Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

—Why are you swinging the hammer?

In order to create weapons.

—What are you building weapons for?

In order to survive.

-- Incorrect.

What I (Iron Hammer) want to ask, and what you (Iron Hammer) need right now, is not this kind of answer.

Say it.

What are you building weapons for now?

"────"

"The Hammer's Question" has been replaced by Welf's own "voice," transforming into a deep, introspective self-examination.

"Lord Welf!"

From the depths of darkness, one could hear the desperate pleas of the little people.

"A blacksmith...!"

A man's groan could be heard coming from the darkness ahead.

"Mr. Crozzo!"

Right beside her, the voice of a young girl calling her name, despite having told him many times not to use his surname, came through.

The shouts of the adventurers and the voices of his companions shook Welf's body.

I……

I……

I am……!

"—For my friends."

For the sake of the youth.

For these guys—these comrades.

"It's to save my comrades (those guys) who were willing to believe in me!!"

Weapons crafted for a specific person possess extraordinary power and radiate a brilliance surpassing all others.

Yes, that's the truth, it's a matter of course. How could I forget?

For companions.

In order to help that boy—

"I want!!"

The hammering sound was deafening, the hammer emitting a high-pitched cry. The melody changed.

The melody, refined over time, has become more melodious and powerful than it is now.

Sakura and the others, who were defending against the monster's attack, also noticed the change in tone. They snapped back to reality and looked over there, only to see that Welf's pupils seemed to be one with the furnace fire, burning with a scarlet flame.

Change, change, change.

Superhard metal—a high-level metal block that was originally unwilling to obey, gradually changes its appearance.

It was almost as if it were submitting to the will of a man, like a shout that resonated, changing its crystalline structure and gradually shaping the outline of a sword.

"call!!"

The blood in my body is boiling.

The burning passion and the roar of the heart are in harmony, about to open a new "door".

--The old "magic sword" is no longer usable.

—The "Demon Sword," destined to part ways, could not overcome this crisis.

—The "Demon Sword," destined to shatter, was unable to carve a path through this continuous deadly battle.

So, what to do?

No further explanation is needed.

Beyond.

Surpass the "Demon Sword," right now.

To unleash a weapon that surpasses the "Demon Sword," a weapon that inherits the "Demon Sword," and the "Eternal Demon Sword."

The fate of the "Demon Sword" was reversed, giving birth to a contradictory weapon.

Just like that day, he declared his will to his grandfather, Chun, and the forging goddess (Hephaestus).

He wanted to fulfill the vow he had made, not to create "the magic sword of Crozo," but to create "my (Wilf's) weapon."

Welf must, at this very moment, surpass "Welf Crozo".

"very good!!"

There is no theory.

But there is an idea.

There is a future (vision) that is about to be seen.

No, that's not right. The clue was actually always with Welf.

Goddess's Blade.

The masterpiece forged by the God of Forging, even though she regarded it as "heretical and crooked," could become Welf's "ideal" "hope"—it has always been in the hands of that boy.

(Bell, you just wait!)

Because of that boy...

He always ran fast and climbed high, surprising both people and the gods.

And Welf...

He would rather die than face the cruel distance that had grown between him and the boy.

(I won't leave you alone!)

Don't even think about leaving me (Welf); I (Welf) will definitely stay by your side.

No, that's not right.

Welf can catch up with his partner (you) in one or two steps, which is not a problem.

(Whether it's you or the Goddess of Forging (Hephaestus), I'm going to get past you!!)

So—!

To reach the pinnacle, one must walk ahead of the cursed bloodline.

Reach the "Supreme" realm, which transcends the hateful curse.

The skin on his hand, which was gripping the hammer, was broken and bleeding, and then dried by the raging fire.

However, this "blood of Crozo" did not evaporate and disappear, but instead turned into hot air currents that stirred up small vortices and gradually settled in the ultra-hard metal.

The cursed blood—the "immortal bloodline" inherited to this day—burned white-hot as if to repay the youth's will.

The raging will remains unchanged, in a state of selflessness, mindlessness, and lack of self-awareness, outlining the structure, seeing the laws, following the mandate of heaven, and overcoming the principles of heaven.

As he talked to the iron block, he infused his "design drawings" into the super-hard metal in front of him.

"No... I can't hold on any longer!!"

At that moment, the sound of collapse suddenly rang out.

"Ughh ...

Beginning with Daphne's scream, Perth's body and his shattered shield were blown away.

"────────────────!!"

A horde of monsters roared, sounding like a victory cry, and surged into the cave.

What followed was a scene of hell.

Monsters attacked from all directions, attempting to ravage the adventurers whose battle lines had crumbled.

"Form a circular formation! Don't let those monsters see your backs!"

Under Aisha's relentless orders, Sakura and the others managed to form a circle, but the formation was like a candle flame in the wind. They were constantly being pushed inwards, shrinking smaller and smaller as if being eroded.

The adventurers retreated to the side of the healer (Cassandra) and the wounded (Ming and others).

The central area remained, the caverns were filled with the figures of monsters.

"Ah, ahhh...!?"

The monsters surrounded them; faced with this situation, Cassandra's body was about to lose its strength.

Sakura and the others were still trying their best to deflect the enemy's sharp teeth and claws, but their resistance was becoming weak and powerless.

From the moment they failed to hold onto the cave, their spirits were already broken.

Everyone was covered in sweat and blood, about to face destruction.

For what felt like the umpteenth time, the aura of despair made Cassandra stiffen, and she wanted to close her eyes tightly.

(──?)

But just as she was about to close her eyes, she discovered it.

(Sound)

The sound of the hammer stopped.

No matter how intense the monsters' roars were, the resounding "forging melody" that had never been drowned out stopped.

Before Cassandra could grasp the meaning, she had already turned around to look behind her.

"────"

Then, she saw that "glowing light".

"Ugh—!?"

"Cherry blossoms!"

same moment.

Sakura's shoulder was torn by sharp claws, and she was finally pushed to the ground.

Ignoring Chigusa's screams, several bloodthirsty "half-fishmen" pounced on him.

The black figure swallowed up Sakura's tense, breathless body.

As he fell to the ground, he saw hideous fangs approaching him—and then he burst into flames.

"……How……"

"Gahh ...

Seeing the fiery giant jaws devour hordes of "half-fishmen," Sakura, Lily, and the others, even the monster's time seemed to stand still.

The flames originated from the center of the cave.

The location of a man, which Lily and others have been defending to this day.

Everyone turned to look.

Just like Cassandra, who stared wide-eyed and couldn't look away, they saw that "scene".

"────"

The blacksmith stood there.

He let the charred gel fabric at the front end flutter in the hot air, calmly and leisurely.

What she was tightly clutching in her left hand was a handkerchief (headscarf) that she had taken off.

In his right hand he held a long, bright red sword, majestic and imposing.