Chapter 447. **What on Earth Is This Supposed to Be?**
—
—*Get lost!*
**Winter** trembled violently.
Winter, too, was a sword that possessed a certain degree of ego, and having sensed the magic sword’s advances, it was reacting with outright disgust.
“O-oh…! The magic sword is resonating?! This has never happened even once before…!”
However, since **Baek** could not hear the voices of Winter and the magic sword, he interpreted the trembling of the two blades in a completely different way.
It seemed he had never witnessed such “courtship” from the magic sword before.
—*My love! Come to me! I’ll make you the happiest in the world!*
—*Aaaah! Get away!*
In the end, Winter screamed.
The magic sword, which had been inching closer, had finally touched Winter’s blade.
“…Good heavens.”
Witnessing the scene, Baek’s entire body shook.
Was this how a believer felt when standing before a god?
Still, I couldn’t take my eyes off it either.
I had no idea what kind of result the resonance between the two swords would produce.
I quietly grabbed **Winter** and stepped back.
—*What are you doing?! Don’t interfere with our love!*
…Is this thing seriously insane?
It clearly wasn’t right in the head.
Despite hearing words of pure rejection, the magic sword’s advances didn’t stop.
It suddenly stood upright and began walking toward Winter.
—*Kyaaaah! Don’t come closer! Stay away!*
“O-ohhh! A miracle…! The magic sword is moving of its own free will! It’s actually walking!”
—*I’d rather be happy alone for a thousand years!*
“I knew it had ego, but to think it could move on its own!”
—*I have absolutely zero intention of associating with a magic sword like you, so get lost!*
“Is this level of resonance… love? The power of love?”
It was a full-blown sitcom.
I grabbed the magic sword again, blocking it from approaching Winter.
—*Let go! I said let go, damn it!*
“…Have the other swords ever done anything like this?”
Shaking my head, I asked Baek. He pondered for a moment before answering.
“There have been a few cases of resonance, yes.”
“And what happened after they resonated?”
“Hm. I don’t know. Most of the time, it ended there. But… this level of resonance—especially from a magic sword—is something I’ve never seen before.”
Baek’s eyes sparkled.
They looked like those of a mage pursuing ultimate truth.
Still, it seemed that resonance alone hadn’t caused any major changes in the past.
After a moment’s thought, I spoke to the magic sword.
“What’s your name?”
—*Why the hell should I tell my name to someone like you?!*
“Then I’ll tell you the name of this sword.”
—*Satan!*
“Satan. This sword’s name is Winter. So what exactly are you two trying to do?”
—*Love!*
“I’m asking how swords are supposed to love each other.”
—*You idiot! You don’t even know what love is!*
“…Maybe I should just seal you back underground.”
—*Marriage! We’ll be together forever!*
—*Ugh.*
—*Become my partner, Winter!*
—*Absolutely not!*
Listening to the two of them, I rubbed my chin.
Swords getting married…
Come to think of it, the **Guardian Holy Sword** had also been searching for a partner.
What changed once a partner was found?
At that moment, Baek—who had been staring at me in utter shock—opened his mouth.
“…A-are you… talking to the magic sword right now?”
“Ah. Seems like I’m the only one who can hear it.”
“No! Even our god couldn’t uncover the magic sword’s name…!!!”
He was beyond shock—on the verge of fainting.
His whole body trembled violently as he continued.
“A Gigant only reveals its name to its contractor… Then you truly have formed a contract with the magic sword.”
“Learning its name is the method of contracting?”
“Usually… that’s how it works. Hah… I can’t believe this…”
*Gulp.*
Baek swallowed.
“T-then… could you ask it something else as well?”
“What is it?”
“How it evolved on its own… Runes are originally nothing more than mindless stones unless consumed by another being. If we could learn that method, so many things would change.”
Baek’s tone had completely shifted.
All traces of hostility were gone.
He didn’t even seem aware of how he was speaking anymore.
“…Did you hear that, Satan?”
—*I can’t tell you that!*
Here we go again.
“If you tell me, I’ll let you press up against Winter for five minutes.”
—*N-no!*
—*…Love!*
Leaving Winter trembling in fear, I focused on Satan’s words.
Love, huh.
“Isn’t that what you said earlier?”
—*There are runes that resonate with each other! Such runes are drawn to one another, but it’s difficult for them to truly unite! Because they can’t identify the exact point of resonance!*
“The point of resonance?”
—*Just like those tiny technicians strike the hammer at the perfect moment, love between us runes also has a precise resonance point—a moment. First, we confirm each other’s feelings, and the more desperately we desire one another, the greater the chance of finding that point. That’s enough, right?!*
“Then that means you’ve already loved deeply once.”
—*…I’m innocent! That one wasn’t my love!*
“You said love was required.”
—*It was forced! By that damned god of the Heavens!*
This world truly was like a laboratory of the Heavens.
Though abandoned now, it meant that during those celestial experiments, this sword had evolved on its own.
—*Since then, I waited for my true other half—the one I would truly love! And at last I found her! Winter!*
—*Don’t say my name!*
“…A promise is a promise.”
—*Kyaaaaaaah!*
I forcibly pressed Winter and Satan together.
I felt a strange sense of post-nut clarity.
I had no idea what on earth I was doing, but—
After that, I slowly turned to Baek.
