blogombal Chapter 34 The Gorilla Warrior
Chapter 34 The Gorilla Warrior
The meeting inside the tavern continued.
"So how did this person catch Levi's attention? Is he special?" Gazela asked.
"According to Levi, that kid has a strange look in his eyes," Clematis said.
"What do you mean by 'wrong'?"
Gazzera was somewhat puzzled. "With so many people on the street, isn't it normal for them to take a second look at a luxurious carriage out of curiosity?"
That's not curiosity.
Clematis's voice turned serious. "Yes, we know each other."
"...Levi's intuition was never wrong; he felt that the young man knew his secrets, even our existence."
"Hey, isn't that a bit too sensitive?"
Gazzera fiddled with the little gadget in his hand.
"In any case, we must be vigilant."
Shulette also became more serious. She glanced down at the Holy Staff Proof given to her by Levi and continued, "Because Levi may have a big plan coming up, and any accident could lead to the complete annihilation of the next mission."
"Didn't the old man approach him? Did he notice anything?" Gazela asked.
"His senses are terrifying; he noticed me the moment I got close."
Varos explained in detail, "The mage next to him has a very solid lower body, so he won't be bad in close combat."
"Even the old man said so, it seems we have to find out more about this person," Wolf said.
"Where is he now? I'll go keep an eye on them."
Gazzera raised his hand. "If it's trouble, I'll try my best to eliminate them."
"I saw that they eventually checked into the easternmost hotel."
Varos replied.
"Alright, I'd like to see just who this guy is."
Gazzera grinned.
"Don't be careless."
Clematis cautioned, "Do not take any action before you have thoroughly investigated this person's background."
"Okay, okay."
Gazzera got up and walked towards the door.
……
The next morning, Lynn got up very early.
Laopyn was still resting next door. Lynn didn't wake her up, but left the hotel alone and turned into the back street.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
A rhythmic knocking sound came from deep within the alley.
Lynn followed the sound and soon came to a blacksmith shop that was not very conspicuous.
Pushing open the door, a wave of heat hits you.
The room was dimly lit, with only the glowing red of the stove fire.
A man with his back to the door was swinging a hammer.
The man was wearing a white shirt with a black apron tied around his neck, and his arm muscles looked very strong.
One, two...
Sparks flew from the red-hot iron block on the anvil.
"Hello, I'd like to have my sword sharpened."
Lynn said politely.
"Hold on"
The man replied, without stopping his work.
Lynn was quite patient, so he just stood there by the side and waited.
Only after the piece of iron was shaped did the man plunge the pliers into the bucket of water.
White smoke rose.
"Give it to me."
The man wiped his face with the towel hanging around his neck and looked at Lynn.
Lynn unfastened the two swords from his waist and slapped them onto the metal-shaving counter, then looked up and saw the man's face clearly.
My heart skipped a beat.
What a coincidence! It's actually Kress, the gorilla warrior!
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Lynn's momentary surprise, Klein asked.
"It's nothing, I just think you're a bit like the kind of person the monks I know described."
Lynn smiled.
"oh."
Klein didn't pay much attention, picked up a sword, and ran his thumb along the blade. "Not bad."
He then put down the sword and stated the price:
"Two silver coins."
"It's a bit expensive."
Lynn started haggling.
So far, there isn't much money left from exchanging meteor birds during the Level 1 Mage assessment, so we need to save as much as possible.
"The craftsmanship is worth the price."
Kress was not giving an inch.
"OK."
Lynn wasn't very good at bargaining, so he simply took out two silver coins and placed them on the table.
Klein grabbed the silver coin and threw it into his apron pocket, picked up his sword, and turned to walk toward the whetstone in the corner.
Immediately afterwards, the room was filled with the rustling sound of knives being sharpened.
Lynn pulled over a stool with a missing leg and sat down.
"The boss's cooking is pretty good. How long have you been doing this?"
"ten years."
Klein answered the questions without looking up.
