“Oh, a new face? Didn’t hear you come in,” Bultras grunted as she roused from sleep, lazily inspecting her new cellmate. “Those bastards should’ve sent a pretty little thing instead of a coarse-faced pig. And what’s with the toad on your head?”
“You could say she’s my mentor.”
“Your mentor, huh?” Bultras nodded in understanding. “I see. They’ve sent in another lunatic to keep me company. A researcher suffering deviation? Well, you’re in the right place. Pick whichever cot you like.”
“You misunderstand,” the odd stranger said. “I’m not a prisoner.”
“That’s right. You can’t let them imprison your spirit, no matter how crooked it is,” Bultras laughed. “So what are you, then? One of the kidnappers who’s got everyone in a tizzy? You’ve finally come for ol’ Bultras?”
“There are no kidnappers unless you count the volcano,” the stranger said with a helpless smile.
“So you heard?” Bultras grinned, not angry at the implication. “That’s right. I tried to kill the volcano. So what? That bastard has it coming. The flames it spits out are no good. You all laugh at me now, but time will prove me right.”
“I believe you. You can see what the others can’t. In fact, that’s why I came here,” the man said as he walked over.
Bultras’s head still felt like a sop bucket from resisting yesterday’s interrogation, but she was starting to realize something was off about the situation. There were no signs of the guards stationed outside, yet the gate stood wide open. And while Bultras couldn’t sense any energy coming from this stranger, he wasn’t wearing the energy-sealing manacles even guests had to use when visiting the Special Wing. Her expression hardened as she warily got to her feet. “Who are you?”
“Hey, how did you manage to get a—” Bultras’s words caught in her throat as she took in the sinister-looking Spirit Tool. The more she saw, the more awed she became. “What a beauty, sublime craftsmanship. Which virtuoso is responsible for this masterpiece? I can’t recognize the technique at—AH! It’s completely pure! Where’s the Earthly Taint?!”
Bultras lunged forward, the hunger burning in her heart. She couldn’t activate her skills, but she could still look for answers with her hands. The chill of death woke her up before she could touch the weapon. The mysterious stranger was still looking at her with a smile, but Bultras understood she was trapped in a cage with the grim reaper himself.
The sense of having been dragged into the underworld only grew stronger when a spirit emerged from the axe. Bultras looked on with shock, realizing the ghostlike young woman held true sapience. How was this possible? Even the Spiritual Tools of Void Heralds wouldn’t hold such pure spirituality, and this was only an Early Core Weapon.
While Bultras took in this marvel of craftsmanship, the spirit looked her up and down. Shaking her head, the spirit turned to her master. “Are you sure about this granny? She seems unreliable. I don’t like the idea of having another man touching me, but maybe we should approach one of the others instead.”
“GRANNY? You bitch, I’m not that old! And I’ll become a grandmother as soon as I’ve found a worthy husband!” Bultras roared, itching to tear this little harlot apart and install a proper Tool Spirit into the masterwork axe. Then, like a bolt from above, she understood the problem. It was almost perfectly hidden, but the clues were still there. “You’re not a true spirit!”
Buras looked at the stranger with horror and disgust. “Zac, was it? Some man you are, trapping a soul inside your weapon. You’ve tarnished a masterpiece with such a sinister infusion of spirituality? Why haven’t the Heavens struck you down?”
“Believe me, it tries,” the man said with a helpless smile.
Bultras ignored the sinner and turned back to the poor spirit. “Child, don’t worry. Fools who turn their backs against the natural order won’t have a good ending. He’ll join you in death soon enough.”
A threat far greater than before assailed Bultras when expertly crafted chains slithered over like snakes. Bultras was powerless to resist as she was dragged over to the spirit. Soon, she came face to face with the bottomless death in the ghost’s eyes.
“Let’s get one thing straight. I wanted this, and I’m well on the way to becoming a true spirit. I don’t care if my choice angers the Heavens. If it comes after us because of this, then we’ll tear the Heavens apart. So, are you going to help me out, or should we find someone better?”
