Chapter 365 Legendary Items, the Messenger of Good Fortune Returns

Dark, thick clouds blanketed the sky, and fine, continuous rain fell from the horizon, slanting down in the howling wind and soaking every inch of the wilderness.

Centered around the abandoned mine, the Iron Smelting Tribe established several simple outposts.

The area is surrounded by a fence made of hard rock and a high wall, with guards wearing rainproof cloaks standing like sculptures in the rain.

Their sharp eyes pierced through the rain, vigilantly scanning all directions to guard against any potential danger.

Sudden.

The sky, already darkened by the clouds, darkened even further, as if some enormous object had blocked out the already sparse light.

The guards' pupils suddenly contracted, and they all raised their heads to look up at the sky.

A colossal dragon shadow was seen circling beneath the clouds. Raindrops fell upon its steel-like scales, instantly shattering them into finer mist that scattered in all directions.

It is the Iron King, Sorog.

After recognizing the figure, the guards relaxed slightly and returned to their posts, but their eyes still held awe, glancing at the sky from time to time.

Meanwhile, the Iron Dragon Sorog slowly circled in the low sky.

His enormous wings stirred up the wind and rain, creating gusts of wind, gradually lowering his altitude, and finally landing steadily on the edge of the abandoned mine.

He lowered his head, his sharp dragon eyes sweeping across the rugged mine below, a thoughtful look in them.

Sorog harbored doubts about whether legendary items truly existed here.

After all, Galos only obtained a map clue by chance from a low-level adventurer, and its authenticity was questionable. It might just be part of a clumsy scam, which couldn't convince them completely.

However, as the underground ruins of Marnes were actually discovered and the exploration work progressed,

Some unusual discoveries gradually increased Sorog's anticipation.

The historical accounts of the Grey Dwarves' downfall due to the treasures they created seem to have some basis in reality, increasing the likelihood that legendary items exist.

Moreover, in order to explore this ruin and search for precise clues about the legendary item, the tribe has already invested a great deal of manpower and resources, as well as considerable time and effort.

These sunk costs themselves also prevent the tribe from giving up easily.

Now, the moment of harvest has finally arrived.

"The Noble King of Iron".

A snake-man leader who had been waiting there slid up to the iron dragon, his long, thin tongue flicking out and hissing.

"We explored a hidden area deep within the underground city, but were attacked by spirits there."

"It's absolutely certain, hiss... those are the spirits of the Grey Dwarves, and unlike ordinary mindless undead, they have shown considerable intelligence and cooperative ability, and even emotions."

"Their numbers aren't too many, but they seem to be able to keep resurrecting and regenerating, making them very difficult to deal with."

The snake-man leader gave a detailed report on the situation.

"The Marnes Dungeon was originally one of the main cities of the Grey Dwarves. Legend has it that they were destroyed because they created a powerful legendary item."

"Now that these strange, intelligent, and resurrected spirits have been discovered, could there be some kind of connection between them?"

"Is the effect of that legendary item manifested here?"

Iron Dragon Sorog narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

At the same time, the snake-man leader lowered his head and said, "Due to the tenacious resistance of these gray dwarf spirits, our exploration progress has been temporarily suspended, and we need stronger support."

Sorog asked directly, "What were the specifics of the previous battle?"

The snake-man leader immediately responded, "The forces responsible for exploring the dungeon are evenly matched with those gray dwarf spirits, and the battle was at a stalemate for a time."

"If there are no other unexpected factors, in my opinion, sending another elite team to support them will be enough to break through their defenses and defeat them."

Iron Dragon nodded its massive head, the thick scales rubbing against each other with a dull sound.

He didn't say anything more, but instead turned his gaze back to the deep mine pit, waiting quietly in the fine rain.

Time passed second by second, and rainwater flowed down through the gaps in the dragon scales. About half an hour later, the ground began to tremble slightly.

Accompanied by the rustling of the surrounding bushes, a mixed elite force of several hundred men, led by Russell the werewolf of the Dragon Vein, passed through the rain and arrived at the outpost of the abandoned mine.

