Reborn as an Extra Chapter 532: A Meeting Arranged By Fate. Part-4.

Previously on Reborn as an Extra...

Rio uses his soul-manipulation abilities to subtly bless a young boy named Kifrid, who remains blissfully unaware of the profound changes to his consciousness. After building a rapport, the boy asks Rio to help his depressed grandfather find a set of lost weapons. Rio accompanies Kifrid to a secluded forge on a hilltop, intending to use his powers to locate the items and repay the child's kindness. However, the meeting takes a shocking turn when the grandfather recognizes Rio's flute as a legendary cursed weapon and demands to know Rio's connection to a man named Kevin Flash.

"W-wait, why are you holding that blade so close to your person!? Have you lost your mind!? That is a cursed weapon! Simply being in its vicinity causes a disturbance in the very fabric of reality!!"

Kifrid’s grandfather discarded his beer and scrambled to manifest a protective barrier of mana around himself and Kifrid.

Rio’s eyes widened with astonishment as he realized that Kifrid’s grandfather was, in fact, an awakener.

Up until this moment, Rio had failed to perceive this truth.

Even though Rio possessed the ability to see the soul fluctuations of anyone at his rank or below, he hadn't detected anything unusual within the body of the old dwarf.

This realization led to only one possible conclusion.

"A Demi-god!?"

For a moment, Rio considered fleeing, but he remained rooted to the spot in a state of confusion.

"W-wait, you are acquainted with my father? Kevin Flash was his name..."

"Furthermore, there is no need for such caution; I can restrain this sword. It has been by my side ever since I formed a bond with it..."

Kifrid’s grandfather was so stunned by Rio’s revelation that his jaw nearly hit the floor.

"What on earth are you saying, boy!? The 'law' of 'absolute destruction' has manifested within that weapon! That object is not something a mere child can hope to control!"

"No, hold on... You are an S-ranker!? This energy... this is 'Sword Intent'!!"

"To think that I would behold 'Sword Intent' of such magnitude once again in my lifetime... it is beyond belief!"

These words only served to deepen Rio’s bewilderment.

"Wait, you’ve encountered someone else with 'Sword Intent' as powerful as mine? That’s impossible!"

Kifrid, becoming irritated by the heated argument between the two, leaped out from behind his grandfather’s shield and yelled,

"Both of you, calm down!! Stop fighting! Mother always says that every problem can be settled without shouting!"

Kifrid’s outburst pulled Rio and the old man back to their senses, causing them to cease their bickering.

Taking a long breath, Kifrid’s grandfather patted the boy’s head and regained his composure.

"My apologies, I suppose my age is catching up to me; I lost my temper the moment I saw that source of calamity brought so near..."

Rio nodded in agreement and stored his blade within his space ring to diffuse the tension, demonstrating that he harbored no ill intent.

"I was also at fault; I intruded quite suddenly..."

Accepting Rio’s apology with a nod, Kifrid’s grandfather reached for another large mug of beer to soothe his frayed nerves.

After taking a drink, he gestured for the two youths to follow him.

"Sigh, come along, you two; let us sit down and discuss this properly..."

Rio nodded, took Kifrid’s small hand, and followed the old man into the living room of the modest house.

A fireplace warmed the interior, making the room feel cozy and inviting.

While Kifrid and Rio settled onto a sofa, the elderly dwarf took a seat in a large, comfortable chair beside the hearth.

"Sigh... That little grandson of mine truly is a strange one; he has brought me quite a surprise today. How did he happen to become friends with you so suddenly?"

"I must admit, seeing humans in the dwarf nation is quite rare. What brings you to these parts, boy? You are quite young, and an S-ranker of your age wouldn't be roaming through foreign territories just for amusement, would they?"

Rio sighed and chose to answer with total honesty.

"The truth is, a dear friend of mine has gone missing within the spirit realm. I am currently traveling toward the entrance of that realm..."

"I only stopped in this town for a short rest. By pure accident... or perhaps it is better described as a fated encounter, I met Kifrid..."

The old man was visibly startled by Rio’s explanation.

"You intend to enter the spirit realm!? You cannot be serious!"

"If your companion is lost in such a place, it might be kinder to assume they are already dead... finding anyone in that realm is an impossible task..."

"By the way, I neglected to introduce myself. I am Kehrid, a blacksmith by trade..."

Rio ignored the grim outlook on his friend's fate and replied with his typical stoic expression,

"Regardless of how impossible it seems, I must attempt to find him... Wait! Did you say your name was 'Kehrid'!?"

"Are you Kehrid the 'Master Smith'!?"

Rio recognized the name Kehrid from both the original novel and the records provided to him by Ashtel.

The novel described the world’s greatest blacksmith as 'Kehrid,' the 'Master Smith.'

However, the original story lacked specific details about him, so Rio had no idea where he resided or that he was even a dwarf.

It was only after reviewing Ashtel’s documents that Rio realized the 'artifact' he sought had been forged by a dwarf named Kehrid.

"Err.. so my former title is known to you? That is strange; I recall instructing those fools to strike my name from the records after I went into retirement..."

Kehrid did not deny the claim, confirming that he was indeed the legendary blacksmith who once shared a bond with King Allen Von Reinhart!

"Does that mean you have lived for two thousand years!?"

Kehrid immediately shook his head at Rio’s query.

"Certainly not, I was born much later... I came into the world during the final stages of the demon extinction war..."

"I only encountered that strange human when I was roughly a century old; I was still quite young back then..."

Kehrid stroked his lengthy beard, a nostalgic look crossing his face as he recalled the distant past.

"To be honest, that man had a very peculiar temperament; he could be incredibly warm one moment and as cold as an iceberg the next..."

"Furthermore, when I mentioned seeing 'Sword Intent' as potent as yours before, I was speaking of him..."

Rio was stunned by Kehrid’s words.

"Wasn’t King Allen a martial artist? How could he possess 'Sword Intent'?"

Kehrid chuckled and replied,

"Who decided that a martial artist cannot master 'Sword Intent'? In truth, that eccentric man possessed both 'Dao Rhythm' and 'Sword Intent' simultaneously!"

That revelation nearly shattered Rio’s understanding of the world.

It had never occurred to him that one could master two entirely different 'legendary skills' at once.

While 'Sword Intent' is a pinnacle of offensive power, 'Dao Rhythm' focuses on the physical body, defense, and internal harmony.

Wielding both at the same time was akin to using a cheat code, granting invincibility alongside devastating damage.

"It is no wonder he is the only individual to ever hold the title of 'King'... ordinary SS-rankers cannot even compare to him..."

Kehrid smirked, his voice filled with pride as he responded,

"I am a peak SS-ranker myself, yet even after living for over a thousand years, I cannot comprehend the true depth of that man's strength..."

Kehrid stared directly into Rio’s eyes as he continued,

"I recognized 'Vinash' the moment I saw it, for it was I who forged that 'weapon' of 'mass destruction'!"

A cold shiver ran down Rio’s spine upon hearing that confession.

Finally, Rio understood the path 'fate' had laid out for him.

'No wonder my instincts kept urging me toward the dwarf kingdom... my sword simply wanted to reunite with its creator.'