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

"Yes," Greg said. "And it's coming here."

"We think it will take three to four hours to get to Mistfall. The time may be shorter if the storm continues to grow and moves faster.

"Then we have to leave now," Christoft said right away, going to a cabinet and taking out official papers. "I'll turn on the emergency protocols."

"We have plans in place for this kind of threat. If we start right away, we can clear the whole city in less than two hours."

"And then what?" Marina asked. "It destroys Mistfall like it did Ironhaven, takes all the weapons, gets stronger, and then goes on to the next city?"

"How many places do we leave behind before we try to stop it?"

Tunner said in a hollow voice, "You can't stop it."

"I gave it a shot. Every weapon you use against it just makes it more powerful. Every knight with a sword becomes its food."

"You can't win with any weapons there are."

Lylia said, "Lady Rosalina thought differently."

"She thought the Elite Knights could work together to find a way, and that's why she asked us to look for you."

"Two Elite Knights against that thing?!" Christoft turned to Tunner. "You said we can't fight it with weapons."

"Greg doesn't use weapons," Seraphine said. "His shield takes in kinetic energy and sends it in a different direction. He was able to hurt the creature, even if only for a short time."

"A shield," Christoft said, looking at Greg with new interest. "I see it now... a shield isn't a weapon because it's only used for defense."

He started to pace back and forth as his analytical mind worked on the problem. "The Calamity takes in weapons and grows from them, so using weapons against it doesn't help."

"But things that redirect or neutralize without attacking directly, like defensive tools..."

"Exactly," Greg said. "That's why we need you."

"Don't fight it with your rapier, but use your water magic instead."

"Water is not a weapon. It's a natural force, and are you able to control the falls to use them against the Calamity?"

Christoft stopped walking around and looked out the window at the giant waterfalls that surrounded the city. Every minute, millions of gallons of water flow down with enough force to power the whole city's economy.

"Yes, I can change the direction of water flow, like making walls, waves, and even solid structures out of it for a short time, but based on what you said, that thing is more than 100 feet tall."

"The amount of water needed to even slow it down..."

"Could you do it?" Marina asked straight out.

For a long time, Christoft was quiet. "Maybe... I don't know if I haven't tried it yet."

"If I had time to get ready and set everything up right. And even then, it would only slow it down, not stop it."

"We would need more than that... or maybe some way to really hurt it that doesn't involve adding to its mass."

Greg said, "Then we'll figure it out together."

"You, me, Tunner, and everyone in the Brotherhood will work together."

"We find a way by using all of our non-weapon tools, magic, and creativity."

"The Brotherhood?" Christoft raised one eyebrow.

"It's our group name," Marina said.

Christoft looked at each one of them in turn. Marina and her willpower. Greg and the way he does things differently. Tunner's courage may be broken, but it still persists. Lylia's loyalty never wavers. All of the others were worn out and scared, but they were still standing and fighting.

"Okay," he finally said. "I'll help."

"But first, we need to get out of Mistfall."

"I won't let this city turn into Ironhaven. First, we get the civilians out, and then we get ready to defend ourselves. We'll give this creature a fight it won't forget if it wants one."

"Thank you," Marina said, feeling truly relieved.

"Don't thank me yet," Christoft said as he walked toward the door. "We have at most a few hours, and there's so much to do."

"Come on, everyone. We need to act quickly if we're going to do this!"

...

They followed him out of the station and into the streets of Mistfall. Christoft quickly began giving orders to the city guards, activating evacuation plans with the skill of someone who had practiced this situation many times. The bells started ringing all over the city, and the pattern told people to leave right away.

At first, people looked confused, but then they got scared when the guards started to explain what was going on. Panic tried to take over, but Christoft's strong presence and clear directions kept it under control. People started to move toward the designated evacuation routes in groups, away from the city.

As they walked, Christoft said, "The eastern passes are our best bet."

"They go to villages that are farther away from the main roads."

"The Calamity seems to follow places with many people and weapons. Make them harder to find by spreading them out..."

A sound stopped him. Far away, but getting closer.

A roar that Marina had heard before, in Meridian, when the Calamity first showed up. But this was not the same. More loudly. More deeply. It made her heart skip a beat and echoed in her chest.

"It's here," Tunner said, his voice flat. "Already?! It's going faster than it did before!"

They ran to a high place in the city where they could see the horizon. Marina's blood ran cold when she saw what they saw. The Calamity was coming, but it was different now.

It had grown bigger than anything they'd ever seen. It was now at least two hundred feet tall, and maybe even more.

Its body had become more defined and structured. Weapons no longer just covered it in a random way, but they had turned into distinct shapes.

Arms that had giant clusters of blades at the ends. Legs that are stronger because they have shields and armor fused together.

And the worst part is that they have wings. Great big shapes made of thousands of swords and spears arranged in a way that makes them fly. The creature wasn't just walking anymore.

They were horrified as they watched the Calamity crouch down, its massive legs bending beneath its weight. Then, in a stunning display, it launched itself into the air, its wings unfurling in a manner that defied belief.

It seemed impossible for a creature so enormous and heavy to take flight. Yet, with a powerful beat of its wings—once, then twice—it ascended higher, defying the laws of physics through sheer magic.

Felix whispered, "It can fly," and his usual bravado was gone. "Why the fuck is that thing flying?"

"It's not bound by natural laws anymore," Seraphine said, trying to make sense of what she was seeing with her scientific mind. "It's turned into something else. An apocalypse that is still happening...!"

The Calamity flew through the air, covering distances in seconds that would have taken it minutes to walk. It was going straight for Mistfall, and they didn't have nearly enough time to get everyone out.

Christoft's face had gone pale. All his meticulous plans and evacuation procedures proved ineffective against an enemy who could effortlessly overcome any obstacle.

"We need to change our plans... now! We have to fight if we can't get out in time!"

"We need to fight here and now, using all our resources!!!"

"Then let's fight," Greg said, turning on his Guardian's Oath shield.

The familiar weight settled on his arm, and for a moment, he looked at Marina. When their eyes met, a thousand unspoken words passed between them. All of Greg's friends readied their Guardian's Oath shields, except for Lylia, who had left hers in Meridian.

The disaster was almost upon them. The end of the world is in the air.

If they failed, it would be the end of everything. People in Mistfall screamed and ran around them, trying to get away from what was coming.

But there was nowhere else to go. The monster could now fly. And by doing that, it had become completely unstoppable. The fight for Mistfall was about to start, and this time there would be no way out.