Chapter 131: New Weapons
A loud voice suddenly echoed across the forest.
"EDGAR ATREUS!"
The shout came from the largest wagon at the front of the convoy.
A heavily armored man stood on top of it, holding the Northern Sect banner in one hand.
"You have one final chance!"
His voice carried across the entire Fortress.
"Surrender the Fortress, hand over the territory, and submit yourself to the authority of the Northern Sect!"
He raised his voice even further.
"If you refuse, we will consider you an enemy of the Sect and eliminate everyone inside these walls!"
The man’s words echoed through the forest as Edgar stood silently atop the Fortress Wall.
His expression remained completely calm as he looked down at the approaching army.
"...They really came prepared."
The Northern Sect soldiers had already begun establishing a temporary camp.
Several large tents were quickly erected around the Fortress.
More soldiers carried stones and wooden stakes, creating defensive positions around the camp.
Most importantly, they were carefully positioning themselves outside the attack range of the ⟨Watch Tower⟩.
Several ⟨Unbroken Fire⟩ platforms were also constructed around their camp.
The one who was doing all this was a familiar face that looked inherently evil.
’...Mord.’
The previous clan leader of the Yamhad Clan.
The golden flames pushed back the grey-black fog that covered the area around the Fortress.
Edgar quietly observed their preparations, which were much more thorough than before.
’They’re not stupid.’
They had clearly studied the Fortress before coming here.
They knew about the Watch Tower and how to avoid being targeted by it.
And judging from their preparations, they were planning to stay here for a long time if necessary.
Gordon walked back and forth to get a clear look at his enemies. "My lord, should we attack them now?"
Edgar shook his head. "Not yet."
Gordon frowned slightly. "They’re still setting up their camp. Wouldn’t it be better to attack before they complete their preparations?"
"It’s not the best time to attack, Gordon." Edgar continued watching the soldiers. "We’ll wait until the Eternal Night arrives."
Gordon immediately understood, and he couldn’t help but feel helpless.
Edgar stared at the soldiers that were unfolding the tents. "They are in for a surprise at night."
The veteran remained silent for a moment before asking another question. "Do you plan on not using the soldiers again?"
Edgar glanced toward him. "No."
Gordon didn’t seem surprised, but his disappointment was still evident on his face. "...You don’t?"
Edgar shook his head.
"I want to keep our soldiers safe for as long as possible." He looked toward the Fortress below. "These people are important. Every trained soldier we lose is something that will take years to replace."
Gordon slowly nodded without looking at him.
Edgar walked past him before stopping and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Keep watching them." His expression became slightly more serious. "Don’t let anyone get close enough to learn something they shouldn’t."
Gordon immediately bowed his head. "I understand, my lord."
Edgar nodded before walking down from the Fortress Wall.
---
The blonde boy soon arrived at the Smithing House.
The familiar sound of metal striking metal echoed from inside.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Edgar stepped through the entrance and immediately found Steven standing beside the refining furnace.
The old blacksmith looked tired, but there was a satisfied smile on his face.
"My lord." Steven wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Things are going well."
He pointed toward several piles of refined metal. "The new Smithing House has already increased our production considerably."
Edgar looked around the workshop.
Workers whose main job was to bring dead Nightmare bodies in moved between furnaces while others carried refined metal toward the storage area.
Steven continued speaking. "You should focus on what’s ahead instead of worrying about every little thing here."
Edgar glanced toward him. For some reason, the words caught his attention.
’Is he trying to tell me that I don’t have to handle everything myself?’
A faint smile appeared on Edgar’s face.
"You’re right." He paused before adding something else.
"I’ve found some people who are also experienced with refining and metalworking."
Steven raised an eyebrow. "More workers?"
"...Kind of. But I can’t bring them here for now." Edgar said in a soft voice. "They’ll eventually join us."
His gaze shifted toward the mountains of ore. "For now, our priority should be getting as much iron as possible."
Steven’s eyes immediately became interested. "How much are we talking about?"
"As much as we can produce."
The old blacksmith stared at him for several seconds. "That sounds like an enormous amount."
Edgar simply smiled without giving him a clear answer.
Steven crossed his arms. "What exactly are you planning to build with all that iron?"
Edgar’s smile widened slightly. "You’ll find out soon enough."
The old blacksmith looked at him suspiciously but didn’t press the matter.
Instead, he turned around. "Come with me."
Edgar followed him deeper into the workshop.
The farther they walked, the heavier the air became.
The heat from the furnaces filled the room.
Eventually, Steven stopped beside a large stone wall.
He reached toward a wooden mechanism and pulled it aside.
A hidden section of the wall slowly opened.
Edgar’s eyes widened slightly as behind it were four enormous weapons.
Each one had the same basic design as the prototype Sword-Club he had previously approved.
However, these were much more refined, with the blades broad and heavy.
The opposite ends were shaped like enormous clubs covered in reinforced ridges.
Four weapons stood silently against the wall like four sleeping beasts.
Edgar’s eyes immediately lit up. "...You’ve already made them."
Steven smiled proudly. "Four prototypes."
Edgar stepped closer as he summoned his Invisible Sage Hands.
The four massive weapons immediately floated into the air.
Slowly, Edgar began moving them around himself.
But because the place was really congested, he couldn’t use them properly.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
The sound of displaced air echoed through the workshop as Edgar carefully tested their balance, weight, and movement.
A satisfied smile gradually appeared on his face. "...Perfect."
Steven’s expression brightened. Getting praised for something he had put all his effort into was nice.
Edgar looked toward the four weapons.
"I need to try this."
The weapons floated behind him as he walked toward the exit.
Several workers hurriedly stepped aside when they saw the enormous Sword-Clubs following their lord.
Edgar walked outside the Smithing House.
His gaze shifted toward the distant forest where the Northern Sect army had established its camp.
’I will need to deal with them as quickly as possible.’
He let out a sigh and moved to an empty area to practice with his new weapons.