Author: Yume Neiji

In the mansion in the mining town of Alvis, Ganis, the magic engineer, widened his big eyes. His frog-like face turned blue with anger and agitation, and he was covered in thick sweat.

“M-my golem…… it was destroyed……?”

His skill, 『Puppet Master』 has the ability, 【Golem Master】. Even if the golem is at a distance, he is still able to grasp its status and command it.

Though accuracy decreases with distance, the new type of golem that Ganis had unleashed into the dungeon was stronger than ever before. As a result, it was possible to grasp its general status even from outside the dungeon.

Not until now, where the signal was suddenly cut off.

“I-impossible! No, it should be a mistake.”

Ganis used his abilities many times. However, there was no response from the new golem in the dungeon.

“It’s a joke right……!? My years of hardship…. my money……!”

It wasn’t even noon yet, and the sun was only just rising. Even so, Ganis felt as if the temperature in the room had suddenly dropped.

“Kuu! I’ve finally been able to create a golem core, now it’s……!”

Ganis felt dizzy.

Golem cores are rare items found in dungeons. With adjustments from a magic engineer like Ganis, they can be activated again and used as a golem.

“Golem cores are, so to speak, lost technology that can only be found in dungeons! In the 1000-year history of the Asgard Kingdom, there has never been a successful example of its manufacture! If I had been successful with that new type of golem, I would have proven myself to be a genius that appears once in a millennium…!!”

Ganis considers what slavers call “ashes” to be a new kind of magic stone.

He solidified this new kind of magic stone to create a golem nucleus –of course, this was only possible with Ganis’ skill, Puppet Master, but the idea was simple. The prototype produced a successful golem. However, it was too aggressive, so it became necessary to procure some additional slaves.

“.…All that’s left is a practical battle test. ….I should have shown them that the monsters in the dungeon were no match to the golem!!”

Ganis bared his teeth in frustration. What he wanted now was more information.

“Get the carriage out!”

He ordered angrily.

He traveled in a horse-drawn carriage for about 10 minutes. Then the entrance to the dungeon came into view. It is still crowded with people, but the atmosphere is a little different from usual. The closest it was like this was when there was a collapse in the mine directly connected to it.

However, Ganis’ only concern was the golem.

“Get out of the way, commoners!”

With saliva flying, he shoves the workers away.

Oh, how satisfying it would be to throw a golem into this place and kill them all. Ganis thought so in his head.

“Defeated? Was its performance insufficient? Sure, I knew that the reaction disappeared suddenly, but I didn’t really expect it to be defeated……!”

Still groaning, Ganis finally found the adventurer he was looking for. He is a middle-aged man with conspicuous stubble and leaden eyes. Adventurers who do unscrupulous work with money had roughly the same eyes.

“Greetings, Ganis-sama.”

He was the man who was buying and selling golems as a side job. He was used to boss the adventurers around.

When questioned, the middle-aged adventurer grimaced.

“Anyways…. There was a thunderous roar from the middle level. The guild came to ban entry to the dungeon…… Well, I guess they panicked. There was a general message about ‘the end’ after all.”

“……They must have had a few people sneak in to report on the experiments. What did they say?”

As Ganis goes into a frenzy, the adventurer’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh right. It was a while after the roaring stopped. There seems to be adventurers that came up from the middle to the shallow level. It seemed that they survived a fierce battle… Among them was a young boy.”

Ganis snorted.

“So what? There are plenty of young adventurers out there, aren’t there?”

“But it’s rare to see someone like that challenging the middle level. He was wearing a hood, so I couldn’t see his face…”

Finally, Ganis remembered what the slave traders had been talking about.

――A brown-haired adventurer carrying a gold coin.

――He possesses great strength beyond what one would expect from a young boy.

He had been warned to be careful if such a person showed up. If he remembered right, he was called “Alarm Boy” or “Horn Boy.” Slave traders are secretive. But the fact that they had gone out of his way to warn him about such adventurer had stuck in Ganis’ memory.

“Where is that boy now?”

The adventurer shrugged.

“That’s all I know. Maybe they are still in the dungeon.”

The new golem may have dealt a considerable blow to the party. Ganis thought so.

