Cedric the Stormbarrier

The excitement still buzzed through the village square, but then—

A deep booming voice cut through the noise.

"That's enough, all of you!"

The crowd stilled immediately.

Stepping forward from the mass of villagers was a towering man, his arms thick with muscle, his apron covered in soot and scorch marks.

His grizzled beard was streaked with gray, and his sharp eyes scanned the gathering with authority.

Lena and Ethan immediately stiffened.

"Chief?" Lena muttered.

The blacksmith chief of Stormbarrier stood before them, crossing his massive arms.

"I see we have some celebrities returning home," he rumbled, giving Lena and Ethan a knowing look.

Then, his gaze shifted to Hugo.

"I take it you're the real deal?" the chief asked.

Hugo, still holding a book mid-signature, simply nodded. "Yeah."

The chief exhaled. "Figures."

Then, without another word, he turned—walking toward a large forge station set up in the village square.

And from the side—he picked up something massive.

A towering Arc-Hammer.

Its steel surface was engraved with ancient Stormbarrier runes, the Arcana core at its center still pulsing faintly with energy.

The villagers murmured.

"That's the Stormbarrier Legacy!""The weapon of our founder!""It hasn't been wielded in generations…"

The blacksmith chief turned, gripping the hammer with ease, despite its immense weight.

"This hammer," he said, his voice carrying across the square, "is the weapon that forged this village. The weapon that built Stormbarrier's legacy."

He then looked at Hugo.

"But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Hugo's white eyes narrowed slightly.

Because yes—he recognized this hammer.

But more importantly—he recognized the man who had wielded it.

"…Cedric," Hugo muttered.

The villagers reacted immediately.

"You mean Cedric the Stormbarrier?!""The founder of our village?!""Our ancestor was a warrior?!"

The chief studied Hugo carefully. "I had a feeling you'd know."

Hugo exhaled.

"To you," he said, glancing at the villagers, "Cedric is a founding legend. A hero of craftsmanship, the first of your people."

He looked back at the hammer.

"But to me…" His voice lowered slightly.

"He was an old war buddy."

Silence.

The entire village froze.

Lena and Ethan's jaws dropped.

The blacksmith chief's expression finally shifted, curiosity flickering in his sharp gaze.

"…Tell me, Hero of the Eclipse." He tapped the hammer lightly against the ground.

"What do you remember about Cedric the Stormbarrier?"

The village stood silent, every eye locked on Hugo.

The blacksmith chief rested the Arc-Hammer on his shoulder, waiting.

Hugo exhaled. "Cedric… wasn't just a blacksmith."

The villagers leaned in, anticipation thick in the air.

"To you," Hugo continued, "Cedric the Stormbarrier was a founder, a legend of craftsmanship, the man who built this village from nothing."

He glanced at the hammer, the weight of old memories settling in.

"But to me…"

He met the chief's gaze.

"He was one of the finest warriors I ever fought beside."

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Lena blinked. "Wait—what?"

Ethan stared. "Cedric… fought in the war?"

The blacksmith chief's grip on the hammer tightened slightly, but he didn't interrupt.

Hugo nodded. "Cedric wasn't just a blacksmith—he was a war-forged titan. One of the only warriors who could wield both Arcana and raw physical might at the same time."

The villagers exchanged stunned glances.

"He wasn't just a legend in crafting—he was a legend on the battlefield."

"He was part of the Eclipse Requiem."

The entire village erupted.

"WHAT?!""Our founder fought alongside the Hero of the Eclipse?!""Why is this not in the records?!"

The blacksmith chief's gaze hardened.

"That's because we don't have records," he admitted. "The Stormbarrier archives only go back so far. Most of Cedric's past was lost over time."

Hugo studied him.

"Then listen carefully," he said. "Because I was there."

One thousand years ago.

The battlefield was a burning wasteland—ruined villages, shattered landscapes, and armies clashing under a blood-red sky.

In the center of it all—

Cedric the Stormbarrier.

A towering force, his Arc-Hammer crushing Perfect Life Forms with every swing.

Hugo, younger but just as fierce, fought beside him, Cosmos carving through the enemy ranks.

"Hugo! I swear, if you leave me to handle the big ones again, I'll forge you a helmet so tight you won't be able to see straight!"

Cedric's booming laugh echoed as he swung his hammer, the ground shattering beneath his strike.

