◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The Purgatory Workshop.
A workshop passed down in Dwarven legends.
The fiery flames of hell were a source of fear for the wicked, but for Dwarves, they were the ultimate flames, capable of forging any metal.
They weren’t called madmen for nothing. The Purgatory Workshop was a testament to how the ancient Dwarves perceived hell.
Having dealt with the iron golems at the entrance, Hans and the Dwarves opened the door and went inside.
Beyond the tightly sealed vault-like door were countless decorations and patterns.
Its splendor was like that of a palace.
Considering that Dwarves, aside from their weapons, didn’t usually prioritize aesthetics, this was a truly magnificent workshop.
However, there was a distinct difference from other workshops, the seemingly bottomless underground space below. Spanning dozens of levels downwards, it truly lived up to the name “Purgatory.”“It seems there’s something down there.”
“We should go down.”
“We can’t turn back now, can we?”
At the edge of the underground space was a spiral staircase made of steel leading down.
Hans stepped onto the stairs first, and everyone followed.
“What kind of person is Sir Hans?”
Bell, escorted by the Jewel’s Star, spoke to Ruby, who was walking beside her.
Ruby wanted to walk with the Commander, but Hans had ordered her to act as an escort. And since Bell was her first friend in the Dwarf Kingdom, Ruby obeyed without complaint.
Ruby, walking ahead of Bell, thought for a moment before answering.
“You don’t have any ulterior motives, do you?”
“Excuse me? Ulterior motives?”
“Forget it.”
Ruby had wondered if Bell harbored any romantic feelings for Hans, but judging by her tilted head, it seemed she genuinely didn’t.
Ruby was relieved.
She didn’t want any more rivals.
“The Commander is a very strong person. In many ways.”
“In many ways? Do you mean he has a strong heart?”
“Well, of course. He’s like perfectly tempered steel.”
“Tempered steel… For a Dwarf to say that…”
Dwarves were engineers.
They were stingy with praise.
Part of it was because they found it embarrassing, but mostly, it was because they were so discerning that they were rarely satisfied.
Especially using steel as a metaphor for praise was the highest compliment for a Dwarf.
Therefore, it was rare to hear such praise from a Dwarf.
Perhaps a hero who saved the Kingdom? That level of accomplishment would warrant such praise.
She hadn’t expected to hear it so easily.
Even Ambassador Viral had compared the Commander to heavy steel. And Bell had just witnessed the truth.
The power to instantly eliminate iron golems that even the Jewel’s Star struggled against.
Yet, he wasn’t arrogant, carrying himself with a quiet strength and consideration.
A noble knight.
Is that the kind of person it takes to rebuild the Royal Knights?
He was a man of great character. And he possessed a level of strength that made him a dangerous enemy.
How could such a person suddenly appear?
Bell was amazed.
This was also proof that Hans’s image management was working.
While some still doubted him, the results he had produced were undeniable.
Who could refute them?
Finally, they reached the bottom of the stairs.
A giant iron golem came into view. If the golems at the entrance were human-sized, this one was a true giant.
It stood approximately 10 meters tall, easily dwarfing any ordinary structure.
Hans clicked his tongue.
“So that’s the Steel Giant.”
It was certainly worthy of the name, giant. If it were to rampage here, it would be extremely difficult to subdue. But in this situation, there was only one thing to do.
“Get ready.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s probably going to attack us.”
“What…?”
[Two of the four jewels confirmed. Iron King, Activated.]
A grating, metallic voice echoed.
Everyone present shivered.
With a creaking sound, the Iron King moved. Its rusty joints moved surprisingly well.
Hans had anticipated this.
Why? Because he had played many games like this.
He knew it would attack, disguised as a test or trial.
But the other unit members and the Dwarves hadn’t thought so.
While they had expected a trial, they had assumed the iron golems at the entrance were all there was to it.
“Commander Hans! Do you know something about that?!”
