Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 162

Amidst the distant sounds of the festival, I gazed at Baher and the World Tree’s branch.

“Really?”

“Yes, but there’s something you need to do for that.”

Baher tapped the ground near where the World Tree’s branch was planted.

“Find a way to pull this out, no matter what it takes.”

“This branch, you mean?”

Baher nodded.

Then, he stepped back from the branch and gestured.

“Well, shall we see you try?”

I slowly approached and grabbed the branch.

It wasn’t rooted, just stuck in the ground, so how hard could it be to pull out?

That’s what I thought.

“……?”

I gripped the branch and pulled, but it didn’t budge.

‘Not even a twitch?’

There wasn’t even a hint of movement, not even a quiver in the smaller branches.

It was completely still.

“I told you it wouldn’t be easy.”

Baher grinned.

“……I’ll try again.”

I rolled up my sleeves and got into position.

Half-squatting, I got close to the branch and gripped the base with both hands.

“Hmph!”

Thud!

I pushed up with my lower body, putting all my strength into my hands.

The veins in my forearms bulged, and my thighs felt like they would burst.

“Krrr!”

Strength alone wasn’t enough.

Even with the disruption to my mana from the seal, I drew upon my mana to add to my strength.

But.

“Ugh!”

Swish!

Again, my hands slipped over the surface of the branch.

Perhaps because I exerted too much force, the tips of my fingers were slightly scraped.

Yet… the branch remained motionless.

“Didn’t you say it wasn’t rooted?”

I looked at Baher with a perplexed expression.

“Of course, it’s not rooted. But the village’s ancestors sealed it into this land. And that seal is a bit… no, very strong. Well, do you think you can do it?”

Even if I couldn’t, I was going to.

In my past life, when Ru’s spear was restored, the shaft wasn’t some grand thing made from the World Tree’s branch.

It was just known as a shaft that the dwarves had put a lot of effort into making.

But now I had the chance to make a spear shaft from the World Tree’s branch itself, how could I give up?

“……Alright. But are you sure I can have something this valuable?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’d rather you take it. You have no idea how much effort it takes to manage that branch. Besides…”

Baher looked straight at me.

“Unless the spear shaft is made from something of this caliber, it won’t be able to unleash its full potential. You know that, don’t you?”

…That was true.

It was a story intertwined with ancient Germanic myths.

Whether those myths were based on actual events or not, the fact that such stories had been passed down through generations gave them a certain mystical power.

“I understand. But is it impossible with the dwarves’ power?”

“It’s impossible because the type of power is the same. It’s like trying to wash water with water.”

It was a somewhat difficult example to understand, but it meant it couldn’t be done.

I nodded and stroked the branch.

“Is it even possible to pull this out?”

“I can’t say for sure. But there’s a saying that has been passed down: ‘One who is worthy can pull it out.'”

Baher’s words were ambiguous.

“Worthy? What kind of worthiness are you talking about?”

“You’ve already earned it. By gaining the respect of me and all the dwarves in the village.”

I was momentarily stunned by Baher’s words.

Seeing my expression, Baher smiled gently and continued.

“Of course, that’s not all it takes. I heard from the village elders that the exact timing and amount of power have to align perfectly to pull it out.”

“Hmm…”

“Can you do it?”

“Yes, I understand. I’ll give it a try.”

This was a chance to obtain a spear shaft made from the World Tree’s branch.

No matter how long it took, I had no intention of missing it.

* * *

A week had passed since dealing with the puppeteer.

During that time, the village had been quite busy.

The workshops were restored to normal, and the barrier protecting the village was re-established.

Meanwhile, Hrundatt was helping with the work in the Black Root Village, learning woodworking techniques.

Having mastered various skills over the years, Hrundatt was already a skilled woodworker, but the techniques of the Black Root Village dwarves, which utilized magic and mystery, were quite astonishing.

“Hoho. So, this is how you can process wood without damaging its energy?”

“That’s right. First, listen to the breath of the tree.”

“The breath of the tree? Are you telling me to be like those long-eared elves?”

“Not like that. Do it like when you listen to the voices of the earth or minerals.”

Hrundatt was learning directly from Baher, the village chief.

As it was a conversation between dwarves, the content was incomprehensible to ordinary people, but the two seemed to understand each other perfectly.

“Hmm… this is quite interesting.”

“Handling iron certainly has its charm, but this has its own unique appeal.”

“Indeed. Once I return to Jeju Island, I won’t be able to do this even if I wanted to because of those pointy-eared bastards [derogatory term for elves].”

KWA-BOOM!

As they were talking and learning, an explosion suddenly erupted from somewhere.

“By the way, how should I cut this part?”

However, Baher and Hrundatt calmly continued their conversation.

“Ah, that wood has a different grain. That’s…”

CRACK-A-THOOM!

This time, a different kind of explosion came from another direction.

Baher and Hrundatt still didn’t pay any attention and continued their conversation.

“So, you’re saying you can create wood that has absorbed mana?”

“It could also serve a magical purpose.”

“Hoho, you mean…”

KWA-BOOOOOOM!

CRACK-A-THOOM!

The noises echoed simultaneously.

Hrundatt sighed and tossed the piece of wood he was holding.

“Those guys are being unusually rowdy today.”

“Hehe…”

Baher smiled wryly.

The sounds were coming from the village center and the nearby forest.

KWA-BOOM!

This heavy explosion was from Lee Cheol.

It was the sound of him trying to pull out the branch in the detached house next to the village chief’s residence in the village center.

CRACK-A-THOOM!

This slightly sharp, grinding noise was from Ron.

He was training at the site where the crater had been created, perhaps stimulated by Lee Cheol’s spear.