Xander, the Solstice, grinned from a nearby ledge, wiping dust from his coat. "Hey, you're the one who insists on smashing everything. I'm just here to look pretty."

Mina, standing beside Xander, rolled her eyes as she sliced through an enemy with precision. "Less talking, more fighting."

Hugo smirked. "Cedric, stop whining and hit something."

Cedric grinned, lifting his hammer. "With pleasure."

Then—he swung.

The shockwave alone leveled the battlefield.

Hugo's voice was steady.

"Cedric wasn't just strong—he was a force of nature."

The villagers hung onto every word.

"The Eclipse Requiem couldn't have won half of our battles without him. He forged weapons for our best warriors, fought in the front lines, and built entire fortresses with his bare hands."

The blacksmith chief, silent until now, finally spoke.

"…Why did he leave?"

Hugo's expression darkened.

"After the war ended, he made a choice."

"He was tired of fighting."

"He wanted to create, not destroy."

Hugo looked toward the village around them.

"He came here and built Stormbarrier Village with his own hands."

The villagers were silent.

Then—

A young blacksmith apprentice stepped forward, gripping his hammer tightly.

"…We always thought Cedric was just a builder. A craftsman." His voice shook slightly.

"But he was a warrior, too."

The blacksmith chief nodded, glancing down at the Arc-Hammer.

"…That changes everything."

The weight of history settled over the village.

Stormbarrier's true legacy had finally been revealed.

The atmosphere in Stormbarrier Village grew heavier, the weight of Cedric's true legacy now apparent to everyone.

The blacksmith chief stood tall, his hands resting on the Arc-Hammer as he turned to Hugo.

"Hero of the Eclipse," the chief said, his voice firm. "Now that the truth about Cedric has been revealed, we have a request."

The crowd quieted, and Hugo raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"We've been searching for a successor to Cedric's legacy—someone worthy of wielding this hammer. Someone who can continue what he started, who can carry the spirit of Stormbarrier forward."

Hugo took a slow breath, his gaze sharp. "So you want me to choose?"

The chief nodded. "Yes. You've fought beside Cedric. You know what it takes to wield such power, and you know what it means to stand as a legacy."

At that moment, several blacksmiths stepped forward, their faces filled with determination. Each one gripped their tools tightly, stepping into the circle with wide eyes that reflected the hopes of an entire village.

One by one, they spoke up.

"I'll do it!"

"Give me the hammer!"

"I can forge the future of this village!"

"I will honor Cedric's legacy!"

The voices rose, a wave of eager determination filling the air. They all wanted to be the next successor.

Hugo's expression remained calm, but inwardly, he was already thinking—this wasn't going to be an easy decision.

Finally, he stepped forward. His voice, when it came, was clear and strong.

"Enough."

The village fell silent.

He turned toward the blacksmith chief.

"I'll make it a trial."

The chief's eyes widened. "A trial?"

Hugo nodded. "Yes. If you want to prove yourself worthy of this legacy, then forge something that truly carries the weight of Cedric's spirit."

He motioned to the Arc-Hammer.

"And you must master one of Cedric's techniques with it."

The blacksmiths blinked, murmuring among themselves.

One of them, a young woman with dark braids, stepped forward and asked, "What do you mean by master a technique?"

Hugo's gaze sharpened. "Cedric didn't just forge weapons—he created techniques. Techniques that made his weapons more than tools. They were extensions of himself."

He paused, looking out at the gathered villagers.

"This Arc-Hammer has power beyond just brute force. To wield it, you must learn one of Cedric's techniques—the Storm Barrier Blast."

The crowd shifted in awe.

"The Storm Barrier Blast?" one of the blacksmiths repeated, his voice trembling.

Hugo nodded. "It's a technique of balance. Strength and control. The Arcana-infused strike of the hammer can create shockwaves that shake the very ground. But it is not only about power—it is about the precision to hit with perfect control."

The young blacksmith woman clenched her fists. "I'll learn it."

"I will, too!"

The murmurs from the crowd grew louder, and the blacksmith chief spoke again.

"Then the trial begins."

Hugo glanced around at the villagers, now filled with determination.

"You will forge something worthy of the Arc-Hammer. And then, you will show me that you can master the Storm Barrier Blast."

The blacksmiths, eager but nervous, nodded in agreement.