Chapter 500
Before dawn, in the deep hours of the night, Jang Taebo, who had followed along with a grim expression, changed the moment he saw the remains of the Water Dragon.
“Ohh, ohh…”
What a dramatic shift in attitude.
Jang Taebo, who had been trembling like a kindergarten child needing to use the restroom, threw himself among the mountain of bones and scales.
“Ohh, this texture! This color!”
His unfocused eyes and trembling voice, his hands caressing the scales and stroking the bones, betrayed an excitement and joy he could not conceal.
“I could die buried in this and be happy! No, I ‘want’ to die!”
“Retrieve the old man! The remains are about to collapse!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
The warriors of the True Dragon Squad, who had been staring blankly at the massive remains of the creature, rushed forward and pulled Jang Taebo out.
Only then did the old master craftsman regain his senses, his moist eyes turning toward me.
“So everything you said was true.”
“It sounds crazy, but every word of it is real.”
“I thought I had handled everything from meteoric iron that fell from the heavens to ten-thousand-year cold iron without regret, but….”
Jang Taebo wiped his eyes with a choked expression. Controlling his emotions, he sniffled before suddenly grabbing my shoulder.
“Thank you. I can die without regrets now.”
I met Jang Taebo’s gaze with warmth.
“Don’t say such things. You should live a long, healthy life. Eat things that are good for your health, too.”
“You brat…”
“You still have to pour your remaining strength and lifespan into the forge. Where do you think you’re running off to?”
“You brat…!”
The same words, but with a different feeling.
Since I had worked hard to secure such a high-quality laborer, I needed to make sure he was put to good use. Occasionally giving him rewards, but also making sure someone else wielded the whip.
“Hah, no matter how many times I look, this is astonishing. And the sheer quantity is overwhelming.”
“Ah, the whip-wielder has arrived.”
“Hm? What was that, youngest?”
“Nothing, big brother.”
Jin Wi-gyeong tilted his head before letting out a hearty laugh and clapping Jang Taebo on the back.
“What do you think, Master Jang? Isn’t this an incredible sight?”
“Master… Jang?”
“Haha, of course. You’ve become the Iron Cavalry Hall Master of the main house, so it’s only natural. Now, share your insights with us.”
Reality slowly set in, and Jang Taebo, now aware of his position, answered with a dark expression.
“Sigh, there’s no need for words. Even in the Iron Cavalry Workshop, where the greatest craftsmen and the finest materials of the world gather, I have never seen such a sight.”
“So, can you do it?”
“There’s no guaranteeing anything until I try. However…”
Jang Taebo carefully examined the mountain of remains with a serious gaze before continuing.
“The bones have an incredible hardness, surpassing meteoric iron, though not quite reaching the level of ten-thousand-year cold iron. They should be quite workable.”
“What about the hide and scales?”
“I’ve made more armor than I can count in my youth. Though the materials weren’t from a Water Dragon… I will give it a try.”
“Ohh.”
“With this amount, we could arm not only the Taewon Jin family but even the entire main house’s warriors. You should expect a few failures at first, but I trust you will be patient.”
“That goes without saying.”
As a craftsman, Jang Taebo held a status in the martial world comparable to, if not greater than, a Three Star-ranked warrior.
Hearing the firm confidence in his voice, which was grounded in experience rather than arrogance, Jin Wi-gyeong’s face brightened.
“I’ve heard that only the greatest craftsmen of their generation can become the Hall Master of the Iron Cavalry Workshop. I trust you completely, Master Jang. If you need anything, just say the word.”
“Then, grant me skilled craftsmen, Young Lord.”
“Craftsmen?”
“I know there are skilled artisans within the main house. If I teach them, they may not become the pillars that hold up the family, but at the very least, they’ll be strong support beams. However…”
“It will take considerable time, won’t it?”
“That’s right. I may be holed up in my forge most of the time, but I still have ears and eyes. I know what’s happening across the world. Even the craftsmen I keep in touch with tell me that weapon orders have surged.”
The war had already begun.
From the scattered minor sects to the Nine Great Sects, everyone was preparing weapons for the approaching storm, and the flames of the forges would not die down until the war was over.
In today’s world, it wasn’t just the flames of war that were burning fiercely.
“Time is short, Young Lord.”
Jin Wi-gyeong, who had been silently looking up at the sky, suddenly spoke.
“Master Jang, how many years have you been doing this?”
“Since I was shorter than your sword, Young Lord. I have dedicated my life to it.”
“Then you must have had many comrades over the years.”
“There’s no need to say it. Each of them is a master in their own field.”
“Send messenger hawks to every single one of them. No matter the cost, I want them here.”
“Everyone has something they treasure more than wealth. For an old craftsman like me, the body of this Water Dragon is worth more than a fortune.”
Jang Taebo took a step back and respectfully clasped his hands toward Jin Wi-gyeong.
“I, Jang Taebo, Iron Cavalry Hall Master of the Taewon Jin family, accept the Young Lord’s command.”
Before anyone realized it, the darkness had retreated, and a new day had dawned. The light spreading from the east resembled the flames of a forge, and the True Dragon Squad warriors, swiftly transporting the Water Dragon’s remains, moved like hammer strikes against an anvil.