That’s why they found Hans’s casual demeanor strange. It was as if he knew something about the Iron King.
“That’s not important right now. Subduing it is our priority.”
But Hans refused to answer Bell’s question.
Bell agreed. He wasn’t wrong.
Their primary objective was to subdue the Iron King before them.
The Iron King moved with a scraping sound. Its fist slammed into the ground.
KABOOM!!
A deafening sound, like a massive hammer shattering the ground, reverberated.
Hans shouted,
“Focus! If that hits you, you’re dead!!”
Hans’s shout snapped everyone out of their momentary lapse in attention.
Bayard was the first to move.
She lunged forward, baring her sharp fangs.
“You piece of scrap metal!!! I’ll crush you!!!”
Her madness awakened once more.
No, perhaps it wasn’t madness. Perhaps this was her true nature.
Bayard leaped towards the Iron King’s face in an instant.
Bayard’s physical abilities rivaled even Yuren’s.
Of course, that was assuming Yuren was in human form.
In any case, this was no challenge for Bayard.
Reaching the Iron King’s face in a flash, Bayard swung her fist, striking its face.
BAM!
With an impact like a hammer blow, the Iron King’s body was pushed back.
Hans shouted,
“Watch out for the next attack! It’s coming!!”
“I know, Commander!!!”
Bayard instinctively knew.
That attack hadn’t killed the Iron King. At the same time, she felt a chilling sensation.
Bayard immediately raised her arm like a sturdy shield.
Her strong arm barely blocked the Iron King’s fist. But the impact sent Bayard flying into the wall.
With a cracking sound, the steel wall fractured.
To cover Bayard, Ruby moved.
WHOOSH!
Blazing flames engulfed the hammer in Ruby’s hand.
Just then, the Iron King reacted.
[Warning! Ancestral Flame detected! Designating as highest priority target!]
“Ancestral Flame? What’s that?”
“That’s…!!!”
With a strange, mechanical whirring, the iron ball attached to the Iron King’s right arm retracted, and something else emerged.
A cylindrical object that looked unmistakably like a cannon.
Oh, my god.
It even has a cannon?
Damn it! Are the ancient Dwarves monsters?!
But there was no time to hesitate.
Hans touched his middle and index fingers together, a familiar gesture.
The peculiar action stopped time.
Everything around him turned grayscale.
Initially, he had intended to move Ruby out of the way. But then he reconsidered.
Wasn’t this an opportunity?
Hans pondered, arms crossed.
He would use that cannon to destroy it.
But what was the best method?
After some thought, Hans looked at the holy sword at his hip. It had been quite effective against the Mud Guardian.
Using the holy sword would be the most effective here as well.
The problem was how to get the sword inside the cannon.
Hans finally reached a decision. He would just throw it.
Fortunately, the Iron King’s cannon was pointed downwards, not upwards, and thanks to Bayard’s punch, it was kneeling on one knee.
He should be able to throw the sword inside.
Hans gripped the sword in reverse and slowly raised it.
Inside the cannon, there was a sphere that looked like a cannonball.
🚨 Important Notice 🚨
); }
Hans threw the sword with all his might.
Fortunately, the holy sword was sharp enough to pierce the sphere easily.
“Good, that should be enough.”
And then, time resumed.
Naturally, the Iron King didn’t notice Hans’s handiwork and immediately fired the cannon.
KABOOM!!
A massive explosion erupted.
The explosion was so powerful that it shattered not only the arm with the cannon but also the torso and head.
As everyone stared in shock, only Hans moved. He slowly walked forward and picked up the holy sword from the wreckage.
From Hans’s perspective, he was simply retrieving his sword,
But to the others, it looked as if he had casually destroyed the Iron King and was now calmly surveying the surroundings.
Bell, in particular, was finally certain.
That was Sir Hans.
The Commander of the Royal Knights.
Possessing overwhelming power.
Someone who absolutely must not be made an enemy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[Translator Notes]
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter