53 - Nine Times More Efficiency

The rising sun painted the sky with shades of orange at dawn as the dwarven delegation bid farewell to Rygar. Godbard extended his hand to Rygar, who shook it firmly.

"I truly believe that your Iron Legion will be a new starting point for a great change in the lives of dwarves and many other races. I wish you luck and wisdom on your path."

Rygar smiled.

"Of all the places I've been, I haven't found another people who throw a party as lively as the dwarves."

The dwarves laughed in unison, exchanging knowing glances. Rygar laughed too, because it was true. Dwarven celebrations were unique. Perhaps it was their lack of inhibition about almost everything, or the way they celebrated each moment with intensity. Either way, he had enjoyed the experience.

Godbard turned to Ghislaine and Eris.

"I wish you both luck on your journey home. The caravan carrying the half-elf shouldn't be far now."

Then, he looked at Eris with a challenging smile.

"And you, little girl, you better not disappoint me. Use that sword well."

Eris blinked, confused.

"Huh? What sword?"

Godbard only laughed before walking away with the other dwarves. Eris looked at Ghislaine and then at Rygar, who pulled a sheathed sword from his waist and held it out to her. The scabbard was brown leather with silver detailing. The hilt was large, and the guard was subtle but decorated with discreet adornments forming the fangs of a feline. It was a long sword, reasonably big for someone her age.

"I bought this sword for you. Godbard made it a few years ago," Rygar said. "You have great talent with the sword, and I've seen your dedication to training, so obviously, you need a proper weapon. Your fighting style is aggressive, so I thought a longsword would suit you best."

Eris took the sword, still stunned.

Rygar continued, "It has the ability to become lighter in the hands of its wielder, so the weight won't be a problem for you, even though you're still small."

The girl was speechless, staring at the sword as if she still couldn't believe what she had just received. Rygar was amused by her surprised expression but didn't wait for a response.

"Alright, now let's go get my sword!"

Before Eris could react, Skoll dashed ahead, barking excitedly. Ghislaine followed closely behind, but a faint smile could be seen on her face. Eris, still holding her new sword, took a second to realize she was being left behind.

"W-wait! Did you just call me small?!"

She ran after them, gripping her new weapon, unsure whether to smile or protest. Deep down, though, she felt something new and exciting, a feeling she didn't quite understand.

When they arrived at Brightstone's cave once again, Eris walked with a gleam in her eyes. She strode ahead, a bright smile on her face. She now carried her sword on her back. Her clothes had changed as well. During their visit to the dwarven city, Rygar had bought her a reinforced leather outfit and a black cloak that swayed gently in the wind. The girl seemed very pleased with her new appearance.

Ghislaine, on the other hand, had also changed her attire, though the difference was subtle. Her style was already minimalistic and revealed a lot of skin, so her new clothes simply replaced the tattered rags she had been wearing before. At least now she looked more presentable—at least as much as one could while still half-naked.

At the very least, both of them had gotten rid of the dirty, burned, and torn clothes they had worn when they were found.

As soon as they reached the cave entrance, Eris excitedly jumped into an open space near the cliff and shouted:

"Ghislaine, let's train!"

Before even getting a response, she was already wielding her new sword, repeating the movements of the Sword God Style. Her eyes shone with determination, and her stance reflected years of training. According to Ghislaine, she had already reached the intermediate level and was now striving to master advanced techniques.

The master, without hesitation, followed her apprentice, crossing her arms as she observed her strikes.

Rygar looked at Skoll and ordered, "Stay close and keep watch."

The wolf let out a soft growl of acknowledgment and sat down, remaining vigilant. With that settled, Rygar turned toward the cave and stepped inside.

The moment he crossed the entrance, he felt something different. The air was thick with an intense presence of mana—a wild and heated energy pulsing from deep within the cave. His Magic Eye detected waves of power flowing like an underground river, all converging at a single point. This wasn't here last time.

His heart quickened slightly, and he moved forward until he reached the large iron door. Without hesitation, he knocked firmly.

