VANRAN Episode 03

Baldrik's Story

Baldrik was an ordinary blacksmith. He always believed he was destined to become the greatest, but reality rarely gave him the opportunity. He had talent, yet the world never seemed willing to recognize it.

One day, his life took an unexpected turn. He was selected as one of the four hundred slaves sent into the Demon Realm beneath the White Cliffs. For most, it was a death sentence. For Baldrik, it became an opportunity.

After falling into the abyss, he was discovered by demons who revered iron above all else. A blacksmith was one of the most valuable humans in the Demon Realm. Though brought there as a slave, Baldrik found that hell was the first place where his worth was truly acknowledged.

There, he encountered the remnants of an ancient civilization. Hidden within those ruins was a forgotten technique capable of binding souls to weapons. Determined to forge the ultimate weapon, Baldrik pursued this secret and eventually learned how to seal souls within swords.

However, disaster struck while forging the first blade. The power of the soul spiraled out of control, causing Baldrik himself to merge with the weapon. He also lost his right arm, the very heart of a blacksmith's craft.

It was the darkest moment of his life. Yet Baldrik refused to stop.

He picked up the hammer once more and forged a second sword—one capable of perfectly containing a soul.

After decades of research and craftsmanship, Baldrik succeeded in creating ten swords capable of imprisoning souls. Each blade became a vessel for a powerful spirit, embodying both his relentless determination and his growing madness.