Sovereign of Chaos

Chapter 6: Tonight's Roast Chicken, Packed to Go

Half an hour later.

"An excellent eight-foot rake! It's also top-quality!" Henry looked dubiously at the iron rake in his hands.

This was already the fourth piece! Each one was of superior quality! Had the boy taken some sort of drug? Had he transformed his grief from his grandfather's death into power?

An hour later.

"Top-quality spear!"

"Top-quality hidden sleeve sword!"

"Top-quality hoe!"

Henry's expression changed again and again, from initial astonishment to delight, to doubt, and finally to utter shock!

When had top-quality items become so common?

Something was definitely off! This was already the seventh piece! Not a single one was mediocre – all top-quality, crafted from ordinary materials! The success rate was 100%! This casting mastery alone had already surpassed Henry!

Henry had completely stopped working, pulling up a chair and sitting leisurely next to Ethan, watching him with a strange expression as he busied himself, sweat dripping from his forehead.

Not just Henry, but Whisker, Spike, and Steel also stopped working, sitting around Ethan and staring at him as if he were some sort of monster.

"Has our boss Ethan been possessed by a powerful demon?" Spike was dumbfounded, resting his chin in his hands and staring blankly at Ethan.

Whisker, however, remained quite composed, his mouth slightly agape and seemingly unaware of the drool running down his chin.

"Seven portions!" Whisker's throat bobbed, and he held up all his fingers in front of Ethan, only to reluctantly fold down three fingers after a moment.

Ethan felt his scalp tingle, his outward calm belying the tumultuous waves within his heart.

Seven pieces, each of top-quality. It was as if divine craftsmanship had turned the rotten into the miraculous. This was not a height he could have reached on his own. There was only one possibility…

Ethan surreptitiously glanced at the Stone Bead on his chest. The bead remained unassuming and plain, its surface marred by cracks. With such an appearance, Ethan believed that even if it were discarded on a busy street, nobody would pay it any attention.

This was an invaluable treasure! A treasure so rare that no amount of money could buy it. Ethan was determined to guard the secret of the Stone Bead at all costs—even from his closest friends and family, including Whisker and Spike.

Ethan was well-read and understood the principle that a tall tree catches the wind. If the secret of the Stone Bead were to be revealed, it would surely cause an uproar in Stone Town and potentially even alert the entire Continent of Chaos.

Time wore on.

The eighth item, the ninth, the tenth.

“A superior greatbow!”

“A superior battle-axe!”

“A superior bronze sword!”

“Ethan, your wages will be doubled!”

Henry closed the shop door and hung a ‘Sorry, We're Closed’ sign at the Blue Cloud Forge. He then lit a candle and sat with Whisker and the others beside Ethan.

...

Finally, the last greatsword was cast. Exhausted, Ethan slumped on the floor in front of the stove, gasping for breath.

Casting was mentally taxing, requiring prolonged concentration and meticulous attention. Normally, six or seven items a day would be sufficient, but today, Ethan had cast twenty-six in one go!

Upon seeing the last greatsword, Henry could immediately tell its quality without even touching it—the snowy white color and fierce aura were enough to reveal it as an excellent blade.

“Twenty-six items, all of the highest quality!” Henry said solemnly, gazing at Ethan, Whisker, and the others.

 “Ethan has now undoubtedly become the top casting expert in Stone Town. He is a master even in the larger Mistwood County. I hope you all will keep his secret! After all, a casting master at the age of eleven would be truly terrifying if revealed.”

“Uncle Henry, don't worry. We're all orphans, and although Ethan isn't, he's like a brother to us. We understand the importance of not putting our brother in danger,” Steel reassured him solemnly.

“Don't worry, I'm still waiting for Ethan to take me to the Silken Lotus Inn,” Spike quipped.

The Silken Lotus Inn was the only pleasure house in Stone Town. Spike had long yearned to visit but was always short of funds. He could only occasionally engage in some peeping activities—like the time he led the others to spy on a widow last month.

Whisker remained silent but shot Ethan a smug look, making a '6' with his right hand and a scissors gesture with his left, constantly reminding Ethan of the twenty-six roast chickens he owed him.

Ethan felt a warmth in his heart. He had been worried about how to explain everything, but even these details had been considered by Uncle Henry without needing to be asked.

“Twenty-six roast chickens! Can you even eat them all?” Ethan rolled his eyes.

“Heh, I've thought about that already. I'll take them to go!” Whisker laughed heartily, suddenly realizing he had drooled all over the floor and hastily sucking it back.

Everyone burst into laughter at Whisker's antics, and even Henry couldn't help but smile.

“With Master Ethan here, the revitalization of the Blue Cloud Forge is just around the corner,” said Henry cheerfully. “I declare that, effective immediately, Ethan's wages will be increased tenfold! And the wages of the others will also double from their original amount!”

"Wow! A raise!" Spike lunged forward and hugged Ethan. "Ethan, I love you, man!"

"Long live Uncle Henry!" Whisker and Steel exclaimed in unison.

...

The night was still, void of any breeze.

Ethan, sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes and jumped off the stone bed. The surrounding pale blue spiritual energy flowed into him from the top of his head as he moved, dissipating afterward.

It had been two months since Grandpa Edward's passing. Since then, Ethan had been jogging to work at the Blue Cloud Forge in town early each morning, returning home alone in the evening to practice his skills.

His life was monotonous yet focused. As Ethan had anticipated, every piece he crafted was of the highest quality, and Henry, Whisker, and the others had become completely numb to it.

In just over two months, Ethan had advanced his Azure Ox Method from the first level to the peak of the second level, ready to enter the third at any moment. He maintained a low profile, however, never boasting about his progress, only occasionally calculating the gap between himself and Caleb in his mind.

In just two months, he had progressed from the first to the peak of the second level in the Strong Blood Realm – an unimaginable feat for Ethan under normal circumstances.

Ethan knew this was all thanks to the mysterious Stone Bead's power. As a result, he was extremely cautious during his nightly practice, only daring to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth when he was certain no one was nearby.

"What is the origin of this mysterious bead?" Ethan wondered. "Not only does it accelerate my cultivation, but it also improves the quality of the weapons I forge! It's defying the heavens!"

"Never mind," Ethan shook his head and muttered, "It's time to check the animal traps I set. It's been half a month; there should be something caught by now."

Ethan shook his head, changed into his night clothes, opened the door, and stealthily entered the back mountain under the cover of darkness.

The people of Stone Town were rough and rugged, making their living through farming, herding, and hunting. It was quite common for someone like Ethan to set animal traps in the wilderness. Occasionally, villagers would be seen carrying wild boars or wolves back from the mountains, which was considered an extra harvest.

"Hooowl~"

"Tweet tweet!"

"Coo, coo"

In the depths of the night, the cries of birds and beasts echoed through the mountains. Ethan was not afraid, having grown up in this environment and knowing the terrain like the back of his hand. The traps he had set were located in the underbrush at the foot of a low hill just half a mile from his home – a mere stone's throw away.

"Huh?" From a distance, Ethan noticed an unusual noise coming from the underbrush where he had set his animal traps.