“Apparently, runes have to fall in love with each other.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“They have to find a ‘resonance point.’ I don’t fully understand it either.”
“The resonance point…”
After pondering for about three minutes, Baek spoke as if something had clicked.
“Resonance occurs at an absolutely precise moment, without the slightest deviation. Our god once said… that if one were to wield hammer and anvil at that exact moment of resonance, it would be possible to forge a sword with the rank of a god.”
“Then that means melting it down and reforging it?”
“Yes. If my guess is correct, the magic sword—Satan—is an existence created by recombining runes with matching wavelengths at that precise resonance moment.”
“But didn’t you say only living beings have runes? Winter is a sword, not a living creature.”
“In this world, if it has an ego, it is considered alive.”
I see.
Baek’s explanation made sense.
Still, there was something bothering me.
“Is capturing that ‘moment of resonance’ difficult?”
“Once might be manageable, but from start to completion, there must not be even a hair’s breadth of error. Even a god would find it difficult.”
“And the gods of the Heavens managed it?”
“…Unless there are gods in the Heavens with even greater craftsmanship than our own god…”
In other words, it was nearly impossible.
But also—it existed in the Heavens.
Which meant—
“Then it’s possible.”
“…?”
“Teach me all your techniques. I’ll find the resonance point between these two.”
“…That’s impossible…”
“Lacking confidence?”
“…!”
Baek’s expression stiffened instantly.
That single question struck directly at his instincts.
Biting his lip, Baek spoke.
“…I have a condition.”
“A condition?”
“Train Apsel. If you do, I’ll pass on everything I know—no, not just mine, but the techniques of all the Black Smiths here, along with everything necessary. Even the knowledge we learned from our god—nothing held back!”
*
*
After concluding my discussion with Baek, I returned to the room I’d been shown, unable to help but ponder.
*Training Apsel, huh.*
The child of a god, hailed as the dwarves’ hope and savior.
Yet Apsel had run away the moment he saw me.
Out of pure, instinctive fear.
That wasn’t something I could control.
He’d sensed the power dwelling within me on his own. Hiding it would have been pointless.
More than that, his ability to conceal his presence was exceptional.
If I really wanted to, I could catch him—but I had no idea what he might do in the process.
Judging by the speed at which he vanished and the faint presence I sensed, if he put his mind to it, he could cause tremendous damage to this entire tunnel.
*His mind seemed immature compared to his body.*
My first impression was that of a young beast.
Mentally, he felt less mature than the other dwarves training alongside him.
Naturally, I asked Baek about it—
—*Just catch him and train him. As long as Apsel remains alive, we don’t care.*
Baek spoke as if it were none of his concern.
As long as he lived.
Meaning they didn’t care how the training was done, so long as he survived.
*So I just grab him by force and train him, no matter what happens?*
They’d said they’d stay silent even if something went wrong during the capture.
Shrugging, I closed my eyes and expanded my senses.
I had to find Apsel among countless dwarves.
*…I can’t catch his presence?*
Even after some time passed, I couldn’t detect anything that felt like Apsel.
There were only two possibilities.
He was either incredibly far away, or he was a master at concealing his presence.
Given that I could see across great distances yet still couldn’t detect him, it meant Apsel’s ability was extraordinary.
*I’ll have to search seriously.*
Of course, there was a way.
I simply had to be serious as well.
By spreading my mana wide and tightening it like a fine net, I should be able to find him.
*Sssssssss—*
I released my mana.
It stretched endlessly, like unraveling threads.
“D-doesn’t it suddenly feel hard to breathe?”
“I feel like my strength’s draining out of me…!”
Immediate reactions came from outside.
They were instinctively responding to the dense web of mana.
But once spread like this, not even an ant could escape my senses.
*He’s not inside the tunnel.*
I’d spread my mana across the entire tunnel, yet found nothing.
Which meant he was outside.
I expanded my domain beyond the tunnel.
And before long, I found him.
*…He’s with Dietrich? What are those two doing out there?*
*
*
“Haaah!”
Dietrich swung the Guardian Holy Sword.
*Boom!*
A massive adult dinosaur, wounded, collapsed onto the ground.
“Hah, hah, hah…!”
Watching the Guardian Holy Sword devour the rune, Dietrich gasped for breath.
“What… are you? Why are you following me?”
He turned around and spoke with what he thought was authority.
Behind Dietrich stood Apsel.
For some reason, Apsel had been following him ever since Dietrich left the tunnel.
“Say something. Why are you following me?”
“…”
“Hah. This is beyond frustrating.”
Dietrich shook his head.
That was when—
“…!!”
Suddenly, Apsel opened his previously closed eyes.
*Fwoosh!*
And vanished into the distance.
In an instant.
“…Hm?”
Dietrich tilted his head.
Then, as he turned it back—
“W-whoa!”
Phantom was standing right beside him.
He was so startled his heart almost melted.
“W-what’s going on?”
“…You’re going to have to help me out.”
“…If it’s something I can do, I will, but… what kind of help do you mean?”
“Train together with Apsel.”
“…What?”
“I mean I’ll personally train both of you.”
“…!!!”
Dietrich’s pupils shook violently.
Hadn’t he already experienced Phantom’s martial prowess countless times by now?
Heaven-defying.
No—to Dietrich, Phantom was something like heaven-…
*This is insane. Training with Lord Phantom?!*
