Reincarnated as an SSS-Ranked Blacksmith Who Refuses to Forge Weapons

Felix stepped forward and took out a small crystal that had pictures on it because of Greg's upgrade, but it's only in his crystal with the help of his system as well. "We have this," he said.

Seraphine was able to get it while they were running away from Meridian. The video was shaky and messy, but it did show some of the Calamity's giant shape and the damage it did.

Christoft took the crystal, turned it on, and watched the pictures play out with an expression that was annoyingly calm. When he was done, he gave it back to Felix with a small shrug.

"Nice try on the illusion," he said. "Whoever made this is really good at what they do, and I can't tell the future is near."

"The scale is great, but the creature's body parts don't fit together in a way that makes sense from an anatomical perspective. A living thing couldn't support that much mass and still be able to move."

"It's not alive," Mira said, and she stepped out of the shadows so Christoft could see her better. "It's a thing made of weapons that have been taken in! It doesn't obey the rules that most people do."

Christoft's eyebrows went up a little when he saw Mira. "A spirit that has a perfect body and voice... that's really interesting now..."

"Those are very rare, you know? What is the story of how you got here? Was it made by people, or did it happen on its own?"

"That's not relevant right now!" Marina said this, and she was losing her patience. "What's important is that a monster is destroying cities, and we need your help to stop it!"

"More than one city?" Christoft got up and walked to a window that looked out over Mistfall. "Which cities, exactly? Your story says that Meridian is the only answer. Is there anything else to prove it?"

"Ironhaven," Bork said in a quiet voice. "It hit Ironhaven a few hours ago that it even ruined the whole city."

"My boss and his group just got away."

Christoft was quiet for a moment as he looked out at the calm city below. "Ironhaven. The city where the mines are."

"That would be about three hundred miles northeast of here." He turned around to look at them. "And you're saying this thing destroys it all? Completely?"

"Yes," Marina said. "Every building. Every blacksmith. It took in all the metal and turned people who worked with weapons into more of itself! There's nothing left!"

"Then there would have to be refugees," Christoft said in a reasonable way. "A city the size of Ironhaven would have thousands of people running away in all directions."

"We would have heard about it. Like the messengers, scared citizens, or someone would have gotten to Mistfall by now."

Seraphine said, "The attack just happened! And from what we know, the survivors ran away over the mountains, not toward other cities!"

"They're probably still trying to figure out what happened, let alone get ready to warn anyone!"

Christoft went back to his bench and got a towel. He carefully wiped down his rapier with it. "I see."

"So... we don't have an official summons, the crown hasn't confirmed anything, there are no real witnesses to these supposed attacks, and the crystal shows pictures that could easily be fake."

"And because of this, you want me to leave my job and hurry to Meridian?"

"Yes," Marina said without any other words.

Christoft said "No" just as simply. "I'm an Elite Knight."

"One of my jobs is to keep Mistfall and the areas around it safe. I won't stop doing my duties just because strangers tell me stories that sound true."

"People are dying!" Felix said this in a very serious tone, without any hint of playfulness. "Isn't that important to you?!"

"Of course it matters," Christoft said, but his face didn't change. "That's precisely why I can't leave Mistfall unprotected because of a possible false alarm."

"What if this is a trick? What if someone wants to attack while the Elite Knights are away from their posts?"

"That's crazy," Donetta said in a low voice.

"That's strategic thinking," Christoft said in response. "The Elite Knights don't just jump into action when someone needs help."

"We check things out, make plans, and then we do them. When you leave quickly without thinking, you leave yourself open to attack!"

Marina could feel her anger growing in her chest. The situation was going nowhere. Christoft was sure they were either lying or wrong, and nothing they said seemed to change that.

"Let me ask you something," Christoft said, sounding like he was giving a lecture. "If this Calamity is as strong as you say, what do you think I could do to stop it?"

"You say it killed Lady Rosalina and destroyed Meridian's palace. She is stronger than I am. What makes you think I could stop it if she couldn't?"

"Because two Elite Knights are better than one," Lylia said from the door.

They all looked over and saw her standing there, a little out of breath from running. Greg, Tunner, Elwen, and Hammy were behind her.

"Lylia?!" Marina ran over. "How did you all get here so fast?!

"We were trying to go back to Meridian," Greg said with a frown. "But Tunner wanted to meet Christoft first, and he knows a secret underground passage with minecarts."

"And we know that thing is coming here, so you all probably needed all the help."

Finally, Christoft's face showed something other than mild amusement. Maybe worry or at least more interest. "Tunner. You really are here..."

Tunner stepped forward, and Christoft could tell right away that he was different from when they last saw each other. His eyes were haunted, and his body language showed that he had given up.

"Christoft... I failed..."

"There is no more Ironhaven. Everything I promised to protect was gone in less than an hour."

"You're serious," Christoft said slowly. "This isn't some big prank you all have."

"Does he seem like he's joking?" Greg said while pointing to Tunner. "That man saw his city fall and even observed people turn into weapons and take them in. We barely made it out alive there!"

Christoft looked at Tunner for a long time, and Marina could see that he was starting to doubt himself. Tunner was also an Elite Knight.

They had trained and fought together. What Tunner said was true, and it meant more than what a stranger said.

Finally, Christoft said, "Still... I can't just... I need proof! Show me the proof so that I can't ignore that this creature is real and as dangerous as you say it is!"

Greg took out his communication crystal and turned on a recording feature he had set up while they were running away. The pictures were terrifying.

The Calamity was huge with weapons fell like arrows, buildings fell down, and the worst part was the transformations. People screamed as they turned into weapons and were pulled into the monster's mass.

The crystal was also able to record sound. The Calamity's roar. The fear in their voices. Tunner's frantic orders as he tried to get everyone out of the building.

And through it all, they could hear the sound of a city dying. Christoft's face had turned pale by the time the recording was over. "That's real...?"

"Those aren't fake...!"

"I can see the magical signatures and how they bend reality around that thing..."

"No fucking way it's real..."