The Sky Mountain Range.
A forbidden zone of the continent and a living mystery. The azure heights, dreamed of by all adventurers yet whispered of as a taboo realm, are the domain of dragons. However, not every inch of these vast peaks belongs to them. There are lands where mystical spirits dwell, territories ruled by ancient spirit beasts, and regions of pure wilderness where no ruler holds sway.
Beneath these varied landscapes, hidden amidst damp earth and piles of stone, lies the lowest kingdom. It is the realm of the dwarves—friends of fire and steel—who hid themselves away to escape the eyes of the sky.
If the dragons are the masters of the sky, then the dwarves are the masters of the earth.
“General, the Descendant of Steel is departing.”
On the outer wall of the fortress, a dwarf clad in sturdy iron plate bowed his head as he delivered the report. The recipient was a general wearing armor forged from pitch-black iron. He was the most valiant and steadfast dwarf in this low kingdom—an eternal shield that would never crumble, the protector of his race: Dwight the Man of Iron.
Dwight stared up at the pale sky and muttered, “How much has the Descendant of Steel been tempered?”
“He still seems like iron that needs more time in the forge. He’s solid, but he hasn’t quite taken shape yet. As you know, General, no matter how good the raw materials are, unfinished iron is…”
“…worse than a piece of slag discarded on a smithy floor.”
Tempering. He still had a long way to go, but considering the traits inherent in the Caravan bloodline, his current rate of growth was impressive. One could not afford to be impatient. Compared to the other Great Five Families, the time it took for a Caravan to reach perfection was significantly slower. However, the moment they were ‘complete,’ a Caravan would reign as an absolute being that no one would dare face. For that was the nature of Steel.
“Yes. It was wise not to bring him here yet. Even if we had invited him to this dwarf kingdom now, there would have been nothing we could do for him. The time is not yet right.”
The Descendant of Steel had not yet reached that realm.
The realm where a single swing ruins a blade, a single step crushes a boot, and a single sprint tears through armor. A stage where one harbors a power so immense that no equipment in the world can withstand it. When that time comes, the Descendant of Steel must come to the dwarf kingdom. For only the items stored within the Golden Treasury can endure the staggering power of a Caravan.
“Phew.”
“Do not be so anxious. Is it not fine to wait slowly without rushing? Hiding away and leisurely biding our time is what we dwarves do best.”
“That is true. But…” Dwight slowly clasped his hands behind his back.
News of the world, which fluctuated more violently with each passing day, trickled even into this subterranean kingdom. The vortex of chaos devouring the world would soon reach its hand toward the dwarf kingdom as well. There would be no way to refuse it. The whirlpool disturbing the continent was the flow of the world itself, and the insignificant beings living upon it could not go against the tide.
“But, I find myself wishing that time would come just a little sooner.”
Soon, the dwarves would also have to ride the vortex. The world was calling for them.
Dwight prayed that the Descendant of Steel would possess sufficient power and qualification before this dwarf kingdom was swept into an age of blood. He hoped that even if they opened the Golden Treasury in front of the dragons—those masters of the sky who watched for any opening to seize everything the dwarves held—there would be no problem.
To achieve that, the Descendant of Steel had to reach that realm as quickly as possible. The realm where a Caravan finally begins to take the true form of a Caravan.
The State of Immortality.
*
Thanks to the Dragon Tongue, the authority of liberation within Soaring had activated, allowing me to escape in an instant. By the time the effect began to fade, the landslide was already so far away it was out of sight.
It’s insanely fast.
It was on a level that couldn’t even be compared to the acceleration of my wings. It didn’t last long, but at this speed, even Sword Runners would be wiped out without knowing how they were hit, even if they had their wings spread. There were conditions attached, but they weren’t difficult to meet. I had countless experiences of being pinned down by all sorts of bizarre methods during combat.
