Dawn continued on with confident strides through the busy crowd of red giants.
It did not take long for him to find the next blacksmith.
Frankly, his shop stood out from the rest.
It was old and unkept, with vines all over, coloring the building a mix between red and green.
The wood it was made of was rotting and the once red paint that used to cover it has almost compleatly disappeared.
The owner of this run-down smithy was an old man.
He was bald and had a long, unkept white beard on his wrinkly face.
However his nost prominant feature was a scar that ran from his right eye to his left, making him blind.
From what Dawn gathered, he rarely took requests and did not interact with others much.
He earned just enough to make ends meet and once he was done with his work he spent most of his time on a bench infront of his shop.
Dawn approached the old oni.
Beside him was a book that had no name on it, while in his mouth was a pipe filled with tobacco.
As he blew the smoke from his mouth he looked up at Dawn with an indifferant face.
Without saying a word Dawn sat down beside the old man.
Dawn raised his arm and put it inside his coat.
From his coat he pulled out a metal flask.
With the sound of metal grinding he unskrewed the top and drank from it.
The smell from the flask hit the old oni's nose who's eyes widened.
He turned towards Dawn with a surprised face.
"How did you get that?" He asked.
But instead of answearing Dawn held the flask out for the old man.
Without much hesitation the old oni took the flask and drank from it aswell.
Just as he thought.
"Barbossa whisky. An almost ancient brand. Guess you really are a berserker."
"I am."
"Where did you find it?"
"Inside the matriarch's mansion. The fools have never seen a barrel in their lives and were using it as a decoration, thinking it was some kind of table."
Hearing this the old oni burst out laughing.
His voice was rusty, as if listening to an engine that has ran for a long time and was about to fail.
But that was not all, Dawn could hear the creeking of his bones, the sound of his lungs expanding to fill with air and he could also hear that each time he exhaled his next breath was ever so smaller than the last.
"Hah! They are fools indeed. All that storage crystal bullshit ruins alcohol."
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Dawn said as he took another shot from the flask before closing it.
They sat on the bench in silance for 30 minutes straight.
They watched the people pass by with a straight face.
It was a rare moment, where two ancient beings enjoyed the same thing in differant ways.
"I cannot help you berserker. I do not accept requests and I lost my eyesight long ago."
"Do not lie. No matter how many times you try to get rid of them they will always grow back. I only ask for an axe."
"In your hands, that axe will be drenched in blood. I made a vow. I vowed to never see again and to never make a weapon after the 7th legion was disbanded."
"Your vow serves no purpose other then causing suffering to yourself. A foolish choice." Said Dawn while crossing his arms.
"That maybe so, but I did not regret it. And never will."
With each passing minute Dawn grew more and more annoyed at the old man's responses.
His frustration was apperant in his voice.
"The last thing you saw with your eyes was our downfall. You cut your eyes at the start of each day as a tribute to a thing of the past and to a leader who dosen't deserve it. If people knew who you were, that you served alongside us, even almost joining us as a berserker-!"
"My people would look up to me." The old oni interrupted.
"Know the weight behind my deeds. Understand that it was not my fault. Can you say the same?"
Dawn's eyes twitched.
"We are all part of the same people. Our beginning is the same."
"That maybe so, but our future will be seperate."
Dawn turned his head towards the oni.
"The world is a differant place now. The war has ended and there is nothing that can keep us united."
A bitter smile appeared on the oni's face.
"It is funny don't you think? Mankind can only ever truely unite, drop all forms of pride and grudge, when we face annihilation. And after that? We continue where we left off."
Dawn fell silent after that.
Noticing this the old oni smiled.
"I made peace with my demons. I accepted that what has happened was fated to happen. Unlike you who still runs from it. You who still runs from their people will never know peace."
Without saying a word Dawn stood up from the bench.
His face did not show how he felt inside, but his clenched fists definitely did.
Before leaving however, Dawn turned around and knelt before the blind old man.
He then took his right hand and placed it on to his face.
While he could no longer see, the old man developed the ability to recognise people by the shape of their faces.
A simple touch was all he required to recognise people.
It was then that the previously calm oni's face slowly filled with dread and fear.
His entier body began shaking uncontrollably, like a cornered mouse that was about to be devoured by a cat.