This team is composed of races such as gnolls, kobolds, and werewolves.

Their eyes were fierce, and they were well-equipped; they were clearly not ordinary soldiers, but elites who had fought many battles.

"Russell, relax."

Iron Dragon's voice resounded directly in the werewolf's heart, and an invisible force began to build a spiritual connection between the two.

The werewolf offered no resistance, and the connection was quickly established.

"You will personally lead this elite force to the underground city to support the exploration team."

Sorog gave the order, saying, "I will personally observe everything that happens in the dungeon through your own eyes."

Initially, out of his interest in the legendary item, Sorog considered entering the dungeon himself.

However, considering that the underground spaces built by dwarves are usually low and narrow, his enormous dragon body would be difficult to maneuver and might even become a burden.

Moreover, his previous injuries have not fully healed, and if he encounters a strong enemy, he may not be able to play a significant role if he hastily enters a restricted environment.

After weighing the options, he dispatched Russell, a dragon werewolf with considerable strength and better suited for underground warfare.

He himself sat above the mine, looking down from a high vantage point, so that he could react promptly and adapt to any unexpected changes that might occur below.

"Yes, ma'am."

Russell, the werewolf, solemnly accepted the order.

He let out a low growl and led his elite soldiers, filing into the mine through the passage the tribe had previously cleared, heading deeper underground to support the exploration team.

Iron Dragon Thorog settled down on the spot, its massive body lying prone at the edge of the mine.

He closed his eyes slightly, using his mental link with Russell to sense the situation underground, and waited patiently.

Several hours passed quietly amidst the sound of wind and rain.

Suddenly, Tie Long's spirits lifted.

Through Russell's perspective, after traversing a long and dark tunnel, the ruins of an abandoned city buried deep underground suddenly appeared before him.

This is an incredibly huge underground cave.

Above.

The thick rock layers resemble an inverted sky, with countless stalactite columns hanging down in a jagged pattern, like the fangs of a giant beast.

Below.

On the irregular surface, there are ancient and rugged buildings. On the stone walls, you can still see relief patterns of forging hammers, furnaces and other symbols representing the civilization of the Grey Dwarves. However, they are now covered by various fungi and strange underground plants, making them look desolate and dilapidated.

It is worth mentioning that although these buildings look like they have been through a long period of time, with cracks and signs of weathering, their overall structure is surprisingly intact.

They do not appear to have suffered from war or catastrophic destruction; rather, they seem to have been abandoned by their inhabitants at some point.

The entire enclosed, enormous cavern was extremely dark, with only a few strange fungi emitting a faint blue or pale green glow providing some illumination.

Besides these, there were pairs of eyes that shone brightly in the darkness.

Including Russell the werewolf, most of the monsters he brought with him were born with excellent dark vision, enabling them to see their surroundings clearly.

"Maintain battle formation and stay close to me!"

Russell growled, the sound echoing through the empty underground space.

He identified the direction and then led his elite soldiers quickly toward the location where the exploration team had previously sent out a signal.

Their journey was not without obstacles.

This forgotten dungeon is still inhabited by a considerable number of ferocious beasts and monsters, such as giant cave lizards, bat-winged monsters that emit piercing screams, and some aimless wandering skeletons and zombies.

However, these beings generally do not have a high level of life.

They were quite weak to Russell's elite force and did not pose any real obstacle; they were quickly wiped out.

After a while, the rapidly marching column came to a stop.

They arrived at the entrance to an exceptionally magnificent underground hall.

Although the interior of the hall is full of ruins and dust, the huge stone pillars and dome have not collapsed and still maintain their complete outline, which shows the excellent architectural skills of the gray dwarves.

Hundreds of Ironclad Retinue members who had fought here earlier were resting outside the hall.

Most of them were covered in wounds, and the bodies of their recently deceased comrades were scattered around them.

