[T.L: punisher87]
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The sudden extreme low behavior of Anvil left the group momentarily dumbfounded. Not only did Anvil kneel down, but he even prostrated himself and began to bow.
As they looked closely, tears were dripping onto the floor.
Anvil, at least, maintained some dignity as the leader and felt deeply moved by the situation.
The members beside him burst into tears.
'Are they insane...? Crying just because they heard the name 'Picon Minche'? Unbelievable.'
Jin pondered over those words, suppressing his astonishment.
If there really was more steel on this island than the combined stock of the Vamel alliance, then there would be no need for regret in Kinzelo.
[Will you give it all?]
"Of course!"
[Are you really okay with that?]
"Lord Picon, our Minche Association is composed solely of those who sincerely follow your will. Your words from a thousand years ago are still burning in our hearts."
What did I say?
Picon actually wanted to ask that but cleared his throat and waited for Anvil's next words.
"Do not leave the blacksmith's forge. Dedicate yourself only to forging weapons. Until the master appears."
Those were the words Picon often said to his disciples in the past.
Of course, the "master" he mentioned did not refer to himself.
At that time, Picon watched as his less talented disciples became disheartened. In the spirit of encouraging them not to give up but to devote themselves wholeheartedly, he spoke those words. As a result, many of them ended up creating masterpieces.
After Picon's death, that intention was faithfully passed down to future generations for about fifty years.
However, as time passed, the initial meaning of Picon's words gradually distorted. Not understanding the true intent, Anvil interpreted them this way.
"Our association has been eagerly awaiting the appearance of a true master, someone who can elevate the blacksmiths of this world and thus be truly worthy of being called Picon's reincarnation. That's why the association has maintained a three-member governing system for the past thousand years without appointing a Iron King."
What is an Iron King...?
Picon suppressed the urge to ask that question and smiled as naturally as possible. Yes, you have all faithfully followed my will, so he put on that expression.
When Picon was alive, there was no position called the Iron King.
The legendary blacksmith symbolized Picon.
Anyway, according to Anvil's words, the temporary leaders known as Fire, Anvil, and Hammer were not true successors. They had been keeping the position of the real leader, the Iron King, vacant all along, waiting for a blacksmith worthy of being recognized as Picon's successor.
And now, unexpectedly, not even Picon's successor, but Picon Minche himself, the god of blacksmiths, came to the association. It was only natural for them to react so strongly.
From the association's perspective, the long-awaited Iron King had finally been reborn.
[Hmm... Excellent.]
As soon as Picon spoke in a solemn voice, Anvil and the association members lifted their heads.
Their wet eyes shimmered as if they were people who had received salvation.
Then, suddenly, Anvil startled and lowered his head.
"Oh! Oops... I hope I didn't go off topic in my excitement. If you find it burdensome to accept the assets of our blacksmiths, then..."
Jin quickly jabbed Picon's side.
[That's not the case. From today onwards, I will guide you again.]
Although it was a casual remark, it had a tremendous effect.
"It's the greatest honor to be born! Please come inside!"
Before moving, the members of the association took out small trumpets from their pockets. It was a trumpet that signaled the truth of the letter from the Vamel alliance.
As soon as the trumpet sounded, the previously darkened island suddenly brightened.
Flames sprouted throughout the large area of the island, which accounted for 80% of its total area.
The members of the association who had been waiting in the blacksmith's shop hurriedly moved their feet, preparing to greet Picon.
At the same time, Anvil's attitude towards Jin changed.
"Please forgive my rudeness earlier. Now that Lord Picon has graced us with his presence, from now on, the young patriarch shall be regarded as our benefactor."
"Thank you for saying that."
And me? Syris wanted to argue, but she suppressed her temper. It was mind-boggling, to the point where words failed to come out.
At the entrance of the blacksmith's shops, all the blacksmiths of the association were lying down in a row.
'There are truly fanatics among them.'
Although there was a bit of exaggeration, Jin felt relieved to have gained reliable allies and smiled.
Just like with Anvil, a sea of tears opened up for a while, and Picon encouraged each person as they were introduced by the officials.
No one doubted Picon.
Not only because his appearance perfectly matched, but also because Picon instantly recognized the purpose and completion of the equipment and weapons in the blacksmith's shop.
With just a few words of conversation during the process, the blacksmiths acknowledged Picon's skill and were grateful.
