The arrival of Mihawk drew even more attention to Flame Island.
For a time, the Marine, pirates, the Revolutionary Army, and even gangs hidden in the shadows, all intelligence personnel, like sharks smelling blood, quickly launched their operations.
They used various methods to thoroughly ascertain the news of Mihawk's arrival at Flame Island, and Mihawk's purpose this time also did not escape their investigation. Soon, intelligence was continuously reported upwards.
Not long after, all forces paying attention to Mihawk were shocked to learn that his trip to Flame Island was for a 15-year-old boy, Red Hawk Alvin.
Mihawk's obsession with swordsmanship is well-known throughout the world.
His actions this time undoubtedly led people to speculate that it was Alvin's astonishing sword talent that aroused his strong interest.
This news made those forces even more curious and concerned about Alvin.
However, Alvin was completely unaware of these lively events in the outside world.
At this moment, he was fully engrossed in the forging work with Rex.
Since the two began their cooperation, the forging work had already entered the right track.
Over the next year, Alvin put all his mind into this matter, putting everything else out of his mind.
After eating and drinking his fill, Alvin, as usual, hurried back to Rex's underground forge with food.
This was the starting point of their dream, and also the place where they were about to create miracles.
— — — —
Time flew by, and three months passed in a flash. Rex's underground forge was located in a magical high-temperature resistant forest in Flame Country.
Here, all preparations were complete, and it was finally time to add the most important materials—Red Aurora Lava and obsidian profound steel ore.
"The moment has finally arrived."
Rex's voice trembled with excitement. His hands trembled slightly as he tightly gripped the precious materials, as if holding his life's dream.
Alvin did not speak, but merely responded to Rex with a firm gaze, then diligently assisted him.
The next moment, Rex took a deep breath and steadily placed the Red Aurora Lava and obsidian profound steel ore slowly into the furnace.
In that instant, the entire underground workshop seemed to be submerged by a crimson tide, instantly turning a fiery red.
The magma and obsidian profound steel began a wondrous fusion at a high temperature of nearly three thousand degrees.
They intertwined and coiled, emitting a hissing sound like venomous snakes flicking their tongues, as if engaging in a fierce battle.
"The temperature is not enough!"
Rex's expression suddenly changed drastically, and he threw away the thermometer in his hand, pressing his calloused palm directly onto the furnace wall without hesitation.
In an instant, the smell of burning skin permeated the air, but he seemed oblivious, merely roaring in a deep voice, reporting the numbers: "2692 degrees! Still three hundred short of the critical value!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Alvin reacted quickly, pulling the bellows with force.
Instantly, sixteen air inlets simultaneously emitted a roaring sound like dragons, and powerful airflow surged into the furnace.
Under the effect of this super high temperature, the fusion liquid began to boil violently, gradually condensing into a two-meter-long blade embryo prototype.
Rex stared intently at the gradually forming blade embryo, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
This was the first time in all these years that he had reached this stage in his attempt to forge a Great Grade Sword of the Twenty-One Work-Grade. Just reaching this stage already meant one-third success!
After the blade embryo slowly formed, Rex seized the opportunity and quickly took it out.
Next was the time to truly test his skill. For the blade embryo to become the designed shape, it had to undergo a thousand refinements.
Rex called this step "Bone Forging and Soul Shattering."
When the first hammer fell, the fire-red birds in the entire forest were startled and flew away.
Rex's bare upper body steamed with heat, and every muscle pulsed powerfully with the rhythm of the forging.
The special forging hammer in his hand, cast from Sea Stone and star iron alloy, weighed over a ton with a single handle, yet he wielded it, creating trails of afterimages.
Alvin, meanwhile, watched intently from the side, using his keen perception to capture the subtle changes within the blade embryo.
Sparks splattered like a downpour on both of them, leaving fine burn marks on Rex's skin. But he was oblivious, still immersed in the fervor of forging.
The most dangerous moment occurred during the quenching stage in the seventh month.
When the incandescent blade embryo was immersed in the living cold spring, something unexpected happened.
The microbial colonies in the cold spring suddenly went wild, and the ghostly blue water instantly transformed into thousands of tentacles, tightly wrapping around the blade.
"Not good!"
Rex's face changed drastically, and he quickly stabilized the cold spring with a special coolant. In this critical moment, his eyes revealed determination and calmness, as if he was fighting a desperate battle with fate.
Finally, Rex seized the opportunity to nail three obsidian profound steel nails into the tsuba.
In an instant, dark purple patterns, like living things, instantly crawled all over the blade surface.
This was a crucial step in locking the characteristics of a cursed sword into the blade, and also an important step towards their success.
Thus, the unfinished blade embryo in the fusion furnace repeatedly underwent cooling, heating, and forging, as if trapped in an infinite loop.
