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

Urged by the gods, Welf reluctantly agreed.

Then, everything changed.

"I can't believe it..."

In Will's view, a vast expanse of scorched earth billowed with black smoke stretched out.

They were on a plain outside the royal capital, Balya.

He held a bright red dagger in his hand, and at that moment, the dagger shattered with a crack.

Fragments of the sword fell at their feet, and the family members who had come with them, along with Will, were all stunned.

This is the result of the test firing of the short sword "Magic Sword" forged by Welf.

"Ugh—ooh oh ...

Countless sparks flew back and forth.

Everything on the plains turned to ashes.

The resurrected "Crozzo's Demon Sword," a symbol of past glory, sparked a frenzied cheer.

Welf, who was present, was also stunned and speechless, staring at the shattered remains of the sword with tears welling up in his eyes.

*

"Welf, you must forge the Demon Sword!!"

Upon returning to the mansion, Welf was surrounded by his entire family.

Relatives they'd never met, their mother, even Will's eyes were bloodshot as they all shouted in unison, "Forge the magic sword!"

Young Welf stood frozen in place.

"You must fulfill Crozo's long-cherished wish and revive the family!! Only your 'Demon Sword' can do it!!"

Standing in front of Welf, Will grabbed his shoulders, revealing a snarling, murderous expression.

He was completely oblivious to the fact that his son's face was contorted in pain, and was only focused on forcing him to produce the "demon sword".

"Wait a minute, please wait a minute... Didn't we agree to forge a weapon to replace 'Krozo's Demon Sword'!?"

"No need! As long as you're here, as long as the 'Demon Sword' is here, Crozo can be reborn!!"

"Dad! No! I don't want to see a sword that will abandon its master after his death... I don't want to see a 'demon sword' destined to shatter!"

"You unfilial son, what nonsense are you spouting?!"

Welf was punched in the cheek and fell to the floor, becoming bewildered and lost.

The man who devoted years of effort to creating a replacement for the "Demon Sword" is no longer here.

There is only one cursed descendant of a demonic swordsmith, possessed by the family's obsession.

"You must restore Crozzo's glory and wealth, Welf! I need you to forge a tool to please the royal family!!"

That cry...

This sentence...

Welf's tightly clenched fist trembled as he absorbed the force emanating from his entire body.

Among the cheering family, only Galon remained silent; Welf looked up at him for help.

Faced with his grandson's unsteady gaze, the grandfather, silent and expressionless to a chilling degree, told him:

"Forge the 'Demon Sword,' Welf."

Suddenly.

Welf lost all his strength.

What followed was a surge of fiery rage.

Disappointment, betrayal, and intense grief and indignation.

On that very day, Welf decided to part ways with his father, grandfather, and the Crozzo family.

*

"Are you leaving home...leaving this country, Welf?"

Late at night, as Welf was quietly packing his bags in his room, Forbes appeared.

"What are you doing here...?"

Welf turned his head and looked at her with his wild, beast-like eyes.

If we really want to get to the bottom of this, it all started with instructions from this goddess.

Although no matter how hard he tried to hide it, it would eventually come out, young Welf couldn't help but resent her.

"It's my fault, I took away your home. I'm sorry, Welf."

"..."

"But if you never know you have this power... no, if you don't accept it, you'll regret it someday... That's why I said that. Hehe, please forgive me."

Forbos looked at the traumatized child with immense pity, his face still bearing his usual wicked smile.

After remaining silent for a while, Welf stopped blaming her and continued packing his bags.

"It's no use trying to stop me."

"I won't stop you. On the contrary, I'll help you."

"……What?"

Welf stopped what he was doing and turned around.

"That's exactly what I said. I'll help you escape abroad."

"What do you mean...?"

"Consider this a little bit of meddling for the adorable child, or you could call it atonement. Besides, how could a little brat like you possibly sneak out of the outer walls of the capital (Barya)?"

Facing the silent Welf, Forbes walked over and said, "Leave it to me." She smiled at him and put her arm around his shoulder in an overly affectionate manner.

Welf didn't understand her divine will (true meaning), but she was right.

