The Dwarf's Forge

Screeech—

A dark night. The hour when everyone slept, yet deep in the alley, lights blazed as if it were another world entirely.

The alert faded, and I strode without hesitation toward the basement at the alley's end.

Bang—!!!

The door flew open as if it might shatter, and from inside came a curse: "What the hell?!"

"Gasp...!!"

But that lasted only a moment. Hamma clamped his mouth shut at the sight of my face, his expression paling as he bowed his head.

Something must have happened in the meantime—Hamma's reputation toward me had changed.

"Y-You've arrived!!"

"Doing well?"

"Aigoo, you should've sent word... When did you get here?"

"What word? Came straight from the dungeon. Still, you're the first one I visited."

"Is that so?!"

At my words, Hamma's face lit up as if he'd received some great boon.

"Haha, of course. I figured you'd come straight to me first, Master."

'Well, well. Master?'

Without a word from me, Hamma's form of address had completely shifted. He hastily righted a toppled chair and wiped it with his sleeve.

"Rumors of you have already spread across all of Obela. Even Red Sickle of the Red Cat Mercenaries ordered immediate reports if anyone spots you. Come, sit."

"Hm."

"I figure there's a reason you came to me first instead of heading straight to the Red Cat Mercenaries or the Night Auction House."

"Sharp as ever."

"Heh heh, not for nothing am I an info broker."

Hamma rubbed his palms together with a sly grin. His character was infamous even in the Shadow Market, but his abilities were undeniable.

'Most of what he says is lies, but at least a few of the legendary items I remember came from info he provided.'

Among them, the [Fire Salamander Pairing Ring] that could summon a high-grade spirit was one I absolutely needed.

It was currently the highest-tier spirit summonable—a high-grade spirit.

'Its power's around heroic-grade NPC level.'

But my reason for wanting a spirit was different. Black Eye's kin-devouring trait. As a divine beast body, he grew stronger by consuming spirit power.

If he absorbed an existing top-tier spirit like a high-grade one, Black Eye's abilities would skyrocket.

'If Hamma pledges loyalty to me, it'll save me a lot of hassle on my end. No need to sift through his useless lies.'

Of course, I'd already mastered how to handle him through countless dream loops.

"Hahaha, anyway... What do you need from me?"

Hamma subtly kicked aside a fallen club nearby as he spoke.

"Nothing major. Just investigate something for me."

"What is it?"

"What happened between Guljiwang and the Torong tribe."

"Pardon? The Torong tribe—aren't they the humans Guljiwang assigned as his secretaries? What could have happened between them..."

"Guljiwang was killed by the Torong tribe."

"Cough...!"

Hamma hacked in shock, his face stunned.

"I-Is that true?"

"Just suspicion for now. I'm telling you specially, so investigate discreetly. Start by tracking the Torong tribe—they move around without a fixed base."

"Understood. It must be related to the dwarf Phlia brought... right?"

The quick-witted Hamma seemed to catch on immediately, asking cautiously.

"Correct. But keep it secret from Red Sickle and Phlia too. You get what that means? Trust between just you and me."

"L-Leave it to me!!"

His eyes gleamed at the word "specially."

'That should reel him in enough.'

Having seen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that look countless times, I could tell if he'd do the job properly.

At least for now, while he saw me as a worthwhile investment, he'd work harder than anyone.

'Yeah, you'd better hustle. Or else.'

What I needed wasn't info he already had, but what he'd uncover next.

I already knew where to get legendary items like his [Fire Salamander Pairing Ring] or [Storm Cloak].

'Hamma. Stir things up so she learns about me and comes looking.'

I gazed at the [Myocheonmahw i] on my finger.

Its original owner. One of Glory's 9 who followed me in the dreams.

The Yul Witch.

Actually, aside from two, the other seven of Glory's 9 weren't from the Iron Kingdom—and hers was the most unique background.

'She's also the first one I need to recruit from Glory's 9.'

I pictured her face briefly, but it wasn't nostalgia or fondness.

There was simply a dungeon I couldn't clear without the Yul Witch.

'History's accelerating because of me. Even the Kartinin family's Divine Dancer might appear sooner.'

Rerto Karen would try to sabotage me over this no matter what.

That's why I needed the Yul Witch's power even more.

'Before the Divine Dancer is born...'

I needed another artifact in my hands.

"You've come."

After leaving Hamma's basement and heading to Phlia, I endured a bit of her nagging about showing up unannounced, but Norpa Jeran's unexpectedly calm demeanor eased my mind somewhat.

