The crowd gradually dispersed, and the restaurant returned to its previous calm, as if that "duel" with an axe as the stake had merely been an everyday interlude.
Benjamin lowered his head and carefully weighed the "battle axe" in his hand.
It felt heavy in his grip. The blade was sharp, its cold gleam biting; the wooden handle had been polished smooth and fit comfortably in his hand.
From any angle, it was a finely crafted cold weapon, solidly made from quality materials.
In his previous life, it might have counted as a collectible work of craftsmanship or a high-quality outdoor tool.
But that was all.
He repeatedly ran his fingertips over the axe blade, sensing the state of its materials. He even secretly scratched an inconspicuous spot with his nail.
Even with his extraordinary power sealed away, Benjamin, as a master of Alchemy, could quickly determine that this axe had no energy response, no concealed runes, and no special structure.
It was simply a good axe in the purely physical sense.
Yet the scattered students who had not completely left still looked at him with undisguised envy and awe.
As though he were holding not iron and wood, but some sacred relic endowed with mysterious power.
Benjamin hesitated, then looked at the still-excited Amy beside him. Adjusting his tone, he said with just the right amount of excitement, "This axe—looks pretty good, doesn't it?"
Just as he expected, Amy's eyes immediately lit up. In a tone almost like a chant, she explained, "Of course!
This axe's destructive power is far greater than those iron rods we fought over in high school! Holding it means you have combat strength far beyond that of ordinary people!"
Her tone was sincere, full of the certainty that this was common sense.
Victor beside