Soul of Searing Steel

“Again.”

With his right hand stretched out to press against his chest, the Azurite was emitting a flame-like heat on his chest. Joshua felt a little strange as he muttered to himself, “So it has this similar reaction very often recently, but why?”

In fact, this strange phenomenon that was happening to the Fragment of Searing Steel and Azurite was rather frequent. Ever since he returned from the bottom of Mount Nissia’s lake, the two items would turn hot like that for the past few days.

The burning heat seemed to have suddenly ignited a flame on the chest that would not set other things all around it on fire though. However, one could definitely feel that there was a powerful Order strength pulsating one pulse after another.

Although it felt strange, there was no clue or warning. Even if one looks at the entire Empire and the entire continent of Mycroft, there was no huge incident worth mentioning. Joshua could not find the cause for the Azurite to undergo the strange phenomenon. Hence, he decided to just leave it be.

After all, he had many things he has to do recently.

Whether it was the preparation to pick up the visitation party of the Wilson family, or the arrival of the holy knight which seemed to remain uncertain, every single matter he had on his hands would require preparations in advance. Joshua could not afford to lose his face as the local baron of his own territory. Meanwhile, Winter Fort Academy that he cooperated with Nostradamus to build would also require his concern, not to mention the huge palm print that was in the lake right beneath the academy itself. He recently went on exploring the palm print quite often together with the old mage. He also found some clues. However, what he found could not be deemed as any significant breakthrough in the progress.

The training of his knights and the study on the Book of Eibon cannot afford to be delayed nor stopped. There was also Black which was undergoing the process of advancing into a new tier. That creature seemed to be advancing into a new tier at a pace that was deemed to be too slow. Meanwhile, that horse was refusing to consume the blood awakening potion that Joshua crafted as if it thought that the potion was not worthy of it to drink on it. Hence, the warrior had passed the responsibility of taking care of the horse to Ying, allowing the horse to sleep well. Well, he would not be needing to ride the horse into the battle anytime sooner.

Truth to be told, as the count of the territory, other than the daily non-stop training that he did with his body, Joshua still had many official matters to attend to. Even with Ling’s help, he would not be able to get any free time out of it.

Since he had no clue on what’s happening to the Azurite and it seemed to be a minor problem only, Joshua could only push the matter aside for the moment and wait for the right time to solve the problems one by one.

At this time, the hunter’s family of four were ready to leave. As the father, the man seemed to be carrying quite a number of skins on him, He was also carrying a gigantic bag along with him. That bag seemed to be holding a handful of raw materials harvested from the beasts he hunted. He should be on his way to trade in the market as he brought along his children to expose them to the world, adding new knowledge to the children by letting them see and experience things.

At that time. Joshua only focused his attention on it and observed it. Later, he discovered that the man’s strength was close to the power level of a Silver tier already. And it seemed that he was about to advance to a higher tier soon.

“He has no legacy. And he hasn’t reached the age of thirty. He only relies on hunting. Seeing that he already has the power level that’s almost Silver tier, he seems to have much potential in him.”

Feeling slightly surprised, the warrior had some thoughts of regret and shook his head. Then he said, “Unfortunately, if this talented man is cultivated since a young age, maybe he can now reach the peak of Silver tier. He might even be able to attempt breaking into the realm of Gold tier. He is a very good shoot to be foster into a good and powerful knight.”

Speaking about advancing into the Gold-tier realm, the person would be deemed as a talented person already even if he or she stood a chance to advance into the Gold-tier realm. Meanwhile, a person who could advance into the realm of Gold tier and challenge to become Supreme tier would be deemed as a prodigy.

“Thank you, my liege!”

Before leaving, the boy and the girl who seemed to be brother and sister ran up to Joshua in short steps after their parents nodded. They thanked Joshua with joy and ran back to their parents afterward.

They seemed very happy. They had never thought that they could actually see such a precious thing. Well, they could now show off their experiences to their friends in the future now.