"It's me!" he announced.

It took no more than five seconds before footsteps echoed from the other side. The door opened, revealing Brightstone, who wore a wide grin and an expression of pure excitement.

He was actually carrying travel bags.

"Hehehehe… you're really lucky, kid!" The dwarf laughed mischievously, crossing his arms. "This sword of yours is definitely the masterpiece of my entire life! The pinnacle of my methods! I'm sure I've never made anything this powerful!"

Rygar raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and stepped into the forge. To his surprise, the place was impeccably organized. Unlike last time, when tools and materials were scattered everywhere, the workshop now looked empty, clean, and tidy.

"You cleaned up the forge?" he asked.

Brightstone let out another laugh and shook his head.

"No, I'm moving! I'm heading to Asura to start working for them."

"Asura?" Rygar repeated, frowning.

"Yes! After enchanting your blade with an S-rank magic stone, I discovered a new method—one that only works with stones that have a high mana concentration! I finally found the path to push my craft even further!"

The dwarf's eyes gleamed with ambition. "I got an invitation from them a while ago after being expelled from the dwarven city for befriending a noble from there. I believe only the great Asura Kingdom can support the costs of this research. Only S-rank magic stones? Who else would be willing to pay for that? Hehehe… but this… this will be an innovation for the entire world!"

Rygar was slightly surprised. All the other dwarves had described him as an eccentric on the brink of ruin, a reckless fool. But now, standing before him, was a revitalized man overflowing with determination.

He murmured, "Asura Kingdom, huh…?"

Brightstone laughed again and walked forward, striding through the cave with energy.

"And you will be my advertisement! I expect you to use your sword well, achieve great feats, so I can use that as leverage when I negotiate my position."

Rygar remained silent, pondering. Then, his eyes turned to the blade resting on a stone table.

Tsukikage.

Surprisingly, there was nothing different about it. It didn't have the various embedded magic stones anywhere on the blade or hilt, which struck him as odd. However, upon focusing his Magic Eye, he immediately noticed: the immense concentration of mana he had felt earlier was now residing within the blade itself.

He slowly approached, extending his hand toward the grip. The instant his fingers touched the hilt, a deep roar echoed in his mind. A dragon's roar—not physical, but reverberating within his soul.

On the outside, the sword looked the same as before. But when Rygar tried to engulf the blade in flames, he was caught off guard by an explosion of fire—intense and wild. The flames roared upward, illuminating the entire cave with an orange and golden glow.

"AHHH, YOU IDIOT!" Brightstone shouted as he threw himself behind a stone pillar.

The initial shock made Rygar tighten his grip on the hilt, and he quickly controlled the flames, dissipating them. He took a deep breath, trying to understand what had just happened.

Then, he realized something absurd.

The efficiency of his fire magic had increased ninefold—almost ten! The same power that previously required a large amount of mana now consumed nine times less! His eyes widened.

'This… what method did he use?! And why isn't the magic stone visible?'

Brightstone stepped out from behind the pillar, now laughing loudly.

"Hahahaha! You lucky bastard! You're fortunate that I told you I wouldn't charge anything if you brought me the mutant dragon's magic stone. Because this sword isn't something money can buy!"

The dwarf crossed his arms, satisfied. "I know your previous ability was retained, but I'm almost certain there's a new one as well… I just don't know what it is yet."

Rygar continued staring at the blade, feeling the pulsing power within it. This sword…

Brightstone then grabbed a packed backpack and walked toward the cave's exit.

"Well, if there's nothing else… I'm taking my leave!" he announced.

And with that, the dwarf departed, leaving Rygar alone with Tsukikage, the blade that would change his destiny forever.

Rygar observed Tsukikage as he reflected on his new acquisition. Fire magic should be the most amplified, considering it came from a dragon, followed by earth and wind… or perhaps the other way around? He frowned, twirling the sword in his hand. 'This is incredible… I need to conduct more tests to confirm this weapon's full potential.' The thought excited him. If the blade truly possessed this level of amplification, it could drastically change his approach to combat.