If they were going back to the upper level to rest, then defeating the golem and going back to the lower level would make sense. It’s all the more suspicious that they stay in the dungeon after all this commotion.

Are they going to go even further?

Ganis analyzed.

“……T-that’s bad.”

If that adventurer was really the Boy with the Horn, the slave traders would check the dungeon. Now Ganis’ worries increased. The new type of golem was an experiment Ganis had carried out on his own initiative.

“I have to hide it somehow……”

The slave trader forbade anyone from using the “ashes” for experiments without permission. He was able to make mithril golems. But any further experiments were clearly forbidden. Still, he continued his research because of his ambition. If he can not only control golems, but also create them, Puppet Master becomes synonymous with infinite troops.

“Also….”

A middle-aged adventurer whispered.

“Is there more?”

“Yes. I’ve also got a message for you, Ganis-sama. That.…. uhm, the “Business Expert” is waiting for you.”

“Say that quickly!”

Ganis turned pale and he quickly ran out of the dungeon. That guy is one of the leaders of the slave traders.

He quickly made the horse-drawn carriage descend the hill to the riverside. Then they traveled up the river in a boat using golem technology and reached the back of the mine.

No one goes near the forest managed by the lord. In fact, the forest behind the mountain where the dungeon is located is a place that even hermits shy away from, perhaps because it brings to mind images of monsters.

In the forest at the foot of the mountain, there is a hidden passage that leads down to a secret tunnel.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

In the middle of the tunnel, a man was standing.

“……Ra-Rata-dono.”

“Hello. I’m Rata, a business expert.”

The man who introduced himself as Rata bowed. He was a little over 20 years old. He had a friendly, gentle smile, short, trimmed chestnut hair, and fine clothing. He looked like a first-class merchant. Well technically, he was actually in business ―but his goods were “people”.

“I’m here to check on you.”

“Business Expert” was a kind of code, and true to his name, he seems to be in charge of all the practical aspects of the slave trade. The fact that the secret tunnel of Ganis does not come to light is largely due to this person.

At the appearance of a higher up, Ganis struggled to paste a smile on his face.

“C-check on me?”

“Yes.”

Rata smiled and looked at the rocks in the middle of the tunnel. That is the huge boulder that Ganis always feels like it resembled a “human face”.

“It’s time huh……”

“Ah?”

“Nothing, please excuse me. I just came to say hello. I heard the ashes are being mined smoothly, and the golems are being put to good use—”

After dragging him out with a bit of small talk, Rata pointed out the main point.

“I’m just a little bit interested in the side business you’re doing with our ashes.”

“……-uh?”

“You’ve made a deal with Lord Valis, haven’t you?”

Ganis’ heart began to beat wildly. He certainly did send golems and made deals in secret.

Now that he thought of it, he wondered what happened to the golem core he sent to Kalmar.

“The Lord of Valis also had some problems, and, well… he was ‘disposed of’. At that time, your deal with him came to light.”

Rata continued with a smile on his face.

“Well, that’s all fine. Rata knew, and we were interested to see how you would use the skills we gave you. That’s if only to a certain extent… but you see, you are a little flashy today, so I can’t protect you.”

He is smiling. It was an elegant smile, like he was attending an evening party, but Ganis’ face was covered in sweat.

“Here’s some unfortunate news.”

“W-what……?”

“Actually, my name, Rata, is from Ratatoskr. I’ve always had a tendency to, uhm… love telling tales~”

With a blush on his cheeks, Rata said what Ganis feared most.

“I took this opportunity to tell Jabone-san all about your past side jobs♪”

Ganis had the illusion that a large hole had opened up beneath his feet and he is going to into the abyss.

“W-Wha-…! P-Please, at least not with that woman, at least not with Jor-dono. P_please intercede for me, please forgive me!”

“Fufufu, she’s probably rushing over here right about now. She has bottomless stamina, and could travel the world in one go you see.”

Rata is grinning from ear to ear.

With Ganis cornered, at the very least, a way out occurred to him.

“……The potential slave with a rare skill that you are chasing. Don’t you want information about that boy?”

Rata’s smile faded.

“…………Hoh~?”

“No, I’m not sure. But it seems that the adventurer who defeated my new golem had similar characteristics! No, no, no, it must be him! There’s no way my masterpiece can be beaten by an ordinary adventurer!”