"No issues, I take it."

"Of course not. You ordered it, after all."

Phlia, behind me, grumbled peevishly.

"Good work. Entrusting it to you was the right call."

I hadn't completed her quest yet, so her affinity wasn't perfect faith, but after clearing two dungeons, both hers and Obela's had risen to highly favorable. Thanks to that, not just her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but the locals were cooperative, keeping Norpa's secret intact.

"Mind stepping out? I need to talk to him."

"Can't I hear it?"

"You could, but I don't want you worrying needlessly. You've got your own tasks."

"Smooth talker. Acting like it's for my sake..."

She shrugged at my words and turned away.

"Whatever. I can judge a good spot to lie low. Tell me when you're done."

I nodded.

"We couldn't talk properly amid the chaos back then."

Click.

As Phlia stepped out, I pulled a compass from my inventory.

"Got this from the Northern Tribe's chest. Tur Mah said only Guljiwang from the tower's workshop would know about it. Shame Guljiwang's dead, but luckily you're alive."

"......"

Staring at his face as he gazed silently at the compass, I wouldn't have disturbed him even without the alert.

"The Compass of the Dead Realm's Boundary. Never thought I'd see this again."

How much time passed? He finally spoke, emerging from his reverie.

"This compass guided us to the tower. But the tower was merely a starting point... You must have met Tur Mah. Only he could have repaired it like this."

"Tur Mah said the Myocheonmahwi from the Spider Lord's Tomb could fix it."

I removed the ring from my finger and placed it before him.

"Hm... Yes, this ring's thread could secure the central axis. Not perfect, but more accurate than now."

"Can you fix it?"

"Tower materials would be ideal, but securing the axis? Not too hard."

I inwardly cheered at his words.

"What's the tower? Tur Mah called it a structure built by outsiders... No records of any tower in continental history, as far as I know."

Recalling ancient texts from the palace archives, I asked carefully.

"Can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"You lack the qualifications."

My face hardened slightly.

"Qualifications? Even after saving you from likely death in Parahum's Tomb?"

"Not about favors to me. The tower demands you pass its own criteria to enter."

"What criteria?"

Norpa Jeran fell silent, pondering.

"The compass will show you."

A vague answer, but since the compass was key to finding the tower anyway, I let it go.

'The tower's a variable absent from my dreams—no players as outsiders back then. Surely another way to stop the calamity lies there.'

A provision by developer Choi Hyuk-su. It might even be a bridge to content beyond the calamity—reaching the tower meant pioneering ahead of everyone.

"Then please repair it. Phlia will procure any tools needed."

Swoosh.

At that moment, Norpa Jeran shook his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠head and returned the Myocheonmahwi to me.

"...?"

"Impossible here. Without a dwarf forge, repairing the compass with spider thread from Myocheonmahwi is too difficult."

"You've been in that tomb so long you don't know—nothing's unobtainable at Obela's Night Auction House."

"Some things can't be bought with money."

He shook his head at my words.

"Technique."

"...?"

"Separating the thread from Myocheonmahwi requires special dwarf tools. And linking the compass's connectors? Can't do it alone."

"Do you know how hard it is to sneak you into a forge past the ducal eyes of the Kal Duchy?"

I asked calmly before accepting the quest.

"Humans are so greedy. I already gave you the Torong, pinnacle of magitech. And you want more... Excessive."

His voice trembled with faint betrayal and anger. I smiled faintly.

Click.

"Hm?"

I unwound the Torong from my wrist and set it before him.

"All I ask of you is one promise. If you still see it as greed after hearing my proposal, take the Torong back."

"What do you mean?"

"From what I know, you and Guljiwang hid the Torong Scripture—your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠secretaries—inside these bracelets."

"Hmph..."

"Your brothers' compiled dwarf techniques are too much for an outsider like me. Left as is, it'll end like Guljiwang's secretary."

"So...?"

"Will you allow the three dwarf artisans to access the Torong Scripture?"

"Amusing human... Forsaking the Torong Scripture. Back then, humans were desperate for it. Never met one like you."

"Not forsaking—returning it to its proper master."

Norpa eyed me strangely.

"...I accept your proposal."

"Thank you."

I nodded slowly.

"It'll be a tough journey. Rest well tonight."

After bidding him farewell, I rewrapped the Torong around my wrist and opened the door.

Screeech.

Clunk.

As the door closed, I thought:

"Norpa. I'll help you, but this isn't charity. I'll gain from you too."

'A foothold to claim the three artisans is set.'

Next target: the Kal Duchy.