Chapter 264
Chapter 264
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 264
Chapter Title: Stubbornness (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As soon as the Weaponmaster appeared, the air turned ice-cold.
Extreme terror surfaced on the dwarves' faces. It seemed like a lie that they had been burning with rage and determination just moments ago.
"Akilo."
The Weaponmaster spoke. Contrary to his slightly below-average build, his voice was incredibly thick and heavy.
"Why are you making things so complicated?"
"I told you. The more materials, the more perfect this furnace becomes."
"Then why send them into the city instead of just having your subordinates subdue them?"
"Even so, they prepared so diligently. I wanted to take a look."
"You're causing all this chaos for that pathetic reason?"
"The aesthetics of a craftsman are complicated. Please understand."
Akilo said with a smile. The Weaponmaster clicked his tongue in displeasure.
"Didn't I say not to kill them?"
"Just bring them back with their lives intact."
The Weaponmaster turned to the dwarves.
His pale green eyes scanned them. They trembled like aspen leaves.
"Not many of you."
Out of nowhere, the Weaponmaster addressed the dwarves directly.
"I heard you have a black mage cooperating with you. Victor the firewood chopper, was it? Where is that guy?"
"Th-that guy's not here!"
Kilo barely mustered his courage and shouted.
But as soon as the Weaponmaster stared at him, the forcibly summoned courage evaporated in an instant.
"Not here? You mean you came alone? I can't fathom what you're thinking. Well, if that guy's not here, I have no business with you either."
The Weaponmaster said to the dwarves.
"Those who surrender, kneel on the ground. Otherwise, I'll cut off your limbs and drag you away."
Killing intent emanated from the Weaponmaster.
He was a being at the pinnacle among the giants.
The killing intent from such a powerhouse was a weapon in itself.
Some dwarves couldn't withstand the extreme fear and foamed at the mouth.
"...Don't talk nonsense!"
"Surrender? What bullshit!"
"I'll definitely kill you right here!"
But not a single dwarf submitted to the Weaponmaster.
They glared at him with resolute eyes, as if preferring to die right there.
"This is annoying. Saving bugs is a thousand times harder than killing them."
The Weaponmaster muttered, shaking his head.
At that moment, one dwarf raised the Ancient Sun high and shouted.
"Weaponmaster! My son died because of you! You at least...! I'll kill you with my own hands!"
The dwarf hurled the Ancient Sun at the Weaponmaster.
The Ancient Sun thrown by the dwarf flew at tremendous speed.
It exploded, engulfing the Weaponmaster in red flames. A smile spread across the dwarf's face who had thrown the Ancient Sun.
But the smile didn't last long.
The Weaponmaster walked out of the flames as if nothing had happened.
"Is this the 'Ancient Sun' that you Splinterhammer dwarves boast about? The power is more impressive than I thought. But it's not enough to touch this body."
The Weaponmaster said, brushing off the embers on his clothes.
"Th-this monster!"
The dwarf threw another Ancient Sun. Strength entered the Weaponmaster's eyes.
In that instant, blood burst from the dwarf's wrist. His hand, gripping the Ancient Sun, was severed.
"Urk, ugh!"
The dwarf clutched his wrist in agony.
"You didn't think I'd take that sluggish attack again, did you?"
The Weaponmaster said pitifully.
"I said just keep them alive... so limbs aren't necessary."
Strength entered the Weaponmaster's eyes again.
The next moment, blood spurted from the knee of the dwarf whose wrist had been cut.
"Aaagh! Kraaaagh!"
The dwarf, having lost one arm and both legs, collapsed to the ground. He writhed, bleeding from the severed parts.
"Wh-why did his wrist get cut?"
"The Wea-Weaponmaster was just standing there?"
Confusion and fear spread like a contagion.
No dwarf dared to throw an Ancient Sun at the Weaponmaster anymore.
"One for now."
The Weaponmaster approached the dwarf whose limbs had been severed. He grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.
At that moment, the Weaponmaster noticed it. The strange object beneath his outer garment.
The dwarf was wearing a vest made by linking several iron orbs.
It wasn't underwear, nor armor. As the Weaponmaster wondered, the dwarf laughed intermittently.
"The famous... Weaponmaster... the first dwarf to screw over... what an honor...!"
The dwarf yanked hard on the string protruding from his clothes.
In that instant, the vest exploded. The surrounding buildings were all blown away. Red flames shot up to the sky.