Rata stroked his jaw. Eventually, he smiled.

“Interesting….. Then if you could use a golem to capture the boy, or at the very least hold him back in the dungeon, I’d be happy to mediate for you. However…..”

The ground shook. Ganis groaned and looked up.

His jaw dropped from what he saw.

“W-What’s this……!”

A huge face made of rock rested on top of Alvis’ secret mine. Its eyes were open. The mouth, which had seemed closed, was now slightly open, spewing out fiercely hot breath.

――Gods, gods.

Ganis heard such voice.

Voice? A voice……? From a rock that is supposed to be nothing more than a mineral ore?

“It’s time after all….. He is the source of the ashes that melt the ice that sealed the place. If that’s the case, then he would be the first to break the seal that was imposed on him, no matter how powerful it is.”

What is this man talking about? W-What was I mining?

“But since this is a place with so many ‘titan ashes’, maybe Jor-san can also transform as the World Serpent… It’ll be perfect for a showdown with the gods.”

Rata grabbed the slumped Ganis by the collar. Though he’s supposed to be a gentle man, he easily lifted Ganis’ obese body.

“Y-you are not human……?”

“I’m a slave trader, that makes me ‘inhuman’, you see.”

Rata chuckled before letting go of Ganis.

“You’d better hurry if you want to achieve results. There’s no time left, for you or for the town of Alvis!”

Adventurer driven by money. Experimental golem core brought into the dungeon.

Possible options began to pop into Ganis’ mind. The magic engineer desperately searched for a way to save himself.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The unexplored area I found in the Great Hall felt cold just by approaching it. There was a gaping entrance wide enough for a carriage to pass through, and it was dark inside.

“…… It’s cold.”

I can’t help but murmur so.

Even though the dungeon was getting hotter as we descended the floors, my breath fluttered white at the entrance to the unexplored area.

It’s quiet.

The Great Hall, where we had a fierce battle with the Incarnation of Rage, now reigns in silence. It’s like we’ve wandered into an ice cave where we are the only ones around.

Beyond this darkness lies the dwarves’ forge.

“Let’s hurry up.”

Felix-san tapped his staff, and the sound reverberated through the great hall.

“There was such a roar. It wouldn’t be surprising if the adventurers in the upper levels came to see it.”

I tucked my chin and strengthened my resolve to move forward. Leaving the two supporters on guard, we stepped inside the forge.

Hiding behind my body, Safi peered ahead.

“……Everything is frozen.”

“Yeah….…”

Frozen forge. It was a scene that could only be described as such. Anvil, bellows, scattered gears. Covered in frost, these items were dimly illuminated by the light from the great hall.

“Lantern”

After Felix-san used his magic to create light, the view became even clearer.

It’s a pretty big room.

The ceiling is about 10 meters high, and it looked as if all the walls of the mansion have been removed. The sides are covered in ice, and a giant-sized armor is trapped inside.

An axe with a blade as tall as me and a club that could be used as a pillar were lying dormant in the clear ice.

“W-why do we have a weapon of this size……?”

Safi’s voice trembled.

“It’s too big even for a golem, and I’ve never made anything like this before……”

Safi tried to go even deeper, but her legs got tangled.

I supported her small back.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yes….…”

Her feet were a little unsteady.

I asked Safi, who is now clutching her forehead.

“Is it because of that technique a while ago?”

I think Safi used a special power towards the golem. The damaged golem confronted the giant golem once more, as if to grant her wish.

“Oh……you mean, the blessing?”

The dwarf blacksmith smiled wryly. She continued,

“Hmm, maybe. It’s a technique that puts our feelings into weapons and golems as magical power. There is no other manipulation to it, so it uses up a lot of magical power.”

She shrugs her shoulders, trying to act tough.

“I tried to be careful, but I guess it’s no good since I’ve been away for a while.”

Relying on the magic light, Safi began to investigate the unexplored area. Though she acted calm, she was probably nervous about reuniting with her comrades and the possibility of it happening. Her steps were a little unsteady, and her voice is trembling.

“The lights… are no good, they’re dead. The magic stone hoist crane is no good either, how did they make such big weaponry?”

