specializes in Mechanical Engineering, but also does blacksmithing.

She’s probably crafting mechanical arms using her hammer and anvil even now, just like the blacksmith before me.

“By the way, is this guy the rumored wild man? Given that his eyes are blood red, it seems pretty certain.”

While the apprentices fetched the weapons, the blacksmith looked at me and asked.

The rumors about me had already spread throughout the Academy. It wouldn’t be surprising for him to know who I am.

Also, due to dueling and various incidents, it might have spread even farther than anticipated.

“Yes. He caught Usuk. Sivar?”

“Hello. I’m Sivar.”

Since I might frequently see his face, I greeted him politely. I needed to go to this guy for repairs.

The blacksmith chuckled when I bowed as I greeted him. He seemed pleased.

“For someone who came from the wilderness, you speak quite fluently. I’m Wupong, an ordinary blacksmith.”

I could bet he was anything but an ordinary blacksmith. Seeing him work at the Academy made it clear.

He had to deal with a bunch of clueless rookies and feisty little brats.

He might be chuckling now, but if you annoyed him, you’d be in for a world of hurt. This guy might deliberately destroy your weapon.

The line he would often use would be, “Oops! My hand slipped!” It reminds you of a certain blacksmith somewhere.

“The Academy would probably support Wupong as well.”

Anyway, building a good rapport with Wupong wouldn’t hurt. It might save me some repair costs and help Jane grow significantly.

Besides, this wasn’t something that could be solved with money. Even a hundred million silver coins wouldn’t cut it. He didn’t seem to care much about money either.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. Not only did you kill Usuk, but you even broke its fang with your bare hands, right? I didn’t believe it at first when I heard.”

“Seems pretty tough.”

“Tough? It’s beyond tough; it’s hard to process. When you grind it on a whetstone, the stone wears down instead. It’s quite a nuisance.”

Luckily, the blacksmith mentioned that it is vulnerable to heat like iron, so smoothing it out wasn’t too tough, but he seemed to be somewhat out of practice.

While he rambled, his hands were busy hammering away. It looked like a warm-up routine.

“Wupong! Here it is!”

“Good. Place it down carefully.”

“Yes!”

Before long, the apprentices brought back the weapons they had fetched. They were wrapped up tight, making it seem like I should handle them with care.

Finally, Wupong put down his hammer and revealed the weapons wrapped in cloth. The first was Kara’s curved sword.

Kara typically used sabers, and this weapon was indeed close to the typical saber style.

“Here are the weapons you ordered. As you know, the blade is extremely sharp, so be careful.”

“Oooh…”

At first glance, it didn’t look different from any other steel sword. However, there were uneven parts along the blade.

It felt like the entire fang was used in its entirety. The handle was a sandy brown color, complementing Usuk’s hue.

“Next is the axe— you’re going to use this, right?”

“Yes.”

“Here you go.”

Next, he handed me the axe. Its size was similar to Ragnarok.

But contrary to its dark appearance, the newly received weapon was bright and gleaming.

The axe blade looked extraordinary. Just by looking at it, I could feel it would easily cut through anything.

Most importantly, the biggest difference was its weight. Upon closer inspection, the handle was made from Usuk’s hide.

“The blade is important, but the most crucial factor is durability. I mixed in steel to make it sturdy. It’s heavy, but I guess it’s fine for someone like you who took down Usuk.”

“What do you think? Is it alright?”

I inspected the new axe from different angles. It was an excellent weapon both in appearance and practicality.

Once I engrave it as well, it would be perfect. However, there was one concern.

“Can it withstand my magic power?”

I wondered if this weapon could bear my magic. Ragnarok was a weapon infused with faith, but this one was not.

Even that tough Usuk fang shattered under my attack. This axe wouldn’t be too different, I thought.

“First, I need to test how sharp it is.”

To test it, I held the blade against my palm.

It used to cut through my palm even before processing, so I expected it to be even sharper now.

“Wait a moment! Just by holding it, you might—!”

Wupong hurriedly tried to stop me, but it was already too late. The axe blade had already pierced my palm.

Like a sharp sword slicing through a bundle of paper, the axe blade cut deeply into my skin.

It went in so deeply that it almost touched the bone. It was strong enough to cut through skin and muscle, but evidently, not bone.

“That’s sharp.”