"Does the boss have any other identity besides being a blacksmith?"
"no."
That's strange.
Lynn tilted his head. "I noticed the calluses on your hands earlier. They're thick at the base of your thumb and thin at the fingertips. It doesn't look like you're holding a hammer; it looks more like you're holding a sword."
"Aren't I holding your sword right now?"
Kress replied casually.
"Too."
Lynn smiled. "Would you like to hear the story of the monk I know?"
"In no mood."
Klein refused outright, continuing to sharpen his sword at a steady pace.
He pushed it out and pulled it back, controlling the force of each push perfectly.
"But I'm going to say it anyway."
Lynn shifted his position. "He always tells me that he had a childhood friend who they made a pact to become adventurers together, but his friend ran off first and hasn't been heard from for many years."
"That's a boring story, don't tell it again."
Klein sharpened the sword on the other side and poured some water on it.
"That monk's name is Zanyin."
Lynn directly revealed the name, even though he had never actually seen the real Zain in this world: "His nickname is the Goatee Monk."
Klein seemed not to hear, still intently staring at the blade in his hand.
"Boss, have you heard of this name before?"
Lynn pressed for an answer.
"Never heard of it."
Kress tossed the sword back to Lynn, saying, "This sword is sharpened."
Lynn reached out and caught it.
"So fast?"
"You talk too much, you're giving me a headache. Hurry up and finish what you're doing and get out of here."
Klein placed the second sword on the whetstone, this time with much more force.
Sparks flew everywhere, and some even seemed to be intentionally heading towards Lynn.
"Ugh."
Lynn sighed, sheathed the sharpened sword, and said, "Fine, I'm not going to waste my breath on you, Gorilla Warrior."
Klein remained unmoved.
Ten minutes later, Klein tossed the polished second sword to Lynn and said, "Don't come again next time."
Lynn pursed his lips, sheathed his sword, and turned to leave.
……
The moment Lynn stepped out the door, the sound of blacksmithing in the shop stopped.
Klein casually tossed the red-hot iron block into the bucket.
Shortly afterward, the curtain at the back door was lifted.
"I didn't expect him to come here."
Varos walked in, sat down on the stool where Lynn had just been sitting, and asked:
"What did you see in him?"
"This guy is definitely a problem."
Klein spoke.
What did he talk to you about just now?
"I chatted with a friend."
Klein remained expressionless. "But the way he looked at me, he was clearly reading from my file."
Varos narrowed his eyes. "It seems Levi's feeling was right. This kid might indeed know our secrets. We need to find a way to get rid of him."
"Solve it? That's probably difficult."
Klein walked to the whetstone and pointed to the marks on it. "When I was sharpening the sword just now, I deliberately used three different kinds of force. The first time was gentle, the second time it was heavier, and the third time it was with a murderous intent."
"What was his reaction?"
"No response."
"No response?"
Varos frowned. "So, he's not some seasoned warrior, otherwise he wouldn't have been unaware of the killing intent."
"It doesn't feel that simple. I feel like he's disdainful."
"He was sitting there completely relaxed," Klein said casually. "The third time I applied force, just before the sparks flew, his wrist shifted at an angle, just avoiding my skin."
"You mean, he knows which way Mars will fly?"
"right."
Klein picked up the hammer and weighed it in his hand. "It felt disgusting, like I'd been told what was going on."
"What about the two swords?"
Varos asked, "Can you see anything?"
"A good sword, but not of particularly high quality."
Klein recalled the feel of the sword just now, "The key is not the sword, but the person wielding it. The wear marks on the hilt were very even, indicating that he could attack with either hand and did not have a dominant hand."
"A skilled dual-wielder?"
"Yes, and it's the kind of dual-wielding style that places great emphasis on practical combat."
Klein gestured, "There are several deep scratches on the guard, left from taking a hit from a heavy weapon. And judging from the grooves, the impact was absorbed very well, which prevented the weapon from being damaged."