Volume 1: The Foundation of the Abandoned
Chapter 4: The Crimson Contract (Part 2)
When Ren and Suzuka stepped out of the cabin, the sun was high in the sky.
The reaction from the village was instantaneous.
Mogs, the massive Iron-Skin Goblin, was sharpening a wooden stake near the fire pit. When he saw Suzuka, he dropped the wood. His lizard-like eyes widened, and his nostrils flared.
"That aura..." Mogs rumbled, standing up. "It is oppressive."
The other High Goblins stopped their sparring. They could feel it too. Before, the Red Ogre was a wild beast—dangerous, but chaotic. Now, the woman standing next to Ren was a refined blade. Her single black horn absorbed the sunlight, and her scarlet hair flowed like a cape of blood.
She didn't look like a stray anymore. She looked like a Queen.
"My Lord," Mogs bowed low, his voice trembling with respect. "You have performed another miracle."
Ren waved his hand dismissively. "Stop bowing, Mogs. You'll hurt your back. We have work to do."
Ren walked to the center of the clearing and crossed his arms. He looked at his new "army."
They were physically impressive. Mogs looked like a tank. Pip moved so fast he was a blur. The others were tall and muscular.
But then Ren looked at their hands.
Mogs was holding a sharpened stick.
Pip was holding a rusty kitchen knife he found in a trash heap.
Suzuka was dragging her massive, chipped Greatsword that looked more like a blunt club than a blade.
"This is pathetic," Ren sighed. "We look like a group of bandits who robbed a junkyard. We have S-Rank bodies and F-Rank gear."
Suzuka bristled slightly, gripping her chipped sword. "This blade has served me well. It crushed many skulls in the arena."
"It 'crushed' them because it's blunt," Ren pointed out. "Show me."
Suzuka hesitated, then handed the massive weapon to Ren.
Ren almost dropped it. It weighed at least 200 pounds. It was just a slab of raw iron, rusted, pitted, and cracked in three places.
"S.U.G.A.," Ren muttered. "Scan this garbage."
[Analysis: 'Nameless Greatsword'. Composition: Low-quality Iron (80%), Rust (15%), Dried Blood (5%). Durability: 2/100. Verdict: It is a miracle this weapon has not shattered. It is offensive to my sensors.]
"See?" Ren looked at Suzuka. "If you swing this full force with your new Oni strength, it will explode in your hands. You need something real."
Ren turned to Mogs. "Mogs! Bring me the remains of the Iron-Hide Boar. Specifically the tusks and the spine."
Mogs nodded enthusiastically. "At once, My Lord!"
Ten minutes later, a pile of materials sat before Ren.
Two massive ivory tusks from the Boar.
The spinal cord (rich in mana).
Suzuka's old rusty sword.
The entire village gathered around to watch. They had seen Ren change living bodies, but they had never seen him craft dead matter.
Ren cracked his knuckles. "Okay. Suzuka, what kind of weapon do you prefer? That heavy slab is too slow for your new form. You're faster now."
Suzuka thought for a moment. She moved her arm, testing her new agility. "I... I want something sharp. Something that can cut, not just crush. But I still want reach."
"A Katana," Ren nodded. "Or rather, an Odachi (Great Katana). Long reach, cutting edge, but light enough to dance with."
Ren placed his hands on the materials.
"S.U.G.A., initiate [Material Synthesis]. Design: Odachi. Base Material: Iron Boar Tusk (for hardness). Core: Boar Spine (for mana conductivity). Coating: Recycled Iron (for the edge)."
[Blueprint Confirmed. Initiating Forge Protocol.]
VRRRRRMM.
Purple sparks exploded from Ren's hands.
The Goblins gasped. It wasn't like a blacksmith hammering hot metal. It was like watching time speed up.
The rusty Greatsword liquefied, the rust separating and falling away like black dust. The pure iron floated in the air, glowing molten orange.
The Boar Tusks cracked and unraveled, weaving themselves into a long, curved white core.
The spinal cord dissolved into a blue liquid, infusing the blade with magic.
Ren's eyes glowed purple. He felt the materials responding to his will. Sharper, he commanded. Harder. Lighter.
The materials slammed together with a ringing sound like a bell.
Clang!
The light faded.
Floating in front of Ren was a masterpiece.
It was a sword over five feet long, but slender and curved. The blade wasn't silver; it was a gleaming bone-white with a crimson edge where the iron had fused. The hilt was wrapped in the black leather of the boar's hide.
It hummed with a low, menacing vibration.
[Synthesis Complete. Item Created: 'The White Fang'. Rarity: Unique (B-Rank). Attributes: Armor Piercing, Blood Absorption. Maker: Ren.]
Ren grabbed the hilt. It was perfectly balanced.
"Here," Ren tossed it to Suzuka.
She caught it effortlessly. Her eyes went wide. "It... it weighs nothing compared to the old one."
"It weighs forty pounds," Ren corrected. "But it's balanced. Give it a swing."
Suzuka turned toward a large boulder near the camp entrance—a rock the size of a car.
She took a breath. Her golden eyes narrowed. She didn't grunt or scream. She simply drew the blade in a blur of motion.
Shing.
A single flash of white light.
Suzuka sheathed the blade with a soft click.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then, the top half of the boulder slowly slid off the bottom half. The cut was perfectly smooth, polished like a mirror.
"..."
The camp was silent.
Pip's jaw was on the floor. Mogs was trembling with excitement.
Suzuka looked at the rock, then at the sword, and finally at Ren. Her face was flushed with an emotion that wasn't just gratitude—it was awe.
"This is..." Suzuka stammered. "A weapon fit for a General. You made this... from trash?"
"I told you," Ren smirked, leaning against a tree. "I don't make trash. I make treasures. Now, Mogs! You're next. Let's make you a shield."
The goblins cheered, their voices echoing across the wasteland.
[Notification: Morale is at 200%. Loyalty is Maxed. Warning: Nearby monsters may have heard the cheering. Prepare for company.]
Ren ignored the warning for a moment. He looked at his people—armed, fed, and happy.
"Yeah," Ren whispered to himself. "I could get used to this."
End of Chapter 4 (Part 2).