Chapter 342: Hammerfall Fortress (Part 2)

Chapter 342: Hammerfall Fortress (Part 2)



After flying for over four hours, the Blood Feather Gryphon also began to feel weary.

A few minutes later, Ren and Anna circled around a campfire by a forest lake, roasting smoked meat and pickled salmon for dinner, and allowing the gryphon to rest as well.

"Ren, if I were in danger, you'd come all this way too," Anna said, her face turning slightly red, and she stopped speaking.

"Of course," Ren nodded firmly and smiled.

"Hmm!"

Considering the Secret Silver Embellished Plate Armor was too eye-catching, Ren wore a grayish wizard robe over it, which could conceal the silver-white hue of Secret Silver.

"Hmm?" Yannis, the chubby one, followed Melita's gaze and saw that the two of them hadn't ridden the gryphon away but were instead heading towards the direction of the fortress gate.

Ren nodded.

"Ren, this seems to be the architectural style of the ancient dwarves," Anna said.

The person on the other side twitched twice and immediately went limp on the ground.

"So, we plan to organize a team to cross over. Are you interested in joining us? I represent the Cameron Family Caravan and am willing to pay you both a fee."

"It's possible," Melita nodded.

"Interesting, it seems the other party is an official from the Empire, and their status isn't low," the female wizard smiled and shared her judgment.

Additionally, when Ren and Anna arrived at Hammerfall Fortress, anyone with common sense could tell that they intended to cross through the tunnel; there was nothing to hide.

"It's nothing, there should be more people coming from behind," Ren shook his head.

"Why not follow them immediately?" Yannis asked. "Hehe, if you get too close and anger this official, don't blame me for not warning you," Melita smiled.

"Chirp~ Chirp~"

The other two male wizards were also clearly stunned.

Ren led the way a few meters ahead, with Blood Feather and Anna following behind.

Suddenly, another beast-like roar sounded, and Melita immediately turned to the others behind her and said, "Not good! That's the sound of a Magma Hound!"

"Boom!"

Anna had already learned about the general itinerary from Ren during their previous campfire conversation.

As for the Swordbearers, more information was known within the Swordbearer system. If it were other departments or lower-level official organizations, they might not be aware of the Swordbearers.

"Don't worry, Captain Leeman, it shouldn't be a big problem," Ren said.

Ren glanced at the other party and confirmed that they were ordinary people.

He hadn't expected that there would be such uniquely shaped creatures in this world.

Ren, of course, was aware of this.

However, if they were to take a detour, even with Ren's flying mount, it would take nearly two extra days.

That's why they needed to team up to enter.

"Ren, what's wrong?"

After all, those who could ride flying mounts were obviously not ordinary people.

"When we get back, we can learn more about the history of Hammerfall Fortress," Ren muttered to himself.

"Has Ren's strength reached this level?"

The three of them fell silent for a moment.

Moreover, Ren also noticed the ancient-looking vaulted walls, which seemed to be from a very distant era and didn't resemble the architectural style of the Dragonguard Empire.

As for their strengths, the three of them seemed to deliberately conceal their psychic energy fluctuations, and for a while, Ren couldn't discern their power levels.

"Huh? Why is there such a thing here?" Ren looked at the magma creature he had just killed with a puzzled expression.

"Oh? If that's the case, it should be difficult to pass through. Why are so many of you gathered here?"

"Hiss~"

"Well, the Magma Snake is a magma elemental creature similar to the Ferocious Species, and a formal knight can usually handle one on their own."

"Anna, below should be Hammerfall Fortress. Let's look for it."

It was just that no one knew why it was abandoned here.

"Whoosh!"

"Hmm, I've seen similar patterns in the Druid's Ring, which introduced ancient races," Anna nodded firmly.

As the ten-meter-high stone gate opened a crack, Ren immediately led Anna and Blood Feather inside.

"I have a letter of passage," Ren said calmly.

After a moment of thought, Ren shook his head. "Thank you, but it's not necessary."

"By the way, we already have three official wizards on our side, plus a very capable mercenary corps from Knossen."

"This is the Black Fog Cyclone?"

She had just seen Ren and Anna's faces, and they both looked very young, so they probably weren't Second Level Liquidation Wizards.

