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Chapter 117: Duke Valiard
Aldrian was guided by a butler as they walked through numerous hallways. Along the way, he noticed many artifacts on display, mostly armaments and defensive items, lining either side of the corridors. When he arrived at the guest room and sat down on a sofa in the luxurious space, he inspected the room, finding it filled with various kinds of artifacts.
He even detected a hidden mechanism, which he surmised to be part of a defense or attack system. Unlike formations that draw upon heaven and earth energy to function, the mechanism here seemed to operate like a giant artifact, triggered by some sort of mechanism without the use of energy.
Aldrian was amazed by the intricacies of the mechanism, as it was his first time seeing something like it. It differed from the formations he could create by simply shaping heaven and earth energy. While he marveled at the artifacts around him, the guest room door opened, and a dwarf dressed in casual clothes entered.
The dwarf appeared to be middle-aged, with reddish hair and a beard that reached his neck, tanned skin, and well-defined muscles typical of his kind. Aldrian also noticed traces of sweat on the dwarf’s skin and the faint scent of a furnace lingering on him.
"Darvin Valiard, he was probably in his workshop just now." Aldrian thought
Aldrian smiled as the dwarf approached.
"Welcome. I heard from my guards that you have a sword crafted by me that needs repairing. Please, take out the sword so I can inspect the damaged part," the dwarf said.
"Duke Valiard, it’s an honor to meet you." Aldrian gave a slight bow before continuing, "Please, take a look at this sword." He retrieved the sword from his storage ring, presenting it to the duke, whose eyes widened in surprise.
"You’re the owner of this sword?" Duke Valiard asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Yes, but I’m not the original owner, I’m a close acquaintance of the sword’s original owner. mister Aldrey. I received it after he passed it on to me. Since it was damaged, he directed me to you for the repair." Aldrian replied, fabricating a story.
Duke Valiard looked Aldrian with suspicion, his gaze sharp.
"Aldrey just gave his most trusted sword to this young man? What kind of relationship would make him do that, even if the sword was broken?"
After a moment of contemplation, the duke nodded and took the sword. He unsheathed it, carefully inspecting the blade before channeling his energy into it. Once his inspection was complete, he sheathed the sword again and handed it back to Aldrian.
"This sword is beyond repair, though it looks fine on the outside, the inside is a complete mess. Its inner structure and durability have deteriorated beyond saving. Fortunately, my technique has kept it intact, preventing it from crumbling. The only option now is to melt it down and forge an entirely new sword, but that will cost more." Duke Valiard said
Aldrian raised his eyebrows, surprised to learn that the sword was beyond saving and would need to be melted down. He felt a pang of sadness—this was the sword his father had given him. It was the only weapon he had at the time to unleash the ’Slash of the End.’ He had hoped to repair it, but now it seemed he would have to let it go. The sword was part of his father’s legacy, but Aldrian understood the bigger picture. He needed a functional weapon, not one kept for sentimental value.
"By the way, how did the sword end up in such a condition?" Duke Valiard asked, frowning. "I designed and forged the Fire Dragon Sword to withstand the full force of a Low King stage attack. Did Aldrey encounter someone in the Everlasting Silent Forest during the years he was lost there?"
"I don’t know the full details, but the sword was already broken when he returned from the Everlasting Silent Forest, he mentioned fighting someone from the devils, and the sword was damaged during the battle." Aldrian replied.
Duke Valiard narrowed his eyes. "I heard Aldrey was trapped in the Everlasting Silent Forest because of the devils. Judging by the state of the sword, the devil he faced must have been one of the successors of the Seven Deadly Sins. Did he not tell you who it was?"
"No, he didn’t share those details," Aldrian said, steering the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Anyway, if there’s no way to repair this sword, I can only ask you sincerely, Duke Valiard, to reforge it into a new one. I will cover all the material costs."
Duke Valiard studied Aldrian for a moment before shifting his gaze to the sword now in Aldrian’s hand.
