nownovels Chapter 195 : Dwarf (7)
Chapter 195 : Dwarf (7)
Chapter 195: Dwarf (7)
After Sigbard, Aelin, and Serena had slain the Dragon.
Without warning, the ground caved in with a thud, and the three prepared for the fall.
Serena manifested the Water Spirit and wrapped it around the three of them.
While falling, Sigbard stabbed Beivolg into the wall to reduce his speed.
As Aelin darted between the collapsing rocks.
Just as they neared the bottom, the Wind Spirit stirred up a fierce gust.
“Aelin! Serena! Are you unharmed!”
“I’m fine. What about Serena?”
Serena spread her arms and legs wide and landed lightly on the ground.
“Landing complete.”
“Glad you’re in one piece. Everyone saw Niaroti pull Robin up, right?”
The three quickly assessed their surroundings for any dangers.
The Dragon had self-destructed before its breath ceased, yet its condition was relatively intact.
Aside from part of its belly hide being blown wide open, it did not look much different from before it died.
“Is anyone there?”
Through the billowing cloud of dust, a familiar voice revealed itself.
It was the Dwarf, Dunkal, whom they had encountered before.
“Surely it wasn’t you who slew this monstrosity?”
“That’s right.”
“I thought it impossible, yet you truly did it…….”
Dunkal, who had been looking down from a passage on the high ground, hurried down.
As he meticulously examined the Dragon’s corpse, he resembled an appraiser carefully inspecting its condition.
“Would you not come to the Dwarf Kingdom?”
“That is our intention.”
“You’re not planning to just leave this corpse behind, are you?”
“We were thinking of meeting Robin and returning to retrieve it. Is there a problem?”
Dunkal tore his gaze away from the Dragon and spoke in a serious voice.
“I ask this of you. Please dismantle it here and bring it to the kingdom.”
“That’s strange. Setting aside how difficult it would be to transport the corpse. Why are you looking at it like that, Dunkal.”
To Sigbard’s eyes, Dunkal appeared impatient.
It was the look of someone coveting ownership despite it not being his share.
All three of them knew well how to deal with a bandit.
“Very well. I’ll speak honestly. I. No, we need the Dragon’s corpse. We are not asking for it for free. If you would concede what we require, we will pay more than its worth.”
“Even if you say that, it is not something we can decide among ourselves. To begin with, Niaroti has priority in choosing which parts he wants.”
“Niaroti would want this as well. I guarantee it.”
“The reason?”
“One who uses such a mechanical body would be a follower of Taironi. Or perhaps he might even be Taironi himself.”
Sigbard crossed his arms and gauged whether Dunkal’s words were true.
He did not seem to be lying.
But that did not mean Sigbard was so easily swayed as to accept the proposal at once.
Aelin, who had been listening to their exchange, asked Dunkal,
“What do you mean he might be Taironi himself?”
“Exactly as I said. He has long advocated a plan to create Dragon Speech Stones using a Dragon’s corpse.”
“Even knowing that, you spoke ill of Taironi. There was no respect or courtesy in your words.”
“There are countless reasons. If I were to say them all, it would never end.”
“Just tell me one.”
Dunkal glanced at the Dragon and opened his mouth.
“It was Taironi who lured that Dragon here. In truth, when the Dragon was sane, we were on friendly terms, but due to the invasion of the Demon Tribe, it was subjected to Brainwashing and became a mad Dragon.”
Aelin tilted her chin, urging him to continue.
“The manufacture of Dragon Speech Stones had been an effective plan even during the war against the Demon Tribe. There was much talk about it, but in the end, Taironi had been right.”
“Yet you spread slander about Taironi.”
“I had no choice. In a crucial battle, he led the unit to defeat and then used a vast amount of the kingdom’s resources claiming he would create a new weapon, only to fail.”
Dunkal’s voice trembled with mixed emotions as he spoke.
“Even taking all that into account. There is no doubt that he acts for the kingdom and for our race.”
“In simple terms, it’s a love–hate relationship.”
“That would be correct.”
From the moment Dunkal had come down, Aelin had observed him closely.
The one thing she could be certain of from his demeanor was his desire to save the Dwarves.
“I think we should do as Dunkal says. What do you think.”
After exchanging a few words with the ground, Serena lifted her head.
“I told them we’d gather the components and meet at the kingdom.”
“I share the same thought. If it is a lie, we can demand compensation then.”
When Dunkal made a moved expression, Aelin cut him off sharply.
“So which parts should we prioritize?”
“The horns, the Heart, the claws, the eyes. If possible, even the bones.”
“You certainly have many requests. Let’s hurry.”
They even lent Dunkal their equipment and worked proactively.
Sigbard reminded him of their purpose once more.
And in the process, they were able to hear about the situation the Dwarves were facing.
“The reason we are heading to the Dwarf Kingdom is to meet Taironi.”
“I apologize. Let me say it once more.”
“That’s enough. Tell me more about Taironi.”
As Dunkal peeled away the Dragon’s hide, he recalled Taironi.
“Had it not been for the war, he would have been praised as a master commander.”
“In what sense?”
“His achievements were remarkable, but above all, none could rival his ability as a Blacksmith.”
The Dwarves were a race more skilled than any other at forging weapons.
Thus, a talented Blacksmith was treated exceptionally, to the point of even wielding military authority.
Even among the meticulous Dwarves, Taironi had been a craftsman of outstanding skill.
After returning from the Demon Realm, he had devoted himself to key positions within Dwarf society.
“It was unfortunate for Taironi. The war happened to break out when he was serving as legion commander.”
After failing in an operation, Taironi took responsibility and stepped down.
He was blamed by the Dwarves for the numerous casualties.
Because of this incident, Dunkal had come to resent Taironi.