Moreover, even without the authority of liberation, the mystery contained within Soaring, which unfurled a blue world, was powerful enough. If the acceleration of the wings and the mystery of Soaring were combined, no swordsman—unless they were at the level of House Rhapsody’s swift-sword masters—would ever be able to react. Yes, absolutely never.
Good things aside, I’d better get down this mountain quickly.
The power Soaring provided was thrilling. However, I never wanted to repeat the experience I just had. A landslide that meant certain death the moment you were swept away, and on top of that, the irresistible power of a dragon. A true dragon’s Dragon Tongue, incomparable to Aion’s, was utterly unpleasant. It felt like my soul was being seized and jerked around. In that moment, I felt like a pathetically small insect. It was an experience I never wanted to have again.
I’m still not enough to contend with a true dragon.
Well, that was only natural. A mere fledgling Sword Runner couldn’t become a Dragon Slayer just because he devoured a single sword. Dragons were the living legends of this continent and the symbol of the greatest violence among all seven races. I was lacking. For ‘now.’
…Well, I suppose it depends on how I use what I have.
At the end of the memories contained within Soaring, the old adventurer had slaughtered a dragon with a broken body. The dragon the old adventurer killed was far more powerful and experienced than Aion. Therefore, the unpleasantness and helplessness I felt earlier clearly stemmed from my own inadequacy.
Surely, it couldn’t be that the dragon who came to target me just happened to be a particularly strong individual. I couldn’t possibly be that unlucky. It must be because I lack skill and experience…
Nodding to myself, I hurried down the path.
They had only growled earlier, but the dragons might chase after me out of spite because I had suddenly bolted. In countless legends and myths, dragons were regarded as a great, wise, and praiseworthy race, but hadn’t I already experienced firsthand that stories and reality were different? Just looking at the pathetic display Aion had put on was enough to convince me that they weren’t exactly a ‘cool’ race.
I regulated my breathing as I descended.
Suddenly, a spirit beast about three times my size lunged out from the thicket. It wasn’t a particularly threatening ambush. Just as I was about to draw my sword, the head of the spirit beast, which was about to growl with its maw wide open, suddenly went ‘pop’ and exploded.
“…?”
“I’ve been waiting a long time.”
The fragmented pieces of the spirit beast’s head showered down. I looked up to see a terrifying orc drenched in sticky blood and brain matter. She looked like a demon climbed up from hell, but surprisingly, after committing such a gruesome and one-sided slaughter, the orc was beaming at me. A chilling, murderous grin. Looking at that familiar grin that made my heart rate spike instinctively, I spoke.
“…Sherizik?”
The greatest beauty among the orcs was waiting for me.
*
“…So while I was here, that’s what the others were up to.”
Sherizik gave me an update on my companions. According to her, I had spent over two months here. I had felt that quite a bit of time had passed, but hearing the exact figure made it feel real. Two months… it was a time that felt both short and long.
From what she told me, Tom and Audrey had returned to the Iron Kingdom and were faithfully guarding the Caravan estate. Sherizik said she had stayed here just in case I needed help, so she hadn’t heard any news since they returned to the territory. She added that there had been no word from Seol-yoon either. But I wasn’t worried about Seol-yoon. She was someone who could hold her own anywhere.
I need to get back as soon as possible.
I was a Lord in name, but I was spending far too much time away from my post. Hailyn, Sancho, Audrey, Tom… though grateful neighbors like Petel were helping, it was hard to bear the guilt of leaving everything to them.
Furthermore.
“The situation probably isn’t very good. The atmosphere on the continent is grim right now. Most nations, excluding the Sky Empire, are in the middle of a tense standoff.”
“A standoff?”
“With the occupied free cities and the casualties, various races and nations have gained a justification for war. Some city-states have already started wars among themselves, some countries have had coups in the name of revenge, and others are just watching from afar, calculating what profit they can gain from this chaos. You can think of it as the calm before the storm.”
It seemed the situation outside was quite serious as well.
