Reyn didn't argue further.
"Fine, then I'll take it."
"Take it quick before I change my mind!" Zoltan shouted loudly, but then caught himself and added: "Once I sort all this out, I'll need to head back to the Lava Fortress too."
The smile vanished from Reyn's face.
"What about the tavern?"
"I'll have friends watch it for a couple years for now. Not sure if I can come back. If not—I'll sell it," a note of regret sounded in Zoltan's voice.
Reyn was silent for a moment, then nodded in understanding. Zoltan's goal in Longsand had been the rune knowledge from the Iron Beard Stronghold. Now that he'd gotten it, there was no reason for him to stay. Plus, Roger had left, which was another reason to go.
Noticing Reyn's dejection, Zoltan walked over and clapped him on the arm.
"This isn't goodbye forever!" he laughed. "If you have time, come visit me in the Lava Fortress, stay a couple years. Or we can go look for Roger together. With your power, you'll live at least three hundred years. We'll have plenty of time to meet up!"
"You're right, I'm still too young," Reyn smiled. His mindset was still the same; he hadn't adjusted yet.
Legendary superhumans lived at least three hundred years. Dwarves even longer, over four hundred. With such long lives, their perception of time changes. Having endured much, they behave differently from ordinary people. A separation of a few years, even decades—is normal.
Reyn pushed aside stray thoughts, stowed the Rune Book, and left the "Basilisk" tavern. Mounting his bicycle, he rode to Viola's. He'd decided to buy a dose of Soul Devouring Potion and perform the Soul Transformation Ritual today.
Riding into the Silverstar district, Reyn saw ruined buildings everywhere. The streets, however, had already been cleared. Cracks in the ground had been sealed by earth elementals from the Secret Fire Guard, so vehicles could pass. Knights of the Order of Silver Armors patrolled every intersection, and order, strangely, was even better than before.
Cycling past, Reyn noticed the destruction wasn't as severe in most places as he'd expected. Restoration had already begun in many spots. Only one area had been nearly wiped off the map—over half the buildings collapsed.
It was Brent Street.
Once Longsand's most prosperous street, it now lay as vast ruins, sunk down and forming a massive funnel. At the center of this funnel had once stood the Oath Sword. The air still smelled of char, and the ground had melted into black glass—a result of incredibly high temperatures.
Reyn had seen this funnel yesterday from the tower's peak. Now, up close, he felt the terrifying power of destruction even more acutely. As if a nail bomb had exploded here! That was the Chosen One god's power, amplified by divine descent. Reyn shuddered inwardly: a world where power belonged to the individual was truly frightening.
The Oath Sword had vanished without a trace, taking dozens of neighboring shops with it. Half the street turned into a scorched wasteland. The Violet House, farther along at the other end of Brent Street, had suffered in the battle but survived intact. Many other shops outside the blast's epicenter shared its lucky fate.
Reyn parked his bicycle and entered the Violet House. The main building stood firm, but inside much was damaged: finishes, furniture, goods—all affected to some degree. Store employees were cleaning and repairing.
"Lord Reyn," the receptionist girl greeted him. Without waiting for a question, she respectfully informed him: "The manager is in her office on the fifth floor. She has a guest."
"Who exactly?" Reyn asked.
"Lord Kenji from the Mechanics Guild," knowing Reyn and Viola's relationship, the girl answered without hesitation.
"Thanks, I'll go up."
Thanking her, Reyn took the elevator to the fifth floor. Even from the door, he heard distinct music—undoubtedly a gramophone playing. He knocked and entered. Viola sat on the sofa listening to music. Kenji, in a strict suit, stood by the gramophone. His face looked tired, but his eyes were clear. Seeing Reyn, he beamed.
"Reyn, perfect timing!" he exclaimed. "This is the first batch of gramophones we've produced. Listen, what do you think of the sound quality?"
Viola stood too and smiled at Reyn.
"Made so quickly?" Reyn was surprised by Kenji's efficiency. Not even a month had passed since he'd given him the first gramophone. Though he'd helped develop the process, retool the factory, set up production, and release finished goods in such a short time—it seemed unbelievable even by his past life's standards.
Kenji, however, shook his head:
"Actually, it's your achievement. Your design was very well thought out; we just followed your instructions. I could barely improve anything."
"Reyn, you're a born mechanic!" Kenji said sincerely.
Reyn smiled, accepting the compliment. Viola, standing nearby, listened with a somewhat odd expression. As the person who knew Reyn best, she'd told him something similar, but differently: "Reyn, you're a born musician!" Yet Reyn hadn't devoted much time to either mechanics or music. Most of it went to meditation and combat training. Compared to mechanics or music, Reyn was more a born superhuman, a genius with perfect soul transformation. The more Viola thought about it, the less she understood Reyn. How many more surprises would this young man spring on her?
