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

Chapter 466 [Information Passed Down] [Deep into the Earth's Core]

"this"

Hope's face turned deathly pale: "We're not making it."

Shane walked to the edge of the crack to observe.

The rift is over thirty meters wide, making it impossible for an ordinary dwarf to leap across.

Moreover, the rock walls on both sides are extremely unstable and could continue to collapse at any time.

"Lord Copperbeard, what do we do now?"

The dwarves turned their hopeful gaze toward Shane.

Xia En pondered for a moment.

Through the connection between him and his original body, he could naturally sense the location of [Molten City].

So it's okay not to take the so-called "main road".

After a moment of reflection, Shane decided to take the lead and walk into another narrow tunnel nearby, speaking to the dwarves.

"follow me."

Although the dwarves were somewhat uneasy, their long-standing trust in Bronzebeard led them to quickly follow.

……

……

three days later.

Even with Shane's accurate directions.

However, the Warhammer Horde is located in a remote area, far away from Molten Core.

In addition, there were increasingly frequent attacks from the Earth's Roar and the Blazing Fire.

All of this greatly slowed down the dwarves' migration.

However, on this day, after a difficult trek...

After rounding a bend, the view suddenly opened up before me—

A magnificent underground city appeared before everyone's eyes!
Towering stone walls, an intricate complex of buildings, and the iconic giant furnace at the center…

"[Molten City]! We've arrived!"

The dwarves cheered excitedly.

However, Shane frowned.

Because he noticed that the holy city was not in good condition.

The city wall collapsed in many places, more than a dozen flames were burning inside the city, and people were running around in panic on the streets.

Xia En's expression was grave: "Is the disaster situation more serious than it was a few days ago...?"

"The situation is not good."

Shane quickened his pace: "We must find Lord Grom immediately!"

The group hurriedly entered the city.

The sights along the way were shocking—many buildings were in ruins, and the streets were filled with the wounded.

The dwarven guards were exhausted, having to maintain order and put out fires everywhere.

After Xia En revealed his identity, guards immediately led them to the city lord's mansion.

"Bronzebeard from the Warhammer Horde?"

Grom came out to greet him personally.

The city lord looked much more haggard, his red beard covered in dust, but his eyes were still bright and piercing.

“You’ve come at the right time. Many tribal chiefs have already arrived in Molten City, and I was just about to gather them for a meeting.”

Xia En said, "I still need to appease my people, so I won't discuss matters with the city lord."

"But please accept these fragments of the Ancestral Totem, City Lord."

After saying that, Shane handed the [Ancestral Totem Fragments] to Grom.

Grom immediately noticed the unusual nature of these fragments, and his expression changed slightly.

He bowed respectfully to Xia En and said, "Thank you."

Without pausing, Grom headed toward the council chamber.

soon.

While using his identity as Bronzebeard, Shane was looking for temporary accommodations for the members of the Warhammer Tribe.

On the other hand, he controlled his own body and arrived at the city lord's mansion.

Grom had already invited him to this meeting, so there was no need for him to participate in Bronzebeard's body.

……

……

In the council chamber of the city lord's mansion.

Grom placed all the collected Ancestral Totem Fragments on an ancient altar.

These fragments varied in size and pattern, but under the influence of the secret power, they were slowly pieced together as if guided by an invisible hand.

Although the ancestral totem still has a few missing pieces, it can be considered complete to a certain extent.

next moment.

"Om-"

The totem on the altar suddenly lit up with a dazzling red light.

A phantom figure emerged in the light—

That was a burly giant clad in armor and wielding a massive hammer—the legendary God of War!
"This is... the God of War?"

Grom was so excited that his beard trembled, and he knelt on one knee.

Shane and the other tribal chiefs held their breath, watching this sacred scene.

The phantom of the God of War spoke slowly, its voice booming like thunder in everyone's minds.

"My successor..."

"To return to one's homeland, two things must be gathered—"

"One is the [War God's Hammer], which can shatter the void barrier."

"The second is the [heart and soul of Ghana], which can guide the way home."

As soon as he finished speaking, the phantom image vanished into countless points of light.

The totem on the altar split into fragments again, but the patterns had undergone subtle changes, with a mysterious power flowing between them.

The secret room was completely silent.