— — — —
Days passed, and finally, two and a half years minus one year and two months quietly slipped away.
By now, the blade in the fusion furnace was almost complete; even if taken out now, it had reached the boundary between a Skillful Grade Sword and a Great Grade Sword!
Rex looked at the blade in the fusion furnace, his eyes almost uncontrollably filled with excitement and madness. Finally, it was almost the last step.
"Rex, I've bought the food back. Go eat, I'll watch the fusion furnace."
Alvin walked in with a pile of food.
Hearing Alvin's voice, Rex quickly snapped back to attention. He turned to look at Alvin: "Alright. Oh, right, Alvin, I'm going to find Emberhardt in a bit. I'll need his help next."
"Hmm... you decide. Anyway, I don't understand forging, so just go with your ideas."
Alvin nodded, indicating he understood.
"Hahaha... don't worry, Alvin, this time I will definitely forge a top-tier Great Grade Sword for you!"
Rex was full of confidence, the excitement in his eyes uncontrollable.
When Alvin saw Rex's appearance at this moment, he felt a little puzzled.
Why is this guy more excited than I am?
But Alvin didn't think much of it, just assuming it was because his dream was about to be realized.
After eating his fill, Rex instructed Alvin not to let the fire in the fusion furnace go out, then left to find his younger brother, Emberhardt.
However, Alvin didn't expect that Rex's trip this time would take almost two days before he returned.
This made Alvin even more puzzled.
One must know that in the past nearly ten months, Rex had gone out only a handful of times, and all his eating, drinking, and sleeping were done in his underground home.
Even if he went out, it would never exceed half a day. This time, he actually returned after two days. Was he not afraid of his own operational mistakes?
However, Rex apparently had no intention of explaining anything, and after he returned, he became even more excited, the madness in his eyes completely undisguised.
Next, the two continued to forge according to the previous steps. The blade, almost ready to be taken out, was already gleaming with a cold light, making Alvin also excited.
...
A year had passed, and one afternoon, while Alvin was out eating and buying food, Rex began to weaken the fire in the furnace.
At this time, his younger brother Emberhardt actually appeared there, and he even brought a terrifying Hellfire Magma Lizard!
This lizard is naturally unafraid of magma and feeds on it, which is why its blood is the hottest!
"Brother, are you sure you want to do this? You know, even if you do, it may not successfully transform into a true cursed sword!"
Emberhardt stared at Rex, speaking in a deep voice. His eyes were filled with worry and concern.
"Emberhardt, you don't need to persuade me anymore. I've waited decades for this moment. It's Alvin who gave me this opportunity. I must make it transform into a perfect cursed sword and give it to Alvin!"
Rex's eyes were filled with madness and seriousness as he stared intently at Emberhardt. His voice revealed an unwavering determination.
Emberhardt just stared at Rex, finally knowing he couldn't change his brother's mind. He slowly said: "Sigh... I understand. I will help you complete this last step!"
"Thank you, brother."
Rex breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Emberhardt agree.
Then the two began the final step. Rex walked to the fusion furnace, his hands trembling as he took out the already formed black blade.
At this moment, when the Hellfire Magma Lizard saw this blade, it was as if it had encountered something terrifying, desperately trying to escape.
But Rex instantly plunged the blade into its head, and the entire underground space was instantly filled with the Hellfire Magma Lizard's sharp and agonizing screams!
Under the gaze of Rex and Emberhardt, the blade was covered with blood vessel-like red patterns, and the tiny serrations on the edge were opening and closing as if breathing autonomously. This blade was absorbing the blood of the Hellfire Magma Lizard!
Until the body of the Hellfire Magma Lizard shriveled up!
Immediately after, Emberhardt walked over, and the moment he touched it, the entire blade suddenly emitted a humming sound like a baby crying, and all metal tools in the workshop simultaneously burst.
He pulled the blade out of the Hellfire Magma Lizard's head, then pointed the tip at Rex: "Brother, although I know I can't change your mind, I still want to ask one more time, do you really want to do this? You might die!" After saying that, his serious and stern eyes stared intently at Rex.
"Hahaha... Emberhardt, this is my last chance in this life, so, come on, Emberhardt, only by adding my heart's blood can it completely transform into a true cursed sword!"
Rex said excitedly, then ripped open his clothes to expose his chest.
Emberhardt looked at Rex, knowing that he could no longer change his mind. Finally, gritting his teeth, he still plunged the tip of the blade into Rex's chest!
In an instant! The blood, containing decades of sword-forging memories, seeped into the blade, and the black blade suddenly burst forth with a bright red light. Rex used his last strength to roar: "It's now, transform for me!"
...
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