“There had been internal pressure, but if he had wished, he could have remained.”
“Then why was he exiled?”
“The research he pursued to create a new weapon yielded no significant results. He had already been drawing on scarce resources, so they seized the opportunity to tear into him.”
“The Dwarves are no different from politicians.”
“It’s not incomprehensible. Does not the outcome of a war depend on how resources are distributed?”
Amid much controversy, Taironi ultimately left the kingdom, half by choice and half by force.
Though his concern for his kin remained unchanged, no one tried to stop him.
“Dunkal. In your view, do you think the treatment Taironi received back then was justified.”
“…It is not for me to judge.”
“I’m not telling you to judge. Tell me what you think, honestly.”
Having exposed the Dragon’s hide, Dunkal hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.
“Many suffered, but at the very least, he was not someone who deserved to be driven out like that.”
“Is that so.”
“The war changed many things, but before that, Taironi was the pride of our race. It is also true that his contributions to the kingdom were not small.”
“I thought as much.”
Dunkal did not understand the meaning contained in Sigbard’s reply.
“Why do you suddenly ask such things?”
“I wanted to know a little more about what kind of man Taironi is.”
“You’re an unusual fellow. So, was what I said of any help?”
“It was. Taironi has not changed, then or now. To me, he is a hero who saved the world, just like my father.”
“A hero… does that even matter now?”
In a voice tinged with lament, Sigbard answered firmly.
“It matters. The strength one can exert differs depending on whether someone believes in them or not.”
“You are a rare warrior these days.”
Dunkal returned to his task and carefully separated the hide he had peeled away.
“Well, in his prime, Taironi truly was remarkable.”
“Be specific. How remarkable?”
“He could have slain a Brainwashed Dragon on his own. And even a sane Dragon would not have been able to pierce the armor Taironi forged.”
A faint smile surfaced on Dunkal’s face as he traced past glories.
There had once been a time when he, too, had admired Taironi while hammering at the forge.
“Back then, life was truly worth living…….”
Shukagagak.
With the sound of scraping, the Dragon’s horn fell to the ground.
Serena dismissed the Spirit and asked Dunkal,
“This should be enough. Do you need anything else?”
“That should about do it. Let us head to the kingdom.”
Dunkal ended his brief reminiscence and returned to what he had to do.
So that, somehow, he might help overcome the crisis.
Left alone in the cavern, Robin swung his sword without rest.
From the violet oval, Summons poured out endlessly.
And he steadily cut down each and every one of them.
Robin held a slight advantage. The situation was not much different from before.
“Uwooo…….”
The spike-like fangs jutting from their maws were still threatening, but Robin’s speed had grown faster.
He endured for over ten minutes without the Dwarves’ bombardment or Taironi’s support.
The five minutes he had mentioned to Taironi had long since passed.
‘Not yet?’
Even while dealing with the Summons, Robin kept watching the door behind him, wondering if it would open.
It would be best if he could resolve it alone, but he cast aside his stubbornness and admitted it.
With his strength alone, it would be difficult to overcome that monster wave.
“Domain. A higher stage of Fighting Spirit. They said it means occupying space with one’s own will.”
He muttered to himself as he released his Fighting Spirit.
Not merely imbuing his body and sword, but occupying space itself.
It sounded simple, yet it was by no means an easy feat to execute merely by hearing about it.
If there was even a vaguely similar example…….
“Like this?”
He widened the distance from his center and crossed both arms.
Reciting the Mercenary King’s verse inwardly, he added one word.
“Anger.”
The form of the sword Robin held materialized.
It took on a shape far longer and broader than its original blade.
Red Fighting Spirit crackled along the blade’s surface like electricity, and in an instant, a tremendous force gathered.
As he spread his crossed arms and released the power, the wrathful Fighting Spirit drew an X.
Srrrshk.
The vicious Fighting Spirit, as if it would even swallow Demonic Energy, tore the Summons to shreds.
The dark cavern filled with Red Light.
The Summons that had been charging recklessly all halted at once.
Overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of power, even the Dwarves watching from above stopped what they were doing.
“Hah. Hahk. Hahk…….”
The Summons that had been pouring out without end came to a stop.
The sword mark carved into the center, which had remained untouched until now, stood out clearly.
“Did… it work?”
He prayed that it would be sliced apart and vanish as it was.
Even Robin himself thought that strike had been powerful.
It was not a technique that could be used lightly or frequently.
With just a single use, all the strength in his body had drained away.
Crack. Craaack.
The center began to show signs of breaking, as though a solid shell were splitting.
Robin planted his sword into the ground and struggled to rise.
“Yes. Just disappear like that.”
Crash!
Was it because his wish had reached it?
The center that had been spewing out Summons collapsed like a cracking egg.
“Fuuuu… damn it…….”
He could not help but curse.
The collapse like a cracking egg was merely a stepping stone for the next stage.
The unstable oval now transformed into a rectangular door.
Far wider and taller than before.
Creeeak.
A door that should never have opened, opened.
And what emerged from within was a monster he knew well.
A Balrog, called the very embodiment of savagery.
“This is insane.”
Gripping his faltering fighting spirit, he raised his sword.
Unfortunately, there was not just one Balrog.
Two, three…….
When the number exceeded five, Robin braced himself for death.
Grit.
He had not expected to be prepared to die in a place like this.
As he steadied his breath and gathered his Fighting Spirit once more.
Another door, which had been tightly shut, opened.
“My apologies. I gave much thought while leaving the young one alone.”
“I’ve been waiting.”
“Rest a moment. I’ll show you that even rotten fish can still be worth its salt.”
Taironi raised his left arm and aimed it at the Balrogs.
His left arm, from which only chains dangled.