"yes!"
Enzo was still indignant about being called a "child" and replied unhappily:
"Those guys were wearing shiny armor, casting spells everywhere, and fighting fiercely, but they just couldn't defeat that giant bug! In the end, they were chased away in a hurry! I think it's because their equipment is too rubbish. If I were to build it..."
"How strong was the Bone Leech King at that time?" Monica asked, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Peak of level five? Or...just reached the threshold of level six?"
Enzo tried to recall the chaotic battle that he believed took place hundreds of years ago. "At least they were much stronger than those who besieged it, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to successfully fight back."
Monica's pupils suddenly shrank, and a solemn look passed across her face.
"You said that was the first time you woke up." Monica's voice lowered. "How long has it been since you fell asleep?"
"Uh..." Enzo was stunned for a moment, then said subconsciously, "Didn't I tell you? Hundreds of years! I slept twice!"
"The first time I woke up, I was struck by the magic of the stars and fell asleep." Monica's logic was cold and clear. "The second time, I fell asleep again after those fifth-level besiegers left, until I was recently awakened by the aura of the Bone Leech King's impending ascension."
She paused, her gaze like a solid icicle, piercing Enzo:
"But, how long will it take for the Bone Leech King to grow from the peak of the fifth level to the point where he's about to break through to the higher level?"
This question struck like a bolt of lightning into the cave.
The ease on Mark's face disappeared instantly, and Anna also put away her smile, with a hint of suspicion flashing in her emerald eyes.
They all understood what Monica meant.
Enzo himself was also confused. He opened his mouth and subconsciously refuted:
"How... how would I know? There's no set timeline for a Warcraft's advancement! It could take decades or even hundreds of years! I slept twice, so isn't a few hundred years normal?"
"That's not normal," Monica said firmly. "If it had truly been dormant for hundreds of years, given the Bone Leech King's strength at the time and the resources it possessed throughout the entire mithril vein, it should have already achieved a high-level breakthrough, or even higher. It's impossible that it would have only just reached the brink of a breakthrough when you woke up the second time."
She stared into the dwarf's small eyes, which were out of focus due to shock:
"The last time you woke up and saw those besiegers was probably... not that long ago."
"What does it matter? Those people didn't kill the Bone Leech King, and they didn't take the Mithril Marrow Core. Why should we care about those things?"
Enzo only knew that he had spent hundreds of years in his dream. After all, the time on his personal panel would not lie to him. Even if he could not remember the time when he fell asleep, he still had vague memories.
Of course, what Monica said has nothing to do with Enzo before, but as long as he joins Mark's team, it will be a big deal!
"It's a question of time. We can explore it slowly later."
Considering the question of whether the team can work together in the future, Mark decided to give Enzo a clear opportunity to choose, while also drawing a clear line.
"Enzo Graybeard." Mark looked directly into the dwarf's eyes. "Since you have chosen to be honest about some of your past, as captain, I will also clearly inform you of some realities."
"The Graybeard clan, along with most of the dwarven clans, migrated hundreds of years ago for unknown reasons and retreated deep into the Far North Frost Plains."
"That place is a forbidden zone for life, thousands of miles away from here. The journey is dangerous and filled with ice monsters and many terrifying creatures."
"If you choose to leave, find your clan and return to your people. We will not stop you."
Mark pointed to his heart and said, "With the Truth Contract in hand, I'm not worried about you exposing our secrets. You can take your own 'Rune Forging Hammer' and all your equipment, but the Mithril Marrow Core will definitely not be shared with you."
After speaking, Mark paused and added without any ripples in his tone:
"But if you choose to stay and become a member of the team, then from now on, your loyalty must be unreservedly to this team, and you must put aside all your petty thoughts and calculations."
"Perhaps you don't understand what Monica meant by the questions she asked you just now. But I can tell you clearly that the group of people you met earlier might be an organization called the Enlightenment Society."
"They're researching how to artificially fuse different types of magical elements into a single creature, creating special... um... subhuman monsters. And right now, our team and the Enlightenment Society are on hostile terms!"
Mark felt that he had explained the risks very clearly. In this world, only gods can grant lives the privilege of changing jobs and mutations.
And since the Qizhi Society is actually researching this kind of thing, there is no need to explain how powerful they are.
Mark's team is an enemy of such an organization. It is up to Enzo to decide whether he wants to return to his own tribe or boldly follow Mark's team and take the risk together.
Mark's eyes calmly swept across Enzo's tightly grasped hammer, and finally fell back to the dwarf's doubtful face:
"The contract can bind your soul, but it cannot restrict your choices. Now, make your decision. Will you take your belongings and pursue your journey back to your tribe? Or will you stay and face the unknown future with us as a forger?"
The cave fell silent again, with only the occasional popping sound of bubbles rising from the underground pool and the gentle breathing of the crowd.
Going to the Far North and returning to the tribe represents a relatively "safe" retreat.
Joining Mark's team points to a road full of unknowns and dangers, but also full of infinite possibilities.
Enzo lowered his head, his stubby fingers tightly gripping the handle of the "Dark Rune Forging Hammer", his knuckles turning white from the force.
The muscles on his face were twitching, and it was obvious that he was having a fierce battle between his conscience and his desires in his heart.
The Far North Frost Plain... Thousands of miles away... He was a fourth-level blacksmith, whose main combat profession was only third-level. How could he go to such a place alone with a legendary equipment?
What’s the difference between that and committing suicide?
Go find the clan? Hundreds of years later, does the clan still exist?
Even if he exists, can he, a "Dark Furnace Guardian" who has awakened dark power, really be accepted?
To put it another way, even if he didn't go to the Far North Frost Plain, even if he was in the human kingdom, if someone discovered his equipment, props, and his dark attributes, he would probably not have an easy time!
And staying behind...even though these three guys are evil and dangerous.
But at least they have shown a certain bottom line at the moment.
And, following them, they seem to be able to hide their identities as shadow creatures in the human kingdom?
This alone is a hundred times better than him being a lone ranger.
As for the Qizhi Society? What the hell is that?
A group of level five warriors couldn't kill the Bone Leech King. I guess it's just a weak organization with better research capabilities than actual combat capabilities.
Since they are a research organization, they must have a lot of high-end materials and supplies!
This means that Mark's team may find more legendary or even mythical materials in the future!
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