Lu Mingfei, become the King of Elden!

Chapter 38 Gotok

The blacksmith's hammer slammed heavily onto the anvil, producing a loud clang.

He began to explain impatiently:
"Do you think I wanted these runes for myself?"

"Is not it?"

Lu Mingfei stood there blankly, blinking, completely bewildered.

The blacksmith was so angry his beard bristled. He slammed his hammer down on the anvil, sparks flying everywhere.
"These armors are imbued with runic power, possessing various resistances. Otherwise, how could you possibly withstand the power of magic, fire, and prayer?"

He picked up Lu Mingfei's breastplate and pointed to the crack on it:
"This thing of yours has clearly not been maintained for too long; its power has dissipated. Otherwise, how could it have broken down like this?"

"Oh oh oh oh oh oh."

Lu Mingfei suddenly realized what was happening and frantically searched through all his pockets for the Golden Rune.

After paying, the blacksmith began to concentrate on repairing the armor. After the battle with the ominous demon, Lu Mingfei's armor was severely damaged, making this a time-consuming and laborious task.

While waiting, Lu Mingfei, bored out of his mind, approached the blacksmith and struck up a conversation:
"Sir, my name is Lu Mingfei. What is your surname?"

"What kind of surname does a mixed-race person have, kid?"

The blacksmith, without looking up, replied gruffly:

"My name is 'Xiugu'."

Hybrid?

Lu Mingfei was startled.

He knew this race.

During his time learning at the Dragon's Feast Church, the old knight gave him a crash course in the knowledge of various creatures in the borderlands.

That was a race despised by the Golden Tree forces.

The birth of hybrids is said to be a punishment brought down by contact with the furnace.

Therefore, they were born slaves and were called defilers.

But this has nothing to do with Lu Mingfei.

Because he was the number one traitor standing against the Golden Tree forces, a remnant of the destroyed old king, and an official knight of the Storm Knights!
He doesn't care about any of that.

"Oh, Grandpa Xiugu."

Lu Mingfei quickly lowered his head.

As he looked down, he inadvertently caught sight of the rough, heavy shackles on the mixed-race blacksmith's legs, and immediately pursed his lips.

That represents shame.

This must be a shadow that the mixed-race blacksmith is unwilling to mention.

However, Xiu Gu still noticed his gaze.

Are you curious about the chains?

Xiu Gu didn't even look up, continuing to hammer the anvil.

Lu Mingfei waved his hands repeatedly.

"As you can see, these are just chains used to restrain prisoners. I'm tied to the Round Table Hall, forging weapons for you, and I won't die. That's all there is to it."

Xiu Gu brandished his hammer, calmly stating reality as if he had already resigned himself to his fate.

"Alright, here's your armor."

The mixed-race blacksmith pointed to what was in front of him.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not complaining. Besides, the responsibility for being taken prisoner doesn't lie with you."

I am not opposed to forging weapons. Regardless of my status, I can make weapons stronger—technology and time will not betray me.

Lu Mingfei took the armor, which had been restored to its original condition. The armor plates, which had been weathered since he acquired it, now gleamed.

On the originally dull armor, something seemed to be slowly flowing, like veins of blood.

So this is the kind of armor the Storm Knights wear?

How glorious must the Knights have been at their peak? The old knight was known as the number one knight under the "Twin Wings of the Storm King," so how strong must he have been in his youth?

He was a little emotional.

"Thank you very much, Uncle Xiugu."

Lu Mingfei solemnly bowed with his hand on his chest, thanking the blacksmith for repairing his 'symbol of identity'.

The old blacksmith's hand, holding the hammer, suddenly stopped in mid-air. He silently raised his head, looking at the black-haired young man before him with a complex expression.

In all his years in the Round Table Hall, he had seen all sorts of people who had faded into obscurity—some who despised him, some who insulted him, and some who ignored him. But this was the first time he had ever received such genuine respect.

After putting away his armor, Lu Mingfei began to wander around the round table hall.

First, there was the man sitting at the round table, D, with a strange human head on the chest of his armor.

This guy was a bit cold-blooded, but not exactly a bad person. After warning Lu Mingfei not to get close to the "Dead Ones" and the "Ship," he fell silent.

Then came Diaros, the knight in flamboyant armor, who inquired about the whereabouts of his followers.

Lu Mingfei chatted with him for a while.

This guy was one of the more approachable ones in the round table hall. According to him, he came from a very famous family of faded people called "Hoslaw," who had the ancestral motto of "Hoslaw speaks with blood."

However, Lu Mingfei looked him up and down and couldn't figure out how this guy, who looked even more dejected than himself, could "represent himself with blood."

So he patted his "good brother" on the shoulder and then went to find Colin, who was standing to the side dressed as a clergyman.

As expected, Colin was indeed a clergyman.

Would you like to learn the prayer of the Two-Finger Master?

He asked.

Lu Mingfei neither agreed nor refused.

The old knight had told him that prayer is a way to gain strength by offering faith to one's God.

However, the description of the Dragon Offering Mark contains the following sentence:

To call the act of performing the dragon's feast a prayer is too barbaric.

Those who feast on dragons have no taboos. They only revere power itself.

Lu Mingfei did not believe in the Two Fingers theory, nor did he understand the Golden Law.

He doesn't believe in God.
-
Gatok leaned his hunched back against the wall, staring at the faded figure pacing back and forth in the room.

This clueless kid has already spun around in place seventeen times.

He must be incredibly bored to count them.

"Main entrance. Side view of the main entrance."

Lu Mingfei's armored boots clattered on the ground as he touched the tables and chairs on the ground, and then peeked towards the main entrance.

It's dying.

Gotock thought.

What was the name of that idiot who came last time? At least that guy could throw a golden rune to decide the direction.
In the end, what happened again? Ah, he got riddled with bullets while looting the corpse at the main gate.

And this kid in front of me, this kid
We've already spent most of the day here!

If things continue like this, what if this kid doesn't plan to leave either side and just runs away? Wouldn't he end up not getting any profit at all?
Gotok rolled his eyes inwardly.

With that kind of guts, you still want to be a faded figure?
“Those guards at the main gate just executed a few of you faded individuals a few days ago.”

Getok suddenly lowered his voice and said again:

"Believe me, that side path is perfectly safe; the soldiers have no idea about it."

Lu Mingfei scratched his head:
"But this path is right on the edge of a cliff, and I'm a little afraid of heights."

Gotok's breath hitched.

No, buddy, you're the faded one and I'm the faded one?
Didn't you choose to come to Stoneville yourself?
Do you expect me to beg you to come in?
Gatok suppressed his anger and forced a twisted smile:

"It's precisely because it's on a cliff that no one knows about it. This way, you can directly infiltrate the city without being discovered."

"Ok."

Lu Mingfei slowly stood up, muttering to himself:

"Anyway, whether I stick my neck out or not, I'll still get stabbed. I can barely call this a triumphant return home. May the Storm King bless me."

Gotok was overjoyed. He could almost hear the runes clinking and jingling as they fell into his purse.

Just as Lu Mingfei was about to leave, he suddenly looked at Gertock with suspicion:
"Wait, why are you helping me?"

Gotok's smile froze on his face.

(End of this chapter)