Chapter 447: The Bronze Fortress
Kai Xiusu slowly unfurled his Wings, unleashing a scorching Hurricane that rippled through the air. In just a few breaths, he hovered above the Bronze Fortress, his towering form casting a shadow over the battlefield.
From his overwhelming height, he surveyed the Empire’s army and the Fire Dwarves below, his golden vertical pupils flaring with inner flames.
Selkan finally snapped back to awareness. He hurried forward, dropping to his knees upon the searing ground, his voice trembling with excitement:
"King Kai Xiusu!"
"My lord, I never— I could never have imagined you would personally descend here!"
The Adjutant stammered in equal fervor, his eyes alight with fanatic devotion:
"T-this is the highest honor for every member of the Fire Elemental Plane’s vanguard!"
No wonder they were so overwhelmed. Though they were all Dragon-Blooded Nobles of the Empire, they had only ever glimpsed the Red Dragon’s colossal form from afar during battle. The award ceremony had been the closest they’d ever come to the Emperor. Now, the Emperor himself stood before them—on their battlefield, perhaps even about to speak to them.
Such a moment was beyond reach for most Dragon-Blooded Nobles.
To be unworthy even of serving as the Emperor’s dog—no mere insult, but a stark, undeniable truth.
Kai Xiusu glanced down at the half-dragon kneeling before him. A flicker of memory stirred. He had seen this man at the award ceremony—had granted him the title of Viscount. The name… Selkan. Wood.
Now, with his 17-point Intelligence, Kai Xiusu’s memory was razor-sharp—clearer than most mages’.
He spoke:
"You are Selkan Wood, Viscount of the Ashen Empire, correct?"
The kneeling Selkan felt his heart surge.
The Emperor remembers me… He even knows my name!
A wave of exhilaration, mixed with overwhelming reverence, washed over him. Not everyone could earn the Emperor’s gaze—let alone his memory.
Above, the Red Dragon swept his gaze across the ranks of soldiers, then spoke again, his voice loud and unwavering, echoing across the vast, sweltering expanse of the Elemental Plane of Fire—so powerful it seemed to quell the relentless Thermal Surge of the land.
"You have all done well. I am proud of you."
He continued:
"To dare come to a place as perilous as the Elemental Plane of Fire—this is not only proof of your courage and determination, but of your unwavering loyalty and duty to the Empire.
The Empire needs warriors like you. Your very existence is the Empire’s greatest treasure."
Kai Xiusu flared his Wings once more, descending slowly from the sky, stirring up clouds of dust.
"On this land of trials and challenges, you will carve your legacy with sword and strength—writing a glory that belongs to the Empire."
Remember: No matter the hardship, no matter the trial—the Empire stands with you. Together, we shall face every dawn, and every victory.
"Rise, my warriors."
The thousand elite soldiers of the Imperial Vanguard Force erupted with fervor. Their eyes blazed with fanatic resolve.
Selkan was the first to rise, drawing his Empire Silver Sword and raising it high.
"For the Empire!"
"For King Kai Xiusu!"
"Long Live the Empire! Long Live Emperor Kai Xiusu, undefeated!"
Their cheers and battle cries rose in a thunderous wave, echoing endlessly across the blistering wasteland. Faces burned with ecstasy, their gazes now alight with something deeper—something called Faith.
Green watched the roaring soldiers, his heart jolted by surprise, even a flicker of fear.
"By Molradin…"
"They’re… like those fanatical Fire Giant warriors and their Sultan."
Fire Dwarves—so rigid in order and tradition—rarely showed such fervor in battle.
But Kai Xiusu, gazing down at the ecstatic faces below, allowed a faint smile to cross his lips.
"As the Empire expands, so too grows the people’s faith in me."
"Perhaps… becoming a god—Ennobled as Shen—is no longer a distant dream. It is merely a future not far off."
He thought this as he stood, a temporary military ally, before the Fire Dwarves—whose hearts were torn between joy at the arrival of such a powerful ally, and dread of what such a dragon might do.
Yet after debate, they decided to welcome the monarch from the Material Realm. Many Fire Dwarf nobles stood at the gates of the Bronze Fortress, ready to receive him.
Under the watchful eyes of the Imperial soldiers, Green stepped forward, maintaining composure as he extended his hand.
"Your Majesty, please, follow me."
"I represent all Fire Dwarves in welcoming you to the Bronze Fortress. It is our greatest honor."
"Good."
Kai Xiusu gave a slight nod. His scales shimmered with a faint, magical aura.
【Polymorph】
The massive dragon body shrank instantly, transforming into a young man—black hair, golden eyes, clad in rich robes.
Green led the way, while Selkan and the other Imperial officers followed in respectful silence.
Kai Xiusu casually asked:
"Selkan, how did you come to occupy the Bronze Fortress?"
Selkan replied promptly:
"Six months ago, Lady Misha struck boldly. The Fire Giant Emir of Iron City issued a warrant for our capture."
"So we fled to the lands of the Fire Dwarves—our ancient enemies of the Fire Giants."
"It was then we discovered that Fire Giant Fire Lizard raiders were attacking the fortress. We intervened and aided them."
Kai Xiusu nodded approvingly.
"You acted wisely.
To step into uncharted territory—local allies are essential. The southern vanguard should learn from you."
Green turned, bowing slightly:
"Your Majesty, we have arrived at the entrance to the Bronze Fortress."
Before them stood a hemispherical structure forged of bronze, like a lid pressed into the earth. Its thick, gleaming surface bore deep scratches and the scars of magical explosions—testaments to countless assaults.
Green’s voice carried pride:
"Our craftsmanship is unmatched. Even the Fire Giants have failed to breach our fortress."
But the entrance was only six feet tall—spacious for Fire Dwarves, yet cramped for Kai Xiusu and the Imperial soldiers.
Green stepped inside first.
But Kai Xiusu did not follow. Instead, he stepped forward—and passed through space itself, appearing instantly within the fortress’s interior.
Selkan, meanwhile, bent low and squeezed through with great effort.
"Interesting… This place is far larger than it appears from the outside. No wonder it took the Fire Dwarves millennia to build."
Kai Xiusu surveyed the cavernous interior, surprised by what he saw.
From above, the Bronze Fortress seemed small, even unimpressive. But inside? It was a world unto itself.
The underground complex stretched vast and deep—a cavernous network of spiral tunnels descending into the earth. From the lowest floor to the ceiling of the rock walls, the height likely reached nearly a hundred meters. And ahead, the tunnels stretched into the distance, endless in sight.
Everywhere: exquisite Fire Dwarf craftsmanship.
Tiny homes made of clay or metal. Lifelike copper sculptures.
Mine shafts of all sizes carved into the walls.
Fire Dwarf miners, carrying copper hammers and ore, moved tirelessly between tunnels and paths, their labor never ceasing.
Clang! Clang!
"Heave! Heave!"
The rhythmic clang of hammers echoed through the stone, mingling with labored breaths.
In homes farther along, Fire Dwarf blacksmiths swung their copper hammers with furious force, striking anvils and sending showers of ember sparks flying.
At the heart of the fortress, a colossal copper statue—hundred meters tall—stood in solemn majesty.
Its face was stern, its eyes fixed upward.
It raised a massive hammer high, its head pressing against the ceiling, as if bearing the weight of the entire underworld realm.
That was Molradin—the first forger of the dwarves, their divine guardian.
And beyond, rising like spires of bronze, stood grand palaces—residences of the Fire Dwarf nobles.
This was no mere fortress.
It was a city.
A crystallization of Fire Dwarf civilization.
(End of Chapter)
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