After a long silence, an elderly clan leader broke the silence.

"【War God's Hammer】...Isn't that the legendary artifact used by the God of War?"

"As for 'Ghana's Heart's Blood,' does it refer to the essence and blood of Ghana's heart?"

Grom nodded heavily: "Good."

"According to the inheritance, only these two things can open the passage to the [Seven Seas World]."

Xia En seemed to be deep in thought.

He had previously speculated that Ghana was related to the Seven Seas World, and now the legacy of the God of War further confirms this.

"Lord of Grom."

Xia En asked, "Do you have any clues about the [War God's Hammer]?"

Grom nodded: "According to the inherited memories, the Hammer of War is sealed within the lair of [Ghana]."

"For millennia, it has suppressed the awakening of Ghana."

The chieftains of the other tribes standing nearby couldn't help but change their expressions slightly, and said in trembling voices.

"The [War God's Hammer] is in [Ghana's] lair, and we also need to obtain [Ghana's Blood Essence]..."

Doesn't this mean we have to confront Ghana head-on?

Grom's expression was equally grave. He slowly nodded: "Indeed, we must delve into the lair of [Ghana], retrieve the [War God's Hammer], and obtain its lifeblood."

There was an uproar in the conference room.

"How is this possible?"

"Ghana is such a terrifying entity that we can't even get close to it!"

"Even if all the dwarves combined their strength, it would be impossible to defeat that monster!"

The clan leaders discussed amongst themselves, their faces filled with fear and despair.

Shaun, however, noticed the resolute glint in Grom's eyes.

The city lord had clearly made some kind of plan.

Sure enough, Grom said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, please hear me out."

His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the noisy council chamber.

"We dwarves have never been cowards who fear powerful enemies!"

"A thousand years ago, our ancestors followed the God of War to conquer all directions; a thousand years later, are we just going to sit and wait for death?"

Grom's words were powerful and made many patriarchs look ashamed.

"But the City Lord..."

One of the clan leaders was about to say something when Grom raised his hand to interrupt him.

"I understand everyone's concerns."

"Confronting Ghana head-on is like throwing an egg against a rock."

"But according to the legacy, [Ghana] is currently still dormant." "We only need an elite squad to infiltrate its lair and retrieve what we need."

Shaen spoke up at the opportune moment: "Lord Grom, you already have a plan?"

Grom looked at Shane and nodded solemnly: "Yes, Captain Shane."

"I hope that a small team consisting of you, me, and the most elite warriors from each race will be formed to carry out this mission."

"Of course, this is very dangerous, and you have the right to refuse."

Xia En did not hesitate and answered directly.

"I'll join."

Even for the sake of the temporarily damaged Black Swan, he had to find a safe path back to the Seven Seas World.

Grom smiled with relief: "That's great!"

Seeing that even an "outsider" like Xia En was willing to take the risk, the other clan leaders also expressed their support.

"Our [Iron Anvil Tribe] has dispatched our tribe's first warrior!"

"The Volcano Tribe can provide specially made fire-resistant equipment!"

"..."

Although each tribe decided to send its elite warriors, the special nature of this operation meant that too many people would be of little use.

After careful selection, Grom assembled a squad consisting entirely of dwarves of legendary rank or higher.

This can be considered the strongest force that the [Forge Realm] can gather.

Meanwhile, the dwarves were preparing for this expedition.

Shane then approached Grom and asked him the question.

"Lord of the City, if [Gana] is also an ancient dragon from the [Seven Seas World], does it also yearn to 'go home'?"

Grom was stunned: "You mean..."

"Perhaps we don't have to fight Ghana to the death."

Xia En said, "If we can communicate, perhaps we can cooperate."

Grom frowned. "This is too risky. The will of [Ghana] is destructive; communication is nearly impossible."

"You have to give it a try."

Shaun insisted, "In the face of apocalypse, enemies can become allies."

Grom pondered for a moment.

"In any case, we need to see Ghana with our own eyes to judge the situation."

"Furthermore, Captain Shane, there is something I must tell you."

His expression was unusually serious.

"According to the tradition, the lair of [Ghana] is located deep within the earth, in an extremely harsh environment."

"Ordinary dwarves can only last a few hours at most before losing their fighting ability due to high temperature and high pressure."

