Night fell over Ardent City.
But no one was asleep.
The crack in the city center had put all the royal guards on alert.
The Grand Armament Hall sealed off every entrance.
The examiners searched the underground area.
Yet no one found the source of the sound.
Kael was in an examination room.
The Broken Sword lay on the table.
Elder Marcus stood in front of him.
"Did you see anything?"
Kael shook his head.
Marcus stared at him.
"Don't lie."
Kael fell silent.
At last, he said:
"I saw a hammer."
Marcus's expression immediately turned serious.
"What did it look like?"
"Black."
"Size?"
"Medium."
"Runes?"
Kael shook his head.
"I don't know."
Marcus drew a breath.
"Do you know its name?"
Kael hesitated.
"Heavenforge."
The room fell silent.
Marcus stared at him.
For several seconds, the old man didn't move.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"I don't know."
"That's impossible."
Kael frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Marcus didn't answer.
He only stared at the Broken Sword.
"Kael."
"Yes?"
"Never mention that name to anyone."
Kael understood how serious he was.
But before he could ask...
BOOM!
The walls of the room trembled.
Someone attacked from outside.
Marcus immediately summoned his Weapon Spirit.
A golden spear appeared.
"Stay behind me."
The door exploded.
Red mist poured in.
A masked man stood among the rubble.
Blood Armament.
But this time, its pressure was far greater.
Marcus recognized him at once.
"Blood Armament Lord..."
The man smiled.
"It's been a long time, Marcus."
Kael gripped the Broken Sword.
The man looked at him.
Then his expression changed.
"So it's you."
Kael frowned.
"Have we met before?"
"No."
The man smiled.
"But I've already heard your name."
He drew a red sword.
Blood Runes covered its blade.
Marcus stepped in front of Kael.
"Go."
Kael shook his head.
"I can help."
"This isn't a fight you can win."
The man laughed.
"He's right."
The Blood Armament Lord's aura filled the room.
Kael felt an overwhelming pressure.
The gap between their levels was far too great.
He didn't have a single Rune yet.
But the Broken Sword suddenly began to tremble.
DANG!
The sound of a hammer rang out.
Kael was startled.
The Broken Sword lifted itself.
At the same time...
a blue light appeared behind him.
Not a weapon.
Not a perfect form.
Only a hazy shadow.
A hammer silhouette.
Kael stared at it.
His heart pounded.
The Blood Armament Lord saw it too.
His smile vanished.
"That's..."
Kael couldn't move.
The shadow appeared for only a few seconds.
But before it vanished, one final memory surfaced.
Himself.
Not Kael.
A man named Aren.
Standing before a forge furnace.
Holding a black hammer.
In his other hand...
The Broken Sword.
Aren stared at the sword.
Then he said:
"One day, I'll return."
"When that time comes..."
He struck the sword with the hammer.
DANG!
The memory screen shattered.
Kael returned to reality.
The Blood Armament Lord stared at him.
"So it's true..."
Kael looked at him.
"What is?"
The man took a step back.
"That sword has found its owner."
Marcus attacked immediately.
BOOM!
The golden spear slammed into the red sword.
The impact destroyed the entire room.
The Blood Armament Lord retreated.
He gave Kael one last look.
"It's not time yet."
His body transformed into red mist.
Before disappearing, he said:
"Use this time to remember."
"Because when your memories return..."
"they'll all come."
The mist vanished.
Kael stood motionless.
Marcus lowered his spear.
"Kael."
Kael looked at the Broken Sword.
"Yes?"
Marcus said softly:
"Starting tonight..."
"your life will never be normal again."
Kael raised the broken sword.
For the first time, he didn't see a Grade F weapon.
He saw a door.
A door leading to a life he couldn't remember.
A door leading to someone named Aren Vhal.
And behind that door...
there was a black hammer waiting.
Kael clenched his hand.
He still didn't know who he was.
He still didn't know what Heavenforge was.
He still didn't know why the Blood Armament knew him.
And he still didn't know why the broken sword had chosen him.
But one thing was certain.
Today was not the end of his old life.
Today was the beginning of something far greater.
Somewhere deep beneath Ardent City...
a black hammer trembled.
DANG!
And an old voice whispered:
"Welcome back, my lord."