Gears and shafts could be seen on the ceiling. There were also pulleys for lifting heavy objects, so perhaps that was the power source for those. The various facilities made me feel that there was a high level of technology. In the ice, there are spears, swords, and other weapons that must have magic.

Even the workshops in the Royal Capital would not be able to hit the Scarlet Axe lying here.

I could understand what the gods are expecting. 

If dwarves can make such large weapons and engrave magical runes into them, it would be very reassuring to have them on our side. If we give out special weapons to all the warriors, it will surely be easier to protect Lu.

There are also magical runes in the Western Dungeon where Loki was, but it is the dwarves who specialize in carving them on weapons and tools. In addition, there is the power of Golem technology and the ability to input blessings in weapons like Safi showed.

They got small body, but as Solana said, they are demigods.

“Dwarves are amazing….…”

If Gods highlights “military power” or “magical power”, then the greatness of the dwarf is “technical ability”.

However, there are no dwarves in the first room. There were a few small items that could be unsealed, but the most important piece of armor was in the ice. The horn in my pouch is also not particularly responsive.

“……It’s like there’s no one here.”

Mia let out a white breath and I nodded my head.

――What is it?

My heart swells with anticipation, but at the same time, I felt an uneasy feeling. I looked at the passage that led to the back. Perhaps because the entrance was open, the wind blew in.

“Let’s go.”

As Safi led the way, the cold air intensified even more. We walk through a high-ceiling passage to another forge.

Beyond that, there were dwarves.

“Guys!”

Safi turned around in a cheerful voice.

“Look, they are my friends!”

The dwarves who had become stone statues were scattered throughout the room. Some are frozen close to the wall, some are prostrate on the table in the middle, and some are lying on the ground as if they are sleeping.

There were about 20 of them in total. As if time had stopped, the dwarves stood still.

“Good, good…… I found you guys, I found you.”

Safi’s gait is wobbly but light. Her green hair is bouncing in excitement.

“Rion, hurry up and wake them up! You are ‘God’s Wake-up caller’, right?”

Then Safi laugh became wry, “Oh right, we are just dwarves.”

“U-uhm.”

I decided to use my Alarm skill. But I noticed something was wrong.

“Eh……?”

“Unseal” has the power of appraisal. If something can be wakened up, I should be able to see a faint glow on it. But such brilliance is nowhere to be found in space.

『This…… 』

I heard Solana mutterg.

“What’s wrong?”

At Safi’s urging, I put my hand on the stone statue sitting on the floor. It feels like ice, like real stone, it’s just cold.

“Wake up”

Bright light scattered. I believed that this time too would work out somehow. My Alarm skill had always made miracles happen.

The dazzling light enveloped the stone statue, scattered and disappeared. But even when the light was completely lost, the stone statue remained a stone statue.

“W-wake up!”

I repeated it. Again, and again. 

But the result is the same. 

My heart is freezing just like the forge.

『……I don’t feel any magic from these stone statues. 』

Solana’s voice could be heard.

It seems that Safi, who has been watching for a long time, has also realized that something is wrong. Her lips is trembling.

“W-what do you mean……?”

『Safi』

Solana spoke from the gold coin.

Her voice is painful, but it is dignified and clear. When she woke up, she was alone too—maybe she could understand the pain of having to tell Safi.

『The seal also imposes a burden on the sealed beings, and dwarves are demigods…… I suppose the dwarves here couldn’t stand the long seal. 』

Even Solana, a goddess, was initially protected by the gold coin. In that point of view, it’s not surprising that these dwarves can’t stand it.

But—

“N-no. That’s a lie, isn’t it?”

Safi’s eyes widened.

“……Then why am I the only one who survived?”

The red ring on her finger shined brightly.

『It maybe thanks to that ‘Ring of Protection’. Or maybe, for some reason, they were already weak when they were sealed away……』

Safi collapses, at loss for words. 

Among the stone statues is a ‘black dwarf’ and a ‘white dwarf’ with wings that looks very similar to Safi. Neither of them showed any signs of being unsealed.

“……Can’t even Gods cure them?”

I asked.

As if hesitating, the reply did not come immediately.