"so……"

Grom took a deep breath: "There probably aren't many people who can actually reach the core of the lair."

Shaun gave Grom a deep look and nodded, saying, "I understand."

……

……

It didn't take long.

Shaen stood on the shore of the lava lake at the deepest part of Molten City, the scorching air distorting his vision.

The dark red rocks beneath my feet radiated a scorching heat.

Beside him, Grom was inspecting equipment with several legendary dwarven warriors.

They wear specially made fire-resistant armor, with ancient runes engraved on its surface, which can protect the wearer in extreme heat.

Xiange stood on the other side of Xia En. In her girl form, she was slightly tense, and her dragon eyes flashed with vigilance.

"Captain Shane, are you sure you want to take her with you?"

Grom glanced at String Song and asked in a low voice, "Although she is a dragon, I'm afraid she'll be no match for [Gana]..."

“She understands Gu Long better than we do.”

Shane calmly replied, "If [Gana] is indeed, as I suspect, an ancient dragon from the Seven Seas world..."

"Then the existence of the string song might give us a glimmer of hope."

Grom pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright, let's proceed according to your plan."

at this time.

Joey walked over quickly, a hint of resentment on her face.

"Captain, I still think I should stick with you."

She pursed her lips, her gaze resolute.

Shane shook his head: "Joey, your Storm Authority is too limited in the underground environment, and the Black Swan needs you."

"But--"

"No buts."

Shane's tone left no room for argument: "If we meet with misfortune down there, at least you will be there to lead the crew to find another way out."

In fact, due to the power of [Gana], Shane only took String Song with him on this mission.

The other crew members were not very effective in dealing with Ghana.

Joey opened his mouth, but in the end he could only lower his head and clench his fists slightly.

"……I see."

Xia En patted her shoulder and whispered, "Trust me, I'll be back."

Joey took a deep breath, looked up, and gave a forced smile.

"You must come back alive, Captain."

Xia En nodded, then turned to the group: "Let's go."

……

……

three days later.

Deep underground.

Shane and the others continued their descent along the winding lava tunnel.

As Grom said, the deeper you go, the harsher the environment becomes.

The air was filled with toxic sulfurous gases, and the temperature was high enough to cook flesh and blood.

The surrounding rock walls were dark red, and lava occasionally seeped out from the cracks.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of sulfur.

It is worth noting that.

The lava deposits on the rock face had long since lost their luster, as if some force had drained their energy.

“These ores… have all been drained,” a dwarf warrior whispered, his voice filled with fear.

“It is [Ghana],” Grom said in a deep voice. “Even in its slumber, it still instinctively draws upon the power of its surroundings.”

Xia En did not answer; his gaze remained fixed on the depths of the tunnel.

The rock walls there are covered with strange patterns, like the marks left by some huge creature crawling across them.

Suddenly, Xiange paused, and her dragon eyes narrowed slightly.

"What's wrong?" Xia En asked in a low voice.

"Something is watching us."

The stringed instrument's voice was soft, yet it instantly put everyone on edge.

Grom immediately raised his hand to signal the group to stop. The dwarves gripped their weapons and looked around warily.

However, the tunnel was deathly silent, with only the faint sound of flowing lava.

"An illusion?" a dwarf warrior asked in a low voice.

"Do not."

Xian Ge shook his head, his gaze fixed ahead: "It's here."

Before the words were finished, the rock wall in front of them suddenly cracked open, and a huge crimson claw tore through the rock and grabbed at them!

"spread!"

Xia En gave a low shout and instantly retreated.

"boom--!"

The claws slammed into the ground, sending lava flying and scorching rocks scattering everywhere.

Only then did everyone see the attacker's true form—it was a massive [Fire Seed], resembling a giant lizard, but with sharp crystalline spikes growing on its back and its eyes burning with eerie blue flames.

"They are relatives of Ghana!"

Grom roared and raised his battle axe to meet the attack.

The dwarven warriors quickly formed battle formations and engaged the giant beast in combat.

Instead of immediately joining the battle, Xia En observed the actions of the [Fire Seed].

Its attack methods are extremely ferocious, but its movements are somewhat slow, as if it is being controlled by some kind of force.

(End of this chapter)