His eyes turned to Brightstone, who was already walking away. "Should I invite him to the Legion?"

Aside from himself, there was no one in the Iron Legion capable of consistently hunting S-rank beasts. And Rygar would soon be leaving for the Sword Sanctuary. If he wanted to do this, he would need to intensify the training of the members before his departure, creating at least two combat groups capable of hunting these monsters.

Even so, having someone like Brightstone could change the entire power structure if he could replicate these enchantments consistently. His method was mysterious, but it would strengthen the foundation while Rygar was away.

Rygar pondered for a moment before sheathing Tsukikage and fastening it to his waist—now carrying two magic swords. Neither Godbard nor Brightstone fully understood the abilities of their creations. Even he didn't yet comprehend the true potential of both blades. But one thing was certain: his strength had increased significantly.

Without further hesitation, he hurried to catch up with Brightstone, intercepting him along the path. Ghislaine and Eris were training on a nearby cliff, and the sound of blades echoed through the air. Brightstone raised an eyebrow upon noticing his approach.

"What is it, kid?" the dwarf asked, crossing his arms.

Rygar kept a serious expression. "Join the Iron Legion."

Brightstone blinked, visibly surprised. "What's the Iron Legion?"

Rygar almost choked on his response before letting out a sigh and forcing a smile. "It's the organization I created. I want you to join us."

The dwarf scratched his beard, pondering for a moment. "Hmph… Interesting." A calculating glint crossed his eyes.

He thought for a minute, looked around, and said, "Okay. As of today, I'm part of the Iron Legion. But know that my research will be expensive. You already understand what this sword can do, so be prepared to invest. Also, I want a certain level of freedom in the organization—I don't want anyone giving me orders except the leader."

Rygar raised his eyebrows. 'He accepted way too quickly! I really expected to have to convince him.'

Brightstone chuckled and started walking again. "Besides, I'll need some assistants, which I'll choose once I get there."

Rygar stood still for a moment, stunned. This guy really had confidence in himself. But in the end, it made sense. Brightstone understood the value of his services even more than Rygar did, and he knew he could demand practically anything.

The dwarf waved without looking back. "I'm not going with you now. I still have belongings in the dwarven city. I heard from Fortwind that some dwarves will be joining the Legion as well, so I'll travel with them. I'll meet you at your headquarters."

And with that, without further explanations, he went on his way.

Rygar was pleased. If he could use these weapons to equip at least his top fighters, it would already be a huge gain. It would also be a way to attract new members and motivate them through rewards.

'He really thinks highly of me, choosing to join the Iron Legion instead of the Asura Kingdom. He must truly believe in my talent.'

Little did Rygar know that Brightstone had misunderstood some things. The dwarf assumed that Rygar was extremely confident in his proposal, first testing the sword's quality before making an invitation. He also believed that Ghislaine was part of the Legion—Rygar and a Sword King together? This organization must be nearly as strong as Asura, right?

This was a fortunate coincidence for Rygar, who remained unaware of the dwarf's true reasoning. Brightstone was likely in for a surprise upon arriving in Tinaver.

Rygar let out a long sigh and shook his head before turning to Ghislaine and Eris. He walked up to them and stopped nearby, observing their intense movements.

"Eris," he called. "You'll be riding Skoll."

The girl halted mid-swing, her eyes widening. Her expression of surprise instantly transformed into pure joy.

"Really?!" She ran to Skoll, stroking the large wolf, which wagged its tail.

Rygar gave a faint smile at her excitement before turning to Ghislaine.

"Ghislaine, we'll have to pick up the pace to catch up with that caravan. The road isn't safe all the way there. We need to get there as quickly as possible if you want to find the elf from Fittoa."

Ghislaine remained silent for a moment, contemplating. Then, she nodded with determination. "Alright."

And so, without further delay, they set off, leaving behind the Blue Dragon Mountain Range and the dwarven city, heading toward Tinaver.

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