Bultras slowly calmed down, looking at the soul with pity. “Foolish girl. A spirit has no afterlife and no chance of reincarnation. The warmth of the Empire’s embrace will elude you.”
“What do I care about reincarnation or the Empire’s embrace? What’s a thousand meaningless lives compared to one filled with meaning?” the ghost scoffed. “Besides, who are you to judge the choices of others? You were ready to destabilize a whole volcano based on a hunch.”
“It’s not a hunch,” Bultras growled. “The flamesource has been tainted, I can feel it!”
“Let’s get back on track. I can’t stay here too long,” Zac said with a cough as he took out a Veteran’s Badge. “You’ve seen Alea, and I swear on my honor that her transformation is not forced. It was the only way to save her at the time. She’s extremely precious to me, and I’m willing to offer what you desire the most for your help.”
“Three-starred veteran?” Bultras muttered with awe.
A decorated soldier shouldn’t lie about this, and Bultras couldn’t imagine anyone except the Army Blacksmiths being able to craft such a perfect weapon. Her anger slowly settled, but it was replaced with annoyance. There was no justice in the world. With her skills, how could she still be single? Even this comely butcherer had managed to enchant a little pixie to the point she became a willing Tool Spirit.
Bultras grunted and thumped back onto her bed, drained from the upheavals in her heart. “I get it. The other blacksmiths are busy running for their lives or chaining themselves to the floor. Everyone’s afraid they’re next in line to get vanished. You’re offering freedom in exchange for helping your weapon pass through the hurdle.
“Sorry, not interested. Terren’s Loom is my home; I’m not leaving. The idiots on the council will eventually realize I was right and free me.”
“I doubt it.”
“Then I’ll just die with the others. What’s the point of sticking around? I’m already looking forward to telling everyone ‘I told you so’ in the afterlife,” Bultras shrugged. “Besides, I’m not sure I want to work on such a sinister item, no matter how valuable the experience is.”
“Wait until you’ve heard my offer. You’re mistaken on one point. My offer isn’t freedom,” the veteran said. “Help me, and I’ll stop the misfortune plaguing Terren’s Loom.”
“Big words. I tried the same, and look where it got me,” Bultras scoffed.
“I’ll prove to you my offer is genuine before the crafting process begins,” the man calmly said.
Bultras kept an uninterested expression, but her heart was already beating. This soldier might not be a Void Herald, but he was terrifyingly strong and well-connected. His weapon was a masterpiece without a speck of Earthly Taint. Bultras couldn’t imagine such a thing appearing outside the capital and ancient families. Would it hurt to take a look? Besides… she was already going insane not being able to inspect such a unique weapon. She’d die of jealousy and regret if one of the other old toads got to work on it instead of her.
“Fine,” Bultras huffed, careful to maintain the calm and detached demeanor of an esteemed Forge Master. “I’ll accompany you for now.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
———–
‘Are you sure about this one?’ Zac asked to confirm, his confidence shaken by the dumb smile on Bultras’ face. She was constantly peeking at [Love’s Bond], and her inner thoughts were on open display.
‘She’s one of the three best Blacksmiths beneath the C-grade, and she saw through your weapon with a glance. She also seems to be more attuned to the curse than anyone else, spotting the problem over a month ago. You won’t find a better choice in Terren’s Loom,’ Esmeralda said.
Esmeralda had investigated this Forgemaster because of her unsuccessful attempt to destroy the Spiritual Flame mine. The clue ended up leading nowhere, but the knowledge came in handy now.
‘Fine, let’s go,” Zac said as he wrapped up the blacksmith in chains and attached her to his back.
The halls became a blur as Zac rushed through the jail. The prisoner was too slow with her Cosmic Energy sealed, and Esmeralda’s spatial manipulation could only stretch so far before it became useless against the Late D-grade guards. Thankfully, they’d only infiltrated a detached wing of the prison, a holding cell for valuable or complicated prisoners.
The prison wasn’t very large, and they were back in their hotel suite in no time, following Esmeralda’s escape route.
“Ha, I bet those fools are scratching their heads right now. I hope they get lost in the mines looking for me,” Bultras guffawed as Zac crushed her energy-sealing cuffs.
