Bug Adept Billis, who was only First Grade, was so terrified at the chaotic scene of flying fireballs and ravaging flame streams that he dug underground. Though the ground–which was nearly two hundred degrees warm–wasn't all that comfortable, it was better than being hit by the barrage of fireballs from the fire elementium creatures.
Mary hid in the center of the group. Initially, she was invested enough to jump into the battlefield and instantly murder anyone who came close with her rapid speed. However, after a while, the dense concentration of fire elementals turned the place into a suffocating sea of fire. Mary had no choice but to stay by Greem's side and took out the crimson longbow she had neglected for a long time to start revising her archery skills.
The tall dragonborn, Zacha, followed closely behind Greem, helping him cover for any attacks from the rear. His lightning spear pierced and scattered the elementium fireballs flying across the sky. The heatwave that radiated from the explosion was no more than a warm breeze of wind; they couldn't harm his body.
The group of adepts charged ahead as they slaughtered the elementals. In the blink of an eye, they had fought their way through the siege of fire elementals and made it to Un'Goro Volcano.
One had to admit that the Orb of Deceit that Mary had sold to Oliven was very effective.
Oliven was part of Greem's party, but none of the fire elementals' attacks were directed at her. She casually walked alongside the adepts, occasionally dodging a stray fireball and became the most carefree person of the group.
By the time Greem and his party reached the volcano, the swarming fire elementals stopped at the foot of the mountain and glared at them, but they didn't continue following them.
That was because the volcano was the territory of the powerful fire lord!
Chapter 729 Volcanic Cave
It didn't matter which world it was. The strongest individuals would always hold the best territories!
It was a universal law.
After setting foot on Un'Goro Volcano, the one thing that Greem's party kept running into was an odd species– Flamebelly Ogres.
These were powerful magical creatures that had extremely high fire resistance and exceptional skill in fire magic. Apart from their rapid-fire spells, these Flamebelly Ogres also had large and muscular bodies. Even the Blackstone Orcs couldn't deal with their savage strikes when they lifted their magma staffs to engage in a fight.
Perhaps it was because they always stayed in the volcanic caves, but these Flamebelly ogres were all large and massive. Their skin was also a dark red, and almost as hard as the volcanic rocks here. Even more annoying was how intelligent they were, to the point that they could even tame creatures like the magma hounds and magma beasts as their servants.
The adepts constantly had to deal with packs of snarling magma hounds when fighting with these ogres. They would then have to deal with the Flamebelly Ogres themselves, who had enhanced themselves with a Berserking Spell before rushing up with their thick magma staffs.
Using magic against these enemies was a bit of a waste. As such, the one who fought at the very front was still Tigule's Goblin Shredder. The fullmetal armor forged out of Queyras magical alloy was completely unharmed, even when assaulted by a dozen fireballs.
Meanwhile, the wildly spinning drill on the Shredder's left arm and the whirring chainsaw on the right were not weapons that the 'frail' bodies of the magma hounds and Flamebelly Ogres could resist.
Tigule piloted the Goblin Shredder with finesse, moving through the enemies' ranks like an agile monkey with a drill on the left arm and a chainsaw on the right. Loud slashing and rending sounds rang out as the enemies were driven away and slaughtered.
The body of the magma hounds composed of many tiny magma rocks split into two halves upon being sliced by the chainsaw. The hot lava within them spilled forth, sizzling upon the already dry and withered volcanic stones.
The tough skin of the Flamebelly Ogres was pretty tough. From Greem's observation through the Chip, their skin improved their defense by at least two levels. That meant that without magical weapons that were at least enhanced with +3 sharpness or the Penetration enchantment, one would not even be able to harm these Flamebelly Ogres.
Sadly, even the toughest of defenses could fall to a kitchen knife!
If a kitchen knife didn't do the work, then throw in a hammer into the mix!