"It's said that there's a large number of Dark Fog Beasts inside, a unique elemental creature that can't be completely eradicated and will continuously regenerate. Fortunately, their habitat is just around the peak of the Hammerfall Mountains."

These magma snakes were about three to four meters long, resembling pythons but slightly thicker, with palm-sized red rocky armor plates on their bodies, providing high defense.

Though it was referred to as a tunnel, upon entering, Ren realized that it was more akin to a grand hall.

He carried no weapons on his person, only a pitch-black staff in his hand, transformed from hardened Mithril. The rest of his metal equipment was stored on Bloodwing.

"In that case, it'll take at least two days. If we were to fly straight through, we could reach the other side in just four hours." Yannis, the burly man, continued to persuade, unwilling to give up.

But now, it seemed that might not be the case.

Stone Hammer Fortress was situated above a tunnel entrance, a small section of the mountain carved out, revealing a balcony-like structure protruding from the second floor.

"Magma Hounds?"

Ren guided Bloodwing to descend towards the left.

"That's right!"

"Sir, with such precision, it's likely a sharp weapon pierced through the Magma Snake's toughest skull."

"Halt, both of you! The Stone Hammer Tunnel is sealed, and it'll take a few days to reopen." A guard in chainmail with a bow in hand shouted.

Ren's figure flashed, and he quickly moved to another Magma Snake, stabbing it.

Facing the approaching Magma Snake, Ren swiftly dispatched it as if chopping vegetables.

However, Ren seemed unaffected, continuing towards the Stone Hammer Fortress.

"Ancient Dwarves?"

"Sir, do you plan to ride your flying mount around?"

But psychic energy was limited. To kill so many Magma Snakes, their psychic energy would be nearly depleted, making it impossible to continue the journey.

"What was that sound just now?"

"Boom!"

"Who knows, we might even find rare metal-based sorcery." Ren thought to himself.

The man had just come from the caravan, likely a leader of one of the caravans.

He quickly spoke to his companion and then called out to Ren, "Please wait, sirs. May I see your Letter of Passage?"

The girl's beautiful eyes stared unwaveringly at Ren, unconcerned about the Magma Snakes surrounding them.

At that moment, a fireball the size of a basin shot out from the creature's gaping maw.

"That sound just now seemed to be..." Melita looked ahead with a solemn expression.

Whenever a Magma Snake approached within ten meters, it was instantly beheaded by Ren's sword.

"It's a genuine Letter of Passage. Drilling Star Rank Swordbearer Ren. Issued by Imperial Admiral Edward."

"We have no choice now. Quick, follow them!" Melita pointed ahead.

Bloodwing let out a cheerful cry and pecked at the Magma Snake's body with its beak, swallowing a red, oval-shaped object.

Ren didn't mind others taking the opportunity to follow him through the tunnel.

"Don't worry, Yannis. They'll probably turn back soon after hitting a dead end."

Suddenly, a sword was drawn.

"It seems they're in a hurry. Otherwise, they would've flown away like the others," the female wizard observed, chuckling.

"Could they be second-level Liquidation Wizards?" the male wizard asked in a low voice.

"No time! Magma Hounds are pack animals. If one appears, a whole pack will follow! And that's not even the worst part." Melita muttered.

This time, he arrived in a hurry, and some of the dangerous areas along the way weren't thoroughly understood.

"Roar!"

"If the Magma Snakes are only official knights, no matter how many there are, they won't pose a threat. We can just pass through and join their group."

"No wonder Olana suggested going through the Hammerfall Tunnel," Ren thought, observing the scene.

"Ren's movements were so swift that Anna, standing nearby, felt as if he had created three or four clones, each slaying a Magma Snake."

"At this moment, the ten or so mercenaries, dressed in a rugged manner, likely the Knossen Mercenary Corps Yannis mentioned."

"Soon, the knight captain, accompanied by two guards, quickly descended from the fortress and approached Ren, "Hello, Ren. I'm Captain Leeman of Stone Hammer Fortress."

"Huh? Melita, just now you said not to get too close, right?" Yannis was a bit confused.

"Seeing Bloodwing, the guards realized the importance of the two individuals before them, so they remained polite."

