We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 310 [War God's Hammer], Explosive Attack!

The moment the red-haired dwarf raised his head.

Kur felt like his heart was about to stop beating!
However, driven by his instinct for survival, Kur made the right choice.

He quickly shrank back, pressed himself tightly against the rock wall behind him, and held his breath as hard as he could.

What a joke!
He had just gained the ability to defy fate, and now he was sending himself to face Explosion?
I used Explosive Sunfire?

Fortunately, perhaps Kur dodged in time, or perhaps his breath was too weak.

Burst only glanced at the top of the passage before looking away.

"Lord Burst, what's wrong?"

Noticing the piercing gaze, a dwarf beside [Fire Wolf] asked in a respectful, low voice.

"fine."

Burst shook his head and spoke in a slightly strange tone.

"A small insect, weak and posing no threat."

"Don't worry about it, keep moving forward."

Because of his childhood experience of being raised by the Fire Seed, Burst's language ability is significantly worse than that of ordinary dwarves. Not only is his tone strange, but he also gives people the feeling of incoherent speech.

It takes others some time to understand.

However, not a single dwarf dared to question his decision.

Because he is Burst Sunflare!
Dwarfs value strength more than language!
After this minor incident, the Barbarian Axe tribe's group continued their journey.

Only after the tremors from the surrounding caves completely subsided did Kur cautiously peek out and look down into the cave below.

Seeing that Burst and the other dwarves had disappeared, Kur breathed a sigh of relief.

He then realized that his back was completely soaked with cold sweat, and his hands were even trembling slightly.

"Is this what explosive, oppressive feeling is?"

"He only glanced at me..."

In that instant, Kur's instincts sensed an extremely strong danger, as if he were facing a giant beast from the depths of the earth!

Even with the power of the Lord of the Rhine, Kur is no match for him.

"Yes, they must be trying to catch the Warhammer Horde off guard."

"Perhaps that secret letter was deliberately intercepted, just to mislead the clan leader about the timing of their attack!"

For once, Kur was surprisingly clever and quickly guessed the intentions of the [Barbarian Axe Tribe].

A flicker of struggle crossed his eyes.

In fact, there is a shortcut from this hidden cave to the underground space where the Warhammer Horde is located.

If he sets off now, he might be able to return to the Warhammer Horde before the war begins and deliver this valuable information to Bronzebeard and Hope, allowing them to prepare in advance.

However, the thought of that cold look from Burst filled Kur with immense fear.

"No, we can't do that."

"Even if I go back, the Warhammer Tribe will not be a match for Explosion."

Kuer muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself, or perhaps trying to find an excuse for himself.

"That's right, the Warhammer Horde is finished!"

“Even if I rush back now, I can’t change this. Rather than perish with the Warhammer Tribe, I’d rather seek a chance to survive in other tribes.”

"With my forging skills and the power bestowed by the Lord of the Rhine, I can get by in any tribe."

As for Mary's safety, Kur wasn't too worried.

Mary was originally a member of the [Barbarian Axe Tribe], so she might be able to be rescued because of this.

Moreover, with the help of the [Lord of the Rhine], he might be able to find a more obedient and capable wife in the future.

With that thought in mind, Kur stopped hesitating and instead headed further away from the Warhammer Tribe.

……

……

at the same time.

Inside the Warhammer Horde's camp.

"……Um?"

Shaen raised an eyebrow: "Explosion brought the [Barbarian Axe Tribe] here to attack?"

Although Kur did not personally bring the news back to the tribe, because he had just finished the [Summoning Ritual], there was still a mysterious connection between him and Shane.

Therefore, Xia En roughly knew what he had seen.

As for Kur's hasty retreat, Shane was both annoyed and amused.

Scared away at first glance?

They didn't even bother acting!
However, Shane could actually understand Kur's feelings.

People's bottom line will keep decreasing.

Kur was originally just an ordinary dwarf, but at Mary's urging, he plotted to kill "Bronzebeard Warhammer".

That was the first step in his downfall.

After that, having abandoned his principles and tribe, and prayed and sacrificed to the "evil god," Kur embarked on a path of no return.

There's no going back for him now.

However, because of Kur's terrible performance, Shane's slight guilt about deceiving him completely vanished.

From now on, Shane plans to treat him as a fine piece of firewood until all his remaining value is completely extracted.