Tigule realized that killing these ogres with edged weapons was pretty tricky. Even the extremely sharp drill took two to three seconds to penetrate the enemies' chest. Thus, Tigule changed his strategy and stopped cutting or stabbing the ogres. Instead, he merely smashed them with all he had.
Truthfully, the Goblin Shredder also had immense Strength that went up to twenty-six points. When combined with its heavy metal body, the Shredder could smash its weapons at its enemies as if they were warhammers. The Flamebelly Ogres couldn't endure these blows, even with their Strength.
A single blow to the head would smash their skulls into their chest cavities.
Consequently, Greem and the other adepts got a good show of wild and savage fighting as they trailed behind the Shredder. A burning trail soaked red with blood and lava wound up the top of the mountain, while the horrifying corpses of the Flamebelly Ogres served as an equally eye-catching scene.
The Shredder stood at the forefront, while Zacha guarded the rear. The adept party successfully reached the waist of Un'Goro Volcano.
They found a reasonably clean place in a small cave here and set up camp as they waited silently for Vanlier to meet up with them.
With his blood master Mary here, there was no concern he wouldn't be able to find his way here!
Perhaps they had been too savage in slaughtering their way up the mountain, but Un'Goro volcano was rife with howling and screaming right now.
Those furious Flamebelly Ogres could only roar and curse from a distance, but they didn't dare to charge into the cave to fight them to the death. It wasn't until midnight that the Flamebelly Ogres, perhaps tired from all their cursing, scattered and returned to their caves to sleep.
The nights in the Burning Plains were the same as the days.
Though the sky was much darker, it was still dark red and murky from the flames and lava that lit up the place.
After setting up some alarm arrays at the entrance, Greem and the other adepts started to rest inside the cave.
At their level, they wouldn't tire even if they didn't eat, drink, or rest for several days in a row. However, in such a dangerous environment, maintaining themselves at their best condition was the optimal choice.
Tigule was also exhausted from fighting for the entirety of the day.
He did not have the unbelievable Spirit and Physique of the adepts. The exhaustion of his stamina and Spirit from piloting the Second Grade magical machine as a First Grade was immense!
After returning the Shredder to the golem talisman, Tigule simply ate some food, drank some water, and wrapped himself in his cape to sleep.
Though the cave entrance had been sealed with a Flame Barrier, the heat waves were still surging in from the outside. They were situated on an extremely active volcano after all; the rumbling of the lava beneath them never stopped. Occasionally, they could even feel the mountain quake.
The fact that Tigule could still fall sound asleep in such an environment was a testament to how exhausted he was!
The night shift was naturally left to the dutiful Dragonborn Zacha.
Greem leaned against a piece of rock and closed his eyes to rest his mind.
He couldn't enter deep meditation in this place and thus could only close his eyes to soothe his slightly tense mind.
He had brought with him nearly all of the elites of the clan for this dragonslaying expedition. It was very likely that they would be able to successfully slaughter the Second Grade fire dragon with such a force. However, everything in this world was unpredictable. Even a small mistake could cause a terrifying outcome to unfold.
In its
current state, the Crimson Clan could not bear to suffer any mistakes.
It was unlike the period where the Crimson Clan hid underground and accumulated its strength. Greem and the Crimson Clan's dominant rise to power had already attracted the attention of many adept clans. If the main force of the clan were to suffer a substantial loss at this moment, those hungry wolves would not give up a chance to lash out at the Crimson Clan. Moreover, the enemies hiding in the shadows would come in droves to nurture their strength with the flesh of the Crimson adepts.
That was why Greem currently bore much more stress than ever before. Almost every single move he made had to be thought over and over again, making sure that the best reaction was used to deal with any situation that could arise.
Just as Greem's emotions were fluctuating, the light flapping sound of wings came along with the night winds from outside the cave.
Then, the alarm arrays were set off!
A short moment later, Old Fox Vanlier arrived with Blood Knight Soros, both of them covered in ash and dust.
