Bear School Astartes

Confirming that the Ancient God’s Blood on the original [Turbid Flow] seemed to give only nightmares to the second expedition captain during forging, Lann breathed a slight sigh of relief.

However, before leaving, he still reminded them, if any physical or mental issues arise, to isolate themselves promptly and inform him for assistance.

Even though Lann actually had no way to handle the contamination caused by the Ancient God’s Blood, wasn’t there the Lady of the Lake behind him?

When it’s time to leave, he can take people to the Magic World for purification by the Lady of the Lake, and then use the Elf Beacon to bring them back.

During this week, Lann also took the time to use the Elf Beacon to leave a mark in this world, which could be used as a symbol for future passages through celestial convergence rifts.

The nature in this world is so rich, whether it’s abundant natural resources, herbs, or unique biological materials, as well as ecological and monster knowledge, Lann feels this is a world akin to a treasure trove.

Moreover, his relationship with the New Continent Expedition Team is quite good, which also serves as a solid foundation for future interactions.

Now, the Elf Beacon in Lann’s hand has already left the coordinates of two worlds: Cassandra’s Ancient Greece World and this world of natural ecology.

And as Lann left with his own [Turbid Flow·Annihilation], the second expedition captain also left the small workshop and returned to the big forge.

Just after entering, the senior apprentice tossed him a bottle of yellow [Vitality Drink], a hunter beverage used to restore energy.

”Master, are you alright?”

The bald man opened the bottle and gulped it down in a few swigs. In these days, he has drunk more than a dozen bottles of this.

”Phew~” After finishing in one breath, the bald man was stimulated by the drink, making him shudder all over, ”I’m fine! Everyone continue with what you were doing, no need to crowd around.”

But when he spoke, he noticed that all the young apprentices were sneering.

”Easy to say, Master. But encountering such good material and doing it all yourself, refusing even to let us assist, humph humph...”

The bald man looked at his senior apprentice, only to find him also tilting his head, muttering: ”That was dragon material! Crafting equipment with dragon material has been my lifelong dream!”

Thus, the second expedition captain could only scratch his head with his heatproof-gloved hand, leaving marks of furnace ash on his shiny forehead. He faced the ’anger’ of his many apprentices and colleagues with an awkward smile.

The route between the New Continent and the Old Continent has always been unstable, and everyone who joined the New Continent Expedition Team is actually prepared not to return home for at least ten years.

Those who are capable of making this preparation and insist on heading to the New Continent are basically individuals who pursue technology or simply regard technology as the meaning of life.

They come to the New Continent to discover new monsters, new materials, and then to pioneer new technologies.

Then last week, the boss of the Forging District. He himself took a bunch of materials from an ancient dragon that had never been discovered before and opened the furnace, he didn’t bring anyone, not even an assistant!

What does it mean?

Progress can be understood, but how can this be progress alone?

Therefore, even the second expedition captain himself understands the resentment of his apprentices and colleagues.

But there was nothing he could do! The pile of things Lann tossed over was so strange that it was clearly not something these people were qualified to handle!

Not just among the hunters, there’s a rumor ’If a hunter not qualified wears high-level equipment, they might be driven mad by the essence of the monster in the equipment.’

Among the blacksmiths, there’s also a version of this story.

For instance, the story of a certain blacksmith without insight who handled the materials of an ancient dragon and ended up injuring himself.

The blacksmiths of this world even have to put the monster’s poison sacs, Flame Bags, and keep them active in the weapons and equipment.

If the handling process craftsmanship is not up to par, these materials are not harmless dead matter either.

They’ll injure people!

Helplessly, everyone in the Forging District now thinks the captain is hogging everything for himself.

Though they aren’t actually resentful about it, they are certainly not happy.

The people of this world are indeed mentally healthy, but it doesn’t mean their emotions don’t fluctuate.

Thus, the bald man’s lone eye rolled around, thinking he would only have to disclose a bit of inside information to these guys for this matter to be settled.

Although among senior craftsmen, the unwritten rule is that those who are not qualified should not know this kind of news. But this is the New Continent, and a series of unimaginable changes are about to happen.

The usual rules don’t need to be too rigid at this time.

Thus, the second expedition captain lightly coughed, starting to narrate the ordeal he encountered while crafting that mysterious giant sword.

Previously, they only knew poorly processed monster materials could harm people, but the apprentices hadn’t really experienced mental anguish, and now they listened to their master with the look of ’listening to legendary stories.’

”...and so!” The bald man thumped his chest, displaying a ’I’ve given so much and you still blame me’ expression. ”Could I let you guys handle something like this? In the Old Continent, even knowing such equipment exists is off-limits for you! And here you are demanding to be assistants and spectators?”

A group of apprentices looked at their weary master, barely managing with [Vitality Drinks], and mostly believed him.

So they didn’t concern themselves with anything else, and their eyes started to sparkle with excitement.

Before this, they didn’t know about the existence of equipment that merely by existing could induce psychological pressure, even madness.

Now they were not only unafraid but saw it as a grand goal.

The most experienced and skillful senior apprentice, however, furrowed his brow and asked.

”Master, you mentioned using an ’old method you’ve seen before’ to melt that sword... this almost ritualistic forging technique, I’ve never heard you speak of?”

The second expedition captain’s face froze.

The look of relief from diverting the apprentices’ and colleagues’ attention quickly twisted into an expression showing a moment of fear and avoidance of past memories.

But because the memories were too distant, those fearful emotions only erupted instinctively for a moment, then faded back into forgetfulness.

It’s almost like an old soldier long removed from the battlefield, continually describing its horrors, yet he himself has somewhat forgotten the empathetic emotions of his youth, only remembering ’fear’ as a concept.

”...Ha, I’ve told you this much, revealing a little more shouldn’t matter.”

”In my youth, I traveled and apprenticed in the Old Continent, and this method was seen during my travels through a certain place.”

With the second expedition captain’s narration, an inexplicable heaviness spread, silencing the entire forge.

”Ancient Shurete Castle...you might have somewhat heard of this place, right?”

Everyone present involuntarily narrowed their pupils in that instant.

”There I saw that lance—the Black Dragon Lance... just looking at it was terrifying.”

The bald man spoke as if reciting some nursery rhyme story.

”Injected by the Earth Dragon Veins, suppressing evil thoughts and brutality, stored at the East Gate of Divine Body.”

”Inherits ultimate power, a single strike can cause calamitous destruction!”

”Of course, I didn’t possess the ability to find Earth Dragon Veins here, so I simply set up a shrine for it.”

In profound silence, the senior apprentice swallowed nervously, looking at his master with eyes full of disbelief.

”You’re saying...what you tackled before...was a weapon capable of rivalling...that lance?!”

”Who knows? After all, it’s still an incomplete form; I’m not arrogant enough...to have crafted a weapon rivaling the Black Dragon materials...”

As the second expedition captain mentioned ’Black Dragon’ several times, everyone present tacitly lowered their heads, as if regarding some taboo.

In the end, the [Vitality Drink] couldn’t grant the sturdy bald man superhuman stamina.

The second expedition captain just sat by the forge gate, nodding off with his head tilted.