Forging Swords: Two or Three Things

February 3, 2014, 9:15 AM.

"You want to forge a new sword with this broken one? Why? The material is ordinary. Even if it's reforged, it won't be as good as the weapons the academy issued you."

Theresa tilted her head, a hint of confusion in her voice. Standing before her was a slender young man. He traced a spot on the still intact hilt of the sword in his hand, as if reminiscing. This sword, to him, was clearly more than just a weapon to be discarded when broken.

"This sword was a token of love from my teacher's wife. Although my teacher gave it to me, saying it was its destiny to break on the battlefield and not to regret it.

"But without this sword, I probably wouldn't be alive right now."

In Su Qing'an's hand was the ancient sword, Calming the Tempest, only half of its blade remaining. This sword now held a special significance for him.

"So, I want to reforge it. Please, Headmaster."

Theresa looked at the young man bowing earnestly before her, a headache forming. If he were always this serious and earnest, I'd be in trouble.

"Ahem, even though the paperwork isn't finalized, you're already my adorable prospective student. This is a reasonable request, so I can agree to it. Please stand up, don't bow anymore. If Major Himeko saw this, she'd think I was giving you a hard time."

The girl sighed, placing a hand on her forehead. She then retrieved a white card from a cabinet and placed it on the desk.

"This is a one-time pass to the Destiny Weapon Research Institute. If you're lucky, the director might even forge the sword for you himself if he takes a liking to you. However, that guy's personality is a bit erratic, so it all depends on your luck.

"As for materials, you can ask the director. Regardless, it shouldn't be a problem to upgrade your sword to a standard-issue weapon."

"Thank you, Headmaster Theresa," Su Qing'an said, taking the pass from the desk and thanking her earnestly.

"Wait here for a moment. A Valkyrie just accepted a mission to test swords for the director, so I'll have her take you along."

Theresa leaned her head against the desk with a distinct lack of authority and waved her hand.

Meeting her for the first time, no one would guess that this cute, petite girl who looked only twelve years old was actually over forty.

While she was serious and reliable when dealing with official matters, she was otherwise almost like a child.

Her hobbies included drinking bitter melon juice and secretly reading Honkai Impact 3rd manga during office hours.

"Knock, knock." The sound of a door being knocked.

"Already? That was quick. As efficient as ever. Come in."

Theresa clearly knew who was at the door and quickly resumed a "dignified" posture, sitting up straight.

"Headmaster, I'm here to pick up the pass for the Destiny Weapon Research Institute." The door opened, and a girl with long grey hair entered.

Red-rimmed glasses rested on her small, straight nose. Through the clear, un-numbered lenses, her sea-blue eyes were like a clear ancient spring, long dead yet still pure.

This face and these eyes left a deep impression on Su Qing'an. In an instant, he understood that this was the Valkyrie who had saved him that day.

Fu Hua, one of the strongest warriors of humanity in the previous civilization era.

She had guarded Shenzhou to this day for a promise, a legendary immortal of Shenzhou.

After learning her name from Himeko, Su Qing'an understood that his feeling of seeing an immortal at that time was not an illusion.

This woman was indeed the immortal of legend, even if she had lost most of her power and forgotten most of her memories.

When she threw a punch, Su Qing'an could understand the truth and reality of the martial arts that had been integrated into her soul over the long years.

It was a martial art that combined the use of Honkai Energy with human physical techniques. The martial arts of present-day Shenzhou were passed down by this immortal.

Unlike Chen Junxuan's self-created killing techniques confined within a cage, this was a martial art for fighting Honkai Beasts.

"Fu Hua, he also needs to go to the Weapon Research Institute, so please take him with you," Theresa said, searching the cabinet again for a pass card and handing it to Fu Hua.

"Understood, Headmaster. I will take my leave then." The girl nodded, gestured for Su Qing'an to follow, and walked out of the office.

Su Qing'an closed the door.

The girl's attire was a light design, similar to martial arts clothing, with a touch of Shenzhou style. From Su Qing'an's perspective, her waist was exceptionally slender.

"Has your injury healed? You must have been feeling rather down after your first encounter with a Honkai Beast," the girl asked.

"Thanks to you, I still have the energy to think about all these messy things."

The young man felt a little embarrassed. It was the first time he owed someone a life debt, and being socially awkward, he didn't know how to act around Fu Hua.

At the same time, the strangely familiar feeling emanating from Fu Hua made it impossible for him to show excessive respect, even though he knew her identity.

He had already understood the source of that familiar feeling.

"Then Major Himeko must have mentioned your future plans to you."

"...I will enroll."

Fu Hua was somewhat surprised by this. She wasn't surprised that St. Freya Academy was admitting its first male student.

But rather, "Do you understand the consequences of enrolling?" the girl questioned.

"Yes, even if I can only be in the logistics department, coming into contact with Honkai Beasts is unavoidable."

"Even technical personnel like my parents could die if they were unlucky, so it's not strange for any accident to happen that could cost a life. I understand that."

Su Qing'an nodded, then said to Fu Hua what he had told Himeko before:

"But, is there really any place in this world that is absolutely safe? Both humans and Honkai are unreasonable things."

Su Qing'an might have been referring to Cocolia when he mentioned humans, but Fu Hua could only agree with his view on Honkai.

Although Shenzhou is safe for now, no one can predict what might happen in the next moment.

Perhaps it wasn't a bad thing for him to stay at St. Freya Academy. After all, if he were to live in a peaceful city with such worries, he would be perpetually anxious.

"Immortal." Su Qing'an couldn't help but utter the word.

For the first time, the girl's tranquil state of mind rippled. She stopped, turned, and looked at Su Qing'an's face as she said, "What did you just say...?"

"That punch you threw at the Emperor-class Honkai Beast was as powerful as the immortals in Shenzhou legends."

"I always thought the limit of martial arts was like my teacher Chen Junxuan's, but that's a martial art for killing, merely the limit of human martial arts, not the limit of martial arts against the Honkai."

"Your punch was so difficult. I could learn any killing martial art after five minutes, but for the past month, I've replayed that punch thousands of times, and I've only learned a fraction of it."

As he spoke, the young man threw a punch. Its fierce and domineering aura, along with the intricate changes in its force and power, were all contained within this single strike. It was undoubtedly the same punch that had sent Ganesha flying.

However, compared to that punch, something more fundamental was missing.

The method of controlling Honkai Energy.

Without the aid of Honkai Energy, this punch still couldn't escape the confines of humanity.

But this was enough for Fu Hua to deeply understand the truth of the information she had investigated. When she saw the punch the young man threw, she knew Su Qing'an's martial arts talent was absolutely abnormal, but now it seemed even more exaggerated than she had imagined.

Aside from the lack of integration and control of Honkai Energy, this punch had almost perfectly learned the technique she had used.

"Although it's far from the level of an immortal, if you have time, you can come to me for guidance."

Even if her upper limit was locked by Honkai Energy resistance, Fu Hua didn't mind mentoring such a convenient "student."

As for the sense of déjà vu and familiarity the young man gave her, that was the main reason she said those words, aside from this one.

"Then thank you, Fu Hua." Su Qing'an was stunned by the unexpected answer, then expressed his gratitude.

For some reason, the young man's mood, which had always been shrouded in mist, felt much brighter, as if illuminated by the sun.

He didn't know himself whether it was because he could hone his martial arts to become stronger, or because he had a reason to approach this girl.