VOLUME 15: CHAPTER 3

VOLUME 15: CHAPTER 3

[The Bottomless Gorge – One of the Forbidden Regions of the Dwarven Kingdom]

“Your Highness! Reporting! The seventh garrison had been overrun by monsters!”

“The fork next to the fifty-eighth tunnel had collapsed!”

“The mining equipment en route to the armament storage camp had been destroyed by a swarm of ursus bats!”

Numerous reports flooded in as the three dwarven princes listened to the messengers inside their tent.

Ever since the dwarven princes learned that Crown Prince Hafnir had begged the Ancient Fire Dragons to spare their lives, all enmities between them vanished, and they grew closer somewhat. This enabled them to work together, tackling their current predicament. Still, despite all three of them combining their wits and resources, they couldn’t solve the problem plaguing the army right now.

The unknown creature leading the monsters of the Bottomless Gorge was too formidable.

Despite deploying thirty thousand dwarven warriors to secure the gorge, they still failed to mine the adamantite deposits located deep within the heart of the Abyss.

The monsters living in the innumerable tunnels in the gorge seemed endless, and under the command of the unknown creature, they relentlessly attacked the dwarves whenever they could.

“The group transporting the mining equipment were ambushed?” said Fourth Prince Orgro. “The causalities? What happened to the equipment?”

The messenger was pallid. “Out of three hundred warriors, less than a dozen managed to survive. As for the equipment… they’ve all been destroyed by the ursus bats.”

Numerous veins formed on Fourth Prince Orgro’s forehead when he heard this. Losing so many soldiers at once was one thing, but losing even the mining equipment was an entirely different matter. He shouted, “All were destroyed?! You damn, incompetent bastards! You couldn’t even handle mere ursus bats?!”

“Y-Your Highness…”

“You know how important those equipment are! Even if it meant death, you should have defended it until the last man!”

Fourth Prince Orgro’s chest rapidly rose then fell as he growled.

This task had been entrusted to them not just by their father, but by the leader of the Ancient Fire Dragons. Prince Orgro could only imagine what would happen to them should they repeatedly fail like this.

“Orgro, that’s enough,” said the First Prince Margaro.

“But brother! —”

“—Don’t vent your frustrations on our messengers,” said the First Prince. He turned to the messengers kneeling on the ground. “All of you did well. You may return to your posts.”

The messengers heaved a sigh of relief, thankful for the First Prince’s clear-headedness.

“Y-Yes!”

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

After the messengers left the tent, First Prince Margaro moved his gaze to Crown Prince Hafnir. After receiving the reports of the messengers, instead of scolding them, the Crown Prince fell into contemplation. He’d been staring at the map spread on the table, with only the lamps nearby serving as his light source.

“Crown Prince,” said the First Prince Margaro.

Although First Prince Margaro was older than Hafnir, he addressed his little brother with respect and sincerity. After learning what Hafnir had sacrificed in order to save their lives, the First Prince Margaro wholeheartedly decided to follow him.

Even Fourth Prince Orgro, who used to badmouth and curse Hafnir before, had decided to support his claim for the throne.

In a sense, Crown Prince Hafnir’s decision to save his brothers back then had turned in his favor.

“Did you notice anything?” said the First Prince.

Hafnir was the very same prince who discovered the existence of the adamantite deposit at an early age. Out of the four princes, he was the only one who created a contingency plan to survive should he lose in the Trial. Surely, someone as smart as him would have already noticed something amiss by now.

“There’s a pattern,” said Crown Prince Hafnir.

The two princes walked closer and stood to his left and right. Following his gaze, they stared at a particular area of the map.

This map had been created these past several months through the sacrifice of hundreds of dwarven scouts. It showed the pathways leading all the way to the adamantite deposit, the numerous tunnels where monster dens were located, and the dozens of camps and garrisons the dwarves had set up along the way.