Many thoughts flashed through Xia En's mind, but he didn't forget that the imminent crisis was the explosion and the attack of the [Barbarian Axe Tribe].

To retain the identity of "Bronzebeard Warhammer" and gain the long-term support of the Warhammer Horde, this hurdle must be overcome first.

So Shane immediately found Chief Hope and explained the information he had learned.

"What?! Burst has already brought the [Barbarian Axe Tribe] people to the nearby passage?!"

Hope had no doubt about the information Shane brought, nor did she ask him how he knew about it. Instead, she immediately became serious and said...

"We must prepare to engage the enemy immediately!"

Although Hope is an old man with gray hair, his decisiveness and action are far superior to those of Kur.

He quickly devised a strategy to deal with the enemy and gave instructions to the dwarves in his tribe.

The injured, the elderly, and the young dwarves were placed in a safe space.

—Because the dwarves are few in number, wars between different tribes do not involve the slaughter of prisoners; instead, those who remain are used as slaves.

After removing the surnames of the defeated tribe, it would only take a few generations to successfully integrate these slaves into the tribe.

This can be considered a kind of unspoken rule.

However, the thought of that explosive record made Hope feel a chill.

Raised by the [Fire Seed], Burst is known for his bloody and savage fighting style. Once he goes berserk, he probably won't leave a single survivor.

Hope knew perfectly well that the methods he had come up with for dealing with enemies would only work against ordinary enemies and would absolutely not be able to kill Burst.

They might not even be able to sustain a minor injury.

The final outcome of this war will depend on the battle between Bronzebeard and Burst.

In fact, this is the norm for small tribes; the outcome of a war often depends on the battle between the strongest members of each side.

Thinking of this, Hope couldn't help but ask cautiously.

"Bronzebeard, if you were to face Blazing Inferno, would you win?"

If it were Xia En's true form, he would definitely answer directly—"We will win!"

However, at present, Shane is not at his peak. He is limited by the body of Bronzebeard and cannot fully exert his combat power.

Since he lacked a concrete understanding of Burst's strength, he naturally couldn't make any rash conclusions, lest he set a bad precedent.

After thinking for a moment, Xia En said, "You only know the answer to this kind of thing after you've fought it yourself."

"But in my opinion, the odds of winning are at least 50%?"

There was one more thing Shaen didn't say: if he just gave up his identity as Bronzebeard, defeating Burst would be an easy task.

"Fifty percent..."

Upon hearing this, Hope murmured, "That's still quite remarkable."

Although Shane had a record of killing the [Fiery Lizard King], Burst's record was even more impressive and exaggerated. It is said that Burst once single-handedly stormed into a [Fire Seed]'s lair, and when the other dwarves arrived, all they found was a ground covered in blood and bits of flesh.

It was precisely because of his explosive and resounding reputation that Hope, unusually, had little confidence in Shane.

After a moment's thought, Hope seemed to have made up her mind and spoke.

"Bronzebeard, come with me. I have an important weapon to give you."

"Important weapons?"

Shaen was somewhat surprised. Did the Warhammer Tribe have such a trump card hidden away?

But why didn't Hope take it out when facing the [Fierce Lizard King] before?
Soon, Shane found out the answer to that question.

Because Hope brought him here...

In front of the Warhammer Tribe's "Fate Furnace".

"Chief Hope, what's going on?"

Xia En asked, somewhat surprised.

Hope gazed at the [Fate Furnace] before him, a complex mix of emotions welling up in his cloudy eyes, and said.

"This was originally meant to be given to you after you became the clan leader, but with a formidable enemy at hand, we can't worry about that now."

"Please hold out your hand."

Xia En obediently did as instructed.

Then, Hope placed a simple piece of iron in his palm.

next moment.

An intense heat emanated from Xia En's palm, and the iron plate instantly turned red-hot, as if it were about to melt into the body.

clang!
Immediately afterwards, a metallic clanging sound echoed in Xia En's mind.

It felt like a heavy hammer had struck his heart.

Xia En clearly sensed a blazing furnace fire, with surging and intense energy flowing within it, mixed with various chaotic emotions.

There was worship, awe, and dependence... Clearly, these were the emotions the dwarves entrusted to the hearth fire.