『……My power is only healing. As long as you have lost all your magic and life force has left your body, I will not be able to heal.』

Sigris answered first. There is a hint that Solana is also trying to say something. I waited for it.

Solana looked extremely distressed.

『…… Sorry. I can’t respond to you, my believer.』

Solana continued,

『The power of the sun is the power to send magic and light from celestial bodies to the earth. It strengthens life force but…. there is nothing I can do about a being that has lost its very life.』

The goddess was remorseful.

『…… If they had even a little bit of life force left, or if I had the strength of my mother, I might have managed to do it…..』.

The Gods used to say it. Solana is one of the youngest of the gods. I wonder if that’s the reason she is very sorry for the fact that she can’t help me. She wished she had more power.

“Safi ……”

I looked at my hands. Once again, I reached for another dwarf. Even through the gauntlet, it’s as cold as ice.

“This….”

I was frustrated.

Everyone defeated the giant golem together, and even Safi finally found her comrades. How cruel it would be if her wish of reuniting with her comrades could only be at this scene.

“Safi, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

Breathing white, Safi smiled wryly.

“……It’s okay, I’ve been prepared to say goodbye since I heard about the war. But…… It’s a little tough.”

Thor spoke sternly.

『It’s unfortunate, but time doesn’t come back. 』

But God strengthens His words.

『But even if it’s not in this forge, we need to hear from the survivor. And to give up… it’s too early to throw the fight elsewhere. A voice was definitely raised from Alfheim, right? 』

『Thor…… you….…』

『Medicine God, if you look away, it won’t do you any good. One should think about the next move. 』

Safi staggered to her feet.

“Deeper than here, there is the throne room, where the King of Alfheim—the Dwarf King is. If I’m right, then the Dwarf King is still alive.”

Our next objective was decided. 

We’ll ask the king what was going on in the depths of Alvis Dungeon.

“I’ll make sure I’ll wake him up.”

We decided to leave the frozen forge.

『Oh my, oh my~, Thor is kind too.』

Suddenly, I heard Loki’s teasing voice.

Everyone did not stop. It seemed like I’m the only one who heard it.

『……I wonder why the King of the flame titans is in a place like this though. Giant weapons…… it is almost like a tribute……』

Loki muttered.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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“Please!”

Saying that, I ran towards the wall.

Seeing my action, Safi exclaimed,

“Hey, where are you going!?”

“There is a wall that can be unsealed! It maybe the dwarves’ forge or some kind of power may be lying dormant there.”

Up until now, there have been many things in unexplored areas.

—The sleeping Gods. The Spear of Sigris. And the Water Mirror of the World Tree Yggdrasil.

Maybe we can also find something there that can turn this situation around.

“O-oi, do you want us to buy some time?”

Mia-san is right. The opponent is a giant of nearly 10 meters, and with just the two of them, it will be too hopeless.

『Rion, don’t forget me.』

With those words, I reflexively touched the gold coin.  With a flash of light, a giant god—Thor, jumps out of the coin.

“Ah, damn! As expected, it’s cold here in the 5^th level!”

The incarnation of rage swung his fist.

With his red hair swaying, Thor parried that attack with his crossed arms.

“Heh~.  I felt that, though just a little……!”

As he speaks, Thor also blocks the next attack. Thor was about two meters in size, but he was not at all outmatched by an opponent several times his size.

“Loki, Solana, you guys come out too!”

The gold coin trembled and the gods spoke one after another.

『Oi Thor. You can come out, but don’t forget that if you fight with all your might, it will affect Rion’s blessings too.』

Loki said that.

Thor became silent.

“…… Mu-”

『The seal here is also strong. If we all run out of power, how will Rion fight?』

I-, I see…

When I fought the golem, only Solana was by my side. That’s because when a god loses his power, their blessing weakens as well, so only the goddess stayed by my side.

『……Thor. What happened to your hammer, Mjolnir?』

At Sigris’ words, Thor became more silent.

“The truth is……… it’s because I used too much magic in the previous battle so…..”

『Haah!? You don’t even have Mjolnir now? Save some strength! There’s still an unexplored area at the bottom floor you know.』

“Uh-, b-but ….…”

When Uru spoke, the gods began to get angry with Thor one after another.

