Check out more than 30+ chapters right now! 🔥
👉 patreon.com/cw/Mr_UmU
https://www.patreon.com/Mr_UmU
__________________
Chapter 99: Gathering Storm
"By the way, Duller, didn't you go to forge with the other craftsmen?" Kurtz asked, hoping to change the subject.
"No! Those guys were talking about re-forging a broken sword, and I refused to join!" Duller's chest puffed up. "A broken sword means its forger was unqualified. Along with the user, there's no point in re-forging it at all!"
Hearing Duller say this, cold sweat ran down Kurtz's forehead.
Just as he was about to find an excuse to leave, he suddenly saw a young dwarf apprentice running over, breathing hard.
Kurtz had a terrible feeling.
"Master Duller! Master Duller!" The apprentice quickly approached and shouted breathlessly, "Over there... the core furnace for re-forging El's Light has a problem! The masters need you to come see it!"
"El's Light? Re-forging?" The smile on Duller's face vanished instantly. He stared at the dwarf apprentice. "Kid, what's going on! What do you mean re-forging El's Light!?"
"Ah!?" The dwarf apprentice's eyes went wide. "Isn't it that human's holy sword, El's Light? I heard Lord Kurtz requested it."
Hearing this, Duller turned his head sharply, staring at Kurtz.
Kurtz's heart sank, thinking, 'This isn't good.'
Before he could speak, Duller had already grabbed his arm with crushing strength. "Speak! What happened to my El's Light! Why does it need to be re-forged!?"
Only then did the apprentice realize he had caused trouble. Seeing Master Duller's furious face and Kurtz's mortified expression, he shrank back, stammering wordlessly.
"Master Duller, please calm down..." Kurtz tried to soothe him.
"Calm down!? How can you tell me to calm down!" Duller roared, spitting. Kurtz immediately leaned back. "El's Light was my finest work! How could it possibly break!!"
The loud noise attracted nearby soldiers and mages. Even Norn and Serie, who had been working nearby, rushed over.
Seeing Duller looking ready to devour Kurtz, Norn quickly stepped forward, placing himself between them.
"Master Duller! Please calm down!" Norn tried to help. "El's Light broke while confronting a terrible enemy. It took power far beyond its limit to protect all of us!"
"Nonsense! How could there be such a terrible enemy in this world!" Duller shook his head. "It must be because you fools don't know how to use it properly!"
"What if such an enemy truly exists?"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Duller's voice cracked. "Do you know how many rare materials I put into that blade? Some were even special ores used when forging Orger itself, unless it was..."
Duller's roar cut off suddenly. Something clicked as he stared at Kurtz, then slowly turned to look at Serie.
"Could it be...?" Duller's voice dropped to a whisper. "You really fought against a god?"
The surroundings fell into complete silence.
There had been whispered rumors before, stories of a human who had gotten both Orger and Athos, who along with his companions had actually faced a deity in battle.
No one had dared to take such wild tales seriously.
Now, hearing the people involved neither confirm nor deny it, the shock was beyond imagination.
Fighting against a god? This exceeded mortal understanding!
Kurtz did not deny it, only gave a solemn nod.
Duller's grip on Kurtz's arm loosened unconsciously.
He staggered back a step, shock replacing the anger in his heart, followed by an emotion he couldn't name, pride? Honor? Awe?
Just as Somo had predicted earlier, once Duller learned a legendary god had shattered his creation, the fury left him.
That explains everything!
"So that's how it is." Duller's voice carried new respect. "Lord Kurtz, let me ask you, did El's Light play its part?"
"It did, Master Duller," Kurtz spoke seriously. "El's Light broke gloriously in battle against a god. It fulfilled its purpose."
Without El's Light's magic power help, the Holy Sword Orger's magic alone would not have been enough to shatter the Skywing Clan's God Strike directly.
The protective barrier from its final burst of magic power had saved everyone's lives.
After listening to Kurtz's account, Duller fell into deep silence.
After a long moment, he finally raised his head with new determination.
"I understand, Lord Kurtz!" He turned, facing all the surrounding dwarf craftsmen, and bellowed: "Did you all hear that!? My Holy Sword! It broke on the battlefield against a god! It has never once disgraced my craftsmanship!"
All the dwarf craftsmen present had never doubted Duller's legendary skill. His forging ability among the dwarf race was enough to rank in the top five masters of their generation.
The only regret was that he had not been among the ancient craftsmen who forged Orger. Otherwise, his name would surely have been carved into dwarf history forever.
"Take me there immediately! I want to see what kind of problem those amateurs encountered that they need me to step in!"
Duller barked this command to the trembling dwarf apprentice.
He finally gave Kurtz one last meaningful look. In the end, he settled on a promise: "Lord Kurtz, we will return to you a complete, stronger El's Light! This time, it will surely become a Holy Sword worthy of standing beside Orger itself!"
With that declaration, he strode toward the dwarf workshop, never looking back.
Kurtz watched Duller's figure disappear around the path, his heart filled with gratitude for the old master's understanding.
In the golden light of the setting sun, Kurtz was preparing to head back to his quarters when he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind.
He thought it might be Serie, but the rhythm was different, lighter, more controlled.
"It's been a long time, Kurtz."
Kurtz turned and saw Kraft leaning against a massive oak tree. This elven warrior was much thinner than when they had last met, and even his once-long green hair had been cropped shorter.
"Kraft!" Kurtz greeted him with surprise and warmth. "Have you seen Norn and Eric yet?"
"I've already met with them." Kraft pushed off from the tree. "Those two have grown into strong warriors, especially Eric. That boy even insisted on demonstrating his magic for me, quite proudly."
A ghost of a smile touched Kraft's lips before fading. "I heard you're preparing some kind of powerful magic?"
Kurtz nodded, gesturing toward Serie, who was still working with the mage groups in the distance. "I can't share the details, but you can definitely look forward to it."
Kraft's gaze followed Serie's distant figure, his expression growing complex.
He suddenly felt grateful that Kurtz had 'taken' Serie from the forest all those months ago. Otherwise, with her stubborn reluctance to ever leave the Elf Forest, she would probably have died under the Demon Race's God Strike along with...
He was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, "Do you know, Kurtz, every night I relive the final moments of the Elf Forest."
His voice grew hollow. "The Demon Race's attack devoured everything, the ancient trees, the sacred groves, even the children who had barely begun to learn magic. All of it disappeared under their merciless assault. I can still feel their despair echoing in my dreams."
Another gust of wind swept through the camp, and Kraft took a deep breath, forcing himself back to the present. "Sorry, I shouldn't burden you with such dark thoughts."
"No, I understand completely." Kurtz's voice carried gentle conviction. "Hatred can sometimes become a source of strength, as long as you don't let it consume your soul."
Kraft shook his head with grim resolve. "Now all I want is to personally kill every single Demon Race member who participated in that massacre. I sincerely hope your magic can inflict devastating damage on them, Kurtz."
"It will," Kurtz promised, his voice carrying certainty. "It definitely will."
[End of Chapter]