“Look at this,” said Crown Prince Hafnir, tracing the map with his fingers. “From here to here, the monsters would always attack the moment our men passed this particular territory. But as though they know beforehand what items are being transported, they attacked only the caravans delivering mining equipment.”

Now that the Crown Prince had pointed it out, the two princes quickly noticed the pattern.

Prince Orgro muttered, “Not just mining equipment. The monsters would also attack whenever we’re transporting provisions.”

Prince Margaro’s face turned grim. The creature was unbelievably smart. It reminded him of the Black Puppeteer, the ruler of the Death Cavern.  “Is it really a monster? It feels like we’re fighting an entirely different opponent.”

“I feel the same way. This one is really tricky. At first, I thought that the unknown creature was throwing its subordinates at us without much thought,” said Crown Prince Hafnir. “But after compiling all of the reports these past several months, a pattern emerged. This monster – it’s trying to conserve its forces.”

Hearing this, all three princes shuddered.

The Bottomless Gorge was already a dangerous place on its own, and after this unknown creature emerged, the danger had risen severalfold.

Compared to the Death Cavern, this place was far larger, and the monsters living in it were far more numerous.

The only reason the dwarves could kill the monsters of the Gorge that were far stronger than them was due to their superior intellect. Unlike mere monsters, the dwarves were capable of employing strategies, tactics, weapons, and technology, bridging the difference in strength between them and the monsters.

But now, even that gap had been crossed upon the appearance of this unknown monster whose intellect could rival theirs.

Fourth Prince Orgro looked at the entrance of the tent. After making sure that there were no other dwarves nearby, he said in a hushed voice, “The Great Guardian Deity is here at the Gorge, isn’t he? Why is it taking so long for him to find the location of that monster?”

Logically speaking, no matter how powerful the creature controlling the monsters of the Gorge was, it would still not be a match for the Ancient Fire Dragons.

First Prince Margaro looked uncomfortable when this topic was brought up, but he replied regardless, “The Great Guardian Deity’s strength is shackled right now. The Dragons are afraid that if they used too much force, their mana would taint the adamantite deposits.”

“But wouldn’t it be fine if they lured the monster to a faraway place and killed it there?” said First Prince Orgro.

“Easier said than done,” said First Prince Margaro. “Do you really think the Dragons haven’t thought of that?”

“Then…”

“Orgro, the Dragons aren’t stupid. They’ve tried that method before, but it failed. They couldn’t even lure the monster out of its hiding.”

Silence fell.

It was truly frustrating.

The massive adamantite deposit was already before them, but they couldn’t even mine them. Although they could graze the treasure with their fingers, it felt so far and unreachable – a dream dissolving the moment they wake. Like an untouchable thing meant for someone else.

“How ridiculous,” muttered First Prince Orgro. “There must be a way… surely…”

They’d been stuck here for half a year now, with no result to show for it. If not for their father, King Lerenon, personally pleading with the Ancient Fire Dragons, some of them would have probably been executed by now.

The patience of the Dragons was growing thin. At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were summoned before the Great Guardian Deities and slaughtered to make an example.

Panicking inside, the three princes continued devising ways to capture the creature controlling the monsters of the Bottomless Gorge.

“Your Highness! An urgent message!”

Hearing the words of the dwarf outside the tent, the hearts of the three princes raced.

They had already received a warning from Vulcan several days ago. According to the leader of the Ancient Fire Dragons, if they still failed to deliver results, there would be repercussions.

The three princes silently prayed that the message didn’t involve the Dragons.

“What is it?” said Crown Prince Hafnir.

He tried to appear calm on the outside, but he was already inwardly screaming, begging the heavens that Vulcan wasn’t summoning them.

“The Great Guardian Deity is summoning all of the princes!”

A soft groan escaped Fourth Prince Orgro’s lips, First Prince Margaro frowned, and Crown Prince Hafnir nervously gulped.

Their worst fear had come true.

The time for reckoning had come.

What excuse should they use to evade punishment this time?