[Fire, why did you choose this island as the holy land for the blacksmiths? It's not even my hometown.]
Once the formalities and greetings were over, Picon directed serious questions on behalf of Jin.
"Is it alright for me to answer without the presence of the acting master of Hidden Palace?"
"I will personally vouch for the acting master of Hidden Palace. And from now on, I hope you also show respect to the acting master. She is my guest."
"I will do so."
If Chiron, Talaris, or Ron had personally witnessed this scene, they would have been astonished and rendered speechless.
Syris sighed inwardly, lowering her head.
"The reason we established our headquarters here is because of Marine Steel."
"Marine Steel?"
"It means 'steel from the sea.' The headquarters of the association has been on this island for about three hundred years. We chose it as the headquarters because there is no other region with as much Marine Steel as here."
[I know about Marine Steel's existence, but it must be extremely difficult to extract. I've heard that the association currently possesses more steel than the Empire or any other major power.]
"Half of that statement is true, and half is false."
[Explain.]
Even at this moment when the association's biggest secret needed to be revealed, including the Fire, the high-ranking officials showed no hesitation.
"First of all, we extract Marine Steel through the inner core monster, who is the ruler of the sea. His name is Vailam, and he is a friend that the past officials embraced. Although he is a monster, he doesn't have a clear consciousness like them and doesn't have any intentions or reasons to harm humans."
"Are you saying that such a monster exists?"
In response to Jin's question, the officials nodded their heads.
"Yes, young patriarch. His food source consists of marine organisms and seaweed. Since he mostly resides in the deep sea, he rarely catches people's attention."
So, he was a benevolent being more akin to a spiritual beast than a monster.
"Long ago, Vailam made a deal with us. Since Vailam needs to sharpen his teeth periodically, he had reached his limit in grinding them on unprocessed Marine Steel from the seabed."
"So, if he brings Marine Steel, you mean that you process a part of it to create steel chunks for Vailam's tooth sharpening?"
"That is correct."
The Marine Steel buried in the waters near the blacksmith's island was almost infinite.
Normally, the cost of mining and processing Marine Steel far outweighed its value, so no one bothered to dig for it. However, the association had obtained Marine Steel practically for free through Vailam for hundreds of years.
The association was also the only group capable of rapidly processing such large quantities of Marine Steel.
The idea that monsters and humans could coexist in this manner was an unexplored concept.
"It's an amazing story. You have kept this fact hidden for so long."
The officials guided the group to the underground of the blacksmith's workshop.
In the center, there was a massive opening mechanism, and as the officials pulled a lever, the floor split open, revealing the sea. It was a space large enough for several merchant ships to enter and still have room to spare.
With such a space, the sight of Vailam supplying steel to the association would never be revealed to the outside world.
"Thanks to this background and the mindset passed down by Lord Picon, our association has never had any reason to feel inadequate anywhere. Until recently, it would have been true to say that the association possessed the most steel in the world."
The group exclaimed in awe while gazing at the surging sea.
Jin was impressed, but he also sensed a powerful aura emanating from the sea.
"It seems Vailam has been tainted by chaos."
At that remark, the officials grimaced, their brows furrowing as if in pain.
"...That's correct. The relationship between Vailam and the association is not merely a simple symbiotic one. Now, we are practically friends. The chaos spreading throughout the world, from the Battle of the Sword Emperor Castle to the Evil god, has afflicted Vailam, making him sick."
As Fire blew several trumpets towards the sea, the water's surface surged and foamed.
After a while, the wounded Vailam appeared, resembling a colossal whale.
[Phiiii…]
His cry sounded similar to that of a whale, and overall, his round and gentle appearance didn't seem threatening, just as the officials had described.
However, black spots of chaos were visible all over his body.
Vailam continued to cry out in agony without respite.
"If Vailam doesn't recover, it will not only hinder the extraction of Marine Steel but also plunge the entire association into the sorrow of losing a friend."
There was joy in Picon's arrival, but there was also the sadness of having to bid farewell to a friend.
Picon carefully chose his words, and Syris couldn't hide her pained expression at Vailam's cute yet suffering appearance.
Then Jin, staring intently at Vailam, spoke.
"Fire, has there been any physical transformation in Vailam?"
"What do you mean?"
"Excluding the black spots, is Vailam's appearance exactly the same as before he was tainted by chaos?"
"Well, yes."
Jin smiled slyly.
"It seems I might be able to heal that friend of yours."
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