The Messenger of Death

Gustavo took some seconds to calm his spiraling emotions before he continued narrating the story about Penny, the mythical beast.

"In the blink of an eye, over a thousand years had passed since the blacksmith and the Penny separated. The blacksmith continued to practice his forging, progressing from a mediocre blacksmith, to one that was known by all who wields a tool.

Everything he created was coveted by his admires, didn't matter if it was a spoon or a shovel, they wanted his creations. The blacksmith had reached an unprecedented level of forging, so much so that calling him a genius wasn't enough.

When people tried to give him commissions he would accept some and reject many. He only accepted the ones that would make him grow stronger, the ones that he saw as a challenge.

No one but the blacksmith knew why he had to reach this level of forging. It was the only thing he knew how to do, the only way he could think of helping Penny if he doesn't get strong enough to overcome his Heavenly tribulation.

In the case of an abomination, it's Heavenly punishment, because the universe will not tolerate its existence. The blacksmith told himself that his forging had to reach a level equal to that of an abomination's potential.

But how could he? With everything that he forged, he could tell that his creations were still within the constraints of the universe. They have yet to break out and become a forged tool that the universe will not tolerate.

This only drove the blacksmith to work harder, alas, the reality was not to be taken for granted. The blacksmith couldn't achieve this dream of his. Just when he thought he had reached the level where his creation had broken its chains and surpassed the reigns of the Supreme Heavenly Daos, lightning struck his smithy!! Landing on the sword he had forged.

The blacksmith was ecstatic when he saw this! He thought the universe wanted to destroy the tool that he had created, however, he was wrong, the universe was only blessing what he had created. The lightning that struck his smithy was a tribulation for what he created, not a Heavenly punishment.

This infuriated the blacksmith, he cursed at the Heavens!! Telling the Heavens to let him be!! The weapon that was blessed by the Heavens was thrown out by the blacksmith, just like every other thing he made and wasn't satisfied with.

He only needed what could he Penny!! His drive to reach the Pinnacle soured higher than ever after the day the Heavens blessed what he created.

The blacksmith pushed himself hard, breaking through his limit time after time, after time, after time. So much so, that when his forging hammer struck anything, it shook his entire village, like an earthquake. But still wasn't enough for him.

Breaking through another limit, the blacksmith's entire body began changing. His blood wasn't red anymore, it had turned to a Mercury-like substance. When he was by the furnace, forging, he could see this Mercury-like blood of his circulate through every vein of his.

With this new change, the blacksmith realized that he could some-what talk to his forging materials. Give them commands and tell them what he wanted from them. He could tell stone to turn into gold and it do just that.

Thus, his forging prowess reached an unprecedented level, but the blacksmith still wasn't satisfied. When he tried to turn to change the natural properties of some materials, they suddenly caught on fire that erased their existence. Even he, the blacksmith couldn't put out the fire when it starts to burn, and it was the only fire that was able to burn him side he reached this level.

Becoming aware that it was the universe extinguishing what wasn't meant to be, the blacksmith thought to himself, 'I am almost there! The universe is watching my work and cautioning me!' he began laughing, feeling the true joy that he hadn't felt since the day Penny left his smithy.

What the blacksmith understood of this forging power of his, was that there's a limit to what you can change of the natural systematic mechanisms and properties of a material. But if he could get his hands on legendary materials and change them, he would have materials strong enough to withstand the fire that extinguishes existence.

He would have himself, abominated materials, more flexible and stronger than Mithril and Adamantine. With his imagination, the blacksmith said he would name such a material 'gods-steel' but only if he could achieve it.

The blacksmith put out the word that would help anyone create any tool they wanted, just as long as they bring the materials. Stating that every material they bring should be rare or legendary. He wouldn't use anything less than what he stated.

This was a plan to get his hands on things that would assist him. People from every corner of the world lined up in front of the blacksmith's smithy, with their legendary and rare materials, waiting for their turn to come.

Then a blind, frail, handsome man, who had just arrived at the village, went to the back entrance of the smithy. The whole place felt nostalgic to him. With joy, he opened the back door and stepped into the smithy.