—
While fifty warriors of the True Dragon Squad, under the meticulous command of Wi Paeng and Jang Taebo, transported the Water Dragon’s remains, Jin Wi-gyeong and I returned to where we were supposed to be—only to be met by a very excited Zhuge Pung.
“I did it! I actually did it!”
There was no trace of the dignity a family head should possess in the way he jumped like an overjoyed child.
However, once I saw the results, I had no choice but to nod in approval.
‘He’s completely sealed off the magic.’
Unlike before, not even the slightest trace of magic leaked from the massive rift—no, the gate.
Even the animals left behind for observation, such as dogs, pigs, and fish, only showed brief interest before returning to their usual behavior.
“You’ve truly done it, Grandmaster Zhuge.”
Hearing Jin Wi-gyeong’s words, Zhuge Pung’s exhausted face brightened into a broad grin.
“Of course, I did. Not even the legendary Zhuge Wu-hou himself could have pulled this off! Now that I think about it, he was knowledgeable in mechanical formations as well, yet in the end, he got utterly trampled by Wei—”
“F-Family Head!”
“What? It’s the truth! If he were a truly wise minister who cared for the people, he wouldn’t have written a memorial to the Emperor—he would have resigned and taken the throne himself—”
“Family Head, have you lost your mind?!”
“No, Uncle. Did I say anything incorrect?”
The Zhuge family is a complete mess.
While his relatives fumed at his words, Zhuge Pung, beaming with confidence, continued his speech.
“So, what do you think of the Demon-Sealing Formation now that you’ve seen it with your own eyes?”
“Demon-Sealing Formation?”
Zhuge Pung nodded in satisfaction.
“I personally named it. A formation that seals demonic power—fitting, isn’t it?”
Demon-Sealing Formation… Considering the nature of the power it’s meant to contain, no name could be more appropriate.
In the end, the name of the formation didn’t matter. As long as it worked, that was all that counted.
As I carefully examined the Demon-Sealing Formation, Jin Wi-gyeong leaned in and whispered.
“What do you think?”
“About what?”
“Can you tell how it works just by looking?”
The formations of the martial world are essentially the same as modern magic circles.
Even as a hunter, I was never well-versed in magic, so there was no way I could analyze a formation just by looking at it.
At most, I could sense the flow of energy running through the formation.
‘It seems to be drawing in the natural energy of the world to suppress the magic… The principle is similar to a magic circle.’
However, compared to modern magic circles, the formations of the martial world were far fewer in number and much weaker.
The reason was obvious—the martial world revered martial prowess above all else.
‘Still, this is far better and faster than I expected.’
The natural energy flowing through the Demon-Sealing Formation was more than enough to completely suppress the magic leaking from the gate. For now, this was the best solution.
After thoroughly inspecting the formation, I turned to Zhuge Pung.
“How long will this Demon-Sealing Formation last?”
“Have you ever seen the Yangtze River run dry?”
“Ah.”
“As long as it continues to draw in the surrounding energy, the Demon-Sealing Formation will remain active—assuming my theory holds true.”
“And if your theory turns out to be wrong?”
“Me? Wrong? You might as well claim Zhuge Wu-hou was an idiot.”
‘Clang!’
“You insolent fool, Zhuge Pung!”
“Stop, Great Uncle! Put the sword down!”
“Someone, shut the Family Head’s mouth!”
The atmosphere turned bloodthirsty in an instant.
Before a true bloodbath could erupt, I hurriedly addressed Zhuge Pung, who was fending off his own relatives.
“Then, can this be replicated?”
“…Huh?”
“Hmm?”
“What did you say?”
I enunciated clearly for the stunned Zhuge family members.
“Can we install this formation again? Dozens, hundreds of times?”
“…”
“…”
The air suddenly turned icy.
Zhuge Pung, who had been caught by the collar by an elderly man, straightened his clothes and turned to me with a grave expression. His eyes darkened, and his voice lowered.
“I’m suddenly curious… What does the Divine Dragon think of all this?”
I let out a bitter sigh.
“You already know the answer, Grandmaster Zhuge.”
“I do. Once something happens once, it can happen ten, a hundred times over.”
“Then we share the same thoughts.”
“I wasn’t as certain as you are. I was merely considering all possible scenarios.”
A sharp glint flashed in Zhuge Pung’s eyes.
“What makes you so sure this will keep happening? What evidence do you have to be so confident?”
There’s plenty of evidence. I just can’t say it.
On the day Zhuge Pung was born, his family must have rejoiced.
But on the day I was born, the entire human race celebrated.
Because on that day, the Demon King Asmodeus fell, and the long, grueling Great Cataclysm finally ended.
Even after all these years, the modern world still had gates. And new ones continued to appear.
No matter how sturdy a dam is, once a crack forms, it’s only a matter of time before it collapses.
And right now, the martial world is that dam.
‘I can’t just say all this outright, though.’
In the end, my answer was already decided.
“I saw it firsthand through the memories left behind by the Water Dragon. Dark Heaven planned this from the very beginning. This was intentional.”