I could more or less see the picture. The Rhapsody legion that had been stationed in front of the Caravan estate, the tension flowing between them and us. An air so suffocating it felt like one might choke, where it wouldn’t be strange for war to break out at any moment. Was she saying that was the state of the entire continent?
“And—”
Sherizik was about to add something.
Then.
【Descendant of Steel—!】
Audrey’s voice rang out.
*
Audrey, sending her voice through a magical transmission, told me to return to the estate immediately. She said they needed help and that the Caravan estate might disappear from the map at this rate. When I asked for a brief explanation, Audrey muttered in a frantic voice.
【Let’s talk once you get here. I’m busy enough just trying to keep things together right now. We need you, even if you’re just a figurehead Lord. These crazy bastards… they drew their swords the moment your butler, Sancho, stepped forward as the acting Lord. They asked how someone who isn’t even a noble dared to open his mouth. If the old man and Tom hadn’t been there, your butler would have died right then.】
“…They threatened my person? Who did?”
【The Steel Legion. The strongest army in the Iron Kingdom.】
“Is there a reason for that? Isn’t the Iron Kingdom busy enough fighting external enemies right now? Making more enemies would be exhausting for them.”
【It’s complicated. A lot of things happened during the two months you were gone. So just get here fast. Ask my sisters. Ask them for a favor.】
“The witches?”
【Yes! Who else? Did you think I was telling you to track down some biological sister I don’t even know if I have and beg her to use magic?】
“…”
【Anyway, ah… ah! Descendant of Steel, what about the adventurer’s blade? Did you absorb the soul inside?】
“Yes, I’ve digested it.”
Audrey seemed quite frazzled. Upon hearing my answer, I heard her let out a sigh of relief over the connection.
【That’s a relief. Then go to my sisters immediately. Tell them you’ve digested the blade of a legendary adventurer… but never tell them exactly what it is. Use that to negotiate.】
“What kind of negotiation?”
【Tell them to send you back here and, at the same time, provide one more witch to support your estate. For the support, ask for at least the sixth… no, an older sister ranked higher than the fourth. We desperately need a mage here right now. Desperately!】
“Hmm.”
Desperately needing a mage.
I couldn’t guess what the situation was. But I could tell from the tone of Audrey’s voice that it was no ordinary crisis.
But is it right for her to tell me to negotiate by withholding information and threatening them when they’re her fellow witches?
Of course, it was a sweet deal for me. I secretly hoped Audrey would grow even more attached to the village, quit being a witch or whatever, and become a permanent resident mage. There was no high-level talent quite like a mage.
“Yes, I understand. But I’m a country bumpkin, so I don’t know where to go to meet the witches. Where exactly should I go?”
【The Magic City.】
The Magic City.
【Go to the Magic City, ‘Oz.’ If you give them my name there, you’ll be able to meet my sisters.】
The mage loved by the Ronin of Gale.
It was Dorothy’s home city.
*
【Yes, I understand. I’ll move as quickly as possible.】
Hearing the voice from afar, Audrey bit her lip and nodded. The magical communication was cut. As soon as the connection broke, Audrey leaned her head against a shelf and let out a long sigh.
“Please, move fast.”
Behind Audrey, who was muttering in a slightly tearful voice, was a girl lying on a bed, breathing heavily with difficulty. Her fair skin was covered in wounds, and she groaned in pain, unable to open her eyes. Audrey trickled some medicine she had obtained as a temporary measure into the girl’s mouth. Soon, the groaning subsided slightly. Audrey looked at the girl with sad eyes. The cute girl who was the easiest to talk to in this territory, who always listened to her—her little friend, whom she had grown quite fond of.
“If you’re late, Hailyn will die. And…”
Audrey, stroking Hailyn’s trembling cheek, slowly turned her head. Her gaze was directed toward the window, and through the slightly open gap, she could see rising flames. Flames so massive and powerful they looked ready to swallow the village whole in an instant.
“…This village you love so much will disappear, too.”
