Chapter 31: Strong Will

"Don't want it?"

Duke sighed helplessly. He seemed to have anticipated that Rayan would not choose such a clumsy and ugly weapon, so he did not plan to continue promoting the axe.

He threw the axe back under the bar and, like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, produced a broken blade. "This is the payment you gave me when you were gathering information from me. It's broken, but still counts as a weapon. I'll pair it with a kitchen knife, one sharp enough to shave with, making you a dual-wielding fighter. How about that?"

"Boss, I want to use a sword."

At the mention of a sword, a piercing pain hit Rayan's chest, and the Twilight insignia in his right palm seemed to ignite. He suddenly realized that nothing could replace the Twilight Blade.

Duke sighed and discarded the broken blade like trash, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and said sternly, "You need to lower your standards, Rayan."

"I understand, boss."

Rayan nodded silently. This was the first time Duke had called him by his name, and it was evident that he was worried about the weapon situation.

"So, what's your choice?"

Duke asked, "The axe or becoming a dual-wielding fighter?"

"Sword."

Rayan simply uttered one word.

Duke frowned; his apprentice sometimes surprised him with his cleverness, but other times, his stubbornness made Duke wish he could strangle him.

"There are no swords in the Ravenstorm Inn. Just because there's no sword, does that mean you can't fight?"

"I know where there is one."

Rayan said calmly, "Please give me a little time."

Duke pursed his lips, glanced at the alchemist Morien sitting at the doorway, and Morien nodded slightly.

"I may not understand fighting, but a suitable weapon is as important as a handy alchemical tool. I can wait."

Duke took a deep breath, "Alright, you win, go and come back quickly—don't keep the alchemist waiting too long—it's very awkward for us old guys to just sit and stare at each other."

With Duke's permission, Rayan immediately turned and walked out of the Ravenstorm Inn, heading towards the direction of the Rope Bridge.

Beneath the Rope Bridge flowed a river where a black giant sword lay, once wielded by Crimson Thorn. When the Rope Bridge collapsed, Rayan had Crimson Thorn throw away the giant sword, which he did. Despite the raging waters, the sword's weight ensured it was not washed away.

Moreover, Crimson Thorn couldn't swim, let alone dare to retrieve the giant sword.

Though the black giant sword was neither as powerful nor as emotionally significant as the Twilight Blade, it was still a sword, infinitely better than the recommended axe or becoming a dual-wielding fighter.

To save time, Rayan cut through the dense forest path, plunging directly into the river valley. The branches and underbrush made his injuries even more painful, but this did not affect his pace. Soon, he reached beneath the Rope Bridge.

The broken Rope Bridge was still there, the rushing water and cold mist hitting his face. Standing on the pebbly riverbank, Rayan couldn't help but recall everything that had happened with Crimson Thorn...

That female robber...

Rayan clenched his fists, feeling the soft touch of Crimson Thorn's skin between his fingers, closing his eyes, all he could see was her naked form...

I must not drink Deer penis liquor again!

Rayan chuckled to himself, shook his head, took off his coat, stretched his muscles briefly, and dived into the icy river waters.

A large wave swept over him, dragging him into the undercurrent. Rayan gritted his teeth and fought his way out of the whirlpool, struggling towards the deepest part of the riverbed.

The riverbed was full of mud and aquatic plants, Rayan had to maintain his balance while avoiding the entangling weeds. Getting caught by these seemingly insignificant plants would make it impossible for him to escape given his current physical state.

The deeper he swam, the colder the water felt as if it pierced through his entire body. Rayan felt his heart nearly stop beating.

His eyes wide open, he rapidly searched the murky riverbed.

Just as he reached his limit, he finally saw the black giant sword. The sword was slanted, half-buried in the mud.

Rayan grabbed the long hilt and pulled with all his might.

Bubbles emerged from the mud as the sword barely moved an inch.

Every bone in Rayan's body ached, and the lack of oxygen caused his lungs to throb painfully. This dire physical condition was unimaginable just days ago. He had no choice but to give up temporarily, using his remaining strength to surface and gasp for fresh air.

The surface was no safer than the riverbed; waves crashed down one after another. Rayan steadied himself, gathered enough strength, and dived back into the depths.

This time, he didn't need to waste precious time searching and was much calmer than before. He grabbed the long hilt, stepped into the riverbed mud, and with the force from his feet, he powerfully yanked the black giant sword out.

A wave of surprise washed over Rayan, but he quickly composed himself.