It took the oni exacly 3 seaconds to realize who the person before him was.
A dreaded memory came to life inside his mind, something he thought he has long forgotten.
It was then that Dawn stood up and leaned in to whisper in to the old oni's ear.
"Maybe our demons are not the same."
With those words Dawn stood up and left the shaking oni.
It did not take long for Dawn to reach the final blacksmith he deemed worthy enough to make him a weapon.
Dawn hoped he didn't have to come here.
After all, his first impression of this person was not positive.
But if he wanted a weapon that was relaible he must set aside his distain.
Out of every smithy in the district this was the only one that was closed and its owner was nowhere to be seen.
Dawn however, could hear the the sound of loud gulping and sobbing from inside.
Dawn opened the door that led to the inner part of the workshop.
The oni inside jumped up at the sight of him.
His large belly bounced up and down as tears and snot travelled down his face.
It was the boulbus oni who almost killed his adopted daughter.
Dawn scanned him from top to bottom.
His clothes were rugged and emitted an unpleasent smell.
His hair was greasy and small patches of facial hair grew on his face.
It was clear he has been drowning himself in alcohol for the past few days.
A misirable sight.
For a seacond Dawn thought he had made a mistake by coming here.
But the weapons that were hung up on the walls proved the contrary.
Their designs were simple and there were no engravings or decorations on them, but they were made from high quality materials which were difficult to handle properly.
Suddenly a loud thud rang out as the bolbus oni dropped back to the floor.
He was so drunk he couldn't properly stand.
Tears began trailing fown his cheecks.
To show such a sight to the mighty being infront of him.
He wished he was dead.
Dawn however could not pity the man.
He has brought this on himself.
"I have come for a weapon. Can you provide me with one?" Dawn said.
His voice was like a cold splash of water for the boulbus oni.
He tried to stand up once again but his legs were weak.
In the end his supported himself with an old sword that was nearby.
"What kind?" He asked.
"An axe."
Hearing this the oni's eyes lit up for a moment he then nodded silantly and began limping towards a a seemingly ordinary part of the smithy.
It was a corner where a barrel full of weapons stood.
The oni grabbed the barrel and threw it away.
The sounds of the weapons falling to the floor reached the ears of those outside who began whispering about what might be happening inside.
With the corner cleared the oni threw away the sword ge used tonsupport himself and crouched down.
He then removed a wooden plank from the floor.
Below it was a small space.
The oni reached down in to it and grabbed something heavy.
With several grunts he pulled up a large box.
The box was so heavy infact, he had to use both of his hands just to lift it.
Once the box was out he placed it beside him on the floor.
He then placed the wooden plank back to its place.
The box had an ordinary apperance.
No symbols or deorations could be seen on it.
With a clank the oni opened the box which revealed an axe wrapped in cloth.
With great care the oni picked up the axe and stood up.
He then walked up to Dawn and reached it out for him.
Dawn looked at the axe for a seacond before accepting it.
He then began removing the cloth that covered the weapon.
Once removed, even Dawn was shocked by what he saw.
A rune axe.
And not an ordinary one at that.
Dawn was not a smart person.
He didn't have the time nor the desire to study in some library.
But what he was good at was remembering.
Experience was his greatest advantage.
Something he has been gathering for more then a hundred years.
He could recall even the smalles details from a distant memory on a whim.
This weapon was forged inside Kaon, the base of the 7th legion.
This was a berserker's weapon.
Dawn immidietly tried to shove the axe back in to the chest, but the boulbus oni closed it, then kicked it away.
"I insist."
"No, you are not thinking straight. This is proof that your the descendent of a berserker. I will not take it away from you."
"I've got no use for it. My warrior days are behind me."
"Then I take it you have learned nothing."
With that said Dawn shoved the axe in to the oni's hands.
"It is not about you!"
Dawn then grabbed the oni by his shirt.
"In these past few days you have done nothing, but wallow in self pity and drink to ease your pain!"
Dawn then let go of the oni who stumbled back.
His disgust has reached its breaking point.
He could no longer stay here or he might kill the ignorant fool.
"Face your daughter before it is too late. Otherwise you will regret it."
Dawn then turned around and walked away.