(Three days after the intense battle in Paruwa Forest)
After the long battle in Paruwa forest, Rayn woke up on a small bed in an unfamiliar, old room. He blinked in confusion, his gaze wandering around the room.
Rayn struggled to remember what had happened before, but he could only conjure vague memories. He slowly gathered his strength to get up and make his way out of this strange room.
Summoning his courage, Rayn pushed open the door that obstructed his view. He stepped out onto a wooden house's balcony. On the balcony, numerous swords were prominently displayed.
"Where am I? How did I end up here? And where's my dagger?" Rayn muttered, feeling bewildered as he realized that his cherished dagger was missing.
Frantically, he searched for his dagger among the array of blades in the room, but after a while, he grew despondent, unable to find it.
Faintly, the sound of a hammer striking metal reached Rayn's ears. He followed the sound, hoping to find someone who could explain why he was in this unfamiliar place and what had happened to his weapon. He walked out of the house and headed toward the source of the sound.
There, he saw an old man, seated on a wooden chair, intently pounding a red-hot piece of metal with a hammer.
"Excuse me, sir," Rayn interjected, interrupting the man's work.
"Oh... you're awake," the old man responded in a calm tone.
"Sir, I don't know why I'm here. But seeing that you're the only person I've encountered here, you must be the owner of this house. So, what happened? Why am I here? And who are you, sir?" Rayn bombarded the old man with his bewildering questions.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, young man. You're bombarding this old man with your questions!" The old man chuckled.
"I... I'm sorry, sir. I'm just very confused right now. I hope to understand my situation," Rayn said apologetically.
"Alright, first of all, I'm Ganddru, and I'm a blacksmith in this place. That's why some people here call me 'Mpu' Ganddru. You can call me Mpu Ganddru. You're currently at my home on Mount Severu. Before, you were on the verge of death, or more precisely, we were both on the brink of death after our battle with Saithe, who 'resurfaced' in Paruwa Forest. Do you remember the little thief?" explained the old man.
Rayn felt uncomfortable as the old man referred to him as a thief.
"What do you mean by calling me a thief?" Rayn questioned.
"Don't pretend not to understand, young one. You took the artifact that was on top of this mountain, the Kein Arukh dagger. And just so you know, I'm the one who forged that dagger. So, you've stolen it from me!" Rayn was taken aback by the old man's words, which seemed to paint him as a thief.
He suddenly remembered that the dagger he'd stolen was no longer in his possession and became suspicious of the old man.
"Sir, did you also take Kein Arukh from me? Please, return it to me quickly!" Rayn shouted at Mpu Ganddru.
"Haha, you're quite amusing, young one. A thief asking the owner of a stolen item to return it. What kind of joke is this? I took something that rightfully belongs to me, and you have no right to ask for it back," Mpu Ganddru taunted the infuriated young man.
"Damn it! Don't blame me if I have to force you to do so," Rayn responded with a raised voice.
The old man responded by raising one hand in the air, fingers outstretched as if ready to grasp something.
"Come forth, the Dragon Slayer sword... [Anglains]!"
The incantation that Mpu Ganddru chanted caused a flash of light to descend from the sky and land perfectly in his hand, creating a radiant sword with energy emanating from it.
"What! The Saithe Weapon!" Rayn exclaimed.
"Oh... You know the name of this object... It seems you've indeed spoken to Arukh. So, are you sure you can 'force me' like you mentioned earlier? You're unarmed while I possess this formidable weapon, and I can sever your life at any moment," Mpu Ganddru stated, issuing a strong threat.
Rayn remained silent, unable to respond. The previously calm atmosphere had transformed into a cold standoff between the two.
"So, what will you do now? Will you stay quiet like this, or do you still intend to fight me, possibly with the hope of gaining this sword if you defeat me? But, honestly, you have no chance of defeating me. Though, it might end with your death, HAHAHA," Mpu Ganddru further intensified his intimidation.
Rayn looked increasingly powerless, unable to even meet the old man's piercing gaze. Unexpectedly, he dropped to his knees, and with a slow motion, he bowed down, appearing as though he was begging.
"I sincerely apologize if I stole your relic. I truly need it. I'm nobody... I'm just an unfortunate person born into a world of disappointment. I used to live in the city of Malv on the slopes of this mountain, where every day, I had to steal to survive... From a young age, I had no parents, relatives, or anything like that. I grew up and lived, struggling on my own without trusting anyone. Until I met Arukh... When I heard that a precious artifact of great value was hidden at the peak of Mount Severu, it made me desire it so I could make money by selling it. So, I came and stole the artifact. But something very strange happened the first time I touched it. It felt like someone was holding my hand, giving me warmth I'd never felt before. A feeling of 'companionship' that I truly longed for. I met Arukh on the peak of this mountain, my only friend. That's why I decided not to sell the artifact. So, I genuinely beg you to return it to me, and I promise to compensate you according to its value," Rayn expressed his feelings truthfully to Mpu Ganddru.
"Ho ho... If you truly desire my relic to that extent, then call it!" replied the old man succinctly.
Rayn was perplexed by what Mpu Ganddru was saying. He had never thought such a thing could be done.
"Uhm... I guess I should give it a try. Come... [Kein Arukh]!"