“If everything went according to plan, they’ll think you disappeared like the rest of the townspeople. At most, they’ll realize something went wrong in a few days,” Zac said, looking out the window in the direction of the prison.
It was completely quiet. Zac wasn’t too worried about anyone discovering Bultras. The hotel was designed for traveling D-grade Merchants, with extremely sturdy walls that ensured privacy. In addition, Esmeralda had installed a series of arrays to further seal off their aura. With the curse keeping people in check, no one would bother them.
“What’s next?” Bultras said. “You promised you’d deal with the threat before we started working on your Spirit Tool.”
“You’ll need to stay here a few days while we wait for some conditions to be met. You have to familiarize yourself with [Love’s Bond] in that time. We’ll start the upgrade shortly after setting out.”
“I can’t wait to see what kind of materials—wait, what?” Bultras blurted. “Did I hear it right? You’re planning on reforging your weapon in a few days? Not years?”
“Years?” Zac shook his head. “We don’t have time.”
“Are you crazy!” Bultras roared, causing spittle to fly. “Do you think I’m the God of the Forge? Or are you looking down on the art of blacksmithing?! Do you think that a Core Weapon is some random piece of junk? Even for an Early Stage weapon, I’ll need a year or two to prepare. I don’t just have to research the materials and your Daos, I need to understand the concepts behind the axe.”
Zac didn’t let Bultras see that he shared her fears. This upgrade was different from the previous ones, which mostly relied on the [Divine Investiture Array]. ”Did you think we’d break you out of prison if it weren’t a time-sensitive matter? Besides, you only need to take a supportive role. I’ll refine the materials, and Alea will absorb them through the array.”
The blacksmith looked ready to keep arguing, but she lost her train of thought when Zac began taking out materials. Each was a rare Natural Treasure. Not only that, most lacked so much as a speck of Earthly Taint since they’d been collected before the trial. The majority came from years of slaughter. The costs of waging war were astounding, but so were the amounts of resources collected by his armies.
This was especially true for the two elite units led by himself. He’d lost count of the number of D-grade worlds they’d sacked, including dozens at Middle D-grade. Most would have at least some unique resources stashed away inside the World Lord’s Spatial Ring, the treasury, or a special environment. Anything that could prove useful to Zac’s cultivation was directly set aside. A few more items were traded from the Undead Empire and Zecia Alliance to round out the collection.
Zac also had some higher-grade materials left over from his Late D-grade breakthrough, and there were the two Peak D-grade materials he found in Kator’s Spatial ring. There was even Kator’s corpse and Warbones, which were supreme-quality treasures tempered by the Four Desolates. Zac wouldn’t bring those items out unless necessary. Their grades greatly surpassed Alea’s, and they’d have to be diluted to be used. It was a huge waste, only serving to act as a fallback in case something went wrong.
Like she was possessed, Bultras put aside everything else as she went over one material after another while Zac explained his path and Dao. The silly prisoner was no more. Her eyes burned with blue flames as complex undulations spread through the materials. Zac’s last fears washed away when she began asking extremely incisive questions regarding his application of Death and Conflict. Each was linked to issues with the materials, meaning she’d roughly grasped his and [Love’s Bond]’s nature already.
“On their own, these issues are negligible, and I can minimize their impact using my forging methods. However, you clearly have long-term plans for this weapon. These small misalignments will become weaknesses that are pushed deeper and deeper with every breakthrough. When you think you’re safe, they’ll come back to haunt you,” Bultras said with a shake of her head.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Zac said, taking out his Omnitool.
“Even if you’re a refiner—WHAT!”
Bultras watched as Zac showcased the Heaven-defying methods of [Cosmic Forge] on a random piece of Early D-grade metal. Her face went from disbelief to horror, finally settling on blank incomprehension. She looked like her soul had left her body. Zac could understand the sentiment. While refiners had countless ways to purify materials and remove unwanted parts, it was a process both arduous and expensive.
