As Rei discussed the sentient weapon, a broad-shouldered man with coal-stained hands leaned forward from the bar and asked, "Boy, you have a sentient weapon? What clan are you from?"
Rei blinked. "What do you mean by clan?"
A sudden silence fell over the tavern, the heavy atmosphere contrasting with the jovial banter from just moments before. It was as if the word "clan" had some sacred weight in this mining town, where swords were more common than smiles.
Everyone seemed surprised.
Levi scratched the back of his neck and asked, "You belong to a clan, right? The clans that practice martial arts?" His voice was lower now, edged with curiosity rather than suspicion.
Rei was caught at a crossroads. He could claim to be a clan member and deflect suspicion. Or, he could say the truth—or at least a version of it. But drawing attention from clans, especially in an unknown region like this, was the last thing Rei wanted. Even a slight rumor could cascade into the ears of organizations more dangerous than bandits or beasts. His instinct was clear: downplay everything.
"I'm just an ordinary person," Rei said flatly.
Levi raised a brow. "Ordinary? Your father might've been a clan member then."
Another man chimed in, "Yeah, otherwise, how would you even know martial arts? That throw earlier wasn't something any street rat could pull off."
Rei looked down for a moment, carefully composing his next words. "I made those martial arts myself. My father didn't teach me anything."
That statement seemed to cause more uproar than calm. Mugs clattered against tables, and someone even dropped a bowl of stew in shock.
"You what?" Levi said, blinking. "You made it? On your own? That's impossible."
"Why is that?" Rei asked, his voice calm and his eyes firm. He didn't flinch under their stares.
"Because one needs a special bloodline to practice martial arts. That's just how it is," Levi said. "It's been that way for generations. You can't just create them."
"That's crap," Rei said, shaking his head. "Anyone can use martial arts as long as they work hard on it. I built three different martial arts styles—Jujutsu, Karate, and Muay Thai."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
In his previous life, Rei had learned Jujutsu for defense, submission, grappling, and redirection. Karate was for offense, precision, striking, and rigid stances. And Muay Thai… that was the art of war in the prison. A brutal, efficient style honed through survival. He couldn't say that out loud, so he chose the narrative that he was a self-made martial artist.
"No way…" one man said, eyes wide with disbelief.
Another leaned on the counter, eyes sharp. "Are you some kind of prodigy?"
Rei shook his head again. "Not a prodigy. Just a boy who thinks differently from everyone else in this world."
A silence followed—this one filled with thought rather than disbelief.
"Now," Rei said, letting the air settle, "back to sentient weapons. I need someone who can work on one."
Levi still looked unsure. "We might know someone… but I don't know for sure if they can actually handle it. Still, can you show us the weapon?"
Rei nodded.
He reached over his back and carefully removed the wrapped cloth that shielded the Chaos Scepter from the world. With deliberate movements, he unraveled the cloth. Gasps echoed across the room as the scepter revealed itself—violet and purple, wrapped in ethereal ribbons of deep violet, a metallic glimmer pulsing from within as if it breathed.
Levi stepped forward instinctively. "What is this… I can feel magic, but something else too. It's… different. This isn't a wand."
Rei nodded. "It's a scepter. It's called the Chaos Scepter."
Levi squinted. "Scepter? What's a scepter?"
"I won't tell anyone who can't keep a secret," Rei said firmly.
Levi chuckled. "This is a mining town. Most of us know how to keep our mouths shut. We mine rocks with secrets older than this kingdom."
Rei nodded. He stepped back, grabbed a small seed from his pouch, and placed it on his index finger. He moved his hand closer to a glass of water on the counter. Then, he showed his hand to everyone.
Above each of his fingers, five distinct elements formed.
Dust swirled from the floor and condensed into a pebble—earth. A flicker of red light emerged—a flame, hovering just above his thumb. A droplet from the glass lifted into the air—water. Wind gathered in a soft spiral, coiling around his ring finger. The seed split and burst into a green sapling within seconds—a plant.
The tavern fell silent. Even the crackling fireplace seemed to bow before what they saw.
"I'm the creator of sorcery," Rei said. "A concept that uses Qi to generate elements. I call myself a wizard. And just like how a wand channels a mage's power… a scepter is the focus of a wizard."
Levi gulped.
The others' eyes were wide open, staring at the impossible. Five elements summoned in perfect harmony. Such things weren't just rare—they were mythical.
"You're… not normal," someone whispered.
Levi's expression darkened. "Rei, listen. Your life might be in danger."
"What do you mean?" Rei asked.
Levi leaned closer. "The Mystic Church. It's a religion that believes magic is the supreme force of the world. If anything challenges that—like the sentient weapons of a martial… or your sorcery—they label the person a heretic."
Rei's eyes widened. "Heretic…?"
Levi nodded gravely. "They hunt heretics down. They take the sentient weapons left behind and use them for their purposes."
Rei clenched his fist. "That doesn't explain why I'm in danger yet."
"Have you ever heard of the Thousand Records?" Levi asked.
Before Rei could respond, a voice echoed behind him.
"There's no need to explain that, Levi."
Rei spun around.
A man had appeared out of nowhere, as if the shadows had birthed him—Luc.
Rei narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
Levi stepped between them instinctively. "So Luc, you're involved in this… just like I thought. I was wondering why you hadn't killed him already."
"What is going on?" Rei demanded. "Who is he? And how do you know him?"
Levi gave Rei a solemn look. "Rei, you still have much to learn about this world. More than you know. There are truths buried deeper than any mine in Hazel Town."