『Huh! ……Sigh. Well then, Sigris―』

『Rion, I want you to use our power.』

Sigris and Solana’s voices overlap. The strategy they told me is certainly perfect for our current situation.

Skill 『Divine Protection of the God of Medicine 』 has been used. 【 Spear of Sigris】…… Remote assistance. It transfers magical effects to the spear and delivers them to the target.

I am combining the power of the gods.

Skill 『Sun’s Divine Protection』 has been used. 【 Golden Flame】……Improves physical ability. Further effect for a limited time.

I threw the spear with the power of Golden Flame twice. I passed it at Felix-san and Mia-san. The spear reached each of them, imbuing my comrades with the effect of improving their physical abilities.

Doing that, the magical power in my body was greatly reduced.

『Rion, my blessing works the strongest on you. Therefore, I think that the duration and buffs they have are probably about half of what you get. But…….』

“It means we can buy some time, right?”

That also means that I am now using my trump card, Golden Flame, twice in an instant. If I hadn’t leveled up, I wouldn’t have been able to withstand the consumption of magic power.

Led by Thor, my comrades began to fight back.

I quickly withdraw my attention from them. I put my hand on the wall that I had reached.

“Wake up.”

The wall began to shake and crumble. It was dark and cool inside.

Looking around inside, I gasped.

“Eh……?”

It was like an armory.

The nearly 10-meter-high wall is frozen and holds a huge piece of armor inside. There was even a tremendous axe, with a handle as big as a pillar and a blade as tall as an adult. More than a golem, it seemed more like a giant’s —just the right size for that incarnation to use.

“Why is something like this……”

I shook my head and cut off my thoughts.

What we need now is human-sized weapon.

I moved my gaze away from the gigantic armor. Looking around, there are also several rusty lumps on the anvil.

At that moment, the sound of battle intensified. I turned around and saw Thor and Mia-san fighting the giant. Thor uses his magic to blow the flames away. Then, the fist that came down was flicked by Mia-san with her axe.

“H-Herculian strength……”

It’s the power that resides in the skill <Axeman>. There’s also the unbreakable ability “Immovable”, but “Herculean strength” further increases that power. Mia-san not only held her ground with the ability “Immovable”, but also deflected the incarnation’s attacks with “Herculean strength”.

A chain of roar followed.

『……That’s impressive.』

Loki was impressed.

『The skills that reside in humans seem to originate from the power of the gods ―in her case, it’s like the skills of a god of war like Thor.』

Every time a fist is swung down, a heat wave reaches here.

But Thor and Mia-san did  not crumble. Right now, it seems that there are two gods of war.

“Ha!”

Through the gap in the fireproof cloak, I could see Mia-san’s grin. She’s like a hero standing up to a giant. However, there is a limit.

—It was her weapon that can’t take her power.

“Mia!”

Safi screamed.

It was an axe engraved with runes and had increased strength, but it still couldn’t handle Mia-san’s power. The blade of the axe shattered into pieces.

“……Uuh-?”

I heard Mia’s anguished voice.

I can’t hesitate anymore. I grabbed something shaped like an axe and made a heartfelt whisper,

“Wake up.”

The Scarlet Axe has been unsealed.

Enveloped in light, a scarlet axe engraved with magical runes appeared in the air. The blade sparked as if it had woken up, and for a moment it seemed to glow red. It’s an unmistakable mythical piece of armor.

Felix-san came to support with his ice blade, and Mia-san escapes from the attack zone. But the incarnation of rage was relentlessly trying to crush Mia-san, who had lost her weapon.

“Mia-san!”

Taking a gamble, I threw the axe to her. Mia-san threw in a chain and caught the weapon that was still in mid-air.

“Thank you.”

Mia wields the axe she received and aimed it on the incarnate fist. The impact occurred like a tornado. The incarnation even took a big step back.

“…… D-did you strike back with magic?”

Felix-san was stunned, and the god Uru answered him.

『It’s the dwarve’s technique. When that weapon receives magic attack, the runes on it will be imbued with magic and eventually strikes that magic back. It is a technique for tenacious fighting, harnessing the power of a powerful enemy.』

Thor parried the blows, and Mia-san deflected what he couldn’t handle. Magical power accumulates in the axe. The enemy can’t get close carelessly. Both me and Felix-san became aware of it. The supremely reliable vanguards, God Thor and Mia-san, are creating a huge opening for us now.

