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Chapter 308: Dwarf Cave Mantamia. (10)
Two days after the demon disappeared, Ignisia was preparing to leave.
Before her departure, she had a word with Ketal, who was surprised.
"You're leaving already? I think you should rest a bit longer."
"I'd like to as well, but I can't afford that luxury."
The continent was still in turmoil.
There was no time to rest, especially for someone as powerful as a dragon who could impact the fate of the land.
After all, they were under constant threat from demonic forces.
However, Ignisia’s expression wasn’t dark.
"But the situation isn't that bad. It’s a manageable risk."
In fact, it had been easier than expected.
The demon they fought—a count-ranked demon named Raphael—was powerful.
Had they not been in the mines, Ignisia might not have been able to defeat him.
Raphael was a demon so formidable that even a dragon could not have easily bested him.
This meant that there were very few on this continent capable of defeating Raphael.
If Ketal hadn’t helped, the mine would still be under Raphael’s control.
Ignisia alone wouldn't have managed, and she would have needed to summon the highest-ranked powers, like the Tower Master, the Sun God's Saintess, or the Elders of the Dragons.
Doing so would have come at a high cost—perhaps even costing the mine entirely.
But thanks to Ketal, they had managed without external help, and the mine suffered minimal damage.
Ignisia spoke gratefully,
"It’s thanks to you. Thank you for helping."
"It was a deal, so it’s fine. Besides, it's for the world."
Ketal smiled, and Ignisia paused briefly.
Despite being from the Forbidden Land, Ketal had helped them many times.
She was not so narrow-minded as to doubt him just because of his origins.
"The situation isn’t bad, which means we need to keep up the momentum."
She clenched her fist, determined to seize this moment.
Ketal, who had been watching her quietly, asked,
"Is there anything else I can help with?"
"Help?"
"You once asked me to do you a favor in the future. I agreed."
"Oh..."
Ignisia recalled their previous conversation.
While helping Ketal in his quest for mysteries, she’d made two requests of him: to show goodwill to the world, and to grant her a favor when she asked.
Ketal remembered.
"We made a deal. If you need anything, feel free to ask. I’ll help."
“…You remembered. Thank you. But it’s fine. What I was going to ask was essentially what you've already done."
Ketal understood.
"It was related to the demons, then."
"Yes. You don't need to worry about it now. Anyway, you'll keep facing demons in the future, won't you?"
"True enough. So, where are you headed next?"
"Hmm. I’m thinking of visiting the Elven Sanctuary. I can assess the situation on the continent there, and it’s been a while since I last saw Karin."
"Now that I think about it, you said she’s a friend."
"Yes, indeed. And you’ll be staying here for a while, won’t you? So, I guess this is goodbye."
"Goodbye, Ignisia. Until we meet again."
"See you, Ketal."
Ignisia smiled and left.
Ketal saw her off.
'I’d like to follow her, but...'
But that was impossible—he still hadn’t received his reward.
The dwarves who had reclaimed their sacred land had taken Ketal's materials and were crafting what he wanted.
However, due to the rare and powerful materials, it would take a few days.
'Guess I’ll enjoy a bit of sightseeing.'
Ketal spent his time exploring the dwarven sanctuary.
Despite being underground, Mantamia was incredibly spacious and bright, reminiscent of an ancient underground city—a fascinating place to tour.
However, Ketal wasn't just sightseeing.
He also assisted in restoring gaps that had formed from the impact he’d left on the mine.
Ketal held a pillar and pushed.
Rumble!
The massive column of the temple moved slowly, restoring the gap to a perfect vertical.
"That should do it."
"...It’s done,"
Grombir muttered, letting out a faint laugh as dwarves gathered, watching in amazement.
Without any tools, simply by sheer physical strength, Ketal restored the sanctity of their land—a sight even awe-inspiring to the mighty dwarves.
They celebrated every night, roasting meat and drinking beer.
One dwarf approached Ketal cautiously.
“W-Would you like a drink?”
“Sure.”
Ketal accepted the beer mug and took a sip, eyes widening in surprise.
"...Delicious."
The dwarf beamed with pride.
"Our proudest brew! Here, have more!"
Ketal accepted a mug as large as his torso, drinking it all down in one go.
The dwarves watched in awe.
"Refreshing!"
Thud!
Ketal slammed down the empty mug, prompting cheers around him.
"That's the spirit! Here!"
Another dwarf handed him an even bigger mug and grinned.
"There are two things dwarves take pride in: the beauty of their beards, and their tolerance for alcohol! Your strength is great, but I won’t lose in this! Let’s have a contest!"
“Woo-hoo!”
The dwarves cheered, Ketal’s eyes glimmering.
‘An event like this—this is great!’
It was a true fantasy moment, competing in a drinking contest with dwarves.
He smiled and raised his mug.
"Bring it on!"
That night, every dwarf collapsed in a drunken stupor—except Ketal, who strolled back to his lodgings without the slightest sway in his step.
The next day, the dwarves looked at him with newfound reverence.
* * *
‘This is fun.’
Ketal wandered around, enjoying the dwarven sanctuary.
The dwarves were open and friendly, treating him as a comrade rather than with fear.
They drank together, talked, and lived as friends, a new experience for Ketal.
He’d spent time in the Elven Sanctuary, but they’d kept some distance, preventing a bond as close as this.