“T-The Lord Dragon is calling for us?” said Crown Prince Hafnir.

The dwarf who delivered the message saw fear within the prince’s eyes, but he couldn’t do anything about it. He could only deliver the missives as they were.

“Yes, My Prince.”

The three princes locked eyes with each other. They steeled their resolve.

“Very well,” said Crown Prince Hafnir after regaining his composure. “Lead us to him.”

The dwarf courteously bowed his head. With him and several soldiers at the lead, they made their way to the tent where Vulcan was residing.

After walking for nearly an hour, they finally arrived at their destination. It was a massive tent illuminated by numerous kalrane stones.

The royal family made sure to provide this tent with a constant supply of luminous stones in order to somewhat appease the Dragons. Although they couldn’t see it right now, the tent’s interior was modeled after the sitting room of the dwarven royal palace. It was as luxurious as it could be, complete with butlers and servants. Of course, the Dragons always chased the servants away, calling for them only when they needed their orders to be relayed.

Unsure of whether they should stay outside or enter the tent, the three princes hesitantly stood there. Thankfully, just a few minutes after their arrival, the tent’s flap opened, and someone went out.

“Huh?”

Crown Prince Margaro couldn’t help but voice his surprise when someone unexpected came out of the tent. It was not King Lerenon or one of the Dragons, but a human with brown hair and skin. The human looked young, his expression a mixture of curiosity, anxiety, and anticipation.

“Ooh! Another dwarf!”

The kid rudely pointed a finger at Crown Prince Hafnir, his eyes staring particularly at his neatly braided beard.

“Mister, your beard is so cool!”

“Scoot over. Damn brat, stop blocking the exit!”

A taller man, who resembled the kid, appeared from behind. He lightly shoved the kid to the side, clearing the exit for everyone. Soon, several more humans exited the tent – Lark, Lady Alice, and Chryselle. Behind them were two Dragons in their polymorphed state – Vulcan and Shahaneth.

Lark’s group had arrived here over an hour ago.

“Hm? You’re finally here,” smirked Vulcan. “You sure took your damn time.”

Seeing Vulcan, the three princes immediately prostrated on the ground. Their father repeatedly told them to show the utmost courtesy and reverence to the Dragons, that they should never question their commands, no matter how ridiculous they may sound.

As for why the humans came out of the tent together with the Dragons, that was no longer their business.

The three princes shouted in unison, “We greet the Great Guardian Deity!”

Vulcan clicked his tongue. “I’ve summoned all of you more than an hour ago. Why are you appearing only now?”

The three princes felt indignant when they heard this. Truthfully speaking, they’d already made haste coming here, even going as far as using mana to strengthen their bodies as they ran.

It felt unfair that Vulcan was expecting them to appear as soon as he called for them, no matter how far they were.

Of course, the three princes would never voice their complaints out loud. All they could do was remain prostrated and beg for the Dragon’s forgiveness.

“…It’s our transgression! Please forgive us, Great Guardian Deity!”

Shahaneth said coldly, “They couldn’t catch that troublesome monster, and now they can’t even come on time after being summoned. How pathetic. Father, if they’re this useless, why don’t we just dispose of them?”

Dangerous words started coming out of normally reserved Shahaneth’s mouth.

The Dragons were normally cruel and haughty, but today felt different.

How should they describe it?

It felt as though Shahaneth really meant those words.

It felt that the moment Vulcan gave his approval, Shahaneth wouldn’t hesitate to blow their heads off.

An indescribable heavy pressure pressed on the three princes, rendering them unable to move. It was Dragon fear mixed with killing intent.

‘Why are they in such a bad mood today? Damn it, is it because of those humans?’

The minds of the three princes raced, and they came to the conclusion that the humans must be responsible for the Dragons’ especially irate mood today.

“Hmm…”

Vulcan stared at the three princes as he considered his daughter’s suggestion seriously.

“They must have been busy,” said Lark. “Leading such a massive army in this place is no easy task. Give them some slack, Vulcan.”

