The World’s Greatest is Dead

The World’s Greatest is Dead – Chapter 117

*Bang! Bang Bang!*

Since the early morning, loud noises have invaded my ears.

At the same time, a familiar, intense heat fiercely grazed my nose.

It was hot. I felt it every time I came here; indeed, it was unbearably hot.

I stepped inside, feeling the scorching heat that seemed to sweat instantly.

*Clang! Clang!*

Wincing at the harsh metallic sounds, I realized I still wasn’t quite used to the sharp, piercing noise.

Iron Workshop.

It was the main source of income for the Tang family and the place that maximized their reputation.

The majority of the renowned swords of the Central Plains were said to be born here, a place boasting an immense stature.

Even though I had visited several times already, the heat remained relentless.

‘It’s not just the heat that’s the issue.’

*Clang! Clang!*

The sounds constantly resonated within me.

The sounds struck my spirit. The sensation was like the spirits of master craftsmen who had reached a transcendent level.

‘Tsk.’

It wasn’t easy to gather so many craftsmen. It was indeed fitting for a place where the greatest blacksmiths in the Central Plains congregated.

I was fascinated the first time I came here. And even more so now.

And then.

“You’ve arrived.”

The old man standing before me was a being who had reached the pinnacle even among these master blacksmiths.

“I greet the Iron Workshop Master.”

“… I greet the Iron Workshop Master.”

Both Tang Yelan and I bowed respectfully to the old man.

The old man smiled broadly in return.

“I heard you went through a big ordeal and that your body isn’t well, yet you come out like this anyway?”

“… I’m okay. It’s not like I was terribly injured.”

“Is that so? Ah, youth truly is a wonderful thing!”

He laughed heartily and roughly patted my shoulder.

The impact made my bones rattle, and I almost cried out involuntarily.

“Master, master, Young Master is still recovering.”

Tang Yelan hurriedly intervened, seeing this. The Iron Workshop Master then looked at her.

It wasn’t just his gaze.

From the moment Tang Yelan appeared, I could feel the eyes of the blacksmiths in the Iron Workshop glancing this way.

I felt their gazes filled with quite discomforting emotions, something that was difficult to put into words.

“I heard from the Tang Family head. He wished for the sword to be repaired with black iron?”

“… That’s right.”

“A black iron sword repair. If it’s the wish of the family head, could I take it on myself?”

The Iron Workshop Master looked at me as if wondering why it was assigned to Tang Yelan.

“Master, you have other responsibilities, don’t you?”

More than anything, what needed repairs was the Full Moon.

Previously, it had barely been restored and had now returned to the Iron Workshop Master for proper repair.

“That’s true, but if it’s urgent, I can tend to this first.”

“…”

I glanced again at the Poison Sovereign. It seemed more advantageous to have him handle it. But his stance remained firm.

『Absolutely not.』

The Poison Sovereign’s attitude was unwavering as always.

“… No, I’ve already decided to entrust it to Young lady Tang.”

“Hmm…”

I genuinely wanted to entrust the task to you instead. But if the client resisted, what could be done?

Hearing my response, the Iron Workshop Master narrowed his eyes and looked at Tang Yelan.

Tang Yelan trembled slightly under his gaze.

What was he planning to say? Given the atmosphere and the evident displeasure, it was concerning.

Would he say something? Watching worriedly.

“The black iron is prepared, but the furnace is the issue. You should use mine.”

“!”

Tang Yelan’s eyes widened at the Iron Workshop Master’s words.

The reaction among those around us also intensified.

“Master, what do you mean?”

“Allowing her to use the furnace?”

“That’s-!”

“Quiet.”

At the Iron Workshop Master’s growl, silence quickly enveloped the area.

The bustling atmosphere was subdued with just one word.

‘His presence is no joke.’

He didn’t use any inner qi or anything, but he dominated purely through atmosphere.

“How many furnaces are there in the Iron Workshop that can melt black iron? And how many are available to use now?”

“But… to use that requires…”

“What? One has to be a candidate for the next Iron Workshop Master? It’s such outdated thinking that prevents you from making proper swords.”

*Tut tut tut.*

The Iron Workshop Master laughed as he spoke.