Upon seeing Russell arrive with his support troops, the exhausted family members immediately perked up and rushed forward to greet him.

"Lord Russell, the deepest part of that hall ahead is very likely the core area where legendary items are stored."

A kobold leader in charge of the area strode forward and pointed to the entrance of the hall.

“Every time we try to get closer to the center of the hall, a group of fully armed gray dwarf spirits emerge from it and attack us.”

“We have witnessed firsthand that many spirits that we had completely torn apart would soon reassemble and emerge from the hall once again. They seem to be able to resurrect an infinite number of times!”

"However, since you have come in person, sir, the sheer number and individual level of those spirits will surely not be able to stop us."

Russell, the werewolf, nodded slightly and gave a deep command that echoed throughout the entire force: "All warriors, prepare to fight alongside me!"

He took a deep breath of the cold, underground air, and took the first step with his strong legs, steadily approaching the silent and mysterious hall. The other warriors followed closely behind, drawing their weapons with a clanging sound.

Sure enough, when they crossed an invisible boundary, something unexpected happened.

The once deathly silent hall was immediately filled with roars that were a mixture of anger and determination!

"Intruder! Get out!"

"We will defend our holy land to the death!"

"For the glory of Marnes! For the glory of the dwarves!"

One after another, spirit figures clad in heavy, illusory armor and wielding various weapons such as swords, axes, and warhammers solidified rapidly as if emerging from water, roaring as they charged toward the Iron Warriors.

Although they were merely spirits, their charging momentum was like that of a thousand troops.

Russell stared intently and saw that these figures were all highly solidified spiritual entities, radiating a faint glow, and were generally only about one meter tall.

With their robust builds, thick beards, and facial features, they were the quintessential grey dwarves.

In the blink of an eye, the two sides clashed in close combat, and a fierce battle erupted.

Tear!

Russell's claws tore through the air with a piercing whistling sound, smashing the head of the first charging gray dwarf spirit.

He originally intended to tear it in half, but the dwarf was too short, and the attack eventually targeted its head.

After losing its head, the spirit's entire body exploded, turning into countless tiny specks of light that scattered in all directions.

"Don't stop! Keep going! Destroy them!"

The werewolf roared, its powerful body crashing into the enemy ranks like a fearless chariot.

His claws were as fast as lightning, each strike containing immense power, easily shattering the spirit of a gray dwarf warrior. But Russell soon noticed that the spirits scattered into specks of light did not disappear completely, but instead, as if drawn by a force, rapidly drifted back into the depths of the hall.

Immediately afterwards, in a short while, the fully recovered spirit rushed out of the hall again, as if it had never been defeated.

As the exploration team had previously reported.

These spirits seem to possess some kind of immortality.

However, this does not change the absolute gap between the two sides in the battle.

A newly resurrected spirit rushed forward, wielding a phantom warhammer, attempting to smash it into the werewolf's knee.

But before his attack could hit, his head was once again smashed by Russell's incredibly swift claws.

Around Russell, the other Iron Warriors also let out bloodthirsty howls.

Sharp blades, heavy axes, and razor-sharp claws drew deadly arcs in the darkness.

This elite force of the Ironforge tribe, like tigers among sheep, tore one gray dwarf spirit after another to shreds.

The battle situation is one-sided.

As the Iron Warriors drew ever closer to the hall's entrance, the Grey Dwarf spirits grew increasingly anxious and enraged.

They launched an even more frenzied attack, even resorting to mutual destruction in an attempt to stop the invaders, but to no avail.

However, just when Russell thought victory was in sight, another unexpected event occurred.

The gray dwarf spirits, who had been fighting fiercely, suddenly stopped in their tracks, their faces showing a mixture of extreme shock and anger.

They ignored the molten iron warriors who were right in front of them and instead retreated rapidly into the hall like a tide.

What's going on?

Iron Dragon Sorog, who observed this scene through the mental link, felt a sense of doubt and immediately gave instructions to Russell.

"Never mind why they're retreating, follow them and get into the hall immediately!"

roar!