Zac had never heard of a method that could remove heterogeneous spirituality so completely and effortlessly. If other such methods existed, they’d be the proprietary techniques of the strongest A-grade artisans of the Multiverse. Discovering the origin of the [Inverse Vestige Scripture] had given Zac a newfound respect for the incredible First People’s inheritance he’d found.
The [Nine Outer Vestiges] paled before [Cosmic Forge]. While Gelzryraynth was left to figure things out on his own, Dasorm paved the way by preparing the Omnitool. Even if Zac hadn’t been a Void Cultivator, he could have relied on the Omnitool to practice the original [Cosmic Forge]. It wouldn’t have been smooth sailing, but Zac wouldn’t have needed to spend hundreds of thousands of years to land on a weak replica.
“That method,” Bultras eventually whispered, her face red with longing.
“A fate encounter. The requirements are very steep, and it cannot be passed down,” Zac truthfully said. After all, there was only one Omnitool, and Zac had no idea how to create another one.
“Just what kind of star were you born under to encounter something like that?” Bultras spat.
“So, what do you think?” Zac said. “I’ll remove the unsuitable essences before handing the material over to you. It’ll leave the materials unstable, but it won’t matter after you melt them down.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we might be able to pull this off,” Bultras muttered, her eyes lighting up. “Do you actually have a solution to the kidnappings? I figured you were planning on working me like a horse while stringing me along.”
“We found the cause shortly before visiting you,” Zac said before describing the Natural Curse, the flame, and how he planned on having Alea absorb it.
Zac had barely finished his explanation before a scorching aura erupted from the blacksmith. The slovenly middle-aged lady was gone, as was the erudite craftsman. Bultras’s hands turned into smoldering magma while her eyes burned with the fiery rage of the furnace. If left alone, she’d burn down the whole district in anger. Zac had anticipated some form of reaction, so he acted the moment he felt her energy churn.
Flames were quenched and strangled by the suffocating Inexorability of Death as Zac’s Earthly Dao roiled out. With Esmeralda’s spatial seal, the other guests would have noticed a small fluctuation at most. Zac sealed her power and wrapped her up in a cocoon of chains. She was helpless, but being captured only made the anger in her eyes burn more hotly.
“Someone’s turning Terren’s Loom into a cultivation furnace, and you’re just sitting here! The Heavens won’t abide. I won’t abide! Tell me where they are, or I’ll—”
Zac cut her off with a burst of intense Killing Intent. “Don’t overestimate yourself. You might be a Perfected Lord, but I can kill someone like you in my sleep. Even if I told you the location, what could you possibly accomplish? Even if you managed to get inside, you’d probably make things worse. We’re sticking with the plan.”
“More people will die while the flame evolves,” Bultras squeezed through grit teeth.
“Sacrifices are inevitable,” Zac said. “If waiting a few days can save the city, then wait we shall.”
“Fine. But if I find out you’re the one behind this, I’ll kill you even if I have to detonate my life’s fire.”
“You’re welcome to try.” Zac shrugged as he took out a model of his Inexorable Path. “Now, focus. You have to perfectly infuse the Spiritual Flame into [Love’s Bond] if you want to stop the curse. If you leave strands behind or fail to properly seal it, the disappearances could return.”
Zac had no idea if what he said was true, but his claim had the intended effect. Bultras threw everything aside and began studying like her life depended on it. Zac even had to stuff her full of recovery pills to stop her from using life force to repeatedly activate her ocular and calculation skills. Two days passed in a blur, and Zac felt like he’d woken from a dream when Esmeralda interrupted a heated discussion.
“Time’s up, we need to go.”
“Already?” Zac said, careful not to show his disappointment.
He wouldn’t say it out loud with Bultras around, but he’d hoped the elemental would take a few more days to fix the array. Even if everything was in place, he understood they were taking a huge gamble. Any problem they caught and remedied now would increase their chance of a successful breakthrough.
“I underestimated that thing. His ambitions are much greater than I expected. He’s not satisfied with a Middle D-grade Flame. He’s planning on completing his predecessor’s plan.”
“What? What’s going on?” Bultras said with alarm.
Zac sighed and got to his feet. “What you’ve seen is the appetizer, and the curse is getting ready for the main course.”