“Of course, it’s sharp! You didn’t think it was a toy, did you?”

“It’s fine. From Sivar’s point of view, it’s just a test now, right? So let’s see that palm of yours.”

Kara, who had been watching my antics closely, seemed to have grasped my behavior.

I nodded in agreement with her statement and showed my palm to Wupong. It looked perfectly clean, with no blood traces.

“Uh, uh? I saw you cut it, but…?”

“I cut it. I regenerated.”

“Cut and then regenerated? Are you really a monster?”

To others, that’s how it would appear. My eyes might have looked like a berserk monster, making it even more believable.

But I was no monster; I was human. If having quick regeneration made you a monster, then Rize would be one too.

“I’m not a monster. I’m a person.”

“Huh… There are all kinds of people out there. Anyway, you should handle this one with care. The blade part is really sharp.”

“I understand.”

“Okay, so you got the weapon made. What’s next? If you don’t have the payment, I can take this instead.”

What does he think he’s doing, trying to shortchange me? The money I made from Usuk’s fang was over three million silver coins.

I anticipated this and had prepared the payment in advance. The weapon was challenging to produce, so the costs were pretty high.

Wupong accepted the payment with a somewhat disappointed look on his face. In his eyes, the fang was probably more enticing than the money.

“How much do I have left?”

“You have enough for one two-edged sword.”

“Make me one.”

That’s a gift for Luna. I want to give it to her, feeling a bit guilty.

Wupong asked me again and then drafted a contract before getting to work. The deadline is one week.

If the sword is completed in a week, I plan to visit this smithy with Luna.

“It was a good deal. I’ll come by in a week.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

After the brief exchange, I moved right along. Maybe it was the heat of the smithy, but I was sweating profusely.

As I wiped the sweat off, Kara looked at me with a curious tone.

“Sivar, why are you planning to make a two-edged sword? Are you really going to give it to Luna?”

“Yep.”

She really is sharp. As I wiped the sweat, Kara made a subtle expression.

Ideally, I had intended to give it to her once I became skilled enough, but since my secret was out, I felt obligated to present it.

Moreover, I was planning to invest in Eli going forward, so I should also invest in the protagonist. I wouldn’t want her to feel disappointed.

“Oh, by the way, Kara.”

“Yes?”

“Can this one do it too? Like Ragnarok.”

Kara tilted her head at my vague description. But soon enough, she seemed to understand and replied.

“Are you asking if it can store lightning like Ragnarok?”

“Yep.”

“Well, it can store it, but the efficiency won’t be great. To be precise, it won’t be able to pull out maximum efficiency like Ragnarok.”

So it can work, but it’s inefficient. There’s a reason Ragnarok is regarded as the ultimate item for faith characters.

If that’s the case, it’s best to stick with Ragnarok for harnessing lightning.

“But how are you planning to use your weapons? Are you seriously going to wield them both?”

“Yep. One for each hand.”

“Dual-wielding? That’s not very barbarian-like, is it?”

“Wild warrior.”

“Pfft!”

Kara burst out laughing at my rebuttal of ‘wild warrior’ instead of ‘barbarian warrior.’

After a while of giggling, she wiped the tears from her eyes and spoke.

“That’s interesting. ‘Wild warrior’, not barbarian? Where in the world did that idea come from?”

“My head.”

“Come to think of it, you really do think outside the box. Just like during midterms and stocks.”

I don’t avoid using my head; I’m definitely not ignorant. I proved that during the midterms.

Afterward, I chatted with Kara about various topics as I returned to my dormitory. With my tasks completed, it was time to part ways now.

“So what’s next? Training with the Saint?”

“Hmm…”

That would have been the plan originally. But after receiving the new weapon, my thoughts had slightly changed.

Since this axe is sharp enough to pierce my palm, I thought it might even work against Rize.

With the need to reinforce my fighting style, a duel wouldn’t be a bad idea it seems.

“Duel.”

“A duel? You’re really going to have a duel?”

“Yep. I got this.”

As I lifted the axe, Kara’s expression transformed oddly.

Then she muttered quietly so I wouldn’t hear.

“…Even if his head is sharp, does his learning ability fall short?”

I heard every word, you know.

[Faith increased!]

Don’t you dare laugh at me!

[Faith decreased…]

My bad!

---