It was incomparable in power to throwing just one Ancient Sun.
"Tch."
Even the Weaponmaster was pushed back by the explosion. One sleeve of his clothes had completely burned off.
"Now! Charge!"
"For our ancestors!"
"For Splinterhammer City!"
All the dwarves threw themselves at the Weaponmaster. At the same time, they pulled the strings on their vests.
Massive explosions occurred in succession. The Weaponmaster was instantly engulfed in flames.
"...."
Akilo stared at the scene in a daze.
"Self-destruct? Have you all gone mad?"
"Mad? We're perfectly sane!"
Kilo bellowed. All his subordinates had thrown themselves at the Weaponmaster.
He was the only resistor left in this place.
"To deal with a monster like the Weaponmaster, this much sacrifice is necessary!"
With dwarf abilities, even taking down one Master-class was difficult.
Moreover, the Weaponmaster was a giant who had surpassed multiple walls among Masters.
For dwarves to fight such a monster, they had no choice but to strike at his weakness.
That was why they chose 'self-destruction.'
"You idiots! The Weaponmaster won't die from something like the Ancient Sun! This is just throwing your lives in the trash!"
"It doesn't matter! That was just to tie down the Weaponmaster's feet anyway!"
Kilo shed his outer garment. He too was wearing a vest linked with Ancient Suns.
"Our real goal is to destroy that furnace! If we can destroy that, this life is worth nothing!"
Kilo charged toward the furnace. Akilo's face twisted for the first time.
"N-no! Not this furnace!"
Akilo had no combat ability. He had no way to stop Kilo's self-destruction.
As the furnace drew near, Kilo immediately tried to pull the string.
At that moment, red light flashed from the sky.
Something fell diagonally. It pierced through Kilo's abdomen.
"Cough!"
In the pain of his guts bursting, Kilo collapsed on the spot.
Kilo clutched the hole in his stomach and looked up. He saw a single sword floating in the air.
It wasn't an ordinary sword.
One could tell just from the blood-red blade and the eyes protruding from the hilt.
"...Demonsword."
-Keeheehet! You recognized me! Feels good!
The demonsword flew through the air, emitting a eerie laugh.
-Master! I blocked it like you ordered! I did it! Me! Bendal did it!
"Good work."
A voice came from within the explosion site. The Weaponmaster walked out through the flames.
The Weaponmaster's clothes were all burned away. But the Weaponmaster himself was unscathed.
Despite all the dwarves except Kilo sacrificing their lives, they hadn't inflicted any damage on the Weaponmaster.
"Impressive destructive power. If not for the demonswords, I might have been seriously hurt."
Several demonswords floated around the Weaponmaster. They must have protected him from the explosions.
"Damn... so fast...."
Kilo desperately tried to stand.
With all his subordinates dead, he was the only dwarf left who could destroy the furnace.
But because the demonsword had pierced a very bad spot, his body had no strength.
He kept commanding his legs to stand, but they wouldn't listen.
"Kilo, you foolish friend. This place is guarded by the Weaponmaster. Did you seriously believe such a method would work against that giant?"
Kilo bit his lip.
He realized that even the earlier panic had been an act.
Everything was just a performance to satisfy Akilo's vile amusement.
'There has to be... some way. If I can just get close to the furnace... What about the subordinates guarding the gates? If they come....'
Kilo pinned his hopes on his remaining subordinates, even knowing it was impossible.
It was then.
Footsteps approached from behind. The Weaponmaster's subordinates who had been guarding outside were entering the city.
"My lord, we captured the enemies alive as ordered."
In the subordinates' hands were Kilo's men, captured.
In that short time, they were covered in blood all over.
"Good work. Hand them all over to Akilo."
"Yes!"
The subordinates dragged the dwarves and dumped them at Akilo's feet.
"More treasures have arrived."
Akilo looked at the dwarves with a loving face.
"Ah... Kilo... you traitor...."
"Still conscious after wounds like that. You're full of vigor. I choose you."
Akilo picked up the dwarf. He began chanting an unintelligible spell.
Then, tentacles sprouted from the furnace. The tentacles pierced through the dwarf's body in one go.
"Cough!"
"It's too early to feel pain. Compared to what's coming, this is mere dust."
The tentacles began to glow red. The dwarf's body tore apart.
His muscles ripped along the fibers. The nerves hidden within were all exposed. White bones met the outer air.
"Aaagh!"
Even in that state, the dwarf was alive. He screamed in agony.