Just as he entered, the blacksmith noticed his presence and with tears streaming down the faces of these two men, they jumped into each other's embrace. After crying for hours, the blacksmith said to the blind man with regret; 'Penny, I have failed you.'

'No, I am the one that has failed. All my life, I have always been on the verge of death one way or another, until I met you. You filled my heart with love and respect, filled my dumb head with knowledge. Do you really believe I will let you face my Heavenly punishment with me?' Penny laughed as he cried.

'It doesn't matter what you would allow and not. I have already made that promise.' The blacksmith said strongly.

Penny shook his and let go of the blacksmith that raised him. 'If I, an abomination, cannot survive the Heavenly punishment, do you think you would be able to survive?' Penny asked, not wanting to rub salt on the blacksmith's wound, but instead shed light and discourage him from committing suicide.

The blacksmith cried harder, ignoring the customers he had outside, waiting patiently for him to call on them. 'I have always been a selfish, stubborn, iron-headed blacksmith. Then I stumbled upon on you, if not as an elder brother or a son, you're still family to me.' He revealed.

'See all those people outside, Penny, they came here with rare, mind-blowing, legendary materials for me to use. With my powers and knowledge, I will use their materials to create an impenetrable armor for you, one that the Heavens will not allow its existence. Only something of that level can work, only something like that will shield you from the Heavenly punishment.' The blacksmith revealed.

'I will be facing my tribulation in 2 days. I have no confidence in myself and I'm ready to resign to my fate. I only came to spend the rest of my time with you, and before I leave, I will give my blood essence to you, it is the least I can do.' Penny said and was about to extract his blood essence from his heart.

'Stop!!' The blacksmith raged. 'You are still the dumb penny I raised, why would you give up before making an attempt!?'

'I can feel Heaven's fury, my existence has long exceeded its expiration date. I am an abomination, I am not meant to exist.' Penny replied with a sad smile on his fragile face.

'Don't you dare say that! If a kind soul like you is not meant to exist, then who in this world!? Who!? Just who in this world is meant to exist!? You who has done nothing but want to live!! You who has never taken the life of another living being!! You eat, laugh, sing, cry, feel pain, love, what makes you different from us!? If anything, your existence is necessary! There are murderers in this world that caused more harm than good and yet they are left by the Heavens to exist.

Curse the Heavens! I don't care about Karma, I will change your fate with my hands!!!' The blacksmith burned with hate for the Heavens.

As he was speaking, he had been breaking shackles in him, shackles that bounded him to the Laws of the Heavens. His aura exploded! Shaking the entire continent he was on. The blacksmith finally opposed the Heavens, he defied the Heavens and became something else.

Not an abomination, but an existence close to one. Tattoos like lava raged all over the blacksmith's body and he looked at Penny and said; 'Get ready for your tribulation, I will start the armor.' He dismissed Penny, not wanting to listen to his depressing words.

The Blacksmith did not know that his aura had attracted a lot of heavenly blessed people, Empyreans that was beyond just being strong, the Heavens shows them favor. And now they felt an existence that could threaten them.

Penny stepped out of the smithy and a scent that he had told himself to never forget filled his nostrils. He felt chills throughout his whole body, it was the Swordsman who was able to injure him in the past. Penny could never mistake his scent for another person.

The Swordsman too couldn't forget the aura that Penny had, as he was the first beast whose bones were stronger than his sword strikes. He took deep blows after that they, and almost lost his Weapon Dao. Penny made him doubt his will and ability.

The Empyreans raged about, saying that they searching for the person that shook the whole continent, threatening them and the Heavens. Penny knew who they were talking about, however, he wasn't going to tell them. 'I am the one,' He lied, drawing their attention to him.

Penny transformed into his beast form, covering thousands of meters with his ginormous body, his fur looking like it gold but yet, crystal-like, releasing the oppressive might of his abominated bloodline. The pressure from his bloodline alone could destroy thousands of cities and to avoid that, Penny flew off to a place far away from the smithy, a place where innocent lives wouldn't be lost, be it Beasts or Humans.