vstars Chapter 748 Wealth
Chapter 748 Wealth
"This place doesn't look very wealthy," Zhang Hai couldn't help but ask, voicing his doubts.
Upon hearing this, the leading ninja gave a bitter smile. He sneered, his tone tinged with resentment: "Wealthy? You must be joking, sir. Those great powers treat us nothing more than toolmakers. Each time they commission ninja tools, they only offer a pittance in wages." He paused, his resentment deepening. "Some shameless great powers even claim they'll send ninjas to protect us, then use those wages as protection money. Our nation of craftsmen is nothing more than an object of their arbitrary demands."
Listening to the leading ninja's complaints, Zhang Hai felt understanding and sympathy for the tragedy caused by the unequal power of the two sides in this transaction. In the ninja world, without strength, there is no voice; weak nations can only be slaughtered by powerful ones. The Land of Craftsmen possesses superb ninja tool forging technology, yet because of its own weakness, it cannot obtain the wealth and respect it deserves. However, his sympathy ended there. He was not a savior, nor did he have any interest in changing the rules of this world. His purpose in coming here was solely for his swordsmanship and a new ninja sword.
The two walked through several deserted streets and arrived at a huge foundry. Inside, the foundry was brightly lit and sparks flew everywhere. Dozens of craftsmen were working diligently, concentrating on hammering metal in their hands, completely unaware that someone had entered.
The lead ninja walked to an empty workbench and cautiously asked Zhang Hai, "Sir, what kind of weapon would you like to have made? We can do our best to meet your requirements."
Zhang Hai didn't say much. He took out a pre-drawn blueprint from his pocket and handed it to the leading ninja. The blueprint depicted a ring-shaped blade, somewhat similar in shape to the Fuma Shuriken, but with some differences. When separated, it had six blades, and around each blade were numerous smaller blades. These smaller blades resembled the finger knives Zhang Hai had used in his previous life, and he had meticulously drawn all these details on the blueprint.
This weapon is no ordinary ninja sword; it is a ring-shaped structure composed of countless tiny, sharp blades. It can perform long-range slashing attacks through high-speed rotation, or disintegrate into multiple smaller blades for multi-directional close-quarters assaults at crucial moments. Furthermore, it can transform into six blades, like six venomous snakes, launching deadly attacks simultaneously from different directions. This is a composite weapon integrating ranged, melee, and area-of-effect attacks, its design concept overturning the leading ninja's understanding of traditional ninja tools.
The lead ninja took the blueprints, his eyes filled with shock and fascination. He carefully examined the exquisite design, his mind racing as he envisioned the terrifying power this weapon would unleash on the battlefield once it was created. He took a deep breath, his voice trembling with excitement: "This...this is an unheard-of weapon! Once it's built, it will shake the entire ninja world!" However, amidst his excitement, a strong sense of doubt also welled up within him: Could such a weapon truly be created?
He raised his head, looking at Zhang Hai with a complicated expression, and asked again, "Sir, are you sure you want to forge such a weapon? This... this is too difficult. I can't guarantee that I can make it 100% successful."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hai's lips curled into a confident smile. He knew that while the Kingdom of Craftsmen possessed exquisite skills, they had never attempted such an advanced design concept. He shook his head and said firmly, "Confirmed. As for the difficulty of production, you don't need to worry. Money and time are not issues. I will stay here until completion, and I can guarantee that no one will disturb you during this time."
As he spoke, Zhang Hai reached out with his right hand and slowly drew the "Unintentional Blade" from his waist. In the dim light of the foundry and the moonlight filtering through the cracks, the blade of the "Unintentional Blade" emitted a soft, mysterious, jade-like glow. That light seemed to possess a certain magic, drawing in one's thoughts and consciousness, drawing them unconsciously into its depths.
The lead ninja's eyes instantly lost focus, as if he had fallen into some kind of illusion, his thoughts becoming sluggish. He didn't even know when Zhang Hai had sheathed his sword, nor when Zhang Hai had silently left the forge. Only Zhang Hai's words remained in his mind—"No one will disturb you." He knew that these words were both a promise and an invisible threat. A ninja who could so easily render him unconscious and possess such a powerful weapon was definitely not someone their Land of Craftsmen could easily provoke.
In a corner of the secret room, the leading ninja of the Four Symbols—the Kingdom of Craftsmen—had a furrowed brow. Holding pen and paper, he meticulously copied the blueprints left by Zhang Hai under the oil lamp. He knew that crafting this special weapon would consume a great deal of their Kingdom of Craftsmen's time and energy. Zhang Hai had paid a substantial sum in advance, a gesture of trust and a subtle form of urging them to expedite the process.
After much deliberation, Sixiang finally made up his mind. He summoned a burly man, his capable assistant—Shuihu.
"Water Tiger, we have a new order." Four Symbols handed the blueprints to Water Tiger, his tone tinged with seriousness.
Shuihu took the blueprints and was immediately astonished after just one glance. He asked curiously, "This...who designed this weapon? It's so exquisite! However, with such a complex structure, and composed of countless tiny blades, I'm afraid no one could perfectly control it, right?"
Sixiang did not answer Shuihu's question. He knew that Zhang Hai's strength was unfathomable; since he could design such a weapon, he must be able to wield it. He emphasized, "The key lies in its construction. Shuihu, do you have any ideas? How can we perfectly fuse these tiny blades together while ensuring its sturdiness and sharpness?"
Upon hearing this, Shuihu's expression became conflicted. He pondered for a moment before finally speaking with difficulty, "To perfectly fuse these tiny blades and ensure their toughness and strength, I'm afraid... it might be necessary to use 'that'." His voice was hesitant, as if he were mentioning a taboo.
"Which one?" Sixiang pressed.
“That green gem…” Water Tiger said in a low voice, a hint of awe and fear in his eyes, “This thing is related to 'that…'”
"Enough!" Sixiang abruptly interrupted Shuihu, his face contorted in struggle for a moment. He recalled the "Unintentional Blade" radiating a soft, jade-like light before Zhang Hai left, and the powerlessness he felt when he was instantly controlled. He gritted his teeth and made a difficult decision.