"Anna, you're right. This was once the city of the ancient dwarves."

"But these dozens of Magma Snakes being killed doesn't seem like the result of group sorcery. It's more like they were individually picked off, casually cleaned up." Melita spoke up.

"Hmm?" The burly Yannis immediately waved his hand, signaling the entire caravan to slowly come to a halt.

A minute later, a middle-aged man dressed like a knight came out and examined Ren's letter of passage.

Just as Ren was about to stop and ask for directions, a plump middle-aged man with a large belly and wearing a silk robe hurriedly approached. He bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, sir. I am Yannis, the leader of the Cameron Caravan. Are you also heading to Moselle Province through the Hammerfall Tunnel?"

"Yes, are the magma snakes really formidable?" Ren couldn't help but ask.

"Huh?"

"Impossible to cast dozens of zero-level sorcery spells consecutively," the other male wizard shook his head.

Wherever the official powers of the empire could reach, Ren could receive assistance.

This was the advantage of having a letter of passage.

Ren followed Anna's gaze and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Dozens of elite guards in chainmail and holding bows stood on high ground, guarding this important transportation route.

At this moment, the path Ren and Anna were on could be considered the central corridor of the underground hall.

"Hmm," Anna nodded.

"Thank you," Ren smiled.

Anna was dressed similarly, so from their appearance, they looked like a wizard couple.

Ren walked forward and soon discovered that ahead was a long stone bridge. Below the bridge, hundreds of meters away, were tall and short rock buildings, most of them abandoned, with the lowest part already submerged in lava.

"Is it almost time for the opening?"

At the same time, the female wizard Melita suddenly shouted, "Stop!"

Meanwhile, they had walked about a third of the way through the Hammerfall Tunnel.

As they moved forward, Ren, with his keen senses, could vaguely sense the danger lurking within the massive black mist. The mist flickered, and fog swirled.

Suddenly, a beast the size of a calf with a hideous face and its body engulfed in raging flames burst out from the ground and charged towards Ren.

"Huh? Why aren't they moving? What's going on?" Suddenly, the female wizard's gaze froze.

In the sky, he could clearly see the winding road behind, leading to a place in the lower left. Obviously, that should be the way to Hammerfall Fort.

At this moment, hundreds of meters ahead, Ren's longsword flashed with a silver light, and with a 'pfft' sound, it easily pierced through a magma snake's forehead like it was made of tofu.

Ren raised his hand to signal Anna to stop, and at the same time, he looked more intently towards the left side of the bridgehead.

"That's normal. If I had a flying mount, I wouldn't accept your invitation," the white-robed female wizard said enviously.

To excavate such a spacious underground space was a massive project that couldn't be completed in a short time.

Soon, the three wizards exchanged glances, and they all saw shock in each other's eyes.

Five minutes later.

In the spacious tunnel, they could feel the faintly warm air. Under the light of the wall-mounted torches, they saw dozens of magma snake corpses scattered ahead, stretching into the depths of the tunnel.

Ren killed in front, while the magma snakes feasted behind, enjoying the hunt.

Although they could also easily kill the magma snakes, it was with the help of sorcery.

The three wizards, two men and one woman, seemed to be unrelated to each other, each standing in their own space. The female wizard wore a white robe, with a good figure and fair complexion.

Soon, a basket was lowered, and Ren placed the letter of passage inside.

"A letter of passage?" The guard's face showed surprise.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed like a bustling caravan and travelers coming and going.

Just now, he heard the sound of the door opening again.

"It should be."

"This flying mount looks like some kind of gryphon, it's beautiful."

"To be precise, it's a piercing attack, entering through the front of the skull and exiting from the back."

"It's truly amazing."

However, one could vaguely discern that it seemed to be a well-functioning city.

"Hmm."

But the issue was, Ren didn't plan to take a detour.

"Is the Hammerfall Tunnel closed?" Ren frowned.

A second-level liquid wizard was already a prominent figure, whether in the empire or various wizard schools, they were considered mid to high-level.

"At least an attack power of 25 or above is needed to reach the strength of a zero-level sorcery," a male wizard said gravely.

Ren looked at the map, and he knew that beyond the Hammerfall Tunnel was the border of Moselle Province.