"A sword is like an extension of your hand," Valiard began. "To craft the right sword, I need to understand your preferences and your battle style. If I can see your sword technique firsthand, it would be even better, as I can then choose the proper materials for its creation."
"So, I just need to show you my sword technique?" Aldrian asked.
"Yes."
Aldrian then thinking for a moment. 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝖈𝖔𝔪
"This will become my most obvious trace as the mysterious swordsman, I can feel that sooner or later, some people will have their nose towards me." He only can face all those troubles that will come to him in the future. The most important thing now is for him to have his own sword that he can use.
"Where should I show you my technique?" Aldrian asked.
"Follow me."
Duke Valiard led Aldrian to a vast hall beside a workshop, different from the one Aldrian had seen earlier near the mansion’s entrance. As they arrived and stood in the center of the hall, patterns along the walls briefly lit up before the room transformed. The walls shifted, turning into a gleaming white material, making the hall resemble a massive, pristine chamber. Duke Valiard pulled out a sword radiating the aura of a peak Heaven-grade weapon and handed it to Aldrian.
"Show me your technique," Valiard said. "Preferably the one you’re most proficient in or use most frequently in battle. Don’t worry about damaging this place. The materials used in this hall can withstand even a Middle Emperor stage attack."
"I’ll show you a downgraded version of it, is that alright?" Aldrian responded.
Duke Valiard looked confused. "Your full-strength technique exceeds a Middle Emperor stage attack?"
"Yes."
Duke Valiard wasn’t sure if the young man was joking or serious. Given Aldrian’s youth, it seemed impossible that he could be at the Emperor stage. But that wasn’t the duke’s concern. What he needed to evaluate was Aldrian’s movement and attack style.
"Alright, go ahead, even a downgraded version will be enough for me to assess the kind of sword that suits you." Valiard said.
Aldrian nodded, turning his gaze toward the far end of the hall. He placed his hand on the sword’s hilt, concentrating as he attuned himself to the weapon. After a moment, he released his sword intent.
Duke Valiard, who had already stepped back to a safe distance, was immediately shocked by the sheer intensity of Aldrian’s sword intent. Instinctively, he raised an energy barrier, his Middle King stage cultivation kicking in to help shield him from the oppressive aura.
"What a terrifying sword intent! The sharpness is so potent I can feel it cutting through the air, and he’s only at the Middle Earl stage!" Valiard thought, his heart racing.
The sensation was like being stabbed repeatedly by invisible blades, causing Valiard’s skin to tingle. He was stunned. That someone of Aldrian’s level could wield such immense sword intent marked him as a supreme genius in the art of swordsmanship.
In all his life, he had never witnessed such talent. The way he saw it, Aldrian had the potential to join the ranks of the great swordmasters of the continent! He watched Aldrian intently, but a sudden chill ran down his spine as Aldrian revealed his sword will. At the same time, his storage ring reacted strangely. When he checked, he was shocked to see all the swords stored within trembling violently.
He looked at Aldrian in shock as he unsheathed the sword and executed a diagonal slash. It appeared to be a simple movement, but the moment Aldrian unleashed his technique, the entire hall trembled, and space itself collapsed, creating a gap to the void and almost causing a spatial storm. The slash hurtled toward the wall, accompanied by a booming sound that reverberated throughout the hall. Despite the chaos, the structure remained standing.
After several chaotic moments, the trembling ceased, and the spatial crack healed as Aldrian controlled it using his mastery over space laws. A hundred meters away, on the wall, a thin, long slash mark remained—clear evidence of the power behind Aldrian’s strike.
Aldrian observed the result with a satisfied expression. He had wanted to test his ’Slash of the End’ outside of his domain, and even with a peak Heaven-grade sword, the power was satisfying. It could even wound a Low King stage cultivator. Turning toward Duke Valiard, Aldrian saw the duke staring at him as though he were a monster.