Joshua seemed to be in a good mood. He said, “It’s nothing. So hurry on, go back with your parents now. They’re anxiously waiting for you.”

He revealed a smile on his face.

Today’s test run on the enchanted armor was flawless. All of its functions seemed to be functioning well. After waiting for a brief while, along with further improvement and refitting, and designing several runic circuits involving arts of battle to be inserted into the armor, then the battle armor he longed for would soon come true.

Of course, all of these would require assistance from No.03. Otherwise, the next set of blueprints for the armor would probably only be completed several months later. Joshua would definitely not be able to tolerate with such slow progress.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Ying and Ling were whispering to each other softly.

“Lil’ bro, you said Master doesn’t like young children. Didn’t you?”

The silver-haired girl spoke with a serious face. Her green eyes looked stiff with dismay. “I wonder why is it so different from the past. It’s been so long already and yet, there’s no sign of a mistress at all. Well, when Mr. Fang was awakened, the previous master’s mistress had already appeared in the previous master’s life.”

“Master has never actually laughed so happily before all these times!” The female Divine Armament stressed on that point.

“Sis, you don’t understand master at all.”

Ignoring the apparently incomprehensible imagination of his elder sister, the black-haired young man spoke with a flustered look, “Obviously, Master is very happy because he has acquired new armor. He knows that he will definitely have more fun after he can use the armor for battle in the future. That’s why he is smiling now.”

“… Isn’t that what the humans would call… fetish?”

“That a little too far out—wait a minute, sister! Where did you learn all those crude words?!”

“Alright, you two. Stop chatting over there now.”

Suddenly, Joshua’s voice was heard coming from his back. “I, Moreila and 03 will get ready to continue improving the enchanted armor and we shall strive to find alternatives that can substitute the magic core as the power core that powers the armor. Such highly-pure magic crystal just too damn expensive… You guys get back to the mansion first and prepare for lunch.”

Having been caught for talking behind their master’s back, the two Divine Armaments were startled and jumped. But after they heard what their Master told them to do, they immediately replied, “Yes, Master.”

Meanwhile, the hunter’s family of four also went to the trade zone near the center of the city.

Most of the hunters on the Mycroft Continent would hunt during autumn when their pres were at their fattest stage throughout the entire year. They would hunt for their meat to support themselves in surviving through the winter. After that, they would tan the leather and bring them to the big cities to sell them for money during spring. Meanwhile, it was the same for this fine hunter as well.

Just like what Joshua saw, with his current strength, the hunter could almost be deemed as a Silver tier already. As long as he could have a little bit of rest for his body that was previously exhausted by too much work.

Meanwhile, a Silver-tier hunter would not only be hunting simple wild beasts such as armored deer and gigantic wild boars in the future. Instead, they would be attempting to slay low-tier daemons. For that, his two children would be raised and fostered in a better environment with more money he could earn more for slaying a low-tier daemon. The children might even be trained to be hunters that are much stronger than their father.

—Maybe he could even send his son to serve the Count and be a knight by his side.

Thinking of the future, the hunter could not help but reveal a hopeful smile on his face.

After selling the leathers, he brought his wife and his children back to a small forest near the northern part of Moldavia.

Unlike the Dark Forest, ordinary forests cannot gather that much magic energy. Hence, it was not possible to cultivate many daemons in the forests. In such forests, most of them were merely deer and wild boars. Occasionally, several winter wolves could be spotted. Without mentioning some huge daemons that yet to be seen by anyone which might exist in the forests, the giant wild boars would be the most powerful monster in the entire forest.

There were many small towns that relied on hunting and picking forest herbs and potions across the entire Empire, especially in areas close to the mountains. Because there was no suitable place to cultivate, they could only struggle with wild beasts to obtain rations.

After sending his wife and children back to their home, the hunter who had already prepared himself took up his equipment and tools as he was ready to venture into the mountains, hunting for the first time this spring.

“This should be my last hunt before I advance into Silver tier… I must obtain a large prey this time and celebrate with a great feast.”

He thought while walking into the dense woods of the North.