Lían suddenly stopped.
He stood there for several moments.
Then—
his expression changed.
"...Wait."
He looked down at his empty hand.
"...What am I supposed to fight with?"
He slowly glanced toward the cavern entrance.
"I need a sword."
A pause.
"This isn't the dream space anymore."
"Master can't just create one for me."
His eyes suddenly widened.
"...Wait."
He remembered something.
When Lizarius had opened his storage ring earlier—
he had seen several items.
Including—
a sword.
Lían immediately turned toward him.
"I saw a sword among the things you took out earlier."
He pointed toward Lizarius.
"Why don't you give me that one?"
Lizarius remained silent.
Lían continued.
"You aren't using it anyway."
"And you want to see me use the reconstructed technique."
"I can't exactly fight demon beasts with my bare hands."
He spread his hands helplessly.
"So you should give me one, right?"
Silence.
Lían stared at Lizarius.
"...Right?"
Still nothing.
Lían's expression slowly changed.
"...You can't be serious."
Lizarius' calm voice finally echoed through the cavern.
"You will die if I give it to you."
Lían froze.
"...I'll die?"
He stared at Lizarius.
"How?"
His expression became increasingly confused.
"Does the sword kill whoever uses it?"
"Is it cursed or something?"
Silence.
Then—
Lizarius answered.
"It is an Earth-Grade tool."
Lían remained frozen.
"...Earth-Grade?"
He repeated the words slowly.
Something clicked in his mind.
"Earth-Grade..."
He frowned.
"I've heard that before."
A few seconds passed.
Then—
his eyes widened.
"...Right."
"The old Village Head mentioned it."
"Techniques..."
"Common Grade."
"Mortal Grade."
"Earth Grade."
Lían slowly looked toward the sword.
"...That sword is Earth Grade?"
His expression immediately became serious.
"Then..."
He shook his head.
"No."
"Forget it."
Lizarius watched him silently.
Lían took a step backward.
"If that's really an Earth-Grade tool..."
"...Then it's far too valuable."
His expression became increasingly uneasy.
"If someone finds out a village boy has something like that..."
He swallowed.
"That's trouble."
"Serious trouble."
"Even the Village Head might kill me for it."
Lían quickly shook his head.
"No."
"I don't want anything to do with it."
"Someone like me possessing something that valuable..."
"It's practically inviting trouble."
"Not just for me."
"For everyone around me."
He looked toward the cavern entrance.
"My mother..."
"The village..."
"If someone discovers I have something like that..."
His expression hardened.
"I don't want to bring that kind of danger to them."
He turned toward Lizarius.
"So forget it."
"I don't need the sword."
"I'll find something else."
Silence.
Within Lizarius' mind—
he quietly considered Lían's reaction.
*There is no reason for me not to give him the sword.*
*Though he does not need something of that level to hunt demon beasts.*
*However...*
His golden gaze settled upon Lían.
*If possessing the sword would truly place him in danger...*
A strange sensation appeared within him.
It was faint.
Almost imperceptible.
But—
he felt something tighten inside.
Lizarius remained silent for several moments.
Then—
his gaze shifted toward the storage pouch in Lían's hand.
"...The same applies to that."
Lían blinked.
"...Huh?"
He looked down.
"The pouch?"
Lizarius nodded.
Lían stared at it.
For several seconds—
he said nothing.
Then his expression slowly changed.
"...Master is right."
He looked at the pouch again.
"For a village boy to possess a Spiritual Treasure..."
He swallowed.
"That's also dangerous."
"Someone could discover it."
"They could wonder where I got it."
"And if they find out..."
His expression became serious.
"I'd be in trouble."
Lían immediately extended the pouch.
"Alright."
"Take it back."
"I don't want it."
"It's too dangerous."
Silence.
Lizarius didn't take it.
Lían kept his hand extended.
"...Master?"
Nothing.
A moment passed.
Then—
Lizarius calmly spoke.
"It's fine."
Lían blinked.
"...It's fine?"
"What does that mean?"
"You won't die."
Lían stared at him.
"...What?"
Lizarius' voice remained calm.
"You can keep it."
Lían's expression became confused.
"But you just said—"
"You will not die."
Lían stared blankly at him.
"...Was I going to die before?"
Lizarius remained silent.
Lían's brows furrowed.
"Wait."
"You just said it was dangerous."
"Now you're saying I won't die."
"Which one is it?"
Silence.
Lizarius answered.
"If you keep it hidden from sight..."
"...No one will discover it."
Lían stared at the pouch.
He thought about it for several moments.
Then—
his expression slowly relaxed.
"...I guess you're right."
He looked at the pouch again.
"If nobody knows I have it..."
"Then there's no reason for anyone to come after me for it."
He carefully secured it.
"Besides..."
He glanced toward Lizarius.
"Master is the one who gave it to me."
"So I guess I don't need to worry too much."
A pause.
"But I'll still be careful."
Lían tucked the pouch away.
"And I'm definitely not telling anyone about it."
He looked toward the cavern entrance again.
"...As for the Earth-Grade sword..."
He shook his head.
"That one is still too much."
"I'd rather not touch it."
Lizarius simply watched him.
Lían sighed.
"Let's find me an ordinary sword."
"Something that won't attract attention."
Then—
he started toward the cavern entrance.
"That should be enough."
Lían sighed.
"Then..."
"Do you have an ordinary sword..."
"Or at least one of a lower grade?"
He looked toward Lizarius.
"...Do you?"
Silence.
Lizarius simply stared at him.
Lían waited.
"...No?"
Lizarius gave no response.
Lían nodded slowly.
"Alright."
"I didn't really expect you to just have something like that anyway."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'll find something else."
"Maybe I can use a branch..."
He paused.
"...Or fight without a weapon."
Lían frowned.
"Although that would probably make things much harder."
He took another step.
Then—
he suddenly stopped.
His gaze shifted toward Lizarius.
The lizard was holding something in his claw.
A rough piece of stone.
Most of its surface was dark and dull.
But—
several cracks running through the stone emitted a faint white glow.
Lían stared.
"...What's that?"
Lizarius lowered his gaze toward the object.
He remained silent.
For several moments—
he simply examined the stone.
Within his mind—
a question surfaced.
*What kind of ore is this?*
The familiar mechanical voice immediately responded.
**[Analyzing.]**
**[Scanning composition...]**
**[Analysis in progress.]**
Lizarius' golden eyes remained fixed upon the glowing stone.
The faint light pulsed within its cracks.
Lían watched him.
"...Master?"
Lizarius didn't answer.
The system's voice sounded again.
**[Analysis complete.]**
**[Material identified.]**
**[Name: Black Iron.]**
Lizarius' golden eyes remained fixed upon the rough stone.
The mechanical voice continued.
**[Estimated age: Approximately 400 years.]**
**[Grade: Earth-Grade Material.]**
**[Additional properties detected.]**
**[The material contains residual Lightning Essence.]**
**[Analysis suggests the ore underwent repeated exposure to Heavenly Lightning.]**
**[The Lightning Essence has gradually fused with the Black Iron's natural properties.]**
**[Mutation detected.]**
Lizarius remained silent.
The stone continued to emit a faint white glow through its cracks.