"Ah! Ah! Ah!"
"Urgh-"
Tony lay sprawled on the ground, retching uncontrollably.
"I think... I was in free fall for fifteen minutes!!"
"Urgh-"
Tony was somewhere between a soul and a nonsoul now, so naturally, he had no need to eat.
That meant he had nothing to throw up.
But he still felt nauseous.
"Well, that's rotten luck."
Tony whipped his head around.
Why did people keep appearing behind me?!
It was a... sign!
The sign had a human lower body, while its upper body was one big board.
There was a mouth on the board, along with plenty of writing.
[First Trial: Forging] [To forge iron, you must be strong yourself. Swing a thousand times and forge the iron blocks into a Heart Guard.]
Tony couldn't help grumbling to himself.
What exactly are the rules here? A thousand swings to forge iron?
Why do I have to make a Heart Guard?
Wasn't this supposed to be a Zanpakutō?
Suddenly, an iron plate and a hammer appeared in Tony's hands.
If he had to forge iron...
Then he might as well get to work!
Eighty!
Eighty!
Tony swung the hammer again and again, but it did little good.
The tremendous recoil struck straight into his soul.
He felt as though his palms had split open, and his entire arm was trembling.
He stopped hammering to take a look. The iron block had barely changed.
His burning enthusiasm was instantly doused with cold water!
After a rough estimate of his strength, he realized there was practically no way he could forge an iron block into a Heart Guard in a thousand swings!
He had been at it for so long, and the iron block had barely changed!
Tony realized there was more to this than met the eye!
He