“Hmm… of course,” Vulcan nodded. “That’s true.”

Shahaneth said, “…King Lark has a point.”

Surprisingly, the two Dragons easily agreed to the human king’s statement.

The killing intent oozing out of them dissipated. The heavy pressure that pressed down on the princes’ bodies vanished, and they could easily breathe again.

The three princes were surprised when the human king, who they started to resent, granted them a way out of this mess.

“Stand up, the three of you,” said Vulcan.

Quickly, the three princes rose to their feet. Although they avoided looking at the Great Guardian Deities, they couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the humans in front. There were several unfamiliar faces they’d never seen before.

“Thank you, Great Guardian Deity!” said Crown Prince Hafnir.

Vulcan said, “Enough. Report. How is it? You still haven’t killed that damn monster?”

The three princes swallowed dry spit.

“W-We… about that,” stammered Crown Prince Hafnir. “We’ve found a pattern, but we’ve yet to figure out a way to hunt the monster.”

“How useless!” spat Vulcan. “A pattern? That’s it?! I’ve given you a lot of time to hunt that beast, but every time I summoned you, all I hear are excuses!”

“…G-Great Guardian Deity.”

“W-With just a bit more time… surely…”

“A bit more time? Hah! Should I just twist your heads off?”

“P-Please forgive us!!”

While the princes were begging for their lives, the brothers started whispering to each other.

George whispered, “Monster? What monster are they talking about?”

Austen whispered back, “It’s the monster ruling this place, obviously.”

“Eh? But I’ve seen so many dwarves on our way here? Thousands of them, easily. Why can’t they hunt a single monster when they are so many?”

“How would I know? Stop asking me.”

Although George and Austen were whispering to each other, everyone in this group was a formidable individual, and they could easily hear the words uttered by the two.

The faces of the three dwarven princes started turning even paler from terror, while the brows of the two Dragons started twitching from shame and anger. For some reason, after George uttered those words, Vulcan and Shahaneth had this urge to cut the necks of those dwarven princes.

Seeing the three dwarven princes uncomfortable, Lark said to Crown Prince Hafnir, “This place is quite large. The tunnels are seemingly endless. It’s amazing you’ve managed to create a transport hub despite all of the threats, Your Highness.”

It was Lark’s way of saying that the dwarves were already doing a great job, that they shouldn’t feel disheartened from George’s remark.

Appreciative of the lifeline thrown to him by Lark, Crown Prince Hafnir said, “Everyone’s doing their best. It may seem slow, but we’ve been making progress.”

Vulcan snorted, and Shahaneth mockingly smirked.

“I can see that,” said Lark. “Setting up all those camps and garrisons must have been a nightmare. You mentioned a ‘pattern’ before?”

Crown Prince Hafnir observed the people before him. After affirming that the Dragons were fine with the humans hearing the details, he started relaying the information they’d garnered over the months to Lark.

“…Interesting,” said Lark. “With this pattern, we can deduce the places where the monster could be hiding. Shall we go inside the tent to discuss this matter further?”

“I was about to suggest that,” said Vulcan. “The three of you, get the map and come with us inside.”

The three dwarven princes looked visibly relieved. At least, with this, they’d proved their usefulness to the Great Guardian Deity. Luckily, First Prince Margaro anticipated that such a thing might happen and took the map with him.

They replied enthusiastically, “Yes, right away!”

“Hmph!”

Vulcan led everyone inside. After the princes unfolded the map on the table, everyone gathered around it.

“Now, tell us,” said Shahaneth. “In. Detail.”

“Yes!”

Fingers shaking, Crown Prince Hafnir showed everyone the very same findings he’d presented to his brothers not long ago. The areas where monster attacks occurred the most, the pathways targeted by the monsters, and their attack patterns.

With just these data alone, they could easily infer that the ruler of the Bottomless Gorge couldn’t control all of the monsters in the Gorge. Rather than complete control, it seemed to have jurisdiction over a diverse group. As for the abyss lurkers, it seemed that it couldn’t control them completely.