“Didn’t the previous Iron Workshop Master also say? To make proper swords instead of doing unnecessary things.”

At those words, the Poison Sovereign in the sky chuckled.

The previous Iron Workshop Master. None other than the Poison Sovereign himself.

“Even so, we can’t disregard tradition. Especially…”

One of the blacksmiths glanced at Tang Yelan as he spoke.

“… It’s inappropriate for someone unprepared to use it.”

Unprepared.

With those words, Tang Yelan’s shoulders slumped, and I absorbed the situation, observing reactions around me.

‘They’re treating her quite poorly, aren’t they?’

It had been a persistent observation, but Tang Yelan’s treatment was indeed terrible.

Given that she was a direct descendant and still faced such treatment, it signaled a deeper problem.

“Hmm.”

I gave a sidelong glance to confirm. There wasn’t much I could point out or intervene in this situation.

“Quite right.”

At the blacksmith’s words, the Iron Workshop’s master nodded.

“So, we’re willing to give her a chance.”

“A chance?”

“We will permit the use of the furnace, but this is the final opportunity.”

The Iron Workshop’s master looked sharply at Tang Yelan.

“If she fails to do it properly this time, Young lady Tang will be banned from entering the Iron Workshop in the future.”

“!”

Tang Yelan was visibly shocked and lifted her head at the Iron Workshop’s master’s words.

“Master……”

“If you accept this, the furnace will be yours.”

The Iron Workshop master’s voice was unwavering, firm, and determined, as if he wouldn’t back down no matter what.

This wasn’t good.

“Master, I understand this is disrespectful, but I believe this was something allowed by the Tang Family head.”

From what I’ve heard, to use Black Iron, a different furnace was required. And this seemed to need the permission from the Iron Workshop’s master.

If Tang Yelan failed here…

‘It means she’s doomed!’

I thought.

I needed to prevent that at all costs. But as I tried to steer the situation, “So, regarding this matter—”

“No matter what the Tang Family head has said, the Iron Workshop is the realm of the blacksmiths.”

The Iron Workshop’s master interrupted me with a forceful gaze.

“His words might be respected to some extent, but any further is crossing the line. Right, Young lady Tang?”

“……”

Tang Yelan bit her lip.

“Choose. Will you enter, or will you step back?”

The Iron Workshop’s master urged Tang Yelan to answer.

Watching this, I furrowed my brows.

“This is quite…”

What did blacksmithing mean to Tang Yelan?

I didn’t know.

I wasn’t aware of how her life had been, nor was I particularly interested.

I was too busy surviving myself to care about someone else’s goals or convictions.

Besides, ‘She’s desperate.’

It was clear that she harbored intense yearning for this place.

I didn’t know why someone with her talent wouldn’t show it.

Why was she so terrified of blood?

I couldn’t understand and I didn’t want to, but I knew she was desperate.

‘It doesn’t make sense otherwise.’

To put one’s spirit into an action, wasn’t solely the realm of talent.

It was because she wished so fervently.

Because she longed for it so intensely.

Only such desperation could elicit a response from the spirit.

Talent that permeates the place is secondary.

When that happens, what kind of sound did Tang Yelan produce?

How deeply had the spirit been infused? My memory, annoyingly good, remained vivid.

‘That was…’

A sound that couldn’t be achieved without utmost desperation.

Knowing that, “What kind of nonsense are you talking—”

I was about to lash out at the Iron Workshop’s master when, “I’ll do it.”

Tang Yelan interrupted me and took a step forward.

“…… I’ll do it.”

“……”

“Please, let me do it.”

“Hah.”

The Iron Workshop’s master let out a bitter laugh at Tang Yelan’s words.

“Do you know that your access to the Iron Workshop is due to my leniency? I went against the Tang family head’s opposition.”

“…… Yes. I am well aware. I am always grateful and will be grateful forever.”

“Knowing that, you still insist on doing it? Handling Black Iron is a task only a handful of blacksmiths in the Iron Workshop can manage. It’s that difficult.”

“I’m aware of that as well. I am very afraid.”

“All you’ve ever held are a few pieces of metal. You haven’t even touched Black Iron, have you?”

