Raising Legends in Roger’s Shadow

Chapter 311 311: Reid My Family Finally Understands

Reid held Ann's small hand and pushed open the heavy wooden door of the stone house, as casually as if he were returning to his own home.

"Old man! Already eating? Good thing I came at the right time. You wouldn't mind if I joined you for a meal, would you?" Reid grinned and shouted without the slightest hint of politeness.

Inside the house, a short, broad old man with powerful muscles and a thick white beard was devouring noodles from a huge bowl. He looked exactly the same as before, not a day older. Hearing the noise, he did not even lift his head. He simply snorted irritably.

"Hmph! I knew you wouldn't come to see me without a reason. The noodles are in the pot. Get yourself a bowl."

This was the great hammer smith who had forged the Black Tide greatsword for Reid years ago. They had only met once, but they were unquestionably friends. One man had entrusted his lifelong dream to another, and that man had kept his promise.

That was the simple bond between men.

Reid did not stand on ceremony. He scooped two bowls of noodles from the stove, handed one to Ann, and began gulping down his own.

"Hmm! Old man, your cooking just keeps getting better. These noodles have real bite!"

"You're praising them before you've even tasted them?"

The Master Hammer Smith finally lifted his head. He looked at Reid, then at Ann.

Ann sat quietly beside him, eating small bites of noodles. From time to time her eyes wandered around the room, studying the forging tools.

The old man understood immediately.

He set down his bowl, wiped his mouth, and spoke bluntly.

"You brat. Stop beating around the bush. I sealed my forge years ago. Black Tide was my final masterpiece. If you're here to ask me to forge another sword for someone, forget it."

His tone was firm and left absolutely no room for negotiation.

Reid thought to himself: Good. Remember that expression.

Reid rubbed Ann's head and smiled at the old man.

"Come on, old man, don't be so heartless. I just missed you, so I brought my niece to visit. Look at you, living all alone in this run-down place. Must be pretty lonely."

He did not mention forging a sword at all. Instead, he pulled several bottles of fine liquor and a pile of snacks from his swirling blood mist and placed them on the table.

"Come on, it's been a while. Let's have a drink. This is my niece Ann. I've been teaching her swordsmanship."

Reid poured the old man a cup of wine and chatted casually.

"How have you been lately? Appetite still good? And why seal your forge? Letting your skills gather dust would be such a waste."

The old man immediately snapped, "Don't drink! Take it away!"

But his nose twitched involuntarily. His eyes drifted toward the wine cup. His body betrayed him as he sat down honestly, picked up the cup, took a sip, and let out a satisfied sigh.

While they talked, Reid casually brought something up with a hint of pride.

"Oh right. My little Ann here. Don't let her age fool you. Her talent is unbelievable. She swings a training greatsword like it weighs nothing. Her strength is terrifying. Honestly, she's already stronger than I was back then."

Ann blinked her big eyes in cooperation.

The Master Hammer Smith snorted but said nothing. Still, his ears twitched slightly.

The old man could endure this much. After all, he had seen users of Conqueror's Haki before. Wasn't Reid himself one of them when he was younger?

Reid continued in an offhand tone.

"And for some reason, she awakened Conqueror's Haki at such a young age. Some people are just born stronger than others. Makes you jealous, honestly. Do you know how much effort I had to put in to master it?"

"You had it too! It's nothing special! Nothing special!" the Hammer Master stubbornly shot back, draining another gulp of wine.

Conqueror's Haki combined with monstrous strength was indeed one in a million. But he was the great Hammer Master. What kind of genius had he not seen?

He absolutely could not lose face.

Reid saw the reaction but said nothing. He simply smiled faintly and continued pouring the old man more wine.

Reid thought: Oh my.

Just then, a mosquito buzzed across the room, completely unaware of the disaster approaching. It hovered in front of Ann's forehead.

Ann's usually expressionless face frowned slightly.

She reached for the training greatsword leaning beside the table.

She did not know why Uncle Reid had switched her sword before they entered the house, but the weapon already felt too light and fragile in her hands.

Even though she did not understand, Ann chose to trust her uncle.

She made no unnecessary movements. She did not even stand up.

"Ann Style. Phantom Assault."

She spoke softly.

In that instant, a concentrated and violent burst of Conqueror's Haki wrapped around the blade like an invisible shockwave.

The training greatsword could not bear such power.

Cracks instantly spread across the blade.

Reid thought: Heh. Exactly the effect I wanted.

But just before the sword completely shattered, Ann's arm trembled slightly.

Whoosh!

A subtle yet incredibly sharp slash of sword energy shot from the blade.

A crack appeared in the wall, but it did not collapse. Only a clean fissure remained.

The entire process happened in the blink of an eye.

Reid's teaching philosophy had always been simple.

Reduce the complex into the simple.

Ann's control over both Conqueror's Haki and raw strength had already reached a terrifying level of mastery.

The sword itself proved it.

Reid thought: I really am a terrible role model for young people.

Crack.

The training greatsword finally shattered completely in her hand. Metal fragments scattered across the floor.

Ann stared at the broken hilt in her hand. Her small face remained expressionless.

"It broke."

Reid made a helpless face.

"Look at that! That's the seventh one this month! These ordinary materials just can't handle her strength!"

Ann tilted her head slightly.

???

But Ann was a tough and stubborn little girl.

The great Hammer Master froze.

"!!!"

The wine cup in his hand shattered with a loud crack.

Reid thought: Got him.

The old man stared at the broken sword pieces on the floor. Then his gaze snapped toward Ann.

That was not just raw strength.

It was an incredibly precise control of Conqueror's Haki coating and external release, bursting out and retracting in an instant.

Reid thought: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

This kind of talent.

This kind of natural potential.

She was born to wield the finest greatswords in the world.

Even more than Reid had been in his youth.

Another Reid.

That meant another greatsword would one day echo across the seas.

The dignified composure of the master smith completely collapsed. His breathing grew heavy. A blazing passion ignited in his eyes.

The legend of Reid's Black Tide greatsword had already resounded across the seas. That was the greatest pride of his life.

But what if another sword could create the same echo?

What a magnificent sight that would be.

Could those so-called Supreme Grade swords truly compare?

Could they rival their Black Tide?

But...

He had already declared that his forge was sealed.

Years had passed since then.

If he went back on his word now, where would he put his old face?

Meanwhile, Reid calmly sipped his soup and spoke casually.

"You know, old man, kids these days are unbelievable. My girl here doesn't have many hobbies. She just likes using greatswords with me. I've trained her since she was little, and her strength is terrifying. Truly terrifying."

He smacked his lips as if savoring the soup.

"She's still so young. It's really a shame that we can't find a sword strong enough to let her use her full power. Those ordinary swords break after a few swings. What a pity…"