Unaware of the half-elf's thoughts, Reyn closely examined the gramophone. Outwardly, it resembled those from his past life: a copper horn like a blooming flower, wooden body with beautiful carving, lacquered—a true work of art. And it was art that reproduced music. The sound quality had minor flaws but was clear enough. Grooves on the record were cut denser, allowing longer pieces.
"Well, what do you think?" Kenji asked with some anxiety.
"Excellent! Ready for sale. Chairman, you've done outstanding work," Reyn clapped. He found no flaws. Even he probably couldn't have done better.
Kenji's face broke into a joyful grin. He'd barely slept for half a month, personally directing mid- and low-rank mechanics in retooling the line and improving quality. He'd even drunk alchemical potions to keep going—all to get the gramophone to market ASAP.
Viola was thrilled too. The sooner sales started, the sooner revenue. The year-end God's Birth Festival approached, when the duchess would grant titles. The Winter Thunder count candidacy was undecided. Proving the gramophone's market potential would make the outcome clear. After yesterday's Silverstar destruction, the duchess needed massive funds for rebuilding, and income-generators like never before.
Per prior agreement, Kenji handled production, Viola sales. They'd set price and launch date—ten days out. Enthused, Kenji hurried off to start the first 500-unit batch.
Viola escorted him down personally. Returning, she saw Reyn half-reclining on the sofa, lost in thought, utterly relaxed. She approached and sat beside him.
"What're you thinking about?" she asked smiling.
"You, of course," Reyn teased.
Viola clearly liked the answer. She pressed against him, wrapping her arms around, and whispered:
"You were so tired yesterday, I didn't even ask what happened in the dwarven stronghold. How'd you encounter the Shadow Blade?"
"It's a long story…" Reyn hugged her waist, inhaling the scent of her golden hair, and closed his eyes in pleasure.
He told her everything that happened with him, Roger, and Zoltan in the stronghold. He omitted only his soul-absorption recharge ability but even shared Mjolnir's existence with Viola.
"Mjolnir!" she exclaimed. "So that's where the Elf Empire and Walden got it—from the Iron Beard Stronghold!"
Viola's eyes sparkled. She turned, looking Reyn straight in the face, and smiled:
"You're surely dying to get that legendary war hammer, right?"
"Naturally, who wouldn't?" Reyn replied calmly.
Viola nodded and suddenly asked:
"Reyn, you're planning to rank up to mid-tier mage soon? Do a second soul transformation?"
"How'd you know?" Reyn was genuinely surprised.
Hearing his response, Viola was stunned herself. She even sat up straight on the sofa. Not a month since integrating the legendary element, and he was ready to advance again!
"I just guessed… You really plan the soul transformation ritual?"
Reyn nodded seriously. Viola, confirming he wasn't joking, was speechless. His growth speed no longer surprised her—it numbed her. Seeing her shock, Reyn smirked smugly.
Viola was silent a long time, then sighed and pressed against him again, laying her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, savoring the quiet. The office fell completely silent, broken only by their steady breathing.
Gradually, Reyn's breathing grew heavier. He'd spent nearly ten days in the Iron Beard Stronghold, holding back the whole time. At his age, blood boiled, and with such a seductive woman nearby—he couldn't hold back. Viola felt his arousal immediately. Blushing, she tried to protest:
"What are you thinking? This is my office…"
But that only spurred Reyn! Half-yielding, Viola soon matched his passion, fully surrendering to the moment.
A long time later, Reyn lay satisfied on the sofa. He'd finally fulfilled one long-held fantasy, a years-old wish. Now he fully grasped "absence makes the heart grow fonder"—it was incredibly pleasurable! Viola was flushed too and took long to recover.
Resting, she didn't dare stay in her office. Quickly fixing her clothes, she nearly fled under pretext of checking store damage.
"Don't forget my dose of Soul Devouring Potion!" Reyn called after her.
Bored, he settled by the panoramic window and opened a book on his phone. Reading two books in over an hour, he took a break. Viola's office on the fifth floor overlooked all of Brent Street. From the window, he could see where the Oath Sword once stood—now a massive funnel.
Reyn gazed down and unconsciously activated Soul Eye, scanning the battle ruins. Under Will of Truth, his perception sharpened several times.
Suddenly, faint magic fluctuation caught his eye. Weak and concealed, like something buried underground—not in the funnel itself, but right under the Violet House, near the roadside curb, covered by a huge stone. Order of Silver Armors patrols and Secret Fire Guard mages passed by unnoticed. Without Reyn's Will of Truth, he'd have missed it too.
"What could it be?"
Curiosity won. Reyn waited till no one was near, opened the window, and jumped from the Violet House's fifth floor.
With a dull thud, he landed. Quickly reaching the stone, he effortlessly shifted the several-ton boulder, dug out dirt, and gripped the hilt. Pulling, he drew a sword.