“They’ve been making such a fuss all week that it’s not even surprising anymore.”

“Is that blond boy doing alright?”

THOOM! KWA-BOOM!

“Well, he said he felt the helplessness of his own power and was training… well, his eyes looked alright. Humans really grow in the blink of an eye.”

CRACK-A-THOOM!

“That’s what’s so amazing about humans. I’m thinking of making some equipment for that boy as a reward.”

“Hoho, he’ll be delighted. More importantly, how’s Lee Cheol, that kid?”

KWA-BOOM!

“I’m not sure. He hasn’t been eating well during the day for the past two days and has just been in the detached house… but thankfully, he’s been sleeping at night.”

“It’s been a week now, right?”

“That’s right, as of today.”

“……Isn’t he going to snap and blow up the house?”

“Th, that’s not likely…”

THOOM! KWA-BOOM! KWA-BOOOOOOM!

Ominous explosions echoed.

Baher’s expression stiffened slightly.

“Ahem, it’s strange that the house right next door is still safe with such loud explosions.”

“Hehe, he’s probably adjusting well…”

That’s when it happened.

KWA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A tremendous explosion, unlike anything before, echoed.

Hrundatt looked at Baher with a slightly troubled expression.

“In the country where I established my foundation, there’s a saying that ‘words become seeds’ [a proverb meaning that speaking of something can make it happen]… I’m really sorry.”

Baher jumped up and ran across the village.

* * *

In the center of the village.

Smoke was rising from the detached house behind the village chief’s residence.

Baher’s expression turned pale as he ran towards his house.

“Cough! Cough, cough!”

And from within the thick smoke, someone was walking out, coughing.

It was Lee Cheol.

“Y, you…”

“Ah, Village Chief. You’ve arrived.”

“D, did you perhaps destroy the house…?”

“Ah, I didn’t destroy the main building. Don’t worry.”

Lee Cheol waved his hand, and mana dispersed the rising smoke like wind.

And the appearance of the village chief’s house was revealed.

Fortunately, the house was still in its original form.

“Ahem! W, well, it’s not that I doubted you. It’s just that the explosion was so loud…”

Baher cleared his throat and glanced at the house.

“W, well, it’s good to work hard, but not too hard. If you get angry or it doesn’t work out, don’t do it in a fit of rage, but take a break…”

“Yes? Ah.”

I chuckled.

I knew why Baher was so flustered.

“Please come this way for a moment.”

“Huh? Where are you talking about?”

“The detached house.”

I led Baher to the backyard.

‘Huh?’

Baher suddenly felt a strong power.

A refreshing and rich fragrance of mana.

It was a power that couldn’t be felt leaking from the seal.

“……!”

Soon, the sight of the collapsed detached house came into Baher’s view as he returned to the backyard.

The detached house, which had been built to prevent the power of the World Tree’s branch from leaking to the outside, had collapsed.

‘No way?’

And that detached house was made to never collapse except for one reason.

“It’s over there. I put it there for now, just in case.”

In the center of the collapsed detached house.

The World Tree’s branch was lying there.

“I pulled it out. The World Tree’s branch.”

* * *

To pull out the World Tree’s branch, I unleashed my mana.

In a situation where I couldn’t even use half of my original mana due to the seal, and where I couldn’t cut it with Black Night or Mujin.

With various restrictions, I kept thinking about the tips Baher had given me.

Precise timing, precise power.

In a situation where my mana was suppressed, I pushed my mana control abilities to the limit.

I used my Mystic Eyes to grasp the essence of the seal and precisely distributed my mana and power.

And I spent a week constantly trying to find the fleeting moment when my power and the World Tree’s branch would perfectly align.

All day long.

Except for sleeping at night, I really thought about nothing else.

‘I will pull out this branch.’

Soon, strength dwelled in the will that had gathered into one, and mana gathered to create a certain form.

And.

‘……The technique I was creating with Ron is complete.’

I felt that another 4-star Aura skill that I had been learning with Ron after the Grand Melee was complete.

And the moment I was sure of that, I succeeded in pulling out the World Tree’s branch.

“Heo…”

Baher looked at the branch I had pulled out.

The branch that had never been pulled out of this place since the World Tree was broken in ancient times had been pulled out.

‘I had a feeling this boy would pull it out.’

Still, I didn’t expect him to pull it out in just a week.

“Can I ask you to do it right away?”

“Of course. Let’s start right away.”

Baher smiled, his eyes shining.

The time had come to give this boy a proper reward.

* * *

All the residents with the skills of the Black Root Village gathered in the workshop.

“Handling this branch requires immense power. It’s not enough with my power alone.”

The villagers rolled up their sleeves without complaint to repay me.

And countless materials were piled up in the workshop.

There were so many materials that I had never heard of before.

Baher said that he had traveled around gathering materials during the week I was pulling out the tree.

“How long will it take?”

Baher pondered as if calculating something, then slowly opened his mouth.

“It seems it will take about… 34 days to complete. The energy of the earth and the energy of the sun will be strongest on that day. There is no better day for the completion of this spear.”

“34 days, you say?”

“It’s foolish not to consider the timing when making a weapon of this caliber. That day is the right time. Besides, it was a job that would have taken a month anyway, even if we didn’t have to match the date.”

Baher said that and respectfully lifted the World Tree’s branch and placed it on a wide altar-like place in the very center of the workshop.

Numerous dwarves took their places around it.

-We will now begin the work.

The voice of the earth emanating from the dwarf.

Baher’s words echoed deeply and heavily, as if a priest was conveying the words of God.

-This will be your weapon. Of course, your help will also be needed.

I nodded and stepped forward.

And the work of forging the World Tree’s branch began.