Dragonborn Zacha, who had silently been standing at the entrance, looked at them with his sharp eyes before moving aside and letting them in.
It was clear that Vanlier and Soros' days on the Burning Plains hadn't been pleasant. Apart from their shriveled Spirits, there were still burn marks that hadn't faded from their bodies.
That they hadn't been able to recover from their injuries despite the vampires' powerful regeneration abilities proved that the creatures here were far more formidable than the other dragon lord territories.
"Go and catch two ogres and make sure they are alive!" Greem gave simple instructions.
Zacha acknowledged the order, lifted his warhammer, picked up his spear, and charged out of the cave.
With the density of the Flamebelly Ogre population on Un'Goro Volcano, he should be able to catch one or two of them just by finding a nearby cave. Not long after, the unique battlecry of the ogres rang out. A short moment later, it returned to silence.
The light in the cave dimmed.
Zacha lifted a bloody Flamebelly Ogre in each hand and strode into the cave before he dropped them in front of the vampires.
"Rest for a while and recover first!" Greem said casually.
The two vampires hesitated for a moment and looked at Mary, who was silently lying down on her side in a corner of the cave. With a nearly imperceptible nod from her, the two vampires finally crouched over the necks of the ogres and started drinking the spicy and stinging blood of the creatures.
In all honesty, the blood of Flamebelly Ogres wasn't delicious; it wasn't on the day-to-day menu of the vampires. The blood had been infused with far too much fire elementium, and it tasted too dry and bitter. It was a far cry from the sweet, rich blood of the forest elves.
However, there was no leeway to be picky in a situation like this. Recovering and ensuring their survival was the highest priority!
"Have you guys obtained any new information after all this time here?" Greem asked softly.
As the leader of this expedition, these were the kinds of questions he had to be concerned with.
After all, the last update they received was from one month ago. All this time, Greem had been sneaking about with his dragonslaying team and had lost contact with Vanlier. That was why he was anxious that new variables might have cropped up.
"Don't you worry, my lord! We have been patrolling near the fire dragon's den for the past month, and we have not seen it exit. To avoid missing anything, I even arranged for one of the blood knights to stay there while I came back to report. I assure you that nothing will go wrong. Judging from the time that has passed, the wounds the fire dragon suffered on Stonetalon Mountain should have healed already. However, these dragon lords love sleeping, and sleeping for up to three months is nothing odd for them."
Old Fox Vanlier seemed like he knew what the clan leader was worried about. He immediately assuaged Greem's concerns with his first few words.
It would truly be a joke if the fire dragon weren't home after they had dragged all the elites of the clan on this long march!
The extended absence of the clan's primary force in its current circumstances would easily invite unnecessary troubles. Greem couldn't possibly have all his elites wait here without clear information. That was why Greem had been troubled all this while– because he was worried about such an unprecedented situation occurring.
Now that the fire dragon was confirmed to be home, everything was going to be a breeze!
Chapter 730 Blackiron Tower
The den that Fire Dragon Bamler lived in was still a hundred and fifty kilometers away from Un'Goro Volcano.
The adepts would unavoidably pass through the camps of the Blackiron Dwarves and the Blackstone Orcs if they wanted to get there.
Due to a lack of cover in a vast and mountainous region like the Burning Plains, trying to sneak into the dragon's den while hiding from the local natives was virtually impossible. After a brief discussion with Vanlier, Greem finally decided to move to the Ironstone Highlands and advance to the den through the Blackiron Dwarves territory.
They rested for one night.
The party moved at the first sign of light on the second day, departing from Un'Goro Volcano under the sharp glares of the many Flamebelly Ogres.
With Old Fox Vanlier as their guide, the party's progress hastened slightly.
They first went straight north until Un'Goro vanished from sight before turning northwest and walking along the Firefeather Mountains. After passing through the Abyss of Ka'el and making it through a terrifying nest of Ankara beetles, the adepts finally started to close in on Blackiron Tower, controlled by the Blackiron Dwarves.