Russell let out a deafening roar, his muscles tensed instantly like steel wires, and he almost landed on all fours, rushing towards the entrance of the hall like an arrow released from a bow.

However, just as his front paws stepped over the broken stone steps, it felt as if he had suddenly crashed into an invisible and resilient wall.

Bang!

With a muffled thud, Russell's forward momentum came to an abrupt halt. His massive body was thrown back by a tremendous recoil force, crashing heavily into the dust.

"Well……"

The werewolf shook his head, which was still a little dizzy from the impact, and stood up again, staring at the empty entrance in front of him with suspicion.

"What is that? It's like an invisible barrier blocking our way."

He and the other relatives who had gathered around approached again, reaching out to touch it. Sure enough, they felt an invisible yet incredibly strong barrier firmly enveloping the entire entrance to the hall.

Several strong Iron Warriors swung their weapons with all their might, but only dull thuds were heard; the invisible barrier remained unmoved.

"Get out of the way!"

Russell growled, signaling the surrounding warriors to retreat.

He took a deep breath, his chest heaving like a bellows, and a burning light shone from deep within his throat.

Immediately afterwards, he suddenly opened his mouth and spewed out a scorching dragon breath mixed with lightning and flames, originating from the Iron Dragon bloodline.

boom!

The dragon's breath, intertwined with lightning and fire, slammed into the invisible barrier, unleashing dazzling light and scattering turbulent energy currents.

However, just like the previous physical attacks, this dragon breath, which was powerful enough to melt rocks and even steel, was firmly blocked and could not even cause the slightest ripple or fluctuation in that invisible barrier.

Just as Russell was panting heavily, preparing to try other methods...

"Stop, you can't break through this defense."

Iron Dragon Sorog's voice resounded directly in his heart, carrying a hint of solemnity.

Based on his knowledge, if he wasn't mistaken, the characteristics exhibited by this invisible barrier were very much like—a domain.

This means that a legendary powerhouse may have already gotten there first.

It seemed to be to confirm Sorog's guess.

The next second after that thought flashed through his mind, a gnoll warrior who was almost lying on top of it, gnawing at the invisible barrier with his teeth, suddenly stumbled forward and fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The invisible barrier that had blocked the entrance had disappeared.

Immediately afterward, under the astonished and uncertain gazes of the many Iron Warriors, a figure dressed in a plain white robe walked out slowly from the dilapidated and dark hall with light steps.

This is a woman who looks very young.

She wore no fancy accessories, her face was as delicate as a doll's, her eyes were clear as water, and a faint smile played on her lips. Her overall demeanor was friendly and harmless.

She didn't emanate any strong energy fluctuations; she looked like an ordinary human who had accidentally wandered into this place.

but.

The fact that she could appear in the depths of this perilous underground city means that she is by no means ordinary.

Moreover, a ball of energy emitting a soft white light was quietly floating above the palm of her right hand.

Inside the sphere of light, countless tiny spirit figures could be vaguely seen floating within; these were the gray dwarf spirits who had fought fiercely with them earlier!

"Who are you?!"

Russell took a sudden step forward, grinned, revealing a mouthful of gleaming white fangs, and exuded a fierce aura.

He stared intently at the orb of light in the woman's hand, realizing that this was probably the ultimate goal the Dragon Lord had sent them to explore this underground city for.

"Hand over the orb of light in your hand!"

Russell growled, his eyes flashing with malice: "That belongs to our Ironforge tribe!"

Despite the werewolf's fierce interrogation and the hostile gazes of the surrounding monster warriors, the woman in white remained calm and composed.

"Hello, please don't be so nervous."

She smiled slightly, looked directly at Russell calmly, and said casually, "I am not your enemy."

She seemed to be answering the werewolf's question, but at the same time, her voice also rang clearly and unimpeded directly in the mind of the Iron Dragon Sorog, far above the mine.

“My name is Aliya, and some people also call me—the Good Luck Messenger.”

(End of this chapter)