“But……!”

It seemed to be a precarious equilibrium.

Who will collapse first, the enemy or Mia-san?

Just then, a small shadow darted around at the edge of my vision.

“……Safi?”

The dwarf blacksmith approached a fallen guard golem.

“Thank you, you guys. You’ve done well for a thousand years. But… let me give you one more bonus…!”

She took out a hammer from her waist. Safi wielded her hammer at the guard golem that is still in its original form. The golem core glows in the shape of a rune.

“Blessing……!”

The guard golem that has lost one of its arms begins to move. Even though its body is in tatters, it received the encouragement of the dwarf and runs towards the incarnation of rage with only one arm.

Safi slumped, as if she had exhausted her strength.

『A blessing …………? That’s the technique of the white dwarves…』

『Maybe it’s a special power. The title of Ten Blacksmiths is not for show you know?』

Solana and Uru muttered to each other. In fact, Safi’s power was certain.

――Guoooo!

The incarnation annoyingly swatted the golem away. But by doing so, it became a huge opening for the others.

“Let’s go……!”

A scarlet light dwelled in her eyes and the axe. Along with the ability “Herculean Strength”, Mia-san’s weapon spewed out magical power. The giant seems to have been shocked. It unleashed the magic of many shots of that fist at once.

“Kuu-”

Mia-san also puts her hand on the ground. The difference between her and the enemy is that she is not alone.

“Rion, I’ll leave the rest to you!”

“Yes!”

We can’t let this chance slip.

I quickly used all of the God’s power now.

Skill 『Sun’s Divine Protection』 has been used. 【 Golden Flame】……Improves physical ability. Further effect for a limited time.

The third golden flame.

My eyes flickered at the sudden decline in my magical power. But I can’t be weak. It’s an opening that my comrades made for me.

“Haaa!”

I jumped towards the head of the incarnation of rage. The flames of the enemy started  to burn my skin.

“Wake up!”

―However, the salamander residing in Lu’s gauntlet created a barrier against the flames.

I broke through the flame defense.

I then used the skills of the gods who have defeated the titans.

Skill 『God of Thunder’s Divine Protection』was used. 【Hammer of the God of Thunder】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Shoots a powerful lightning attack.

With the power of the Golden Flame, I swing down the Hammer of the God of Thunder.

The lightning in the short sword smashed into the giant’s head. The blow was much more powerful than usual. If magic is the power of imagination —perhaps the “Golden Flame” can also strengthen the “Hammer of the God of Thunder.”

Cracks appeared in its head. The crack grew larger and larger, reaching the chest containing its core.

――Gods!

The Incarnation of Rage screams from his collapsing throat.

――I’ll be waiting for you at the bottom level.

――My name is ……!

It was more of a declaration of war than a death knell.

――Remember the name of Flamebone Surtr!

Like the other golems, the Incarnation of Rage crumbled. A huge pile of rocks and dirt formed in the hall. Smoke was rising here and there, probably because of the intense heat.

Then came silence.

The sound of the golem returning to the rubble subsided, and the large space is enveloped in a calm silence.

“……We won, so that’s good, right?”

Mia-san muttered as she sat down.

“Rion, you guys ….…”

Thor looked at us with wide eyes. Then he shook his head slowly and disappeared, leaving behind a red light.

“……Yeah, we won. And this victory is ours.”

There was no cheering, no joy, nothing. We just slumped down and congratulated ourselves for having survived.　

You leveled up. You are now Level 22.

I leveled up but…… How strong was that monster? 

Don’t tell me…. like Skoll’s level……

Mia-san sprawled on the ground.

“Ah~, I’m so tired! Hey, Raven Warriors, please give me a generous reward!”

Safi approached Mia.

“See? You’d better take care of your weapons!”

“Un. I’ll take care of this.”

Mia strokes the Scarlet Axe. It had a hook on the handle and was large enough to be used as a chain axe.

“Next—”

I look at the unsealed forge.

From the gaping entrance near the wall, I could feel the cold air even from here. We have to investigate that place.

But a giant-sized armor encased in ice —why was there such a thing?

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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