Living shoulder-to-shoulder with dwarves in a fantasy land brought him great joy—aside from the slight unease of his Holy Sword.
Eventually, after a week passed, Grombir called Ketal.
"It’s finished."
“Oooh!”
Ketal’s eyes sparkled.
Finally, it was ready.
With excitement, he asked,
"What’s finished?"
"Both items. Here, take this first."
Grombir handed over an outfit.
It was clean and sharp, resembling an adventurer’s garb.
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Aside from its refined look, it wasn’t particularly unusual.
But the materials were exceptional—crafted from the pelts of Whitey and the rat.
“We used the materials you brought. Making it was no easy feat.”
Grombir’s power allowed him to cut and tan Whitey’s hide, but the rat’s paw was impossible to work with.
Without Ketal’s help, they would still be struggling.
"These materials are beyond my understanding. Who were these creatures?"
"They existed before this universe."
“Impressive.”
Grombir chuckled, thinking Ketal’s words were a joke.
But Ketal’s face was serious, and slowly, Grombir’s expression grew solemn.
“Are you serious?”
“I am.”
“…What strange things you’ve been dealing with? Somehow, I couldn’t understand it at all.”
“Does it have any special abilities?”
“Rather than holding power, it was crafted to train the strength within.”
Grombir spread the garment out and fixed it onto the machine.
“Give it a hit.”
“Got it.”
Ketal’s eyes turned serious as he gripped his axe and swung it with full force at the garment.
Boom!
A suppressed groan escaped Grombir as he contained the impact, his hero-class strength feeling the strain of holding back the force.
Only a handful in the world could withstand such an attack from Ketal.
Yet, despite Ketal’s sincere blow, the garment remained unscathed.
Ketal’s eyes widened.
“It’s sturdy.”
“On the surface, it looks like an ordinary leather coat, but in truth, it’s closer to armor. It’s overbuilt in durability, and I’ve inscribed enchantments using mithril and orichalcum. It will naturally synchronize with the mystery you hold, enhancing itself. I can’t think of anything that could damage it… Perhaps a god or a lord of hell could, but even then, it wouldn’t matter.”
The garment had a self-restoring ability, retained even in severed limbs.
If the garment were to be torn or damaged, it would repair itself over time.
“Try it on.”
Ketal changed into the garment and moved his limbs lightly, noting how cleanly it allowed for movement without any hindrance.
“Not bad.”
Ketal laughed in satisfaction, knowing he no longer needed to worry about his clothing tearing.
One of the advantages was that he could now withstand powerful attacks without having to shield his body with mystery.
He was thoroughly pleased.
“I couldn’t use the claws, though. No matter how hard I tried, they couldn’t be tempered. I’ll return them to you.”
“Understood.”
“And here’s the last item.”
Grombir pulled out a white gemstone.
“The dragon bone you requested. I refined it and made it into a catalyst.”
“…Oh, oh.”
At Grombir’s words, Ketal’s expression changed.
Grombir involuntarily flinched and took a step back.
The intense desire and greed emanating from Ketal were so powerful they almost seemed tangible, instinctively driving the hero-class Grombir to retreat.
Ketal wasn’t the only one with these strong emotions; the mystical beast within him also stirred fiercely, as if demanding the gem to be handed over immediately.
‘Hold on just a bit longer.’
Soon, he’d give the beast what it desired.
Ketal smiled and grasped the gemstone.
“Thanks to you, I can finally fulfill my goal. Thank you.”
“O-oh…”
‘…Did I make a mistake?’
Would it have been better if the demon had emptied the mine?
For a fleeting moment, Grombir found himself wondering that upon seeing Ketal’s expression.
* * *
Ketal left the holy sanctuary with a lighthearted step, as using the mystery he was about to gain could potentially destroy it.
Though unlikely, he had decided it was better to be cautious and went far enough from the holy sanctuary.
“Alright, then.”
Ketal’s eyes gleamed as he gazed at the white gemstone in his hand.
‘I can handle it now.’
He began a conversation with the mystical beast within him.
As a result, he’d managed to partially manifest its mystical power, though it remained extremely unstable and fragile, flickering as if it might vanish at any moment.
Expanding it was essential since the power could become unusable depending on the beast’s temperament.
“I was told I just need to break it.”
Growl.
The mystery emitted a low cry, unable to wait any longer and urging him to hurry.
Ketal also had no intention of delaying.
He tightened his grip.
Crash!
The gemstone shattered, and the mystery within surged toward the nearest being, flowing into Ketal and seeping into his body.
The mystical beast within him rose eagerly, devouring the energy greedily.
Ketal’s mystery expanded meaningfully.
“Oh, ohhh…”
A sound of awe escaped Ketal as the amount of mystery he possessed swelled and multiplied, reaching a level he’d never before attained.
“Amazing.”
Ketal laughed in delight, and it wasn’t just his own change.
The mystical beast that had consumed the dragon bone’s power swelled and grew, transforming quickly and unnervingly.
It no longer resembled a beast; its presence revealed itself to the world, making the Holy Sword shudder in horror.
[Wh-what, wh-who are you…]
Something… something entirely different was appearing.
It was a being that even the Holy Sword, which had seen many gods, found terrifying.
And it opened its mouth.
[You. You bastard.]
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