Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Blacksmith

Translator: 549690339

‘Ironman District’

It is a medium-sized region within the castle, very much valued by the Great Lords.

Not only does each family member need weapons and armor for defense.

The Variant Ghouls produced in the ‘Ghoul Factory’ also require external armors to maximize their combat power.

Strong armor pieces are created and, in a high-temperature state, directly branded onto the surface of the ghoul’s skin, embedding the armor pieces entirely into the body… This not only adds to the aesthetic appearance but also greatly increases the defense power.

Some are even fitted with steel claw covers to replace the original bone claws in ghouls.

For some ghouls with exotic physical traits, even a steel skeleton may be devised, replacing the entire body’s bone structure.

This place is under the charge of a family executive, ‘Smith-Atros’.

According to the information on the map, he possesses the key to the upper levels. Combined with Han Dong’s personal need to forge items, this place naturally becomes Han Dong’s first target area.

Of course.

The mass production work of ghoul armor pieces is overseen by the smith, but it mainly falls to the apprentices.

All of these smith apprentices have undergone ‘special training’.

A red-skinned individual with two metal protrusions on his forehead, resembling a demon, is in charge of the forging.

Their physical traits are partly related to their constant exposure to the heat of the Ironman District.

As for the metal protrusions on the forehead, they are a necessary requirement for ‘Smith-Atros’ when recruiting apprentices.

The chosen heretics are marked with these two metal pieces by Atros, and their backs are imprinted with the Mark of Satan… This symbolizes an apprentice’s status, presenting a semi-demonic state.

Of course, these aren’t real demons… they’re just meant to make these apprentices look more like demons on the outside.

“There are a total of 36 apprentices working here… ‘Smith-Atros’ seems to be absent. This is perfect… if we split up to deal with these apprentices, the pressure will be less.

Winry, get ready to take action.”

“Direct action? Don’t you need any strategizing or something, Deputy Captain?”

Winry, looking at so many strange demon apprentices, was still somewhat worried about the consumption of her stamina.

“There’s no need for any strategizing at this point.

These apprentices are selected from heretics. We will take advantage of them building armor pieces on their respective iron forging tables and quickly separate and take down each one of them.

To prevent them from gathering and initiating a mass sacrifice.”

Staring at more than thirty seemingly formidable apprentices, Winry seemed a bit unsure, “Can we… keep up the pace with just the two of us?”

At this moment, Han Dong took off the Pig-Head Butcher’s outer skin.

Dressed in the attire of a crow doctor, with a short sword wrapped in the aura of plague held up in his right arm, he whispered in reply:

“Not two… There are three of us.”

No sooner had he finished speaking-

Crack~ crack… the sound of twisting bones kept ringing out.

Two slender arms wrapped in Yin Qi drill out from Han Dong’s back.

Dressed in a red robe,

Barefoot on the ground,

Part of her black hair fluttered in the air,

Blood-red eyes appeared faintly and intermittently among the strands of hair,

Winry was frightened and nearly screamed out, quickly hiding behind the deputy captain on the other side… Her timid personality seemed completely out of sync with the muscular Winry.

“Deputy… Deputy captain… what is this?” For a moment, Winry was too scared to speak clearly.

“Miss Chen Li, one of my summoned creatures.”

“Wow, it’s a stitched summon, right? I think Master talked about it… Deputy Captain, you really have many techniques! You don’t seem like a new member at all.”

“No more nonsense, it’s time to take action.”

“Good!”

All he needed to do here was brief Winry.

Han Dong and Chen Li had worked together countless times before and didn’t need much conversation.

Chen Li, eager for battle, burst out first.

Through the enveloping Yin Qi, and in synergy with her natural assassin attributes, Chen Li submerged herself into the shadows, vanishing as she dashed forward.

Within the next second, Chen Li appeared in the shadow of an apprentice armour smith, and in her hand was a butcher’s knife, thirsting for blood.

Han Dong didn’t lag either. The double acceleration effect of his crow gloves and boots allowed him to glide quickly, almost as if he were flying.

Traces of real and illusory raven feathers could vaguely be seen where Han Dong passed.

The dagger in his hand only needed to make a shallow cut for the plague to infect the entire body of its target.

These apprentice armour smiths, who hadn’t surpassed the scope of humanity, would soon be devoured by the plague. Within a short time, they would develop various severe complications and lose all ability to act, eventually leading to physiological failure.

“The deputy leader is too powerful… I must work hard to prove my worth!”

She activated the ‘Coral Seal’.

A cool water attribute membrane enveloped her entire body.

Holding a hammer, she swiftly moved forward.

One swing of the hammer meant one head would fall!

Even if the apprentice armour smiths blocked their foreheads with sturdy armor pieces in advance, striving to defend themselves… all they’d hear was a loud clanging noise.

The armor piece would either fall off, dent, or get shattered by the blow.

In the end, they couldn’t escape the fate of having their heads crushed.

Winry’s brute force triumphed over any fancy tricks.

Of course.

There were also dangerous moments.

An apprentice directly threw hot iron water at Winry. This iron water which was at least 1535℃, would be very lethal once in contact with the skin.

Winry, focused on the battle in front of her, failed to dodge in time, causing parts of her body to come into contact with the iron water.

Surprisingly, the iron water merely burnt a hole in her clothes, having no effect on Winry’s skin…

Angry, Winry smashed the apprentice in front of her with one blow of the hammer, grabbed an armor piece, turned around, and threw it back.

Whoosh!

The fast-flying armor piece directly severed the waist of the apprentice who splashed the iron water… splitting him into two.

“Phew! Six… Considering the familiar environment of the smithery, my speed is quite good! I need to help the deputy leader as much as possible and not always be a burden!”

Winry took a deep breath to adjust her status.

When she lifted her head again, ready to continue fighting… she was dumbfounded.

There were no more targets.

Winry had dealt with six.

Of the remaining thirty apprentices in the smithery area, all had been stripped of life, scattered on the ground, or melted into the iron water.

What Winry saw when she lifted her head was a scene akin to the horrifying outbreak of the Black Plague in the Middle Ages.

“A medieval crow doctor holding a short blade and his red-gowned nurse assistant stand together, surrounded by a large number of patients devoured by the plague.”

“18… My speed was a bit slow,” Chen Li was not very satisfied with her performance.

Just then.

A thick iron door within the smithery opened.

A figure appeared: the Armour Smith – Atros. His skin was completely red, with two natural demon horns on his head, adorned in a black blacksmith’s apron, his body covered in perfectly fitted armor pieces, and around his waist hung a remarkably noticeable ‘key’.