Obviously, the magma snakes weren't the issue.

"Huh? Why are there so many people?" Still hovering in the air, Ren saw at a glance the bustling Hammerfall Fort entrance, seemingly blocked by many people.

"Should we leave now?" a male wizard asked anxiously.

At this moment, the magma snakes lay motionless on the tunnel floor, showing no visible injuries from the outside.

Not far away, Yannis, with his bulging eyes, suddenly widened, exclaiming, "Hmm? How is this possible? The guards of Stone Hammer Fortress actually opened the door for them?"

As Yannis and the rest of the caravan entered, it wasn't long before they were shocked by the scene before them.

Ren nodded, and his peripheral vision glanced at the group behind Yannis.

At this moment, two leather-armored men at the front of the caravan quickly stepped forward, each examining the bodies of the magma snakes and inspecting them carefully.

"Is that the caravan?" Anna instantly thought of the one who had just invited Ren and her chubby Yannis.

"Regarding your request to pass through the Hammerfall Tunnel, we dare not stop you. But the issue is that there's a magma creature riot inside, so your safety is a concern." The knight captain hesitated for a moment before speaking up as a reminder.

"Look, Ren, what majestic mountains!" Anna pointed with her fair-skinned fingers at the grayish-black peaks that stood like blades, exclaiming in awe.

As Ren approached Stone Hammer Fortress, its entire appearance came into view.

A Mithril Falcon Shield suddenly appeared in front of Ren, blocking the damage from a fireball, and then a silver arc of light passed by.

"Pfft!"

"I wonder if there will be a chance to visit in the future. If we can take a look at the Elves' Library, we'll surely gain some knowledge."

"I think, with your words, we should be able to set off soon." Yannis said with a smile, finally explaining their purpose.

Moreover, in terms of strength, they were much stronger than the magma snakes. Not only did they possess innate abilities like the ability to breathe fireballs, but they also had a combination of speed and strength.

A greatsword pierced the head of a magma hound.

They had only arrived a few minutes ago, and they had already killed so many magma snakes? Killing chickens isn't this fast! The female wizard Melita watched this scene with a solemn expression, stunned for several seconds before coming back to her senses.

This was quite troublesome, as passing through the Hammerfall Mountains via the tunnel would take only two to three hours to reach the other side.

She could also sense the unknown risks hidden within the large and small black mists, and naturally, she had no objections.

"It should be over there."

"By the way, can't you bargain for a better price? Isn't that a good thing?" asked the wizard Melita.

The air grew hotter, and as Ren approached, the ground ahead became clear. Numerous crimson lights appeared, and the ground was covered with dark red glows.

"Yannis, let's catch up in a few minutes. With you leading the way, it'll be much easier for us."

"This..." Yannis was stunned by the sight.

On the map that Olena had given him, it was specifically marked why they needed to pass through the Hammerfall Tunnel. If they were to take a detour, they would have to fly a big loop around the towering Hammerfall Mountains.

"It seems the adult doesn't appreciate the reward I offered. Melita, it looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer."

"No, we don't know when the Imperial cleansing squad will arrive. Unlike you, with your powerful strength, they won't open the door for us." Yannis seemed a bit reluctant, calling out to the others.

The Elves' long lifespans meant that even ordinary elves had lifespans similar to human wizards, not to mention the higher elves. As a result, the collection of ancient books was the most complete.

"Your timing is unfortunate. Two days ago, there was a magma creature riot underground, so the tunnel was closed until the Empire sends a specialized squad to cleanse it."

"Alright, then please wait. If you feel unsafe, you can always return and knock three times."

"I understand. We'll wait for a while longer."

"But the issue is that the magma snakes appear in large numbers. There are probably piles of them in the tunnel, at least a dozen or so." Yannis explained without hesitation.

The bald grayish-black mountain was covered with sparse vegetation, and large patches of black mist shrouded its peak, blending into the distant mountains.

Could it be that something happened at Stone Hammer Fortress? The landing of the Blood Feather Gryphon naturally attracted the attention of almost everyone present.

"The situation has changed. Let's speed up the caravan."

"As you command."

"Everyone, speed up!"

The drivers whipped their whips, urging the horses to pull the cargo forward at a faster pace.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end