The black giant sword was much heavier than he had anticipated, and combined with the pressure of the water flow, surfacing became a very difficult task.

Rayan gritted his teeth, one hand holding the black giant sword, the other frantically paddling. If he couldn't bring the black giant sword back, not only would Duke mock him, but he would also despise himself—if he couldn't even handle an ordinary giant sword, how could he ever reclaim the Twilight Blade?

Rayan let out a muffled roar, then, like a tightly drawn bowstring, he burst through the water surface.

After dragging the black giant sword onto the riverbank, Rayan collapsed on the cold pebbles, his chest heaving, his body devoid of any strength. From his chin down to his toes, every muscle was tightly wound, and even a slight movement felt like it would tear him apart.

He rested only briefly before trying to dry off, put on his clothes, and picked up the giant sword—

The black giant sword was so heavy he could barely stand. He couldn't help but recall how effortlessly Crimson Thorn wielded this sword, and a sense of discouragement welled up inside him.

The gap—

But it would only get smaller, not larger.

He bit his teeth and hoisted the mountain-like black giant sword onto his shoulder, taking one step at a time towards the Ravenstorm Inn.

"Wu ah!"

A crow, from nowhere, landed on the blunt edge of the giant sword.

Rayan felt the weight on his shoulder increase slightly, he chuckled, "Brother Crow, did the boss send you because he's worried?"

"Wu ah!"

"Yeah, the boss is a good man."

"Wu ah!"

"You're good... bird."

"Wu ah! Wu ah! Wu ah!"

With the crow's company, the return journey seemed less lengthy.

When Rayan pushed open the door of the Ravenstorm Inn carrying the giant sword, Duke and Morien were both startled.

"What have you... turned yourself into?"

Duke asked reproachfully, yet his hands involuntarily reached for the black giant sword on Rayan's shoulder. Steam was rising off Rayan's body, and signs of Battle Qi revival were already evident.

Without any guidance, to regather Battle Qi in such a short time was something even Duke himself couldn't achieve.

He furrowed his brow, pondering what kind of willpower it took for Rayan to achieve such a feat.

"Boss, I'm sorry."

Rayan smiled apologetically, "I'm still not quite used to this sword."

"Isn't this Crimson Thorn's weapon? How did you..."

Duke deliberately turned his head away, saying coldly, "Never mind, I'm not interested anymore. Hmph, this weapon is blunt and heavy, I don't see how it's any better than a kitchen knife."

He easily picked up the giant sword as if it were a stick.

"I'll make a scabbard for you."

Duke didn't give Rayan a chance to speak, carrying the giant sword into the kitchen.

Morien, who had been thoughtful all this while, stood up and carefully took out a small bottle of blood-red potion from beneath his brown cloak, "The main ingredient here is fire lizard blood, it might be a bit hot on the tongue, but it can help you break free from the cold."

Rayan thanked him and reached for the bottle.

"In the Artisan world, there's a saying: even the best alchemist can't make a potion of regret."

Morien didn't immediately let go of the bottle but looked directly at Rayan with his gloomy eyes, "I must warn you beforehand, my task is not a game, and no one can help you, not me, not your boss. If you can't handle it, you will die. Consider carefully if you still have time to back out."

Rayan smiled faintly, snatched the potion from Morien's hand, "Prepare your Moon Demon Grass." After saying this, he downed the blood-red potion in one gulp.

His body immediately felt like it was burning, every joint crackling in pain. Rayan clenched his teeth and endured the first three seconds; then, his body temperature returned to normal.

Morien nodded slightly, "You're weaker than those Fighters who worked for me before, but your willpower is stronger than all of them combined. I'll wait for you outside, we'll leave once you're ready."

After saying this, he helped himself up by his hood, limping out of the Ravenstorm Inn.

A little while later, Duke came out of the kitchen with the giant sword, now fitted with a simple scabbard and two long leather straps that could be tied around Rayan's shoulder and waist.

Rayan silently received the giant sword, struggling to carry it on his back.

The leather straps painfully constricted his chest and abdomen, making it nearly impossible for him to breathe, but having the sword on his back gave him a strange sense of fulfillment, as if he had reunited with an old friend.

Crimson Thorn had once tried to steal the Twilight Blade, and now her sword had become his weapon of cultivation. If she could see him now, Rayan wondered what her expression would be.

A slight smile crossed Rayan's handsome face.

"Still smiling? Are you crazy?"

Duke frowned, asking sternly.

But his tone couldn't hide the worry in his eyes...