“No. But I’m still willing to try.”

“Hmm.”

Tang Yelan’s voice initially trembled, but as she spoke, it became more resolute.

The Iron Workshop’s master, who had been glaring at her, “Ha-!”

Eventually, he erased his anger and burst into hearty laughter.

“Go ahead.”

His permission was granted.

“The conditions remain unchanged.”

“Yes.”

Tang Yelan moved forward, passing by the Iron Workshop’s master.

I followed her small back as she walked ahead.

“Tsk….”

As we passed the Iron Workshop master, I heard a faint click of his tongue.

Perhaps it was a sign of displeasure.

But I could sense the worry and sympathy hidden within it.

The expression he wore at that moment.

It was the same as the face the Poison Sovereign had when he looked at Tang Yelan.

* * *

As soon as I entered the room, an overwhelming heat, far beyond what I had felt earlier, swept over me.

The heat was suffocating.

Sweat had already formed on my forehead and a drop slipped down.

‘… This is unbearable.’

What kind of heat is this?

It surpassed my imagination.

‘… This must be the space used by the Iron Workshop.’

So they endured such heat to forge weapons.

I couldn’t help but be impressed with the Iron Workshop.

“… This is….”

At that moment, Tang Yelan walked over and examined something.

It was clearly a furnace.

However, it looked slightly different from the furnaces I had seen earlier.

From the start.

‘It’s incredibly large.’

The size of the furnace was off the charts.

Why was it so different?

“This furnace produces much higher heat compared to the others!”

Tang Yelan began explaining as if she had noticed my puzzled gaze.

“If it were ordinary iron, we would use a regular furnace… But for special minerals like black iron, a regular furnace won’t suffice.”

“So, you use this one?”

“Yes. And also…”

She picked up something that looked like ordinary charcoal.

“It’s called Divine Charcoal. It’s charcoal made from Divine Wood, which only grows in the distant northern mountains of Gaewon.”

“… Is it special?”

“Yes. Using this can increase the firepower.”

Divine Wood? It was the first time I heard of it.

‘… It is indeed different.’

I understood why it was called Divine Wood.

‘I can see the presence of a spirit.’

Even though it had been turned into charcoal, I could still sense the faint spirit entwined in it. She mentioned the Gaewon Mountains? What kind of place fostered such a divine tree?

‘Though it’s a bit shallow to be called a divine tree.’

But the fact that it contained a spirit meant it was indeed a divine tree.

There must be immortals around. Divine trees can only exist near immortals.

Remembering that, I etched the name Gaewon Mountains into my mind.

‘Must make sure never to go there.’

Just in case I ended up there by mistake.

Even in my past life, immortals particularly disliked me, and I figured it wouldn’t be different in this life, so I needed to be careful.

Anyway, Tang Yelan started placing the divine charcoal into the furnace.

Soon enough.

*Whoosh—*

The fire spread, making the furnace heat up rapidly.

Watching this, I spoke to Tang Yelan.

“… Are you really going to do this?”

She smiled at my words.

“You asked me to, didn’t you?”

“I did ask, but you don’t have to push yourself.”

Even though it was the Poison Sovereign’s request, I knew how difficult it was to handle black iron.

If done wrong, she wouldn’t be able to enter the Iron Workshop again.

I didn’t feel comfortable with Tang Yelan bearing that risk.

At my words, she stared at me intently.

“You said you trusted me.”

Feeling a bit awkward, I scratched the back of my head.

“Well, that was…”

It wasn’t the kind of trust I meant, it was a lie.

“Then please trust me a bit more….”

Perhaps she sensed something from my words.

Her smile, unlike before, now seemed brighter.

“And if it comes to that, I’ll just avoid the Iron Workshop.”

“What?”

“Worst case, I’ll just find another smithy. The Iron Workshop isn’t the only one, after all.”

“… Ha.”

Her confident words made me chuckle.

What made her so confident?

‘… No, it’s not confidence.’

I couldn’t ignore the anxiety I saw in her eyes.

So, I simply laughed.

“Yes, I’ll trust you.”

I just did what I was told.

Maintaining my narrow-minded approach.

I decided to pretend to trust her, just like before.

That was the best I could do.