Without a doubt, the essence of this "furnace fire" is the [Life Furnace] in front of him!
From this moment on, Shane had control over this [Fate Furnace].

You are now bound to the "Forge of Destiny" of the "Warhammer Horde"!

Your soul has been tempered!

[Overall aptitude +0.5!]

A few lines of text flashed before Xia En's eyes.

"The tempering of the soul..."

A look of joy appeared in Xia En's eyes.

He could indeed feel that the warmth of the fire made his soul feel cozy, as if he were soaking in a hot spring.

This benefit was purely an unexpected bonus.

Xia En originally thought that his underwater journey in the [Furnace Realm] could only be used for the exchange of resources between the two [Realms], but he never expected that it could also nourish his body and make his soul even stronger.

At this point, the meaning behind Hope's action became clear.

He essentially handed over the fate of the Warhammer Tribe entirely to Shane.

The "Fate Furnace" is the foundation of a tribe.

It's safe to say that if Shane were to run away with the [Fate Forge] now, the [Warhammer Tribe] would perish on its own in no time.

This kind of trust carries a heavy burden.

At this point, Hope continued, "Bronzebeard, if things really come to a head, take this furnace and run away!"

"As long as the forge remains and the ancestral totems remain, the Warhammer Horde is not truly extinct."

"Chief Hope..."

Hearing this, Xia En was also somewhat moved.

Then, he said seriously, "Don't worry, I will win."

When it really comes to the final moment, Shane will never run away like Hope suggested.

the reason is simple.

Xia En vaguely realized that the rapid arrival of the Burst and the [Barbarian Axe Tribe] might also be related to him.

This is also one of the malicious acts of the [Forge Realm].

In other words, this is a test for him from the entire [Secret Realm]!

To conquer the [Forge Realm], there's no use in running away; you have no choice but to face the challenges head-on!

Hearing Shane's confidence, Hope felt both gratified and moved, and sighed softly.

"It seems I really am getting old."

"The future belongs to you young people."

"Oh right, the method of controlling the [Fate Furnace] is also very simple. You just need to communicate with it with your mind."

Xia En began to try to communicate with the hearth fire in his mind.

But soon he discovered that the fire seemed to have another form.
He carefully channeled his mental energy into the totem above the [Furnace].

Then, a surprising change occurred.

The enormous [Life Furnace] in front of the two of them began to deform and compress in a way that defied logic, eventually transforming into...

A giant warhammer larger than a person!

The surface of this iron hammer is decorated with flame-like patterns, revealing a dark red hue within its blackness. It looks mysterious and majestic, exuding a violent beauty.

After the [Fate Furnace] transformed into a warhammer, it naturally fell into Shane's hands.

The moment the handle of the warhammer touched my hand, I was immediately enveloped in a searing heat.

But strangely, this temperature didn't burn at all; instead, it felt very comfortable to hold, as if there was a blood connection between us.

Before Shane could even examine the warhammer's stats...

Hope, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed, her face filled with excitement, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"【The Hammer of War!】"

"This is the Hammer of War! I knew I wasn't wrong. The blood of the God of War flows in your veins, which is why this weapon has been able to see the light of day again."

what?
Xia En's lips twitched; he really didn't know how to explain this situation.

He simply touched the totem with his mind in a very ordinary way.
Or is that actually the effect of the Warhammer Horde's ancestral totems?

However, regardless of the circumstances, this warhammer was indeed a great help to Shane, greatly enhancing his combat power in the [Forge Realm].

"It's the Hammer of War!"

"Bronzebeard summoned Warhammer, and he gained Warhammer's approval!"

"We have hope!"

The nearby dwarves were thrilled to see this.

The Hammer of War, which was considered a legendary item by them, has now reappeared in the world, greatly boosting the morale of the dwarves.

Amidst the fervent enthusiasm of the crowd, Shane realized that he needed to do something.

He stood in the center of the crowd, raised his warhammer high, and shouted.

"This battle is for the Warhammer Horde!"

The crowd responded in unison, "For the Warhammer Horde!"

Everyone's eyes were shining, a stark contrast to their previous fearful and uneasy demeanor.

Their high morale burned like a furnace.

Without a doubt, at this moment, Shane became the undisputed core of the Warhammer Tribe.

……

……

at the same time.

Burst and his crew are also on the move...

(End of this chapter)