Chapter 33: The Roar of Flame and Iron
The next morning in Dwargon began with clanking hammers, shouting merchants, and the hum of forge-fires burning deep in the stone heart of the city. Rimuru and Drake, now free to explore, followed Kaijin through the bustling industrial quarter.
"You're lucky I have connections," Kaijin muttered as they weaved through crowds of dwarves. "Normally, you'd be blacklisted for a decade."
"We're lucky you like potions," Rimuru quipped.
"You're lucky I like miracles," Kaijin grumbled.
Eventually, they reached a forge blackened with soot and lined with tools of every shape. Inside were three dwarves: one with magnifying lenses and a jeweler's touch, one with broad arms and a sculptor's hammer, and one—clearly the blacksmith—with burn scars and a constant frown. Kaijin introduced them as his brothers: Garm, Dord, and Myrd.
Myrd, the blacksmith, glared at the molten crucible. "If I fail again, Vesta'll have my head."
Kaijin grunted. "Then don't fail. Rimuru, Drake—this is the job I mentioned. Vesta gave Myrd a commission to forge a ceremonial blade using a rare ore: Infernium. It's almost impossible to melt."
Drake's eyes sparkled. "Magma Dragon Slayer Magic. Sounds like a job for me."
Myrd raised an eyebrow. "You? You look more like a giant striped cat than a dragon."
"Watch it, beard boy," Drake muttered, flexing.
Rimuru chuckled. "He's got the fire. Let him try."
Drake stood before the forge, cracking his neck. "Okay. System—activate Magma Dragon Roar!"
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: Instruction — You must gather, focus, and channel your fire magic into your throat. No shortcuts permitted.]
Drake scowled. "So I gotta scream it out manually?"
Kaijin crossed his arms. "Try not to melt the anvil."
Drake inhaled deeply, puffed his chest, and shouted: "MAGMA DRAGON ROAR!"
A tiny puff of smoke escaped his mouth, along with a wheeze.
Everyone stared.
"...Was that it?" Garm asked.
"My grandma makes more heat pouring tea," Dord muttered.
Rimuru giggled. "You looked so serious. That was adorable."
Drake growled, steam rising from his shoulders. "Again."
He tried twice more. The first time, he coughed up a lava bubble that splattered on his foot. The second time, the forge caught fire. Rimuru had to bounce over and smother it with his body.
"You owe me a slime bath," Rimuru grumbled.
"Shut up and watch."
Drake took a deep breath, then closed his eyes. He visualized fire—not just heat, but the ancient core of magma, the breath of a dragon, the pulse of a volcano. He clenched his fists. The heat gathered in his chest.
"MAGMA... DRAGON... R O A R!"
This time, the air around him shimmered. A wide column of molten energy burst from his mouth, engulfing the crucible in perfect, controlled heat. The Infernium inside began to glow—first red, then orange, then a soft white.
Myrd leaned forward, wide-eyed. "It's... melting. By the forge, it's working!"
Garm wiped sweat from his brow. "That's the cleanest channeling I've ever seen."
Drake dropped to one knee, panting. "Next time... maybe warn me I'd need lungs of steel."
Rimuru tossed him a glowing water flask. "Hydration is key, my dragon-breathing friend."
With the metal ready, Myrd took over, hammering with impossible precision. Sparks danced. Magic flowed. And when he was done, a breathtaking blade rested on the anvil—runes etched into the flat, glowing faintly.
Kaijin nodded with approval. "You just saved my brother's career. Vesta will have no complaints now."
Drake grinned through his exhaustion. "Glad to be of service. And next time, I'm bringing marshmallows."
Later that night, Kaijin and his brothers brought the group to a tavern deep in the smithing district. Tables groaned under roasted meat, thick bread, and foamy ale.
Dwarves drank. Rimuru danced. Drake roasted a sausage with a flick of magma breath—then nearly set a chair on fire.
Garm raised his mug. "To new friends! To flames that forge futures!"
"To villages yet built!" Kaijin added.
"And to never letting Drake near anything wooden again!" Rimuru cried.
Laughter erupted.
And in the firelight, for one night, there were no kingdoms, no monsters, no quests.
Only flame, food, and the bonds of a new beginning.