The tentacles dragged the disassembled dwarf toward the furnace. His muscles and nerves began connecting to the furnace.
"Kraaaagh! Aaaaaaagh!"
The dwarf's screams grew even louder.
It was a more horrific and painful scream than when his body was torn.
"Akilo! Stop! I said stop!"
Unable to watch, Kilo screamed desperately. But Akilo didn't even turn his gaze.
"Wait quietly. After these ones, it'll be your turn next."
Everyone was engrossed in the scene.
The Weaponmaster, his subordinates too.
Thus, no one noticed.
The darkness blanketing the city was stirring.
The city's shadows were rippling like waves.
"Hm?"
One Dark Knight noticed it late.
"Wait, don't tell me...."
Green spears burst from the shadows.
Sharpened spear blades pierced through the Dark Knights' bodies entirely.
They were all wearing armor, but it was useless. Aura coated all the spear blades.
"Kraaaagh!"
"Kaaaagh!"
The Dark Knights spewed death cries as they were torn apart.
Over dozens of Dark Knights turned into chunks of meat in an instant.
"Skeletons?"
The Weaponmaster shouted in surprise, looking at the skeletons emerging from the shadows.
But the surprise soon turned to delight. A smile formed on the Weaponmaster's lips.
"No way... you've finally shown up? The arrogant brat who dares to oppose me?"
Darkness began gathering right in front of Kilo. Soon, the darkness took shape.
The moment he saw the figure, Kilo shouted in astonishment.
"Victor...?"
A man wearing a mask.
Victor was looking down at Kilo. Those indifferent eyes had never felt so welcoming.
"D-did you... come to help me...?"
Victor slowly extended his hand. As if to help Kilo up. Kilo hesitated and reached for Victor's hand.
But just before their hands met, Victor clenched his fist. He punched Kilo in the face.
"Hey, you shameless little dwarf bastard. What do you think you're doing ruining the plan on your own?"
"W-wait...! Let's talk it out!"
"Talk? Sure, let's talk. But first, you have to pay the price!"
Victor began stomping on Kilo mercilessly.
"Whew, now I feel better."
Only after trampling Kilo for a while did Victor look at the Weaponmaster.
The Weaponmaster was gazing at Victor with a face full of great interest.
"Weaponmaster. Nice to see you again, you filthy bastard."
"Again? This is the first time I've seen you? Where did we meet?"
"Don't strain yourself remembering. I'll make it come back to you soon."
At those words, the Weaponmaster burst into laughter.
"Interesting. Truly interesting. To think there's a black mage who dares oppose me now of all times...."
Unlike the Weaponmaster showing immense interest, Victor was no longer looking at him.
He had belatedly discovered the massive furnace in the square.
"...."
The moment he saw the furnace, Victor's expression hardened.
"...No way. Did you make that monstrosity?"
"Oh ho, you recognize it. Well, a black mage wouldn't miss it."
Akilo stroked the furnace as if boasting about a treasure.
"This furnace was made using the wisdom of our ancestors. Very special materials were used. The flesh, bones, entrails, nerves, brains, and souls of dwarves, all woven together into one."
"Have you gone insane?"
At Victor's rebuke, Akilo wagged his index finger side to side.
"It hurts to hear that from a black mage. Don't you use souls and corpses too?"
"True. But we don't process them 'while alive' like that."
As a black mage, Victor could see the furnace's structure at a glance.
Tens of thousands of living dwarves woven together while alive.
Muscles and nerves all connected, making it move like a single organism.
The dwarves used to make that furnace were still alive. Suffering while conscious.
Forcing different dwarves' bodies together meant they couldn't be intact.
"Why the hell did you make something like that?"
"A question lacking insight. Using this method gathers the talents of the dwarves used as materials into one. Combining tens of thousands of dwarves into one weapon—how excellent would that be?"
Victor twisted his lips. As if asking if that's all the reason for this madness.
"Kilo, did you already know?"
Victor asked the dwarf at his feet.
"...I knew. I saw it while observing them from outside the city. The city residents all turning into that."
Kilo slammed his face into the ground. He continued, suppressing his tears.
"Victor... I, no, we lied to you. We didn't gather to reclaim the city! What's the point of reclaiming it! Our families... our loved ones... our tens of thousands of kin are already gone!"
The dwarves weren't trying to reclaim the city to live.
"Our goal was one from the beginning! Destroy that furnace and end it all!"
They were trying to reclaim the city to secure a place to die.