471
[Forging Blueprint: Ashbringer]
Old Stark fell silent.
Anton Vanke stared at him for a moment, then ripped the list in his hand, exclaiming angrily, "Howard Stark, you hypocrite, thief!"
"Bang!" He turned and slammed the office door shut.
Night fell.
Anton Vanko sat alone in the bar, pouring himself another drink. His disheveled appearance, lost expression, and the smell of alcohol made him resemble a homeless man even more.
"Give me another bottle!" he gruffly demanded of the bartender, his rough voice and thick Russian accent drawing unfriendly glances from others.
"Sir, you've had quite a bit. Could you settle your bill first?" The bartender questioned whether this seemingly destitute man could pay.
Anton mumbled something incoherent, fumbling to find his wallet to pay up.
But to his dismay, his wallet was missing—lost or stolen somewhere along the way. He had no money to cover the bill.
The realization sobered him up considerably. "Sorry... I seem to have lost my wallet."
"What?" The bartender's tone turned hostile.
Anton hurriedly explained, "I work at Stark Industries. I'll have the money to pay you, but my wallet's really gone."
"He looks like a bum!" someone remarked.
"He's a refugee from the Soviet Union. That accent—afraid he might start yelling 'Ulla' any moment."
"Poor guy, probably tasting wine for the first time! Haha!"
The bartender grabbed Anton's collar. "Do you have any money?"
Anton, thin and weakened from years in the lab, was taken aback by the sudden aggression, unable to respond.
Just then, a man in black intervened, offering, "His tab's on me. How much is it?"
"Nine dollars and fifteen cents."
The man settled the bill for Anton, then led him out of the bar.
"Thank you." Anton sat on the ground, catching his breath, the alcohol still coursing through his veins.
"Are you Anton Vanko?" the man in black asked.
Anton was surprised. "You know me?"
The man smiled faintly. "I not only know you, but I also know you're the true inventor of the Arc Reactor, a brilliant physicist and engineer. Howard Stark pales in comparison."
Anton felt a flicker of gratitude. "Thank you..."
The man was adept at conversation. They talked like old friends as they walked away.
"Vanko, do you want to stay at Stark Industries, where you're not respected?" he asked suddenly.
Anton fell silent, grappling with the question.
"I can introduce you to people who recognize your talents beyond mortal limitations," the man continued cryptically.
"Who?"
"People from abroad." That was all the man said, but it carried significant implications that left Anton deep in thought.
Many of Stark Industries' projects were linked to U.S. defense, involving technologies strictly restricted from foreign access. As a key technician behind the Arc Reactor, any private dealings with foreigners could brand him a traitor, a spy.
Yet, recent events at Stark Industries left him bitter and disillusioned. Maybe he'd had enough.
Betrayal wasn't new to Anton Vanko. He'd faced moral dilemmas before.
One betrayal, then another. In the end, this one seemed inevitable.
But betraying the U.S. after betraying the Soviet Union was a foolish decision.
It would haunt Anton for years, rendering him unwelcome in any country, drifting and wandering.
Only with the Soviet Union's collapse did he find refuge in Russia, living out his days in poverty alongside his son, Ivan Vanko...
---
In the training grounds of the Silver Northern Expedition's trial field, behind Forseti, wings of holy light fluttered, dodging Tirion Fordring's relentless assault.
With his unique Holy Shield technique, the indomitable old Fording swung the Ashbringer, each strike emitting vast waves of holy light that crisscrossed the sky.
Though he had faced this challenge numerous times, Forseti still felt the thrill of evading these golden torrents of holy light.
As the seconds ticked by—fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine...
Just one second more!
Forseti almost smiled, but then Tirion Fordring shouted, "Supreme Holy Light - imbibe!"
Before the words were fully uttered, he lunged at Forseti, the sharp edge of Ashbringer nearly upon him!
Swish!
Reacting swiftly, Forseti summoned his Holy Light Shield, and the Ashbringer's blow crashed against it.
"Boom!"
With a resounding impact, the Holy Light Shield shattered, throwing Forseti to the ground, pain shooting through his entire body, making it almost impossible to rise.
Was this a success or failure?
Gasping for breath, Forseti climbed out of the deep pit, staring at Tirion Fordring nearby.
"You've passed the trial, knight." Tirion Fordring smiled approvingly, presenting the Ashbringer. "It is now yours. May you carry out the will of the Holy Light and become a worthy leader of paladins."
Forseti accepted the Ashbringer with excitement, and as he touched it, the weapon merged seamlessly into the Holy tome in his hand, adding new content.
[Forging Blueprint: Ashbringer]
[Item Level: Level 10]
[Main Materials: Holy Originium Bar, Eternal Holy Light Crystal, Leader's Will]
[Description: Sword of the Paladin Leader!]
Forseti carefully studied the forging blueprint's material requirements, lost in thought.
Among them, the Leader's Will was the simplest, embodied in the [Glyph: Will of the Leader] acquired after conquering Fording.
The Eternal Holy Light Crystal, a condensed form of holy light, could be crafted once he mastered the Holy Light Condensation technique—only a matter of time.
To sanctify the Elementium Ingot, starting with an Elementium Ingot, a high-level alloy of Arcanite and Vibranium, precise matching was crucial—a challenge that furrowed Forseti's brow.
Aside from the Ashbringer's forging blueprint, the Holy Pledge contained three other items.
One was the Glyph of the Leader's Will, and the others were the Lich King's Experience Tome and Tirion Fordring's Friendship.
Forseti examined Fordring's Friendship closely.
[Tirion Fordring's Friendship: When facing level 9 and higher challenges, summon Tirion Fordring (without Ashbringer) to assist in battle... Automatically summons when confronting the Lich King.]