“It’s probably not an abyss lurker,” said Lark.

Crown Prince Hafnir agreed, “I also think the same way, King Lark. At first, I thought it’s a mutated abyss lurker. But after analyzing the reports, although the abyss lurkers attacked us from time to time, their attacks aren’t as coordinated as the other monster groups.”

“The abyss lurkers don’t consider the monster their leader,” said First Prince Margaro.

“It’s the only plausible explanation,” said Lark. “It seems the abyss lurkers are too strong for it to control. Still, the mere fact that it could control the other monsters in the Gorge spells trouble.”

Lark stared intently at the map. “These three tunnels are the most likely places it’s hiding in right now.”

“I believe so,” said Crown Prince Hafnir. “The problem is that most of the tunnels in the Gorge are interconnected. Even if we enter the correct one, that creature will probably just escape and hide.”

Vulcan said unhappily, “That damn thing is a coward. I’ve tried hunting it, but whenever it sensed my presence, it would hide every time.”

“Have you tried suppressing your mana?” said Lark.

“Of course,” said Vulcan.

It was apparent that whenever the monster felt any threat, it would retreat without hesitation. Because of its cautious nature, it had managed to survive until now despite being hunted by the dwarves and the Dragons.

“If it’s afraid of those stronger than it,” said Lark. “Then we’ll just send someone it would not perceive as a threat.”

Lark looked at his youngest disciple.

“George,” said Lark.

“Yes?”

Hearing his master call out his name, George shuddered. He had a bad premonition about this.

“And, you, too, Austen.”

“…Master?”

Even Austen looked terrified when Lark suddenly called him. It was easy to infer what he would say next after hearing his previous statements.

“I’ll lend the adamantite cubes to both of you. If I control it from afar, even that monster shouldn’t be able to detect my presence no matter how sharps its senses are.”

Lark’s adamantite cubes floated higher, and the runes emitting light on their walls glowed a bit brighter.

“You wanted to earn a monicker, right? Quickcast George,” said Lark, chuckling. “It’s time for the two of you to shine.”

“B-But Master!” said Austen. “That’s George only! I don’t want a monicker! Those… those stupid names, I don’t need them!”

It was Lark’s first time seeing Austen this nervous. Well, it was understandable. He was sending them inside those tunnels teeming with monsters, with nothing but their own spells and the adamantite cubes as their support, after all.

He could also send Chryselle with them, but he was afraid that the intelligent monster would see her as a threat and hide itself.

“The adamantite cubes are fully charged,” said Lark. “Even if you get lost inside the tunnels, they’ll be able to protect the two of you for a long time.”

“M-Master…” George pleaded.

Lark patted his head. “This will be a good experience. I’ll make sure you won’t die, so make full use of this battle to grow, George.”

“Nooooo!”

A day after that, George and Austen, clad in protective leather armor, entered one of the three tunnels presumed to be the nest of the creature controlling the majority of the monsters of the Bottomless Gorge.

Behind them, the adamantite cubes being remotely controlled by Lark floated.

“Most of the monsters should be killed by the two of you,” said Lark through the cube. “Otherwise, if you rely too much on the adamantite cube, the creature might perceive you as a threat and hide itself.”

The adamantite cubes wouldn’t move unless absolutely necessary. Lark had already told them this beforehand before they came here. Struggling was fine, and it would even make the creature lower down its guard.

George and Austen swallowed nervously.

Although their mana reserves were several times larger than ordinary magicians, the spells in their arsenal were limited.

Through repeated practice, they could ‘instantly’ cast their spells, that’s true, but most of them were low-tier magic.

Could they really do this?

The kalrane stone embedded in their helmets illuminated the dark tunnel before them.

Facing the unknown, the legs of the brothers started wobbling.

Through the cube, Lark spoke, “Go. This will be a valuable experience for the both of you, my beloved disciples.”