Living within the confines of nobility and blacksmithing, the chances of Welf managing to cross the border and pass through checkpoints are extremely slim. Besides, the overjoyed family has probably already told the royal capital that they can forge "Krozo's Demon Sword".

If they wanted to leave the country, they had no choice but to seek help from Forbes.

"And Welf, bring the 'Demon Sword' with you too."

"No, I don't want that kind of weapon—"

"How do you know what will happen? Think of it as insurance. In times like these, let's listen to the gods, okay?"

He crafted two "magic swords".

One was used for test firing, and the other was presented to the royal family.

"Wouldn't you feel uncomfortable if your first creation was used without permission, or if you kept it and gave it away for nothing?" she said.

After being persuaded by Forbes, Welf looked unhappy, but still reluctantly nodded.

"I'll use my connections to help you pass the check. Let's do it tomorrow, okay?"

Welf had no idea what she was thinking of doing on a whim.

But he felt he could believe what this "bad friend" in front of him said.

"good……"

Welf nodded and listened as Forbes explained the whole plan.

*

"Have you heard, Mardin? Someone in the Crozo family has appeared who can forge a 'magic sword'!"

In the throne room on the highest floor of the royal city.

After receiving Will's idol Ares, he burst into loud laughter, "Hahahaha!"

"But Ares and the Crozo family are still cursed by the 'fairy spirits'. Even if they can maintain their original form now, they might malfunction on the spot as soon as they go into battle... I think they must be defective."

"Hmm, that makes sense. Okay, then let's not get our hopes up too high!"

At the suggestion of the aging king, Ares, clad in armor and swaying his lion-like golden hair, immediately nodded in agreement.

Prince Marius secretly watched the two laughing together leisurely and felt extremely annoyed.

As if to take on their burdens, he summoned spies who served as "eyes and ears."

"What about Crozier's intelligence?"

"Reporting to you, sir... the creator of the 'Demon Sword' appears to be Welf Crozzo, the eldest son of the current head of the family."

"Wilf Crozzo...it's him."

After listening to the report from his trusted subordinate, the clever prince recalled the banquet from a year ago.

She recalled the eyes of the red-haired boy who, despite their different eye colors, possessed a radiance similar to her own—a face that seemed to question his own existence.

"...Let's deploy some manpower first. Send knights to guard the gate."

*

"Damn it!?"

It was raining heavily in the dark night, with dark clouds covering the sky.

Wearing a travel robe, Welf ran across the city's main avenue, trying to escape the incessant sirens.

The capital city of Balja was surrounded by a total of four outer walls.

These massive walls, separating the royal family from the nobles, soldiers, and commoners, were passed through by Welf under the arrangement of the goddess (Phobos), but he was discovered by soldiers at the outer gate of the third wall.

The checks conducted here are far more thorough than usual.

"Damn it, what's going on...!"

He barely managed to break through the checkpoint with the power of his [ability value] and rushed through the city in the rain.

Welf ran on, panting heavily.

The short sword hanging at his waist clanged incessantly, to the point of being ear-piercing.

Just as he was about to reach the last outer wall, he saw a tightly closed iron gate, and—

"Stop right there!"

—Knight!

The sight of three men in armor made Welf's eyes widen.

That was a Lv.2 knight whom the kingdom was proud of.

He is a weapon expert who is a level above Welf in terms of skill, and Welf is currently in a position to be no match for him.

As the knights drew their swords in warning, the boy frowned and reached for the hilt of his short sword.

He charged straight toward the knight and the iron gate, drawing his scarlet sword.

Then, he swung his sword.

"Flame Blossom—!!"

He wielded the power of this "demon sword".

"────────────"

The knights, who were on high alert, and Welf himself, who had unleashed his power, watched the scene as if time had stood still.

What it unleashed was a raging torrent of flames.

The flaming jaws swallowed the door along with the knight who stood frozen in place, roaring like thunder.

The fireball exploded.

There was a loud bang.

Then the object shattered and scattered.

Flames roared through the city in the dead of night, and the screams of the restless crowd echoed through every gap in the rainy night.