The Blackiron Dwarves might have the word 'dwarf' in their name, but their appearance and temperament were utterly different from the dwarves mentioned in the historical chronicles. They weren't as gentle or kind as ordinary dwarves, and they weren't even as welcoming of guests.
These fellows who lived in Blackiron Tower and spent their days in the red-hot furnaces forging and refining magical blackiron metal were of short stature, had bushy beards, and bulging muscles.
However, their personalities were extraordinarily violent and savage. They would ignite the blackiron bombs wrapped around their bodies at any slight provocation and rush to self-destruct and bring the enemy down with them. Indeed, in this magical world of Lance, these Blackiron Dwarves still insisted on using their blackiron pickaxes to dig and mine and continue to improve their blackiron rifles and cannons.
When Greem and his party first approached that towering Blackiron Tower standing in the valley between two massive mountains, they heard a dull cannon shot. Dense smoke rose from a shooting platform from the center of Blackiron Tower. A watermelon-sized iron ball then blasted a magma boulder into pieces, just fifty meters to the right of the adepts. The iron ball continued rolling even further away.
The initially wide and open magma plains started to narrow here where the path forward became obstructed by the two massive mountains that stood in the way. The terrifying tower that the Blackiron Dwarves had spent a thousand years reinforcing with magical blackiron metal stood right in between these two cliffs.
One had to pass through Blackiron Tower if they wanted to make it through the valley. And anyone who tried to cross through Blackiron Tower would have to deal with these Blackiron Dwarves.
With the cold and violent personalities of the Blackiron Dwarves, the only way of dealing with them was probably…combat!
After the first cannon rang out, the massive metal door at the bottom of the tower also opened to the sounds of grinding mechanical parts. Squads of Blackiron Dwarves in metal chestplates emerged in perfect formation. They all had blackiron rifles on their backs and explosives at their waists.
They charged forward, yelling their odd battlecries as they did so.
Even with Greem's language library, he had trouble analyzing this mutated dwarven language.
Th
e Blackiron Dwarves fired immediately after exiting the tower, without any attempt to negotiate or discuss.
Old-fashioned blackiron rifles rang out. They crackled loudly and the metal bullets they shot out clinked against the shields of the defenses. Tigule had no choice but to summon the Goblin Shredder once again and leap into combat, charging at the reckless and ignorant Blackiron Dwarves.
The tall Dragonborn Zacha took a few steps forward and used his massive body to cover for Greem. He courageously stood at the front, raising his hands to protect the more easily injured eyes, while letting the other parts be. After all, dragonborn had tough scales on their bodies. Those metal bullets could only send sparks flying when they hit him, with no possibility of actually wounding him.
As for Mary, she casually leaped about in the rain of bullets and let the wild storm pass her by. She would only raise a finger and flick when she ran into attacks that she couldn't dodge.
Vanlier didn't have Mary's ability and could only shriek and hide behind Soros. Blood Knight Soros lived up to his identity as a Second Grade knight. Though he was disdainful toward Vanlier's cowardice and shamelessness, he didn't abandon him.
Soros brandished his longsword and swatted away the metal bullets flying toward him before launching a counter-charge at the Blackiron Dwarves.
Meanwhile, Bug Adept Billis didn't even seem to fear these purely physical attacks.
He slowly walked forward, his body trembling slightly as he did so.
Every time he trembled, it meant that a metal bullet had hit his body.
Yet, it was almost as if he didn't feel the impact. After advancing sufficiently far forward, Billis suddenly opened his terrifying insect mouth, and a swarm of insects surged out from within. This swarm gathered into a cloud in the skies and surged at the enemy like a dark shadow.
They swarmed the enemy wherever they went, using their nightmarish numbers to devour the enemies.
One couldn't see anything that was happening inside the black cloud, but the fearsome crunching sounds that came from within were bone-chilling.
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